Headlines
Police to Deploy 34,587 Operatives for Anambra Gov’ship Election
The Inspector-General of Police, Mr Usman Baba, said on Thursday in Abuja that 34,587 operatives would be deployed to Anambra for the state’s Nov. 6 governorship election.
Baba made the declaration at a meeting with police officers from the rank of Commissioner and above.
He said the deployment would consist of conventional police officers, Police Mobile Force, the Counter Terrorism Unit, Special Forces, Explosive Ordnance Unit, Force Intelligence Bureau, INTERPOL, Special Protection Unit and a medical team.
He said three helicopters would be deployed for aerial surveillance while detachments of Marine Police operatives would also be deployed to ensure safe, secure and credible electoral process.
Baba said the deployments followed the outcome of election security threat analysis conducted by the Force Intelligence Bureau.
“Based on the outcome of the analysis, we have developed a strategic election security operation plan which will involve the mobilisation of 34,587 police personnel.
“Let me use this opportunity to assure all citizens and stakeholders, including the international community of our determination to work with other security agencies to stabilise the prevailing situation in Anambra.
“The idea is to create a conducive and enabling environment that will guarantee peaceful conduct of the election.
“We are also committed to partnering with INEC within the dictates of the Electoral Act to deliver a credible election in Anambra,’’ he said.
According to him, the police have also emplaced adequate forward and reverse logistics arrangements for seamless operation in the state.
He warned subversive elements and political actors who would want to adopt undemocratic and illegal means to achieve their aspirations to bury such thoughts.
Baba also called on the Commissioners of Police to strengthen security architecture in their commands to prevent anticipated security threat as the year ran to an end.
NAN
The first hostages freed from Gaza under a long-awaited ceasefire agreement are back in Israel. The news sparked jubilant scenes in Tel Aviv where large crowds gathered ahead of their release.
The three freed Israeli hostages – the first of 33 to be released over the next six weeks – are Romi Gonen, Doron Steinbrecher and Emily Damari. They are said to be in good health and are receiving treatment at a medical center in Tel Aviv.
In exchange, 90 Palestinian prisoners and detainees are set to be released by Israel from Ofer Prison in the occupied West Bank.
The Israeli military withdrew from several locations in southern and northern Gaza after the truce began earlier on Sunday, an Israeli military official told CNN.
Displaced Gazans have started returning to their homes, while the aid trucks laden with much-needed supplies have crossed into Gaza. Here’s what we know about how the ceasefire deal will work.
Hamas, despite suffering devastating losses, is framing the Gaza ceasefire agreement as a victory for itself, and a failure for Israel.
One of Hamas’ main goals for taking some 250 people during its brazen October 7, 2023, attack on Israel was to secure the release of Palestinian prisoners held in Israeli jails. As Israel pounded Gaza in response, Hamas vowed not to return the hostages until Israel withdrew its forces from the enclave, permanently ended the war, and allowed for rebuilding.
Source: CNN
The leader of UK’s Conservative Party, Kemi Badenoch, has said she doesn’t want Britain to be like Nigeria that is plagued by “terrible governments.”
Speaking on Thursday at an event organised by Onward, a British think tank producing research on economic and social issues, Badenoch expressed fears that Britain may become like Nigeria if the system is not reformed.
“And why does this matter so much to me? It’s because I know what it is like to have something and then to lose it,” Badenoch told the audience.
“I don’t want Britain to lose what it has.
“I grew up in a poor country and watched my relatively wealthy family become poorer and poorer, despite working harder and harder as their money disappeared with inflation.
“I came back to the UK aged 16 with my father’s last £100 in the hope of a better life.
“So I have lived with the consequences of terrible governments that destroy lives, and I never, ever want it to happen here.”
Badenoch has been in the news of late after she dissociated herself from Nigeria, saying she has nothing to do with the Islamic northern region.
She also accused the Nigeria Police of robbing citizens instead of protecting them.
She said: “My experience with the Nigeria Police was very negative. Coming to the UK, my experience with the British Police was very positive.
“The police in Nigeria will rob us (laughter). When people say I have this bad experience with the police because I’m black, I say well…I remember the police stole my brother’s shoe and his watch.”
