Headlines
You Have 14 Days to Release Sowore, Others or Face Mass Action, CSOs Tell Buhari
A coalition of civil society organisations in Nigeria has issued a 14-day ultimatum to President Muhammadu Buhari to release Omoyele Sowore and other illegal detainees in SSS custody or brace for nationwide protests.
Mr Sowore, the publisher of Sahara Reporters, was initially released by the SSS on Thursday after prolonged refusal by the State Security Service to obey a court order for his freedom.
On Friday, the SSS invaded a courtroom in Abuja and rearrested the activist. Mr Sowore called for protests to demand good governance. The government accuses him of treason, money laundering and insulting Mr Buhari.
The coalition demanding his release includes Centre for Democracy & Development (CDD), Civil Society Legislative Advocacy Centre (CISLAC), Concerned Nigerians, Enough Is Enough Nigeria(EiE) three others.
Amnesty International said it was in support of the call for the immediate release of all unlawfully-held detainees.
At a press conference in Abuja on Monday, the groups also faulted the invasion of the court by the SSS.
In a joint statement read by Yemi Adamolekun of EiE, the groups presented five demands to the government.
They asked Mr Buhari to speak to the media and show his commitment to the rule of law; and to release of all illegal detainees in DSS custody, including the unconditional release of Mr Sowore.
They also demanded that the administration obey all pending court orders, and investigate the officers who invaded a federal court on Friday.
“Tomorrow, December 10, the world will celebrate Human Rights Day. It will also be marked in Nigeria as we review the crackdown of the freedom of the press, proposed bills to curb dissent, and a general environment of shrinking civic space of which the recent actions of our security agents is just an example,” the statement said.
“We represent a cross-section of the Nigerian Civil Society actors that have played various roles in the journey of Nigeria to civilian rule.
“Two key issues that are of concerns to us, namely: number one, attack on our judiciary and number two, attack on free speech and pattern of silencing the press,” Ms Yemi read.
The executive director of CISLAC, Auwal Rafsanjani, said the government acted with the same impunity its party condemned in the past.
“Just in 2015, when DSS went to invade APC data centre, they were crying. Lai Mohammed was shouting, saying this is the worst that has ever happened in Nigeria history. But today they all kept quiet, in fact, justifying this group violent violation of fundamental human rights in Nigeria,” he said.
Mr Rafsanjani said judged by the recent development, the Buhari administration was worse than past military regimes.
He called on all Nigerians to join the activists in “checkmating” bad governance rather than treat the matter with indifference.
“We want the whole world to know that what we are experiencing is military dictatorship because during the military regime, as fascist as they were, they were not going against the precedence of the court carrying out illegal and irresponsible attacks,” he said.
An activist, Deji Adeyanju, said the government must meet the demands to stop the protests.
“Whether we like it or not, mass action is inevitable if the government refuses to comply with our demands. The reason it is important to all Nigerian to own this trouble is that everyone is an activist; whether you are a journalist, market woman, social media,” Mr Adeyanju told pressmen.
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.”
