NEWS
Buhari pledges ”better life” for Nigerian judges
President Muhammadu Buhari in the course of the week, expressed reservations over the degenerated welfare and working conditions of the nation’s judiciary, saying it was serious and would be addressed.
He said this would be done despite the dire state of the country’s economy “currently battling insecurity, corruption and economic challenges,” aggravated by the COVID-19 and the war in Ukraine.
Buhari stated this when he hosted the chairman and representatives of the Body of Benchers, a body of legal practitioners of “the highest distinction in the legal profession” in the State House, Abuja, on Thursday.
According to the president, a democratic government like the one he leads, “standing on a tripod comprising the Executive, Legislature and Judiciary, cannot stand where one of its three pillars, the Judiciary is not properly nurtured, maintained and sustained to deliver on its very pivotal constitutional duties.”
The president had earlier on July 25 hosted outgoing President of Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) Commission, Jean-Claude Kassi Brou, at the Presidential Villa Abuja.
He lauded him for the role he played in ensuring that the sub-regional body remained united.
Buhari said: “You showed great commitment to the unity of ECOWAS, and of the sub-region.
”Your tenure has been very successful, and I wish you and the family more successes ahead.”
The president departed Abuja on Tuesday for Monrovia, Liberia, to attend the 175th independence anniversary of the country.
Buhari, who was the Special Guest of Honour at the event, joined other world leaders and organisations to rejoice with the people of Liberia at the event with the theme: “Fostering Unity, Protecting Our Peace for Development and Prosperity.”
Nigeria played a leading role in the stabilisation of the West African nation in the early 90s, leading to the establishment of democratic rule and has continued to assist the country in many ways, especially through the Technical Aids Corps scheme.
At the event in Monrovia, Buhari called on leaders in West Africa to do all within their powers to ensure that elections were conducted in their countries in an atmosphere of trust, freedom and transparency.
According to the president, this is the only way the sub-region can be insulated from the scourge of unconstitutional take overs that reared its head in three countries recently.
The president affirmed that democracy and good governance must take their roots on the African continent to sustain peace, stability and development while leaders must redouble their efforts to guarantee the irreversibility of democracy.
On July 27, President Buhari presided over virtual meeting of the Federal Executive Council (FEC) at the Council Chambers of the Presidential Villa, Abuja, on Wednesday.
The Council approved an augmentation of N16 billion for the completion of the dualisation of the Kano-Katsina Expressway.
The Council also received draft copies of the Medium Term Expenditure Framework 2023-2025 from the Ministry of Finance, Budget and National Planning for onward transmission to the National Assembly for approval.
The ministry presented the draft for the country, for the next three years to the Council.
President Buhari also summoned emergency meeting of the National Security Council on Thursday in Abuja, where he expressed serious concern over the current security challenges facing some parts of the country and would stop at nothing to change the tide.
The president also hosted a delegation from the OGP Support Unit, led by the Chief Executive Officer, Dr Sanjay Pradhan, on Thursday in Abuja.
During the meeting, Buhari itemised the benefits Nigeria had derived from joining the Open Government Partnership (OGP) Support Unit since 2016.
He said when he committed Nigeria to the membership of the Open Government Partnership at the London Anti-Corruption Summit, he was very clear about the role that the initiative would play in the fight against corruption.
According to him, since that time, “we have developed and implemented two National Action Plans on the Open Government Partnership.
The Nigerian leader concluded the week with a congratulatory message to Archbishop Daniel Okoh, General Superintendent of Christ Holy Church (Odozi-Obodo), on his election as the President of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN).
According to him, the election of Okoh by the very important Christian body is a testament to his devotion to the Church of God in the country and beyond.
In a shocking incident on Sunday morning, unknown gunmen suspected to be kidnappers invaded the home of Alhaji Auwal, a prominent businessman, in Garo Town, Kabo Local Government Area of Kano State.
The gunmen, estimated to be around 10 in number, forced their way into the residence, breaking down a door to gain entry.
An anonymous source revealed that the attackers were heavily armed, with three carrying firearms and the rest wielding other weapons.
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They quickly gathered the entire family in one room, instilling fear and panic in the household.
According to the source, Alhaji Auwal pleaded with the assailants to spare his family and agreed to meet their demands.
The kidnappers, who were determined to extort money, received ₦8 million from the family.
Despite this payment, the gunmen took the businessman’s eldest daughter, Zainab, a secondary school graduate, before fleeing the scene.
The whereabouts of Zainab remain unknown, and as of now, the kidnappers have not contacted the family.
This abduction comes just 48 hours after the tragic kidnapping and subsequent murder of former Gombe State Permanent Secretary, Atiku Mu’azu, who was killed by gunmen after a ₦10 million ransom was paid.
The two incidents have left the residents of Kano in shock and fear, prompting calls for increased security measures in the area.
Attempts to reach the spokesperson for the Kano Police Command, SP Abdullahi Haruna, for comment were unsuccessful as his phone remained unreachable.
Authorities have yet to make any official statements regarding the investigation.
In a bold move, Colombian President Gustavo Petro declared on Sunday that he would not allow US deportation flights carrying Colombian migrants to access his country’s airspace.
The left-wing leader took to X (formerly Twitter) to express his strong stance, stating, “The United States cannot treat Colombian migrants as criminals. I forbid entry to our territory to US planes carrying Colombian migrants.”
Petro made it clear that such flights would only be accepted once Washington established a protocol to ensure the “dignified treatment” of deported migrants.
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The president later confirmed in a separate post that he had already turned back US military planes that were en route with Colombian migrants on board, although he did not provide further specifics on the matter.
While AFP sought confirmation from US authorities regarding the blockade of deportation flights, no immediate response was forthcoming.
Petro’s statements come just a day after Brazil’s government voiced similar outrage over the treatment of deported Brazilians.
Brazil condemned the US administration under President Donald Trump, citing instances where Brazilian migrants were deported while handcuffed on flights, describing it as a “flagrant disregard” for their basic rights.
In his remarks, Petro emphasized that he would be open to allowing civilian US flights to transport deported migrants as long as they were not subjected to treatment “like criminals,” signaling a broader call for humane treatment of migrants under international deportation policies.
An explosion at a mining site in Sabon Pegi, Mashegun Local Government Area of Niger State, claimed the lives of four individuals and left several others injured on Sunday morning.
The blast occurred as miners resumed operations, sending shockwaves through the community.
While the exact cause of the explosion remains undetermined, local residents have pointed to the poor handling of explosive devices by mining companies as a possible factor.
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The incident has sparked concerns about safety practices within the mining sector.
Community sources confirmed the recovery of four bodies, but authorities fear the death toll could rise.
Investigations are ongoing to establish the cause of the blast and assess the full extent of the damage.
One resident, Aminu, described the chaos that followed the explosion. “The sound was so loud that many of us thought it came from the hydroelectricity dam nearby. People panicked and ran into the bush for safety,” he recounted.
Another community member highlighted the potential role of mining operations in the tragedy.
“Mining companies here frequently use explosives during their activities, and this seems like an operational issue, not something related to terrorism,” the resident said, dismissing concerns about a security threat in the area.
As of the time of reporting, neither the state government nor security agencies have released an official statement regarding the explosion.
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