NEWS
No Rest Until Justice Is Served, Shettima Assures Plateau Communities
Vice President Kashim Shettima declared on Wednesday that the administration of President Bola Tinubu will not stop working until the victims and survivors of the attacks on the villages in the Plateau State local government areas of Barkin Ladi and Bokkos receive justice.
Shettima also urged Plateau residents to eschew the allure of sectional divides or the divisive rhetoric used against their fellow countrymen, given the current high level of tensions.
He claimed that citizens only continue violence and bloodshed when they enact laws.
“We won’t rest until you access justice and until you are safe, resist the temptation to succumb to sectional divisions or the poisonous rhetoric of hatred,” Shettima said when he visited and commiserated with the affected Plateau communities over the recent killings in Barkin Ladi and Bokkos LGAs.
It could be recall that Biztellers reports that over 150 persons were killed as armed men attacked 12 communities in Bokkos, while at least 17 others died in coordinated attacks on three communities in Barkin Ladi on Christmas Day.
According to survivors’ accounts, the attacks were executed by persons believed to be herders who displaced thousands of settlers and destroyed property worth millions of naira.
The Senior Special Assistant to the Vice President on Media and Communications, Stanley Nkwocha, revealed this in a statement he signed on Wednesday titled, ‘We won’t rest until you get justice, VP Shettima assures Plateau communities.’
While urging the people to resist the temptation to succumb to sectional divisions, he said, “This violence persists due to this dangerous practice of treating criminals as ambassadors of their group, where the law is taken into our hands, and where protection fails. But this is not the case now. This is a promise.”
Shettima vowed that the killings on the Plateau and other parts of the country must stop, saying, “Now, please accept our heartfelt condolences. Please accept our deepest apologies. Because we won’t rest until you access justice and until you are safe.”
He informed the people about how heartbroken Tinubu had been since receiving news of the incident, saying the President “is deeply shaken by this tragedy and shares in this unspeakable sorrow that has shattered the joy of Christmas across the country.
“When one community bleeds, the entire nation feels the pain. The pain we feel now transcends ethnicity or religion, geography or politics.
“The grief that binds us is a testament to our shared humanity, not differences.”
The VP identified with the grieving families who lost loved ones in the attack and now have to bury whole families.
He described it as a rare experience that is much more unbearable than the pain of losing one or two loved ones.
“We cannot fathom the depth of this grief beyond the experience of the bereaved. We can only offer to assuage your pain.
“What has happened to you is a funeral for the entire nation. Our hearts bleed alongside yours, our dear brothers and sisters in Bokkos, Barkin-Ladi, and all over Plateau State,” he stated.
VP Shettima assured the people that the Tinubu administration is out to protect them and ensure justice, even though it may appear that the government has failed them in their time of need.
Describing justice as the path to collective safety, unity and healing of the nation, he said, “We came to power promising to uphold the sanctity of every citizen’s life, and now is the time to reassure you that this inter-community violence, which has hijacked the humanity and serenity of this beautiful State over the past decades, will never persist under our watch.
“We will harness all our resources to bring those responsible to justice; we will not rest until we are able to prevent the recurrence of these heinous acts. Your blood, your tears, and your cries stain our collective conscience.
“We are here for you; we are here, resolute in our commitment to ensuring that the perpetrators of these mindless killings face the full force of the law.”
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A helicopter carrying President Ebrahim Raisi yencountered a “hard landing” on Sunday.
According to report, the incident took place near Jolfa, a city situated on the border with Azerbaijan, within Iran’s East Azerbaijan province, approximately 600 kilometers northwest of Tehran.
However, details regarding the incident were not disclosed.
The Associated Press noted uncertainty regarding whether bh Raisi was onboard the helicopter during the incident.
Despite rescue efforts, adverse weather conditions, including heavy rain and wind, have hindered access to the site, according to state TV.
Before the helicopter incident, President Ebrahim Raisi had been in Azerbaijan on Sunday to participate in the inauguration of a dam alongside Azerbaijan’s President Ilham Aliyev.
This dam marks the third joint construction project between the two nations on the Aras River.
Despite Iran’s diverse helicopter fleet, obtaining parts is hindered by international sanctions, with much of its military air fleet dating back to pre-1979 Islamic Revolution era.
Raisi, aged 63, is known for his hard-line stance and previously served as the country’s judiciary leader.
Considered a protégé of Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, some analysts speculate that Raisi could succeed the 85-year-old leader in the event of his resignation or demise.
The Democratic Republic of Congo’s military prevented an attempted coup on Sunday near President Felix Tshisekedi’s offices in Kinshasa, as reported by an army spokesperson.The Democratic Republic of Congo’s military prevented an attempted coup on Sunday near President Felix Tshisekedi’s offices in Kinshasa, as reported by an army spokesperson.
According to him, the plot, involving both foreigners and Congolese citizens, unfolded in the early hours outside the residence of Economy Minister Vital Kamerhe in the Gombe district, close to the president’s offices at the Palais de la Nation.
General Sylvain Ekenge announced on national television that the defence and security forces had successfully thwarted the coup attempt.
He said “An attempted coup d’etat has been stopped by the defence and security forces. The foreigners and Congolese…including their leader” would “all no longer cause any harm”.
Shots were heard near the Palais de la Nation during the attempted coup, as confirmed by various sources.
General Ekenge didn’t elaborate further on the incident, and AFP’s attempts to get additional information from official sources remain unanswered.
However by late morning, the city appeared calm.
Early social media reports suggested an armed attack on Kamerhe’s residence, with some assailants heading towards the Palais de la Nation.
“This morning, there was an armed attack at the residence of the economy minister,” wrote Japan’s ambassador Hidetoshi Ogawa on X.
He stated that Kamerhe “was not harmed, but two policemen and an assailant were killed according to sources.”
France’s ambassador reported hearing automatic weapons fire in the area and advised French nationals to steer clear of the location.
Videos circulating on social media depicted individuals in military attire at the Palais de la Nation, waving flags of Zaire, the former name of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) during the regime of dictator Mobutu Sese Seko, who was ousted in 1997.
Anambra State Governor, Chukwuma Soludo, has dismissed all transition committee chairmen in the state’s 21 local government areas.
This decision was detailed in a letter titled “Expiration of Tenure and Handover to Heads of Local Government Administrations (HLGAs),” dated May 17, 2024, and signed by Collins Nwabunwanne, the state Commissioner for Local Government, Chieftaincy, and Community Affairs.
According to the letter, the directive will be effective starting Monday, May 20, 2024.
The letter read, “Following the expiration of your tenure as Transition Committee Chairman, you are hereby directed to handover the affairs of your Local Government Council to the Head of Local Government Administration (HLGA), in your respective Local Government Councils.
“This directive takes effect from Monday, 20th day of May, 2024. Thank you for your service to the state. All replies to be addressed to the Honourable Commissioner.”
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