Politics

Shi’ites on rampage in Northern Nigeria

Kaduna, a state in Northern Nigeria, erupted in violence Thursday as suspected members of the Shi’ite sect clashed with operatives of the Nigeria Police Force

Published

5 years ago

June 22, 2018

Africa News Watch

Kaduna, a state in Northern Nigeria, erupted in violence Thursday as suspected members of the Shi’ite sect clashed with operatives of the Nigeria Police Force.

A policeman was reportedly killed in the incident while many members of the sect also sustained injuries in the clash which started on Wednesday.

Members of the group had trooped out in large numbers to witness the the trial of Ibrahim Zakzaky, their leader, at the Kaduna State High Court.

Aliyu Mukhtar, spokesman of the Kaduna police command, said the deceased officer died after being hit by objects thrown at him by the Shi’ites.

“It was a large crowd, the shiite members as usual were hiding in the midst of people and when our men were trying to disperse them, they started throwing stones at them.

“The policeman was hit with stones several times and he fell down. He was taken to the Barau Dikko Specialist Hospital were he gave up,” he said.

Meanwhile, Femi Falana, counsel to Zakzaky, told reporters that the court did not sit and the case was adjourned till July 11.
Falana also condemned the authorities for barring journalists from the court, saying trial is public.

“Ladies and gentlemen you also have a duty to insist on being part of this trial because it is a public trial. It is your right to cover the proceedings” he said.

“What happened in court today is that, the court did not sit. We were informed by the registrar of the court that his lordship, Justice Gideon Kurada is indisposed. In the circumstance, we have to take a date, the prosecution and defense counsel have agreed to come back on 11th July to have possibly the arraignment and file an application for bail for our client.

“So, that is where we are. We don’t know the reason the judge is not in court but we were told he was indisposed.”

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Politics

Kenya’s Ruto wants global support for Haiti

Published

1 day ago

September 22, 2023

Ifeoluwa Dada

Kenya’s President William Ruto wants the United Nations Security Council to officially support the mission to the poorest country in the Western Hemisphere, Haiti.

Kenya, an East African powerhouse, is active in Haiti, and recently announced it was ready to be part of a multinational force. It committed to deploy 1,000 police officers to the country and “accepted to positively consider leading a Multi-National Force to Haiti.”

Ruto, during his address, insisted that the Caribbean country “deserves better from the world.” “Kenya is ready to play its part in full, and join with a coalition of other nations of goodwill – and there are many— as a great friend and true sibling of Haiti,” Ruto said while addressing world leaders.

Haiti begged for assistance last year to fight off vicious gangs that had largely taken over the city of Port-au-Prince.

According to diplomats, the council might vote on a U.S.-drafted resolution endorsing the deployment of international police as early as next week.

U.N. peacekeepers were deployed to Haiti in 2004 after a rebellion led to the ouster and exile of then-President Jean-Bertrand Aristide. Peacekeeping troops left in 2017 and were replaced by U.N. police, which left in 2019.

Haiti has been without any elected representatives since January and countries across the world have been cautious about supporting the unelected administration of Prime Minister Ariel Henry who has argued that fair elections cannot be held with the current insecurity.

Violent crimes, including kidnappings for ransom, armed robberies, and carjacking are prevalent in the country.

Politics

Sudan: One country, two UNGA addresses, as armed factions stake claim

Published

1 day ago

September 22, 2023

Ifeoluwa Dada

The ongoing civil war in Sudan played out on the global scene at the United Nations General Assembly as heads of rival military factions gave competing addresses at the world meeting on Thursday.

Clashes between the army under General Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, head of Sudan’s transitional government’s Sovereign Council, and army troops loyal to General Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo, the council’s deputy leader who controls the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF), have led to the destruction of facilities.

The conflict, which broke out in Khartoum in mid-April and extended to other regions of the country, including the western area of Darfur, displacing more than 5 million people and posing a threat to the region’s stability, was blamed on both sides.

Army chief, al-Burhan urged the international community to label the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) as a terrorist organisation and to take action against its financiers outside of Sudan’s borders while speaking from the stage at UN headquarters in New York.

On the other hand, RSF leader, Dagalo, known as Hemedti, in a rare video recording from an undisclosed location, said that his forces were fully prepared for a ceasefire and comprehensive political talks to end the conflict. Hemedti has primarily communicated recently through audio messages, and his whereabouts have been a subject of conjecture.

“Today we renew our commitment to the peaceful process to put a halt to this war,” Hemedti said. “The RSF are fully prepared for a ceasefire throughout Sudan to allow the passage of humanitarian aid … and to start serious and comprehensive political talks.”

Repeated declarations of a ceasefire by both the army and the RSF, as well as claims that they are looking for a resolution to the war have not been able to halt the carnage and the worsening of the humanitarian crisis in Sudan.