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8 arrested over 2014 kidnap of 276 school girls in Nigeria. Why it matters

Police authorities in Nigeria say that they have arrested eight persons who allegedly were involved in the kidnap of some 276 secondary school girls in the town of Chibok, Borno State, Nigeria

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Police authorities in Nigeria say that they have arrested eight persons who allegedly were involved in the kidnap of some 276 secondary school girls in the town of Chibok, Borno State, Nigeria.

The kidnap incident took place in 2014 under the administration of former President Goodluck Jonathan. The suspects are believed to be members of the dreaded Boko Haram sect which has mastermind terrorist attacks in Northeast Nigeria.

The police claim the suspects were arrested by operatives of the Inspector General of Police Intelligence Response Team in Adamawa and Borno States.

The Chibok girls saga remains fully unresolved as over a hundred of them are still in captivity after the Nigerian government, through international collaborations, secured the release of 112 girls.

Media reports say that about €3 million were paid as ransom to secure release of the girls. The Buhari-led administration continues to deny, however, that it paid any ransom.

Read Also: What has become of Nigeria’s recovered loots? Lawmakers investigate

While many are still in search of the truth, the country was to witness another mass abduction of 110 schools girls in Dapchi town, Yobe State, Northeast Nigeria. Another round of negotiations saw the release of all but one of the girls, Leah Sharibu, who is believed to be kept in captivity because of her belief in the Christian faith.

Analysts view the police claims of recent arrests as welcome and hope that it would provide important leads to resolving the many terrorist attacks in the troubled region which have claimed thousands of lives.

There are, however, concerns also that the recent parade of the 8 suspects may be a deliberate public show to shore up waning image of the Buhari administration which has struggled with unresolved killing of hundreds of Nigerians by herdsmen suspected to be of the Fulani stock, and recent siege on military formations by Boko Haram terrorists.

Politics

Kenya’s Ruto wants global support for Haiti

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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.

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Politics

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

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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.

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