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Terrorists attack Nigerian Correctional Service Centre, release dangerous criminals

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A premium Correctional Service Center, the Kuje Medium Prison, in Nigeria’s capital of Abuja, came under severe attack by heavily armed terrorists who laid siege to the facility on Tuesday night and by the time they were done, hundreds of dangerous criminals, including fellow terrorists, were released into the society.

Residents of the immediate vicinity of the prison who sent out distress messages on social media at the time of the attack which occurred at about 10:30pm, narrated how the gunmen who numbered over 100, used explosives and machine guns to overpower the security operatives stationed at the prison reputed to be one of the safest in the West African country.

The frightened residents also revealed that the terrorists invaded the facility from the back of the premises which has less security personnel and shot their way into the facility where they attacked the officers on duty and ended up releasing some of the inmates believed to be members of terrorist groups locked up in the prison.

While confirming the attack on the Custodial Centre in the Federal Capital Territory, in a statement on Wednesday by its spokesperson, Umar Abubakar, the Nigerian Correctional Service (NCS) said calm has been restored to the area as the armed squad of the service were on the trail of the gunmen in collaboration with other security agencies.

“I wish to confirm that at about 2200hrs, some yet-to-be-identified gunmen attacked the Medium Security Custodial Centre, Kuje, in the Federal Capital Territory.

“However, men of the Armed Squad of the Nigerian Correctional Service and other security agencies attached to the Custodial Centre have responded and calm has been restored to the facility and the situation is under control. Other details will be made available soon.”

In the last three years, several prisons across Nigeria have come under attacks by gunmen whose main objectives have been to free some inmates.

Prisons in Owerri, Imo State in the South-East region of Nigeria, Kogi and Plateau States in the North-Central, Ibadan, Oyo State and Owo in Ondo State in the South-West, have been attacked by gunmen where thousands of inmates were freed.

According to Nigeria’s Minister of Interior, Rauf Aregbesola, in an interview in November 2021, a total of 4,369 prisoners were set free by the gunmen in the various attacks on the custodial centres during various incidences of prison breaks, with many of them yet to be recaptured.

Metro

Zambia’s ruling party UPND warns against personal attacks on President Hichilema

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Zambia’s ruling party, the UPND, has warned opposition politicians and critics against personal attacks on President Hakainde Hichilema as his meekness should not be mistaken for weakness.

Secretary-General of the UPND, Batuke Imenda, who gave the warning in a statement in Lusaka on Monday, urged political opponents to always engage in mature and issue-based discourse.

Zambia Monitor reports that Imenda’s warning, was directed at the leader of Zambia Must Prosper (ZMP) party, Kelvin Bwalya Fube, whose recent remarks Imenda described as “provocative” and a “feeble attempt to mislead citizens.”

“Provocative words uttered by Kelvin Bwalya against our party and President Hichilema are a clear demonstration of naivety,” Imenda said in the statement.

He further advised Bwalya to abandon personal attacks and focus on substantial political issues.

The UPND Secretary suggested that Bwalya’s attacks stemmed from a desire for relevance amid declining political fortunes, hinting at a possible alignment with former President Edgar Lungu.

“It appears KBF is hoping that Edgar Lungu might support his embattled political career by unjustly attacking President Hichilema,” he said.

Imenda defended the President’s record, highlighting that under Hichilema’s leadership, Zambia’s democratic space had expanded compared to the previous PF administration, which he accused of stifling freedoms.

He noted that while criticism was welcome, it should not devolve into baseless attacks, warning that opposition figures should not misinterpret Hichilema’s restraint as weakness.

Imenda also criticized Bwalya for overlooking the gains in transparency and justice since the change in government, claiming that past regimes were marked by resource mismanagement and corruption.

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Following backlash, Nigerian govt withdraws treason charges against minors

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The Nigerian government has officially withdrawn the treason charges it entered against some minors who participated in the #EndBadGovernance protest that spread across the country from August 1 to the 10th.

The nation was thrown into shock on Friday when the Nigeria Police presented 76 protesters at the Federal High Court in Abuja on charges bordering on treason. Among the suspects were four minors who slumped before they could be arraigned before the court.

This caused serious uproar in the country with Nigerians condemning the government and calling for the unconditional release of the kids and the dismissal of the charges against them.

The decision to withdraw the charges against the underage accused came following a directive by President Bola Tinubu who ordered the immediate withdrawal of the charges and an in-depth investigation into what led to the arrest and detention of the minors.

Tinubu had also ordered the Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Prince Lateef Fagbemi, (SAN) to officially take over the case file as well as review the cases following public outcry that came with the arraignment of the minors.

The charges were finally withdrawn on Tuesday at the Federal High Court in Abuja through an application for discontinuance filled by the Director of Public Prosecution of the Federation (DPPF), Mohammed Abubakar, on behalf of the AGF.

According to Abubakar, the discontinuance application was based on provisions of sections 174(1), (b) and (c) of the 1999 Constitution, as amended, and 108 of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act, ACJA, 2015.

The DPPF also applied for further proceedings to be conducted without the presence of the minors in the courtroom, in line with provisions of Section 266(b) of the ACJA, 2015, and Section 1 of the Childs’ Rights Act.

In response, human rights lawyer, Mr. Femi Fanala (SAN), who stood in for the accused as well as other defence lawyers in the matter, did not oppose the applications which promoted the judge, Justice Obiora Egwuatu, to strike out the charges, while the four affected minors were also delisted from the charge sheet.

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