Metro

Gunmen abduct 25 people in conflict-prone western Cameroon

Published

2 years ago

April 7, 2023

Officials of the Cameroonian government has confirmed the abduction of 25 people by unknown gunmen in several villages in Ako district in the western part of the country along the Nigerian border.

A local official in the district, Patrick Kernyuy Tah, who made the disclosure in a statement Friday, said the victims were kidnapped during a week of sustained attacks.

Tah said the unidentified kidnap gang invaded the villages of
Abafum, Akwancha and Abutu, forcing many residents to flee for safety.

Some of those who fled the fighting have recounted their ordeal, saying they were tortured if they refused to give the attackers money, while many were taken away from their families.

“I am not very concerned about the several bags of rice which were looted from my shop. My main worry is the whereabouts of my two children,” a victim, identified as Cyprain Meme, told journalists.

“I do not know if they are hiding in the bush or if they were abducted,” he said.

The official added that the government has deployed the military to rescue those abducted and help the injured.

“Local residents have been calling on Cameroon authorities to increase security in the area, as armed gangs operate on both sides of the border,” Tah said.

He added that while it is not clear who is responsible for the abductions, “it is believed the perpetrators could be ethnic Fulani herders from Nigeria, a largely Muslim semi-nomadic group who regularly cross into Cameroon with their cattle and clash with farmers.”

Cameroon has been plagued by insurgency in the North West following a declaration of independence by English-speaking separatists known as Ambazonia in 2017, which has led to continued violence.

The central African country’s government has accused the Ambazonia separatists of committing atrocities against civilians in the conflict that has killed more than 3,300 people and displaced over more than 750,000 others, according to the United Nations.

Related Topics:Abduction Ambazonia Cameroon Featured Gunmen Kidnapping

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Metro

Following backlash, Nigerian govt withdraws treason charges against minors

Published

4 hours ago

November 5, 2024

Isaac Dachen

The Nigerian government has officially withdrawn the treason charges it entered against some minors who participated in the #EndBadGovernance protest that spread across the country from August 1 to the 10th.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

Metro

Zambia: President Hichilema urges traditional leaders to invoke rainmaking powers amid drought

Published

22 hours ago

November 4, 2024

Isaac Dachen

Zambian President, Hakainde Hichilema, has called on traditional leaders to call upon their rainmaking powers by praying for rain as the nation continues to face the menace of drought.

Hichilema, who made the plea while speaking during the Shikaumpa traditional ceremony of the Ila people in Namwala on Sunday, expressed hope for divine intervention and sufficient rains.

“We pray that this year, God will give us rains, sufficient rains, so we can grow more food, so we can take care of the things, the assets that we keep,” the President stated.

He noted that he was informed of certain chiefs known for their rainmaking abilities, including Senior Chief Mwamba of Northern Province, Chief Sailunga of North-Western Province and Mwami Monze from the Southern Province and urged them to use their powers to invoke rain, adding that the chiefs should continue their prayers for rain, believing that “God will hear our cry.”

The President also encouraged not only the chiefs but also the churches and the entire nation to join in prayers for rain.

“All of us, the churches, everybody, we must pray for rains so that we can take care of God’s people properly,” he said.

The head of state further urged farmers to intensify efforts at planting crops and maximizing their harvest for national food security once the rain comes.

The drought in Zambia in recent
seasons have left 84 districts severely impacted, leading to food shortages and a worsening electricity deficit due to low water levels.