Metro

DRC militia kill 15 villagers in Ituri province

Published

1 year ago

August 29, 2023

A deadly militia group in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), Codeco, has reportedly killed at least 15 people and injured dozens of others in an attack in the Ituri province in north-east region of the country.

The attack, according to the president of a local civil society group, Charité Banza, occurred on Sunday in Bahema Nord, an administrative entity in the province, when the Codeco militiamen attacked a fishermen’s camp in Gobu.

“The attack lasted just over two hours and left at least fifteen people dead and several others injured,” Banza told reporters on Tuesday.

Banza, who called on the DRC military to deploy its forces to the area to protect the people, said the Codeco militiamen had been operating in the province unchecked as they were “neither attacked nor hunted down.”

“Nine civilians, one soldier and four Codeco militiamen were killed,” a chief in the Bahema Nord chiefdom, Pilo Mulindo, who also confirmed the incident, said.

The DRC Army spokesman, Lieutenant Jules Ngongo, who was interviewed by journalists, also accused the Codeco militia group of attacking civilians who were praying on Sunday in their church in Gobu, on the shores of Lake Albert.

“Our forces retaliated to this attack, and the militiamen are being pursued,” Ngongo said.

The Coopérative pour le développement du Congo, also known as Codeco, is one of the dozens of militia groups operating in the north-east region of DRC near the country’s border with Uganda, claiming to protect the Lendu tribe from rival tribe, the Hema, as well as from the DRC army.

But local media often associate them with criminality and recurrent attacks in Ituri, mainly north of Bunia which is rich in mineral resources, where thousands of people have been killed while over a million others have fled for safety.

Related Topics:Attacks Codeco Militia Democratic Republic of Congo Ituri Province Killings. Featured

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Metro

Zambia: Expert warns of food security threat due to climate change

Published

5 hours ago

December 22, 2024

Isaac Dachen

A prominent Zambian climate-smart agriculture expert, Oliver Bulaya, has warned of a collapse of the county’s agricultural sector with a potential threat to food security due to the worsening impact of climate change.

Bulaya, who bared his mind in an interview with Zambia Monitor on Friday, warned that ignoring the crisis could lead to severe disruptions in the country’s food supply and economy.

“Unless concerted efforts are made, the country will continue facing dire consequences from climate change,” the expert noted.

He lamented a growing trend of farmers relocating to regions experiencing above-normal rainfall, such as the northern block, as they struggle with losses caused by climate variability.

Bulaya emphasized that the once-reliable rainfall areas like North-Western Zambia are now experiencing lower precipitation, as seen during the 2023/2024 farming season and cautioned that poor farming practices, which had already strained the Southern region, could lead to similar challenges in other parts of the country if proactive measures were not implemented.

Metro

Outrage over murder of Nigerian beaten to death by South Africans inside estate security office

Published

10 hours ago

December 22, 2024

Isaac Dachen

The Nigerian community, under the auspices of Nigerian Citizens Association in South Africa (NICASA), has raised the alarm over the murder of a 37-year-old Nigerian, Julius Chukwunta, who was beaten to death by four South Africans inside an estate.

According to the association, Chukwunta, a native of Aninri Local Government Area in Enugu State, was reportedly attacked on Saturday, December 7, while driving to his residence in Midrand Protea Estate.

In a statement issued on Saturday by the President-General of NICASA, Dr Frank Onyekwelu, Chukwunta was blocked by the four men while approaching his residence.

Onyekwelu stated that information available to the association noted that after attempting to pass through, Chukwunta was met with resistance by the assailants, prompting him to seek help at the security office of the estate.

“At that moment, the four men allegedly attacked him, leaving him severely injured with a head wound,” the PG said.

“His female companion, who was sitting in the car, rushed to the security office and discovered him bleeding on the ground.

“In spite of attempts to call for help, the security office and residents did not assist in calling the police or an ambulance.

“After an hour, Chukwunta’s partner contacted her father, who, along with other family members, took him to Tembisa General Hospital.

“Chukwunta was placed on life support but later succumbed to his injuries and died at the Tembisa General Hospital on December 10, 2024.”

Onyekwelu also confirmed that the case was reported to the police by Chukwunta’s partner at the Midrand Police Station and was registered under file number 262/12/2024.

The NICASA President said the four suspects, aged 20, 24, 27, and 28, were arrested, and the case was presented in Alexandra Magistrate Court on December 13, 2024, where they were charged with murder.

“The court proceedings on December 18, 2024, saw three of the suspects granted bail of R10,000 each, while the fourth had not yet applied for bail. The case was adjourned to February 3, 2025.”

Onyekwelu however, expressed disappointment at the proceedings, wondering why three of the suspects were released on bail and vowed that the Nigerian community would continue to demand justice for Chukwunta and support his family.

He emphasised that the community would not rest until justice was served and the value of Nigerian lives was upheld in South Africa.