Metro

Court orders ISIS-linked Nigerian detained for 60 days

Published

7 months ago

April 4, 2024

A Federal High Court sitting in Abuja, Nigeria, on Wednesday granted the Department of State Services (DSS) an order it sought to detain a Nigerian, Emmanuel Osase, who is accused of being a member of the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria (ISIS), for 60 days pending investigations and proper arraignment in court.

The presiding judge of the court, Justice Inyang Ekwo, granted the order following an ex parte application, marked FHC/ABJ/CS/409/2024, filed by a DSS lawyer, A. A. Ugee.

In the ex parte motion, Ugee told the court that the matter was brought pursuant to Section 66(1) of the Terrorism (Prevention and Prohibition) Act 2022, and prayed the court for an order enabling the secret police to detain Osase for 60 days pending the conclusion of investigation.

While delivering his ruling granting the application, Justice Ekwo, said he had no objection to granting the motion.

“Upon studying the averments in the affidavit, I hereby grant the relief as prayed,” the judge ruled, before subsequently adjourning till June 3 for further proceedings.

A report from the DSS states that Osase who was arrested on March 11, was accused of “propagating ISIS messages, opposing the democratic system of government in Nigeria, and calling for terrorist attacks on Nigeria and its symbols of sovereignty.”

In the affidavit presented before the court, Ahmad Abubakar of the DSS Legal Service Department, Abuja, said the suspect needed to be detained because his release would jeopardise the DSS investigation,” the report said.

According to Abubakar, “Osase was arrested by a team of personnel from the applicant’s office for alleged membership and propagation of Islamic State in Iraq and Syria terrorist messages, including opposition to the democratic system of government and the call for staging terrorist attacks against the Nigerian state and its symbols of sovereignty.”

Abubakar added that Osase was jailed for five years for terrorism-related offences in France and was deported after the completion of his sentence.

“Preliminary investigation revealed that the respondent, who is an ex-convict, still engages in terrorist activities which previously led to his conviction in France.

“The respondent appears not to have renounced his terrorist ideologies, as he continues to engage with the proscribed pro-ISIS online media group known as ‘al-Alawn Media Foundation,’ whose main objective is the creation and dissemination of terrorist content and the promotion of terrorist attacks against the democratic systems of Nigeria and the Western governments, including their interests across the globe.

“The respondent, who was born in the Federal Capital Territory, left Nigeria for France and never returned to Nigeria until his deportation after completion of a five-year jail term in France for acts of terrorism and attempt to join the Islamic State (IS) linked terrorist group, Friqat Al-Ghuraba (group of foreigners) in Syria.

“The respondent at the point of arrest, formatted his mobile device to factory settings upon sighting security agents ostensibly to wipe out any suspicious contents on the device and cover up his nefarious activities.

“The activities of the respondent constitute a potent threat to national security and corporate existence of Nigeria.

“The release of the respondent at this time would jeopardise the investigation, as investigation has assumed a wider dimension.

“There is a need for a thorough investigation of the suspect to ensure that he does not pose any security threat to Nigeria or the world at large

“The respondent is helping with vital information that will lead to the arrest of other members who are still at large.”

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Metro

Chinese mining giant CNMC set for $1.6 billion investment in Zambia

Published

11 hours ago

November 13, 2024

Isaac Dachen

A Chinese mining giant, China Nonferrous Metal Mining Company (CNMC), has announced the investment of over $1.6 billion in Zambia, following successful discussions with President Hakainde Hichilema at the State House on Tuesday.

CNMC Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Wen Gang, who held the discussions with Hichilema along with the Chinese Ambassador to Zambia, Han Jing, confirmed the company’s commitment to furthering Zambia’s economic development.

“We are actively investing in critical sectors of Zambia’s economy,” Gang said after the meeting.

He noted that CNMC was currently pumping water from Shaft 28 at Luanshya Copper Mine, where 29.9 million cubic liters have been cleared as part of intensified dewatering efforts, adding that the company plans to inject an additional $200 million to develop a greenfield mine on the Copperbelt.

President Hichilema who welcomed CNMC’s commitment, highlighted the potential economic impact of the firm’s investment which will include job opportunities for Zambians.

“This $1.6billion investment, alongside advanced technology and expansion, will extend operations and create more jobs and opportunities for Zambians, especially in mining contracting and supply,” the President said.

He also expressed gratitude to Chinese President Xi Jinping and the Chinese government for their shared commitment to fostering growth and cooperation between the two countries.

Metro

Mpox immunisation scarcity slows Kinshasa’s epidemic fight

Published

17 hours ago

November 13, 2024

Ifeoluwa Dada

A lack of mpox vaccine doses has prevented the Democratic Republic of the Congo from starting a campaign in the capital, Kinshasa, the response commander has confirmed. However, the number of cases nationwide is still rising, particularly among youngsters.

In mid-August, a new strain of pox started to spread from the Congo to neighbouring countries, prompting the WHO to declare a global health emergency. However, according to the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention, donors have been hesitant to turn their pledges into cash and vaccines.

The head of operations for Congo’s mpox control program, Cris Kacita, stated on Tuesday that the country needed more than 162,000 doses of vaccine to start a vaccination campaign in the capital, but that 53,921 doses were still available for use in prisons, where inmates are at greater risk because of unsanitary conditions.

The capital, which is home to about 20 million people, has so far been less impacted than other parts of the nation. In six other provinces, vaccination campaigns are now underway.

Along with additional shipments from Germany and the African Union, France has committed to providing 100,000 doses.

He added the arrival of vaccines was also delayed by the administrative process, which includes sending an official request, manufacturing, creating documentation and gaining import authorisations.

“As long as we don’t have the necessary quantity, it’s going to be complicated to launch (vaccination) in the 14 health zones,” Kacita told Reuters, referring to areas of Kinshasa.

According to a health ministry study, from October 28 to November 2, 1,017 new suspected cases were registered nationwide in Congo, including 45 confirmed cases and 16 fatalities.

Since children are almost four times more likely than adults to die from the new strain of mpox, the charity Save the Children warned on Wednesday that targeted vaccines were necessary to halt the virus from spreading quickly among children.

“Children are especially vulnerable to mpox – they explore by touch and taste, don’t always understand health guidance, and have weaker immune systems than adults,” Katia Vieira de Moraes LaCasse from Save the Children said.

According to Africa CDC data, there have been over 42,000 suspected cases of Mpox in the continent, with 1,100 deaths reported so far this year.

The Mpox virus can spread from person to person via intimate contact and also from place to person through objects and surfaces that a person infected with Mpox has touched.