Metro

Court orders ISIS-linked Nigerian detained for 60 days

Published

4 weeks 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

Conservationist, Kearns, names intolerance and digital media abuse as threats to media freedom

Published

10 hours ago

April 29, 2024

Akanimoh Etim

Nsama Kearns, the Executive Director of Care for Nature, speaks on the indispensable role of a free media in society.

In a conversation with Zambia Monitor in Mansa, Luapula Province, Kearns underscored the importance of media freedoms, digital rights, and freedom of speech in enhancing good governance.

“Let me begin with the criticality of media freedom, especially for those of us involved in information dissemination through mass media, including social media,” she remarked.

While acknowledging the existence of media freedoms in Zambia, Kearns expressed concerns about the prevailing situation.

“Despite media freedoms in Zambia, as reported in the 2022 human rights report, there are instances where the government may display intolerance towards criticism, especially if perceived as politically motivated,” she observed.

Regarding freedom of speech, Kearns emphasized the necessity for individuals to express themselves without fear of reprisal.

“Whether communicating through written or oral means, individuals should be able to express themselves freely without intimidation or fear of repercussions,” she stressed.

Kearns highlighted the significance of freedom of expression in enabling civil society to address issues that might be inconvenient for the government.

“For instance, in Luapula Province, longstanding issues such as illegal mining and the Mukula tree trade, involving politically exposed persons, have been challenging to address,” she explained.

Despite challenges, Kearns noted the positive impact of digital media in driving social enterprise.

However, she also highlighted the prevalence of abuse, particularly targeting women, on social media platforms.

“While digital media presents opportunities for social entrepreneurship, individuals, especially women, often face abuse online, hindering their enjoyment of human rights,” Kearns lamented.

She called for the creation of safe spaces to empower individuals to report abuse to the Zambia Information Communication Authority (ZICTA) and address issues of digital media abuse and intolerance effectively.

This story is sponsored content from Zambia Monitor’s Project Aliyense.

Metro

I saved Nigeria from bankruptcy by removing fuel subsidy— Tinubu

Published

15 hours ago

April 29, 2024

Akanimoh Etim

Nigerian President, Bola Tinubu, on Sunday, boasted that he saved Nigeria from going bankrupt by removing fuel subsidy on his first day in office.

Tinubu had, in his inaugural speech on May 29, 2023, pronounced that his administration would discontinue fuel subsidy payments and though the ripple effect of the removal has brought untold hardship and hunger, the President has continued to praise his courage in taking that decisive action.

Tinubu who spoke at the Special World Economic Forum in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, on Sunday, admitted that though the policy came with economic pains, it was in the best interest of Nigerians, affirming that the move has save the government money for infrastructural expansion.

While addressing his audience, Tinubu argued that removing the petrol subsidy was a necessary action for Nigeria not to go bankrupt and to reset the economy towards growth.

Tinubu said that the petrol subsidy removal equally engendered accountability, transparency and physical discipline for the country.

“Concerning the question of the subsidy removal, there is no doubt that it was a necessary action for my country not to go bankrupt, to reset the economy and pathway to growth,” Tinubu said.

“Yes, there have been drawbacks. Yes, there was the expectation that a greater number of people would feel the difficulty, but, of course, I believed it was their interest that was the focus of government.

“It is easier to manage and explain the difficulties, but along the line, there was a parallel arrangement to cushion the effect of the subsidy removal on the vulnerable population of the country.

“We shared the pain across the board. We cannot but include those who are very vulnerable. Luckily, we have a very vibrant youthful population interested in discoveries by themselves, highly ready for technology, good education, and committed to growth,” Tinubu explained.