Hijab: Kwara shuts 10 schools in Ilorin

Kwara State Government has ordered the immediate closure of 10 secondary schools in Ilorin, the state capital, pending resolution of the hijab crisis in the schools.

A statement signed by the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Education and Human Capital Development, Mrs Kemi Adeosun, said that the schools would remain closed until there is a resolution on the use of hijab.

The affected schools which are all located in Ilorin according to the statement include C&S College Sabo Oke, ST. Anthony College, Offa Road, ECWA School, Oja Iya, Surulere Baptist Secondary School, Bishop Smith Secondary School, Agba Dam, CAC Secondary School Asa Dam road, St. Barnabas Secondary School Sabo Oke, St. John School Maraba, St. Williams Secondary School Taiwo Isale, and St. James Secondary School Maraba.

The statement read that the closure comes as a government committee comprising representatives of the Muslim and Christian communities meets today to iron out the differences between the two communities.

It said that further communication will be issued to inform members of the public of the development.

“Government calls for calm and urges parents and religious leaders to avoid actions or comments that may further split the two communities”, the statement said.

Kwara State Government on Thursday after a Marathon meeting set up an Independent Committee to recommend solutions to resolve the agitation for wearing of Hijab by Muslim female students, who are attending public schools owned by people of another faith.

The Committee chaired by the Deputy Governor, Mr Kayode Alabi, has its members to include two thought leaders/statesmen from the two sides; three religious leaders from the two sides; Senator Suleiman Ajadi; Prince Sunday Fagbemi; Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Justice; Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Education; Special Assistants to the Governor on Religion (Islam and Christianity); and the Chief Press Secretary to the Governor.

Recall that Muslim stakeholders, including Muslim youth and women organisations, at a press conference on Wednesday called on the state government to prevail on former owners of public schools in the state to allow female Muslim students to wear hijab on their uniform.

The Muslim community said that since the state government had taken over such schools, the former missionary owners no longer have control over the schools.

PTF raises the alarm over new Ebola outbreak

The Presidential Task Force (PTF) on COVID-19 has raised the alarm over re-emergence of the dreaded Ebola virus in some West African neighbouring countries, calling on all Nigerians to be more cautious.

Chairman of the PTF and Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Mr Boss Mustapha, who raised the alarm on Monday during the task force’s media briefing in Abuja, however noted that more stringent surveillance is being carried out around the nation’s ports of entry in order to prevent the spread of disease in Nigeria.

According to him, the PTF had decided to make the surveillance against Ebola a priority in order not to compound the current dangerous position the COVID-19 outbreak had placed the country, urging all citizens to be part of the national defence against the disease as the fight is not a responsibility of only government.

According to him, COVID-19 pandemic had not slowed its deadly advance in the country down, disclosing the just last Saturday, the country recorded the second highest single-day death counts as 24 victims were lost to coronavirus.

While noting that the sad development of February 13 was a wake-up call to Nigerians to take responsibility and comply with protocols and regulations, Mustapha said the task force would intensify monitoring of developments for the next two weeks to ascertain the level of the impact of last weekend’s Valentine’s Day celebration on citizens.

Mustapha also recalled at the last briefing, the PTF mentioned the dialogue between Nigeria and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and KLM (Netherland) over the testing requirements prescribed by some airlines.

He said that government also informed outbound airlift of passengers by these airlines have been restricted pending when the protocols are ironed out.

“The PTF wishes to underscore the fact that respect for national protocols, setting up of appropriate infrastructure and the all-round protection of our travelling nationals shall remain paramount in our consideration and the eventual outcome,” he said.

He also said that there have been sustained efforts by sub-national entities and the FCT administration to stem the tide against the second wave of the pandemic.

After Acquittal, Trump Writes Senate, Describes Impeachment Trial As ‘Greatest Witch Hunt In History’

The United States former President, Donald Trump, has reacted to his impeachment acquittal by the U.S. Senate.

The U.S. House of Representatives had accused him of inciting insurrection at the Capitol on January 6, and was subsequently impeached by the Nancy Pelosi-led House.

Trump who wrote to his lawyers and Senators, lauded them for standing by the constitution.

He said no president in the country had seen the type of political witch-hunt he went through.

The letter which was obtained by Fox News reads:

“I want to first thank my team of dedicated lawyers and others for their tireless work upholding justice and defending truth.

My deepest thanks as well to all of the United States Senators and Members of Congress who stood proudly for the Constitution we all revere and for the sacred legal principles at the heart of our country.

“This has been yet another phase of the greatest witch hunt in the history of our Country. No president has ever gone through anything like it, and it continues because our opponents cannot forget the almost 75 million people, the highest number ever for a sitting president, who voted for us just a few short months ago.”

He added, “Our historic, patriotic and beautiful movement to Make America Great Again has only just begun.

In the months ahead I have much to share with you, and I look forward to continuing our incredible journey together to achieve American greatness for all of our people. There has never been anything like it!”

#OccupyLekkiTollgate: Scores Including Mr Macaroni Arrested, Brutalised As Police Crack Down On Protesters

Security agents on a mission to quell demonstration at the Lekki tollgate Saturday morning deployed brute force against protesters as scores are brutalised amidst mass arrest.

Popular comedian Debo Adebayo, widely known as Mr Macaroni, has also been seized at the toll plaza by furious and formidably armed policemen.

The comedian joined other protesters at the tollgate to express his dissatisfaction with the decision of the Lagos State Judicial Panel of Inquiry allowing the Lekki Concession Company to reopen the Lekki tollgate.

Adebayo was arrested after the police told him “we don’t want you here”.

In a live Instagram post before his phone and those of other arrested protesters were seized, the comedian lamented that “Lekki is under military rule.”

He said, “How did you think the reopening of tollgate is the next line of action? If you didn’t do that today, we won’t have a right to be here.

“It is a disrespect to say that you want to reopen at this tollgate. Are you spitting on the graves of the dead?

“Na military regime we dey? We also have a right to be heard. We have a right to protest peacefully.”

Police arrest 18 protesters at Lekki tollgate

No fewer than 18 protesters have also been arrested by security operatives at the Lekki toll gate on Saturday.

One of the coordinators of #OccupyLekkiTollgate, Kunle Ajayi, confirmed this to reporters.

The PUNCH reported Ajayi said the protesters were detained in a black maria and are about to be taken to an unknown location.

“Police have just arrested 10 protesters – Four ladies and six guys. They were beaten mercilessly and injured,” he said.

The newspaper's reporters at the scene of the protest confirmed that Juwon Sanya-Olu and one Comrade Dimeji were among the 18 arrested protesters.

In a video, one of the arrested protesters said, “We have been arrested. Over 10 of us. We are kept in a Black Maria stationed at the toll gate now.”

The Federal Government and the police had earlier warned youths who planned to protest at the Lekki tollgate on Saturday (today) to have a rethink and shelve the protests.

But the young Nigerians, under the aegis of #EndSARS Season 2 and #OccupyLekkiTollgate, vowed to defy the government’s order.

The other group, #DefendLagos withdrew from the protest, noting that it was in accordance with the government’s directives that no protest should hold.

The #EndSARS Season 2 and #OccupyLekkiTollgate said their action was informed by the decision of the Lagos State Judicial Panel of Inquiry allowing the Lekki Concession Company to reopen the Lekki tollgate.

The #EndSARS protests had spread across the country in October 2020 to register the youths’ grievances against the alleged atrocities of the disbanded Special Anti-Robbery Squad of the Nigeria Police Force.

The protest, which gained massive international attention, came to a halt on October 20, 2020, when heavily armed soldiers allegedly shot protesters at the Lekki tollgate.

Recall that the Lagos State Judicial Panel of Inquiry probing the alleged killing of #EndSARS protesters by soldiers at the Lekki tollgate had, on Saturday, approved the reopening of the tollgate after about four months of investigating the Lekki shootings.

However, four out of the nine members of the panel faulted the report of the forensic experts hired to comb the scene for evidence.

The four members who faulted the forensic report also rejected the application by the Lekki Concession Company, operator of the Lekki tollgate, to take possession of the facility, which had been shut down since the probe of the shootings started.

The four members who rejected the forensic report are the two representatives of the civil society – Mr Ebun-Olu Adegboruwa (SAN) and Ms. Patience Udoh; as well as the two youth representatives on the panel – Rinu Oduala and Temitope Majekodunmi.

But the chairman of the panel, retired Justice Doris Okuwobi, and four other members of the panel acceded to LCC’s request to repossess the tollgate.

The chairman was backed by Segun Awosanya (popularly known as Segalink), Oluwatoyin Odusanya (Director, Citizens Rights), DIG Taiwo Lakanu (retd.) (representing the police), and Lucas Koyejo (from the National Human Rights Commission).

The first storey building in Nigeria; a significant relic of Nigerian history

It was in 1842 that the foundation of the first storey building in Nigeria was laid by Reverend Henry Townsend of the Church Missionary Society (C.M.S) on the Marina waterfront in Badagry, Lagos, Nigeria.

Three years later, in 1845, some other missionaries finished building what stands today as a significant relic of Nigerian history. The building served as a vicarage for Saint Thomas Anglican Church but was later used by Samuel Ajayi Crowther, the first African C.M.S bishop who translated the Holy Bible from English to Yoruba Language.

In one of the two rooms on the upper floor of the building, there lay a glass case containing the English and Yoruba version of the bible translated by Ajayi Crowther. It was said that the English bible is 178 years old while the Yoruba version is 175 years.

The building floor housed the room of the first teacher in Nigeria, Mr Claudius Philips. Philips, who wore a black shirt, suit and a white trouser in the portrait which adorned the wall, lived in the room for 23 years, from 1845 to 1868.

FG has frozen my bank accounts, Sunday Igboho raises the alarm

Self-acclaimed freedom fighter, Mr. Sunday Adeyemo, also known as Sunday Igboho, on Tuesday, accused the Federal Government of freezing his bank accounts, following the notice to quit he gave killer-herdsmen in Oyo State.

Igboho, who spoke to Vanguard, confirmed that all his bank accounts have been frozen by the Federal Government because some people were collecting donations.

However, Igboho said he had no hands in the said donations, warning that his accounts must be unfrozen to avoid nationwide protest by youths across the South-West region.

His words: “They have frozen my bank accounts because I am fighting a just course. I know Yoruba people are behind me.

“I will not relent. I must achieve my aims by putting an end to criminalities in Yorubaland.

“If they refuse to release my accounts, there will be serious protests across the South-West.

“Yes, the Yoruba are living in fear. They are afraid that the killer-herdsmen might attack them.”

Anyone Caught with Illegal Arms Should Be Arrested, Says Presidency

Presidential spokesman, Mr. Femi Adesina has reiterated that President Muhammadu Buhari’s position on the issue of killer herdsmen is that anyone caught with illegal arms should be arrested and tried.

Adesina, who made an appearance on a live television programme yesterday was reacting to recent comments made by Benue State Governor, Mr. Samuel Ortom.

Ortom had said the President was silent over the issue of armed herdsmen causing havoc across the country.

“If the governor would say he hasn’t heard the president speak on that matter, that’s what he should make clear; it’s not that the President hasn’t spoken,” Adesina said.

“Because the number of times the President has spoken on that issue and his position has always been the same: Anybody, whoever he is, that carries arms unlawfully should be arrested and prosecuted. The President has said it countless times.”

Adesina argued that Buhari must not speak on every issue.

“He does not have to; it was just an idea being proffered. It should be looked into and then if it is a consensus, it should be adopted. But it is not as one idea comes the President speaks on it, another idea comes, the President speaks on it, such must be a talkative President.”

However, when asked how many herdsmen have been arrested in recent times, Adesina said “I don’t have that figure at my fingertips . . . but I know that a lot of people are awaiting trial.”

Kano State Governor, Dr. Umar Ganduje, recently suggested that ranching was the solution to the phenomenon of herdsmen moving across the country with cattle.

Reacting to the governor’s suggestion, Adesina said all suggestions should be discussed.

He also pointed to the federal government’s Ruga programme, which was rejected by some states.

“Nigeria is a peculiar country where the federal government has no land. And if states say they have no land for ranches, then another solution has to be found.

So we need to discuss these things and appraise them critically until we can get to what we can call the solution.”