The Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) has put Federal Government on the spot by asking President Muhammadu Buhari to as a matter of urgency cause the minister of Finance, Budget and National Planning, Mrs Zainab Ahmed, to make known to Nigerians the details of how the $700 million (about N289bn) looted funds reportedly recovered by the federal government in the past four years was spent.
This is as the organisation also asked the president to direct the finance minister to make public the government’s plans on the spending of the returned £4.2 million Ibori loot, including details of planned capital expenditure, and whether or not there is any plan to ensure that the money and any future returned Ibori loot would be spent to achieve justice and effective remedies for victims of corruption in Delta State.
This follows last week’s revelation by the attorney general of the federation and minister of justice, Mr Abubakar Malami, SAN, that the federal government had recovered over $700 million looted funds, and had received the £4.2 million (about N2.4bn) linked to James Ibori, in addition to plans to repatriate more than £80 million (about N46.6bn) of Ibori loot
This demand by SERAP is contained in a public statement it issued on Sunday and can be seen on its website.
Hundreds of protesters partially blocked a highway into Nigeria’s capital Abuja on Monday after residents reported a spate of kidnappings in the area.
Setting tyres on fire, a crowd barricaded a section of the Abuja-Kaduna highway in the Tafa area of Niger state, bordering the federal capital, an AFP journalist at the scene reported.
“Kidnappers too much!” an angry young man shouted.
“Five days ago, they kidnapped four people, and then they came back again, yesterday, and kidnapped 16 people,” one protester said.
Africa’s most populous country has been plagued by kidnappings for years, with criminals largely targeting the wealthy and prominent.
But more recently, the pool of victims has expanded and the vulnerable and poor across the country are now also taken for ransom.
“It’s not ok. It’s getting too much,” the protester said. “Any time they come, the security always come after they have left.”
Local media reported that 12 people were kidnapped in nearby Madalla town and two others in Bwari just last week.
“We are having serious chaos… We don’t sleep here, we don’t sleep at all… If there is no good reinforcement, the problem will go far beyond this,” another protester said.
“We are not safe here… Please we are begging the government,” said a woman who said her sister lives in the area with her four children.
Marching along the highway, a dozen young men chanted: “Kidnapping must stop… We won’t accept this, kidnapping must stop!”
Police in Abuja and Niger state did not respond to calls and messages seeking comment about the protest.
Dozens of cargo and tanker trucks remained stuck in traffic just before midday.
Police have repelled an attack on a station in Nigeria’s restive southeast but the gunmen stormed into a nearby election office and set it on fire, a spokesman said Monday.
Southeast Nigeria has seen a surge in violent assaults on security personnel and key government offices since the start of the year, leaving scores of officers dead.
“There was an attack on our station in Akwa yesterday but it was repelled by the gallant officers on duty,” Anambra state police spokesman Tochukwu Ikenga told AFP.
“Unfortunately, the attackers used a decoy to deceive the police and went to a nearby INEC (election body) office and set part of the building ablaze with explosives,” he said.
He said no arrests had been made but police were investigating.
“An investigation is under way to unravel those behind the series of attacks and arson in recent weeks,” he said.
Last week, electoral chief Mahmood Yakubu condemned rising armed attacks on election offices, saying the violence might jeopardise election preparations.
Nigeria holds general elections in 2023 to choose the successor to President Muhammadu Buhari, who took office in 2015.
At least five election offices and vital election materials have been razed in the southeast alone this year.
Last week, the INEC headquarters in Enugu was also attacked.
No group has claimed responsibility, but Nigeria’s southeast has seen a surge in attacks on police and prisons that authorities have blamed on separatists who want more independence for the indigenous Igbo people in the region.
The separatist Indigenous People of Biafra or IPOB movement has denied involvement on several occasions.
Buhari has come under pressure over his government’s response to the country’s growing insecurity.
Nigeria’s armed forces are also battling a more than decade-long Islamist insurgency in the northeast, and a surge in bandit attacks and mass kidnappings mostly in the northeast.
Five people were found choked to death on toxic fumes from the eruption of eastern DR Congo’s Nyiragongo volcano on Monday, as strong aftershocks rocked the city of Goma.
The deaths bring to 20 the number killed since Africa’s most active volcano erupted on Saturday, spewing red-hot molten lava that engulfed houses in its wake.
“We have just discovered five dead people,” civil society leader Mambo Kawaya told AFP, saying that they were “asphyxiated by the gas” as they tried to cross the cooling lava some 13 kilometres (eight miles) north of Goma.
A sixth person is in a “critical state with trouble breathing and has been taken to hospital,” Kawaya said.
Goma, a city of some 1.5 million people in the shadow of the volcano, was on edge as violent aftershocks continued through the night and into Monday morning.
“They’re multiplying and they come at any moment,” one resident told AFP, describing the aftershocks as “very worrying”.
“The night was long — there is fear in our stomachs,” she said.
Tens of thousands of residents had fled the city in panic — around 7,000 of them to neighbouring Rwanda — when Nyiragongo began erupting on Saturday evening.
Along with the five people found dead on Monday, at least 15 people have died, although most were not killed directly by the eruption.
Authorities said nine people died in accidents during the rush to evacuate, while four prisoners were killed while trying to escape in the melee. Two people were found burned to death.
The lava who flew from Mount Nyiragongo during last night eruption is seen breaking through a gate of a private home in Goma on May 23, 2021. – A river of boiling lava came to a halt on the outskirts of Goma Sunday, sparing the city in eastern DR Congo from disaster after the nighttime eruption of Mount Nyiragongo sent thousands of terrified residents fleeing in panic.
Fire and strong fumes emanated from the blackish molten rock as it swallowed up houses, heading towards Goma airport on the shores of Lake Kivu. (Photo by Moses Sawasawa / AFP)
Officials said 17 villages on the city’s fringes had suffered major damage.
Schools shut, electricity cut –
While the river of lava stopped at the edge of Goma and many residents have now returned, each aftershock brought anxious residents back out onto the streets on Monday.
“We just had a big aftershock — I’m scared to stay in my office,” said a resident who gave her name only as Deborah, an employee at an international organisation, reached by telephone.
“I’m wondering if I should stay or go home. The electricity has cut out,” she said.
Schools are still shut with pupils told to stay at home, although businesses and petrol stations were open again.
Nyiragongo’s last major eruption, in 2002, claimed around 100 lives.
Hundreds homeless –
By Monday the blackish solidified lava was still hot and smoking, with dozens of people turning out to inspect it or even walk on it, despite the risk of inhaling toxic fumes.
The volcano appeared calm on the horizon, with the usual smoke rising from its crater.
A government delegation including seven ministers arrived from Kinshasa early Monday, while President Felix Tshisekedi has cut short a European tour to supervise the aid operation.
Health Minister Jean-Jacques Mbungani said upon his arrival in Goma that the delegation was set to organise support for people made homeless after the eruption after “assessing the state of affairs”.
Hundreds of people spent Monday night in the street after the lava destroyed their homes.
Government spokesman Patrick Muyaya warned Sunday that the prices of food and other essentials are set to rise in Goma as the eruption has cut off several hundred metres of the road to Butembo, the region’s main trade route.
After taking part in a UN reconnaissance flight over Nyiragongo, volcanologist Kasereka Mahinda said it was uncertain why the aftershocks were continuing and whether the volcano’s burst of activity was finished.
“Because of the fog we were unable to see the inside of the crater,” said Mahinda, the scientific director of the Goma Volcanology Observatory.
“If there is lava in the crater, the fracturing caused by the movement of the earth would represent new activity,” he said.
“If there is no lava in the crater, then these earthquakes are happening because the earth is in the process of refinding its balance.”
A rare 1971 Plymouth Hemi ‘Cuda Convertible muscle car received a high bid of $4.8 million at the Mecum Auctions event in Indianapolis Friday night, but it wasn’t enough to seal the deal.
The car is just one of three like it that were built with a 426 Hemi V8 and four-speed manual transmission that year and was originally exported to a buyer in France.
One of the other examples was auctioned at a Mecum event in 2014 for $3.5 million, which remains a record for the model and traditional muscle cars, but the $4.8 million offer wasn’t high enough to meet the seller’s reserve price on the car in Indianapolis, which had a pre-auction estimate up to $6.5 million.
Plymouth built a total of 11 or 12 ‘Cuda Convertibles with the 426 Hemi V8 in 1971, the others with automatic transmissions, but even the defunct brand’s current owner, Stellantis, isn’t exactly sure how many.
There were several multimillion-dollar sales of American cars in Indianapolis, however, that included a 1936 Duesenberg Model J Rollston Convertible Berline for $2,800,000, a 1967 Shelby 427 S/C Cobra Roadster for $2,800,000 and a 1930 Duesenberg Model SJ Rollston Convertible that for $2,970,000.
A young couple vacationing in Alabama when their blow-up raft got swept out to sea. Fortunately, the couple was rescued, but they say things could have gone much worse.
Kelsey Jackson was at the beach near Gulf Shores with her boyfriend when they took a $270 blow-up raft out into the water, Southwest News Service (SWNS) reports. According to her, things started off pleasant enough before getting out of control.
“We intended to stay in the shallow area where we could touch and ride the small waves,” Jackson told SWNS. “He and I were going to try it out first and then members of his family were going to come jump on the float with us. Despite the rain from the previous days, it was such a calm day. There were hardly any waves, and the gulf was very calm. There were no signs of strong currents whatsoever.”
According to her, she and her boyfriend were laying on the raft when they suddenly noticed that the water had gotten much deeper.
“I made a comment to my boyfriend about it, we sat up, and noticed we were already past the second sand bar in deep water and being carried farther out by the minute,” she said. “His family was laying out on the beach, and they looked so small. We called out and yelled at them, but they could not hear us.”
She continued, “I just couldn’t stop playing out all of the different scenarios in my head of how this situation would end – some good, some not so good.”
The couple had reportedly washed two miles out to sea. Even worse, Jackson believes there were likely sharks in the water.
Fortunately, Jackson’s boyfriend’s family noticed that the couple had washed so far out and called 911. A rescue helicopter quickly appeared on the scene and a nearby boat noticed the situation and came to help. Several other boats eventually arrived, including one jet skier.
The couple was safely returned to the shore.
“There are no words to describe how relieved and thankful we were,” Jackson explained. “We were so grateful for each and every person and organization who went out of their way to get us back to land safely. It really is such a great reminder of all of the amazing, selfless people there are in this world.”
Reigning IndyCar series champion Scott Dixon grabbed pole position for the 105th Indianapolis 500 Sunday, holding off a pair of young pretenders for his fourth career pole in the fabled race.
The New Zealand veteran, gunning for a record seventh IndyCar series title this season, posted a four-lap average speed of 231.685 mph (372.86 Km/h) on his qualifying run on the 2.5-mile (4km) oval at Indianapolis Motor Speedway.
He was the final driver to make a run in Sunday’s Fast Nine Shootout, in which the top nine drivers from Saturday’s qualifying session vied for pole position and the remaining spaces on the front three rows of the grid.
“That was sketchy,” admitted Dixon of a gutsy run in which he felt his Honda-powered Chip Ganassi team car get “pretty loose the last lap.”
“I was hoping I was going to make it through turn three,” he said. I kind of turned in too early — I was holding on.”
Dixon, who won the Indianapolis 500 from pole in 2008, was under pressure from rising stars Colton Herta and Rinus VeeKay.
Dutch driver VeeKay — coming off his first IndyCar series win on the road course at Indianapolis last week — had put himself atop the times with a scintillating run at an average speed of 231.511mph only for Herta to shoulder him aside with an attempt a 231.655mph.
VeeKay pushed his Ed Carpenter Racing car to its limit, continuing to press through a shaky moment in turn one of his fourth lap.
“I felt the car was, like, edgy,” VeeKay said. “But I’m, like, I’m not going to change the bar. I want to be as much on the limit as possible. I kept the power in and it was wiggling, wiggling, wiggling.
“I got a quite decent snap, but I just kept the power in,” he said.
Team boss Ed Carpenter qualified fourth fastest to head the second row ahead of Brazilian Tony Kanaan and Spain’s Alex Palou.
Ryan Hunter-Reay, Brazilian Helio Castroneves and Sweden’s Marcus Ericsson filled the third row.
Also at stake on Sunday were three spots on the final row, with five cars vying for the spots in Last Chance Qualifying.
American Sage Karam went out first and with a four-lap average of 229.156 mph was never in danger of being bumped.
Australian Will Power — relegated to the Last Chance bracket after a disastrous day on Saturday, brushed the wall in turn two of his final lap but claimed a berth with a run at 228.876mph.
Switzerland’s Simona de Silvestro nabbed the 33rd and final spot at 228.353mph with both RC Enerson and Charlie Kimball unable to bump her.
A Chicago department store has unfurled the world’s largest American flag as part of its annual display of patriotism.
The Macy’s store on State Street has displayed the flag that dates back to 1916 when the store was Marshall Field & Company.
The original flag was retired in 1941 and replaced, but the replica disappeared and the tradition lapsed, according to Flyhouse.
Marshall Field revived the display in 2003, unveiling a 5,000-square-foot replica of the original flag, which hangs in the north atrium at the corner of State and Randolph streets.
The store changed ownership in 2006 when Macy’s bought out the space and installed a new store, but it maintained the patriotic tradition.
In 2009, Macy’s even asked Flyhouse, which handles the rigging of the 900-pound flag, to install a new truss that mimicked the “flutter” of a flag in breeze.
A random customer at Southern Pig and Cattle Company in west Florida paid for the bill of a family sitting next to him, then left a lucky waitress an $800 tip, WPEC reports.
Michelle Trabilcy told the news outlet that she shared the tip with another waitress and they were both flooded with emotions.
“I was just overwhelmed. I wanted to cry. I was excited. You can feel hope and kindness. It really gave the overwhelming feeling that there are people out there that still care,” Tabilcy told WPEC. “It’s been a hard year and we’ve all been struggling. It made us feel good.”
A massive tip goes a long way for restaurant workers who have been stretched thin amid the pandemic.
A generous woman left a $10,000 tip at a sushi joint in the Florida Keys in March, a comedian left a $7,000 tip for a server at wine bar in New York City in February, and someone left a $1,000 tip for the staff at a diner in Maine last December.
A woman in Indiana inspired her community this week with a kind gesture to honor her late son.
When Carolyn Mick went to pick up a cake from her local Kroger in Plainfield, Indiana, she discovered someone had already paid for it. The cake also came with a note, signed by “Toni, Tyler’s mom.”
In the note, Toni explained that her son had died five years ago and she wanted to honor his memory by buying Mick’s cake.
“Today is my son’s 35th birthday, his 5th one in Heaven,” Toni wrote in the note, which was posted online. “In his memory I’ve paid for your cake. Please enjoy, make special memories and hug your children and loved ones tight. My son loved cake!”
Mick posted a picture of the note in a local Facebook group and said she was moved to tears by Toni’s kindness and message.
“Dear Toni.. you know who you are and I want to express how moved I am,” Mick wrote. “This means so much that my husband and I cried together. With the turmoil of things going on it reminds us of what really matters LIFE!”
Many commenters on the post were also moved and inspired by Toni’s gesture.
“Wow. This is simply amazing,” one person wrote. “Definitely brought the tears when reading this. What an amazing way for Toni (Tyler’s mom) to carry his legacy on.”
Someone else wrote: “Wow!! I hope this makes us all better humans!”
“I love this idea,” another person said. “What a beautiful way to keep his memory alive through something that he loved. Touching another family at the same time.”
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