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Sunday Igboho appoints spokesman, says he won’t grant interviews again

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February 10, 2021

Sunday Igboho appoints spokesman, says he won’t grant interviews again

Yoruba activist Chief Sunday Adeyemo, also known as Sunday Igboho has said that he will no longer grant interviews.

Igboho said this in a short video on social media in reaction to what he described as fake news being peddled about him.

The Yoruba activist, who refuted trending reports of civil war attributed to him, denied calling for any civil war in the interview he granted.

He said: “This fight is not about civil war, it is about the killer herdsmen who are killing are people.”

Igboho came into the spotlight after he asked Fulani herders to vacate Ibarapa area of Oyo state.

He has openly addressed the public and his supporters on his agitation for the protection of the Yoruba from ”killer” herdsmen.

He has also granted interviews on the issues.

Igboho, in the short viral video, also introduced his spokesman, Olayomi Koiki, to speak on his behalf henceforth.

He said, “I have been seeing fake news flying here and there, some said I’m not scared of civil war, any news that you see henceforth that is not from Koiki don’t believe it.

“Anything Koiki says about me is true because we sleep and wake up together every day.”

Governor Zulum, others arrive in Cameroon to repatriate 9,800 Nigerian refugees

Cleopatra Okohai

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February 10, 2021

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Governor Zulum, others arrive in Cameroon to repatriate 9,800 Nigerian refugees

Nigeria’s representatives have arrived in Marwa, in Cameroon for the repatriation of 9,800 Nigerian refugees.

The 9,800 are those in the first phase of the repatriation from Cameroon out of 46,000 Nigerians taking refuge in Minawao camp in Central Africa country.

A statement on Wednesday by Spokesman for the Borno State Governor Professor Babagana Zulum, Mallam Isa Gusau, said his boss had arrived Marwa in Cameroon alongside officials of the Federal Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development towards the voluntary repatriation of 9,800 Nigerians of Borno origin, who are among the 46,000 Nigerians taking refuge in Minawao camp in Cameroon.

He said the 9,800 constitute the first batch of citizens who have shown willingness to be evacuated to resettlement houses built by the Borno State Government in Bama and Banki towns.

He disclosed that Zulum arrived in Cameroon on Tuesday evening and on Wednesday led the Nigerian delegation to a meeting on the tripartite (repatriation) agreement signed between Nigeria, Cameroon and the United Nations High Commission for Refugees, which is to hold in Marwa in far north Cameroon, with Governor of Cameroon’s far north, Mijinyawa Bakare as the host.

He said before travelling to Cameroon, Zulum had had a series of meetings with Nigeria’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Geoffrey Onyeama, Minister of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development, Hajiya Sadiya Farouq, the federal commission, National Commission for Refugees, Migrants and Internally Displaced Persons, Senator Basheer, and with relevant ambassadors with all meetings aimed at following all established procedures towards lawful repatriation.

Court orders CBN to unfreeze #EndSARS protesters bank accounts

Nigeria

Cleopatra Okohai

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February 10, 2021

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Court orders CBN to unfreeze #EndSARS protesters bank accounts

The Federal High Court in Abuja, on Wednesday, ordered the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) to unfreeze the accounts of 20 #EndSARS campaigners targeted by the apex bank after last year’s anti-police brutality demonstrations.

According to reports, the accounts of the protesters remained frozen despite the expiration of the 90-day order on February 2.

The judge, Ahmed Mohammed, issued the order unfreezing the accounts after the legal teams of both the CBN and the 20 defendants decided to end the case on Wednesday.

The judge commended the two lawyers for their “commitment to ensure justice” after they announced their decision to withdraw all pending applications and the entire suit.

“In the light of this, the ex parte order issued on November 4, 2022, freezing the accounts of the defendants pending the investigation by the Central Bank of Nigeria is hereby set aside.

“An order is also made unfreezing the accounts of the defendants,” Mr Mohammed ruled on Wednesday.

Earlier, CBN’s lawyer, Michael Aondoakaa, a former Attorney-General of the Federation, told the judge he filed an ex parte application for the extension of the expired order on Tuesday, but later got instruction from the CBN Governor, Godwin Emefiele, to withdraw the case.

Mr Aondoakaa, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria, said he was withdrawing the suit in the spirit of reconciliation behind the setting up of the various Judicial Panels of Inquiry set up to probe cases of police brutality in the aftermath of the #EndSARS protests.

He said, “This matter involves young people. I talked to my colleagues and I advised, let us discard all the processes. I will withdraw my processes and they will withdraw theirs.

Ultra-Orthodox Lockdown Protesters Clash With Police In Jerusalem

Middle East

Elizabeth Williams

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February 10, 2021

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Ultra-Orthodox Lockdown Protesters Clash With Police In Jerusalem

Following Coronavirus lockdown restrictions, Clashes broke out on Tuesday night in Jerusalem between police and ultra-Orthodox protesters opposed to it.

Hundreds of ultra-Orthodox men gathered in the capital’s Shabbat Square in the Mea Shearim neighborhood to protest the lockdown rules aimed at curbing a high rate of coronavirus infections, especially restrictions against opening schools.

At the end of the demonstration, hundreds of the protesters made their way to the nearby Bar Ilan street, where fighting broke out between them and police. Some demonstrators blocked traffic, burned trash bins, damaged vehicles and heaved stones and other objects at officers.

Police used water cannons to disperse the protest and arrested at least one person on suspicion of disturbing public order.

An initial protest was organized with the approval of police and included speeches from community leaders. The demonstrators packed together tightly and almost none wore face masks.

Police raid homes of Jehovah’s Witnesses in Moscow

Cleopatra Okohai

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February 10, 2021

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Police raid homes of Jehovah’s Witnesses in Moscow

Russian security services raided the homes of several Jehovah’s Witnesses in Moscow on Wednesday, in an ongoing crackdown on the US-based religious movement.

Moscow outlawed the Jehovah’s Witnesses in 2017, labelling it an extremist organisation and has since sentenced several members to lengthy jail terms.

The Investigative Committee, which probes major crimes, said on Wednesday several “organisers and members” had been detained.

Prosecutors, the FSB security services and the national guard carried out searches at 16 addresses, the committee said.

Investigators said the Jehovah’s Witnesses had established a branch in the capital where “secret meetings” were convened to study “religious literature”.

Founded in the United States in the late 19th century, the religious movement has been repeatedly accused of refusing to respect state symbols such as flags.

Although President Vladimir Putin said in 2018 its members should not be considered terrorists, Moscow has continued bringing legal action against the group.

He said: “It’s hard to deny that these cultists will remain and continue their activity… but at least they’ll stop openly claiming to be a Christian faith, in other words, in the market place of existing Christian confessions this product will no longer be on display.

“And I think that’s all for the best. It’ll save families, people’s lives”.

The Jehovah’s Witnesses were founded in the US in the late 19th Century and stick to a very literal reading of the Bible, rejecting the interpretations of many Christian scholars and the Christian doctrine of the Trinity.

They believe that the final battle between good and evil will happen soon. They are also pacifists, carry out door-to-door preaching and oppose blood transfusions.

The Russian Orthodox Church welcomed the ban in 2017. A senior Orthodox cleric, Metropolitan Hilarion, called the Jehovah’s Witnesses a “totalitarian sect” on Russian TV.

Investigators raided addresses in more than 20 regions across the country last November in another probe into the group.

Skills Acquisition: Lagos State Development Agency Trains Youths In Coconut Craft

Precious Obazee

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February 10, 2021

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Skills Acquisition: Lagos State Development Agency Trains Youths In Coconut Craft

The Lagos State Coconut Development Agency (LASCODA) is training about 100 youths, retirees and women to use coconut shells in art and craft to earn income.

The training, which begun last week for the first set of 20 beneficiaries at the Farm Service Centre, Oko-Oba Agege, would last for five weeks to upskill 100 participants.

Speaking at the opening of the training last Monday, the Commissioner for Agriculture, Abisola Olusanya, represented by the General Manager, LASCODA, Dapo Olakulehin, said the beneficiaries were among 15,000 youths and women to be trained this year in agricultural-related businesses.

She said it is one of many agricultural empowerment, training and skill development programmes lined up by the Ministry of Agriculture for year 2021 with the overall objectives of creating job opportunities for more than 15,000 youths and women before the end of the year.

General Manager LASCODA, Olakulehin urged the participants to take the training seriously as it had the potential to change their finances for the better and make them employers of labour.

Assistant Director, Planning, Monitoring and evaluation, LASCODA, Olatunji Hamzat, said in addition to learning the craft, the beneficiaries would also be taught how to run successful businesses.

Eritrea Releases 70 Jailed Christians

Religion

Koko Lawrence

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February 10, 2021

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Christian Solidarity Worldwide reports that Eritrea has released 70 Christians that they jailed.

Sixty-four of the Christians had no charges and the last six were jailed for worshipping in public. “On 1 February, 21 female and 43 male prisoners were released from Mai Serwa and Adi Abeito prisons, close to the capital city, Asmara. The prisoners had been held without charge or trial for periods of between two and 12 years.

On 27 January, six female prisoners who were detained in September 2020 in Dekemhare, south-east of Asmara, were also released. The women were arrested after worshipping in public as they were walking down a street, an event which was caught on camera and circulated via social media.”

Though the move is reportedly welcomed, Christian Solidarity Worldwide believes it could possibly be a distraction to get the international community off of the war waged on the Tigray region. Tigray declared independence from Ethiopia and has been fighting for their right to exist ever since. However, they are not just fighting against their neighboring country of Ethiopia. Eritrea and Somalia have also partnered with Ethiopia in addition to the ethnic Amhara army.

Christian Headlines has previously reported that millions are in need of aid due to the war’s ravaging of Ethiopia and Tigray. Additionally, more than 700 Christians were attacked in a church as they were trying to hide from the violence in the region. The residents were reportedly brought out and killed.

10 Mind-blowing Valentine’s Day gift ideas for Him

Uncategorized

Chris Ottah

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February 10, 2021

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10 Mind-blowing Valentine’s Day gift ideas for Him

Finding the perfect Valentine’s Day gifts for him can feel stressful and overwhelming.

With the fear of not buying the perfect gift for the right person, most of us end up stressing out. The end result is you buying a half-way decent gift for him on impulse, rather than something thoughtful or useful.

Many times, shopping for someone you love, especially if he’s a guy, feels harder than it needs to be. So, it’s natural to feel frustrated and resentful towards holidays.

It shouldn’t be that way, and Valentine’s Day is no exception. A gift for the special man in your life should be just as amazing as he is, and you deserve a good experience in finding it.

To help with finding the perfect gift for your husband or boyfriend, these options are fun, creative, and even romantic! Any man in your life would love to have one.

Just remember, it’s the thought you put into it and the fact that you care that means the most to him.

Best Valentine’s Day Gifts For Him

Watch

This gift is ideal for the guy who loves watches. While many men already have a large collection, they can never have enough classics. The sleek black color allows him to wear it all year round, and he can pair it with virtually any clothing item.

Body Groomer Kit and Beard Trimmer

Surprise him with a high-tech version of a simple gift. This kit comes with 8 different attachments and is self-sharpening. It runs on lithium batteries, so it just needs to be plugged in to full charge and will run for over an hour.

Tasman Slipper

Let him slide these on the morning of Valentine’s Day to make it a gift he won’t forget. These soft sheepskin slippers remind him that comfort isn’t just a girl thing, and you care about him and his feet.

Portable Bluetooth Wireless Speaker

Turn Valentine’s Day into an all-day dancing affair with this Bose Speaker. It’s bluetooth friendly and is available in five different colors. It’s also easy for on-the-go, and that includes your picnic dates and everything in between.

Interlocking G Cufflinks

If your guy has expensive taste, these cufflinks add a nice personal touch to his traditional suit and tie look. Let him know that you enjoy the little things about him.

Personalized Men’s Boxer Briefs

There are plenty of Valentine’s Day-themed undies, but these are way more special. They are 95 percent cotton, and you can add a sweet message around the waistband. Include his initials and make a cute little “I Heart” message.

Wooden Keychain

This sound wave keychain is a nifty little trinket that will always remind him of you. Engrave a phrase of your choice to let him know you’re always thinking about him. Plus, organizing his keys will be much easier.

Heart Rate Monitor

If your guy is very into fitness and physical health, this is the gift for him. Whether running or checking how fast his heart is beating for you, this heart rate monitor will certainly be useful.

Water-Resistant Laptop Travel Bag

Whether in school or working, this gift is great for the man who is always on the go. It will hold his laptop, along with any important documents he needs to carry. Plus, the quality is amazing and will last a long time.

Double Word Score Scrabble Art

Rather than play a rousing game of Scrabble, win the most points with this adorable personalized gift. Once you know what message you want to include, all you’ll need are some game pieces and glue.

Woven Silk Tie

This chic tie comes in a variety of colors and is sure to add a little flair to his suit. Because no man can ever have enough ties in their collection, right?

Automatic Buckle Belt

Give him the gift he may not have even realized he needed. Men are notorious for not changing out their accessories as often as they should, but this belt is modern and sleek, and comes in over 30 designs.

EU Reverse Decision Over Vaccine Export Gaffe Amid Outcry

Europe

Elizabeth Williams

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February 10, 2021

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EU Reverse Decision Over Vaccine Export Gaffe Amid Outcry

European Commission President Ursula Von der Leyen has expressed regret for creating a row with Britain last month when the bloc briefly considered applying an emergency restriction on exports of COVID-19 vaccines also to the U.K.’s Northern Ireland.

Speaking at the European Parliament on Wednesday, European Union top official Ursula von der Leyen said she was sorry for the confusion.

“The bottom line is that mistakes were made in the process leading up to the decision,” von der Leyen said. “And I deeply regret that. But in the end we got it right.”

Von der Leyen spoke a day after Britain’s chief Brexit minister said that relations between the United Kingdom and the EU have suffered from turbulence since their economic divorce six weeks ago,

Britain left the EU politically just over a year ago, and quit the bloc’s economic structures on Dec. 31. Since then, customs and veterinary checks have been imposed on goods moving between Britain and EU member nations — and on some British goods going to Northern Ireland because it shares a border with Ireland.

Northern Ireland authorities halted veterinary checks and withdrew border staff from ports for several days this month after threatening graffiti appeared referring to port workers as targets.

Von der Leyen added that the EU’s executive arm would do its “utmost to protect the peace of Norther Ireland, just as it has done through the entire Brexit process.

International Law: Germany, Hungary Join Member States Opposing ICC Probe Of Israel

World

Elizabeth Williams

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February 10, 2021

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International Law: Germany, Hungary Join Member States Opposing ICC Probe Of Israel

Germany and Hungary have voiced their opposition to the International Criminal Court’s ruling that it can investigate Israel for alleged war crimes.

German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas said: “Our legal view on jurisdiction of the ICC regarding alleged crimes committed in the Palestine territories remains unchanged. The court has no jurisdiction, because of the absence of the element of Palestinian statehood required by international law.”

The German foreign minister’s statement came the day after he spoke with Foreign Minister Gabi Ashkenazi.

On 5 February 2021, the ICC’s Pre-Trial Chamber ruled that it has the jurisdiction to probe war crimes in Gaza, the West Bank and east Jerusalem allegedly committed since June 13, 2014. This could include possible lawsuits against Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, defense ministers and other high-level officials, as well as soldiers and commanders. The investigation includes Operation Protective Edge and settlement activity.

Attorney-General Avichai Mandelblit reiterated Israel’s position on the ruling in a conference on Tuesday, saying: “There is no such thing as the State of Palestine according to international law. Eight significant countries joined our position… According to the Oslo Accords, there is no State of Palestine, it doesn’t have borders… and it doesn’t have the jurisdiction to judge Israelis. This is an unfortunate and mistaken decision.”

Australia, Germany, the Czech Republic, Hungary, Austria, Brazil, Uganda and Canada expressed their opposition to an ICC investigation of Israel before the ruling, and Jerusalem hopes to get their public support after, as well.

Ashkenazi continued calling Israel’s allies on Tuesday to bolster its case against an ICC investigation, speaking with his counterparts in Canada, Hungary and Cyprus.

Meanwhile, US State Department Spokesperson Ned Price said: “We do not believe the Palestinians qualify as a sovereign state… We have serious concerns about the ICC’s attempts to exercise its jurisdiction over Israeli personnel. The United States has always taken the position that the court’s jurisdiction should be reserved for countries that consent to it, or that are referred by the UN Security Council.

One would have thought US admininstration would take a very strong stance and even take the lead in condemning the move by the ICC.

Australian Foreign Minister Marise Payne expressed “deep concerns” about the ICC ruling and called for the court not to get involved in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. “Australia does not recognize a ‘State of Palestine,’ noting that matters relating to territory and borders can only be resolved through direct negotiations between Israel and the Palestinians.