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Nigeria Ratifies African Continental Free Trade Area Membership

Precious Obazee
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Nigeria has ratified its membership of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), less than a month before the deadline for the process to be concluded.

The decision was taken during the Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting held on Wednesday, and subsequently confirmed by the Federal Government via its verified handle on the microblogging site, Twitter.

Nigeria, Africa’s largest economy, becomes the latest country to ratify its membership of AfCFTA bringing the total of African Union member states to have ratified their membership so far to 30.

According to the African Union (AU), the AfCFTA will offer Africa an opportunity to reconfigure its supply chains; reduce reliance on others and speed up the establishment of regional value chains which will boost intra-Africa trade.

Its implementation will form a $3.4 trillion economic bloc with 1.3 billion people across the continent.

The first commercial deal under the AfCFTA is expected to take place on January 1, 2021 after the COVID-19-enforced delay in implementation.

FG under fire for tagging #EndSARS campaigners terrorists

Chris Ottah
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FG under fire for tagging #EndSARS campaigners terrorists

The Federal Government came under fire on Wednesday for tagging of #EndSARS campaigners as terrorists with prominent citizens and groups deploring the Central Bank of Nigeria’s action, which led to the freezing of the accounts of some of the campaigners.

The Federal Government had succeeded in freezing the accounts of 20 #EndSARS campaigners after telling a Federal High Court in Abuja that the funds in their accounts might have been linked to terrorist activities.

This was according to a written address in support of a motion ex parte filed by the CBN, which froze 20 accounts in the second week of October and thereafter approached the court to seek an ex parte order to freeze the accounts.

In the case with suit number FHC/ABJ/CS/1384/2020, filed before Justice A. R. Mohammed, the CBN, however, made no mention of the fact that the 20 accounts were owned by persons involved in the #EndSARS protests, but told the court that the funds might have emanated from terrorist activities.

The Nigerian Bar Association said on Wednesday that blocking the accounts of #EndSARS protesters on the pretext that they were terrorism suspects showed that the Federal Government was insincere.

Speaking for the body of lawyers in an interview, the Publicity Secretary of the association, Dr Raps Nduka, maintained that the #EndSARS protests were lawful and the demands of the campaigners genuine.

He added that the action of the Federal Government through the CBN in blocking the accounts of the promoters of the movement showed that the government was insincere with its promise to address their demands.

Nduka said, “The timing looks very suspicious. The protests are lawful and the demands of the protesters and the concerns they expressed are genuine.

“What has happened shows that the protesters were right to insist that they were not going to leave the streets because, over time, the government would promise something and do the opposite. This action of the CBN lends credence to the position taken by the youth.

“Even if the government is right, who will believe it at this time? The government makes it look like it is trying to silence people from talking about the ills of society. Why does the government appear to be doing that?

“It tells us that the government may not be doing anything to ensure that the complaints are being addressed. It also tells us that that their original claims that they were standing with the youth were pretences. You cannot be standing with them and freeze their accounts. It does not work that way.

“Let us assume that the allegations are true, what happens to discrete investigation? Why should they block the accounts of persons because you are investigating them? Why don’t they be on the trail of the money going into the accounts, assuming the allegations are true?

“The time is very suspicious. It lends credence to the belief of the average Nigerian that the government is not being sincere.”

#EndSARS: Lawyer drags Falana to ICC over incitement, seeks $2bn fine

Chris Ottah
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#EndSARS: Lawyer drags Falana to ICC over incitement, seeks $2bn fine

A Nigerian lawyer, Joseph Nwaegbu, has filed a criminal complaint against human rights lawyer, Femi Falana, at the International Criminal Court (ICC) in Hague for his alleged role in the #EndSARS protest.

Violence trailed the #EndSARS protest across the country, leading to loss of lives and destruction of property.

In the petition dated November 4, 2020, and addressed to Fatou Bensouda, ICC prosecutor, Nwaegbu who claimed to be acting for his group, Make Nigeria Better Initiative (MNBI), described #EndSARS as “the mother of all protests in Nigeria.”

See Also: #EndSARS: APC shares open letter to Pastor Sam Adeyemi

“On the recent #EndSARS protests which turned violent across the country, we beg to submit that the role played by Mr Falana before, during, and after what observers described as “the mother of all protests in Nigeria” is not only ignoble but criminal,” Nwaegbu stated.

“We have seen how the type of incitement spearheaded by Mr Falana worked in Rwanda and other parts of the world and the resultant effect was genocide.

“The misguided youths who acted based on Falana’s posture, character and utterances employed crude methods to illegally murder about 22 police officers in cold blood during the #EndSARS protests that lasted between the period 3rd October 2020 till 21st October 2020.

“At Oyingbo police station in Lagos alone, a total of 3 (Three) police officers were killed and roasted like Christmas goats with their facilities destroyed.

”It is our further submission that what Falana is doing gives room for suspicion that another brand of the terrorist group may be created to hide under the cover of “human rights activists” whilst sustaining the evils already bedevilling our people through the activities of the disbanded Islamic Movement in Nigeria (IMN), Boko Haram and Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB).”

See Also: CBN action: #EndSARS campaigners should explain use of funds, says Akeredolu

Nwaegbu urged the ICC to investigate Falana.

He added that upon conviction under the Rome Statute, the ICC prosecutor should compel the senior advocate of Nigeria to pay $2 billion as punitive damages for causing death, injury destruction of properties and all other things caused during the protest.

Mark P. Dillon, head of information and evidence unit, ICC, acknowledged receipt of the complaints.

Dillon said the complaint will be considered accordingly with the procedure and Rome Statute of the ICC.

Responding, Falana described the allegations against him as an “obnoxious rejoinder” hurriedly crafted “to divert attention from the crime against humanity committed by those who opened fire on peaceful protesters in violation of international humanitarian law.”

He said the Socio-Economic and Rights Accountability Project (SERAP), one of his clients, had earlier submitted a petition to the ICC against the Nigerian Army “for the brutal killing of peaceful protesters in Nigeria.”

“Before then, a London based human rights group had submitted a petition over the massacre of 347 Shiites in December 2015 by the Nigerian army. The suspects in both petitions believe that I instigated both petitions.

“But the cheap ploy will not work as the ICC does not entertain frivolous petitions that are anchored on conjecture or speculation.

“After all, the ICC is not unaware of the fact that the suspects who committed arson and willful damage to private and public properties in Lagos state and other places during the #EndSARS protests have been arrested, investigated and arraigned in criminal courts.”

We’ll use all tools to counter terrorism in Nigeria – Mike Pompeo

Chris Ottah
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We’ll use all tools to counter terrorism in Nigeria – Mike Pompeo

The US secretary of state, Mike Pompeo, has said his country will use everything at its disposal to counter terrorism in Nigeria and other parts of the world. 

After a virtual meeting on Tuesday, he said progress is being made in the fight against terrorism.

The meeting was attended by the US, Nigeria, members of the Global Coalition to Defeat Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS), and representatives of West African states.

Popmeo, who took to Twitter on Wednesday, thanked Nigeria for co-hosting the meeting. 

“Great progress was made at yesterday’s virtual Global @Coalition to Defeat ISIS meeting on West Africa. We will use all tools at our disposal to counter ISIS and its affiliates anywhere in the world. My thanks to Nigeria for co-hosting the event,” he wrote. 

Nathan Sales, the newly designated special envoy for the Global Coalition, had at the meeting outlined the Coalition’s increasing focus on defeating ISIS’ global branches and affiliates.  

He also expressed his appreciation to the Nigerian delegation that was led by Yaminu Musa, who serves as coordinator for the counter terrorism centre in Nigeria’s office of the national security adviser (ONSA), for co-hosting the event.

Pompeo’s office in a statement had earlier said as the Global Coalition seeks to apply lessons learned from the fight against ISIS in Iraq and Syria to other locations, participants reviewed potential lines of effort, including the use of battlefield evidence and border security measures that could be applied in West Africa.

Islamic State’s West Africa Province (ISWAP) is an affiliate of ISIS. 

ISWAP has continue to wreak havoc in the north-eastern region of the country. 

UN Watchdog Says Iran’s Stockpile Of Low-Enriched Uranium Exceeds Limits Set By Nuclear Deal

Zoe Maven
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UN Watchdog Says Iran’s Stockpile Of Low-Enriched Uranium Exceeds Limits Set By Nuclear Deal

The International Atomic Energy Agency, IAEA says Iran continues to increase its stockpile of low-enriched uranium far beyond the limits agreed in a nuclear deal with world powers and to enrich it to a greater purity than allowed.

U.N.’s atomic watchdog agency reported in a confidential document distributed to member countries that Iran as of Nov. 2 had a stockpile of 2,442.9 kilograms of low-enriched uranium, up from 2,105.4 kilograms reported on Aug. 25.

The IAEA reported that Iran has also been continuing to enrich uranium to a purity of up to 4.5%, higher than the 3.67% allowed under the deal.

Iran has openly announced all violations of the nuclear deal in advance, which have followed the decision by the U.S. to pull out unilaterally in 2018.

The nuclear deal signed in 2015 with the United States, Germany, France, Britain, China and Russia, known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, or JCPOA, allows Iran only to keep a stockpile of 202.8 kilograms.

Since the U.S. withdrawal and imposition of new sanctions, Tehran has been putting pressure on the remaining parties with the violations to come up with new ways to offset the economy-crippling actions by Washington.

Ivory Coast’s Ouattara And Rival Bédié Meet In Crisis Talks

Zoe Maven
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Ivory Coast’s Ouattara And Rival Bédié Meet In Crisis Talks

Ivory Coast President Alassane Ouattara and his main rival, Henri Konan Bédié, have met for talks for the first time since the recent election crisis in the country.

Both Ouattara and Bédié, an 86-year-old former president, arrived at an upmarket hotel in Abidjan amid a swarm of reporters, several hours after the much-awaited meeting was announced by the government.

Their talks are the first since Ouattara secured the October 31 election by more than 94 percent amidts a dispute after opposition leaders rejected the vote.

While President Ouattara said It was a first meeting to break the ice and restore trust, Opposition chief Bédié said they have been able to break through the wall of ice and the wall of silence.

The face-to-face between Ouattara and Bedie follows insistence from the UN, EU, former colonial power France and Ivory Coast’s neighbours for efforts to ease the tension.

Ouattara and Bedie have been central figures in Ivorian politics for decades. The two men said further meetings would also take place.

Libya Peace Talks Reach Landmark Agreement To Hold Elections

Zoe Maven
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Libya Peace Talks Reach Landmark Agreement To Hold Elections

Peace talks in Libya have agreed to hold elections within 18 months in a landmark peacemaking deal that still faces great obstacles..

At news conference in Tunis, where 75 Libyan participants chosen by the United Nations have been meeting since Monday, United Nations acting Libya envoy, Stephanie Williams said the focus is to encourage the momentum.

She said the meeting had reached preliminary agreement on a roadmap to “free, fair, inclusive and credible parliamentary and presidential elections.

Libya has been in chaos since 2011 and divided since 2014 between rival factions in east and west, with major institutions also split or controlled by armed groups.

The internationally recognized Government of National Accord (GNA) holds power in the capital Tripoli, while Khalifa Haftar’s Libyan National Army (LNA) holds sway in the east.

On Thursday, a joint military commission is set to hammer out the details of the truce will consider adopting proposals for both sides to withdraw from frontlines.

The talks in Tunis will focus on a new unified transitional government to oversee the run-up to elections.

Former Nigerian boxing champion Ike Ibeabuchi regains freedom after being in and out of prison for 20 years in the US

Emenike Agu
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Former Nigerian boxing champion Ike Ibeabuchi regains freedom after being in and out of prison for 20 years in the US

After 20 years in and out of the prison system, Ike Ibeabuchi who was one of the hottest prospects in heavyweight boxing before several run-ins with the law in the United States of America has once again regained freedom.

After being accused of rape, he was initially released and placed under house arrest before another case of alleged sexual assault from eight months earlier at another hotel was opened against him.

He was later sentenced to two to 10 years for battery with intent to commit a crime and another three to 20 years for attempted sexual assault, with the sentences to be served consecutively.about:blank

After serving those sentences, he was released in 2014 from Nevada prison but was arrested again in 2016 and held at the Arizona prison because of an old warrant he claimed he wasn’t aware of.Ike Ibeabuchi first regained freedom in 2014 but got sentenced again in 2016 (Retro Boxing & Documentaries)Twitter

The President as he is fondly called has now been released according to a report by Neusroom who has been following the situation.

Although released, he is however still detained by the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) who are still trying to confirm his green card and citizenship status.

Fight career

Ike Ibeabuchi was rising in the heavyweight division before his troubles with the law (The Ring Magazine/Getty Images)Getty Images

Before his trouble with the law, Ibeabuchi had a quick and impressive rise in heavyweight boxing after he settled in Dallas, Texas with his mother Patricia who died of a heart attack in 2014.

Less than two years after arriving in the United States, he made his professional debut in October 1994 and quickly rose through the ranks with 16 straight wins.

He made a big jump and faced David Tua for a WBC International Heavyweight title fight in June 1997.

In the fight against the highly-rated Tua who was tipped to be the next Mike Tyson, Ibeabuchi stunned the boxing world with a win via unanimous 12-round decision. The fight is also well-remembered for the combativeness as both fighters threw punches and neither also took a backward step all night.

Ibeabuchi and Tua set a CompuStat heavyweight division record with 1,730 punches thrown. Ike also set the individual CompuStat record by throwing 975 punches and averaging 81 per round. The heavyweight average is around 50.

He established himself as a top contender for the world heavyweight title with that win but shortly after, the problems started.

With suspicion around his mental health, Ibeabuchi had got into trouble after he abducted the 15-year-old son of his former girlfriend and injured him while overspeeding and got sentenced for three months.

Despite some erratic behaviour he continued to show brilliance in the win after his release before his win against Chris Byrd in March 1999, that was his 20th straight victory. The fight against Byrd was his last before his 1999 arrest.

Amidst his troubles with the law, he was also diagnosed with bi-polar disorder which explained some of his erratic behaviour.

Ibeabuchi however and people around him have maintained that he remains innocent of all the crimes he was sentenced for with several claims that he was a victim of a conspiracy of a boxing cabal and that some powerful forces do not want him in America.

While in prison, the now 47-year-old earned three associate degrees and certificates while he was incarcerated.

Pennsylvania Postal Worker Denies Recanting Claims Of Mail-In Voter Fraud

Henry Williams
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Pennsylvania Postal Worker Denies Recanting Claims Of Mail-In Voter Fraud

A postal service worker in Pennsylvania is disputing House Democrats’ claims that he recanted allegations that his supervisors ordered employees to back-date mail-in voting ballots after Election Day.

Democrats on the House Oversight Committee said in a statement on Tuesday that Richard Hopkins, a postal worker in Erie, Pa., retracted his story during interviews with investigators from the U.S. Postal Service’s office of the inspector general.

Hopkins claimed in an interview with the conservative group Project Veritas last week that he overheard supervisors discussing backdating mail-in ballots received after the election on Nov. 3 so that they would still be counted in the state’s vote tally.

Videos of interviews with Hopkins have received millions of views and attracted congressional attention. Hopkins also set up an online fundraiser that had generated $130,000 in donations until it was taken offline on Tuesday.

Edo State Politics: Governor Obaseki, deputy to be sworn-in for second term Thursday

Itohan Olomu-Agbodo
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Edo State Politics: Governor Obaseki, deputy to be sworn-in for second term Thursday

Edo State Governor, Godwin Obaseki and his deputy, Philip Shaibu, will on Thursday be sworn into office for a second term at the Samuel Ogbemudia Stadium in Benin.

In a statement, Special Adviser to the Governor on Media and Communication Strategy, Mr. Crusoe Osagie, said the event would be held at the Tennis Court at the Samuel Ogbemudia Stadium, adding that all necessary arrangements for the inauguration ceremony have been concluded.

He said, “The inauguration/swearing-in ceremony of Edo State Governor, Mr. Godwin Obaseki and Deputy Governor, Rt. Hon. Comrade Philip Shaibu will hold on Thursday, November 12 between 11 am and 1pm prompt at the Samuel Ogbemudia Stadium. Due to the prevailing realities of the coronavirus pandemic, we would be having only 750 invited guests at the venue.

“The inauguration is strictly by invitation as crowd control measures have been adopted in line with government’s guidelines to check the spread of coronavirus (COVID-19). However, parties are to be held across the 18 local government areas of the state to celebrate the event. Party members are also expected to meet at the ward level to commemorate the event.”

He advised guests expected at the event to adhere to the guidelines regarding crowd control, noting, “Invited guests are expected to congregate at the pick-up spot at Edo Hotel on Okada Avenue, GRA, Benin City. Cars will not be allowed to access the venue of the swearing-in ceremony.”

Osagie also said provision has been made for virtual participation by Edo citizens and other supporters of the governor, adding, “The inauguration will be broadcast live on major television stations and social media platforms. COVID-19 protocols will be strictly adhered to.”

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