By Associated Press
ABUJA FCT - In a renewed push for respect for democracy in coup-hit West Africa, leaders from across the region kicked off a crucial meeting in Nigeria on Sunday and acknowledged for the first time that their efforts to stem the tide of coups have so far met with little success. The 15-nation regional bloc, ECOWAS, has unsuccessfully tried to restore political stability across West and Central Africa which has recorded eight military takeovers since 2020, including in Niger and Gabon. In the past month, the governments of Sierra Leone and Guinea-Bissau have also described political crises as attempted coups. Despite sanctions and other measures by ECOWAS, the junta in Niger has consolidated its grip on power, while the military governments of Mali and Burkina Faso have stopped collaborating with the bloc on their countries' transition to civilian rule, ECOWAS commission president Omar Alieu Touray told the 64th ordinary session of the bloc in Abuja, Nigeria's capital. “After a moment of progress … we have noticed a near pause in the implementation of the agreed transition timetable for some time now,” Touray said. The bloc will continue to “stand against the unconstitutional change of government” in Niger despite the setbacks, said Nigerian President Bola Tinubu, who was elected leader of the bloc this year. “We refuse to be detracted from pursuing the collective aspirations and the noble path for ECOWAS,” Tinubu said. “Democracy must win if we fight for it, and we will definitely fight for democracy.” Under his leadership, the regional bloc has imposed its most stringent travel and economic sanctions yet against Niger after elite soldiers deposed and detained President Mohamed Bazoum in July. Tinubu said that would send a strong message to other nations. But rather than deter the soldiers who took over power in Niger and elsewhere, the sanctions appear to have emboldened them, analysts say. ………… READ MORE
By Uzoamaka Ikezue
ABUJA FCT - Senators of the Federal Republic of Nigeria have donated their one-month salaries amounting to N109 million to the victims of the drone attack that killed over 100 people at Tudun Biri in the Igabi Local Government Area of Kaduna state. Sen. Jubrin Barau, the Deputy Senate President stated this on Sunday when he led some Senators on behalf of the Senate President to sympathize with the people of Kaduna State over the unfortunate incident. He noted that the Red Chamber is concerned about the unfortunate incident that led to the wanton loss of lives According to him, “In this hour of grief, we are with the people, the bereaved families, and the state government. On behalf of the Senate President, Goodwill Akpabio, and all the 109 senators, we want to express our heartfelt condolences to them. “We also want to declare that all the senators—109 of us—have agreed to donate our one-month salaries to the victims of the unfortunate incident. We are therefore donating N109m. Governor Senator Uba Sani of Kaduna State, in his response expressed pleasure at the prompt visit of both the executives and the legislative arms over the incident. ………… READ MORE
By Ezinwanne Onwuka
The students of the Federal University of Lafia (FULafia) in Nasarawa State took to the streets on Thursday in protest over the increasing spate of bandits attacks and abductions. The school’s hostels have witnessed invasion by bandits in recent times with scores of students ferried away to an unknown destination. The latest attack on Wednesday night saw all the occupants of an off-campus hostel named Confidence Lodge, except two students, abducted. The two students who escaped abduction hid in their ceilings, according to Ibrahim Ismaila, president of FULafia’s student union. “We went with security officials from the university and also invited soldiers who stormed the vicinity with their vehicles. But before we got there, the attackers had escaped,” Ismaila added. The students’ protest was to demand an end to the insecurity plaguing the university. The police, however, stormed the venue and fired tear gas to disperse the protesters. The university’s public relations officer, Abubakar Ibrahim, told the press that the school authorities cannot ascertain the exact number of students abducted, but said they were “between three to five.” ………… READ MORE
By Mike Odeh James
KADUNA STATE - The killing of more than 20 farmers in Southern Taraba State 13 days ago portends a coming wave of attacks by mercenary-terrorists speaking the Fulfulde language, Taraba residents have told Truth Nigeria. The hired killers – labeled by media as bandits or herders — are coming from as far away as Kebbi, Zamfara, and Nasarawa states in Nigeria, and from Niger Republic, Chad, and Cameroon in order to subjugate the longtime residents of the lands. But the so-called “bandits” steal virtually nothing, whereas they burn houses and kill as many local residents as they can, witnesses have told TruthNigeria. They appear in communities suddenly and with no cattle herds under their supervision. Virtually all the criminals appear to be of the Fulani ethnicity, who are a minority tribe in Taraba, but a major tribe in Nigeria generally, claiming more than 10 million members. TruthNigeria is the first news platform to identify the ethnic identity of the Taraba ethnic cleansers. Kyle Abts, the Executive Director of the International Committee on Nigeria (ICON), told TruthNigeria that Christians in Taraba have been under attack by Fulani terrorists for more than 25 years. Despite the numerous attempts at peace, the Fulanis have refused to embrace peace agreements. ………… READ MORE
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