Tag: Nigeria

Pope Francis washed and kissed the feet of 12 women inmates at a Rome prison during a Holy Thursday Mass.

 

The 87-year-old pontiff performed the ritual from his wheelchair after recent ailments compounded his mobility problems. 

 

The women at the Rebibbia prison venue sat on stools on a raised-up platform, enabling the pope to move down the line with ease from his wheelchair without having to strain himself. 

 

Many of the women wept as Francis washed their feet, gently pouring water over one bared foot and patting it dry with a small towel. He finished the gesture by kissing each foot, often looking up to the woman with a smile. 

 

The Holy Thursday foot-washing ceremony is a hallmark of every Holy Week and recalls the foot-washing Jesus performed on his 12 apostles at their last supper together before he was crucified.

 

Previously, popes performed the ritual on Catholic men only at a Rome basilica. However, Pope Francis revolutionized the ritual for the Vatican by insisting, from his very first Holy Thursday as pope in 2013, to include women and people of other faiths among the 12. 

 

Since his election, the pope has taken this ceremony out of Vatican territory and celebrated by washing the feet of prisoners, refugees and the disabled. 

 

Over the years, Francis has washed the feet of women and Muslims. However, Michael Walsh, a prominent church historian and author, and Fr Anthony Ruff, a liturgical expert, both told CNN they believe this is the first time a pope has washed the feet of women exclusively during the ceremony.

 

 Nadia Fontana, the director of the female prison in Rome where the event took place, said it was the first time a pope had entered their facility, which she said held 360 prisoners and one child.

Human rights lawyer, Femi Falana, SAN, has warned the Nigerian military not to bungle the case of the 17 Nigerian Army personnel killed in Okuama Community in the Ughelli South Local Government Area of Delta State. 

 

Falana, who said that murder was not a military offence said that the authorities of the armed forces should be made to realise that the military could not arrest, detain, investigate and charge civilian suspects with any offence whatsoever.  

 

The human rights lawyer said that in Dr Issa Perry Brimah v Nigerian Army, Justice Ijeoma Ojukwu held that “It must be stated here without equivocation that the defendant [Nigerian Army] has no right to declare the plaintiff wanted without following the appropriate procedure.”

 

According to him, the Judge further said that the defendant can not arrest the plaintiff arbitrarily without making a formal report to the law enforcement agency with the mandate to enforce law and order. 

 

“Otherwise, it would transmute to self-help. The duty of the defendant is to make a formal report to the appropriate authorities like the police and await the outcome.” 

 

Similarly, Falana said that in Miss Grace Anita Paul v. The Chief of Army Staff, the Army, Inspector General of Police & the Nigerian Police Force, the Federal High Court held that the Nigerian Army lacks the power to arrest, investigate and hold in custody, anyone who is not subject to the Armed Forces Act or any other military law. 

 

The lawyer recalled that “Justice Taiwo Taiwo, on Wednesday, warned the military not to usurp the powers of the Nigerian Police under Sections 4 and 84 of the Police Act which empowers the police to detect and investigate crime.

 

“We have also read the 8 people alleged to be involved in the cruel murder of the soldiers have been declared wanted by the Defence Headquarters. It is trite law that the police and security agencies lack the power to declare any suspect wanted without a court order. 

 

“In Benedit Peters v Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, a high court in Abuja ruled that the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission lacks (EFCC) the powers to declare anyone wanted without obtaining a court order or charging the suspect with an offence. 

 

“The presiding judge, Justice Othman Musa ruled that though the EFCC could declare as wanted persons who fail to honour its invitation for investigation, it could only do so if it obtains a court order for that purpose. So, the decision of the defence headquarters to declare the murder suspects wanted is completely illegal.

 

“Let the federal government direct the defence headquarters to hand over the investigation of the suspects involved in the gruesome murder of the 17 officers and soldiers. It ought to be pointed out that murder is not a military offence to warrant investigation by the defence headquarters. 

 

“If the federal government fails to call the defence headquarters to order, the case concerning the tragic murder of the soldiers will be completely bungled.”

A 400-level student of the Nasarawa State University, Keffi (NSUK), John Rudeh, has been declared missing.

 

 

A statement issued by the university’s Students Security Task Force, SSTF unit said Rudeh went missing on Friday, March 22, 2024, during the stampede that occurred before the distribution of rice palliatives donated by the Nasarawa State Government. 

 

 

The statement issued by the commander of SSTF, stated that the family of the Student lodged a complaint after all efforts to reach him failed following the fatal stampede. 

 

 

Anyone with useful information on his whereabouts should contact Senator Bawa Lucky on 08027653966 or SSTF Unit Commander, Israel Gaar on 07081293015.

 

 

Some hoodlums believed to be thugs working for the All Progressives Congress (APC)-led Kogi State Government have again attacked members and supporters of Mr Murtala Yakubu Ajaka, the governorship candidate of the Social Democratic party in the November 11, 2023 election in Kogi State.

 

SaharaReporters reliably gathered that the political thugs who wore masks invaded the residences of the SDP members in Okene and burnt all their belongings for allegedly preparing or testifying in the ongoing Kogi State Governorship Election Tribunal against the election of Governor Usman Ahmed Ododo.

 

“Today Ebira SDP supporters from Okene appeared in court as required by law to testify on irregularities in Okene in the last gubernatorial election in Kogi State,” a community source told SaharaReporters.

 

“SDP witnesses from the Ebira speaking side of Okene appeared in court today and promised to appear anytime to testify in favour of their party SDP when called up,” an SDP supporter told SaharaReporters.

 

“Unfortunately, this afternoon shortly after the court sitting, Hon. Agomi Yusuf’s house was attacked. APC thugs brought out all his properties in his house and set them on fire. They also attacked Hon. Mumuni’s Time Tell Pharmacy Idoji -Inike Junction, carted away valuables and burnt down the pharmacy.

 

“Mustapha Otinawu’s family house at Ahogede Idozumi was attacked and destroyed. Hon. Agomi Yusuf’s rented house at Okengwe was attacked and his wares brought outside and burnt,” the SDP supporter who witnessed the incident told SaharaReporters.

 

When SaharaReporters contacted the victims, they all confirmed the attack and destruction of their properties, wondering whether it had become an offence to be in an opposition political party in Nigeria.

 

They lamented that the APC government and its thugs had continued to unleash terror on members of the opposition parties especially, members of the Social Democratic party because their candidate was challenging the election results in court.

 

Speaking to SaharaReporters on the telephone, Hon. Agomi Yusuf, whose house was among several houses and properties destroyed described the attack as crude, noting that no law in Nigeria or even Kogi State had criminalised being a member of an opposition party.

 

Narrating the incident, Yusuf, who was the Campaign Director-General of Ajaka for Kogi Central, lamented that security agencies were the enablers of the APC political thugs’ attacks on opposition parties.

 

“It was this morning because I wasn’t around, I was called that some supporters of APC invaded my house, broke into the rooms and parked all my belongings, destroyed my house, and burnt the entire property including my wares.” On whether he has reported the incident to the police, he said “I am trying to make that contact now. The attack happened around 7:30am.” 

 

On why the APC supporters attacked his house, he said “Well they said I am a strong supporter of the SDP candidate. They alleged that I mobilised people to go and serve as a witness for him (Ajaka) at the election tribunal. 

 

“The burning of my property is very crude because we are not in a one-party system. It is not a crime to be in opposition party but APC in Kogi State has criminalised being in opposition party and security agencies are enabling it.”

 

Also speaking, Dahiru Orietesu, lamented that his pregnant wife was beaten blue and black, by the APC supporters not minding her condition. 

 

According to him, doctors are still battling to save her life, noting that his offence was being a member of SDP and supporter of Ajaka to be governor of Kogi State. 

 

“The thugs who masked their faces attacked my house, brought out wares and all my property, and destroyed. My pregnant wife was beaten and is in hospital right now. They said that all the people coming out to testify against the election of Ododo will be banished.”

 

Another victim, Mustapha Otinawu, his family house at Ahogede, Idozumi was also attacked and destroyed.

 

When contacted on the telephone, he confirmed the attack and promised his commitment to the course to liberate Kogi from the shackles of Yahaya Bello and his thugs. 

 

“We are not scared of Yahaya and we are prepared for him even before now. We have made official reports to security agents and hope to hear from them soon. This will not deter us from appearing in court to testify when needed,” he promised.