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Owo attack: US senators ask Blinken to relabel Nigeria as religious freedom violator

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Five American senators have asked Antony Blinken, the US secretary of state, to re-designate Nigeria as a country of particular concern (CPC).

In December 2020, the US listed Nigeria among countries blacklisted for “violating religious freedom” under the CPC designation.

However, in November 2021, Nigeria was removed from the list.

In a June 29, 2022 letter, the senators questioned why Nigeria was “inexplicably” removed “despite no demonstrable improvement in the country’s religious freedom conditions”.

They cited the attack on St Francis Catholic Church, Owo, Ondo state and the lynching of Deborah Samuel, a female student of Shehu Shagari College of Education, Sokoto, as cases of “religious persecutions” in Nigeria.

The senators who signed the letter are Josh Hawley, Marco Rubio, Mike Braun, James Inhofe and Tom Cotton.

“As you are well aware, horrific acts of deadly violence have been committed against Nigerian Christians in recent weeks, including the massacre of churchgoers on Pentecost Sunday and the stoning of a Christian college student. Sadly, such violence has become all too familiar for Christians in Africa’s most populous country,” the letter reads.

“Last year, however, you inexplicably removed Nigeria’s designation as a Country of Particular Concern (CPC) despite no demonstrable improvement in the country’s religious freedom conditions.

“On the contrary, the situation in Nigeria has grown worse. We previously urged you to immediately reverse your misguided decision, and we write today to renew our call.

“Recent high-profile acts of violence underscore the intense religious persecution that is regularly experienced by Nigerian Christians.

“On Pentecost Sunday, gunmen attacked St. Francis Catholic Church in Nigeria’s Ondo state, reportedly killing at least 50 churchgoers.

“Last month, a violent mob brutally stoned to death Deborah Emmanuel Yakubu, a student at Shehu Shagari College of Education in northwest Nigeria.

“According to reports, some Islamist students were enraged by a “blasphemous” message Deborah had posted in a WhatsApp group, in which she said that “Jesus Christ is the greatest. He helped me pass my exams.

“Merely expressing one’s Christian faith has apparently become tantamount to a death sentence in many parts of Nigeria. Religious violence and intolerance directed toward Nigerian Christians has worsened in recent years.

“One report documented more than 4,650 cases of Nigerian Christians who were killed for their faith in 2021. Accordingly, Nigeria earns the dubious honor — for the second consecutive year — of being the deadliest country on earth for Christians.

“Make no mistake: continued enforcement of state-sanctioned blasphemy laws enables the type of deadly violence that killed Deborah Emmanuel Yakubu and so many others.

“When we previously wrote you, we were met with a response which failed to answer our questions about why the State Department views Nigeria as not having engaged in or tolerated “systematic, ongoing, and egregious violations of religious freedom” or even “severe violations of religious freedom.”

“Given the abysmal state of religious freedom in Nigeria, it is incumbent upon you to reverse last year’s decision and redesignate the country as a CPC. The moment demands that you do so without delay. We look forward to your swift action on this important matter.”

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Realtor goes missing after being called to check property in Lagos

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A 43-year-old man identified as Jimi Folarin, a realtor, has gone missing after being called by a client to inspect properties in the Imota area of Ikorodu, Lagos State.

According to his sister, Iremide Omowunmi, Folarin left the house at exactly 4 PM on Wednesday for the property inspection and has not answered his phone since.

She stated, “At about 4 PM, my brother called me to say that the clients he was waiting for had contacted him to come and inspect the properties. This was exactly at 4 PM.

“My brother is a real estate agent who sells land and assists people in buying land. Around 5 PM, I tried calling him to see if he had arrived, but although the phone rang, he did not pick up. I thought maybe he was busy with the clients, so I stopped calling. It wasn’t until 10 PM that I tried reaching him again, but he still didn’t respond. I then texted him on WhatsApp, but he didn’t reply either, which is unlike him.

“While I was calling him, my brother’s friend was also trying to reach him. After a while, a strange number called my brother’s friend, asking who he wanted to speak to. When my brother’s friend questioned the caller, they immediately hung up.

“This morning, I called that strange number, and the person answered. But when I asked for Folarin, my brother, they abruptly ended the call. I have reported the case to the Gbogbo Police Station in Ikorodu,” she added.

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NSIB locates wreckage of crashed helicopter in Port Harcourt

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The Nigerian Safety Investigation Bureau (NSIB) says its search and recovery teams have successfully located the wreckage of the Sikorsky SK76 helicopter that crash-landed in Port Harcourt, Rivers.

In a statement on Thursday, Bimbo Olawumi Oladeji, NSIB’s director of public affairs and family assistance, said the wreckage was identified during recovery dives conducted on Wednesday night.

The helicopter, operated by Eastwind Aviation and carrying eight individuals, had crash-landed off the coast of Bonny Finima in the Atlantic Ocean on October 24.

The ministry of aviation and aerospace development confirmed that three bodies were recovered, while search and rescue operations continued in a bid to locate the remaining passengers.

The Nigerian National Petroleum Company (NNPC) Limited had said it hired the helicopter to its floating, production, storage, and offloading (FPSO) facility from the Nigerian Air Force (NAF) base in Port Harcourt.

Reacting to the accident on October 25, President Bola Tinubu directed military officers involved in various operations in Port Harcourt to join the search for passengers of the ill-fated aircraft.

Tinubu asked the military officers to provide the necessary support needed by the NSIB, the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA), and other relevant agencies.

In a statement yesterday, the NSIB said a fifth body was recovered from the site of the crash in Rivers, adding that the body recovered required specialised handling due to its decomposed state.

Giving updates on the search mission, Oladeji said preparations are ongoing for the helicopter’s recovery to support further investigation.

“The Nigerian Safety Investigation Bureau (NSIB) announces that the allied team and partners leading the charge for the search and recovery efforts of the ditched Sikorsky SK76 helicopter, registration 5N BQG, have located its wreckage,” the statement reads.

“The wreckage was identified during last night’s recovery dives, approximately 0.775 nautical miles from the FPSO Adoon. It was located at a depth of 42 meters, with coordinates registered at Latitude 04° 13.634′ N and Longitude 008° 19.442′ E.

“Preparations are currently underway for the helicopter’s recovery to support further investigation.”

Alex Badeh, the director-general of NSIB, commended the allied team and partners leading the search and recovery efforts.

“Locating the wreckage is a critical milestone in our efforts to understand the circumstances surrounding this tragic accident,” Badeh said.

“The dedication and cooperation shown by all involved parties have been exceptional, and we are determined to conduct a thorough investigation to provide clarity and closure to the families of those affected.”

Badeh reaffirmed the bureau’s commitment to working closely with national and international partners to carry out the recovery and investigative process, in line with its mandate to enhance transportation safety in Nigeria.

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Sanwo-Olu to receive democracy award in Tanzania

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The Association of Political Consultants Africa (APCA) has nominated Babajide Sanwo-Olu, governor of Lagos, for the 2023 Democracy Award.

In a statement on Thursday, the organisation said the award recognises political leaders who have made significant strides in democratic leadership, development, and governance.

Temitope Lakisokun, APCA chairperson in Nigeria, said Sanwo-Olu has “demonstrated exceptional leadership by building the capacity of state secretaries and improving governance structures within Lagos state”.

She added that his efforts have set a benchmark for effective governance and democratic practices in Nigeria.

The award will be presented at the 7th Africa political summit & diamond awards billed for December 11-14 at Lux Marijani, Zanzibar in Tanzania.

Past recipients of the award include President Bola Tinubu, President William Ruto of Kenya and Abiy Ahmed, prime minister of Ethiopia.

Political leaders, consultants, and stakeholders from across the continent and beyond are expected at the event.

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Bodex F. Hungbo, SPMIIM is a multiple award-winning Nigerian Digital Media Practitioner, Digital Strategist, PR consultant, Brand and Event Expert, Tv Presenter, Tier-A Blogger/Influencer, and a top cobbler in Nigeria.

She has widespread experiences across different professions and skills, which includes experiences in; Marketing, Media, Broadcasting, Brand and Event Management, Administration and Management with prior stints at MTN, NAPIMS-NNPC, GLOBAL FLEET OIL AND GAS, LTV, Silverbird and a host of others

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