🗞️ The military won’t stop killing civilians
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In this edition:
The military won’t stop killing people
The police loves shooting innocent people
Nigeria’s prisons are overcrowded
Nigeria rest $52million from the US, courtesy of Diezani
Nigeria joins BRICS
Petrol prices still up and down
This edition is 1,574 words. (approx 4 min read)
Who needs criminals when you have the Nigerian Security Agency
New year, same shit: military kills civilians
The Nigerian military killed at least 16 civilians in an air strike in Zamfara State “accidentally”. They mistook the civilians for bandits.
The victims, reportedly vigilantes defending their communities, were bombed while returning to their villages.
The Nigerian Air Force said the operation targeted bandits, but they will investigate all this chat about them killing community vigilantes.
This is at least the third time this has happened. On the 25th of December 2024, a military attack killed at least 10 civilians in Sokoto. In 2023, the military killed at least 85 civilians, mostly women and children, because they “mistook them for bandits”. In 2027, over 112 people died in a single attack when a military airstrike hit an IDP camp housing over 40,000 people.
Perhaps the Air Force should look within and hold off on the air striking.
Police 🤝 Criminals
In July 2024, off-duty Police officers in Ogun State shot and injured Tomiwa Oni, a caterer and single mum, because she didn’t have any cash to give them
The out-of-uniform officers stopped her vehicle at Ijoba Bus Stop, demanding money. After she offered to make a transfer, the officers let the car go but fired a shot, hitting her in the back.
She woke up five days later in the hospital, critically injured. The bullet caused severe damage, including cutting part of her intestines and rendering her unable to sit, walk, or work properly. The wound also destroyed her womb.
The family has spent over N10m on her surgeries and treatments and estimates that they need another N30m for further treatment abroad. Her three-year-old daughter is no longer in school, and her family is deep in debt from loans.
The police officers responsible were identified as being on illegal duty, with the shooter reportedly involved in a similar incident months prior.
Despite promises from authorities, including the state Commissioner of Police, justice has not been served, and the family has received no compensation or support from the police or government six months after the incident.
The family has sent letters to the state governor, Inspector General of Police, and other authorities but has received no response.
Suspected yahoo boys killed an EFCC official
A suspected internet fraud gang shot an EFCC operative in Onitsha, Anambra State, last week.
According to the EFCC, the operatives were ambushed on the street when the yahoo boys got intel that the agents were coming to their yahoo quarters
Now, I don’t usually get my news from Sahara Reporters, but I thought you might be interested in this angle: Sahara reports that the suspected yahoo boy shot at the EFCC official when the officials tried to break into his home unannounced (which we know they typically do). The report says the shooter thought they were thieves or kidnappers when they refused to announce themselves, so he shot at them.
The shooter killed one EFCC officer and injured the other
The Cable reports that the suspected shooter has been arrested
Who should be in prison
Overcrowded prisons
The Acting Controller-General of the Nigerian Correctional Service, Sylvester Nwakuche says 48,932 inmates in the country’s prisons are awaiting trial.
Nwakuche identified overcrowding as the most significant challenge, as a result of how many people are in prison (many of whom are not supposed to be - like all the End Sars protesters still in prison).
The total prison capacity for Nigeria nationwide is 50,000, but the total number of prisoners nationally is over 79,000.
Zooming in on Kano, for instance, a prison created for 600 people houses over 2,000 inmates. Recently, the Police in Kano State admitted that some inmates’ files are missing, preventing cases from progressing. It’s probably the same in most states.
Inmates face extreme deprivation, including chronic hunger and insufficient nutrition, despite an increase in the daily feeding allowance from N700 to N1,050 per inmate, and recently again to N1,125.
Also, according to HumAngle the meals are served in unsanitary conditions, leading to more exposure to ailments.
Between January 2022 and December 2024, the FG has pardoned 7,200 inmates to reduce congestion
Nwakuche says to solve these issues, the correctional service will be collaborating with the Attorney-General of the Federation, Inspector-General of Police, and other prosecuting agencies to expedite trials; Advocating for non-custodial measures and early release mechanisms; and Accelerating the construction of ultra-modern custodial facilities with a 3,000-inmate capacity.
Who *should* be in prison (Trigger Warning)
Timilehin Ajayi
The Nasarawa State Police Command has arrested Timilehin Ajayi, a gospel singer, for murdering and dismembering his girlfriend, 24-year-old Salome Enejo, a NYSC member serving in Abuja.
Ajayi was apprehended by church members in Orozo after he was spotted acting suspiciously by a river. Witnesses claim he discarded a bag later found to contain the victim’s severed head.
The church members called the police and upon further investigation, they found the rest of Enejo’s dismembered body in Ajayi’s house.
Ajayi is currently receiving medical treatment for injuries sustained during his arrest, while “investigations continue”.
Remember Benjamin Nnanyereugo? The one who dismembered Augusta Osedion in Ajah, Lagos? Remember Augusta’s brother trailed Benjamin to Sierra Leone and reported his location to the police, but the police refused to do much or tell anybody if they arrested Benjamin despite publically announcing that investigations confirmed that he killed Augusta? Yeah, let’s see how the police handle this one.
All the members of staff at this school
On Wednesday, Ella, a Nigerian woman, posted a call for justice on her Twitter after her two-year-old daughter died under suspicious circumstances at Smiley Nursery and Primary School in Lagos.
Ella believes her daughter was electrocuted on school premises and that staff attempted to cover it up by placing her in a pool to make it appear as a drowning incident.
She questioned the school’s safety measures, noting the pool had barricades that a two-year-old could not have climbed alone. Ella accused the school of deceiving parents by claiming closure for maintenance instead of revealing the truth.
Embezzled???
Recovered
The United States has returned $52.88 million in recovered assets allegedly owned by former Minister of Petroleum, Diezani Alison-Madueke to the Federal Government.
The Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Lateef Fagbemi, says $50 million of the recovered assets would be deployed through the World Bank for the development of rural electrification projects,
The remaining $2 million would be used by the International Institute of Justice to expand the justice system and combat corruption.
Taken?
The Auditor-General of the Federation accused NNPCL of diverting N2.68 trillion and $19.77 million between 2017 and 2021.
The Auditor-General says the theft was done in the form of unauthorised deductions, discrepancies in remittances, incomplete documentation, and violations of Nigeria’s constitution and financial regulations. For instance, in 2017 alone, N1.33tn was deducted without approval, while N514bn went unaccounted for in 2021.
Civil society groups like the Centre for Anti-Corruption and Open Leadership and the Civil Society Legislative Advocacy Centre have described the NNPCL as Nigeria's most nontransparent (aka sketchy) institution.
Despite the enactment of the Petroleum Industry Act meant to enhance transparency, everyone in government who wants that national oil moi moi keeps shielding them from any punishments for keeping things a secret.
Critics argue that the NNPCL operates as a “powerful cabal” untouchable even by anti-corruption agencies.
Petrol
Dangote has increased the price of petrol for marketers from N855 per litre to N955 per litre. It says it’s because the international price of crude oil is increasing- This Day
But OPEC says Dangote’s petroleum products have reduced Africa’s reliance on refined products from Europe. Yay?
“Tinubu is working”
BRICS
Nigeria is now a “partner country” of BRICS, a group of big economies like Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa.
BRICS was created to challenge Western control in global money matters and create alternatives to using the US dollar.
As a partner, Nigeria could reduce its reliance on the dollar and explore trade in its own currency, which might help with its forex issues.
While not a full member, Nigeria could also get funding for projects through BRICS’ New Development Bank.
BRICS aims to offer alternatives to the IMF and World Bank for developing countries, but Nigeria’s new partnership won’t affect its commitments to those institutions.
US incoming President Donald Trump (sigh) last year threatened 100% tariffs against BRICS if they act to undermine the US dollar.
Lagos State Speaker switch
The Lagos State House of Assembly has impeached Speaker Mudashiru Obasa over allegations of gross misconduct, including financial irregularities, high-handedness, and mismanagement. The motion for his removal was passed by 32 out of 40 lawmakers.
Obasa’s deputy, Mojisola Meranda, representing Apapa Constituency I, was elected as the new Speaker, making her the first female Speaker of the Assembly. Fatai Mojeed is now her Deputy Speaker.
The impeachment followed allegations against Obasa, including misuse of N44 billion for vehicles, N15.6 billion for office construction, and other questionable expenses.
Other news
An Ogun House of Reps member of the Ikenne/Sagamu/Remo North federal constituency, Adewunmi Oriyomi Onanuga, popularly known as Ijaya has died at 59 years old, after a brief illness - Daily Post
A Federal High Court in Lagos has restrained the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) from arresting vehicles with faded number plates- The Cable
Ibadan community holds candlelight procession to honour victims of 2024 explosion - Punch
This edition was written by Adetomiwa.
That New News is an independent self-funded project by me (Adetomiwa). Thank you for reading, sharing and donating. I love you like I birthed you 😘