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UN Committee To Visit Nigeria Over Torture

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A dawn raid carried out yesterday by combined team of Kano Joint Task Force and the Directorate of State Security Services at Taiyawa in Remin Kebi in Ungogo local goverment area of the state has resulted in the killing of four terrorists.
The operation, sources said lasted for several hours as residents wThe United Nations Subcommittee on Prevention of Torture (SPT) has listed Nigeria as one of the countries to visit next year. This was contained in a news release signed by Oluseyi Soremekun, the National Information Officer, United Nations Information Centre, Lagos, yesterday.
According to the release, the SPT will also conduct missions next year to Ecuador, Malta, Netherlands and Togo, and plans a follow-up visit to a previously visited country. The rights body will also visit Nicaragua.
Following previous practice, some of the SPT’s visits will focus on providing advice and assistance to national preventive mechanisms, which are bodies that themselves monitor places of detention.
In addition, the SPT will also conduct a broad range of visits to places of detention, as well as short missions that will focus on advising the national authorities on how to best to comply with their OPCAT obligations.
The SPT’s role is to prevent and eliminate torture and cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment and punishment of detainees.
The UN organ works with national governments that have ratified the Optional Protocol to the UN Convention against Torture (OPCAT).
The Chairperson Malcolm Evans was quoted to have said: “For the SPT, the key to preventing torture and ill-treatment lies in building constructive relations between national and international bodies within the OPCAT framework,”, after the SPT’s latest session held in Geneva from 11 to 15 November.
“We have seen many real, positive developments as a result of this approach, and we are committed to bringing the benefits of becoming partners in prevention to all States parties as soon as we can,” he said.
Evans explained further that this is why the SPT is devising more ways of fulfilling its convention mandate, which not only grants it unrestricted access to all kinds of places of detention in countries that have ratified the OPCAT, but also calls on it to work closely with national, regional and other international mechanisms involved in the prevention of torture.
“As a result of the OPCAT and the work of the SPT, systems for regular visits to places of detention as part of international efforts to prevent torture are now a reality in more than 50 states,” he added.
“The SPT is at the centre of this international framework of independent torture prevention mechanisms and we need to become ever more closely involved in encouraging and supporting all those involved in this work, at whatever level,” Mr Evans said.ere gripped in fear when they heard sound of explosion and gunshots.
It was learnt that the operation was a continuation of the last operation carried out by the two agencies last month when two soldiers and five terrorists were killed.
Sources also said that dangerous weapons were also recovered at the terrorists’ hideout in the area.
Residents said two soldiers appeared dead in the gun duel, while the family members of the owner of the building, believed to be the terrorists’ hideout were apprehended.
However, the Spokesman of the JTF in Kano State, Capt. Ikedichi Iweha, could not confirm the report, but said “anytime I get something, I will keep you informed”.
Also, four persons, including a police corporal, died when gunmen attacked the Bojude Police Station in Kwami local government area of Gombe State yesterday.
The state Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), Mr. Fwaje Atajiri, confirmed that the gunmen attacked the station at about 2am.
He said that three of the gunmen were killed while one police corporal also died during gun duel with the hoodlums.
Atajiri explained that some of the gunmen escaped with bullet wounds while another policeman, who sustained injuries, was treated and discharged.
He called on health workers in clinics and hospitals in the state to report to the police, any persons with bullet wounds who might visit their facilities for treatment.
He said that the situation was calm and that more policemen had been deployed to the area.
Meanwhile, at least eight people were feared dead yesterday in Lagos as a truck veered off its lane and crashed into stationary vehicles at Oshodi.
Five vehicles were involved in the accident which occurred at the Oshodi `Isale’ Bus Stop on the Oshodi-Apapa Expressway.
The lorry was coming from the Apapa end of the highway when the accident occurred. The stationary vehicles involved in the accident included three commercial buses and a jeep.
Our correspondent, who was at the scene shortly after the accident, reports that blood stained some portions of the road while luggage of the victims scattered. Transport managers pulled off the affected vehicles off the road to prevent a gridlock.
The Oshodi Unit Commander of the Federal Road Safety Corps, Mr. Samuel Ogundayo said  that 19 people were involved in the accident.
“A tipper had a break failure; 19 people were involved but eight died instantly. “They have been taken to the General Hospital, Ikeja and the Health Centre, Oshodi,” Ogundayo said.
However, an official of the Lagos State Transport Management Authority, who pleaded anonymity, said that five people died in the accident and five injured.
He said that the bodies of the dead had been taken to the General Hospital, Ikeja, while the wounded were taken to the Trauma Centre Oshodi.

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NAFDAC Alerts Nigerians To EU Ban On Dex Soap

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The National Agency for Food and Drugs Administration and Control, NAFDAC, has alerted Nigerians on the ban on Dex Luxury Bar Soap (No 6 Mystic Flower), by the European Union (EU).
The notification is contained in a public alert with No. 012/2024, signed by NAFDAC Director-General, Prof Mojisola Adeyeye, and issued to newsmen in Abuja yesterday.
“The product does not comply with the cosmetic products regulation; it also contains Butyphenyl Methylpropional (BMHCA), which is prohibited in cosmetic products due to its risk of harming the reproductive system.
“It also causes harm to the health of unborn children and may cause skin sensitisation.
“It is as a result of the defective nature of the product that the EU banned it.
“The products is not in NAFDAC database; importers, distributors, retailers and consumers are to exercise caution and vigilance within the supply chain,” she said.
NAFDAC boss urged marketers and consumers to avoid the importation, distribution, sale and use of the product, stressing that product’s authenticity and physical condition must be carefully checked.
She enjoined members of the public in possession of the product to discontinue sale or use, and submit stock to the nearest NAFDAC office.

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Communities, Volunteers Ready To Face Upcoming Floods – Red Cross

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The Country Manager of the British Red Cross in Nigeria, Karsten Voigt, says communities and volunteers are ready to face the challenges expected with the upcoming floods.
Voigt said this at the sidelines of the 56th Annual General Meeting of the Nigerian Red Cross Society (NRCS), Lagos Branch.
The Tide’s source recalls that the British Red Cross donated resilience items to some communities in December 2023, to help mitigate the effects of flooding.
The items included cash, rain boots, rain coats, mosquito nets, handheld flashlights, solar powered lights with radio, USB chargers and a bridge to link the communities.
The communities that benefited included Agboyi 1, Agboyi 2, Agboyi 3 and Odo Ogun in Kosofe Local Government Area of the state.
Voigt said the Red Cross had measured the impact of the project in the communities and noticed that a lot of progress had been made.
According to him, apart from the cash and items given to the communities, simulation exercises have also been carried out to prepare the volunteers ahead of the floods.
“We have seen that people used the cash to address immediate needs they have after floods.
“Many households have used part of the cash to build up businesses.
“The solutions we have given to them are not only addressing their immediate needs after the disaster but actually building family income for their future,” he said.

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Nimet Forecasts Three-Day Sunshine, Thunderstorms

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The Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NiMet) has predicted sunshine and thunderstorm from Monday to Wednesday across the country.
NiMet’s weather outlook released yesterday in Abuja, forecasts sunny skies on Monday with a few patches of cloud over the northern cities and prospects of thunderstorms over parts of Taraba later in the day.
According to the forecast, sunny skies with patches of clouds are expected over the North Central region with prospects of morning thunderstorm over parts of the Federal Capital Territory, Nasarawa, Kogi and Kwara States.
“Later in the day, isolated thunderstorms are anticipated over parts of the Federal Capital Territory, Kogi and Benue States.
“The southern region is expected to be cloudy with spells of sunshine with prospects of morning thunderstorms over parts of Oyo, Ekiti, Ogun, Ondo and Lagos States.
“ In the afternoon/evening periods, isolated thunderstorms are expected over parts of Enugu, Ebonyi, Abia, Ekiti, Ogun, Imo, Oyo, Ondo, Edo, Cross River, Akwa Ibom, Delta, Rivers, Lagos and Bayelsa States,” it said.
NiMet also anticipated sunny skies on Tuesday with few patches of cloud over the northern states with prospects of isolated thunderstorms envisaged over parts of Bauchi, Gombe, Adamawa, Taraba and Kaduna States during the afternoon and evening hours.
It envisaged the North Central region to be sunny with patches of cloud during the morning hours.
The agency also envisaged isolated thunderstorms over parts of the Federal Capital Territory, Plateau, Nasarawa, Kogi, Benue, Kwara and Niger States, later in the day.
“Cloudy atmosphere with intervals of sunshine is expected over the inland and coastal areas of the South, with chances of morning thunderstorm over parts of Cross River, Bayelsa, Akwa Ibom and Rivers States.
“In the afternoon/evening periods, isolated thunderstorms are anticipated over parts of Osun, Ekiti, Ondo, Imo, Anambra, Enugu, Abia, Oyo, Edo, Delta, Cross River, Akwa Ibom, Lagos, Rivers and Bayelsa States ,” it said.
It predicted a sunny atmosphere on Wednesday, with patches of cloud over the northern region, during the forecast period.
“Sunny skies with patches of clouds are expected over the North Central region with chances of isolated thunderstorms over parts of Plateau, Kogi, Nasarawa, the Federal Capital Territory and Benue States, during the afternoon/evening periods.
“ Cloudy atmosphere with intervals of sunshine is expected over the inland and coastal areas of the South with prospects of thunderstorms over parts of Anambra, Imo, Enugu, Ebonyi and Abia.”
Other states to experience cloudy atmosphere, are “Edo, Ondo, Ekiti, Ogun, Oyo, Cross River, Lagos, Akwa Ibom, Rivers, Delta and Bayelsa States, later in the day.”
NiMet urged the public to take adequate precaution as strong winds might precede rains in areas where thunderstorms were likely to occur.
The agency also urged airline operators to get updated weather reports and forecasts from its office for effective planning in their operations.

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