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Xenophobia: FG Confirms Murder Of Nigerian In S’Africa

The Consul General of Nigeria in Johannesburg, Mr Godwin Adama, has confirmed the murder of another Nigerian, Mr Chikamso Ufordi, in South Africa.
It was gathered that the deceased was allegedly shot dead by unknown assailants in a suspected love affair trangle.
Reacting to the development, yesterday, Adama, however, said he was yet to get the full report.
According to him, although the incident is highly condemnable, incidences like that are common in South Africa with one of the highest crime rates in the world.
“Murder statistics in South Africa indicate that over 50 people are violently murdered in a day, about 20,330 in a year.
“We are, however, investigating and equally following up police investigations on the matter to see the motive behind the attack.
“We are, however, not in a hurry to conclude that it was xenophobic or criminal,” Adama said.
He promised that the Consulate would partner the South African authorities to arrange a meeting with the locals, Nigerians, the police authority, to further adopt ways of preventing any form of xenophobic attacks in the future.
He further appealed to Nigerians resident in that country to operate within the confines of the law and not to engage in activities that would compromise their security.
Also reacting, the President of Nigerian Citizens Association in South Africa (NICASA), Mr Ben Okoli, confirmed the death in an interview with newsmen, yesterday in Abuja.
He said Ufordi died on the spot while his companion in his car sustained gunshot injuries.
Okoli, who explained that the incident happened last Friday night around Nigel Area of Johannesburg, South Africa, added that the assailants shot at Ufordi, who was driving his car with two other Nigerians.
“We got the information of the attack early the next morning and we swung into action to ascertain the true situation.
“It was alleged that Ufordi was involved in a love affair with a local girl.
“He had received warning several times to stop the relationship with the girl by her former local boyfriend.
“Some Nigerian friends had also advised him to stay away and stop the relationship.
“He, however, continued the relationship until his untimely death by assassins; the identities of the killers are yet to be confirmed,” Okoli said.
According to him, the local police in the area are already investigating the matter as soon as a case of murder and attempted murder was filed.
He said that the association was in touch with the Investigating Police Officer and would follow through with the case to ensure that the culprits were brought to justice.
He, however, advised Nigerians within Nigel community to remain vigilant and watchful of their environment.
Similarly, the former Deputy President of the Senate, Sen. Ike Ekweremadu, has called on the International Parliament for Tolerance and Peace (IPTP) holding in Ethiopia, to pay special attention to the xenophobic attacks on the African continent.
His Media aide, Mr. Uche Anichukwu, said in a statement, yesterday, that Ekweremadu made the call last Monday at the opening plenary of the IPTP, October session in Addis-Ababa, Ethiopia.
Ekweremadu, who chairs the Legal and Legislative Affairs Committee of the IPTP said, “Since we are holding this session in Africa, permit me to mention the issue of xenophobia, a development that worries me.
“There is a growing trend in acts and incidences of intolerance, which is destroying the brotherhood, peace, and mutual relationship among the people of Africa.
“As a special parliament focusing on tolerance and peace, we will not close our eyes to the cases of xenophobia wherever it exists.
“I also appeal to our brothers and sisters in Africa to not only continue to tolerate but to also respectfully accept one another as one people with a common destiny.”
The former speaker of the Parliament of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), however, commended the Prime Minister of Ethiopia, Ahmed Abiy, for his efforts at promoting tolerance and peace in the East African nation.
He also commended the prime minister for ending Ethiopia’s 20-year hostilities with Eritrea.
It is instructive that the effort of this government to engender peace was recently recognised with the bestowal of the Nobel Peace Prize on Prime Minister Ahmed Abiy.
The award is his contribution in driving the deal that ended the nearly 20-year old border hostilities between Ethiopia and Eritrea.
“I hope that our presence and work here will help to reinforce the Ethiopian Government’s policy of preaching and working for tolerance with its neighbours, which is yielding peace.
“I also hope that the prime minister’s vision of tolerance and peace will transcend the East African region and impact the rest of Africa, he said.
He also expressed satisfaction on the impact and expansion of the IPTP since its inauguration in Malta in July, 2018.
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I’m Committed To Community Dev – Ajinwo
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RSG Tasks Rural Dwellers On RAAMP …As Sensitization Team Visits Akulga, Degema, Three Others

Rivers State Head of Service, Dr (Mrs) Inyingi Brown, has called on rural communities in the State to embrace the Rural Access and Agricultural marketing project (RAAMP) with a view to improving their living conditions.
This follows the ongoing sensitization campaign by the State Project Implementation Unit (SPIU) visits to Degema, Abonnema, Afam headquarters of Degema, Akuku Toru and Oyigbo Etche and Omuma local government areas respectively.
Dr Brown who was represented by the Deputy Director, Special Duties in her office, Mrs Dein Akpanah, said RAAMP was initiated by the Federal Government and World Bank to economically empower rural dwellers.s
She said the World Bank understands the plights of rural farmers and traders in the State, and therefore came up with the programme to address them.
According to her, RAAMP will improve the conditions of farmers, traders and fishermen, and therefore, behoves on every rural communities in the State to embrace the programme.
The Head of Service also said the programme would support the youths to be gainfully employed while bridges and roads will be built to link farms and fishing settlements.
Also speaking, the State project coordinator, Mr Joshua Kpakol, said the programme has the potential of creating millionaires among farmers and fishermen in the State.
Kpakol who was represented by Engr. Sam Tombari, said RAAMP would help farmers and fishermen to preserve their produce.
According to him, the project will build cold rooms and Silos for preservation of crops and fishes while access roads will also be created to link farmers and fishermen to the market.
He, however, warned them against any act that will lead to the suspension of the projects by the World Bank.
Kpakol particularly warned against acts such as kidnapping, marching ground, gender based violence and child labour, adding that such acts if they occur may lead to the cancellation of the project by the World Bank.
During the visit to Oyigbo local government area, Mr Joshua Kpakol, said the team was there to let them know how they will benefit from the Raamp.
The coordinator who was personally at Oyigbo said the World Bank introduced the project to check food insecurity in the State.
He said already 19 states in Nigeria are already benefitting from the project and called on them to embrace the project.
Meanwhile, stakeholders in the three local government areas have commended the World Bank for including their areas in the project.
They, however, complained over the incessant attacks by pirates on their waterways.
At Degema, King Agolia of Ke kingdom said land was a major problem in the kingdom.
King Agolia represented by High Chief Alpheus Damiebi said many indigenes of the kingdom are willing to go into farming but are handicapped by lack of land.
Also at Degema, the representative of the Omu Onyam Ekeim of Usokun Degema kingdom, Osoabo Isaac, said Degema has embraced the programme but needed more information on the implementation of the programme.
Similarly, while High Chief Precious Abadi advised that the project should not be narrowed to only crop farming, a community women leader, Mrs Orikinge Eremabo Otto, called for the construction of cold rooms in all fishing settlements in the area.
At Abonnema, Mr Diamond Kio linked the problem of the area to incessant piracy along waterways.
He also expressed fears over the possibility of the project being hijacked by politicians.
Also at Abonnema, a stakeholder, Ikiriko Kelvin, called on the World Bank to design an agricultural project that will suit the riverine environment, while at Oyigbo, HRH Eze Boniface Akawo expressed satisfaction with the project.
John Bibor
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Senate Replaces Natasha As Committee Chairman

The political mudslinging between the Senate leadership and Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan continued yesterday as the Senate named Senator Aniekan Bassey as the new Chairman of the Committee on Diaspora and Non-Governmental Organisations.
Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, announced the appointment during yesterday’s plenary, confirming Bassey’s replacement of Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, who is currently on suspension.
Akpoti-Uduaghan was reassigned to the Diaspora and NGOs Committee in February after she was removed as Chair of the Senate Committee on Local Content during a minor reshuffle.
Bassey is the senator representing Akwa Ibom North-East Senatorial District.
Although no reason was given for her removal yesterday, the change is believed to be connected to her unresolved suspension.
In May, Justice Binta Nyako of the Federal High Court ordered her reinstatement and directed her to tender an apology to the Senate.
However, the Senate has insisted it has not received a certified true copy of the court judgment.
Akpoti-Uduaghan who represents Kogi Central, has yet to resume her legislative duties despite a recent court ruling that voided her suspension.
In a televised interview on Tuesday, Akpoti-Uduaghan said she was awaiting the Certified True Copy of the judgment before officially returning to plenary, citing legal advice and respect for institutional process.
Although the Federal High Court described her suspension as “excessive and unconstitutional”, a legal opinion dated July 5 and attributed to the Senate’s counsel, Paul Daudu (SAN), argued that the ruling lacked any binding directive to enforce her reinstatement.
Akpoti-Uduaghan, one of only three female senators in the current assembly, said the continued delay in allowing her return was not only a denial of her mandate but also a blow to democratic representation.
“By keeping me out of the chambers, the Senate is not just silencing Kogi Central, it’s denying Nigerian women and children representation. We are only three female senators now, down from eight,” she said.
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