Egypt Opposes Okonjo-Iweala’s Nomination for WTO’s Top Job

The nomination of former Minister of Finance under the former President Goodluck Jonathan administration, Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala for the World Trade Organisation top job seem to have run into troubled waters as Egypt has requested that her nomination to contest for the office of the director-general should not be recognised.

In a letter to States of the African Union, Egypt contended that her nomination was out of time and therefore flew in the face of the rules of nomination which import they said, was that Nigeria no longer had a candidate for the position.

The Guardian

Bandits kill 21 in Zamfara communities

Twenty-one people have been killed by gunmen in separate attacks in Talata Mafara and Maru local government areas of Zamfara State, the police and residents said.

The attacks, it was learnt, occurred on Tuesday and Wednesday.

According to the police, 21 people were killed in the attacks, but residents of the affected communities put the casualty figure at 25.

Interstate travels likely from June 21

Nigeria will likely be permitted to travel freely across the states from June 21 as the government continues the gradual opening of businesses shut down to prevent COVID-19 spread.

Personal Assistant to President Muhammadu Buhari on New Media, Bashir Ahmed announced this on his verified Twitter handle on Thursday.

Interstate movement may resume on June 21,the National Coordinator of the Presidential Taskforce on Covid-19, Dr.Sani Aliyu gave the hint recently as domestic flights are also expected to resume June 21”,Ahmed tweeted.

Twitter accuses President of making ‘false claims’

Twitter has accused the United States (U.S.) President Donald Trump  of making false claims, in one of the app’s own articles covering the news.

The move – which effectively accuses the leader of lying – refers to a tweet by Donald Trump about his first defence secretary.

Trump had tweeted that he had given James Mattis the nickname “Mad Dog” and later fired him.But, Twitter’s article says that the former general resigned, and his nickname preceded Trump’s presidency.

It follows last week’s explosive confrontation, which saw Twitter fact-check two of President Trump’s tweets and label another as glorifying violence.

The latest confrontation was prompted by a strongly-worded statement issued by General Mattis last night, in which he criticised the president’s handling of the protests that followed the killing of George Floyd.

source: The Nation

Lagos approves Agric commissioner as Oniru-elect

The nomination and appointment of the erstwhile Lagos state commissioner for Agriculture, Prince Gbolahan Lawal as the new Oba-Elect of Iruland (the Oniru-Elect of Iruland) has been approved by the Lagos State Executive Council, under the leadership of Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu, having satisfied all legal requirements,

A statement by the Chief Press Secretary to the Governor, Mr. Gboyega Akosile, on Friday stated that the appointment of Prince Lawal as the Oniru-Elect, which takes immediate effect was made on Friday afternoon, during the State’s Executive Council meeting, where final ratification was made on his nomination.

Prince Lawal, succeeds late Oba Idowu Abiodun, former Oniru of Iruland, who passed on in year 2019 at the age of 82.

Minneapolis bans police chokeholds in wake of Floyd death

Minneapolis agreed Friday to ban chokeholds by police and to require officers to try to stop any other officers they see using improper force, in the first concrete steps to remake the city's police department since George Floyd's death.

The changes are part of a stipulation between the city and the Minnesota Department of Human Rights, which launched a civil rights investigation this week in response to the death of Floyd. The City Council approved the agreement 12-0.

Human Rights Commissioner Rebecca Lucero said the changes are necessary to stop ongoing harm to people of color “who have suffered generational pain and trauma as a result of systemic and institutional racism.”

“This is just a start," Lucero said. "There is a lot more work to do here, and that work must and will be done with speed and community engagement.”

The agreement requires court approval and would become enforceable in court, unlike the department's current policies on the use of force and duties to intervene. It would require officers to immediately report to their superiors when they see use of any neck restraint or chokehold.

Lagos approves church, mosque reopening

The Lagos State Government has relaxed its ban on religious activities, calling for adherence to all safety protocols to curb the spread of the COVID-19.

The Governor of Lagos State, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, during a press briefing on Thursday at the Lagos House, Marina, said churches would open only on Sundays, and mosques, on Fridays. Sanwo-Olu said while Muslims could congregate for their Jummat Services from June 19, Christians could return to their places of worship from June 21.

The governor said all permitted religious activities must be conducted within the ambit of a set of new protocols for organised gathering rolled out by an inter-ministerial committee chaired by the Commissioner for Special Duties and Inter-Governmental Relations, Tayo Bamgbose-Martin

Nigerian troops sustain massive assault on terrorists in N/East – DHQ

The Nigerian military has sustained massive assault against Boko Haram/Islamic States West Africa Province (ISWAP) terrorists in continuation of its operations across the Northeast, Defence Headquarters has said.

The Coordinator, Defence Media Operations, Maj.-Gen. John Enenche, in a statement on Friday, said that more terrorists have been killed while many others surrendered.

Enenche disclosed that the troops of Army Super Camp 6, Konduga in Borno with the Civilian Joint Task Force, killed six terrorists in an ambush operation at Lawanti River line on June 3.

He added that others escaped with gunshot wounds.

Enenche also said that more terrorists had continued to surrender to troops of Operation Lafiya Dole (OPLD) as a result of sustained artillery bombardments and ground assaults on their hideouts.

According to him, three of the terrorists, namely: Mohammed Babagana, Modu Jugudun and Alhaji Usman surrendered to troops of Delta Company at Pulka in Gwoza Local Government Area on June 2.

He disclosed that the trio confessed to have escaped from their camp in Dabulari Village, Bama Local Government Area after a heavy artillery bombardment that led to the death of many of their erstwhile colleagues.

The Nation

Obama praises George Floyd protests and sees hope for police reform, racial progress

 

In his first extended remarks on the civil unrest that has roiled the nation following the killing of unarmed civilian George Floyd by police officers in Minneapolis, President Obama sounded a cautiously optimistic note Wednesday, praising the protests that have gathered from Sunset Boulevard to Pennsylvania Avenue and reminding policymakers and elected officials that his own administration offered a plan for police reform.

In a virtual town hall, Obama said that this difficult moment in the nation’s history was an “incredible opportunity for people to be awakened” to the effects of racial injustice. Floyd was black, while the police officer charged with killing him is white. The latest death of an unarmed African-American followed several other instances of racial violence across the nation.

Without addressing instances of looting that marked some of the protests, the nation’s first black president and Chicago community activist encouraged constructive civil disobedience. “To bring about real change, we both have to highlight a problem and make people in power uncomfortable,” Obama said, “but we also have to translate that into practical solutions and laws that can be implemented.”

The online conversation, titled “Anguish and Action,” was hosted by the Obama Foundation, the ex-president’s philanthropic foundation. It was part of an initiative Obama started called my Brother's Keeper which was intended to address persistent issues facing young men of color. Other speakers included Eric Holder, Obama’s first attorney general and the first African-American to hold that position. 

Protests shift to memorializing Floyd amid push for change

The tenor of the protests set off by the death of George Floyd at the hands of police has taken a turn from the explosive anger that has fueled the setting of fires, breaking of windows and other violence to a quiet, yet more forceful, grassroots call for more to be done to address racial injustice.

Many of the protests were more subdued for a second night as marches Thursday turned into memorials for Floyd, who was the focus of a heartfelt tribute Thursday in Minneapolis that drew family members, celebrities, politicians and civil rights advocates. At his service, strong calls were made for meaningful changes in policing and the criminal justice system.

At demonstration sites around the country, protesters said the quieter mood is the result of several factors: the new and upgraded criminal charges against the police officers involved in Floyd's arrest; a more conciliatory approach by police who have marched with them or taken a knee to recognize their message; and the realization that the burst of rage after Floyd's death is not sustainable.

“Personally, I think you can’t riot everyday for almost a week,” said Costa Smith, 26, who was protesting in downtown Atlanta.

AP

APC chieftain lauds Tinubu over intervention in Edo crisis

Former Edo State Information Commissioner and chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC) Chief Charles Idahosa Thursday expressed gratitude to President Muhammadu Buhari and Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, the national leader of the party, for their intervention in the crisis rocking the chapter over the proposed primary.

Idahosa, who commended Governor Godwin Obaseki for listening to wise counsel of party leaders and making peace moves, also lauded the Progressives Governors Forum (PGF) for the brotherhood it had displayed by rallying behind one of its members.

The Nation