Kwara herbalist, accomplice Remanded over rape, arson

A Kwara State Magistrate Court sitting in Ilorin has ordered the remand of an Ibadan-based herbalist, Sultan Ojuwoni, also known as Atakoro, and one Olaitan Ibrahim Olalekan at the Federal Correctional Service Centre, Oke-Kura, Ilorin till January 17, 2024.

The state Police Command arraigned Atakoro and Olalekan before the court for the alleged rape and arson of a 21-year-old girl identified as Firdaus Jimoh.

According to the Police First Information Report, Atakoro allegedly serially raped and set ablaze the 21-year-old Jimoh in his shrine, in Ibadan, Oyo State, conniving with Olalekan and one Omowumi and her children who are currently at large.

The suspects were arraigned on offences of criminal conspiracy, unlawful trial by ordeal, rape, causing grievous bodily hurt by dangerous means and attempt to commit culpable homicide, contrary to Sections 97, 214, 283 and 229 of the Penal Code Law.”

Magistrate Kolawole Aluko who also did not take the plea of the suspects when the FIR was read to them, said the court lacked jurisdiction to entertain the offences for which they were charged.

He, however, listened to the submissions of the prosecution and counsel for the second defendant after which he ordered the remand of the suspects and adjourned the case till January 17, 2024, for mention.

The magistrate said the offenses for which the suspects were charged were not ordinarily bailable.

Kaduna airstrike: DHQ apologizes, insists terrorists were killed in Ligarma

THE Defence Headquarters, yesterday, said that the Nigerian Army’s aerial bombardment of Ligarma village in Kaduna State in which some innocent civilians were killed, actually took out several terrorists, who embedded themselves in the community while fleeing.

Speaking on a day that President Bola Tinubu sued for calm and ordered thorough investigation of the disaster, the DHQ apologised for the killing of civilians, saying, “the military views every civilian death in the cause of operations as a tragedy.”’

The tragedy elicited reactions yesterday, from Kaduna State Government officials and the Chief of Army Staff, COAS, Lieutenant General Taoreed Lagbaja, who visited Tudun Biri community in Igabi LGA; the Arewa Consultative Forum, ACF; Apex Muslim Organisation led by the Sultan of Sokoto, the Jama’atu Nasril Islam, JNI; former Vice President Atiku Abubakar; and former Anambra State Governor, Mr. Peter Obi.

Village infested with terrorists, civilians’ death tragic — DHQ

Director of Defence Media Operations, Major General Edward Buba, who made this known in a statement said this is why communities are to always alert troops of terrorists’ activities particularly when such a community is known to be infested with terrorists and their sympathisers.

DHQ said: “Such tragedies are needless and unwanted, which causes the armed forces to take extensive measures to avoid them.”

“It noted that terrorists often deliberately embed themselves within civilian population centres in order for the civilian population to bear the consequences of their atrocities.

The statement titled: “On Air Strike On Ligarma Village in Kaduna State,” read in part: “On 3 Dec 2023, at about 2200hrs and based on untoward activities by terrorists, The NA UAV (Unmanned Aerial Vehicle) detachment observed movement of terrorists at Ligarma, a terrorist-infested area of Kaduna State.

“Aerial surveillance captured movement of groups of persons synonymous with the terrorists’ tactics and modus operandi. The observed advance of the terrorists that were gathered posted a threat to key infrastructure within reach of the on-toward activities.

“Accordingly, the threat was eliminated to prevent the terrorists from unleashing terror on innocent civilians.

Tinubu sympathized with the families of victims, the people and government of Kaduna State over the airstrike mishap, which he described as “very unfortunate, disturbing, and painful, expressing indignation and grief over the tragic loss of Nigerian lives.”

“The President also directed swift and comprehensive medical attention for surviving victims while praying for the repose of the souls of the deceased.”

Army Chief visits Tudun Biri, commiserates, tenders apology

During his visit to Tudun Biri community, the Chief of Army Staff, Lieutenant General Taoreed Lagbaja, accompanied by Principal Staff Officers from the Army Headquarters and the General Officer Commanding 1 Division, met with the Dangaladima Zazau, the District Head of Rigasa, Architect Aminu Idris, other leaders and members of the community.

The COAS expressed regrets on the unfortunate mishap, describing it as a very disheartening occurrence.

Lagbaja noted that in the recent past, the general area of Tudun Biri and adjoining villages were infested with armed bandits, who terrorised the communities, until troops of the Nigerian Army started conducting operations to sanitize the area and make it habitable.

He pointed out that the troops were carrying out aerial patrols when they observed a group of people and wrongly analyzed and misinterpreted their pattern of activities to be similar to those of the bandits, before the drone strike.

The COAS stated that he was in Tudun Biri to personally witness the site of the mishap and to convey sincere regrets and unreserved apologies on behalf of the Nigerian Army to the District Head and people of the community, as well as the Government and entire people of Kaduna State.

Furthermore, Lagbaja disclosed that he has ordered a thorough inquiry into the incident to ascertain and identify areas of deficiency that led to the inadvertent disaster.

He disclosed that the findings and overarching outcome of the investigation will guide the NA in meticulously and professionally seeking and applying lasting solutions to identified lapses and deficiencies in both the human and Artificial Intelligence variables that will forestall future recurrence.

District Head of Rigasa, Architect Aminu Idris, in his remarks said despite the enormity of the incident, the Nigerian Army showed integrity in accepting responsibility for the drone strike and urged its leadership to intervene in bringing succour to hospitalized victims and the community for their losses.

He maintained that the community is a mixed community of both Muslims and Christians and that the victims are of both faith, contrary to earlier insinuation that the community is solely Muslim.

General Lagbaja also commiserated with the Chairman Jamaa’ atu Nasru Islam, Kaduna State Prof Shafiu Abdullahi and other clerics.

The Chief of Army Staff equally visited affected victims at the Barua Dikko Teaching Hospital Anguwan Rimi, Kaduna, where he expressed concern for their speedy recuperation and made an immediate donation of several provisions for their upkeep.

Why UK Banned Healthcare Workers From Bringing Families

Britain’s government has unveiled a raft of measures aimed at reducing “unprecedented” and “unsustainable” levels of legal migration to the United Kingdom (UK), including banning healthcare workers from bringing their families and dependants to the UK.

On Monday, a statement issued by the Home Office said the new plan to slash migration levels and curb abuse of the immigration system would deliver the biggest-ever reduction in the country’s net migration.

According to the Home Office, the revision will encourage “businesses to look to British talent first and invest in their workforce”, helping UK to deter employers from over-relying on migration, whilst bringing salaries in line with the average full-time salary for these types of jobs.

Interior Secretary, James Cleverly, said his plan would result in 300,000 fewer people coming to the UK in the coming years.

Under plans set out by Cleverly, workers would need to earn at least £38,700 to obtain a visa, up from £26,200, while care workers would be barred from bringing in dependants from next April.

He said, “The first of our five points will be to end the abuse of the care visa. We will stop overseas care workers from bringing family, dependants and we will require firms in England to be regulated by the Health Care Quality Commission in order for them to sponsor visas.

“Approximately, £120,000 dependants accompanied £100,000 care workers in the year ending September 2023, but only 25% of the dependants are estimated to be in work, meaning that a significant number are joining public services rather than helping to grow the economy.

“We recognize that healthcare workers do great work in our NHIS and health sector, but it’s also important that immigrants make a big enough financial contribution. Therefore, it will increase annual immigration healthcare charge by 66% from £624 to £1035 to raise, on average, £1.3 billion for the country’s health services every year.

“Second, we will stop immigration undercutting the salary of British workers. We will increase skilled workers’ earning threshold by a third to £38,000 from next spring in line with the medium, full-term wage for those kinds of jobs.

“Those coming on social and health visas will be exempt, so we will continue to bring healthcare workers.

“Finally, having already banned overseas masters students’ from bringing family members to the UK, I have asked the Immigration Advisory Committee to revise the graduates’ rate to prevent abuse, to protect the integrity and quality of the UK’s outstanding higher education sector. It needs to work in the best interest of the UK, supporting the pathway into high-quality jobs in the global talent pool and reducing opportunities for abuse.”