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Simon Ekpa Will Be Extradited To Nigeria To Face Charges

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Simon Ekpa Will Be Extradited To Nigeria To Face Charges

Simon Ekpa Will Be Extradited To Nigeria To Face Charges — Defence Headquarters Says

The Nigerian Defence Headquarters, Abuja, has stated that Simon Ekpa, the self-proclaimed prime minister of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) will be extradited to the country to face charges against him.

Speaking on the arrest of Ekpa in a short press statement made available to SaharaReporters, the Director of Defence Information, Brig Gen Tukur Gusau, said the Chief of Defence Staff, Gen Chris Musa, was pleased with Ekpa’s trial.

Gusau wrote: “CDS is happy with his arrest in Finland, with the hope this will be a step towards his extradition to Nigeria so that he will face justice.”

Recall that the Finland district court in Lahti had ordered the remand of Simon Ekpa on probable cause for public incitement to commit a crime with terrorist intent in Nigeria.

Ekpa was accused of using social media platforms to spread separatist propaganda linked to IPOB, a group advocating for the secession of southeastern Nigeria.

The court alleged that the offences dated back to August 23, 2021.

Finland authorities have also investigated Ekpa in the past for alleged financial crimes, including the collection of funds through questionable means.

The head of the investigation, crime commissioner Otto Hiltunen of the Central Criminal Police, stated, “The police suspect that the man has promoted his efforts from Finland with means that have led to violence against civilians and authorities as well as other crimes in the region of South-Eastern Nigeria. The man has carried out this activity, among other things, on his social media channels.”

However, the remaining four suspects, accused of financing terrorism, are believed to have committed the crime in August 2022, also in Lahti.

These individuals, who are of foreign background, were born in the 1960s and 1970s.

Helsingin Sanomat (HS) reports that five suspects were arrested during the first week of the investigation, with police highlighting international cooperation during the preliminary phase.

It was previously reported that authorities suspect Simon Ekpa of being involved in the crime of collecting money unlawfully. In February 2023, Ekpa was arrested in a private apartment in Lahti.

Ekpa was later released the same evening after being questioned.

At the time, police also disclosed that they had received multiple reports about Ekpa’s activities on social media. This prompted an investigation to determine whether he could be linked to other crimes.

Simon Ekpa is known in Finland as a local politician affiliated with the National Coalition Party.

He has served as a deputy councillor and represented the party on the Lahti region’s public transport board.

Meanwhile, from his home in Lahti, he has used social media to call for election boycotts and support for Biafra’s independence efforts.

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Zamfara Youths Commend Tinubu Over Yazid Danfulani Appointment*

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*Zamfara Youths Commend Tinubu Over Yazid Danfulani Appointment*

 

Youths in Zamfara State have commended President Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu for appointing Yazid Danfulani as the Executive Secretary of the Solid Minerals Development Fund/Presidential Artisanal Gold Mining Initiative.

The Zamfara Good Governance Forum (ZGF), led by Comrade Abdulsamad Yakubu, described Danfulani’s appointment as a well-deserved recognition of his contributions to the region’s development.

Yakubu said Danfulani played a pivotal role in President Tinubu’s campaign, mobilising massive youth support and ensuring a resounding victory for the All Progressives Congress.

He noted that his expertise in the solid minerals sector, particularly in gold mining, is expected to drive the Presidential Artisanal Gold Mining Initiative forward.

The Zamfara Good Governance Forum expressed confidence that Danfulani’s appointment will have a positive impact on the solid minerals sector in Nigeria, particularly in Zamfara State, which is richly endowed with mineral resources, including gold.

“We wish to express our heartfelt commendation to President Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu on the appointment of Yazid Danfulani as the Executive Secretary of the Solid Minerals Development Fund/Presidential Artisanal Gold Mining Initiative,” Yakubu said.

“Yazid Danfulani’s appointment is a testament to his exceptional leadership qualities and dedication to the development of Northern Nigeria. As a great mobilizer, he played a pivotal role in President Tinubu’s campaign, galvanising massive youth support and ensuring a resounding victory for the party’s presidential candidate.

“The Zamfara Good Governance Forum believes that this appointment is a well-deserved recognition of Danfulani’s contributions to the region’s development. His expertise in the solid minerals sector, particularly in gold mining, will undoubtedly be an asset in driving the Presidential Artisanal Gold Mining Initiative forward.

“As the Executive Secretary, Danfulani will oversee the implementation of the initiative, which aims to formalize and regulate the artisanal gold mining sector in Nigeria. This initiative has the potential to create jobs, stimulate economic growth, and reduce illegal mining activities in the region.

“The Zamfara Good Governance Forum is confident that Danfulani’s appointment will have a positive impact on the solid minerals sector in Nigeria, particularly in Zamfara State, which is richly endowed with mineral resources, including gold ².”

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Namibians elect Nandi-Ndaitwah as first female president

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Namibians elect Nandi-Ndaitwah as first female president

Namibians elect Nandi-Ndaitwah as first female president

 

Namibian Vice-President Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah of the ruling South West Africa People’s Organisation (Swapo) party has been elected the first female president of the Southern African country.

 

Namibia’s electoral commission on Tuesday announced Mrs Nandi-Ndaitwah as the winner of the election that was held on November 27.

The announcement of the result was delayed until Tuesday as voting was extended in some places due to technical glitches and ballot paper shortages.

According to the result by the electoral commission, Ms Nandi-Ndaitwah, 72, polled 57 per cent of the votes, surpassing the 50 per cent requirement to win. Her challenger, Panduleni Itula of the Independent Patriots for Change (IPC) party, came second with roughly 26 per cent of votes.

In the National Assembly election, Mrs Nandi-Ndaitwah-led SWAPO won a majority of seats, 51 of the 96, while the IPC won 20 seats.

“The Namibian nation has voted for peace and stability,” Ms Nandi-Ndaitwah said after being declared president-elect on Tuesday.

Meanwhile, the IPC has vowed to challenge the election’s outcome in court, describing the process as “deeply flawed.”

Ms Nandi-Ndaitwah’s victory now extends SWAPO’s 34-year rule in Namibia since it led the country to independence from apartheid South Africa in 1990.

 

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Senate summons Keyamo over flight delays, others

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Senate summons Keyamo over flight delays, others

Senate summons Keyamo over flight delays, others

 

The Senate on Wednesday summoned the Minister of Aviation and Aerospace, Festus Keyamo; Director-General of the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority, Capt. Chris Najomo; airline operators and other relevant stakeholders over the incessant flight delays and cancellations by airlines.

Adopting a motion to that effect, sponsored by Senator AbdulFatai Buhari (APC Oyo North) during plenary, the Red Chamber particularly charged its Committee on Aviation to unravel the circumstances behind the incessant flight delays and cancellations to find lasting solutions to the problem.

The PUNCH exclusively reported on Wednesday that about 2,000 air passengers lost 19,274 pieces of luggage between January and June this year, according to data from the Federal.

The report stated that data obtained from the half-year report of the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority, an agency of the Federal Government that regulates civil aviation, further indicated that 19,250 passengers were delayed for long hours during the review period.

 

Senator Buhari, while presenting the motion, said the problem which he noted had been on the increase in recent times, is all over the media.

“This development is worrisome as air travel is one of the most reliable, dependable, and quicker means of transportation, often undertaken for business/official purposes and to keep other scheduled appointments, which are usually time-bo,” he said

 

Therefore, he cautioned that “unwarranted flight delays and cancellations will be counterproductive to the socio-economic growth and development of this country.”

 

The lawmaker noted that as part of interventionist measures to check unethical and unwholesome practices of the practitioners in the àviation sector, the NCAA is statutory empowered through the enactment of the Nigerian Civil Aviation Act, to among other things, provide oversight and guidelines aimed at ensuring that airlines operate within the contemplation of international standards in Nigeria and to ensure that airline customers get value for the services paid for.

Buhari pointed out that “the quest for economic diversification and foreign direct investment, which are parts of the current administration’s policy thrust, will remain an illusion if the country’s aviation industry falls short of the acceptable best practices across the globe.”

“Part 19 of the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority Regulations of 2023, makes provisions for consumer protection in the civil aviation industry in Nigeria.”

He added, “However, enforcement has been an issue as most Nigerians are not even aware that they are entitled to compensation for time lost due to unnecessary delay, hence the need for the NCAA to activate this aspect of its regulation so that airline operators will sit up and be alive to their responsibilities.”

 

 

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