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Community Alleges NSCDC Providing Aecurity For Illegal Gold Miners Un Edo

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The people of Dangbala community in Akoko-Edo Local Government Area of Edo, have alleged that men of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) provide security cover for illegal gold miners in the community.

The residents under aegis of Concern Residents of Dangbala, raised the alarm in a statement by Godwin Amusa and Agbaje Saiki, Convener and Secretary respectively.

The residents noted that it has become imperatives to go public on the issue in order to avoid the Zamfara State situation.

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They said that not only have the increased competition created tension in the community, but that their activities have become an issue of security threat in the area.

Spokesman of the community, Mr Collins Nicholas, also made similar illegation in an interview with newsmen in Benin on Thursday.

He alleged that officers of the security outfit provides cover for the illegal miners that have just made a return to the mining site after the Edo Government had placed embargo on the site earlier in the year.

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Nicholas said the miners who work both in the day and night, are able to carry out their illegal activities because they have the full protection of the NSCDC.

Similarly, Nicholas appealed to the concern authority to check activities of these illegal miners before it snowball into what Zamfara State is presently experiencing.

He said angered by the action of the NSCDC some youths who attempted to stop the illegal miners from carrying out their illegal activities against the state government order were mercilessly beaten and injured.

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“On the 13th of August, the same illegal miners arrested by Civil defense were released.

“At a meeting held in the community, we were shocked to see them jubilating that Civil Defense has declared Dangbala bush open and as I speak all kind of people are working there freely without the approval of Edo state government.

” When the kindred that owns the place went to find out what was happening they were attacked and the matter is pending at Igarra Area Command. We have written several petition on this.”

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Meanwhile, the State Command of the NSCDC have denied the allgation and noted that the mining site was still not opened for any activities since its closure by the state government.

READ ALSO:Edo: ‘We Rescue Five Kidnapped Victims, Arrest Robbery Suspect, Recover Stolen Vehicles’ – Police

Spokesman of the command, Mr Efosa Ugbebor, said that the place was still been guided by its officers since its closure.

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“It is not true that our officers are providing cover for illegal miners in Dangbala. Infact, there is no mining activity in that area as we speak.

“Few days ago, precisely on Tuesday, the Command sent anti-vandal and solid mineral team of the NSCDC to the area but they found noting happening there.

“To clear any doubt, we have asked the community people to immediately report to our office should they see anything of such. Perhaps, they can provide any evidence of they have any for us to act on,” he stated.

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Recall that residents of the community had on Tuesday raised the alarm over the return of activities of illegal gold miners.

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US Lifts Restrictions On Visa Validity For Ghanaians, Leaves Nigeria’s Unchanged

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The United States has restored the maximum validity periods for all categories of nonimmigrant visas for Ghanaian nationals following Ghana’s agreement to accept West African deportees, but similar restrictions for Nigerians remain in place.

The B1/B2 visitor visa is now valid for up to five years, with multiple entries allowed, while the F1 student visa’s maximum validity has been restored to four years, with multiple entries permitted.

“The U.S. Embassy is pleased to announce that the maximum validity periods for all categories of nonimmigrant visas for Ghanaians have been restored to their previous lengths. The maximum validity allowed for the B1/B2 visitor visa is again five years, multiple entry. The maximum validity for the F1 student visa is again four years, multiple entry,” the U.S. Embassy announced in a tweet on Saturday.”

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Ghana’s Foreign Minister, Samuel Ablakwa, also announced in a tweet that the new policy now allows citizens to apply for five-year multiple-entry visas.

READ ALSO:Japan Scraps ‘Africa Hometown’ Project After Visa Confusion

Ablakwa also stated that the reversal of the restriction comes with other enhanced consular privileges, adding that the development was the result of months of diplomatic engagement.

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The U.S. visa restriction imposed on Ghana has been reversed. Ghanaians can now be eligible for five-year multiple-entry visas and other enhanced consular privileges,” Ablakwa stated.

This good news was directly communicated to me by U.S. Under Secretary of State for Political Affairs, Allison Hooker, at a bilateral meeting earlier today, in the margins of the UN General Assembly. I am really pleased that months of high-level diplomatic negotiations have led to a successful outcome.”

These changes reverse earlier restrictions imposed under the Trump administration, which had limited most visas to single-entry and a three-month validity period.

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READ ALSO:H-1B Visas: Trump To Impose $100,000 Annual Fee For Skilled Foreign Workers

The restrictions affected several African countries, including Ghana and Nigeria, and were based on concerns over visa reciprocity and the acceptance of deported migrants.

In July, the U.S. Consulate in Nigeria announced updates to its reciprocal nonimmigrant visa policy, stating: “The United States Department of State has announced updates to its reciprocal non-immigrant visa policy, impacting several countries, including Nigeria. Effective immediately, most non-immigrant and non-diplomatic visas issued to citizens of Nigeria will be single-entry visas with a three-month validity period.

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“Those U.S. non-immigrant visas issued prior to July 8, 2025, will retain their status and validity. We wish to underscore that, as is standard globally, visa reciprocity is a continuous process and is subject to review and change at any time, such as increasing or decreasing permitted entries and duration of validity. You can view the latest information on visa reciprocity schedules for all countries at travel.state.gov.”

Reports indicate that the U.S. pressured some African nations to accept deported migrants, including Venezuelan detainees from U.S. prisons.

READ ALSO:US Defends New Social Media Vetting For Nigerian Visa Applicants

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Nigerian Foreign Minister Yusuf Tuggar rejected these pressures, stating that Nigeria would not serve as a “dumping ground” for deportees.

It would be difficult for countries like Nigeria to accept Venezuelan prisoners into Nigeria,” Tuggar said during a televised interview.

We have enough problems of our own; we cannot accept Venezuelan deportees to Nigeria. We already have 230 million people.”

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Meanwhile, Ghanaian President John Mahama confirmed that Ghana had begun accepting deported West African nationals after U.S. requests.

We were approached by the U.S. to accept third-party nationals who were being removed from the U.S., and we agreed with them that West African nationals were acceptable,” Mahama said.

All our fellow West African nationals don’t need visas to come to our country.”

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UK Nursery Worker Jailed For Abusing 21 Babies

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A judge on Friday jailed a nursery worker for eight years for a string of “gratuitous” and “sadistic” attacks on babies.

In one incident, Londoner Roksana Lecka, 22, kicked a little boy in the face several times.

Lecka, who blamed cannabis for her crimes, admitted seven counts of cruelty to a person under the age of 16 and was convicted after a trial of another 14 counts.

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Sentencing her for attacks on 21 babies, Judge Sarah Plaschkes said she had committed “multiple acts of gratuitous violence” at two London nurseries where she worked.

You pinched, slapped, punched, smacked and kicked them. You pulled their ears, hair and their toes. You toppled children headfirst into cots,” she said.

READ ALSO:UK Set To Announce Recognition Of Palestinian State

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“Often the child would be quietly and happily minding its own business before you deliberately inflicted pain… Your criminal conduct can properly be characterised as sadistic,” she added.

Lecka’s cruelty was revealed in June 2024 after she was seen pinching a number of children.
Police were called in and found multiple incidents recorded on the nursery CCTV.

Victim impact statements submitted to London’s Kingston Crown Court from parents of Lecka’s victims told how they were left heartbroken and guilt-stricken by the attacks.

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These children were so innocent and vulnerable,” one mother told the court.

READ ALSO:Kenya Court Seeks UK Citizen’s Arrest Over Mother’s Murder

“They couldn’t speak, they couldn’t defend themselves and they couldn’t tell us as parents that something had happened to them,” she added.

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They were totally helpless and Roksana preyed upon them.”

The hearing was told that she had apologised to the parents in a letter to the court in which she said cannabis had turned her into a different person.

She had been addicted to the drug around the time of the offences, but had not told the nursery.
She was found not guilty of three further counts of child cruelty.

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Italy Fines Six Oil Firms $1bn Fine For Restricting Competition

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Italy’s antitrust regulator said Friday it has slapped Italian energy giant Eni and five other companies with fines totalling more than 936 million euros ($1.1 billion) for “restricting competition” in the sale of fuel.

The authority said in a statement that Eni, Esso, Ip, Q8, Saras and Tamoil “coordinated to set the value of the bio component factored into fuel prices”, which tripled between 2019 and 2023.

READ ALSO:PICTORIAL: NDLEA Intercepts Cocaine, Opioid Shipments Meant For US, Saudi Arabia, Italy, Poland

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A probe following a whistleblower’s complaint revealed that “the companies implemented parallel price increases — largely coinciding — which were driven by direct or indirect information exchanges among them”, the authority said.

“The cartel began on 1 January 2020 and continued until 30 June 2023,” it added.

AFP

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