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Electoral Bill: 23 CSOs Threaten Drastic Measures, Mass Protest

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Hopes that the President Muhammadu Buhari would assent to the Electoral Act Amendment Bill continued to diminish as 23 civil rights organizations on Friday, expressed fear that the same fate that befell previous attempts to amend Nigeria’s election law awaits this latest version.

Their fears came about three days to the deadline for the Independent National Electoral Commission to release the Notice of Election for the 2023 general elections.

The CSOs recalled that since 2018 President Buhari had refused to sign the proposed amendments to the nation’s electoral laws on five occasions; and till now, has not hinted at any possibility of giving his assent to the electoral bill since he received the newest form of the document transmitted to him by the National Assembly on January 31, 2022.

During a press conference in Abuja on the imperative of a timely assent to the Electoral Bill 2022, the civil society groups warned that any further delay on the part of the President to give assent to the Bill would certainly occasion logistical, financial, and programmatic difficulties that could threaten the integrity of the off-cycle elections in Ekiti, Osun and the 2023 general election.

The CSOs included Nigeria Civil Society Situation Room, Yiaga Africa, Partners for Electoral Reform, International Press Centre, Institute for Media and Society, Nigerian Women Trust Fund, The Albino Foundation, Centre for Citizens with Disability, Premium Times Centre for Investigative Journalism, Transition Monitoring Group, CLEEN Foundation, and Civil Society Legislative Advocacy Centre.

Others were the Labour Civil Society Coalition, Women Advocates Research and Documentation Centre, Nigeria Network of Non-Governmental Organizations, Inclusive Friends Association, Enough is Enough, The Electoral Hub, Centre for Liberty, Take Back Nigeria Movement, International Peace and Civic Responsibility Centre, 100 Women Lobby Group, and Women in Politics Forum.

The 23 CSOs in their recommendations said, “We call on President Buhari to, upon return from Brussels, sign the Electoral Bill into law on or before 22nd February 2022 to enable INEC to issue Notice of Election and release the timetable and schedule of activities for the 2023 general election.

“Further amendments to the Electoral Bill 2022 can be proposed after assent has been granted. It is within the President’s prerogative to propose amendments after signing the bill as he did in the case of the Petroleum Industry Bill and 2022 Appropriation bill, an act that attracted commendation.

READ ALSO: ‘Indaboski: Why Nigerians Will Never Forget Buhari’ – Femi Adesina

“The National Assembly should ensure gazetted copies of the Electoral Act 2022 are available to citizens as soon as the bill is signed into law.”

As of the time of this report, the CSOs have commenced an emergency meeting which, according to a source, would lead to mass protest.

We can’t rule out mass protest because we have exhausted every mechanism, including lobbying. We’re frustrated, we’ll communicate the media the next line of action”, a member of the CSOs said.

PUNCH.

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Obesity’: Father Forced 6-year-old To Run On Treadmill, Son Dies [VIDEO]

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A disturbing video has emerged showing an accused “killer” father forcing his 6-year-old son to run on a treadmill because the child was “too fat”.

Christopher Gregor, 31, appeared in court Tuesday, April 30 to stand trial for allegedly murdering his son Corey Micciolo in 2021. He faces life in prison if convicted.

During the trial, the Superior Court in New Jersey was shown surveillance video of Gregor forcing Corey to run on a treadmill after the boy fell off multiple times due to the exercise machine’s excessive speed.

Gregor and his son were seen on March 20, 2021, entering the Atlantic Heights Clubhouse fitness center, where the boy was promptly placed on the treadmill and began running, according to a video, obtained by CourtTV.com.

READ ALSO: 14-year-old British-Nigerian’s Death Raises Renewed Concerns Over Knife Violence In London

Footage captured Gregor walking up to the treadmill to increase the speed and raise the incline of the track.

The sudden changes in speed and elevation were too much for the little boy’s legs, causing him to fall down and slide off the moving track.

Despite the son falling off, Gregor lifted and tossed him back onto the treadmill, which forced the child’s legs to fold backwards as the father seemingly clamped his teeth into Corey’s head.

The boy gets back on, but again falls off and continues to struggle to remain on the machine, eventually leading the father to decrease both the the speed and incline.

The boy’s mother, Bre Micciolo, was the first witness to take the stand and was in tears as she watched the horrific video.

READ ALSO: Super Eagles Stars, Calvin Bassey And Alex Iwobi Caught On Camera Shopping Together In London

Days before her son’s death, Bre Micciolo reported the boy’s injuries to the New Jersey Division of Child Protection and Permanency, according to the US Sun.

On April 1, she requested that Gregor take their son to see a doctor.

While at the appointment, Corey reportedly revealed his father made him run on the treadmill “because he was too fat,” the outlet reported.

The next day, Gregor rushed the young boy to the hospital because the boy woke up from a nap stumbling, slurring his words, and experiencing nausea and shortness of breath, according to Court TV.

During a CT scan, Corey suffered a seizure, forcing medical staff to take life-saving measures, but he died.

An initial autopsy found Corey died as a result of blunt force injuries with cardiac and liver contusions with acute inflammation and sepsis.

READ ALSO: Super Falcons Goalie, Nnadozie Wins Best Goalkeeper Award In France

Gregor was arrested in July 2021 on child neglect charges stemming from investigators reviewing the surveillance footage from the fitness center.

“Specifically by having (Corey) run on a treadmill and increasing the speed, causing (Corey) to fall, placing (him) back on the moving treadmill while appearing to bite his head, causing the said child to fall several more times,” an arrest warrant obtained by the outlet read.

In September 2021, a forensic pathologist determined Corey’s death to be a homicide as he suffered from chronic abuse including blunt impact injuries on his chest and abdomen with a laceration on his heart, left pulmonary contusion, and laceration and contusion of his liver.

Dr Thomas Andrew believes Corey suffered an acute traumatic injury to the heart four to 12 hours before his death, according to Court TV.

Gregor was arrested on March 9, 2022, for his son’s death but turned down a 30-year plea deal.

He is being held in the New Jersey Jail without bond.

 

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14-year-old British-Nigerian’s Death Raises Renewed Concerns Over Knife Violence In London

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The recent sword attack in Hainault, a suburban area in northeast London, has sparked renewed discussions about the ongoing issue of knife crime in the UK, particularly in the capital.

The young victim of the attack has been identified as Daniel Anjorin, a 14-year-old boy.

The Times reports that Anjorin, the son of a science teacher, went to school with Grace O’Malley-Kumar, the Nottingham knife-attack victim.

According to recent data from the Office for National Statistics, reported by Sky News, there has been a 7% rise in knife crime from December 2022 to December 2023. Over the past decade, there has been a significant 81% increase in this type of crime.

READ ALSO: Updated: 14-year-old British-Nigerian Boy Killed By Sword-wielding Man In London

Knife-related crime rates in London and the West Midlands are among the highest in England and Wales.

The number of knife-related crimes reported by the Met Police increased by 20% between 2022 and 2023, while in the West Midlands, there was an 8% rise.

In 2023, London saw a concerning 30% of knife-related crimes, amounting to 165 incidents per 100,000 people.

Meanwhile, the West Midlands recorded a slightly lower rate of 118 incidents per 100,000.

READ ALSO: LIST: Nigerian Passport Ranked Among Worst Globally

For both male and female victims, sharp objects such as kitchen knives, swords, and machetes accounted for two-fifths of all killings in the United Kingdom in the year ending in March 2023.

While the recent attack involved the use of a sword, statistics from the Home Office indicate that such incidents are relatively rare in cases of fatal stabbings.

Although the attacker employed a sword in yesterday’s incident, it contributed to only three fatalities involving sharp objects in 2023.

Faron Paul, leader of Faz Amnesty, an organisation facilitating the surrender of weapons by children to the police, expressed at the scene of the blockade that authorities are not sufficiently addressing the prevention of knife crime.

READ ALSO: [UPDATED] London Sword Attack: Suspect Under Police Custody After Hospital Recovery

Speaking with the BBC, he said, “It’s not rising. It’s gone through the roof. We’ve got a big problem here. Children are dying on the street every single day. You’ve got a problem. And I don’t feel like the right things are being put in place to prevent, deter or stop knife crime.”

He added that it wasn’t just the area but “the whole of London has a problem.”

We need to have better consequences and laws in place. We need to stop buying and selling illegal weapons online. And then we need to think about preventative measures.”

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[UPDATED] London Sword Attack: Suspect Under Police Custody After Hospital Recovery

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The 36-year-old suspect in the deadly London sword attack is currently under police custody after recuperating in a hospital, BBC reports.

The suspect, wielding a sword, was arrested after a dramatic pursuit by law enforcement officers.

The Metropolitan Police clarified that the incident was not terror-related, allaying fears of broader security concerns.

Authorities also confirmed that no other suspects are being pursued in connection with the attack.

READ ALSO: Updated: 14-year-old British-Nigerian Boy Killed By Sword-wielding Man In London

According to police reports, the suspect was subdued by officers using a taser after attempting to evade capture.

According to a previous report by The Associated Press, the suspect was transported to a nearby hospital for medical treatment after the van he was driving collided with a building.

Due to the injuries he sustained, officers were unable to conduct an interview with him on Tuesday.

BBC has confirmed that the suspect, 36, is out of hospital and is now in police custody

A 14-year-old British-Nigerian boy, Daniel Anjorin, was confirmed as one of the victims of the attack.

READ ALSO: Man Wielding Sword In London Arrested After Attacking, Injuring 5 [VIDEO]

Daniel, along with two police officers and two other individuals, were the victims of the violent incident that occurred on the streets of east London.

According to an official statement, the Metropolitan Police said the van crashed into a property on Laing Close, causing injuries to a 33-year-old man.

Afterwards, the suspect violently attacked the individual, resulting in an injury to the neck.

Additionally, the suspect injured a 35-year-old man who sustained lacerations to his arm.

READ ALSO: Outrage As Masquerades Brutally Flog Nurse Until She Falls In Gutter In Enugu [PHOTOS]

The suspect then proceeded to attack Anjorin.

Ade Caxton-Cole, a family friend, while speaking with the BBC, described the Anjorin family as a tightly-knit unit, emphasising the strong support they are receiving from the community.

When asked about the well-being of Daniel’s siblings, she revealed that they are struggling to come to terms with the shocking reality of what has transpired.

“Having a brother one moment and then gone the next moment. It is a shock to them. They will need time. Right now it is too soon, it’s too close,” she said.

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