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EndSARS: Sanwo-Olu Reveals Why Peace Walk Was Cancelled [FULL SPEECH]

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Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, has explained that he shelved the Lagos peace walk planned for this month to prevent the spread of the new Omicron COVID-19 variant which has been recorded in Nigeria.

The governor, in an address on November 30, 2021, had invited some known faces of the EndSARS protest in the state in October 2020 to a peace walk for “the healing of Lagos” this December.

Those invited include Folarin Falana (Falz), Debo Adebayo (Mr. Marcaroni), Dele Farotimi, Temitope Majekodunmi, Segun Awosanya (Segalink), Adedotun (Just Detoun), Seun Kuti, Commissioner of Police, Hakeem Odumosu; and Commander of Rapid Response Squad (RRS), CSP Yinka Egbeyemi, amongst others.

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But Falz, Mr Macaroni, the younger Kuti, amongst some arrowheads of the protest, had rejected the invitation, saying there must be justice for EndSARS victims before peace.

This is as some other youth groups declared support for the governor, saying they would walk with him.

However, in a statement on Thursday, Sanwo-Olu said he is “constrained to stand down all preparations for the Walk for Peace” so as not to “endanger the life of any Lagosian” amid the outbreak of the Omicron COVID-19 variant.

The Omicron variant first detected in South Africa has been confirmed in over 50 countries including Nigeria though no associated death has been recorded globally.

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Many countries including the United Kingdom, the United States, and European nations have since slammed travel restrictions on African countries, a move that has been widely criticised as discriminatory.

LET’S PIVOT TO WORK FOR PEACE

Since my last address to you, the good people of Lagos State on Tuesday 30, November 2021, during which I expressed a desire to lead a Walk for Peace, following the outcome of the work of the Judicial Panel on Restitution for Victims of SARS Related Abuses and Other Matters, I have been inundated with deep expressions of solidarity from various groups and people declaring their readiness to join me on the symbolic walk.

Indeed, I owe a special debt of gratitude to our youths and students, who reached out to either members of my team or directly to me, expressing their readiness to join me on the planned Walk for Peace. They include many of our Civil Society Leaders, business leaders within and outside of Corporate Lagos, religious leaders, members of the Diplomatic Community, entertainers, Market Associations, Trade Associations and Women Groups who have committed time and resources to preparing for the Peace Walk. I thank you all.

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When the unseen enemy called Covid-19 began to ravage the world and indeed our nation, I assumed the role of the Incident Commander in our quest to protect the lives of our people. We subjected ourselves to the dictates of science. We chose to be guided not by our emotions, but expert opinions rooted in science. Between Tuesday 30, November 2021 that I made my address and now, we have seen a significant rise in cases associated with the Omicron variant of this pandemic.

Given this development, I am constrained to stand down all preparations for the Walk for Peace. I will not endanger the life of any Lagosian in my sincere search for peace. I am overwhelmed by the outpouring of support the initiative received from far and near. The deluge of support is, however, indicative of one thing: our people know the strategic place of peace to our quest for development.

I look forward to engaging with you as WE TOGETHER WORK FOR PEACE!

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PICTORIAL: C&S Church Ayo Ni O Installs New Leader

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The Cherubim and Seraphim (S&S) Movement Church Worldwide, on Wednesday, formally installed Prophet Emmanuel Alogbo as the 6th Baba Aladura and spiritual head of the church.

Alogbo was appointed the acting spiritual head in November 2023 following the death of his predecessor, Samuel Abidoye, who died on November 12, at the age of 103.

A statement published on the official website of the church reads, “The ascension of Most Senior Special Prophet Dr. Emmanuel Abiodun Alogbo to the revered position of Spiritual Father and Chairman of the Cherubim and Seraphim Movement Church signifies a pivotal moment in the history of the church, ushering in a new era of leadership and guidance for its global congregation.”

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Alogbo’s installation was reported to have been attended by important figures in the church, “including the Olori of Cherubim and Seraphim Unification, His Most Eminence Pro. Dr. S. A. Alao J.Pil., who performed the anointment, which added to the solemnity and grandeur of the occasion.”

Alao was said to have charged the new Baba Aladura to embrace his role with strength and courage.

Congregants were also said to have recognised Alogbo as an embodiment of divine wisdom, compassion, and spiritual insight.

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In his pledge to the CSMC Worldwide, the new Baba Adura was quoted assaying, “I solemnly pledge to continue the good work of moving our beloved church forward, which the late Baba Aladura Prophet Samuel Adefila Abidoye started.

“It is my firm commitment to ensure that the C&S Movement Church continues to march on, spreading its message of faith and love to all corners of the globe.”

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Nigerian Man Extradited From Malaysia, Convicted For $6.3m Fraud In US

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A federal jury in New Haven, Connecticut, Wednesday, convicted an extradited Nigerian national, Okechukwu Osuji, for engaging in a business email compromise scheme out of multiple countries, including the United States.

This was revealed in a statement by the US Department of Justice on Thursday, saying that Osuji and his accomplices, John Wamuigah and Tolulope Bodunde defrauded their victims of over $6.3 million.

The jury convicted Osuji of conspiracy to commit wire fraud, wire fraud, and aggravated identity theft.

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Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Nicole M. Argentieri, head of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, said, “Osuji led a network of scammers in Malaysia and elsewhere in a sophisticated business email compromise scheme to defraud victims of millions of dollars.”

READ ALSO: Nigerian Sues Malaysia Govt N406m For Unlawful Detention

Today’s conviction is another example of how the department’s collaboration with international law enforcement partners enables us to bring cybercriminals to justice in the United States.”

US Attorney Vanessa Roberts Avery for the District of Connecticut added, “While it is often difficult to identify and bring to justice cybercriminals operating overseas, today’s verdict demonstrates the expertise of the FBI and Stamford Police in uncovering this criminal network, and the shared commitment of our counterparts in Malaysia to ensure that fraudsters are held accountable in a court of law.

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“We will continue to work to root out those who engage in internet fraud schemes, no matter where in the world they operate, and achieve justice for victims of these crimes.”

“The defendant perpetrated a complex international business email compromise scheme and laundered millions in stolen proceeds,” said Executive Assistant Director Timothy R. Langan Jr. of the FBI’s Criminal, Cyber, Response, and Services Branch.

READ ALSO: EFCC Arraigns Nigerian Who Posed As Woman To Dupe Malaysian

“This conviction is the result of hard work and close collaboration between the FBI and our local and international partners. Together, we will work aggressively to bring to justice anyone who engages in fraud and theft against Americans, no matter where they are in the world.”

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“Today’s verdict provides a bit of closure to some victims of these often financially crippling crimes,” said Special Agent in Charge Robert Fuller of the FBI New Haven Field Office.

“It also displays our international ability to bring criminal actors to justice despite the complexities of their crimes. We want to thank all of our law enforcement partners here and abroad, as well as the U.S. Attorney’s office, for their dedication to serving justice.”

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Osuji who was deported by Osuji is slated to be sentenced on July 24 and faces a mandatory minimum of two years on the identity theft count and a maximum penalty of 60 years in prison on the wire fraud and conspiracy counts.

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A Federal District Court judge will determine any sentence after considering the US Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

Osuji was arrested in Malaysia and extradited to the US in 2022. His alleged co-conspirator, Wamuigah, remains in Malaysia and is pending extradition proceedings, while another co-conspirator, Bodunde, pleaded guilty on February 16.

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How Two Kenyan School Dropouts Made Prosthetic Arms For People With Disabilities

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Two young Kenyan inventors have invented bio-robotic prosthetic arms from waste materials to help improve the lives of the physically challenged people in 2021.

Both David Gathu and Moses Kiuna were at the age of 29 when they designed a bio-robotic prosthetic arm in helping the people that have lost their limbs.

Recounting their ordeal before venturing into the invention, the duo said they were forced to drop out of college because of the expensive school fees but did not let the challenges steal their vision.

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Gathu and Kiuna accomplished their dream to help their communities in a workshop in Kiambu county in Kikuyu, Kenya, north of the capital Nairobi.

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According to Face to Face Africa, the workshop was basically a shed made out of worn-out rusted iron sheets standing next to a chicken coop.

The floor was covered with gravel, making the ground outside the shop and the interior all but indistinguishable, as brown broken glass with tape all around fits the window frame.

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Brain signal bio-robotic arm
Another significant thing about the invention was being the world’s first bio-robotic arm operated by brain signals. The invention, which is controlled by brain signals, has been billed as a game-changer in the lives of disabled people in Kenya.

Gathu and Kinyua’s invention was unique and different from most prosthetic technology which is powered by a person’s muscles.

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The arm works by converting brain signals into an electric current by a “NeuroNode” biopotential headset receiver. NeuroNode biopotential was originally invented to help people suffering from paralysis and speech loss.

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Also, the inventors narrated that the idea to develop an electronic prosthetic came to them during the pandemic as part of their contribution towards assisting Kenya to battle the pandemic. It was initially created to help COVID-19 sanitisation efforts.

When the virus hit our country, we decided to create a machine that could help us decontaminate surfaces. It can also be used in schools, restaurants, hospitals,” Shoppe Black quotes Kinyua as saying.

Using waste products

According to a report by Anadolu Agency, the Kenyan inventors solved two problems with their innovations, first, by using waste products to make the environment clean and safe, and helping a community of people living with disabilities.

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“People throw away a lot of things that are harmful to the environment just because they don’t work. If they don’t work, it might be just one component that’s faulty but all the other components still work and can be recycled,” Gathu said.

“We’ve recycled everything that you see here. They throw it away, we pick it up and use it. This has saved us from spending a lot of money because we’re not backed up financially by anyone to come up with our innovations.”

They picked up “junk” that people threw away – things like plastic, rubber, wiring, old computer motherboards, LED lights, USB devices, switches, optical drives, heat sinks, fans, and power supply units – components that they say could be quite expensive to purchase from a shop.

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Helping the community

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Speaking about the physically challenged people, he said, “The main reason we came up with this is to help people in our community who have lost their limbs. We don’t want these people to feel like they can’t do anything, we want them to be dependent on themselves.”

The arm can do many more tasks. They say they are still perfecting their device, but lack of funds has been a challenge.

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David Mathenge from the Association for the Physically Disabled of Kenya (APDK), a charity NGO, says: “Such inventions are the future of the science of artificial limbs. This is the science we need to ease the challenges people with disabilities face.”

 

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