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Flood: Stop Blaming Cameroon, Be Responsible, Clark Takes Swipe On FG

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Worried by the recent cases of flooding across the country, former Federal Commissioner for Information and South-South leader, Chief Edwin Clark, has taken a swipe at the Federal Government, asking it to stop blaming the Cameroonian government for being responsible for the problem, just as he warned that a great disaster looms in the country.

According to Clark, instead of a blame game, one would have even expected a responsible government that swore to an oath, to see to the welfare of the people. to have taken steps to alleviate the suffering, by building the Lagdo Dam in Benue State 10 (ten) years after the last disaster flood that ravaged the country in 2012.

In a statement yesterday in Abuja, the leader of the Pan Niger Delta Forum, PANDEF said that the attitude of not caring has reminded him of what happened some time ago where Billions of naira was voted to dredge the River Niger, during the Petroleum Trust Fund (PTF) days and up till today, there is no sign of dredging in Bayelsa and Delta States.

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The statement is titled, “The Deplorable Conditions of Flood Victims – Need for Federal Government to act fast, not to abandon the Niger Delta.”

READ ALSO: 4-yr-old Killed As Flood Submerges More Communities In Delta

Clark said, “I was at the forefront, as leader of my people, to carry out an impact assessment of the area, before such dredging can be done. But none of the two earmarked dredging, was done. In fact, a dredging of the Warri River to Escravos was carried out, on the Escravos side, has also stopped. As a result of not carrying out this project, presently, ships can no longer come to Warri. We are told that there is a pipeline on the bed of the sea, that hinders the dredging operation. For several years, there has been on-going talks between the then Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) and the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA), which have not yielded any results.”

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The Elder-statesman  asked President Muhammadu Buhari to act fast in addressing the deplorable conditions of flood victims in the Niger Delta, just as he urged him not to abandon the people of the region.

The Leader of The Southern and Middle Belt Leaders’ Forum (SMBLF) accused the Federal Government of its nonchalant attitude towards the plight of the citizens in the Niger Delta, adding that in Bayelsa State, there is a what he described as a palpable case of humanitarian crisis, adding that most communities of the State, including majority parts of Yenagoa, the State Capital, are under water.

Clark said that the people of the State, who do not have where to go to, have resorted to some crude accommodation of pinning sticks inside the water, with a platform which they use as bed, made up of cellophane bags.

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The Statement read, “Firstly, my heart goes out to all the people whose homes and communities are being ravaged by the devastating floods; my commiseration to those who lost their loved ones, properties, etc.

“The flood of this year, 2022, is said to be worse than that of the year 2012. Even in 2012, I recall that it was so bad that I embarked on a visit to some of the flood-ravaged communities, both in Bayelsa and Delta States, with some relief materials, for the flood victims, to encourage them. Because at such times, whatever is donated to these victims goes a long way, to bring some sort of succour. Now, due to age and its attendant issues, I feel bad that I am not in a position to visit or send relief materials.

READ ALSO: Flooding : Declare Bayelsa, Other States National Emergency – Diri Tells FG

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“Unfortunately, the Federal Government seem to be nonchalant over the plight of the citizens in the Niger Delta. For instance, in Bayelsa State, there is a palpable case of a humanitarian crisis. Most communities of the State, including the majority of parts of Yenagoa, the State Capital, are underwater. The people of the State, who do not have where to go to, have resorted to some crude accommodation of pinning sticks inside the water, with a platform which they use as a bed, made up of cellophane bags.

“There is starvation in the land, no water for the people to drink, the State is cut off from all sources that supply food to her, even electricity supply, has been cut off. The people now live in their homes with reptiles and other animals, whether aquatic, terrestrial or amphibian, which now drag spaces with humans in their homes, because these animals have also been displaced from their natural habitation because of the flood. It is a scary situation, as this exposes the people to danger.

“The Federal Government has not done anything to reduce the plight and suffering of the people. The State Governor, Sen. Douye Diri, was on the news on Saturday, 15th October 2022, visiting some of the affected communities. In his speech, while addressing the victims, the Governor stated that the Federal Government has not sent a kobo, nor any relief materials to the State. The Governor of Rivers State, Ezenwon Nyesom Wike, also made a similar statement a few days ago, when he made some donations to the flood victims in Rivers State.

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“The country has Ministries and agencies that are supposed to act in such cases, and act fast, because these are emergencies. The Federal Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development, whose mandate is to “ensure strategic disaster mitigation, preparedness and response,” has not been to the Niger Delta; has not even sent any relief materials to them.

“But the Ministry on Saturday, donated food items to vulnerable and displaced persons as a result of banditry in Sokoto State.” While this is quite commendable, the same gesture should, please, urgently and speedily be extended to the states of the Niger Delta, and other places, which are being ravaged by flood. In this case, it is not only foodstuff that is needed, but water, medical and other essentials are urgently needed. Because the Ministry’s mandate also includes “implementation of fair, focused, social inclusion and protection programmes in Nigeria.”

“In addition, the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), established to handle disaster management, has not also visited the flood victims in the States of the Niger Delta. Commendably, the Director General of NEMA on Wednesday, 12th October, 2022, speaking at an event to mark 2022 International Day of Disaster Risk Reduction, stated that Mr. President “has approved 12,000 metric tons of grains for victims of flood across the country.” Have these materials been distributed, if so, where have they been distributed to? Who received them?

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“Or are the Governors of the Niger Delta States raising false alarm? Because, it is money gotten from the region, that is used to purchase these relief materials. I hope, tomorrow, the Ministry and NEMA will not say they spent billions of naira in providing relief materials for flood victims, which nobody saw or received.

“One would have even expected that 10 (ten) years after the last disaster flood that ravaged the country in 2012, a responsible government, which swore to an oath, to see to the welfare of the people, would by now, have taken steps to alleviate the sufferings, by building the Lagdo Dam in Benue State, instead of blaming Cameroonian Government.

“This attitude of not caring reminds me of what happened some time ago. Billions of naira were voted to dredge the River Niger, during the Petroleum Trust Fund (PTF) days, but today, there is no sign of dredging in Bayelsa and Delta States.

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“I was at the forefront, as leader of my people, to carry out an impact assessment of the area, before such dredging can be done. But none of the two earmarked dredgings was done. In fact, dredging of the Warri River to Escravos was carried out, on the Escravos side, and has also stopped. As a result of not carrying out this project, presently, ships can no longer come to Warri.

“We are told that there is a pipeline on the bed of the sea, that hinders the dredging operation. For several years, there have been ongoing talks between the then Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) and the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA), which have not yielded any results.

“Meanwhile, ships cannot berth at Warri Sea Port. Both the immediate past government of the federation and the present one should be held responsible for the attitude they took on this matter. I challenge Muhammadu Buhari’s government to name any development it has carried out in the Niger Delta region, with exception of the Maritime University, Okerenkoko, Delta State.

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READ ALSO: Flood: We’re Facing Humanitarian Crisis, Bayelsa Govt Cries Out

“Today, the construction of the East-West Road, which began over ten years ago, to the embarrassment and shame of all of us, has not been completed. The road is being threatened. People cannot pass a section of it easily, either to go to Port Harcourt or return, from Bayelsa State, due to the ravaging flood.

“I enjoin these Federal Government bodies to act fast and sincerely. And should ensure that if relief items are provided, they will reach the right people for whom it is meant.

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“The Federal Government should please act fast. A great disaster is looming.”

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UK Police Arrest Asylum Seeker Sex Offender Mistakenly Freed

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The UK police on Sunday arrested an Ethiopian asylum seeker and convicted sex offender, whose crimes had sparked anti-immigration protests, after he was accidentally released from prison in an embarrassing blunder by British authorities.

London’s Metropolitan Police said officers arrested Hadush Kebatu in the north of the capital on Sunday morning, nearly 48 hours after he was mistakenly freed around 30 miles (48 kilometres) away.

Kebatu, 38, had served the first month of a one-year sentence for sexually assaulting a teenage girl and a woman, but was reportedly due to be deported when the Prison Service error occurred on Friday.

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His high-profile case earlier this year in Epping, northeast of London, sparked demonstrations in various English towns and cities where asylum seekers were believed to be housed, as well as counter-protests.

READ ALSO:UK Police Hunt Asylum Seeker Mistakenly Freed For Sex Offence

Commander James Conway, who oversaw the manhunt for him, said “information from the public” led officers to the Finsbury Park neighbourhood of London, where he was found.

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He was detained by police but will be returned to the custody of the Prison Service,” he added.

Kebatu is now expected to be deported.

Prime Minister Keir Starmer said Friday he was “appalled” by the “totally unacceptable” mistake that saw him freed rather than sent to an immigration detention centre.

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The Telegraph newspaper said he was wrongly categorised for release on licence and handed a £76 ($101) discharge grant.

READ ALSO:Alleged Misappropriation: MFM Accuses UK Agency Of Discrimination

Police had appealed Saturday for Kebatu to turn himself in, after reports emerged that he had appeared confused and reluctant to leave the prison in Chelmsford, eastern England.

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A delivery driver described seeing Kebatu return several times in a “very confused” state, only to be turned away by staff and directed to the railway station.

The driver told Sky News he saw Kebatu outside the jail, asking, “Where am I going? What am I doing?”

He was starting to get upset, he was getting stressed,” the driver said.

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READ ALSO:UK Is A Home, Not Hotel, Kemi Badenoch Tells Immigrants, Starmer’s Govt

The father of Kebatu’s anonymous teenage victim told the broadcaster that “the justice system has let us down.”

Police arrested the asylum seeker in July after he repeatedly tried to kiss a 14-year-old girl and touch her legs, and made sexually explicit comments to her.

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He also sexually assaulted an adult woman, placing a hand on her thigh, when she intervened to stop his interactions with the girl.

He was staying at the time at Epping’s Bell Hotel, where scores of other asylum seekers have been accommodated, and which became the target of repeated protests.

AFP

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Madagascar Revokes Ousted President’s Nationality

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Madagascar’s new government has stripped ousted president Andry Rajoelina of his Malagasy nationality in a decree published Friday, 10 days after he was removed in a military takeover.

According to AFP, the decree means that Rajoelina, who was impeached on October 14 after fleeing the island nation in the wake of weeks of protests, would not be able to contest future election.

The decree published in the official gazette said Rajoelina’s Malagasy nationality was revoked because he had acquired French nationality in 2014, local media reported, as photographs of the document were shared online.

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READ ALSO:Madagascar’s President Denounces ‘Coup Attempt’ As Gen Z Protests Escalate

French broadcaster RFI said it had confirmed the decree with the entourage of the new prime minister, Herintsalama Rajaonarivelo, who signed the order.

The decree cited laws stipulating that a Malagasy who voluntarily acquires a foreign nationality loses their Malagasy nationality.

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Rajoelina’s French nationality caused a scandal when it was revealed ahead of the November 2023 elections, nearly 10 years after it was granted.

READ ALSO:Madagascar Passes Bill To Castrate Child R*pists

It triggered calls for him to be disqualified but he went on to win the contested polls, which were boycotted by opposition parties.

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The 51-year-old politician fled Madagascar after army Colonel Michael Randrianirina said on October 11 his CAPSAT unit would refuse orders to put down the youth-led protest movement, which security forces had attempted to suppress with violence.

Rajoelina said later he was in hiding for his safety, but did not say where.

Randrianirina was sworn in as president on October 14, pledging elections within two years.

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Kamala Harris Hints At Running For President Again

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Former US vice president Kamala Harris said in a British television interview previewed in Saturday that she may “possibly” run again to be president.

Harris, who replaced Joe Biden as the 2024 Democratic presidential candidate but lost to Donald Trump, told the BBC that she had not yet decided whether to make another White House bid.

But the 61-year-old insisted she was “not done” in American politics and that her young grandnieces would see a female president in the Oval Office “in their lifetime, for sure”.

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READ ALSO:FULL LIST: Trump, Kamala, Netanyahu, Others Shortlisted For 2024 Time’s Person Of The Year

“I have lived my entire career a life of service, and it’s in my bones, and there are many ways to serve.

“I’ve not decided yet what I will do in the future, beyond what I am doing right now,” Harris told the British broadcaster in an interview set to air in full on Sunday.

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The comments are the strongest hint yet that Harris could attempt to be the Democratic Party nominee for the 2028 election.

READ ALSO:Kamala Harris Secures Democratic Presidential Nomination

The interview follows the release of her memoir last month, in which she argued it had been “recklessness” to let Biden run for a second term as president.

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She also accused his White House team of failing to support her while she was his deputy, and at times of actively hindering her.

AFP

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