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Int’l Day Against Monoculture Tree Plantation: ERA, Women Demand Environmental Justice

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As part of activities to mark this year’s International Day Against Monoculture Tree Plantations, Environmental Rights Action/Friends of the Earth Nigeria, ERA/FoEN, on Monday led some women impacted by industrial plantation expansion in Edo State to the secretariat of the Nigeria Union of Journalists, NUJ, Edo State council, wherein they registered their displeasure against oil palm companies, whom, according to them (women), have subjected them to untold hardship.

International Day Against Monoculture Tree Plantations, is a day for organizations, networks and movements to celebrate resistance and raise their voices to demand, “Stop the Expansion of Monoculture Tree Plantations!.”

The “protest” by the women led by the Executive Director, ERA/FoEN, Barr. Chima Williams, was codenamed Women Led Action Against Deforestation, Land-grabbing and Gender Rights Violations Associated with the Industrial Plantation Model, and was themed: ‘Women Rights are Human Rights. Plantations are not Forests.’

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READ ALSO: Oil Palm Companies: RSPO Deceptive, Promotes Communities Rights Violations, Says ERA/FoEN

Speaking, the Executive Director, said ERA/FoEN is committed to protecting the Edo State environments and the rights of the citizens.

While stating that no individual including ERA/FoEN can single handedly do such work, The ED sought partnership from the NUJ and Edo State Government, saying with a collaborative efforts Edo environments and the rights of her citizens would be surely protected.

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On her part, Rita Uwaka, Programme Manager, Forest & Biodiversity, ERA/FoEN, lamented the grave impacts of deforestation to the environment, saying “it affects men and women but it has more aggravated impact on women because they continue to be connected to food productions.”

Presenting their petition to the chairman, Edo NUJ, the aggrieved women under the auspices ‘Women Impacted by Industrial Plantation Expansion’, expressed worry over creation of policies and transfer of land without the engagement of women, saying it affects them and those that depend on them.

The petition which was read by Mrs. Gladys Osaghae, to the NUJ chairman on behalf of other women, called on the Edo State Government and the Federal Government to support and invest in communities and women-led solution such as agroecology which, according to them, support food production and local food economy.

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The petition reads in part: “Stop new concession agreement that clears out forest at the detriment of women and those that fall under our care.

“Our forest is our life. Support the creation of economic livelihood alternatives for industrial plantation impacted women and their families.

“Enact legislative and regulatory reforms that strengthen women’s rights related to the expansion of industrial plantation.

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“Join voices with women around Africa and the world to denounce any violation, abuse, intimidation, harassment and violence against women in the industrial plantation model across all communities territories,” the petition added.

READ ALSO: ERA/FoEN Pushes For Zero Waste Environment

Receiving the petition, the Edo NUJ chairman, Comrade Festus Alenkhe, urged oil palm companies operating in the state to obey labour laws which state that a certain percentage of employment should be given to indigenes of the communities they operate, just as he called on the companies to obey rights of their host communities and stop any form of human rights violations.

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Alenkhe, while thanking ERA/FoEN for taking such responsibility, called on other NGOs domiciled in the state to emulate ERA by standing for citizens rights.

Women who came under the auspices to deliver the petition were drawn from host communities such as Odiguetue, Obaretin, Aifesoba and Uroho among others.

 

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VIDEO: Why I’ve Never Tried Convincing My Christian Wife To Convert To Islam — Tinubu

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President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has explained why he has never attempted to convince his wife, First Lady Oluremi Tinubu, to convert to Islam, stressing his belief in love, religious freedom, and mutual respect among people of different faiths.

Speaking on Saturday at the funeral service of Nana Lydia Yilwatda, mother of the National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Prof. Nentawe Yilwada, Tinubu said his marriage to a Christian pastor has never created any conflict in their home.

The president, who arrived in Jos, Plateau State around 2 p.m. for the ceremony at the COCIN headquarters church, said he inherited Islam from his family and has always upheld the principle of freedom of religion.

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READ ALSO:Benin Monarch To Tinubu’s Daughter: Do You Know Role Of Iyeki In Benin Culture?

He noted that both he and the First Lady serve the same God and would ultimately be answerable to Him, adding that what matters most are people’s deeds, character, and love for others.

Tinubu urged Nigerians to embrace tolerance and peaceful coexistence, emphasising that hate should never have a place in the country.

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He also prayed for the repose of the soul of the late Lydia Yilwada and asked God to grant comfort and blessings to those she left behind.

READ ALSO:Tinubu Appoints New Heads For Key Agencies

He said, “Hate is not an option for us. Love is what you preach, that we should love one another.

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“Nobody, nobody determines what God has ordained. God’s ordained action and his promises are what matter. I inherited Islam from my family. I didn’t change. But my wife is a pastor. She prays for me.

“No conflict. And I never did at any single time try to convince her or convert her. I believe in the freedom of religion.

“We are praying to the same God. We are answerable to the same almighty God. We will answer to him. We will account to him. Our deeds, our character, our love for our fellow beings are what are important.

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“May the almighty accept the soul of Lydia and give all that she left behind blessings and glory, so we say, may her soul rest in peace.”

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UK Police Quiz Six After Fatal Synagogue Attack

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Six people arrested on suspicion of “terrorism”-linked offences after a fatal car-ramming and knife attack on a UK synagogue remained in police custody on Saturday, as Prime Minister Keir Starmer urged people not to take part in pro-Palestinian protests.

Two people were killed and three others seriously wounded in Thursday’s attack in northwestern Manchester on Yom Kippur, the holiest day of the Jewish calendar.

Police shot dead the assailant, Jihad Al-Shamie, a 35-year-old UK citizen of Syrian descent, within minutes of the alarm being raised.

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Three men and three women are in custody.

The attack has heightened fear among Britain’s Jewish community.

Police said they were patrolling places of worship across the city “with a particular focus on providing a high-visibility presence within our Jewish communities”.

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READ ALSO:US On Brink Of Govt Shutdown With Funding Talks Stalled

The attack on Heaton Park Hebrew Congregation Synagogue in north Manchester was one of the worst antisemitic incidents in Europe since the October 7, 2023, attack in Israel led by Palestinian Islamist group Hamas.

The Hamas attack resulted in the deaths of 1,219 people, mostly civilians, according to an AFP tally of Israeli official figures.

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Israel’s retaliatory offensive on the Gaza Strip has killed at least 66,288 Palestinians, also mostly civilians, according to health ministry figures in the occupied territory that the United Nations considers reliable.

The Gaza conflict has inflamed passions in Britain, with frequent pro-Palestinian rallies in cities that some critics allege have stoked antisemitism.

A “global movement for Gaza UK” protest went ahead in London late on Thursday, with police making 40 arrests.

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London’s Metropolitan Police asked organisers delay another planned demonstration backing the banned Palestine Action group later on Saturday.

However, organisers Defend Our Juries rejected the calls.

READ ALSO:US Faces ‘War From Within’, Trump Tells Generals

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A spokesman said the group “stood in solidarity” with the Jewish community over the attack.

– Accidental shooting –

Starmer urged protesters not to join the pro-Palestinian rally.

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“I urge anyone thinking about protesting this weekend to recognise and respect the grief of British Jews. This is a moment of mourning. It is not a time to stoke tension and cause further pain,” he said on X.

During the attack, Shamie was seen “with a big knife, banging his knife into the glass, trying to get through”, synagogue chairman of trustees Alan Levy, who helped barricade the doors, told ITV News.

“The heroes of the congregation who saw what was happening then came to the doors because he was trying to break the doors down to get in,” he added.

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READ ALSO:JUST IN: Court Bars Police From Enforcing Tinted Glass Regulation

A UK police watchdog, meanwhile, said it would look at the police shooting of Shamie.

The probe would also look at the shooting of a second victim who suffered a fatal gunshot and a third person who was shot but survived.

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The Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) said there was no evidence anyone other than police used firearms at the scene.

“Our independent investigation will look at the circumstances surrounding the fatal police shooting of Jihad Al-Shamie,” it said in a statement.

“A post mortem has today (Friday) concluded another man who died at the scene suffered a fatal gunshot wound.”

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IOPC investigations are standard practice in situations where the use of force by police may have resulted in the death of a member of the public.

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Edo Inaugurates Committee On Drug Abuse, Healthy Living

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L-R: ACGN, NDLEA, Fidelis Cocodia, Deputy Governor of Edo State, Hon. Dennis Idahosa and Coordinator, Office of the First Lady, Edo State, Mrs. Edesili Okpebholo Anani during the Inauguration

Edo State Government has inaugurated Drug Control Committee for the state and local governments, aimed at curbing the menace of drug abuse in the state.

Inaugurating the committee, Governor Monday Okpehbolo said the committee was not only saddled with the responsibility of curbing the menace of illicit substances, but to promote healthier living across communities in the state.

Represented by his deputy, Hon. Dennis Idahosa, Okpebholo described the initiative as “a vital step in our unwavering commitment to stopping the menace of drug trafficking and substance use among youths.”

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The governor, who bemoaned the rising tide of drug dependency and its impact on society, pointed out that the committee’s creation aligns with the national drug master plan and represents a bold stride toward protecting Edo future generations.

READ ALSO:Idahosa Hails Insurance 1-0 Thrashing Of Niger Tornadoes

On his part, Chairman of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), Brig. Gen. Buba Marwa, represented by ACGN, Fidelis Cocodia, Zonal Commander, Zone 13, emphasised grassroots interventions, awareness campaigns, and support systems as the backbone of the fight against drug abuse.

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Edo State commander of the NDLEA, Mitchell Ofoyeju disclosed that while national drug use prevalence stands at 14.4 percent, Edo state surpasses the average at 15 percent.

He noted that the state is one of the hardest-hit states in the country, warning that the trend has fueled crime and heightened youth vulnerability.

READ ALSO:Idahosa Lauds Edo Specialist Hospital Facilities

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The state’s Commissioner for Health, Dr. Cyril Oshiomhole pledged to make Edo a model in drug control through rehabilitation, youth enlightenment, and second-chance opportunities for recovering addicts.

Coordinator, Office of the First Lady, Edo State, Mrs. Edesili Okpebholo Anani, described drug abuse as a pandemic, noting that “you hardly see a crime without drugs being involved.”

She added that women’s empathy and influence must be harnessed in the campaign against drug abuse.

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