News

Okomu Community Commends 4 Brigade For Sustenance Of Peace, Wants FOB Established In The Area

Published

1 month ago

June 11, 2025

Editor

…urges him not to bow to pressure to pull out personnel from the area

…wants government to investigate those behind such pressure

By Joseph Ebi Kanjo

The natives of Okomu in Ovia South West Local Government Area of Edo State have commended the 4 Brigade of the Nigerian Army led by Brigadier General Ebenezer Olusesan Oduyebo, for the sustenance of peace in the community and its environs.

Speaking to INFO DAILY on behalf of the community, the Ibe Uyadonwei of Okomu Kingdom, Chief Edwin Denmene, said if not for the efforts of the Brigadier General and his men, Okomu would be a conquerred territory in the hand of one Lawrence Yanbor and his gang.

INFO DAILY recalled that Lawrence Yanbor and his gang on 13 May, 2024 invaded Okomu community in the night and razed down over 30 modern structures in the community. Lawrence Yanbor, alongside his cohorts also held the community to ransom and on one of the occasions precisely 7 June, 2024, shot the paramount ruler of the kingdom.

Chief Denmene who noted that the “Brigadier General has been so professional and has not been biased or taken side in the matter,” urged him to continue the good work.

Also commending the 4 Brigade personnel for a work well done, the Ibe Egberigbawei (spokesman) of Okomu Kingdom, Chief Freeman Cousin, noted that if not for the military personnel stationed in the area, Okomu would have been amongst the committee of communities under the watchlist of the state government for cultism and kidnapping, alleging that Lawrence Yanbor and his gang are culprits.

Chief Cousin, who alleged that there have been plans by some influential persons to pressure the Commander of the 4 Brigade to pull out his men from the area, urged Brigadier General Oduyebo not to bow to such pressure no matter how highly placed such pressure may be coming from.

“We have been hearing that some influential persons, specifically sponsors of Lawrence Yanbor and his gang are pressuring the 4 Brigade and Abuja to pull out the military personnel from the area. We want to passionately appeal to the 4 Brigade General and the people in Abuja not to bow to such pressure. He has been doing fantastically well, and we appreciate it, so he shouldn’t bow to such pressure,” he pleaded.

Corroborating Chief Cousin’s allegation, Hon. Amokachi Peretei, who also commended the Brigadier General Oduyebo and his men for the maintenance of peace in the community and its environs, expressed the fear that if the Commander bowed to such pressure and pulled out his men from the area, Okomu would become history.

“They want the military personnel to leave the area so they can perpetrate their evil works by attacking the community particularly those they perceive as their enemies. If the military personnel leave Okomu and its environs, no one is safe,” he added.

On his part, Chief Rickson Nanaghan called on the government “both federal and state to investigate those lobbing for the pulling out of the military personnel in the area, and not only investigation, the government should bring them to justice.”

Also lending his voice, Comrade Samson Yanbor, an indigene of the community who made reference to how Lawrence Yanbor and his gang gave a seven-day ultimatum to the Yoruba farmers in the area to vacate recently, noted that if not for the presence of the military, Lawrence Yanbor would have succeeded, adding that he would have used that opportunity to loot and burn down houses.

“Recently, Lawrence Yanbor gave the Yoruba farmers an ultimatum to vacate the area. He said he had an operation to carry out so they should leave the area. When did Lawrence become government that he should be giving an ultimatum to a people to leave a particular area so that he can carry out his operation? Is he government? Besides, which operation does he have to carry out that he had the audacity to tell a people to leave, if not for looting,” Samson Yanbor questioned.

Also speaking, Dr Atele Biriodoubrah. The Ibe-Bolowoniwei of Okomu Kingdom, on behalf of the kingdom pleaded to the Edo State governor, Monday Okpebholo to replicate what did in Ehor, Edo State, in Okomu by establishing Forward Operating Base (FOB) in the area.

“We need a Forward Operational Base in the area. We, therefore, plead to Governor Monday Okpebholo to help us establish a Forward Operational Base (FOB) in our community as he has done for the people of Ehor in the state,” he said.

He named Opuba as the hiding place for Lawrence Yanbor and his gang, urging the military and other security agencies to look into this direction.

News

LG Chairman Drags Niger Govt To Court Over Alleged Tenure Reduction

Published

2 hours ago

July 25, 2025

Editor

Alhaji Aminu Yakubu-Ladan, the Chairman of Chanchaga Local Government Area (LGA) in Niger, has sued the state government over alleged reduction of tenure of local government chairmen and councillors.

Yakubu-Ladan, in the suit filed at the Federal High Court in Abuja, sought an order restraining the Niger State Independent Electoral Commission (NSIEC) and its co-defendants from conducting the scheduled LGAs’ election until the expiration of their tenure.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the NSIEC has fixed November 1 for the conduct of the local government poll across the state.

However, the plaintiff, in the suit, named the Attorney-General of Niger State, the House of Assembly, NSIEC, Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and Inspector-General (IG) of Police as 1st to 5th defendants respectively.

The chairman is challenging the constitutionality of the Niger State Local Government Law, 2001, which seeks to reduce the tenure of local government chairmen and councillors from four years to three years.

Yakubu-Ladan, in the originating summons marked: FHC/ABJ/CS/1370/2025, dated July 10 but filed July 11 by his counsel, Chris Udeoyibo, sought eight questions for determination.

The chairman questions whether the state government can enforce inconsistent local government law, 2001 (as amended), which clashed with the 1999 Constitution (as amended) and the Electoral Act, 2022.

“Should Niger State Local Government Law Section 29 (2) be declared unconstitutional for clashing with the 1999 Constitution (as amended) and the Electoral Act, 2022,” he said.

The plaintiff seeks a declaration that a four-year tenure for local government chairmen and councillors is constitutionally guaranteed by virtue of the Constitution and the Electoral Act, 2022.

The suit also challenged the NSIEC’s preparation for the local government elections slated for November 1.

The plaintiff, therefore, seeks an order restraining the defendants from the elections on Nov. 1 until the expiration of a four-year tenure for chairmen and councillors.

The suit also seeks to restrain INEC and the I-G from providing logistical support and security protection for the election.

Yakubu-Ladan argued that the state’s local government law, 2001, is inconsistent with Section 7 of the constitution and Sections 018 and 150 of the Electoral Act, 2022.

The suit is yet to be assigned to a judge as of the time of the report.

News

France’s Top Court Annuls Arrest Warrant Against Syria’s Ex-president al-Assad

Published

2 hours ago

July 25, 2025

Editor

France’s highest court Friday annulled a French arrest warrant against Syria’s ex-president Bashar al-Assad — issued before his ouster — over 2013 deadly chemical attacks.

The Court of Cassation ruled there were no exceptions to presidential immunity, even for alleged war crimes and crimes against humanity.

But its presiding judge, Christophe Soulard, added that, as Assad was no longer president after an Islamist-led group toppled him in December, “new arrest warrants can have been, or can be, issued against him” and as such the investigation into the case could continue.

Human rights advocates had hoped the court would rule that immunity did not apply because of the severity of the allegations, which would have set a major precedent in international law towards holding accused war criminals to account.

French authorities issued the warrant against Assad in November 2023 over his alleged role in the chain of command for a sarin gas attack that killed more than 1,000 people, according to US intelligence, on August 4 and 5, 2013 in Adra and Douma outside Damascus.

Assad is accused of complicity in war crimes and crimes against humanity in the case. Syrian authorities at the time denied involvement and blamed rebels.

– Universal jurisdiction –

The French judiciary tackled the case under the principle of universal jurisdiction, whereby a court may prosecute individuals for serious crimes committed in other countries.

An investigation — based on testimonies of survivors and military defectors, as well as photos and video footage — led to warrants for the arrest of Assad, his brother Maher who headed an elite army unit, and two generals.

Public prosecutors approved three of the warrants, but issued an appeal against the one targeting Assad, arguing he should have immunity as a head of state.

The Paris Court of Appeal in June last year however upheld it, and prosecutors again appealed.

But in December, Assad’s circumstances changed.

He and his family fled to Russia, according to Russian authorities, after he was ousted by advancing rebels.

In January, French investigating magistrates issued a second arrest warrant against Assad for suspected complicity in war crimes for a bombing in the Syrian city of Deraa in 2017 that killed a French-Syrian civilian.

– Indictment of ex-bank governor valid –

The Court of Cassation said Assad’s so called “personal immunity”, granted because of his office, meant he could not be targeted by arrest warrants until his ouster.

But it ruled that “functional immunity”, which is granted to people who perform certain functions of state, could be lifted in the case of accusations of severe crimes.

Thus it upheld the French judiciary’s indictment in another case of ex-governor of the Central Bank of Syria and former finance minister, Adib Mayaleh, for complicity in war crimes and crimes against humanity over alleged funding of the Assad government during the civil war.

Headline

Fashion Designers, IT Specialists: UK Opens Door To Foreign Talents With New Visa Rules

Published

3 hours ago

July 25, 2025

Editor

The United Kingdom has expanded its Skilled Worker visa route to include more than 70 mid-level occupations, opening the door for foreign professionals such as fashion designers, technicians, and IT specialists to work in the country with salaries starting from €29,000.

This move, which took effect on July 22, 2025, is part of the government’s strategy to tackle urgent labour shortages by easing access to roles traditionally considered outside the high-skilled visa category.

The update introduces a newly expanded Temporary Shortage Occupation List (TSOL), which comes with significantly lower salary thresholds and streamlined visa processes for eligible roles across sectors such as engineering, construction, healthcare, science, finance, creative arts, and information technology.

The changes reflect a deliberate shift to address staffing gaps in industries critical to the UK economy.

Under the revised rules, salary requirements now vary based on an applicant’s visa history. While standard

thresholds still apply to newcomers, those categorized as “new entrants,” PhD holders, or individuals with continuous Skilled Worker visas prior to April 4, 2024, can qualify at lower salary levels.

For instance, a pipe fitter who previously needed to earn at least £46,000 can now be eligible with £40,400. Engineering technicians are permitted at £34,700, down from £42,500. In the creative sector, fashion designers can now qualify with £29,100, while data analysts in tech are eligible at £28,600. Laboratory technicians in science and healthcare can apply with £25,000, reduced from the standard £33,400.

This restructured visa list is seen as a direct response to economic and political pressures surrounding skills shortages. It seeks to make the UK labor market more globally competitive while addressing domestic gaps in practical, mid-level roles.

Despite these new allowances, all applicants must still meet basic eligibility requirements, including having a confirmed job offer from a licensed UK sponsor and obtaining a Certificate of Sponsorship. Applications must also include proof of qualifications, salary information, and a valid job match aligned with the official occupation codes.

Although the government describes the updated list as temporary, no fixed end date has been announced.