Headline

Police Ban Use Of Local Security Outfits, VIP Escorts On Election Day In Imo

Published

3 years ago

February 24, 2023

The Nigeria Police has banned all private and local security outfits in Imo State, from participating in Election Security Management.

The directive according to the Imo police authority is from the office of the Inspector General of Police, Usman Alkali Baba.

The Imo State Commissioner of Police, CP Mohammed Ahmed Barde gave the directive in a statement signed by ASP Henry Okoye and made available to DAILY POST in Owerri, Imo State.

The CP also ordered the strict enforcement of IGP’s directives on the restriction of all forms of vehicular movement and transportation across the 27 LGAs of the state, from 12 midnight to 6pm on Saturday 25th February 2023 scheduled for the Presidential and National Assembly Elections, except for essential duty officers such as the INEC Officials, Electoral Observers, Fire Fighters and Ambulances responding to medical emergencies, etc.

The Statement reads, “Furthermore, on election day, no security agents or escorts should accompany their bosses or elected officials to voting places and counting facilities.

“The prohibition on the use of sirens, rotating lights, covered license plates, and tinted glass is still in effect, and offenders will be subject to legal repercussions. Imo State has issued a warning to private and local security organizations that they are not permitted to participate in election security management, telling them to stay away from polling places and collation centres.

These instructions are a component of the security precautions the command has put in place to ensure the conduct of an election that is secure, free, fair, credible, and acceptable.

“The CP beckons the electorates not to put on political party campaign vest or regalia to polling unit or collation center and craves the indulgence of Imolites to comply with the directives that are emplaced to assist the security agencies in preventing criminally minded persons from disrupting the electoral process as it may be inconvenient.

“They should also avoid spreading misleading information, purchasing votes, stealing ballots, and using derogatory language that can incite violence.

“To provide adequate security during the elections and beyond, CP Barde reiterates the Command’s preparedness to collaborate with other sister security services. He urged all eligible voters in the state to cast their ballots in large numbers, and he issued a warning that the command would arrest and prosecute anyone who attempted to tamper with the election. He requests that the good citizens of the state call the Command Emergency line at 08034773600 or 08098880197 to report any suspicious individual, an unusual event, or request for security reaction.”

Headline

US Commits $32.5m To Support Food Security In Nigeria

Published

10 hours ago

September 3, 2025

Editor

The United States Government has committed $32.5m to the United Nations World Food Programme to support food and nutrition assistance for hundreds of thousands of people affected by conflict in Nigeria.

According to a statement released by the US Embassy in Abuja on Wednesday, the funding will enable WFP Nigeria to reach approximately 764,205 vulnerable individuals in the Northeast and Northwest regions of the country.

These areas have been severely impacted by ongoing insecurity and displacement, with millions struggling to access necessities.

The assistance package includes general food distributions as well as targeted nutritional support.

Among the beneficiaries are 41,569 pregnant and breastfeeding women and girls, and 43,235 children who will receive specialised nutrition support through electronic food vouchers, according to the statement.

“World Food Program Nigeria, with US Government’s contribution of $32.5m, will provide food assistance and nutrition support to internally displaced persons across conflict-affected areas.

“With the US Government’s donation, the World Food Programme Nigeria will provide food and nutrition assistance to 764,205 beneficiaries across Northeast and Northwest Nigeria.

“This includes complementary nutrition top-ups for 41,569 pregnant and breastfeeding women and girls and 43,235 children through electronic food vouchers,” the statement read.

On December 18, 2024, PUNCH Online reported that the United States Agency for International Development has denounced recent media reports misrepresenting US agricultural initiatives in Nigeria, stating that its programmes operate transparently and align with the country’s laws.

In a statement issued by the US Mission in Nigeria, USAID highlighted the significant achievements of its agricultural collaboration with Nigeria, which it claimed has supported over five million Nigerian farmers since 2019.

The agency maintained it has boosted food production and strengthened rural economies across the country through its efforts.

Headline

UK To Ban Sale Of Energy Drinks To Children

Published

12 hours ago

September 3, 2025

Editor

The United Kingdom government has unveiled plans to prohibit the sale of high-caffeine energy drinks, including popular brands such as Red Bull, to anyone under the age of 16 in England.

Health Secretary, Wes Streeting, announcing the move on Wednesday, said the step was aimed at safeguarding young people’s wellbeing.

“By stopping children from buying these drinks, we’re laying the groundwork for healthier and happier generations,” he explained.

Government figures suggest that up to one in three teenagers aged 13 to 16 regularly consume energy drinks, many of which contain more caffeine than two cups of coffee.

While most major supermarkets already enforce a voluntary restriction, the new policy would make it a nationwide rule.

“How can we expect pupils to thrive in the classroom if they’re running on the equivalent of a double espresso every day?” Streeting asked, stressing that the government was responding to concerns raised by parents and teachers. “We’re determined to address the root causes of poor health and educational struggles head-on.”

Headline

Indian Man Gets Death Sentence For Burning Wife Alive Over Skin Colour

Published

13 hours ago

September 3, 2025

Editor

A court in India recently sentenced a man to death for setting his wife, Lakshmi, ablaze alive due to her dark skin colour. This harsh punishment reflects the gravity of the crime and its impact on society.

As reported by BBC on Wednesday, the attack on Lakshmi took place on the night of 24 June 2017, the murder dates eight years back, and the judgment, delivered at the weekend, has made headlines in a country where public obsession with colourism is well documented.

The attack on Lakshmi took place on the night of 24 June 2017, according to the court order seen by the BBC.

Before her death, Lakshmi revealed that her husband, Kishandas, frequently mocked her for being dark-skinned, calling her “kali” and body-shaming her since their marriage in 2016.

On the night of her attack, Kishandas brought a plastic bottle containing a brown liquid, purportedly a skin-lightening medicine.

According to Lakshmi’s statements, he applied the liquid on her body, and when she complained about a strong acid-like smell, he set her on fire with an incense stick.

Adding to the cruelty, Kishandas poured the remaining liquid on her while she was burning and then fled. Her family rushed her to the hospital, but she later died from her injuries.

The judge, Rahul Choudhary, condemned the act as not only a murder but “a crime against humanity,” stressing that Kishandas “broke her trust” and showed “excessive cruelty in throwing the remaining liquid on her” while she burned.

He described the case as fitting the “rarest of the rare” category, saying, “It will not be an exaggeration to say that this heart-rending brutal crime was not just against Lakshmi, but it’s a crime against humanity.”

He added, “It’s a crime that shocks the conscience of humanity, which cannot even be imagined in a healthy and civilised society.”

The public prosecutor called the verdict “historic,” hoping it would serve as “a lesson for others in society.”

He said, “A young woman in her early 20s was brutally murdered. She was someone’s sister, someone’s daughter; there were people who loved her. If we don’t save our daughters, then who would?”

This tragic story highlights the deep-rooted issue of colourism, where darker-skinned women face widespread discrimination and abuse.

Despite ongoing campaigns to challenge these prejudices, the preference for fair skin remains strongly embedded in many areas of life, continuing to cause immense harm. Until societal attitudes change, such heartbreaking incidents are likely to persist.