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Zaria Shi’ites Massacre: ‘My child Has Bullet In His Chest; I Lost Five,’ — Survivor

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A survivor of the 2015 Zaria massacre in Kaduna State, Hajiya Jummai Karofi, has expressed sadness over the loss of her five children during the incident. She also dismissed hopes of getting justice.

According to Karofi, “I am a mother of nine. I lost five in the Zaria massacre — three biological children and two adopted.

“But I gave birth to nine children. One died naturally and three were shot dead in Zaria. One is carrying a bullet in his chest right now and I also was severely injured.

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“My experience was traumatic. It was terrible. I saw more corpses that I never thought I would see in my life. They were killing everybody, shooting indiscriminately.

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“They were not selecting who to shoot. I don’t know why they did what they did. There was no reason for it at all.

“Personally, I have lost hope for justice. The movement had so far been targeted twice for no reason, during this current administration.”

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Karofi narrated her experience to Vanguard at the Islamic Movement in Nigeria’s (Shi’ites) 8th anniversary of the massacre in Abuja.

The event was held with the theme: ‘The Site of Memory: An Ardent Resistance of Our Fallen Heroes’, on Saturday.”

READ ALSO: VIDEO: ‘Give Me Volume…Dem Want Reap Me For Cele o’ – Portable Performs At Celestial Church’s Praise Night

Speaking on the topic, ‘Women and Children Rights Violation during Zaria Massacre’, one of the guest speakers, Prof Isah Hassan Mshelgaru reiterated calls for the prosecution of the executors of the December 12, 2015 massacre in Zaria, Kaduna State.

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Also, he called and solicited for justice on behalf of the victims.

He specifically drew the attention of human rights advocates, at local and international levels, to the matter.

Amnesty International and similar bodies, the international community, the claimants of democracy and civility championships; UNICEF, whose area of responsibility is mothers and children affairs; feminists, at local and international levels and advocates of women’s rights.

READ ALSO: Give N50bn Budgeted For Loan To Students As Grant – ASUU Tells FG

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“Taking similar measures to the global impacts on the Palestinian issue we can do the same and attract sympathy for the Zaria 2015 rights violation victims.

“They were not only kidnapped but sexually harassed and mercilessly murdered by state terrorists,” he said.

Furthermore, Mshelgaru said these awareness efforts, if well harnessed, would help prepare the ground for arraigning “the heartless violators before the International Court of Justice with war crimes or similar charges”.

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2023: Why INEC Servers Failed To Work – Peter Obi

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The presidential candidate of the Labour Party, Peter Obi has explained why the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, servers failed to work during the 2023 presidential election.

He said the ‘establishment of criminality’ made the INEC servers not work during the last last general elections.

Obi stated this, while addressing the issues of the 2023 elections, including the IREV servers, in Canada during the weekend.

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READ ALSO: Underbridge Tenants: Lagos Govt Uncovers Identity Of Ring Leader

The Labour Party flagbearer in 2023 said people must intensify engagement with all the stakeholders to make the system work.

The former Anambra State governor explained that Amazon testified there were no glitches recorded globally on the day of the presidential election.

He said: “Where did we go wrong in the last election? We didn’t go wrong anywhere. We did the right things.

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“But as I can always tell people: when you bring a change, you fight all those who live off the old order. They don’t go away; they gang up. And don’t think it’s a straight race to remove an establishment.

READ ALSO: PDP Crisis: Why Party Members Are Resigning – Sule Lamido

“It’s a long-distance journey anywhere in the world. Go and check anywhere, whether you are looking at what happened in India, with Mandela in South Africa, or America. No change has happened overnight, it takes time.

“I urge all of you, if you really want change, we have just begun. We just have to continue from where we are.

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“Yes, there might be one or two things we will correct, those things we will correct. I assure you we are correcting them without naming them.It’s not going to be easy.”

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INC Vows To Internationalise Ijaw Struggle

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The Ijaw National Congress (INC) says time has come to internationalise the “Ijaw struggle” beyond rhetoric.

Prof. Benjamin Okaba, President, INC, said this in a communique of the 2024 edition of the Ijaw National Day celebration held in Bayelsa.

Okaba said that the vexatious factors that provoked grievances between the late Maj. Adaka Boro and the federal government in the improper management of the oil political economy of Nigeria, have remained unmitigated.

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He noted that the situation had worsened with its attendant impunity.

READ ALSO: Ijaw Not Biafra, Count Us Out Of Your Planned Attack Military, INC Warns IPOB

According to him, the Ijaw environment continues to bear the brunt of petroleum resources exploitation-related pollution without concomitant remediation or reparations of the heavily despoiled ecosystem.

Instead, Ijaw communities still face the adverse effects of uncontrollable spills, perennial flooding, ocean encroachment and so on,” he said.

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The INC president noted that at different forums, it had been made clear that the Ijaw agenda of self-determination was premised on resource and environmental justice.

“What all Ijaw people seek is for a fair, just and justifiable reward for our resources and sacrifices.

“The Ijaw Congress has articulated a set of prescient conditions for its continuous commitment to the Nigerian project and these include restoration of true federalism (fiscal federalism).

READ ALSO: Ijaw Group Tackles OPC, CSO Over Call For Review Of Tompolo’s Surveillance Contract

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“Devolution of power and repel of all obnoxious and discriminatory environmental and resource related laws (Land Use, PIA), as well as restoration of Ijaw Territory as non-balkanised, administrative and politically generated unit(s).

“This is for the reassurance and promotion of Ijaw developmental pursuits by creating at least two additional states, more local government areas and wards for the Ijaws.

“Remediation of our massively polluted and endangered environment and the enforcement of adherence to international environmental best practices by IOC’s operating in Ijaw territories,” he said.

Okaba also demanded for the relocation of the administrative headquarters of all oil companies and their subsidiaries to their operational bases in Ijaw territory and Niger Delta.

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READ ALSO: Ijaw Demand Environmental Clean-up Before IOCs Exit Niger Delta

He further called for proper funding and management of the Interventionist Agencies such as the Presidential Amnesty Programme and Niger Delta Development Commission.

We call for the promotion of modular refineries owned by our people.

“We also want a balance in appointment at the federal levels (the civil service, military and oil companies) as well as equitable distribution of critical infrastructure, to reflect the true principles of federal character.”

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He said it was against this backdrop that the theme of the 2024 Ijaw National Day “Re-Invigorating Our Resolve to take the Ijaw struggle for Self-determination beyond Rhetoric” was derived.

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Drake Gives Condition To Quit Music As Feud With Kendrick Lamar Thickens

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US rapper Drake has vowed to quit his music career if allegations regarding a secret daughter are substantiated.

The controversy started when rival artiste Kendrick Lamar, in his diss track ‘Meet The Grahams,’ levied accusations suggesting Drake’s involvement with an 11-year-old secret daughter.

Lamar branded the Canadian rapper a “deadbeat” for purportedly neglecting his paternal responsibilities

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Renowned American media personality Akademiks, however, disclosed rapper’s response to the allegations during a recent broadcast.

According to Akademiks, Drake denied the claims, going as far as promising to leave the music industry and work for Akademiks if any evidence of the alleged secret daughter emerged.

During his Saturday night show, Akademiks shared the rapper’s direct message, stating, “Drake hit [texted] me, he said, ‘Ak, if you or anybody can prove that I have an 11-year-old daughter, I’ll quit rapping and come work for you.’”

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