News & Announcements

As tributes continued pouring in following the death of South Africa’s ambassador to Denmark, Zindzi Mandela, President Cyril Ramaphosa said her passing was saddening.

Zindzi died at age of 59 in a Johannesburg hospital after a short illness. She was Nelson Mandela and Winnie Mandela’s youngest daughter.

According to Xinhua, Ramaphosa said on Monday: “Her spirit joins Tata Madiba and Mama Winnie in a reunion of leaders to whom we owe our freedom.”.

Ramaphosa offered his condolences to the Mandela family and the rest of the diplomatic family.

At the time of her death, Zindzi was designated to become South Africa’s Head of Mission in Monrovia, Liberia. She also served as Deputy President of the Soweto Youth Congress and was a member of the Release Mandela Campaign.

“I offer my deep condolences to the Mandela family as we mourn the passing of a fearless political activist who was a leader in her own right,” the president said.

He said the fact that her death was a few days before Nelson’s birthday which is on July 18 was sad.

“Our sadness is compounded by this loss being visited upon us just days before the world marks the birthday of the great Nelson Mandela,” Ramaphosa said.

Ramaphosa praised Zindzi’s involvement in the liberation struggle against apartheid.

“Zindzi Mandela was a household name nationally and internationally, who during our years of struggle brought home the inhumanity of the apartheid system and the unshakeable resolve of our fight for freedom,” Ramaphosa said.

He also applauded for the role she played after the country gained democracy.

“After our liberation she became an icon of the task we began of transforming our society and stepping into spaces and opportunities that had been denied to generations of South Africans,” he said. Enditem

It was a sorry story in Anambra State, South East Nigeria as a 25 years old man, Christian Alisigwe, allegedly slaughtered his own four years old son and buried him at the backyard of his compound.

The sad event occured in Ihiala Council Area of the state. The son, Ebubechukwu Alisigwe, was hurriedly led to rest in a shallow grave in the compound.
Meanwhile, the Anambra State police spokesperson, Haruna Mohammed, confirmed the incident to journalists on Friday.

He said the remains of the little boy had been exhumed and deposited in a morgue for autopsy.
A statement from the police read: “On the 9/07/2020, at about 3:21:pm, Police operatives attached to Azia Police Station arrested one Christian Alisigwe ‘m’ aged 35 years of ihite Azia in Ihiala LGA of Anambra State.
“Suspect allegedly used a cutlass and killed his own biological son namely Ebubechukwu Alisigwe ‘m’ aged 4years of the same address and buried the corpse in a shallow grave at his compound.

“Meanwhile, police detectives visited the scene, exhumed the corpse and deposited same at Abam motuary for autopsy after it was certified dead by a medical doctor.

“Case transferred to State CID Awka for discreet investigation.”

The Government of Sierra Leone will soon have a special court where rape suspects will be put to trial.

This was disclosed by Mrs Fatima Maada Bio, the wife of President Julius Maada Bio, on Saturday.
The Sierra Leonian First Lady, who disclosed this through her verified Twitter handle on Saturday, said the move became necessary and was imperative in order to nail the ugly development in the bud.

Mrs Fatima Maada Bio said this while reacting to the sentencing of suspected rapists to fifteen years in prison for sexually assaulting an eight years old girl.
Recall that the sentencing of the suspect was applauded by so many Sierra Leoneans who saw the development as capable of checking the menace in the country.

“The First Lady tweeted: “(I’m) so pleased to receive the report of on the sentencing of a rapist to fifteen years in prison for raping an eight years old child.
“This shows that someone was intentionally sitting on our cases and now that they are out, results are coming.

“The new special court for rape cases will be launched soon. Let us rewrite our story and rape must stop in Africa,” she said.

According to an online medium, about three hundred and fifty six soldiers of the Nigerian Army are unceremoniously exiting their career as soldiers as a result of what a military source said was a broken morale in the country’s armed forces.
Recall that even as the Nigerian Army are engaged in security of the country, Insurgency and terrorism have assumed a threatening dimension I’m the country as the soldiers have continued to show lack of zeal to fight, having been facing deaths in their numbers.
Many of the soldiers are among the troops engaged in the decade-long war against Boko Haram in the Northeast, while others are from various other formations across the country.

But apart from the 356 who are leaving for losing interest in the army, 24 others are exiting because they want “to take traditional title,” making a total of 380 soldiers, including two Master Warrant Officers and 28 Warrant Officers, voluntarily discharging from the army, according to sources with direct knowledge of the development.

Already, the Chief of Army Staff, Tukur Buratai, has, this July, approved the voluntary discharge of all the 380 soldiers who are to proceed on terminal leave on December 20 and disengage on January 3 next year in accordance with Nigerian Army Administrative Policy and Procedure 27 Paragraphs 3 and 4, our sources confirmed

“That the reason given by most of them is ‘loss of interest’ is an indication of low morale in the army due to poor leadership,” one army insider said, claiming the army had been “broken, demoralised and polarised more than ever before under Buratai.”

“It is an indication of the rot in the system,” said another officer who knew about the mass disengagement.

More than those enduring the long official process to exit the army, many soldiers have deserted the army especially from among the troops combating Boko Haram in the Northeast,” sources in the frontline said.

At various times, commanders and soldiers have appeared in videos complaining about logistical support and equipment available to them to combat the terrorists in a war that has in ten years precipitated a humongous humanitarian disaster in the Lake Chad region, displacing millions of people and killing thousands.

In one case, a former commander of Operation Lafiya Dole, Olusegun Adeniyi, appeared in a rare video admitting soldiers were outgunned by the terrorists. In that video, March this year, Adeniyi could be seen among disorganised troops decrying losses of men and equipment in a particular encounter with Boko Haram, who were “facing us” from “every flank with not less than15 gun trucks.”

Another online medium said on Tuesday, troops of 25 Brigade on patrol were ambushed by terrorists on Damboa-Maiduguri Road. 
In the ensuing fight, 37 soldiers were killed in action “about 60” unaccounted for, according to security sources briefed following the losses, which also included nine gun trucks.

“Tempers were rising amongst the troops of 25 Task Force Brigade,” a source in the frontline said after the attack on Tuesday, before “the efforts to calm the situation.”

However, the military officially told the public only two soldiers died, while 17 terrorists were killed.

“That official press release is a total lie to preempt the press,” one army source said.

The spokesperson for the army, Musa Sagir, denied claim of low morale in the army. “The Nigerian Army is in very high morale,” he said.

The Nigerian Army has continues its incursion into the core areas of the Boko Haram terrorists group as it revealed on Wednesday that its personnel on ground in the North Eastern Borno State intercepted and killed very many fighters of the radical Islamic group, as well as their sister-organisations, the Islamic States of the West Africa province (ISWAP). The attack took place at Gubio town of the state.

Major General John Enenche, Coordinator of the Defence Media Operations (CDMO), disclosed this in an operation update released to the media in Abuja on Wednesday.

General Enenche said the casualties were inflicted on the terrorists groups by troops of Sector 3 and Air Task Force (ATF) of Operation LAFIYA DOLE.

The Defence operations spokesman disclosed that the terrorists, “attempted to breach Gubio Town in the Northern part of Borno State yesterday, July 7, 2020. Several terrorists were neutralized and a gun truck destroyed by the combined efforts of the land and air forces who overpowered the BHTs with their superior firepower.

“During the encounter, a Nigerian Air Force (NAF) Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance (ISR) aircraft and fighter jets were scrambled to the location.

“The ISR aircraft spotted the terrorists in their gun trucks and vectored the jets to engage them, neutralizing one of the gun trucks and its occupants. 

“The ISR aircraft continued to provide situational awareness as the ground troops engaged the terrorists on the ground, inflicting further casualties on the terrorists,” he said.

After he was ‘arrested’ on Monday, July 6, 2020, following his involvement in corrupt activities, Ibrahim Magu, the acting chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Nigeria’s main anti-graft agency, has been suspended by President Muhammadu Buhari on Tuesday.

Magu reportedly spent the night in a police cell at the Force Criminal Investigation Department (FCID) Headquarters in Abuja after the Nigerian top secret service, the Department of State Service (DSS), queried his ownership and occupation of choice properties in Abuja and even beyond, allegedly giving to him by some corrupt public officials.

His suspension on Monday followed a six-hour grilling by a presidential panel, chaired by Justice Ayo Salami, a former president of the Court of Appeal.

Buhari set up the panel to probe various allegations levelled against Magu, following a petition by the Minister of Justice and Attorney General of the Federation, Abubakar Malami, and the Department of State Service.

The world football governing body (FIFA) has threatened to come down hard on Zambia with a sanction if the country’s football authorities fail to go out of court to resolve their disputes; thus, the football authorities have given the former African champions 10 days to do that or face the harmer. 

In a letter dated June 30, 2020, FIFA Head of Member Associations, Veron-Musengo Omba, said it would forward the Zambian case to the relevant body for sanctions should the matter not be resolved in 10 days. Omba said the Zambia case had dragged on for too long and needed to be resolved.

“We note with concern that, to date, proceedings against FAZ still remain active, before Zambian courts of law. This situation thus is in total breach of the FAZ and FIFA Statutes article 59, paragraph 21. 

“It is worth mentioning at this stage that any decisions of any court in Zambia shall be deemed third party interference and would result in FAZ being sanctioned accordingly. 

“In this context should the situation not be normalized within the next 10 days, we would be compelled to submit the present affair to the competent FIFA body for further action,” reads the letter in part.

Meanwhile, Zambia Football Federation (FAZ) was due to hold elections but some members among them Damiano Academy proprietor Damiano Mutale who is under a FAZ ban and Patson Lusaka have dragged the local football mother body to court.

Mutale and Lusaka are protesting the FAZ electoral rules that have seen some of their preferred candidates like two-time FAZ president Kalusha Bwalya being knocked out of the race.

Kalusha had taken his case to the International Court of Sports Arbitration but lost his bid to have his candidacy restored.

FG Gives Radio Stations 4.6bn in Debt Waiver
The Nigerian Government on Monday said it has forgiven in debts sixty percents of debts some radio stations owe it across the country in a move to support their fight against the Coronavirus.

The reprieve, as announced by the country’s Minister of Information an Culture, Mr. Lai Mohammed, amounted to a whopping 4.6 billion Naira. Mohammed made made the announcement at a press conference on the interventions by the FG to ensure financial sustainability among broadcast stations in the country in Abuja on Monday.

The Minister however, noted that the criterion for enjoying the debt forgiveness which amounted to N4.6 billion is for debtorstations to pay 40 percent of their existing debt within the next  three months. 
“I want to announce today a number of broadcast industry-specific measures aimedat giving a lifeline to the industry which, though largely a business, continues to function as a critical social service of sorts, which is relevant to the information and enlightenment needs of the people.

“These measures are in addition to the two-month licence-fee waiver granted to terrestrial broadcast stations in the country by the NBC, as part of efforts to ease the negative effects of the Covid-19 pandemic on the Broadcast Industry.
“According to the National Broadcasting Commission (NBC), many Nigerian radio and television stations remain indebted to the Federal Government to the tune of 7. 8 billion Naira in total. Also, many of the stations are faced with the reality that their licenses will not be renewed, in view of their indebtedness.

“Against this background, the management of the NBC has therefore recommended, and the Federal Government has accepted, the following measures to revamp the Broadcast Industry and to help reposition it for the challenges of business, post-Covid-19.
“60 percent debt forgiveness for all debtor broadcast stations in the country.
“The criterion for enjoying the debt forgiveness is for debtor stations to pay 40 percent of their existing debt within the next 3 months.”Any station that is unable to pay the balance of 40 percent indebtedness within the 3 months window shall forfeit the opportunity to enjoy the stated debt forgiveness.”The existing license fee is further discounted by 30 per cent for all Open Terrestrial Radio and Television services effective July 10th, 2020.

“The debt forgiveness shall apply to functional licensed Terrestrial Radio and Television stations only. “The debt forgiveness and discount shall not apply to pay TV service operators in Nigeria. The effective date of the debt forgiveness shall be July 10th 2020 to October 6th, 2020
“The Federal Government has made these interventions with a view to re-positioning the Broadcast Industry to play its critical role of promoting democracy and good governance in Nigeria. It is our expectation that the sector will cash in on this unique opportunity to make itself an effective catalyst for national development,” he said.

In what is like an irony, the Nigerian Secret Service, the Department of State Service (DSS), has arrested the country’s head of Anti-Graft Agency head, Ibrahim Magu, over allegations that the has acquired properties and was laundering money abroad through proxies.
Magu was alleged to be transferring money abroad through a third party, as well as owing four illegally acquired four properties.
He was arrested at the Wuse II office of the DSS on Monday and is reportedly undergoing questioning at the head office of the DSS also in Abuja.
According to the secret service, in 2016, it called to question Magu’s occupation of a N40 million mansion allegedly paid for him by a retired air force chief, Umar Mohammed, who was reportedly into a shady deal.
DSS said in a report on Monday: “In December 2010, the Police Service Commission (PSC) found Magu guilty of action prejudicial to state security – withholding of EFCC files, sabotage, unauthorised removal of EFCC files and acts unbecoming of a police officer, and awarded him severe reprimand as punishment.
“Magu is currently occupying a residence rented for N40m at N20m per annum. This accommodation was not paid [for] from the commission’s finances, but by one Umar Mohammed, air commodore retired, a questionable businessman who has subsequently been arrested by the secret service.

“For the furnishing of the residence, Magu enlisted the Federal Capital Development Authority to award a contract to Africa Energy, a company owned by the same Mohammed, to furnish the residence at the cost of N43m.

“Investigations show that the acting EFCC chairman regularly embarked on official and private trips through a private jet owned by Mohammed.

“In one of such trips, Magu flew to Maiduguri alongside Mohammed with a bank MD who was being investigated by the EFCC over complicity in funds allegedly stolen by the immediate past petroleum minister, Diezani Alison-Madueke.

“Furthermore, the EFCC boss has so far maintained a high-profile lifestyle. This is exemplified by his preference for first-class air travels. On 24 June, 2016, he flew Emirate airlines first-class to Saudi Arabia to perform lesser hajj at the cost of N2.9m. This is in spite of Mr President’s directive to all public servants to fly economy class.

“Magu has fostered a beneficial relationship with Mohammed who by his confession approaches clients for possible exploitation, favours and associated returns,” the DSS report said.

Meanwhile, it has been gathered that members of Nigeria’s main opposition party, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), are reportedly commending the development after the President Muhammadu Buhari-led Federal Government has been allegedly using Magu and the EFCC to fight anybody that opposes the actions of the government.

“Your profession is not what brings home your weekly paycheck, your profession is what you are put here on earth to do, with such passion and such intensity that it becomes spiritual in calling.” Vincent Van Gogh Kushandwzoom

The above words by Vincent Van Gogh encapsulate the life and times of late Dr. Mathew Peter George until his demise, he lived a fulfilled life in service to mankind no wonder, family members, colleagues, students and his counterparts in the medical profession expressed their profound condolences at his funeral.

In reminiscence of his heroic work, he dedicated his time to saving lives from the period of the deadly Ebola disease and with the emergence of the deadly Coronavirus, he kept up his passion and desire to save lives and in the process he was caught in the crossfire of the pandemic, leaving the nation of Sierra Leone, his family members and close associates in agony.

The late Dr. Mathew became one of the high profile victims of the pandemic across the globe. It is noteworthy to say that Sierra Leone and Africa have lost an astute professional in Dr. Peter Matthew George who passed away fighting the battle against the pandemic and in the process he laid his own life-saving lives.

As a renowned surgeon, a specialist he worked in the provinces of Sierra Leone for several years, until his death he was attached to the Connaught Hospital in Freetown. Born to Matthew George (now deceased) and Margaret George in the town of Nyagoihun, Njala Kombaya, Bo district where he was laid to rest on the 4th of July 2020 leaving behind his wife, Mrs. Michaela George, two children and family members to mourn his death. He would be fondly remembered for his love, for his family, sense of humility, selfless service to mankind, and passion for his profession.

It would be recalled that he cut his teeth with his desire for education at Murialdo secondary school where he sat to his GCE O’level and he later continued at the Christ the king college-CKC-Bo. Late Dr. Mathew George would be remembered as a frontline medical doctor and a pioneer of general surgeon practice in Sierra Leone. His funeral was well attended by dignitaries in the country led by Sierra Leone’s Minister of Health Hon. Dr. Alpha Wurie, as they turned out in large numbers to pay last respect to the departed. Adieu, Dr. Peter Matthew George.