Israeli-Hamas war: Putin demands ceasefire, cardinal offers self for hostages.

Israeli-Hamas war: Putin demands ceasefire, cardinal offers self for hostages.

Russian President Vladimir Putin said the civilian death toll in Gaza could see a “catastrophic increase” and warned of the risk of a regional war, after talking to Iranian and Arab leaders on Monday.

The Kremlin said Putin had spoken to his Syrian, Egyptian and Iranian counterparts as well as Palestinian leader Mahmud Abbas.

Kremlin foreign policy aide Yuri Ushakov said Putin would also speak to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

The Kremlin statement stressed all the leaders called for “an immediate ceasefire and the establishment of a humanitarian truce to provide urgent assistance to those in need,” it said.

Putin said he was ready to “coordinate efforts with all constructive partners to put an end to hostilities and stabilise the situation as quickly as possible.”

Also, Pope Francis’ representative in the Holy Land said on Monday he was willing to exchange himself for Israeli children taken hostage by Hamas and held in Gaza, The Jerusalem Post reported on Monday.

Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzaballa, the Patriarch of Jerusalem, made his comment in response to a question during a video conference with journalists in Italy.

“I am ready for an exchange, anything if this can lead to freedom, to bring the children home. No problem. There is total willingness on my part,” he said.

“The first thing to do is to try to win the release of the hostages, otherwise there will be no way of stopping (an escalation). We are willing to help, even me personally,” he said.

About 200 people were taken hostage and about a dozen of them are believed to be children.

United States President Joe Biden in an interview aired Sunday had told 60 Minutes that it would be a “big mistake” for Israel to occupy Gaza but said that the country had to respond to the Hamas attack last weekend.

CBS News reports that when asked if it was “time for a ceasefire” given the loss of lives, Biden said, “Look, there’s a fundamental difference. Israel is going after a group of people who have engaged in barbarism that is as consequential as the Holocaust. And … I think Israel has to respond. They have to go after Hamas. Hamas is a bunch of cowards. They’re hiding behind the civilians. They put … their headquarters where civilians are and buildings and the like. But to the extent they can separate out … the Israelis are gonna do everything in their power to avoid the killing of innocent civilians.”

Egypt said on Monday that Israel was not cooperating with the delivery of aid into Gaza and evacuations of foreign passport holders via the only entry it does not wholly control, leaving hundreds of tonnes of supplies stuck.

Cairo says the Rafah crossing, a potentially vital opening for desperately needed supplies into the Israeli-besieged Palestinian enclave, is not officially closed but was made inoperable due to Israeli air strikes on the Gaza side.

“There is an urgent need to alleviate the suffering of Palestinian civilians in Gaza,” Egypt’s Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry told reporters, adding that talks with Israel had not been fruitful.

As Israeli air strikes pounded the Gaza Strip ahead of an expected ground offensive, the enclave’s residents were getting more desperate by the hour as water ran out, garbage piled up, explosions flattened homes and hospitals struggled to cope.

Desperate to get some drinking water, some people began digging wells in areas adjacent to the sea or were relying on salty tap water from Gaza’s only aquifer, which is contaminated with sewage and seawater, Reuters reports.

Gaza authorities said at least 2,750 people, mostly civilians and among them more than 700 children, had been killed and nearly 10,000 wounded. A further 1,000 people were missing, believed to be under rubble.

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz on Monday confirmed media reports he would travel to Israel and Egypt this week in the wake of the deadly attack by Hamas militants.

“It is important to me to also express my solidarity with Israel very practically with my visit,” he told reporters, while confirming a “later trip” to Egypt, according to AFP.

Written by Gbenga Oloniniran and Gift Habib with Agency Report

Credit: The Punch Newspaper

Euro qualifier: Belgium vs Sweden match abandoned after two people shot dead.

Euro qualifier: Belgium vs Sweden match abandoned after two people shot dead.

The Euro qualifier game between Belgium and Sweden has been called off after reports of a shooting in the city left two Swedish people dead, BBC reports Monday.

The shooting occurred in Brussels before the game while the gunman was said to have fled the scene and is still at large.

Swedish fans have been told to stay inside the King Baudouin Stadium “for their own safety after the game was stopped” at half-time. 

In its reaction, UEFA stated in a tweet late Monday night, “Following a suspected terrorist attack in Brussels this evening, it has been decided, after consultation with the two teams and the local police authorities, that the Uefa Euro 2024 qualifying match between Belgium and Sweden is abandoned. Further communication will be made in due course.”

The Swedish players told UEFA of their unwillingness to continue the match which was also agreed by the Belgian team, according to Swedish broadcaster TV6.

It is not yet known whether the victims were in Brussels to watch the Euro 2024 qualifier.

Credit: The Punch Newspaper

Blue rail line resumes, targets 74 daily trips November.

Blue rail line resumes, targets 74 daily trips November.

The Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, has warned Lagosians that the Blue Rail Line tracks are not a marketplace.

Sanwo-Olu said this on Monday while announcing the resumption of the Blue Line Rail which was earlier suspended at the weekend.

“I am happy to announce that the LRMT Blue Line is back on track energised with an increase in trips from 12 trips to 54 trips per day and this will rise to 74 trips by the end of November, thanks to the hard work of the Lagos Metropolitan Area Transport Authority.

“The first trip starts at 6:30 am and your daily commute has now become even smoother with a schedule you can plan around as well as with the Cowry Card and discounts to help you plan your expenses better.

“We temporarily paused the Blue Line this weekend for your safety, and now we have fully energised the line for a brighter future,” Sanwo-OLu wrote on X via @jidesanwoolu.

Warning against nefarious activities around the rail tracks, the governor stated: “Please do not attempt to access the rail tracks for any nefarious or otherwise activities and it bears repeating that the train tracks are not a marketplace.”

Meanwhile, the Lagos State Government, on Monday, ordered the reopening of Mile 12 International Market after it was sealed on Friday.

The Commissioner for Environment and Water Resources, Tokunbo Wahab, said the market was reopened after a thorough assessment, covering various aspects of environmental compliance, waste management practices and general cleanliness within the market.

He noted that issues critical to the environment, public health and safety were not negotiable as the government would not watch helplessly as those values were compromised and eroded by the conduct of a few people.

“We cannot continue to be nonchalant about our environment. Our negative attitude towards the environment must stop.

“The way we treat the environment is the way the environment treats us. We cannot fold our arms and allow the nonchalance of a few to affect the generality of the people.

“Following full compliance with environmental standards and safety measures earlier listed as a precondition for reopening shut markets, the Lagos State Government has ordered immediate reopening of Mile 12 International Market.”

He urged the traders to play by the rules of acceptable standards, by putting a premium on hygiene for their health and that of the public, stressing that the government would not shy away from shutting down any market that returns to the old filthy ways.

Credit: The Punch Newspaper.

Akpabio behind my removal from Senate, Abbo alleges.

Akpabio behind my removal from Senate, Abbo alleges.

The Court of Appeal in Abuja, on Monday, nullified the election of the senator representing Adamawa North Senatorial District, Elisha Abbo.

The appellate court declared the candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, Amos Yohanna, as the winner of the February 25 senatorial election.

Yohanna had in a petition filed at the tribunal sitting in Yola challenged the declaration of  Abbo, who contested on the platform of the All Progressives Congress, as the winner of the poll, arguing that Abbo did not score the majority of lawful votes cast.

He contended that the poll was marred by irregularities, such as false entries, alteration, and cancellation of votes at several polling units, among others.

The appellate court, in its judgment on Monday, upheld Yohanna’s contention and nullified Abbo’s election.

The Court of Appeal is the final court for the determination of disputes arising from senatorial election cases.

Speaking to journalists at his residence in Abuja after learning about his sacking, Abbo blamed his fate on the Senate President, Senator Godswill Akpabio.

He alleged that Akpabio had a hand in the unfavourable court judgment against him. He alleged further that the Senate President had penciled down four other senators for removal through the court.

“I have it from a reliable source and a very highly placed one for that matter, that myself and four other senators within the fold of the ruling All Progressives Congress would be removed from the Senate through rulings from the courts,  all because of working against emergence of Akpabio as President of the 10th Senate.

“I won’t mention the names of all the four other ones targeted but the next in line is Senator Orji Uzor Kalu,” Abbo claimed.

Faulting the court judgment, Abbo insisted that there was no way the PDP candidate could have defeated him at the poll. He said he was so popular that his margin of victory against the PDP candidate was 11,000 votes.

“The court judgment is strange and the judiciary needs to please remain the last hope of the common man.

“For President Bola Tinubu, I must declare that this is not the democracy he fought for and should please lead in protecting it,” he added.

He, however, appealed to his supporters to remain calm, vowing that he would be back in the Senate in 2027.

Credit: The Punch Newspaper

Red Cross to lift 1.09m Nigerians with 27m Swiss Francs.

Red Cross to lift 1.09m Nigerians with 27m Swiss Francs.

Hope brightened yesterday for 1,092,300 Nigerians facing hunger, nutrition, water, sanitation and hygiene crises. They will be lifted by the International Federation of Red Cross Society (IFRC) through the Nigerian Red Cross.

The IFRC announced CHF27 million (Swiss Francs) support for its local chapter in Nigeria.

The humanitarian organisation said that 24.8 million Nigerians face acute food insecurity, adding it has succeeded in raising CHF 2,138,031, which it said was less than eight per cent of the funds.

It said the interventions will cover 13 states in the Northwest, Northcentral, Southwest and the Southeast.

The states are: Sokoto, Kebbi, Zamfara, Katsina, Jigawa, Kano Kaduna, Niger, Nasarawa, Borno, Lagos and Imo.

The disclosures were made at a fact-sheet session at the Hunger Crisis Media Parley by the Head, Abuja Delegation of IFRC, Bhupinder Tomar.

Tomar said: “IFRC today seeks CHF 27million to support Nigerian Red Cross Society to respond to the hunger crisis.

“1,092,300 will receive aid in the form of cash assistance, food and nutrition and water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH).”

Giving the breakdown of the beneficiaries which was compiled in partnership with the Nigerian Red Cross, he said: “600,000 people will receive water, Sanitation and hygiene assistance. 396,000 will receive health and nutrition support, including child Supplementary feeding.

“330,000 people will receive cash voucher assistance through multi-purpose cash grants and 66,000 people will receive livelihoods support and training in income generating activities and livestock production.”

He said the interventions of the society were to complement what the Federal Government has been doing.

Tomar added: “I am happy that the government is responding to this national emergency and doing its best. I think, we (the public) have contributions to make. Famine or hunger is human created. There is nothing natural about famine or hunger. It is unnatural. We must all rise up to play our roles.

He warned that if urgent action was not taken, “large external shocks may accentuate the challenges at hand.”

On her part, the Senior Communications Officer, Africa Hunger Crisis Appeal, Anne Wanjiru said 22 other sub-Saharan countries were also facing hunger.

She said about 146 milion in Southern Africa have been facing severe hunger with some households hardly getting a meal daily.

“The hunger crisis is largely climate induced but fuelled by conflict. It is time to put an end to the vicious cycle,” she said.

The President of the society, Oluyemisi Adeaga, urged Nigerians to come to the aid of the vulnerable who are uncertain of a meal or the next meal at  any time.

He said the Red Cross was out to fill the gaps in catering for the vulnerable.

He said: “Our initial target was seven states in north-west and north-central Nigeria. That number has now been scaled up to 13 states as we are seeing an increase in the number of people who are going hungry due to a multiplicity of factors.”

 ”Indeed, the urgency of the situation is not lost on President Bola Tinubu who declared a state of emergency on food insecurity and ordered the immediate release of fertilisers and grains to farmers.”

“President Tinubu also approved that all matters pertaining to food and water availability as well as affordability, as essential livelihood items, be included within the purview of the National Security Council.

 ”We call on all well-meaning people and organizations to join the efforts of the Nigerian Red Cross Society to bring relief to some of the most vulnerable members of our society who now face the human indignity of not knowing where their next meal will come from.”

Credit: The Nation Newspaper.

Nasarawa Guber: Gov Sule appeals Tribunal’s judgment nullifying his election.

Nasarawa Guber: Gov Sule appeals Tribunal’s judgment nullifying his election.

Nasarawa governor, Abdullahi Sule, and the state chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) have filed an appeal to contest the ruling of the State Governorship Election Petition Tribunal, which declared the PDP candidate, David Umbugadu, as the victor of the March 18th gubernatorial election.

The tribunal led by its chairman, Ezekiel Ajayi in a split judgement of two against one had directed the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC to withdraw the certificate of return from Abdullahi Sule and issue it to David Umbugadu of the PDP.

The chairman in its majority judgement delivered October 2, said the evidence before its panel indicated that the election was won by the PDP candidate David Umbugadu and not Engr Abdullahi Sule of the APC.

The PDP candidate, David Umbugadu who equally filed an appeal challenging the minority judgement that upheld the election of Governor Abdullahi Sule, is asking the appeal court to set aside the minority judgement and uphold the majority judgement which returned him as the winner of the election.

The certified true copies of their notices of appeal, a copy which was obtained by our Correspondent yesterday in Lafia are dated 15th October 2023 and signed by their various lawyers.

Governor Sule in his notice of appeal listed twenty-seven (27) grounds to fault the decision of the Justice Ezekiel Ajayi-led Tribunal, asking the appellate court to dismiss the majority judgement sacking him and uphold the majority judgement of the tribunal.

The Governor says he has faith, trust, and confidence in the judiciary to set aside the Nasarawa petition tribunal judgment nullifying his election.

Governor Sule urged the Appellate Court to set aside the decision of the lower court and affirm his election victory as declared by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

Joined in the appeal are David Emmanuel Ombugadu, People’s Democratic Party (PDP), INEC, and the All Progressives Congress (APC) as 1st, 2nd, 3rd, and 4th respondents respectively.

The electoral umpire, INEC had announced Governor Abdullahi Sule as the winner of the election, but unsatisfied with the declaration, Ombugadu of the PDP approached the Election Petition Tribunal to seek redress over alleged malpractices.

The Tribunal in a split Judgement declared the PDP candidate as the lawfully elected Governor of the State. This, Governor Sule rejected, insisting that the petition lacks merit and ought to have been dismissed.

The Nation Newspaper.

Oyebanji Signs Five Bills To Law At One Year Anniversary.

Oyebanji Signs Five Bills To Law At One Year Anniversary.

In celebration of his one-year anniversary in office, Governor Biodun Oyebanji of Ekiti State has signed into law five new bills recently passed by the Ekiti State House of Assembly.

The bills that were formally signed into law are as follows:

1. Ekiti State Lotteries and Gaming Law 2023.
2. Ekiti State Development and Investment Promotion Agency (EKDIPA) Law 2023.
3. Ekiti State Electricity Power Sector Law 2023.
4. 2023 Supplementary Appropriation Law.

The brief yet significant ceremony took place at the Exco Chamber within the Governor's Office in Ado Ekiti.

The event was graced by several dignitaries, including the Deputy Governor, Chief Monisade Afuye; the Governor's wife, Dr. Olayemi Oyebanji; the Speaker of the Ekiti State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon Adeoye Aribasoye; members of the Assembly, and various state executive council members, among others.