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NUJ Ondo state calls for action against the killers of its member Bunmi Afuye

NUJ Ondo state calls for action against the killers of its member Bunmi Afuye

The Ondo state Chapter of the Nigeria Union of journalists has called for the killers of its member Bunmi Afuye who was shot dead in a bank robbery to be brought to book.

In a statement jointly signed by the Chairman Adetona Aderoboye and secretary Leke Adegbite described the Killing as “the highest level of callousness, wickedness and an unforgivable act of cutting short the life of one of our brightest, cerebral and versatile colleagues”.

The union said it was ” sunset at noon” for the state chapter of the NUJ adding that Bunni would be greatly missed as he touched the lives of many.
While consoling the family of Bunmi and that of the slain policeman, they called on security operatives to act fast and ensure that the perpetrators of the heinous crime are brought to book.

Gov Ayade excited as Cally Air makes maiden flight to Abuja

Gov Ayade excited as Cally Air makes maiden flight to Abuja

The Nnamdi Azikiwe International airport, Abuja was agog Thursday, as the Cross River State commercial airliner, Cally Air made its maiden landing.

Governor of Cross River State, Sir Ben Ayade who was at the tarmac for the historic touchdown of the aircraft expressed excitement over the flight which earlier left the Murtala Mohammed International airport Lagos for Abuja.

Ayade who boarded the plane upon landing, for inspection, said he was happy that the CallY Air dream which started in 2016 was a reality without any borrowing by the government, adding that intellectual money made procurement of the aircrafts possible.

The governor while congratulating the people of Cross River state for the feat said: “This is the beginning of Cross River state’s emancipation and complete decoupling from dependence on the federal government. My strong conviction is that Cally Air is the beginning of the privatization process of actually creating a private sector that never existed before. It is also the beginning of creating an alternative economy that never existed in Cross River state”.

Ayade further said that the Cally Air reality was a strong message that sub-nationals could actually become fully independent, observing that the Airliner was going to increase passenger traffic to Cross River state and the Obudu international airport which he disclosed would be completed by December, 2021.

“Let the people know today that anything your mind conceives can be achieved. Cally Air will also be flying Obudu and Obudu cattle ranch will have its huge traffic.”

According to the governor, Cally Air involvement in the Nigeria’s aviation industry would increase the industry standards for other aviators to follow while ensuring safety and punctuality remained paramount.

His words: “Even if I, as the governor, is late for boarding by one minute, the planes have to shut their doors and leave me on the ground. It is a commitment that I give that no one single Cross Riverian will have the right to keep this aircraft on the ground for one second. Leave as soon as its due. What I want is Cally on the dot”.

Onboard the CallyAir maiden flight to Abuja was the Cross River state commissioner for Aviation, Dr. Jake Otu Enyia. His finance counterpart, Asuquo Ekpenyong (Jnr.) was also at the Abuja airport with governor Ayade to witness the historic event.

The CallyAir Boeing 737-300 comes with special GPS system, best of its kind in use, and state-of-the-art communication system. It is the most successful aircraft type in the Boeing history and is renowned for having the highest safety record.

President Buhari performs Kano-Kaduna rail groundbreaking.

President Buhari performs Kano-Kaduna rail groundbreaking.

President Muhamadu Buhari says rail transport is one of his administration’s priority. The President said this during the ground breaking ceremony of the Kano -Kaduna rail project.


According to the President, the take off of the project signifies the commitment of his administration to the revival of Nigeria’s railway system to “reduce the deficiency in our transportation infrastructure and drive effective and more efficient transportation of passengers and freight within the country.”
He further said, “this railway connection when completed will establish the ports in Lagos, as the choice for import and export business of the people of landlocked Niger Republic. This would positively drive our economies through employment from new business opportunities and wealth creation.”

On his part, the minister of transport,Rotimi Amaechi in his speech, said the 203 km rail project had already given employment to 20,000 Nigerians.
“The project will no doubt improve the standard of living of citizens within its corridor, create employment and promote trade. In the long term the railway will help decongest the Lagos Port Complex and increase its efficiency as well as further increase the viability of the Inland Dry Ports located in Ibadan, Kaduna and Kano”.
Amaechi shed more light on the scope of the project.

‘The scope of the railway project involves a 203km double track standard gauge railway from Kano to Kaduna. The railway along this route traverses the major cities of Kaduna, Zaria and Kano with three (3) railway stations both for passenger and freight services at Rigachukun, Zaria and Kano with varying capacities and categories’.

“This project will link the Federal Capital, Abuja with the Commercial city of Kano and also link the ongoing Kano – Maradi project. The outstanding addendum, Ibadan – Abuja, will link the Sea Ports in Lagos to Maradi, Niger Republic. This I believe will greatly boost trade between the two countries and foster economic development. This railway line, will present an opportunity for Nigerians to traverse between Abuja and Kano via Kaduna with relative ease’.


Governor of Kano state Abdullahi Ganduje expressed appreciation to the President for granting his state the privilege of the rail project which he said will impact heavily on the people of Mano state.
The event was graced by the Emir of Kano, HRH Aminu Ado Bayero, the Emir of Zazzau and other traditional leaders.Also present were some Ministers and Senators.
The Kano – Kaduna railway project is a part of the third and outstanding segment of the Lagos ~ Kano railway modernization project. The first segment, Abuja – Kaduna Railway line, was flagged-off for commercial operation in July, 2016 and just recently, the second segment, Lagos – Ibadan railway line was commissioned for
commercial operation precisely on June 10 2021.

    Judge Denies Motion to Acquit Officer in George Floyd’s Death… by Raphael Bichene

    Judge Denies Motion to Acquit Officer in George Floyd’s Death… by Raphael Bichene

    The Minnesota judge presiding over the trial of Derek Chauvin denied a defense motion on Wednesday to acquit the former police officer facing murder and manslaughter charges for the death of George Floyd.

    Chauvin, who is white, was seen in a video taken by a bystander kneeling on Floyd’s neck for more than nine minutes as the handcuffed 46-year-old Black man complained repeatedly that he “can’t breathe.”

    Defense attorney Eric Nelson said prosecutors had failed to prove their case against the 45-year-old Chauvin beyond a reasonable doubt and he should be acquitted.

    The motion is a standard request in criminal trials at the end of the presentation of the prosecution case and it was rejected by Hennepin County Judge Peter Cahill.

    The motion for judgment of acquittal is denied,” Cahill said.

    The video of Floyd’s May 25, 2020 arrest touched off protests against racial injustice and police brutality in the United States and around the world.

    Prosecutors called nearly 40 witnesses during the first two weeks of the high-profile trial including medical experts, current and former police officers and bystanders to the arrest.

    Judge Cahill on Wednesday also said he would allow a potential defense witness to invoke his Fifth Amendment right not to testify.

    Morries Hall was with Floyd on the day of his arrest and his attorney, Adrienne Cousins, told the judge that Hall could “not answer any questions without incriminating himself.”

    “I’m fearful of criminal charges going forward,” Hall told the court.

    Nelson, Chauvin’s attorney, has suggested that Hall gave illegal drugs to Floyd and that his death was due to his consumption of fentanyl and methamphetamine and underlying health conditions.

    Medical experts called by the prosecution said Floyd’s death was caused by a “low level of oxygen” from the neck restraint and not due to drugs or pre-existing conditions.

    Nelson asked the judge on Monday to sequester the jury after protests erupted in Minneapolis following the police killing of a 20-year-old Black man.

    The judge denied the request and said the jury would be sequestered after closing arguments, which are expected on Monday.

    A conviction on any of the counts against Chauvin will require the nine-woman, five-man jury to return a unanimous verdict.

    Chauvin faces up to 40 years in prison if convicted of the most serious charge — second-degree murder.

    A 19-year veteran of the Minneapolis Police Department, Chauvin was fired from the force after Floyd’s death.

    Three other former police officers involved in Floyd’s arrest are to be tried separately later this year.

    Source: AFP

    Officer Who Shot Blackman Meant to Deploy Taser_Ada Nkong

    Officer Who Shot Blackman Meant to Deploy Taser_Ada Nkong

    The fatal shooting of a black man by a police officer in the US city of Brooklyn Center in Minnesota was an accident, the police chief has said.

    Daunte Wright, 20, was shot after the officer meant to use a Taser, but mistakenly drew her gun instead, Chief Tim Gannon told reporters.

    The officer was later named as Kim Potter who has worked for Brooklyn Center Police for 26 years.

    Mr Wright’s death has sparked protests and a curfew has been declared.

    Late on Monday, crowds defied the curfew to gather for a second night outside Brooklyn Center Police headquarters. Witnesses said some threw fireworks and bottles at officers who responded with tear gas and stun grenades.

    Tensions in nearby Minneapolis are high as the trial of an ex-officer accused of killing George Floyd continues.

    Daunte Wright was pulled over on Sunday for a traffic violation, but there was a struggle when he tried to get back into his car.

    At a news conference on Monday morning, Chief Gannon played a short video from the body camera worn by a policewoman, which shows Mr Wright trying to get back into his car as officers attempt to handcuff him on the side of the road.

    An officer can then be heard saying “Taser, Taser, Taser” – normal police procedure before firing one of the stun guns. Mr Wright is seen to get into his car and drive away, while the same officer says “I just shot him”.

    Fatally wounded, Mr Wright crashed a few streets away.

    “It is my belief the officer meant to deploy their Taser but shot him with a single bullet,” Chief Gannon said, adding: “There’s nothing I can say to lessen the pain.”

    The officer has been placed on administrative leave.

    At the same news conference, Brooklyn Center Mayor Mike Elliott said he would do everything in his power to “ensure justice is done for Daunte Wright”.

    “Our hearts are aching right now, we are in pain right now. We recognise this couldn’t have happened at a worse time. This is happening at a time that all of our community, all of America, indeed all of the world is watching,” he said.

    Protests and overnight curfew

    Angry protests erupted in Brooklyn Center on Sunday night as news of Mr Wright’s death spread.

    Hundreds of protesters chanting his name gathered late outside the police headquarters.

    About 20 businesses in a nearby shopping centre were later broken into, the StarTribune reported, with sporadic looting spreading to parts of Minneapolis.

    It prompted authorities to enforce an overnight curfew on Sunday night, and on Monday, the mayors of Minneapolis and neighbouring St Paul declared a local state of emergency. Another curfew is in place from 19:00 to 06:00 local time across the two cities.

    As darkness fell on Monday, riot police ordered protesters to disperse but the crowd remained, CBS reported. Police then began deploying gas canisters and stun grenades, reporters at the scene said.

    Members of the Minnesota National Guard, already deployed for the trial on murder charges of Derek Chauvin, have also been sent to Brooklyn Center.

    National ice hockey, basketball and baseball games that were due to take place on Monday night were postponed.

    Source: BBC

    Senate Fails to Impeach Trump. By Raphael Bichene

    Senate Fails to Impeach Trump. By Raphael Bichene

    The US Senate has fallen short of the two-thirds majority needed to convict former President Donald Trump on a charge of incitement to insurrection over the Capitol riot on 6 January.

    A majority of senators – 57 to 43, including seven Republicans – voted to convict Mr Trump, 10 votes short of the 67 required for conviction.

    After his acquittal, Mr Trump released a statement denouncing the trial as “the greatest witch hunt in history”.

    This was Mr Trump’s second impeachment.

    If he had been convicted, the Senate could have voted to bar him from running for office ever again.

    After the vote, the senior Republican in Congress, Senator Mitch McConnell said Mr Trump had been “responsible” for the assault on the Capitol and called it a “disgraceful, disgraceful dereliction of duty”.

    Earlier, he voted against conviction, saying it was unconstitutional now that Mr Trump was no longer president. Mr McConnell was instrumental in delaying Mr Trump’s trial until after he left office, on 20 January.

    However, Mr McConnell warned Mr Trump could still be held liable in court.

    “He didn’t get away with anything yet. Yet. We have a criminal justice system in this country, we have civil litigation and former presidents are not immune from being [held] accountable by either one,” he said.

    What happened on Saturday?

    In their closing statements, the Democratic House of Representatives lawmakers appointed to shepherd the process through the Senate warned that it would be dangerous to acquit Mr Trump.

    “The stakes could not be higher because the cold, hard truth is that what happened on 6 January can happen again,” Representative Joe Neguse said.

    “History has found us. I ask that you not look the other way,” Representative Madeleine Dean said.

    However, Mr Trump’s lawyer, Michael van der Veen, called the proceedings a “show trial” and said the Democrats were “obsessed” with impeaching Mr Trump.

    Source: BBC News

    Ghanaian Architect David Adjaye Becomes First African to Receive Royal Gold Medal . By Jessy Samuel

    Ghanaian Architect David Adjaye Becomes First African to Receive Royal Gold Medal . By Jessy Samuel

    Ghanaian architect Sir David Adjaye has received the 2021 Royal Gold Medal from the Royal Institute of British Architects in the UK. The award is one of the highest in the field.

    It’s the first time in the award’s 172-year history that it’s been presented to a Black architect.

    The judges praised Adiaye as “a singular and timely talent and a strong reminder of the insightful and integrative role of the architect.”

    Congratulations to one of Ghana’s finest exports.

    Source : Black Ghana Star

    Trump Leaves Whitehouse as President for Last Time by Raphael Bichene

    Trump Leaves Whitehouse as President for Last Time by Raphael Bichene

    President Trump departed the White House for the final time as president — leaving embattled, twice-impeached and with his lowest approval rating in his four years in office.

    Trump, in a black suit with a white dress shirt and trademark red tie, alongside outgoing first lady Melania Trump, in a black dress and coat, walked out on a red carpet before Trump briefly spoke to reporters and, for one last time as president, boarded Marine One, to depart the White House.

    Trump’s unconventional, norm-busting approach to the country’s institutions — that will likely outlast the one-term leader and leave a transformative and divisive legacy in Washington — continue on Biden’s Inauguration Day.

    He is not greeting the incoming president on the North Portico and joining him to the Capitol, as is tradition, but leaving town early for his Mar-a-Lago Resort in West Palm Beach, Florida, while he still bears the title as president and the aeronautical resources the office provides.

    Aides were seen carrying boxes to Marine One ahead of Trump’s departure.

    As Trump continues to refuse to accept the election results, he has also refused to make contact with the incoming president, despite the Biden’s staying across the street Monday night in Blair House — far from the warm welcomes given by previous presidents to their successors, no matter the party lines.

    Vice President Mike Pence will not appear at Trump’s departure at the White House, nor his “military-style send-off” at Joint Base Andrews. The outgoing vice president is scheduled to attend Biden’s inauguration.

    Though hours remain in his president, Trump hasn’t heard the last of Washington either as he still faces a second impeachment trial in the Senate.

    Source: ABC News

    Samsung Chief Sentenced to 2.5 Years in Prison Over Corruption Charges . by Raphael Bichene

    Samsung Chief Sentenced to 2.5 Years in Prison Over Corruption Charges . by Raphael Bichene

    The de facto chief of South Korea’s Samsung business empire was convicted Monday over a huge corruption scandal and jailed for two and a half years, in a ruling that deprives the tech giant of its top decision-maker.

    Lee Jae-yong, vice-chairman of Samsung Electronics, the world’s biggest smartphone and memory chip maker, was found guilty of bribery and embezzlement in connection with the scandal that brought down president Park Geun-hye.

    Lee “actively provided bribes and implicitly asked the president to use her power to help his smooth succession” at the head of the sprawling conglomerate, the Seoul Central District Court said in its verdict.

    “It is very unfortunate that Samsung, the country’s top company and proud global innovator, is repeatedly involved in crimes whenever there is a change in political power.”

    It jailed him for two and a half years, concluding a retrial that was the latest step in a long-running legal process that has hung over Samsung for years.

    The multi-billionaire Lee — who had earlier walked into court grim-faced and wearing a facemask, without responding to reporters’ shouted questions — was immediately taken into custody.

    He has effectively been at the head of the entire Samsung group for several years after his father was left bedridden by a heart attack, finally dying in October.

    “This is essentially a case where the freedom and property rights of a company were violated by the former president’s abuse of power,” Lee’s lawyer, Lee In-jae, told reporters.

    “Given the nature of the matter, I find the court’s ruling regrettable.”

    Samsung is by far the biggest of the family-controlled conglomerates, or chaebols, that dominate business in the world’s 12th-largest economy.

    Its overall turnover is equivalent to a fifth of the national gross domestic product and it is crucial to South Korea’s economic health.

    Its rise has been driven by a willingness to invest billions in strategic bets on key technologies.

    But experts say the sentence will create a leadership vacuum that could hamper its decision-making on future large-scale investments.

    “It’s really a huge blow and a big crisis for Samsung,” said Kim Dae-jong, a business professor at Sejong University.

    Samsung Electronics, the group’s flagship subsidiary, declined to comment on Monday’s ruling.

    Like many tech firms, its shares have risen significantly during the coronavirus pandemic, more than doubling from their lows in March, but closed down 3.4 percent on Monday.

    – Public apology –

    The case centres on millions of dollars the Samsung group paid Park’s secret confidante Choi Soon-sil, allegedly for government favours including ensuring a smooth transition for Lee to succeed his then-ailing father.

    The scandal highlighted shady connections between big business and politics in South Korea, with the ousted president and her friend accused of taking bribes from corporate bigwigs in exchange for preferential treatment.

    Lee was first jailed for five years in 2017, after Park’s ouster.

    He walked free the following year when an appeals court dismissed most of his bribery convictions and gave him a suspended sentence, but the Supreme Court later ordered the 52-year-old to face a retrial.

    In May, Lee made a rare public apology, bowing before flashing cameras for company misconduct including the firm’s controversial plan for him to ascend to the leadership.

    His own children, he promised, would not succeed him in top management roles at the company.

    Both Lee’s father Lee Kun-hee and grandfather — Samsung founder Lee Byung-chull — had brushes with the law themselves but never served time behind bars.

    In the past, leaders of South Korean conglomerates convicted of crimes such as tax evasion or bribery have been given presidential pardons in recognition of their economic role.

    The Federation of Korean Industries said in a statement: “Considering Samsung’s share of the Korean economy and its status as a global company, the ruling is feared to have a negative impact on the overall Korean economy.”

    Lee, it added, “has been helping to sustain the Korean economy by spearheading bold investment and job creation amid the economic crisis over the coronavirus”.

    Earlier this month, Samsung Electronics flagged a jump of more than 25 percent in fourth quarter operating profits, citing benefits from pandemic-induced working from home that boosted demand for devices powered by its chips.

    Analysts forecast a stable outlook for the company in 2021, driven by continued demand for memory chips.

    Source: AFP

    Trump Impeached Over Incitement by Raphael Bichene

    Trump Impeached Over Incitement by Raphael Bichene

    The US House of Representatives has impeached President Donald Trump for “incitement of insurrection” at last week’s Capitol riot.

    Ten Republicans sided with Democrats to impeach the president by 232-197.

    He is the first president in US history to be impeached twice, or charged with crimes by Congress.

    Mr Trump, a Republican, will now face a trial in the Senate, where if convicted he could face being barred from ever holding office again.

    But it is unlikely Mr Trump will have to quit the White House before his term in office ends in one week, as the Senate is not expected to convene in time.

    Mr Trump will leave office on 20 January, following his election defeat last November to Democrat Joe Biden.

    The Democratic-controlled House voted after several hours of impassioned debate on Wednesday.

    Source: BBC