Slave markets is on the rise up across Libya trading impoverished African migrants who arrived on the Mediterranean coast dreaming of a greener pasture in Europe. A new investigation has revealed people are being sold as modern-day slaves  at the rate of £300 ($400).

According to CNN which exposed the racket, slave sales are conducted on the outskirts of the nation's capital, Tripoli, where auctions take place for various types of manual labourers. In one case, a video was made available, which shows the sale of "big strong boys for farm work".

An undercover operation revealed similar auctions where around a dozen people were sold in a matter of five to six minutes. "Does anybody need a digger? This is a digger, a big, strong man, he'll dig," an auctioneer calls out in one clip. "What am I bid, what am I bid?"

The interested bidders raise their hands till a final price is decided on following which the new slaves are transferred in the possession of their new "masters".

Slavery is getting a boost in places like Libya that are seeing a wave of desperate migrants from North Africa, hoping to find a better life in Europe. A crackdown by local authorities on boats ferrying people to the coast of Italy has turned smugglers to another profession — that of flesh traders.

At a detention centre in Tripoli, one young man recalled how he ended up becoming an indentured servant after he ran out of money. Victory Oghenero, 21, left Nigeria with his life savings and hopes of a brighter future. On reaching Libya he was forced to live in inhuman conditions and later sold as a day labourer once he could not afford to pay his smugglers.

He expected to pay off his debt through work but was unable to make enough. Finally his smugglers contacted his family for ransom. He was released after paying them a total of more than $2,780.

"If you see most of the people here, check their bodies, you will see marks. They have been beaten, mutilated," he said of his fellow detainees who were reportedly suffered a same fate.

On being made aware of the slave trade in the region, the authorities said they were not aware of the auctions but confirmed the presence of organised gangs operating smuggling rings.

Earlier this yet, the International Criminal Court (ICC) expressed interest in investigating crimes against immigrants in Libya, after the International Organization for Migration (IOM) warned about people being sold at slave markets in the country.

source: cnn

Zimbabwe’s military has read out a statement after taking over the national broadcaster, ZBC, saying it has taken action to “target criminals”.
However, it said this was not “a military takeover of government” and President Robert Mugabe was safe.

Heavy gunfire and artillery were heard in northern suburbs of the capital, Harare, early on Wednesday.
Zimbabwe’s envoy to South Africa, Isaac Moyo, earlier dismissed talk of a coup, saying the government was “intact”.

The statement read out by the military came hours after soldiers overran the headquarters of ZBC. An officer in uniform said: “We wish to assure the nation that his excellency the president… and his family are safe and sound and their security is guaranteed.”

The statement added: “We are only targeting criminals around him who are committing crimes… that are causing social and economic suffering in the country. As soon as we have accomplished our mission, we expect that the situation will return to normalcy.”

The statement did not name those targeted but a government source quoted by Reuters said finance minister Ignatius Chombo was among those detained.
It is not clear who is leading the military action.

The UK Foreign Office advised Britons “currently in Harare to remain safely at home or in their accommodation until the situation becomes clearer”.
The US embassy in Harare tweeted that it would be closed on Wednesday “due to ongoing uncertainty”.

It also advised US citizens in Zimbabwe to “shelter in place” until further notice.
The latest events came hours after Zimbabwe’s ruling party accused the country’s army chief of “treasonable conduct” after he warned of possible military intervention.
General Constantino Chiwenga had challenged 93-year-old President Mugabe after he sacked the vice-president.

source: bbc

The wife of the leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB),  Uchechi Okwu-Kanu, wrote to Newsweek earlier in October to say she was sure that her husband had been killed and that the Nigerian government was covering up his death.

The lawyer of the IPOB leader, Ifeanyi Ejiofor, said on Tuesday that he did not know whether his client was dead or alive and had not seen him since the alleged raid on Kanu’s home in Umuahia, southeast Nigeria, the BBC reported.

There were gunshots on a wall at the family home of Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) leader Nnamdi Kanu features a painted flag of the former Republic of Biafra and holes purportedly caused by bullets, in the city of Umuahia, southeastern Nigeria, on September 27.

The Nigerian military denied that the raid—which Kanu’s supporters say happened on September 14 and resulted in some 20 IPOB members being shot dead—ever took place and have said that Kanu is not in their custody.

The trial has been adjourned until November 20, with the court ordering Kanu’s team to produce him on that date, but the IPOB leader is yet to be found.

Leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra, ​IPOB, ​Nnamdi Kanu, ​has declared that the entire people of the Southeast were in support of his secession agenda.

He dismissed reports that he was flouting court order by granting interviews, saying President Muhammadu Buhari and the Department of State Services, DSS, were the ones who regularly disregard the law.

​In a chat with journalists yesterday, Kanu warned Igbos in the North to leave, saying, ​”​It is up to them (to stay), they have been in the North, and they have been killing us (Igbos) since 1945. If you chose to live in the North, you chose to be a sacrificial lamb because one day, they will kill you”.

Kanu also lambasted Arewa youths who gave the October 1 ultimatum to Igbos and described them as “street urchins”.

The IPOB leader also gave his position on the November 18 governorship election in Anambra State.

​His words: “​There will not be any election in Anambra on the 18th of November, 2017, and there won’t be any going forward until they give me a date for a referendum.

​”​They know what to do, it is very simple. They should convene a meeting, I attend or I send my representative and they give us a date. That is very simple. That is the only way we can have elections​”​.
​
Asked ​if he was not bothered that Ohanaeze Ndigbo and other Igbo leaders have distanced themselves from his call for election boycott, Kanu said, “No, I’m not because the people are with us. We control the people 100 per cent. And come to Anambra on the 18th of November, 2017, the whole world will be amazed”.

​”If people come out to vote, IPOB ​will not ​do​ anything. We are entirely peaceful. We are not stopping anyone from voting. If you want to vote, you can go and vote. We are democrats​”​.

​On his interviews and if he considered them being against his bail conditions, the IPOB leader replied, “You (journalists) asked me a question. Do you suggest I should ignore you? I am not giving an interview, I am responding to the question you asked me.

“The judge is a very learned fellow. She cannot stop me from speaking. Buhari and the DSS have been in multiple breach of court order after court order. I wish you can go to the DSS and ask Daura, what is his name? Lawal whatever his name is, the DSS Director General, why doesn’t DSS obey court orders?

“They are the ones flouting the court orders. It’s not me. What I am doing is entirely legal. You ask me a question and I respond because if I keep quiet, you see me as a very arrogant fellow”.

​Kanu said ​further that ​
Igbos who insist they will remain in North ​are on their own even as he declared that Arewa youths were not an issue.

​”​I don’t know who they are. Inconsequential street urchins​, badly educated. Not polished nor cultured enough to offer any opinion on any issue of great importance. So why should I respond to them?

“Nobody can stop us. We are unstoppable. I can say with every ounce of confidence, Biafra will come. If you like, go and own one thousand storey building in Kafanchan, that is your business. It has nothing to do with us. We are fighting for our freedom.

“Look at these kids here, they are paying fees to go to school. They are striving to survive every blessed day because of a very failed system of governance and you want me to abandon them because you own a hotel in Funtua? I can’t do that.”

Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Lieutenant General TY Buratai, on Tuesday, approved the special promotion of 6,199 soldiers fighting Boko Haram.

The soldiers, part of Operation LAFIYA DOLE, were promoted to various ranks between Lance Corporals to Warrant Officers in the Nigerian Army.


This is contained in a statement by Brigadier General Sani Kukasheka Usman, Director Army Public Relations​.​

The breakdown of the beneficiaries of the special promotion are as follows:

1. Staff Sergeants – Warrant Officers –329
2. Sergeants – Staff Sergeants –371
3. Corporals – Sergeants –707
4. Lance Corporals – Corporals –1,290
5. Privates – Lance Corporals –3,502


“The COAS congratulates the beneficiaries and urged them to increase the tempo of the ongoing clearance operations of the Boko Haram terrorists in the North East”, the statement added.

The N-Power is set to give out different brands of device for beneficiaries in the course of their skill learning and acquisitions.

Government had announced that the distribution of first batch of the devices to be issued to N-Power volunteers would commence on July 15.

But it was shifted to a soon to be announced date.

The device are all tablets of 8 variants from which beneficiaries can select.

These are Afri-One (2-in 1), RLG Adulawo Limited, Samsung Tab E., Zinox Z Pad.

Others are Brain NPower IPAD,Techno Pad, Floss Signatures and Speedstar.

Majority of the first batch who have received N30,000 monthly stipends were able to select an N-Power device.

Those who made selection before March 27, 2017 are eligible for collection once distribution commences.

Basic features include: free one year internet subscription; pre-loaded learning materials to support assignments (Cisco, Google, Microsoft, Learn Africa all contributed content that can accessed); Over one million resources on each device.

Meanwhile, Acting President Yemi Osinbajo has extended registration for 2017 N-Power application by two weeks.

The application portal will now close on Thursday, July 27, 2017.

The N-Power Volunteer Corps is part of the Federal government’s Social Investment Programmes, under which it plans to hire 350,000 unemployed graduates

In a bid to lessen the incidence of flooding, the Lagos state government on Sunday ordered owners of buildings on drainage channels to immediately move or risk being removed.

In a statement issued on Sunday by Babatunde Adejare, state commissioner for environment, the government said the “lawless” activities of some people constantly endangers the lives and property of residents.

Adejare said the state government was  concerned that man-made causes have greatly contributed to the recent incidents of flooding in the state.

He listed some of the areas where buildings are erected on drainage channels to include Illubirin, Dolphin estate, Osborne Foreshore estate, Ikoyi, Osapa London, Ikota, Ogombo and Lekki.

He also said the massive investment of public fund into drainage clearing and de-silting “had been compromised by structures hindering the free-flow of water”.

“Therefore, it is now of paramount importance that owners of buildings or structures impeding the free-flow of storm water, wherever they exist in the state, are advised to voluntarily quit forthwith in the overriding public interest or risk being removed by the state government as no responsible government will allow the interest of a few to jeopardise the wellness and well-being of the generality of its people,” the statement read.

“In view of the grievous consequences of compromising drainage right of way and alignment, Lagosians are hereby warned to henceforth refrain from this illegal act, report perpetrators and cooperate with the Lagos state Government in its bid to achieve a flood-free, clean and livable state.”

Adejare further said the state government has resolved to reestablish the right of way of drainage infrastructure across the state in a bid to stem the tide of flooding.

“For the avoidance of doubt, Lagosians are once again reminded that the right of way for primary unlined (without concrete) channel is 25 meters and 15 meters for primary lined (with concrete) channel, while the right of way for secondary/connector channel is seven meters. The right of way for tertiary channel is three meters from the fence of the house,” he added.

Two dozen congressional Democrats Wednesday launched a no-confidence motion against Donald Trump, an effort that will have no practical effect but highlights the rancor aroused by the US president.

“This is an attempt at a political intervention,” Representative Steve Cohen told reporters as he unveiled the resolution questioning Trump’s fitness to serve as commander in chief.

Congress cannot remove a president except by impeachment, so a no-confidence motion would be non-binding.

But Democrats are hoping to send a message of frustration with a leader who has refused to release his taxes, launched verbal attacks on women and the press, pulled the United States out of a pivotal climate pact and cast doubt on the usefulness of traditional alliances.

If Cohen were to use procedural tactics to bring the resolution to the House floor, even for a simple request for a vote, it could serve as a strong if symbolic rebuke.

Cohen said the resolution details “misdeeds and actions that give people lack of confidence in him and the direction he is taking our country.”

They include accusations that Trump accepted payments from foreign powers including from officials staying at his hotels, and fired the FBI director because of the ongoing investigation into possible Trump campaign collusion with Russia.

The resolution urged the president to release his tax returns; “unequivocally acknowledge” that Russia interfered in the 2016 election; and refrain from using Twitter inappropriately.

Cohen said he discussed his motion with House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi and that she did not object.

“We have a president who actively undermines the very principles of our government, and a Republican Congress that makes excuses for him as though his behavior were normal,” said congresswoman and co-sponsor Judy Chu.

“It is not normal. Trump’s behavior is cruel, unethical and it is driving people’s faith in government to dangerously low levels.”

US resolutions of congressional censure are rare.

In 2007, the Senate considered a no-confidence motion against Bush-era attorney general Alberto Gonzalez, but it failed to advance.

Earlier this month a Democratic congressman formally filed the first article of impeachment against Trump, but the effort has been ignored by Republican leadership.

The Lagos State Government has announced restriction of vehicular movement in the state in view of the forthcoming elections across the 20 Local Governments and 37 Local Council Development Areas of the state.

According to a press release by the state’s Commissioner for Information and Strategy, STEVE AYORINDE, the restriction of movement across the state will be enforced between 8am and 2pm on Saturday July the 22^nd, to allow for a smooth conduct of the polls and unhindered participation.

The commissioner noted that the state is known for peaceful conduct of elections, and as such, urged residents to be peaceful and orderly on Saturday to cast their votes in their respective wards.

He explained that the restriction will allow the Lagos State Independent Electoral Commission, LASIEC, and the security agencies to distribute electoral materials in good time and ensure the sanctity of free and fair electoral process.

The family and friends of one of the alleged masterminds of the October 1, 2010 independence day bomb blast,

Edmund Ebiware, have led a peaceful rally in Abuja, asking for the release of their son.
They faulted the life sentence passed on him for being an accessory to treason by the trial Judge, Justice Gabriel Kolawole.

The Judge had struck out the same charge in the case of Charles Okah, who had stood trial with him.

Our Correspondent reports that the Ebiwares were a happy, united family, seven years ago but that changed after that fateful day.

Their breadwinner, Edmund, was charged alongside, Charles Okah, for having prior knowledge of the blast and making no effort to report the plans to the appropriate authorities.  He was Sentenced to life imprisonment.

The twist in the tale was that his alleged co-ally Charles Okah, had one of his charges on Treason, dismissed by the same trial Judge.

Edmund’s family, who had appealed his sentence, see this move as unfair. His Wife, says life has been difficult without him around.

The family insist that Edmund, is innocent, and has no connection with terrorism.
For now, the family can only keep their fingers crossed, and hope for the best, as they await the Judgement from the court of Appeal.