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Germany charges former Gambian President Jammeh’s hitman with crimes against humanity

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The German authorities have charged a member of Gambia’s former leader Yahya Jammeh’s “hit squad” the junglers, Bai Lowe with crimes against humanity.

The former member of the army unit was charged for being part of the squad that carried out assassination on behalf of former Gambian leader.

Lowe – an ex-military – was arrested on March 16, 2021 on the basis of an arrest warrant from the investigating judge at the Federal Court of Justice and has been in custody since then.

Pp federal prosecutor announced that the country has filed charges against Lowe on suspicion of crimes against humanity, murder and attempted murder.

Lowe is alleged to have been involved in three “liquidation orders” and driving other Junglers to attack sites.

Among those targeted were the prominent newspaper editor, Deyda Hydara, a critic of the Jammeh government who was murdered in 2004, an alleged opponent, Dawda Nyassi, who was killed in 2006, and a lawyer, Ousman Sillah, who survived a murder attempt a year earlier. Lowe himself described his participation in these events in 2013 and 2014 radio interviews.

According to the indictment, between December 2003 and December 2006, Bai Lowe was a driver of the so-called “Patrol Team” of the Gambian Armed Forces (also known as “Junglers”).

The German prosecutors also accused Lowe, who was living in the city of Hannover, of having notably driven his accomplices to various crime scenes between December 2003 and December 2006.

“This unit was used by the Gambian president at the time, among other things, to carry out illegal killing orders. The aim was to intimidate the Gambian population and suppress the opposition. Against this background, the accused was involved in a total of three such liquidation orders,” German federal prosecutor said.

The prosecutor added: “At the end of December 2003, the accused’s unit was ordered to kill a lawyer in Banjul, the capital of Gambia. In his capacity as driver, the accused transported the other members to the scene of the attack. There, a member of the unit fired several shots at the lawyer who survived the act with serious injuries. A year later, the Patrol Team killed a Gambian journalist critical of the government. To this end, the unit, with the participation of Bai Lowe, stopped the journalist’s car on a street in the town of Kanifing. Two members of the unit then killed him with multiple shots, with Bai Lowe transporting one of the shooters in his vehicle.”

The prosecutor argued that in the aftermath, probably in 2006, members of the unit shot dead a suspected opponent of Jammeh near Banjul Airport.

According to Philip Grant, Executive Director of TRIAL International, who has provided evidence to the German authorities about this case, “the charges will lead to the opening of the first trial based on universal jurisdiction to judge the atrocities committed under Jammeh’s regime, and it would allow to shed light on the paramilitary unit of the Junglers and their ties to the former president, further preparing the ground for his prosecution.”

“The long arm of the law is catching up with Yahya Jammeh and his accomplices around the world,” said Reed Brody, a Commissioner with the International Commission of Jurists who works with Jammeh’s victims. Jammeh’s henchmen have been arrested in Germany, Switzerland and the United States, and the Gambian truth commission has called for the prosecution of his accomplices in The Gambia, and of Jammeh himself, now in Equatorial Guinea.”

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Tinubu vows justice for slain soldiers, bestows national honours on them during burial

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President Bola Tinubu has once again reiterated that killers of 17 soldiers of the Nigerian Army in Delta State on March 14 will not go unpunished as he has mandated security agencies to go after them and make them pay for their crimes.

An angry President Tinubu, who made the renewed vow during the burial of the slain soldiers at the National Cemetery in Abuja on Wednesday, assured their families, colleagues and Nigerians that those who perpetrated the dastardly attacks on the military personnel would be made to face the full weight of the law.

In his address at the solemn event, Tinubu declared that leaders in Delta State where the soldiers were ambushed, abducted and killed, must fish out the killers.

“They went as peacemakers and peacekeepers respectfully seeking to bring an end to the hostilities between the two communities,” President Tinubu said.

“They didn’t go with tanks, machine guns, or other weapons. They were on a mission of peace. They kept faith with their military calling until the end.

“Those who committed this heinous crime will not go unpunished. We will find them, and our departed heroes will get justice.’

“The elders and chiefs of Okuoma also have a duty to help the military in fishing out the gunmen who committed the barbaric crime against our men.”

President Tinubu also conferred national honours on the fallen soldiers, noting that they would forever be remembered as heroes who answered the call of duty and paid the ultimate price.

“On behalf of a grateful nation, we honour the sacrifice of the gallant patriots who died that day,” he said.

“Therefore, the Commander-in-Chief posthumously conferred the national honour of Member of the Order of the Niger (MON) on the late Commanding Officer 181 Amphibious Battalion, Lt. Col. Abdullahi Ali; Major Salihu Shafa; Major Daniel Obi and Captain Usman Zakari,” Tinubu declared.

He also conferred the honour of Officer of the Order of the Niger (OON) on the rank and file soldiers including Sgt Yahaya Saidu; Corporal Yahaya Danbaba; Corporal Kabiru Bashir; Lance Corporal Bulus Haruna; Lance Corporal Sola Opeyemi; Lance Corporal Bello Anas; Lance Corporal Hamman Peter; Lance Corporal Ibrahim Abdullahi; Private Alhaji Isah; Private Clement Francis; Private Abubakar Ali; Private Ibrahim Adamu and Private Adamu Ibrahim.

“Each man now belongs to the hallowed list of servicemen and women who defended our country and protected their fellow Nigerians, not minding the risk to their own lives.

“They have all been awarded posthumous national honours. The four gallant Officers have been accorded the Award of Member of the Order of Niger, MON.

“The thirteen courageous soldiers who also lost their lives have been Awarded the Officer of the Federal Republic Medal.”

He also announced government’s plans for the surviving widows, children agd relatives of the slain soldiers.

“The Federal Government will provide a house in any part of our country to each of the families of the four officers and 13 soldiers.

“The Federal Government has also approved scholarships for all the children of the deceased up to the university level. The military must, within the next 90 days, ensure that all the benefits of the departed are paid to their families,” the President added.

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Nigeria to begin seasonal reviews of oil firm’s plans on gas flaring

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Nigeria’s Minister of State for Environment, Dr Iziaq Salako, has revealed that the government intends to begin seasonal reviews of the plans of international and indigenous oil companies.

The minister said the plan will be executed through the National Oil Spill Detection and Response Agency to ensure the companies stay on course to end routine gas flaring by 2030.

Salako made this statement at the national stakeholder’s engagement meeting on methane mitigation and reduction in Nigeria’s oil and gas sector on Tuesday in Abuja.

The health and well-being of present and future generations, as well as the objectives of climate protection, are seriously threatened by methane, a powerful greenhouse gas that has a far higher warning potential than carbon dioxide.

Methane emissions reductions will bolster climate action and yield advantages for public health, food security, and economic growth, particularly in the oil and gas industry.

He noted that “Collaborative efforts of government institutions have led to the development of methane guidelines.  In addition, the Federal Ministry of Environment through the National Oil Spill Detection and Response Agency will be commencing the periodic review of the plans of international and indigenous oil companies to ensure they stay on course to end routine gas flaring by latest 2030.

“Furthermore, Nigeria is poised to embark on methane reduction projects that will enable Nigeria’s commitment to methane reduction and meeting net zero emissions by 2060. It is therefore reassuring to see initiatives such as the project methane mitigation and reduction in Nigeria’s oil and gas sector, which is being initiated with today’s event.

“This national stakeholders engagement event is expected to serve as a platform to discuss the complexities of methane mitigation and reduction within Nigeria’s oil and gas industry. Presentations here today, will provide insights and an overview of existing policies, and implementation strategies, including key stakeholders involved in these efforts. Through rigorous research and collaborative efforts, we can identify gaps, challenges, and opportunities for effective national actions.”

Nigeria is one of the largest oil producers in the world, as well as being a mineral-rich state but has had to deal with environmental hazards from the exploration of the resources. Nigeria is dealing with a wide range of environmental issues, including water and air pollution, oil spills, deforestation, desertification, erosion, and flooding (induced by insufficient drainage systems), which are primarily the results of mineral extraction activities.

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