Thursday, February 6, 2014
Video - Nigeria's battle against cancer
Non Governmental Organisation's around the capital of Nigeria, Lagos offered free breast cancer and cervical cancer tests to Hundreds of women.
Wednesday, February 5, 2014
Nigerians in UK prisons not happy with prisoner exchange plan
Some Nigerians serving various jail terms in the UK have kicked against the recently signed Prisoner Transfer Agreement between Nigeria and British governments.
Dr Dalhatu Tafida, Nigeria’s High Commissioner to the UK, on Tuesday in London confirmed this in an interview with the Europe Correspondent of the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN).
Tafida said that some of the prisoners have expressed concern over returning to the country to complete their terms, citing poor prison facilities and stigma as main reasons.
While explaining the framework of the agreement, the envoy said that the prisoner transfer was not an automatic exercise whereby those in jail would return home immediately.
According to him, transfer will not be voluntary but decided by both governments.
Nigeria and UK in December 2013 signed the agreement which will make it possible for prisoners to return home and complete their terms.
The agreement is yet to be ratified by parliaments of the two countries.
Also, Tafida said that there had been a decline in the number of Nigerians in jail across the UK.
“In 2008 when I assumed office, there were 800 Nigerians serving various terms; but today, the figure had dropped to about 390.”
He attributed the development to less crime, adding that “those who finished their term were released”.
“Similarly, those without papers are returning home voluntarily as life is tough here,” he stressed.
Tafida further said that as many as 40 people were usually repatriated monthly under the UK-Nigeria repatriation programme.
PM News
Related story: Nigeria signs prisoner exchange deal with the UK
Dr Dalhatu Tafida, Nigeria’s High Commissioner to the UK, on Tuesday in London confirmed this in an interview with the Europe Correspondent of the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN).
Tafida said that some of the prisoners have expressed concern over returning to the country to complete their terms, citing poor prison facilities and stigma as main reasons.
While explaining the framework of the agreement, the envoy said that the prisoner transfer was not an automatic exercise whereby those in jail would return home immediately.
According to him, transfer will not be voluntary but decided by both governments.
Nigeria and UK in December 2013 signed the agreement which will make it possible for prisoners to return home and complete their terms.
The agreement is yet to be ratified by parliaments of the two countries.
Also, Tafida said that there had been a decline in the number of Nigerians in jail across the UK.
“In 2008 when I assumed office, there were 800 Nigerians serving various terms; but today, the figure had dropped to about 390.”
He attributed the development to less crime, adding that “those who finished their term were released”.
“Similarly, those without papers are returning home voluntarily as life is tough here,” he stressed.
Tafida further said that as many as 40 people were usually repatriated monthly under the UK-Nigeria repatriation programme.
PM News
Related story: Nigeria signs prisoner exchange deal with the UK
Retired Nigerian Olympian athlete sentenced to life in prison
Judge Johan Kruger said Monye and Gouws were callous, cold-blooded killers who only confessed their guilt to Henning's murder to save their own hides.
Henning was gunned down by two men on a motorcycle shortly after dropping her son off at a creche in Faerie Glen in the east of Pretoria in November 2011.
Former policeman Gerhardus du Plessis and his friend Willem Pieterse later pleaded guilty to the murder and were each sentenced to 18 years imprisonment.
Nico Henning was arrested in December last year shortly after Gouws testified that Henning had offered him R1 million to murder his "troublesome" wife, with whom he was involved in a custody battle.
He is due to appear in the Pretoria Magistrate's Court again on a charge of murder on June 3, but no date has yet been set for his trial.
Monye on Monday followed suit when he admitted that he had acted as middle-man and roped in the hitmen for the murder of a woman he had never met after Gouws offered him R50 000.
Kruger said Henning's murder had been a contract killing, preceded by a conspiracy to murder and had been characterised by cold-blooded disregard for the life of a young woman and mother of a young child.
The services of contract killers had been obtained while the main instigator, Gouws, attempted to remove himself as far as possible from the execution itself by making use of a middle-man, Monye.
He in turn moved in the shadowy underworld of drug dealing and was well-placed in obtaining the services of hit-men.
"We live in a society where violent crime, in various forms, has almost become the order of the day and where peace-loving members of society are pestered by violent criminal deeds of almost unbearable proportions.
"The courts must heed society's outcries that violent crime must be dealt with in ways which will serve as a deterrent and prevention to potential and real criminals."
Kruger said Henning's murder was particularly of a cold-blooded, calculated and devious nature.
"The murder was executed on an unsuspecting young woman and mother of a young child who did neither of the two accused any harm, who was leading her own life and minding her own business, unaware that ill-intended men were planning to kill her.
"Murder is always utterly repugnant but the murder of Chanelle Henning remains an act beyond any reasonable comprehension."
He said he had no doubt in his mind that society demanded that the prescribed minimum sentence -- life imprisonment -- be imposed in a case such as this.
Kruger described Monye's role in the murder as "cold-hearted and callous beyond words".
"To him it was a faceless person to be killed, someone he knew nothing or very little about, but whom he wanted killed for personal gain regardless of the consequences.
"...It displays a total lack of even the most basic respect for the sanctity of human life," he said.
Gouws had first-hand knowledge of his victim and his claims that he had been "manipulated" by Nico Henning were not convincing.
He said the mere fact that Gouws had decided to spill the beans on Henning did not alter the seriousness of the crime or his moral blameworthiness.
"His conduct is inexcusable and speaks of a cruel and skewed mind.
"In this case the element of inter-personal knowledge (of his victim) adds to his moral blameworthiness. The scheme to have Chanelle Henning killed was designed by him," Kruger said.
The judge dismissed argument by both the defence and State that the accused's confessions amounted to substantial and compelling circumstances and justified lesser sentences than life imprisonment.
He said it was clear that the two had been motivated not by remorse, but by self-preservation.
"The envisaged prosecution of Henning and the proposed role to be played by the two accused in that process do not constitute substantial and compelling circumstances," he said.
He found that neither of the accused had shown any remorse for what they did.
"What is glaringly absent from Gouws's statement as well as from his oral evidence is any form or expression of regret or remorse. Not a word has been uttered by him in that regard.
He found that Monye's confession and expression of remorse was an afterthought and not sincere.
Henning's parents expressed satisfaction about the sentences, but said they still had a long road ahead of them with the trial of Nico Henning and that only their faith carried them through.
Gouws's mother Lenie was in tears and tightly hugged him. She did not want to speak to the media. - Sapa
iol
Tuesday, February 4, 2014
Nigerians seeking asylum in Netherlands due to anti-gay law
Amid fears that the number of Nigerians seeking asylum in gay-friendly countries would rise, the Royal Embassy of the Netherlands in Nigeria has confirmed that it has received some applications for asylum by some Nigerians who fear persecution and a backlash following the signing into law the anti-gay bill by President Goodluck Jonathan.
The embassy in an email to THISDAY, however, said it was neither involved in processing any application for asylum seekers nor does it have the power to grant asylum to applicants.
Since late last year when Jonathan assented to the Same-sex bill, Nigeria has come under criticisms from the United States and some European countries for criminalising same-sex unions.
Responding to concerns of a possible upsurge in the number of applicants seeking to flee Nigeria in the wake of the anti-gay clampdown, Netherlands said it could not predict whether there would be a rise in the number of those who want to flee Nigeria because of the new dispensation, adding that doing so would be mere speculation.
It however noted that even if there was an increase, it was expected to decrease as applicants become more aware about the modalities for asylum seekers in the Netherlands.
The email, which was received from the embassy, read: “The embassy has received a small number of applications for asylum by Nigerians. It is not possible to apply for asylum at the embassy. We inform the applicants likewise but we do not register the number of applications made.
“At this stage, it is not possible to make predictions. That would be speculation. However, when people become increasingly aware that it is not possible to apply for asylum at the embassy, one could expect a decrease. The embassy is not involved in the asylum process, neither in the application nor in the determination of the authenticity of claims.”
Also, a diplomat at the Canadian High Commission told THIISDAY that although there had been no significant increase in visa applications to Canada in recent times, asylum seekers could only obtain such privileges in Ottawa, on arrival in Canada.
“We cannot grant asylum to anyone here on any grounds, that is the prerogative of Ottawa. Such a Nigerian must have already satisfied regular visa requirements and must have travelled to Canada, he or she as the case may be, can now apply to stay back for fear of persecution upon return to Nigerian.
“But there would be investigations to ascertain if the person is gay and not just making claims,” the diplomat said.
Canada was one of the most vocal countries to condemn Nigeria's anti-gay law.
The Head, Political Section of the British High Commission in Abuja, Mr. Paul Edwards, also told THISDAY that it was too early to determine whether the law would have any impact on the number of asylum seekers.
In an email responding to THISDAY enquiries, Edwards said: “We cannot say at this stage whether the Act will have any impact on asylum claims. Asylum applications are assessed on whether a person can demonstrate that he or she faces genuine persecution in their country of origin.”
The Information Officer of the US Embassy in Abuja, Ms. Rhonda Ferguson-Augustus, said it was the duty of the US Department of Homeland Security to review asylum applications on a case-by-case basis.
“... and due to privacy concerns, we cannot comment on these cases,” she added.
An official of the embassy also confided in THISDAY that there was no truth in reports that the embassy was already experiencing an increase in visa applications from asylum seekers on such grounds.
“The law is relatively new, so we have not experienced such increase, but we expect to have applications from asylum seekers who wish to escape the hostilities soon. People seek asylum for matters less serious than this, so we expect that the increase would happen,” the official said.
Meanwhile, the Nigerian Government has accused western nations of double standard over the new law banning same-sex marriages.
Acting Minister of Foreign Affairs, Prof. Viola Onwuliri, said such criticisms stem from the “double standard” of the West.
Speaking to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, on the sidelines of the just concluded AU summit, Onwuliri said the president signed the law in the interest of Nigerians and democracy.
“What happened in Nigeria is democracy in action and it will really be unfortunate that people who are talking about democracy when they now see democracy work, they want us to go against democracy,” she said.
“Is democracy for picking and choosing? When it suits them, they want us to have good governance and democracy, but when it does not suit them, they want us to go against the democracy that has been put in place.
“The National Assembly took a decision, the National Assembly is the face of democracy in Nigeria, they are the representatives of the people, they form the voice of the people and they have spoken,” she added.
On the situation in South Sudan and the Central African Republic (CAR), the minister said Nigeria strongly backs the AU and regional groups’ role in demanding the return of peace and stability in the regions.
“Nigeria has taken a position on the need for peaceful resolutions in conflict situations in Africa, safety of lives and property and ensuring that women and children are safe in conflict areas,” she said.
The minister acknowledged that there had been demands for Nigeria to contribute troops to the African-led International Mission (MISCA) in CAR.
“The decision (to deploy troops to CAR) is for the president and commander-in-chief, but it’s not something new to us because Nigeria has been involved in peacekeeping since the 1960s,” she said.
This Day
The embassy in an email to THISDAY, however, said it was neither involved in processing any application for asylum seekers nor does it have the power to grant asylum to applicants.
Since late last year when Jonathan assented to the Same-sex bill, Nigeria has come under criticisms from the United States and some European countries for criminalising same-sex unions.
Responding to concerns of a possible upsurge in the number of applicants seeking to flee Nigeria in the wake of the anti-gay clampdown, Netherlands said it could not predict whether there would be a rise in the number of those who want to flee Nigeria because of the new dispensation, adding that doing so would be mere speculation.
It however noted that even if there was an increase, it was expected to decrease as applicants become more aware about the modalities for asylum seekers in the Netherlands.
The email, which was received from the embassy, read: “The embassy has received a small number of applications for asylum by Nigerians. It is not possible to apply for asylum at the embassy. We inform the applicants likewise but we do not register the number of applications made.
“At this stage, it is not possible to make predictions. That would be speculation. However, when people become increasingly aware that it is not possible to apply for asylum at the embassy, one could expect a decrease. The embassy is not involved in the asylum process, neither in the application nor in the determination of the authenticity of claims.”
Also, a diplomat at the Canadian High Commission told THIISDAY that although there had been no significant increase in visa applications to Canada in recent times, asylum seekers could only obtain such privileges in Ottawa, on arrival in Canada.
“We cannot grant asylum to anyone here on any grounds, that is the prerogative of Ottawa. Such a Nigerian must have already satisfied regular visa requirements and must have travelled to Canada, he or she as the case may be, can now apply to stay back for fear of persecution upon return to Nigerian.
“But there would be investigations to ascertain if the person is gay and not just making claims,” the diplomat said.
Canada was one of the most vocal countries to condemn Nigeria's anti-gay law.
The Head, Political Section of the British High Commission in Abuja, Mr. Paul Edwards, also told THISDAY that it was too early to determine whether the law would have any impact on the number of asylum seekers.
In an email responding to THISDAY enquiries, Edwards said: “We cannot say at this stage whether the Act will have any impact on asylum claims. Asylum applications are assessed on whether a person can demonstrate that he or she faces genuine persecution in their country of origin.”
The Information Officer of the US Embassy in Abuja, Ms. Rhonda Ferguson-Augustus, said it was the duty of the US Department of Homeland Security to review asylum applications on a case-by-case basis.
“... and due to privacy concerns, we cannot comment on these cases,” she added.
An official of the embassy also confided in THISDAY that there was no truth in reports that the embassy was already experiencing an increase in visa applications from asylum seekers on such grounds.
“The law is relatively new, so we have not experienced such increase, but we expect to have applications from asylum seekers who wish to escape the hostilities soon. People seek asylum for matters less serious than this, so we expect that the increase would happen,” the official said.
Meanwhile, the Nigerian Government has accused western nations of double standard over the new law banning same-sex marriages.
Acting Minister of Foreign Affairs, Prof. Viola Onwuliri, said such criticisms stem from the “double standard” of the West.
Speaking to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, on the sidelines of the just concluded AU summit, Onwuliri said the president signed the law in the interest of Nigerians and democracy.
“What happened in Nigeria is democracy in action and it will really be unfortunate that people who are talking about democracy when they now see democracy work, they want us to go against democracy,” she said.
“Is democracy for picking and choosing? When it suits them, they want us to have good governance and democracy, but when it does not suit them, they want us to go against the democracy that has been put in place.
“The National Assembly took a decision, the National Assembly is the face of democracy in Nigeria, they are the representatives of the people, they form the voice of the people and they have spoken,” she added.
On the situation in South Sudan and the Central African Republic (CAR), the minister said Nigeria strongly backs the AU and regional groups’ role in demanding the return of peace and stability in the regions.
“Nigeria has taken a position on the need for peaceful resolutions in conflict situations in Africa, safety of lives and property and ensuring that women and children are safe in conflict areas,” she said.
The minister acknowledged that there had been demands for Nigeria to contribute troops to the African-led International Mission (MISCA) in CAR.
“The decision (to deploy troops to CAR) is for the president and commander-in-chief, but it’s not something new to us because Nigeria has been involved in peacekeeping since the 1960s,” she said.
This Day
Monday, February 3, 2014
Video - Nigeria determined to provide support for local farmers
Nigerian farmers have said they are suffering major losses because of illegal rice imports.But the government has developed a scheme to stave off the country's reliance on imported rice.It will supply farmers with improved seeds and fertiliser and hopes to phase out imports in three years.Up to 60 percent of the country's agricultural land is currently untouched due to a lack of farming skills, access to fertiliser and money to cultivate crops.
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