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Kidnappers demand ransom for Nigerian school girls
Gunmen who kidnapped six female students and two staff members from their hostels at a remote school in northern Nigeria have made a ransom demand, the regional governor said.
Armed assailants gained entry to Engravers College, a mixed boarding school in a remote area just south of the city of Kaduna, early on Thursday and seized the victims.
“They have made a demand for money and that is being negotiated,” state governor Mallam Nasir El-Rufai told reporters in the capital Abuja.
They have made a demand for money and that is being negotiated.
The governor refused to disclose details of the demands or negotiations as the authorities were “trying to protect the victims and secure their release”.
Abductions for ransom are common in Nigeria and the school is located in an area that has become notorious for armed banditry.
It is far to the west of the region notorious for attacks by the Boko Haram jihadist group.
Boko Haram grabbed headlines around the world in 2014 for the abduction of 276 schoolgirls from the remote northeastern town of Chibok in Borno state.
Ethnic clashes kill 22 in Ethiopia’s Amhara region
Ethiopia continues to struggle with inter-ethnic clashes, with the latest round of violence between regional special forces and a minority ethnic group killing at least 20 people in the past five days in the northern state of Amhara.
The clashes are another headache for Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed, whose political and economic reforms in what was once one of Africa’s most repressive nations have also emboldened powerful strongmen building ethnic power bases.
Amhara, Ethiopia’s second-most populous province, has been a flash point for tensions following violence that killed dozens of people, including the region’s president, in June. The federal government described that violence as a coup led by a rogue state militia leader.
The latest clashes erupted last Friday, when armed men killed 10 people when they ambushed a minibus travelling to the city of Gondar in northern Amhara, Desalegn Chane, president of the new National Movement of Amhara (NAMA) party, told Reuters by phone.
The next day, 12 soldiers were killed when two convoys transporting Amhara special forces were also attacked, he said.
Iraq protests: Death toll soars after four days of protests
The death toll in anti-government protests that have swept Iraq the past five days has soared to at least 70, security and medical sources say. The figure has more than doubled since Friday, as clashes between protesters and police intensified.
The military said “unidentified snipers” had killed four people in Baghdad, including two police officers.
However the authorities lifted a daytime curfew in the capital early on Saturday.
Prime Minister Adel Abdel Mahdi earlier said protesters’ “legitimate demands” had been heard, but appealed for calm.
Spontaneous protests erupted on Tuesday amid frustration over Iraq’s high youth unemployment rate, its dire public services and chronic corruption.
It is seen as the first major challenge to Mr Mahdi’s fragile government, nearly a year since he came to power.
PDOIS wants clarification from F. Tambajang
The PDOIS is asking former Vice President Fatoumata Jallow-Tambajnag to clarify whether there was an amendment in the original text of the Coalition agreement which was signed by its members; and if so, whether the amended version has been signed too.
Below is the letter addressed to Ms. Jallow Tambajang:
Dear Honourable Jallow Tambajang,
The media houses have been approaching PDOIS for explanation whether the text of an amendment to the 17th October 2016 Coalition agreement had been agreed upon and signed by coalition partners. We are not aware of the crafting and signing of any text purporting to be an amendment to the original text signed by Coalition partners and are therefore finding it difficult to give accurate information to the media, on the subject matter.
It should therefore be highly appreciated if you would clarify whether any document purporting to be an amended version of the coalition agreement has been signed. If such a document exists please forward it to us before Monday, 7 October 2019, when we intend to issue a Press Releasse on the matte
German gov’t funds €1.3m Gambia’s energy stabilization project
On Wednesday 2nd of October 2019, The German supported project for The Gambia’s energy sector was launched. The 1.3 million euro worth project is to enhance the development of the existing power generation capacities. It’s been funded by the German Federal Foreign Office and implemented by GIZ and NAWEC under the leadership of The Gambia ministry of Energy.
The GIZ project emanated from the visit of the German president to the Gambia in December 2017, who pronounced Germany’s readiness to support The Gambia to stabilize electricity supply.
The project that followed his announcement has helped to reduce the occurrence of total blackouts in the Greater Banjul Area from many hours per day to a current situation of only few blackouts per month.
The minister of Energy and Petroleum, Fafa Sanyang, said the government of The Gambia through the Ministry of Energy accords special priority to improving access to reliable, affordable and efficient electricity to all citizens of the country.
He said The Gambia electricity sub-sector was mainly characterized by insufficient generation capacity, limited transmission and distribution capacity and double-digit technical and commercial losses.
“With support, the electricity sub-sector is gradually changing,” he declared.
Minister Sanyang said the measures will enable NAWEC to run its power plants more reliably, to extend the life span of the engines and to significantly save resources on maintenance.
Managing director of NAWEC, Alpha Robinson, said the project has given them the tools and technology and they must embrace it because technology and innovation are the future.
“The technology is central to the success of NAWEC,” he said.
He said Gambians should embrace change and technology in order to shift beyond where they are today.
The ambassador of the Federal Republic of Germany in The Gambia, Stephan Roeken, said the partnership is not only in words but in deed.
He said the project is an important element because it will strengthen the partnership between both countries and reduce the blackout in the Greater Banjul areas.
He said government is responsible for people especially in a democratic country to manage NAWEC in the near future.
The German experts of the GIZ offered extensive mechanical and electrical training to NAWEC’s technical experts.
The project funds allows for the procurement of a generator, an oil and fuel lab, and more than 75 km of fibreglass cable, two new radio towers and other things needed to create a digital communication infrastructure for NAWEC.
The project focuses on installation of independent communication infrastructure and data collection on the transmission and distribution network, provision of quality testing equipment for oil and lubricants, procurement of 800KW generator for peak shedding and capacity building for NAWEC staff.
DAY 3: Corby Big Films Week 3.
DAY 4: Corby Big Films Week 3.
MONDAY 21st October
An evening at the SAVOY with BAFTA-winning ‘Blue Planet’, cameraman, Doug Alla
Douglas “Doug” Allan, FRSGS, is a Scottish wildlife cameraman and photographer best known for his work in polar regions and underwater. Allan is one of twin brothers born in Dunfermline in Scotland, the son of a photographer and photojournalist who ran his own photography shop in the town.
7-9pm ‘Frozen Seas’ – the final film of the festival celebrates the team behind David Attenborough with special guest, BAFTA-winning ‘Blue Planet’ Cameraman, Doug Allan taking your questions after the screening. Doug will also be selling and signing copies of his remarkable book ‘Freeze Frame – a wildlife cameraman’s adventure on ice’.
Day 1: Corby Big Films Week 3
EVENING: In association with The Core at Corby Cube, HD Media are pleased to present an evening with mountaineer Simon Yates.
7-8pm ‘My Mountain Life’ an Illustrated talk.
8-9pm ‘Beyond The Void’ Documentary Film
More details and tickets for this event availble from – or call 01536 470470
COST £15/£13 Concessions.
Three Years Jotna expresses disagreement with Coalition stakeholders
We are totally against the decision championed by Fatoumata Jallow-Tambanjang to extend the coalition’s agreed term from 3 to 5 years, Said Hagie Suwaneh, vice chairperson of the operation at the press briefing.
He continued; “Fatoumatta Jallow Tambajang individually tasked some members of the Barrow supported camp to join her on the issue of five years.
Mr. Suwaneh said it also came to their attention that some local parties have never supported the president’s five years mandate. “We will never recognize the announcement made by Fatoumatta Jallow Tambajang and her co.”
“We are calling on Fatoumatta Jallow Tambajang to withdraw her statement given on 27th day of September, 2019.”
DLEAG arrests 2 with cocaine
Both suspects, he said, are under their custody as investigation into the matter continues. “DLEAG will continue on our efforts in making the country free from drugs and its related issues.”
Commenting on the concealment method and the way the cocaine was discovered with the first suspect, PRO Saidybah added: “Some quantities were placed in socks, and hidden in his boxer around his private part and some other quantities in the socks he wore. Our operatives are well trained and are always on alert.”
On The second accused, he said, the suspected cocaine was hidden inside his boxer and placed around the many jujus he tied around his waist. “Both suspects have European residential documents. They were planning on traveling to Spain through Banjul International Airport. From their tickets they were booked with Binter Canary for Las Palmas from Banjul International Airport,” he said.
The DLEAG PRO added that Sequel Balde is a Bissau Guinean residing in France and also holding a Portuguese passport, while Seco Balde is a Bissau Guinean residing in Spain and also holds Spanish residential permit, adding that both suspects were on board a commercial vehicle.
It could be recalled that, Bakary Gassama, the director general of the Drug Law Enforcement Agency The Gambia (DLEAG) once hinted that The Gambia could be a target of Drug Trafficking Organisations who are taking advantage of her strategic location to both South America and Europe as a drug trafficking route.
He said there are indications that the country can be used as a transit point for drugs coming from South America and some parts of Africa to the targeted markets in Europe and U.S.A. “Therefore, it is imperative to prepare well in terms of both human capacity and equipment to respond adequately to the illegal and clandestine activities of these organisations.”
It could be also recalled that DLEAG, The Office Central de Re’pression du Trafic Illicite de Stepfiants (OCRITS) of Senegal and The Judiciary Police of Guinea Bissau two months back signed a ‘historic’ Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between the three countries. The MOU is aimed at combating drug trafficking, organised crimes and its related issues.
The MOU will enable the three countries to exchange information and intelligence, join training and border patrols in the fight against drug trafficking and organised crime. The MOU is also capable of tactically re-positioning their front-line officers in making the sub-region a hostile environment for criminals.
D5 Creation