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• Army patrol eliminates three, recover weapons in Kaduna
• NMS graduates 220 soldiers ready for battle

Troops of 199 Special Forces and 222 Battalions, Operation Hadin Kai (OPHK) in coordinated military airstrikes have killed 200 Boko Haram terrorists, including five commanders, on the fringes of Sambisa Forest in Borno State.

In sustained operations to clear the North West of banditry and terrorism, at the weekend, troops of 1 Division, the Army has neutralised three bandits and terrorists along Sabon Birni, Dogondawa-Kuyelo and Farin Ruwa.

In Kaduna State, the Nigerian Military School (NMS), Zaria, over the weekend, graduated 220 soldiers for the 2022 session.

 

The coordinated joint military operations of September 1, 2022, in Borno also led to the neutralisation of top five commanders of the terror group. They are Abou Hauwa, Amir Shettima, Akura Buri (Nakif), Abou Zainab and Abou Idris.

A counter-insurgency expert in the Lake Chad region, Zagazola Makama, stated, yesterday, in Maiduguri: “An intelligence-led aerial and ground operations targeted the terrorists’ hideouts in the Gaizuwa border, comprising Gabchari, Sheruri, Mantari and Mallam Masari villages in Bama Local Council of the state.

He said the ground troops had, during the raid, stormed a hideout of the terrorists at Gafchari, where they engaged the bandits in a gun battle, which led to the killing of over 30 insurgents, while others escaped with gunshot wounds towards the forest.

The Air Task Force (ATF), in another coordination with the ground troops, he added, detailed two Super Tucano jets to conduct air interdiction missions against the terrorists.

This, he explained, led to the killing of additional 70 fighters and drowning of many who tried to escape.

“Similar strikes were also undertaken at Sheruri when the combat aircraft attacked another location of fighters deployed to stage an ambush against the ground troops,” Makama said.

The Guardian gathered that the Super Tucano scored a devastating hit, killing Buri and Hauwa and more than 63 of their foot soldiers.

His words: “In another separate encounter with the terrorists during the robust fighting patrol, the troops succeeded in eliminating many insurgents in the axis of Mantari in a gun battle that lasted over two hours.

“In Gazuwa, the troops destroyed two vehicles and the home of Abou Iklilima, which used to be a hideout for insurgents’ leaders. Other makeshift tents and properties belonging to terrorists were also destroyed.”

Few of the surviving terrorists, who returned on September 3 to recover terrorists’ bodies, were able to retrieve 36 additional bodies in the river near Gabchari village, he noted.

Meanwhile, when the terrorists were preparing to conduct mass burial for their dead commanders, the military authorities also deployed Super Tucano to the location and neutralised most of them. 

“This has completely degraded the capabilities of the terrorists in Sambisa Forest and the Lake Chad region,” noted the Theatre Commander of OPHK, Maj-Gen. Christopher Musa, in Maiduguri.

The troops in the North West, according to army spokesman, Brig-Gen. Onyema Nwachukwu, in the ensuing shoot-out, eliminated three of the terrorists and recovered two AK-47 rifles, nine magazines, seven Baofeng communication radios, one Tecno mobile phone, 120 rounds of 7.62 mm special ammunition, one power generator and a motorcycle.

Meanwhile, the Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Lt-Gen. Faruk Yahaya, has said that the passing out boys of NMS would undergo further training to adequately prepare to contribute to the defence of the nation.

He made the remarks at the 64th Passing Out Parade (POP) of the NMS Boys at Chindit Cantonment, Zaria.

The COAS, who was the Special Guest of Honour and Reviewing Officer for the POP, stated that the graduating boys would undergo a six-week training at the Nigerian Army School of Infantry to prepare them for future tasks. By Odita Sunday (Abuja), Njadvara Musa (Maiduguri) and Abdulganiyu Alabi (Kaduna), The Guradian

Supreme Court judges (from left) Isaac Lenaola, Dr Smokin Wanjala, Philomena Mwilu, Martha Koome, Mohamed  Ibrahim, Njoki Ndung’u and William Ouko on January 20, 2022. File | Nation Media Group

As the seven Supreme Court judges walk back to court to read their verdict on the consolidated presidential election petitions today, it will have far reaching implications on the top political class and the country’s elections agency, whichever way they rule. 

According to the Supreme Court Act and the Supreme Court (Presidential Election Petition) Rules, 2017, upon conclusion of the hearing of a presidential petition the court may make an order dismissing the petition or invalidating the declaration made by the electoral commission under Article 138(5) of the Constitution.

The court may also make an order declaring the election of the president-elect valid or invalid.

If it finds that the president-elect was validly elected, it paves way for the swearing-in, while invalidation means a repeat of the presidential election. The fresh poll takes place within 60 days after the judgment.

In addition, the court also makes an order on payment of costs of the petition and based on the previous petitions the financial bill runs to hundreds of millions of shillings.

The court can also make any other order as it may deem fit and just in the circumstances.

For instance, in the case before court, major aspersions were cast against the conduct of the members of the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) led by their chairperson, Mr Wafula Chebukati.

The court is likely to pronounce itself on the allegations and is expected to issue a clarification on the IEBC commissioners in the verification and tallying of presidential votes.

The chairperson was accused of exercising veto powers and excluding the other commissioners, allegations that he denied and said he acted as provided in the election laws.

Like the 2017 judgment (CJ David Maraga decision), which enhanced transparency in the conduct of the elections and guided the IEBC on the elections process, the 2022 judgment under stewardship of CJ Martha Koome is also likely to shape conduct of the future elections. 

The upcoming judgment may be the beginning of a major shake-up in the political landscape.

Among the issues that Kenyans will be observing is whether the Supreme Court will deliver a summary judgment then retreat again to come up with a detailed substantive verdict like was the case in 2013 and 2017.

Another observation is on whether the judges will come up with a singular unanimous judgment or each judge will write his/her own judgment and read it in open court.

Pundits argue that multiple judges delivering a single judgment, unanimous or not, denies people benefit of getting the intelligence resource possessed by each of the judges on rationale of a verdict, writing skills and on research.

Being multiple judges tasked to decide the presidential election petitions, there is likelihood of a disagreement on the outcome of the case considering that it involves various issues and a framework of at least nine questions.

IEBC explains why results livestream stopped, Jose Camargo issue

In such circumstances, there will be two or more decisions — a majority decision, dissenting or concurring decisions.

The judges vote on their findings on each issue in the election petition and the majority decision becomes the court’s verdict, which is read out by the Chief Justice.

During the oral hearings, there were regular bar-bench engagements.

Petitioners led by Azimio la Umoja coalition leader Raila Odinga had their day in court on Wednesday, the respondents including President-elect William Ruto and IEBC fired back on Thursday and Friday was set aside for rejoinders by petitioners and deliberations on the scrutiny ordered by the court. 

At the heart of the court proceedings were various questions asked by the judges to parties. The questions and the arguments made by the parties may give a snippet of the likely outcome of the case.

For instance, on the petitioners’ prayer for fresh elections, removal of Mr Chebukati from office and disbandment of the elections body, Justice Mohammed Ibrahim asked how that is possible since the Constitution does not contemplate such a lacuna.

Another question by Chief Justice Martha Koome on application of technology, was a demonstration on how the electronic devices used to transmit results from polling station converted images from Jpeg to PDF.

While the petitioners alleged that the conversion was done by interception of the election results forms by unknown third parties, IEBC explained that the devices used in the elections had an application that converts images into PDF format.

One of the key issues that the judges will be answering is on the election technology deployed by IEBC to conduct the 2022 elections, and whether it met the standards of integrity, verifiability, security and transparency to guarantee accurate and verifiable results.

The petitioners claimed the elections system was not secure and that it was hacked by Venezuelans, who “also determined the president-elect”.

They alleged that the election result forms used to tally results were doctored and that Dr Ruto did not attain the Constitutional threshold of 50 per cent plus one vote. 

But the IEBC denied the allegations and said the system was secure and could not be hacked.

The commission’s lawyer Mahat Somane also discredited the petitions, describing the petitioners’ calculations as an old litigation approach in numbers for “shock and awe”.

Using a powerpoint demonstration, he sifted through the figures and explained the voter turnout and claims of voter suppression.

He also took the court through anomalies stated in various affidavits of the petitioners and overall results indicated in various forms and the efficiency of the technology deployed by IEBC.

On claims of results being doctored by third parties in the system, IEBC dismissed the allegations and also implored the court to use a fall back plan of checking the original Forms 34A used to declare results at the respective 46,229 polling stations.

The figures in the forms were endorsed by agents of various parties and election candidates.

The court will also determine whether postponement of Mombasa, Kakamega elections led to voter turnout suppression in the presidential election.

The petitioners alleged that the postponement of gubernatorial elections in Kakamega and Mombasa counties on the eve of the general elections was a deliberate plan to suppress voter turnout and that Mr Odinga was disadvantaged by the decision.

However, the postponement also affected parliamentary races in Rongai, Kacheliba, Kitui Rural and Pokot South Constituencies as well as MCA polls in Kwa Njenga and Nyaki West wards.

In response, IEBC and Dr Ruto argued that there was no voter suppression in the said electoral areas. Using comparative data, Mr Mahat said the turnout in the affected areas was similar or within the range of the neighbouring areas.

For instance, he said in Kakamega the turnout was 60.29 per cent, the neighbouring Bungoma 63.51 per cent while Vihiga, another neighbour was 60.13 per cent. Voter turnout in Mombasa was 44 per cent while in the neighbouring Kilifi county turnout was at 49 per cent.

Another key issue is on the actual total turnout of voters. The petitioners said the turnout was indeterminate and that the final figure was a moving target. They alleged that the number of voters who turned out to vote remains indeterminate and that the turnout was over 65.4 per cent.

But IEBC said the actual final turn out was 64.767 per cent and that the petitioners were relying on a figure announced by the chairperson in a press briefing, but which was later corrected.

The apex court will also determine if there was an unexplained difference between the number of votes garnered by the four presidential candidates (Ruto, Odinga, Waihiga Mwaure and George Wajackoyah) and those received by the candidates contesting for the other five elective positions (47 governors, senators and woman representatives, Members of National Assembly in the 290 constituencies and 1,450 MCA slots).

The petitioners alleged that there was a big difference which they believe is a product of fraud.

But IEBC said the only difference between the presidential and gubernatorial votes was 900 votes and not the thousands that Mr Odinga and the other petitioners alleged.  By Joseph Wangui, Daily Nation

Prossy Nyanga, a 33-year-old weightlifter in Jinja City, who was attacked and stabbed to death on Sunday morning. PHOTO | COURTESY

What you need to know:

  • Mr Abdul Rashid Sengayi, a weightlifter, said the deceased was attached to Black Moster Gym located at Kakindu Stadium in Jinja City, adding that she had represented the country and won several awards.

Police in Jinja City have made arrests in the murder of a 33-year-old weightlifter, who was Sunday morning attacked and fatally stabbed as she returned home from work. 

The death of Prossy Nyanga has since plunged the weightlifters' fraternity into shock and led to the arrest of three suspects, according to the Jinja District Police Commander, Mr David Otabong. 

Mr Otabong said the deceased, who was operating a retail shop in Bugembe Trading Centre, was walking home at about 4am when she was attacked by thugs who stabbed her to death.

“Following the incident, Police, with the help of local leaders and residents, arrested a suspect, who was in possession of a bloodstained knife and two phones that are said to have belonged to the deceased, and later arrested two more suspects,” Mr Otabong said.

Mr Otabong appealed to the public to avoid walking alone at night, while those with company should avoid being out until late.

Mr Abdul Rashid Sengayi, a weightlifter, said the deceased was attached to Black Moster Gym located at Kakindu Stadium in Jinja City, adding that she had represented the country and won several awards.

Mr Sengayi described the deceased as "well behaved with self-discipline," adding that she was a member of the national ladies’ weightlifters’ team and was due to participate in the YMCA gala.

Ms Fazirah Mugide, who was with the deceased moments before the attack, said they were heading home after work when they discovered that they were being followed by a group of people.

"When I told her that we were being followed, she said, 'don’t worry'. I moved faster ahead but unfortunately, the thugs surrounded her.

"I called my husband and told him that my friend Prossy had been attacked, but by the time he returned to the scene to try and rescue her, she was already dead,” said Ms Mugide. 

The deceased, Ms Mugide added, sold soft drinks and cosmetics next to her chips stall.

The Jinja North Member of Parliament, Mr David Isabirye Aga, condemned the attack and urged Police to carry out overnight patrols, especially in busy places, before the public takes the law into their hands through mob justice.

The deceased was taken to Jinja Regional Referral Hospital mortuary for postmortem.  By Denis Edema, Daily Monitor

 

 

 

 

Public figures and celebrities participated in the "kwita izina" ceremony, the gorilla-naming event that takes place every year in Rwanda.

Speaking from the UK, Prince Charles was one of the public figures invited to name a baby gorilla.

"The baby I will be naming is a male baby gorilla born on the 29th of April, 2022 from the Umuhoza family, to its mother Agasaro. The name I give him is Ubwuzuzanye which means harmony", said the British monarch.

In total 20 baby gorillas of the Volcano National Park in North west Rwanda were named.

Other figures chosen to name gorillas were the representative of the Francophonie and Senegalese musician Youssou N'dour.

"(My baby gorilla) Born on the April 8th 2022 his name is Turikumwe, which means we are together. And when he will come to visit me in France I will call him "on est ensemble", said Louise Mushikiwabo, Secretary General of Organisation internationale de la Francophonie.

Senegalese musician Youssou N’dour, added: 

"The name I give it is Ihuriro, which means turning center. This name was chosen to represent Rwanda as a multi-sectoral hub."

This year marked the 18th edition of this event. - Africanews

The Azimio La Umoja-One Kenya and United Democratic Alliance (UDA) have denounced notices calling for nationwide demonstrations after the Supreme Court Ruling on the presidential petition due Monday.

UDA Secretary-General Veronica Maina distanced herself from the letter purported to have been issued by her as a doctored document pushed out by the political opponents.

“Desperation by the masters of forgeries,” the UDA official tweeted.

The fake notice made a clarion call to all supporters of the party led by President-Elect William Ruto to take to the streets for peaceful protests on Monday ahead of the Supreme Court ruling on the presidential election petition challenging Ruto’s August 9 victory.

On his part, ODM Director of Communications Philip Etale indicated that the Azimio coalition party leadership had not called for any form of demonstrations anywhere in Kenya.

He stated that the Coalition Party “is confident of a positive ruling after its lawyers presented facts.”

Deputy President William Ruto who was declared winner in the contest has in the meantime assured that he will respect the outcome of the Supreme Court judges.

“I want to assure you that I respect the law, and as Kenya Kwanza we will respect the outcome of the Supreme Court,” he said at a church service in Nakuru on Sunday.

The petition was filed by his rival Raila Odinga of the Azimio La Umoja One Kenya alliance, who accused the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) of rigging the results in favour of Ruto.  By Laban Wanambisi, Capital News

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