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UK Parliament Debates Imposing Sanctions On Nigerian Government Officials Complicit In Lekki Massacre

uk parliament debates endsars

Following an e-petition signed by over 230,000 persons asking the UK to sanction principal officers in the Nigerian Federal Government for human rights abuses during the #EndSARS protests and clamping down on the rights of members of the #EndSARS movement, the UK parliament held a debate in Westminster Hall on the motion “That this House has considered e-petition 554150, relating to Nigeria and the sanctions regime”

Member of the Petitions Committee, Theresa Villiers MP, opened the debate saying:

“This petition is being prompted by the disturbing event in Nigeria in recent weeks. The SARS unit has a deeply controversial reputation. Reports of violence and human rights abuses by SARS date back to several years but these latest protests follow a video in October which many believe shows a man being killed by SARS officers.”

Another member of parliament from Edmonton, Kate Osamor, pointed out that the situation in Nigeria was ‘regrettably serious.’

“Today, we need to consider how the government responds to both the movement itself and the violent actions of the Nigerian regime.

“We must also take this opportunity to look beyond sanctions into how development funding is spent in Nigeria

“Instead of funding corrupt security agencies and investing in projects which do not benefit ordinary Nigerians, we need a new focus on poverty relief and anti-corruption programmes.

“At the very moment in which Amnesty International had declared SARS units to have been involved in extra-judicial killings, corruption and torture, the government was using the budget to train and equip those units.”

Also Read: Youths Boycot Judicial Panel In Lagos After Governments Move To Freeze Bank Accounts Of Key #EndSARS Protesters

The part of the debate that got Nigerians reacting on Twitter was when an MP accuses former Nigerian Head of State of “stealing half of the CBN” when he moved to England.

The petition, which was started by Silas Ojo, garnered more than 220,000 signatories, crossing the 100, 000 mark needed for a petition to be debated by the lawmakers.

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One Half Of The Estranged Duo P-Square Declares Nov 30 as his new birthday

Mr P has officially moved his birthday celebration from November 18 to November 30, adding a new layer to the ongoing P-Square family feud. What began as a social media declaration has now been formalised. A few hours after announcing his intention to change his birthday date, Peter Okoye, known professionally as Mr P, has issued an open letter confirming that November 18, the date he has shared with his twin brother Paul Okoye since birth in 1981, is no longer his day of celebration.

“Dear Family, Friends, and Fans,” the post read. “I’m making it official. November 18th is no longer my birthday celebration date. Please note that I will not be accepting any messages or gifts on that day. My birthday will now be celebrated on November 30th. This is a personal decision, and I truly appreciate your understanding.”

The message is brief, but its implications are quite clear. November 18 has long been one of the last remaining public symbols of a shared identity between two brothers whose professional and personal relationship has deteriorated sharply over the past several years.

By formally reassigning the date, Peter is drawing a line that goes beyond creative differences or business disputes.

The reaction from Nigerians online has been largely sceptical.

Many have questioned the necessity of the gesture, with a significant number describing it as petty and unnecessary given the more substantive issues that have defined the brothers’ current estrangement.

The consensus among critics is that changing a birthday date does little to resolve any of the actual grievances and serves mainly as a public statement of severance.

The feud between Peter and Paul Okoye has now spanned multiple years, two official splits, a brief reunion, and a growing list of public accusations on both sides. November 30 is still months away. To see if the gesture will land as true liberation or just pettiness may depend entirely on where things stand by then.

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I Took Over From Myself’: Tinubu’s Claims that He and Buhari Are ‘One’

President Bola Tinubu addressed supporters on Wednesday night in a video that was equal parts pep talk and provocation, but it was one particular line that cut through everything else and set social media alight.

Speaking to the leadership and coordinators of his Renewed Hope Ambassadors, Tinubu pushed back against the criticism that his administration inherited and worsened an already broken economy.

His defence took an unexpected turn. “This economy, I didn’t have to look back because the truth is, I took over from myself,” he said. “The late Buhari is me, he was a partner, if I took over from him, is that not from myself? So, it’s wrong? Fine. Live with it, correct it, move on.

Nigerians online did not move on, at least not immediately. The comment, which appeared to collapse the distinction between his administration and Muhammadu Buhari’s, drew a flood of reactions ranging from genuine bewilderment to sharp mockery.

For critics who have spent two years arguing that Tinubu’s government is a continuation of the same policies that drove Nigeria into economic hardship, the president had essentially handed them their argument in his own words.

The broader address, shared to his official page at 10:38 pm alongside a roughly ten-minute video, was deliberately combative.

Tinubu took aim at the opposition, dismissing the recently held ADC convention as “a street convention” and its energy as mere “rascality.”

He warned that his government would not yield to noise or disobedience of court orders, while also promising supporters that standing with him would not be a decision they would regret.

At one point, he told the ambassadors, “That is why we have told you to renew their hope”, drawing laughter from the audience. He added that for those unwilling to embrace the hope on offer, they would simply provide “eyeglasses.” It was the kind of line that plays well in a room full of loyalists and poorly everywhere else.

The overall message he tried to convey was that he would not be retreating, would not be apologising, and was not particularly interested in critics.

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S.A Opposition leader Julius Malema sentenced to five years in prison over gun incident

A South African court has sentenced opposition leader Julius Malema to five years in prison after finding him guilty of illegally firing a rifle during a political rally, a ruling that could shake the country’s opposition politics.

Malema, leader of the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF), was convicted on several firearm-related charges linked to a 2018 party rally in Mdantsane in the Eastern Cape, where he was filmed firing a semi-automatic rifle into the air in front of thousands of supporters.

The court found him guilty of unlawful possession of a firearm and ammunition, discharging a firearm in a built-up area, and reckless endangerment, offences that prosecutors argued posed a serious public safety risk.

During sentencing, the magistrate emphasised that public figures must respect the law and warned that celebratory gunfire could endanger lives. Prosecutors had pushed for a maximum 15-year sentence, arguing that leniency would set a dangerous precedent given Malema’s influence as a national political figure.

Malema’s legal team, however, argued that the act was symbolic and caused no harm, urging the court to impose a fine instead of prison time.

The outspoken politician has already vowed to appeal both the conviction and the sentence, insisting the case is politically motivated. If the sentence is upheld, the ruling could have major political consequences. Under South African law, a prison sentence exceeding 12 months without the option of a fine can disqualify a lawmaker from holding a parliamentary seat, potentially forcing Malema out of the National Assembly.

Malema, a former youth leader of the African National Congress before founding the EFF in 2013, has built a reputation as one of South Africa’s most controversial political figures. His party campaigns for radical economic reforms, including land redistribution without compensation and nationalisation of key industries.

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