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Ekiti court restrains herders from farmland over crop damage

A farmer and owner of MAO Organic Farms, Mr Dele Okunoye, has expressed excitement over the ruling of an Ekiti State Chief Magistrate Court, which restrained some herders from encroaching on his farmland.

The farmer hailed the state government for responding to the situation when his farmland was ravaged by herds last year and for the legal support he received to seek court redress.

Okunoye had dragged a Fulani herdsman, Alhaji Ibrahim Wakili, and others associated with him before the court over alleged destruction of his crops by their herds last year.

The Chief Magistrate, Mr Abayomi Adeosun, in a ruling on the matter on Wednesday, granted “an order restraining the Fulani herder, Alhaji Ibrahim Wakili, prohibiting him and other herdsmen associated with him from further encroaching on MAO Organic Farms or any farmland within the state”.

Responding, Wakili pledged that he would never return to the said farmland or any of its surrounding areas.

The herder also vowed that “we (he and other herders under my supervision) will not trespass on the property again under any circumstances.”

Wakili expressed his commitment to peace and assured the court of his willingness to abide by the laws of the state.

Okunoye, in a chat with journalists after the court proceeding, explained how over 100 acres of his crops, including rice, maize, cassava, and high-grade Malaysian oil palm valued at over N30m, were destroyed in a series of attacks in August 2024.

He said, “I am excited. I commend Governor Biodun Oyebanji and key agencies of the state government for the justice done following the destruction of my farmland by the cattle belonging to the herders.”

The farmer also praised the prompt and coordinated response of government officials and security agencies, including the Commissioner for Agriculture, Ebenezer Boluwade; the Special Adviser on Security, Brig. Gen. Ebenezer Ogundana (retd.); Amotekun Corps Commander, Brig. Gen. Olu Adewa (retd.); Agro Marshal Commander, ACP Olamide Oni (retd.); and the Ekiti State Police Command Rapid Response Squad led by CSP Marcus Ogundola.

PUNCH Metro recalls that the Ekiti State Government is intensifying efforts to resolve clashes between farmers and herders through dialogue, enforcement of grazing regulations and support for legal redress for victims of farm invasions. (Punch)

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60 dead after fire tears through Iraqi shopping centre, officials say

A fire that tore through a five-storey shopping centre in the Iraqi city of Kut has left at least 60 dead, officials said.

The blaze at the mall, which opened seven days ago, broke out on Wednesday night and has since been brought under control.

Social media videos showed firefighters rescuing people from the mall’s roof, but state media reported that many are still missing.

“A tragedy and a calamity has befallen us,” regional governor Mohammed al-Miyahi said, adding that legal action would be brought against the shopping centre’s owner.

The governor has also declared three days of mourning.

Videos on INA’s news channel show flames ripping through several floors of the Corniche Hypermarket in the city’s centre, as firefighters try to douse them.

Other clips circulating on social media appear to show a small number of people on the roof during the fire, as well as the burned out insides of the centre.

A number of people were rescued from the building by firefighters, al-Miyahi told local media.

Ambulances were still taking casualties to hospitals in the city, which is about 160 km (100 miles) southeast of Baghdad, at 04:00 local time.

“The tragic fire claimed the lives of 61 innocent citizens, most of whom suffocated in bathrooms, and among them 14 charred bodies yet to be identified,” the interior ministry said in a statement.

It added that 45 people were rescued from inside the building.

Nasir al-Quraishi, a doctor in his 50s, told AFP he lost five family members in the blaze.

“A disaster has befallen us,” he said. “We went to the mall to have some food, eat dinner and escape power cuts at home.

“An air conditioner exploded on the second floor and then the fire erupted and we couldn’t escape it.”

Ali Kadhim, 51, had been looking for his cousin, who is missing alongside his wife and three children, at the main hospital and the mall where rescuers were searching the wreckage.

“We don’t know what happened to them,” he said.

Moataz Karim, 45, identified the bodies of two of his relatives – one of whom began working at the mall three days ago – on Thursday morning.

“There is no fire extinguishing system,” he told AFP, as he waited for further news of a third missing relative outside the forensic department.

Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani expressed condolences to the families of victims in a statement.

He has also asked the interior ministry to launch an immediate investigation into the fire’s causes, as well as to identify shortcomings and “to take all necessary strict measures to prevent the recurrence of such incidents”.

The mall, which included a restaurant, opened a week ago, according to the interior ministry.

Safety standards are often poorly observed at Iraqi construction sites, which have face decades of mismanagement and corruption. (BBC)

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US Senate approves $9bn cuts to foreign aid and public broadcasting funds

The US Senate has passed a bill that seeks to cut $9bn (£6.7bn) from funds previously approved for spending by Congress, including cuts to public broadcasting and foreign aid.

The 51-48 vote happened just before dawn on Thursday, following an hours-long overnight “vote-a-rama”, as the Republican-led Senate negotiated amendments.

The bill – a so-called rescissions package that allows Congress to claw back approved funding – is part of a larger effort to reduce federal spending by President Donald Trump.

It now returns to the House of Representatives, the lower chamber of Congress that had previously passed a version of the bill with $9.4bn in proposed cuts.

“It’s a small but important step toward fiscal sanity that we all should be able to agree is long overdue,” Senate Majority Leader John Thune said before the final vote.

Senators had previously disagreed over a proposition in the House version of the bill that would have included roughly $400m in cuts to Pepfar, the US-backed HIV/Aids programme.

Republicans were able to reach a majority after an amendment was made to keep the funding in the budget.

However, dozens of other amendments to maintain international aid spending levels and funding for public broadcasting were rejected.

The Senate version of the bill approved on Thursday would still cut roughly $8bn from multiple aid programmes, including global health programmes under USAID, the US’s main philanthropic arm.

The bill would also cut more than $1bn from the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, disproportionately impacting radio stations relied upon by rural Americans.

Senator Lisa Murkowski, from Alaska, was one of two Republicans who joined all Democrats in voting against the bill, in part due to the cuts to public broadcasting.

The bill will next head to the House for a vote, where its path remains unclear after $400m was reduced from House-proposed spending cuts.

When asked about the changes, House Speaker Mike Johnson said: “We wanted them to pass it unaltered like we did.”

Both the House and Senate must agree on a version of the rescissions package before it expires on Friday, and Republicans lose their chance to cut the funds. (BBC)

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Israel bombards Syria’s Damascus as US says steps agreed to end violence

Israel has carried out powerful air strikes near Syria’s presidential palace and on the military headquarters in the heart of Damascus, a major escalation in its bombardment of the neighbouring country.

At least three people were killed and 34 others were wounded in the attacks on Damascus on Wednesday, Syrian state media reported, citing the Ministry of Health.

While targeting Damascus, the Israeli military continued to pound areas in southern Syria, including Suwayda, where a new ceasefire deal has been struck after four days of clashes between Druze armed groups, Bedouin tribes and government forces, which left hundreds dead.

Syria’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs said the Israeli attacks on Damascus and Suwayda were “part of a systematic Israeli policy to ignite tension and chaos and undermine security in Syria”, calling on the international community to take “urgent action” against Israeli aggression.

Israel said its bombing campaign is aimed at protecting the Druze minority, and it has called on the Syrian government to withdraw its troops from the city of Suwayda, where much of the violence has taken place.

Defence Minister Israel Katz said on X that the Israeli military would “continue to operate vigorously in Suwayda to destroy the forces that attacked the Druze until they withdraw completely”.

Later on Wednesday, United States Secretary of State Marco Rubio said that the parties to the fighting in southern Syria had agreed on “specific steps that will bring this troubling and horrifying situation to an end tonight”.

“This will require all parties to deliver on the commitments they have made and this is what we fully expect them to do,” Rubio said on X of the ceasefire deal, reached one day after an earlier iteration had collapsed.

More than 300 people had been killed in fighting as of Wednesday morning, including four children, eight women and 165 soldiers and security forces, according to the UK-based war monitor, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights.

(AlJazeera)

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Palmer stars as Chelsea stun PSG to win Club World Cup final

Cole Palmer scored two goals and made another as Chelsea stunned Paris Saint-Germain in the final of the Club World Cup on Sunday, beating the European champions 3-0 at the MetLife Stadium to win the first edition of FIFA’s new competition.

PSG were the favourites for a game attended by Donald Trump after coming to the United States fresh from winning the UEFA Champions League and having destroyed Real Madrid 4-0 in the semi-finals.

But having been three goals ahead midway through the first half in the semis, this time the roles were reversed as PSG found themselves 3-0 down by the break.

Palmer opened the scoring midway through the first half and struck again to make it two on the half-hour mark, before taking advantage of passive defending to set up Joao Pedro for the third on 43 minutes.

A bad day for PSG was summed up when Joao Neves was shown red following a VAR review four minutes from the end for pulling Marc Cucurella by the hair off the ball.

It was a scoreline that few could have predicted as Chelsea capped what has been a long but memorable season — they are the first ever winners of the 32-team Club World Cup having also won the UEFA Conference League and finished fourth in the Premier League.

They will also take away around $125 million in prize money, meaning the prospect of a drastically curtailed summer break before returning for next season will surely feel worth it.

For PSG, meanwhile, the financial rewards are similar but there will be genuine disappointment at falling short of adding this title to their Champions League triumph and French league and cup double.

Nevertheless, conquering Europe was always the main aim this season for Luis Enrique’s team, who now have exactly a month to digest this and take a holiday before returning to action in the UEFA Super Cup against Tottenham Hotspur.

There was a real sense of occasion at the MetLife Stadium, with the backdrop of the Manhattan skyline and with President Trump in attendance along with First Lady Melania Trump in a crowd of 81,118.

There was even the first-ever half-time show at a FIFA tournament, adding a Super Bowl feel to a final played at the home of NFL sides the New York Giants and New York Jets.

As for the football, for the second time in six weeks PSG found themselves involved in a final that quickly turned into a one-sided affair.

The club claimed a historic 5-0 win over Inter Milan in the Champions League final, but here they were ripped apart by Chelsea on another hot afternoon.

Palmer almost put Chelsea ahead inside the opening 10 minutes, before PSG should have scored at the other end only for Desire Doue to try to pass to Achraf Hakimi rather than shoot inside the box, allowing Cucurella to block.

It was Chelsea who struck in the 22nd minute as Malo Gusto got the better of Nuno Mendes down the right before seeing his shot blocked by Lucas Beraldo. The ball came back to Gusto and he teed up Palmer to finish into the bottom-left corner.

Palmer has been the face of Chelsea on billboards in the United States during the tournament and he lived up to his star billing by scoring again on the half-hour. (Punch)

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Lagos LG Polls: APC wins all 57 chairmanship, 375 councillorship seats

The All Progressives Congress (APC) won all 57 chairmanship seats and 375 councillorship seats in Saturday’s Lagos State Local Government election .
 
The Chairman of the Lagos State Independent Electoral Commission (LASIEC), Retired Justice Bola Okikiolu-Ighile, said this on Sunday while declaring the results of the exercise at the commission’s headquarters in Sabo Yaba, Lagos.
 
She said APC also won 375 of the 376 councilorship seats, losing one councilorship seat to PDP in Yaba LCDA.
Okikiolu-Ighile commended the peaceful conduct of residents, especially voters,  during the exercise.

The LASIEC boss also said the enthusiasm displayed by residents before and during the exercise was commendable.
 
She said that the enthusiasm displayed through active participation reinforced the shared belief in the importance of local governance in service delivery and grassroots development.
 
The commission’s boss also commended security agencies and the media for their professional conduct before, during, and after the polls.
 
“Their presence was a significant factor in maintaining a conducive, congenial atmosphere across the polling units.
 
“We are pleased to announce that no major cases of electoral violence or ballot snatching, voter intimidation or general breakdown of law and order were recorded,” she added.
 
Okikiolu-Ighile said that the commission “was pleased to report that the election was generally free, was fair, was peaceful, was orderly, was transparent, credible, and devoid of significant obstructions.”

According to her, electoral officers and ad hoc staff discharged their duties with commendable diligence and integrity.

Stating that no electoral process was without its challenges, the chairman said that the late arrival of electoral personnel and materials in some areas was due to some logistical issues.
 
“We acknowledge that voter apathy remains a concern and we are committed to strengthening our voter education and stakeholders’ engagement strategies relentlessly,” she added.
 
Okikiolu-Ighile said that the results of the elections had been collated and announced by the law across various wards and local council areas by returning officers.
 
She said that the presentation of certificates of return to duly elected chairpersons and councillors would follow soon at the commission’s headquarters.
 
The LASIEC boss also commended observers, civil society organisations, youth groups, women advocacy groups, traditional and religious institutions, market men and women, and other stakeholders for their support and active participation throughout the process.
 
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that 15 political parties participated in the election. (Vanguard)

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Sanwo-Olu, Otti, Kefas mourn Buhari, recount legacy

Governors Babajide Sanwo-Olu of Lagos, Alex Otti of Abia, and Agbu Kefas of Taraba have expressed grief over the passing of former President Muhammadu Buhari, describing his death as a significant loss to the nation.

In a condolence message issued on Sunday by his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Gboyega Akosile, Sanwo-Olu described Buhari as a transparent, courageous and honest leader who dedicated his life to Nigeria’s growth.

“On behalf of my wife, Ibijoke, the people and government of Lagos State, I mourn the passing of former President Muhammadu Buhari, one of Nigeria’s most prominent military and political leaders.

“He was a courageous, disciplined, respected and passionate leader.

“His commitment to the growth and development of Nigeria is worthy of emulation because he provided honest and transparent leadership in the country,” Sanwo-Olu said.

The governor recalled Buhari’s long record of service, noting that he served as Military Governor, Minister of Petroleum Resources, Head of State, and ultimately President and Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces.

“He sacrificed the greater part of his life in the service of our dear country… and served passionately,” he said.

He extended condolences to Buhari’s family, President Bola Tinubu, members of the All Progressives Congress, and the people of Katsina State.

In Taraba, Kefas also paid tribute, describing Buhari’s death as a monumental national loss.

A statement on Sunday by his Special Adviser on Media and Digital Communications, Emmanuel Bello, noted Buhari’s lifelong dedication to public service, national unity, and the anti-corruption fight.

“Taraba State joins the rest of the country in mourning a leader who, despite criticisms, remained steadfast in his convictions and love for Nigeria,” the statement said.

Kefas praised Buhari’s austere lifestyle, discipline, and devotion to integrity and national security, urging Nigerians to uphold his legacy through unity and selfless service.

Otti, in a statement by his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Mr. Ferdinand Ekeoma, said he received the news of the former president’s death with sadness.

Otti extended condolences to the Federal Government, Tinubu, and the family of the deceased.

“Governor Otti, on behalf of his family and the good people of Abia State enjoins the ex-President’s family and loved ones to bear his demise with fortitude, while praying that God grants his soul eternal repose,” the statement read.

(Punch)

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Nigeria and Algeria progress at Wafcon after draw

Nigeria set up a quarter-final showdown with Zambia at the 2024 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations after a 0-0 draw with Algeria secured the Super Falcons top spot in Group B.

The result in Casablanca also meant the North Africans progressed to the last eight, where they will face the second-placed finisher in Group C.

Elsewhere, Botswana came from behind to beat Tunisia 2-1 and boost their chances of going through as one of the two best-ranked third-placed sides.

Yesmin Khanchouch’s 12th-minute effort put the Carthage Eagles ahead before Lesego Radiakanyo equalised midway through the second half.

Both teams would have been eliminated by a 1-1 draw and it was Botswana who grabbed a dramatic winner in the sixth minute of stoppage time through Gaonyadiwe Ontlametse.

Sunday’s results mean defending champions South Africa and Mali are both assured of a place in the quarter-finals before Group C culminates on Monday (19:00 GMT).

Banyana Banyana face the West Africans in Oujda, while Ghana take on Tanzania in Berkane with both of those sides needing to win to progress.

Nigeria are chasing a record-extending 10th Wafcon title and topped Group B on seven points without conceding a goal.

Yet, as the West Africans turn their attention to their meeting with Zambia on Friday, questions will be raised about their attacking sharpness.

Super Falcons dominated possession against Algeria and created far more chances than their opponents, but were frustrated by a compact and resilient defence which was content to soak up pressure.

Rasheedat Ajibade and Jennifer Echegini offered the most threat from wide areas and midfield runs. Clear-cut chances were rare, and when they came Nigeria could not convert.

The match ended with Nigeria pressing for a late winner, with Echegini sending a curling effort just wide in the 89th minute.

For Algeria, the draw marked a milestone performance as they reach the knockout stages at a Wafcon finals for the first time.

Their progress has been built on a solid defence, having also progressed without conceding a goal.

Ghoutia Karchouni’s winner against Botswana was their only goal of the group stage but has proved enough to extend their stay in Morocco until their quarter-final tie next Saturday. (BBC)

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Awujale of Ijebuland, Adetona, dies at 91

The Awujale and paramount ruler of Ijebuland, Oba Sikiru Kayode Adetona, has passed away at the age of 91.

The respected monarch reportedly died on Sunday, just hours after the announcement of the death of his longtime friend and former President, Muhammadu Buhari.

Mourning his passage, a prince of Ijebu, Prince Adedoyin Alatishe wrote on X, “Baami Ogbagba agbatewole 💔. Erin wo. Omo anikilaya saagbu.”

Adetona, who ascended the throne in 1960, was one of Nigeria’s longest-reigning traditional rulers and widely revered for his contributions to the sociopolitical development of Ijebuland and Ogun State at large. (Punch)

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Buhari’s Kaduna home wears solemn look

The Kaduna residence of Nigeria’s former President, General Muhammadu Buhari (retd.) wore a solemn and deserted look on Sunday following news of his death in London.

Buhari, who served as Nigeria’s civilian president between 2015 and 2023 under the platform of the All Progressives Congress, died at about 4:30 pm in a London clinic, according to a statement issued by his former spokesman, Garba Shehu.

When our correspondent visited the former president’s home located on Sultan Lane, along Sultan Road in Kaduna, there were no signs of mourning sympathisers trooping in or out of the premises.

The usually quiet street remained subdued, save for the presence of security operatives.

Two military trucks were stationed in front of the house at the time of filing this report. Armed personnel on guard duty politely turned away journalists who had thronged the area, directing them to move further down the main Sultan Road.

Efforts by reporters to catch a glimpse of any family member were futile, as the heavy security presence kept all non-residents at bay.

The late Buhari’s Kaduna residence is located in a neighbourhood known for its association with Nigeria’s political elite.

Among his neighbours are the family of the late General Shehu Musa Yar’Adua, former Chief of Staff, Supreme Military Council, and former Minister of Finance and Labour Party chieftain, Nenadi Usman.

General Buhari’s political journey remains remarkable. He was first Nigeria’s military Head of State between January 1984 and August 1985 following a coup d’état.

Decades later, after several unsuccessful attempts at the presidency, he was elected as Nigeria’s democratic president in 2015 and re-elected for a second term in 2019. He handed over power in 2023. (Punch)