Author: nationalpoint

Bayelsa State Governor, Senator Douye Diri, has noted with satisfaction the conduct of the #EndSARS protesters in the state, saying they were peaceful and mature in making their demands.Governor Diri  commended the peaceful disposition of the youths on Wednesday while inaugurating the panels on Judicial Inquiry On Police Brutality and that on Security and Human Rights at the Executive Chambers of the Government House in Yenagoa.He set up both committees last week in response to the demands of the protesters when he addressed them at the Government House penultimate weekend.His Chief Press Secretary, Mr. Daniel Alabrah, quoted the governor as…

Dr Nabie Nubari is head, Health and Community Development unit, Center for Environment Human Rights and Development, CEHRD, foremost non-governmental organization committed to improved living standard in the Niger Delta. In this interview with National Point’s managing editor Constance Meju, he highlights challenges faced by people in the rural communities in accessing health services. Excerpts:Dr Nabie NubariDoc, how would you describe the state of the health system in the country?Generally speaking, the health system in the country is in a deplorable state that we expect at least an emergency in that area reason being that, the administration is not being…

By Constance Mejuphoto: ng.opera.newsA worried Nigerian elder once advised Nigerian youths not to not to allow anyone steal their future. The occasion was the presentation of award winners for a creative writing competition organized by a Niger Deltan focused non-governmental organization based in Port Harcourt, Moving Earth Foundation.The adviser was the chairman of Moving earth. I have forgotten his name but not his charge. He was speaking at the height of the wave of militancy and the resultant upsurge in cultism in the Niger Delta with the accompanying killings, kidnapping, in the region against which the competition tried to refocus…

By Iduozee Paul, BeninThe Edo Civil Society Organizations (EDOCSO), has elected an interim executive members that would Pilot the network and to also put in place modalities towards the emergence of a new executive council.Issuing the release, the former Public Relations Officer of EDOCSO, Leftist Osazee Edigin asserted:” the Extended Executive (TEC), which comprised head of various affiliate organizations and coordinators of study centres have in its enlarged meeting elected two members.”” Who are to pilot the affairs of the network and to also put in place modalities towards the emergence of a new executive council. Those elected were; Comrade…

BEING A REACTION BY THE COMMITTEE FOR THE DEFENCE OF HUMAN RIGHTS (CDHR)They knew the Protesters were unarmed, and that the combat would be unequal. They marched like the brutes that they are into the ranks of Patriots who had nothing but their passion for change; change for accountability in their country Nigeria.They waited for when the sun would have long gone down, and chose the cover of pitch darkness. They put out all flicker of light, street lights and all.The patriotic call of the Protesters was for an end to Police brutality fostered by a long history of impunity.…

President Muhammadu BuhariFellow Nigerians,It has become necessary for me to address you having heard from many concerned Nigerians and having concluded a meeting with all the Security Chiefs.2. I must warn those who have hijacked and misdirected the initial, genuine and well – intended protest of some of our youths in parts of the country, against the excesses of some members of the now disbanded Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS).3. On Monday 12th October, I acknowledged the genuine concerns and agitations of members of the public regarding the excessive use of force by some members of SARS.4. The choice to demonstrate…

PRESS RELEASE ON THE PROTEST ON ENDSARS,  KILLING OF PROTESTERS IN NIGERIAProtests are a people way of expressing their dissatisfaction with a government or an authority’s actions or way of leadership. It is done to correct or better put change a situation for the benefit of those affected. In many countries of the world, citizens have always protested against the government policies and projects that has not always gone in line with their expectations. This is actually a constitutional right of citizens, guaranteed under section 39 (1) of the Nigerian 1999 constitution to protest and change the direction of policies…

By Wole SoyinkaI arrived home from external commitments just over a week ago to an extraordinary homecoming gift. It took the form of a movement — sometimes angry, sometimes entrancing, poignant, sometimes strident, certainly robust in expectations but always moving, visionary and organized. That movement demanded an end to brutality from state security agencies, focusing on a notorious unit known as SARS. But, of course, SARS merely stood for the parasitic character of governance itself in all ramifications. That dimension – albeit not in those very terms of course – was acknowledge by the first formal response of government, delivered…

The ACTION GROUP ON FREE CIVIC SPACE strongly condemns the shooting spree at the Lekki tollgate on Tuesday night in Lagos where scores of protesters have been reportedly killed and injured. We make bold to state that the Lagos State government has FAILED in its obligation to protect the lives and properties of citizens. We regard the taking away of the CCTV cameras at the Lekki toll gate before the shootings as evidence of a premeditated attempt to use extreme force to quell the protests and inflict grievous bodily harm on protesters. This is a sad proof of a closed…