The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Mohammed Bello, has confirmed that at least four people were killed in violence at the Dei-Dei market on Wednesday.
Mr. Bello, on Wednesday, also ordered the indefinite closure of the Dei-Dei International Market following a clash between commercial motorcyclists and the traders.
Mr. Bello gave the order after inspecting the scene of the incident alongside the FCT Commissioner of Police, Sunday Babaji, Director of State Security Services, other sister security agencies, and top officials of the FCT Administration.
It was earlier reported how the violence spread at the market Wednesday following an accident in which a woman was killed.
Trouble started in the market when a female trader yet to be identified fell off a commercial motorcycle and was crushed to death by an articulated vehicle.
The minister directed the community and the market leaders to fish out the hoodlums responsible for the crisis.
“The community and market leaders must fish out hoodlums and bad eggs among them. Unfortunately, this time around, hoodlums carried arms and they shot innocent people.
“As a matter of fact, I saw four corpses this is very sad and totally unequivocally unacceptable in Abuja.
Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Mohammed Bello, visits the Dei-Dei market after violent clashes.
“We have agreed with security agencies that full-scale investigations will be done, and the communities have to be part and parcel of the solution or else there will be no peace.
“In the interim, the timber market and the surrounding markets, including all the activities on-road that have clustered the road and made it unpassable will all stop until the technical team reviews everything, and then we will take the next decision.”
Mr. Bello said that there was no tribal or religious misunderstanding because all the leaders of various communities have lived in peace for many years.
“This is simply the matter of criminals and hoodlums taking the laws into their hands,” he said.
The Vice-Chairman, Timber Shed Market Dei-Dei, Ifeanyi Chibata, told the minister and his team that 45 to 50 shops were burnt with 25 vehicles set ablaze worth a total of over one billion naira.
Also, the Secretary Tomato and Onion Sellers Association Dei-Dei, Dahiru Mani, disclosed that four persons were killed during the clash in the market.
He appealed to the minister to ensure the provision of a police division with adequate personnel in the market.
Meanwhile, the FCT police restored normalcy in the Dei-Dei town of the Bwari Area Council, following civil unrest in the area.
This is contained in a statement signed by the FCT Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), Josephine Adeh.
The police stated that the situation was brought under control alongside its sister agencies, as it continued monitoring and surveillance amidst discrete investigation.
“This followed after the outbreak of civil unrest at Building Material market, Dei Dei area of the FCT at about 11:30 am today.
“A comprehensive deployment of tactical and intelligence assets of the Command was led by the Commissioner of Police, CP Babaji Sunday psc, who drifted swiftly to the scene to ensure that the unrest is being nipped in the board and managed.
“This was also to forestall the destruction of private and government infrastructure, loss of lives and properties and to restore normalcy to the situation.”
The Kebbi police command has reported that its operatives killed four suspected kidnappers and rescued a victim in Suru LGA of the state.
According to a statement issued on Saturday, Nafi’u Abubakar, the command spokesperson, confirmed that the police also seized N3 million in ransom.
“On Feb. 14, at about 1:45pm; armed men suspected to be kidnappers invaded Gobiraje Village in Suru Local Government Area of Kebbi and kidnapped one Umaru Bawa, 60,” the statement reads.
“Upon receiving the report, the Divisional Police Officer, Suru, swiftly mobilized a team of policemen and vigilantes to the scene, traced the suspects to Tundafari forest in Dakingari axis, and engaged them in a gun battle.
“Consequently, four of the kidnappers were neutralised, one arrested with fatal injuries, while others escaped into the forest with gunshot wounds.”
The spokesperson also mentioned that Bello Sani, the Kebbi police commissioner, praised the officers’ determination and professionalism in Suru, assuring that the fight against state crimes would continue.
The police commissioner urged residents to stay vigilant and report any suspicious activities to the nearest police station without delay.
A woman who had accused hip-hop icons Sean “Diddy” Combs and Jay-Z of sexually assaulting her when she was 13 decided to drop her civil lawsuit on Friday, according to court records.
In December, Jay-Z — whose real name is Shawn Carter — was accused of raping the girl along with Combs at a party after the MTV Video Music Awards in September 2000.
A document filed with the US District Court for the Southern District of New York stated that the accuser “hereby gives notice that the above-captioned action is voluntarily dismissed, with prejudice” — indicating that the lawsuit cannot be refiled.
It was not immediately clear if the stars had reached a settlement with the woman, who has not been identified.
But 55-year-old billionaire Jay-Z welcomed the closure of the case, which he slammed as “frivolous, fictitious and appalling.”
“This civil suit was without merit and never going anywhere. The fictional tale they created was laughable, if not for the seriousness of the claims,” he said in a statement.
“I would not wish this experience on anyone. The trauma that my wife, my children, loved ones and I have endured can never be dismissed.”
The complaint said Combs and Carter — who is married to pop superstar Beyonce — took turns assaulting the plaintiff as another celebrity stood by and watched.
“Many others were present at the after party, but did nothing to stop the assault,” it went on.
“Carter has been with Combs during many such instances described herein. Both perpetrators must face justice.”
Combs, also 55, has separately been charged with sex trafficking and racketeering.
“Federal prosecutors allege that he sexually abused women and coerced them into drug-fueled sex parties using threats and violence.
He has denied all charges, and his criminal trial is currently slated to begin on May 5.
Oluremi Tinubu, the First Lady, has stated that Africa needs to develop creative financing strategies tailored to its distinct challenges in order to build a strong healthcare system.
A statement released on Friday by Busola Kukoyi, the Senior Special Assistant on Media to the First Lady, revealed that Oluremi made these comments during a high-level meeting on domestic health financing, organized by President Paul Kagame of Rwanda at the 38th African Union (AU) summit in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.
Oluremi emphasized that without guaranteed access to essential healthcare for Africans, the continent’s efforts to achieve economic growth will remain unfulfilled.
“Africa cannot continue to rely solely on donor funding and foreign aid, which, although helpful, are often unpredictable and unsustainable,” the statement reads.
Instead, we must develop innovative financing strategies tailored to our unique challenges and circumstances.
“Given the increasing funding gap for health on the continent, I urge us all to come together and commit to advocating for increased national health budgets.”
The First Lady noted that, in light of recent policy changes in the US, Africa must seek local and sustainable solutions to fill its funding gap.
On January 20, US President Donald Trump signed an executive order withdrawing the US from the World Health Organisation (WHO).
Trump also froze funding from the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), which supports most health institutions in Africa.
With this freeze, the World Health Organisation (WHO) projects a significant rise in health crises across the continent.
However, the President’s wife stressed the need for effective resource mobilization and use to ensure short, medium, and long-term impacts, stating that the health of the people is key to the continent’s prosperity.
“In line with the Abuja Declaration, our governments should allocate at least 15% of their budgetary allocations to health,” Oluremi said.
“We must also support innovative financing mechanisms and explore sustainable models, such as expanding health insurance coverage, health endowment funds, and investments from the African diaspora.
“Accountability and transparency must be ensured, as funds allocated to health must be used efficiently and effectively.”
The event saw the participation of presidents and heads of state from several African countries, including Rwanda, Ethiopia, Botswana, Kenya, Senegal, Zimbabwe, and Barbados, as well as donor agencies and funding partners, discussing global and regional approaches to domestic health financing in Africa.