07/22/2003
opinion Lagos - Dear President Obasanjo, I am writing to you as you begin your second term in office to urge you to give the highest priority to human rights reforms in the period ahead and to ensure that Nigerians across the country are able to enjoy their fundamental rights without fear of violence or discrimination. Your government has repeatedly stated its commitment to human rights, including in the context of the New Partnership for Africa's Development (NEPAD). Human Rights Watch welcomes these statements and urges you to turn these promises into reality. In particular, we appeal to you to put an end to the impunity that has protected for too long those who have violated human rights in Nigeria.07/22/2003
Onitsha - THE Movement for the Actualisation of the Sovereign State of Biafra (MASSOB) yesterday condemned the Monday closure of Onitsha main market and other markets in Onitsha in solidarity with the Anambra State governor, Dr. Chris Ngige who was abducted Thursday last week by the police. In a statement, the chairman of the group, Mr. Uchenna Madu, said the closure of the markets on the directive of the president of the Anambra State Markets Amalgamated Traders Association (ASMATA) Mr Emeka Asoanya was not necessary and smarked of irresponsibility and sycophancy on the part of ASMATA leadership. "ASMATA should not have ordered the closure of markets as a solidarity to Governor Chris Ngige and PDP political disturbances in the government house because the traders and Anambrarians did not vote for neither Chris Ngige nor PDP."07/14/2003
analysis Abuja - Disintegration has become the mantra of the post-Cold War ethnic politics around the world. Since the collapse of the prison of nations called the Soviet Union in the early l 990s, following the thaw in the Cold War, and the subsequent rehashing of similar event in Czechoslovakia, Ethiopia (through the secession of Eritrea), Indonesia (East Timor) and Yugoslavia, violent separatist ethnic struggles to assert autonomy or outright independence have gathered steam in several plural national societies like Sudan (South), India (Kashmir), Indonesia (Aceh) and Spain (Basque region).07/05/2003
Weekly Trust (Kaduna) interview The Inspector-General of Police, Mr Tafa Adebayo Balogun visited the Corporate headquarters of Trust newspapers on Thursday. During his visit the IGP responded to questions from a team of Trust Editors on the role played by the police in the recent strike and mass protests by the organised labour, the state of security nationwide and other issues concerning the Nigerian Police Force. Below are excerpts of the interview.07/01/2003
interview Lagos - Since Adesina Ogunlana started publishing The Squib Magazine two years ago controversy has dogged him. He told JUDE IGBANOI at his Chambers last week, that the future of legal profession belongs to his generation of lawyers who are prepared to step on toes to restore sanity at the Bar and Bench
