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Burundi: Journalists, Driver Detained on Reporting Trip

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The Burundi authorities should immediately and unconditionally release four journalists and their driver arrested on October 22, 2019 while they were on a reporting trip to Bubanza Province for Iwacu newspaper, Human Rights Watch said today.

The journalists had informed authorities of their plan to travel to the area to report on an outbreak in fighting between Burundian security forces and a group of assailants. But a police chief of operations arrested them while they were doing their jobs, Iwacu said in a statement on its website.

“Journalists play a vital role shedding light on incidents of public interest and should not be prosecuted for legitimate work,” said Lewis Mudge, Central Africa director at Human Rights Watch. “The authorities should reverse the current crackdown on media freedom and, as a first step, immediately release the journalists and their driver who are being detained for doing their jobs.”

As the 2020 elections approach next year, it is a source of great concern that the government continues to suppress the media and prevent journalists from doing their work, Human Rights Watch said.

Since the morning of October 22, social media accounts and exiled media organizations have shared reports of fighting near Kibira natural reserve, in Bubanza province, where the journalists were headed. The rebel group RED-Tabara (Mouvement de la Résistance pour un État de Droit au Burundi; Resistance Movement for the Rule of Law in Burundi), which was created in 2016 and operates in neighboring Democratic Republic of Congo, claimed responsibility on Twitter for the attack.

According to an SOS Médias Burundi report, the administration and security forces confirmed that 20 people were kidnapped – and later released – and that a policeman was killed. The Public Security Ministry said in a tweet that 14 “criminals” were killed.

The four journalists – Christine Kamikazi, Agnès Ndirubusa, Egide Harerimana, and Térence Mpozenzi – and their driver, Adolphe Masabarakiza, were arrested in Musigati around midday and are being held in the Bubanza police station. On October 23, they were questioned by a judicial police officer at the police station in the presence of their lawyer. According to Iwacu, they have not yet been charged.

The National Independent Human Rights Commission, the CNIDH, a pro-government body, told Iwacu it was looking into the matter.

The government pressure on the news media has been growing. The National Communication Council (CNC) suspended the Voice of America (VOA) in May 2018 and renewed the suspension in March. It also withdrew the British Broadcasting Corporation’s (BBC) operating license in March, who closed down their office in Burundi in July. These draconian moves were among a series of government attempts to prevent the world from knowing about serious human rights abuses happening in Burundi.

The suspensions of both the BBC and the VOA began weeks before a controversial constitutional referendum in 2018, banning any journalist in Burundi from “providing information directly or indirectly that could be broadcast” by either the BBC or VOA.

Weeks earlier, the CNC had suspended Iwacu’s online comments section. At that time, Human Rights Watch found that Burundi’s security services and ruling party youth league members had killed, raped, abducted, beat, and intimidated suspected opponents in the months leading up to the referendum.

Scores of other Burundians have disappeared  since a political crisis began in Burundi in April 2015 over President Pierre Nkurunziza’s decision to seek a third term. In many of these cases, the authorities make no efforts to identify people who have disappeared or to investigate when bodies resurface. The few independent journalists who remain put their lives on the line to uncover the truth, Human Rights Watch said.

Jean Bigirimana, a journalist with Iwacu, has been missing since July 2016. Unconfirmed reports indicated that intelligence service members arrested Bigirimana in Bugarama. Many other journalists are in exile.

“Journalists who have remained in Burundi are fighting hard to ensure that the world remains informed of situation on the ground,” Mudge said. “But by trying to cut off the supply of information at the source, the government is trying to operate without scrutiny or transparency.”

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Alli Campaign Warns Against Fraudsters Collecting NIN, Bank Details

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The campaign organisation of the All Progressives Congress governorship candidate in Oyo State, Senator Sharafadeen Alli, has warned members of the public against fraudsters allegedly impersonating the senator and members of his campaign team to obtain sensitive personal information.

The organisation said the suspected fraudsters had been contacting unsuspecting members of the public by telephone and requesting their National Identification Numbers, bank account details and other confidential information.

The warning was contained in a statement issued on Saturday by the Director of Media and Publicity of the campaign organisation, Bisi Oladele.

Oladele described the development as an attempt to deceive members of the public and expose their personal and financial information to possible abuse.

He said, “Neither Senator Sharafadeen Alli nor his campaign organisation has authorised anyone to solicit NINs, bank details, passwords, PINs, One-Time Passwords or any other confidential information from members of the public.”

The campaign organisation urged anyone who receives such calls or messages to disregard them and avoid disclosing personal, banking or identification details until the identity of the caller has been properly verified.

It also cautioned members of the public against transferring money or responding to requests for financial assistance made through unverified telephone numbers, social media accounts or other unofficial communication channels purportedly linked to the campaign.

The organisation warned that sensitive information could be exploited for identity theft, financial fraud and other criminal activities.

It urged victims or members of the public who encounter suspicious calls or messages to report them promptly to the appropriate security agencies.

The campaign organisation said it was taking the allegations seriously and would cooperate with relevant authorities to identify and prosecute anyone found to be involved in impersonation, fraud or other criminal activities using Alli’s name.

It further advised the public to remain vigilant and verify unsolicited requests before responding to them, stressing that information about Alli and his campaign should be obtained only through officially verified communication channels.

The organisation reaffirmed Alli’s commitment to lawful and transparent engagement with the people of Oyo State, maintaining that legitimate political engagement does not require anyone to surrender confidential banking or identity information to unidentified callers.

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LAUTECH Strike: Alli Campaign Organisation Knocks Makinde Over Doctors’ Plight

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The Senator Sharafadeen Alli Campaign Organisation has criticised the Oyo State Governor, Seyi Makinde, over the prolonged strike by resident doctors at the Ladoke Akintola University Teaching Hospital, Ogbomoso.

The organisation said the strike, which has lasted for more than 30 days, was taking a toll on healthcare delivery and exposing what it described as the government’s failure to adequately address the welfare concerns of medical personnel in the state.

The Director of Media and Publicity of the organisation, Bisi Oladele, stated this in a statement issued on Sunday.

The organisation also expressed concern over the 21-day warning strike issued by the Association of Medical and Dental Officers of Oyo State over unresolved issues bordering on welfare, remuneration and conditions of service.

According to the group, the situation was worrisome because medical workers were being forced to embark on industrial action over issues relating to allowances, residency training funds and salary arrears.

It said the resident doctors were demanding the payment of outstanding Medical Residency Training Fund and six months’ Minimum Wage arrears, among other welfare-related issues.

The organisation said the prolonged strike had negatively affected medical services at the teaching hospital, with patients who could not afford private healthcare allegedly left with the option of waiting for services to resume or seeking alternative treatment.

“The SSACO is concerned about Governor Seyi Makinde’s failure to sit with the striking resident doctors and find a lasting solution to their demands.

“As the strike prolongs, the resident doctors feel maltreated, while the masses bear the brunt of government’s insensitivity.

“Healthcare delivery is a critical service which serious administrations treat with urgency and with the importance it deserves. With this prolonged strike, our resident doctors are feeling maltreated while the masses suffer.

“The medical and dental officers across state hospitals have also served notice of a warning strike. This combination is a signal of government failure in the health sector. It is unacceptable in our dear state,” the statement read.

The group maintained that the situation could worsen if the grievances of health workers were not urgently addressed, warning that further disruption of services could have serious consequences for patients dependent on public hospitals for affordable and specialised treatment.

It challenged the state government to engage the striking doctors and resolve the outstanding issues, accusing the administration of treating their complaints with insufficient urgency.

The organisation further said healthcare would occupy a priority position in Senator Sharafadeen Alli’s Oyo AHEAD agenda, promising improved welfare and working conditions for health workers.

“Health workers and other civil servants will not be denied their entitlements. They will enjoy training and retraining, and they will have facilities to work with,” it said.

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Independence: Alli celebrates Nigeria at 66, seeks support for Tinubu, APC candidates

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The Oyo State governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Senator Sharafadeen Abiodun Alli, has urged Nigerians to renew their faith in the country and support President Bola Tinubu and other APC candidates in the 2027 elections.

Alli made the call in his Independence Day message issued in Ibadan on Thursday to mark Nigeria’s 66th Independence Anniversary.

The APC candidate said the anniversary was not only a moment to celebrate the country’s freedom but also an opportunity for citizens to reflect on the sacrifices of the nation’s founding fathers and the responsibility of the present generation to build a better Nigeria.

He urged Nigerians to remain united and patriotic, saying the country’s challenges could be overcome through responsible leadership, collective action and commitment to national development.

Alli also appealed to Nigerians to support the Tinubu administration’s economic reforms, saying the government needed the cooperation of citizens to move the country from economic stabilisation to increased production, investment and shared prosperity.

He said, “We must never lose faith in Nigeria. Despite the challenges confronting the nation, our country remains endowed with enormous human and natural resources capable of making it one of the most prosperous nations in the world.”

The former senator particularly urged the people of Oyo State to support Tinubu and other APC candidates in the 2027 elections.

According to him, having an APC-led government in Oyo State would provide an opportunity for closer coordination between the state and Federal Government in the implementation of development programmes.

Alli said his aspiration to govern the state was driven by a desire to provide purposeful, inclusive and people-centred leadership.

He listed education, security, healthcare, agriculture, infrastructure, youth empowerment, economic development, workers’ welfare and local government autonomy among the areas his administration would prioritise if elected.

He said the state had significant potential in agriculture, commerce, industry, tourism and human capital, but required deliberate policies to translate those advantages into opportunities for its people.

“We are seeking the mandate to build an Oyo State where our children can receive quality education, our farmers can produce without fear, our young people can find opportunities and our communities can benefit from meaningful infrastructure.

“Our campaign is not about political power for its own sake. It is about service, development and restoring greater confidence in the ability of government to improve the lives of our people,” Alli said.

The APC candidate also called on members of the party across the 33 local government areas and 351 wards of the state to close ranks and work collectively for the success of the party’s candidates.

He urged party members to see the senatorial, House of Representatives and House of Assembly candidates as members of one team working towards advancing the interests of Oyo State.

Alli congratulated President Tinubu, the Federal Government, state and local governments as well as Nigerians on the Independence anniversary.

He prayed for peace, security and prosperity in the country and urged citizens to remain hopeful and committed to the task of nation-building.

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