The post Osinbajo Visits Family Of Late Precious Owolabi In Zaria first appeared on MegaIcon Magazine.

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Owolabi, 23, was shot while covering a confrontation between Shiite Muslim protesters and Nigerian police, and died the same day after being taken to a hospital, according to a Channels TV broadcast uploaded to its YouTube page. He had been covering a protest over the detention of Ibrahim Yaqoub El Zakzaky, the leader of the Islamic Movement in Nigeria, according to the same Channels TV report.

Channels TV said that Owolabi was working at the station as part of Nigeria’s National Youth Service Corps, a one-year work assignment carried out by all graduates before the age of 30.

“A swift and credible investigation into the shooting that killed Precious Owolabi is critical for journalists in Nigeria to believe the government is committed to their safety,” said CPJ Africa Program Coordinator Angela Quintal. “Journalists should never be targeted during the course of their work, and when members of the press are harmed, those responsible must be held accountable.”

CPJ was unable to determine which side fired the shot that injured Owolabi.

Tavershima Adongo, a medical and health consultant with the Premium Times Centre for Investigative Journalism, told CPJ that he watched the confrontation from the window of a ministry of health building. “[Owolabi] I think he still wanted to record the event, so he moved closer to the crowds and they shot him,” Adongo said, adding that he “couldn’t tell exactly which side” the bullet came from because his view of the journalist at that moment was obstructed by a parked car.

Adongo said the shot that hit Owolabi came after police fired tear gas and some protesters had advanced toward the police. “[Owolabi] was in between [the protesters and police]. He didn’t leave his position. Maybe he thought perhaps he was not going to be harmed…the police took him away [after he was hit],” Adongo said.

A journalist who was at the scene, but requested anonymity for fear of reprisal, told CPJ he saw police fire their guns and that he did not see protesters with firearms.

Police spokesperson Frank Mba told CPJ via phone that as well as Owolabi, deputy police commissioner Usman Umar was shot and died from his injuries. Mba said, “The first hypothesis is that these guys were all shot by the protesters and the deputy commissioner of police was shot point blank, at close range, by the protesters.”

When asked if the police had fired shots during the confrontation, Mba said, “When the rioters started shooting at the policemen, the policemen they needed to fire shots into the air to let [the protesters] know that [the police] equally have weapons. They fired warning shots. When we handle protesters in this country we are guided by the principle of proportionality of force and we will always adhere to our rules of engagement and international best practices.”

Adullahi Muhammed, the Islamic Movement in Nigeria’s secretary to the academic forum, told CPJ that he was at the front of the protest and did not see any protesters with firearms. He added that some threw rocks at police after police began shooting.

John Momoh, the chairman of Channels TV’s parent company, Channels Media Group, has asked police to open an investigation into Owolabi’s killing, according to a report on the Channels TV website.

Suleiman Aliyu, another member of Nigeria’s National Youth Service Corps and a reporter with the daily Leadership A Yau, the Hausa language service of the Leadership newspaper, was also shot and injured at the protest, but he was not reporting at the time, according to the Leadership.

Nigerian President Muhammadu Buhari tweeted condolences to the families of Owolabi and Umar.

The post Channels TV reporter dies from injuries after shooting at Nigeria protest – CPJ first appeared on MegaIcon Magazine.

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The Shiites, agitation was not unexpected. Since December 2015 that Ibraheem El-Zakzaky has been in detention for alleged murder among other accusations, his followers have not relented in their efforts to get him released.

If what Shiites described as peaceful protest will be so regarded there wouldn’t have been reports of violence that day. With the Premium Times report of the protest, it was alleged that the Shiites threw petrol bombs as part of the protest. What this implies is that the Shiite phenomenon is assuming a more dangerous dimension with relentless efforts of members of his sect to secure the release of the leader of the group.

Out of the total casualties recorded during Monday’s Shiites protest, the most devastating was the death of Precious Owolabi, the 23 years old Corps member serving with Channels TV.

The death of this promising young Journalist is a reminder of gory tales of how many brilliant Journalists had lost their lives in the course of performing their professional duties. With the circumstance of this sudden and untimely death of Precious Owolabi, public attention is once again being drawn to the reality that journalism could be hazardous and adventurous.

It is high time the federal government took decisive action to curtail the violent agitation by the Islamic Movement of Nigeria (IMN) otherwise referred to as Shiites.

Apart from the use of moderate force by the police, the government should think of Psychological measures rather than relying on the use of force alone to cause the Shiites to retreat.

By nature, character, and activities of Islamic sects, no serious government would take their threats as empty noise. I am sure that President Muhammadu Buhari with his military background understand the psychology of the militants that they would not mind sacrificing their lives in the course of the struggle. This is part of the reasons why Boko Haram survives till now.

It won’t be in our nation’s best interest for the government to allow Shiites crisis to escalate or become another deadly terrorist group like Boko Haram. If care is not taken, Shiite’s crises will become an additional headache for the country already suffering from unending ethnic conflicts, economic crisis, and insecurity challenges.

Given the number of security personnel that the nation had lost to restiveness of Shiites in the last three years, I think the government needs a more intelligent approach and proactive strategy to curtail the excesses of the sect.

One other worrisome angle to the whole scenario was the killing of DSP Usman Umar Belel in the course of onslaught between the police and Shiite during the so-called peaceful protest staged by Shiites in Abuja on Monday.

If the account by Mr. Frank Mba, the Force Public Relations Officer is anything to go by, the claim by Shiites that their protests were peaceful would be rejected. With the death toll after Mondays’ mayhem and cost implication of NEMA equipment set ablaze and several police officers on the danger list, one may tend to believe the Force Public Relations Officer’s press statement that the protesters were fully armed and engaged in an indiscriminate attack on innocent citizens and police officers.

Now that the call for the urgent release of Mallam El-Zakzaky is becoming a popular demand in the country, this will remain wishful thinking so far the federal government has already made a contrary pronouncement on the issue.

In a way, President Muhammed Buhari may not be wrong after all, giving the fact that there was virtually no valid and subsisting court order to effect the release of IMN leader, El-Zakzaky.

The much talked about the order of Justice Kolawole for the release of El-Zakzaky and his wife was made in 2016 before the culpable homicide charge was filed against him in the High Court of Justice by the Kaduna State Government.

Since he was held on a charge of culpable homicide, the offense of such grievous nature is ordinarily not bailable exception exceptional grounds mostly if the suspect suffers life-threatening ill-health.

Unfortunately, those clamoring for his release seem to be unaware that currently there is no subsisting order for the release of El-Zakazaky upon his arraignment for culpable homicide.

With the current reality, what El-Zakzaky’s legal team can do to assist their client is to ensure that the court expeditiously hears and dispose of the case. Notwithstanding, whether Judgement will be delivered in his favour or otherwise depends on his culpability and the decision should be left to the discretion of the court.

One important point to make clear here is that it is not Buhari/Federal Government that is holding El-Zakzaky for homicide charge and being responsible for his bail refusal. If anybody is to be blamed at all, I think it should be El-Rufai/Kaduna State Government.

Assuming El-ZakZaky was charged for insurrection or terrorism, probably he would have been charged by the Federal Government instead of Kaduna State Government that is currently holding him on the charge of culpable homicide.

Whatever other extraneous reasons for holding him, the best strategy to ensure his release, for now, is through the Judicial Process. On a more serious note, this is likely to be more fruitful than persistent agitations and wanton killing of innocent citizens by the Shiites.

Rahaman Onike, Public Affairs Analyst writes from Oyo, Oyo State.

The post Before Shiites Is Labelled A Terrorist Group | By Rahaman Onike first appeared on MegaIcon Magazine.

The post Before Shiites Is Labelled A Terrorist Group | By Rahaman Onike appeared first on MegaIcon Magazine.

The DG, Ibrahim inspected Owolabi’s body shortly before it was removed from the National Hospital Abuja, for homeward journey.

Owolabi died on Monday after he sustained gunshot injuries during a violent confrontations between the Police and members of the Islamic Movement of Nigeria (IMN) popularly known as  Shi’ites.

NYSC members carry the remains of their colleague, Mr. Precious Owolabi, who was killed on Monday during a violent confrontation between Police and the Shi’ites. His body left the the National Hospital, Abuja on Tuesday.

The post NYSC DG pays last respect to corps member who had his primary assignment with Channels TV, Precious Owolabi first appeared on MegaIcon Magazine.

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The 23-year-old died of a gunshot wound he sustained while covering the clash between the police and the Shiite protesters on Monday in Abuja.

The management and staff of Channels Television are greatly saddened by the untimely and unfortunate death of such a promising journalist.

They pray that God will grant his family the fortitude to bear the irreparable loss, and avail his soul eternal rest.

The post Corps Member Serving With Channels TV Dies In Shiite, Police Clash first appeared on MegaIcon Magazine.

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