Presently, so many Nigerians have what is called mixed feelings about the economy of this ‘great’ nation. Some feel the government has disappointed and others feel they are still on point but the former president, Olusegun Obasanjo made this disclosure yesterday, in Taraba state, where he said: “So far, Buhari has not disappointed us. I trust him, he will not fail Nigerians. I know he will overcome the challenges the country is currently facing.”
Do you think so too or what’s your opinion?
Police killings of favela residents continue as Games go on in Rio
While much of the world’s media has focused on US swimmer Ryan Lochte’s fabricated account of an armed robbery, the real victims of Olympic crime in Rio de Janeiro are the city’s poorest residents, caught on the frontline of conflict between the authorities and drug traffickers.
Since the start of the Olympics, local media have reported at least 14 deaths in shootouts between gang members and police or soldiers from the 85,000-member security force deployed for the Games.
While such high levels of violence have long been a fact of life in favela communities, many residents feel the situation has been made worse by the high-profile mega-event that has focused police on protecting rich foreign visitors and targeting poor local residents.
Certainly, the heightened tension of the Games has led to at least one fatal mistake with devastating repercussions.
Helio Andrade, a state trooper from the distant state of Roraima, was shot dead on 12 August after he mistakenly drove into Vila de João, a gang-controlled neighbourhood in the Complexo do Maré favela. As a soldier on Olympic duty, his death was cause for interim president Michel Temer to declare national mourning and for flags outside the Games venues to fly at half-mast.
As is often the case in Rio, it also prompted the police to launch an extensive and punitive hunt for the killers. At least five residents of Maré were killed in the operations, though the suspects have yet to be apprehended. Images of the area in the local media show that it came under a state of semi-siege, with police helicopters flying overhead and homes raided by heavily armed military police.
The day before the Guardian visited the community, two people had been shot in the latest police action, according to local residents, who said they were woken up on many days by the sound of helicopters buzzing close overhead. “It’s horribly loud,” said Bruno Rodrigues, who, like many local people, asked to be identified with a pseudonym for fear of repercussions. “Everyone in the community is afraid when they hear that as it means an operation is about to start.”
Unlike many other favelas in Rio, Vila de João has never been “pacified” by police. On one street stands a gangster from the Terceiro Comando Puro, or Pure Third Command faction, one of Maré’s biggest drug trafficking gangs, with a semiautomatic rifle slung around his neck and a handgun jammed into the top of his trousers. Further along, there are lookouts carrying walkie talkies.
At the site of Andrade’s shooting near the junction of the airport motorway, the walls on one side of the street are marked with words “Paz” (peace) and “Seja bem vindo para Vila da João” (Welcome to Vila da João). On the other is a small pitch where a group of youths are playing volleyball. It looks tranquil, but Rodrigues warns me we are being watched. “Don’t take pictures. Don’t point,” he advises me.
The initials “TCP” sprayed on the walls are the only visible sign that this is gang-controlled territory. Most taxi drivers avoid the area; those who must come here do so with their car windows wound down and their hands visible so they can show they are not a threat.
But it is all too easy for strangers like Andrade to wander in accidentally; the state trooper was far from the first to be killed by a wrong turn.
In 2013, engineer Gil Barbosa, 53, was shot dead by gang members when he tried to use the junction to return home. Occasional shootouts across the motorwayhave left the walls on the roadside pitted with bullet holes. Traffic jams are sometimes targeted by armed robbers who work their way methodically along the line of immobilized vehicles.
During the Olympics, with athletes, officials and visiting dignitaries travelling back and forth between the airport and the city centre, the authorities have flooded the route with troops. Every 15 minutes or so, military patrols drive past with trucks carrying soldiers in full battle gear and brandishing rifles
“The security is to protect them from us,” says Rodrigues. “The Olympics is for those on the outside. Those who have money.”
His views appear to be widely shared in Maré. “The police don’t come here to protect us, but to segregate us,” says Jeferson Luciano, a participant in a community theatre group, called Teatro do Oprimado na Maré – the theatre of the oppressed in Maré.
On social networks, community activists expressed condolences for Andrade’s death, but said the violent police action that followed was disproportionate, disruptive and failed to discriminate between criminals and innocent residents.
“Until now, the balance is five people dead, several injured and thousands of people prevented from working, studying, because they are scared, terrified and their homes are being invaded ... The name of this is genocide, extermination, slaughter. And nobody says anything,” read one post on the Maré Vive Facebook page, which informs residents about shootouts and other issues.
Another Maré resident, who preferred to remain unnamed, said there were similar problems in other favelas, even those that were supposed to have been “pacified” by police units. For her, it is simply about control.
“The legacy we have of mega-events in Maré is blood on the floor,” she said. “These Games do not include favelas, peripheral communities and the poor. We are only supposed to work, to serve, not to have fun.”
Well before the Games began, human rights organisations warned of the potential dangers. Amnesty said Rio’s police had killed over 2,500 people since the Games were awarded in 2009, including more than 100 this year, most of whom were young black men. It said crackdowns tended to increase during mega-events.
The Olympics has not been all bad for communities like Maré. In contrast to the stigma they usually incur, the opening ceremony included a positive favela-themed section.
Brazil’s first gold medal – won by a black female judoka and former resident of the City of God favela – also helped to challenge old stereotypes. But hopes that the Games might help to pacify the communities are far from being realised. Official statistics suggest crime in Rio has fallen over the past decade, but it has started to rise again in the past two years as a result of a worsening economy and – some locals claim – the extra pressure of the Olympics.
“As in ancient Greece, I thought the Games were supposed to bring peace, but that didn’t work here,” wrote Maré resident Bira Carvalho. “Unlike the Olympic shooting competition, the targets here are black people who are scared to death.” Thanks for reading
Australian athletes released after questioning by Rio police over credentials
Several Australian Olympic athletes detained by Rio police for not having the correct accreditation to gain entry to the Boomers’ basketball semi-final against Serbia have been released.
Ryan Lochte shouted at guards during gas station incident, says Gunnar Bentz
Read more
The Australian Olympic Committee’s deputy chef de mission Fiona de Jong, who joined the athletes as they were questioned by police, said they will pay a fine of 10,000 brazilian reais (A$4,092).
“We have agreed on an outcome which is the payment of a fine and good behaviour bond for each of the athletes involved,” De Jong said. “The translation is not precise but it was effectively for using a document for a purpose not intended, falsifying a document.”
The AOC will launch an internal investigation into the incident, which left team chief Kitty Chiller fuming at Olympic organisers.
“I am very angry they had to go through this,” she said of the athletes. “The athletes are not at fault and we will provide counselling.”
In the early hours of Saturday morning, De Jong had confirmed reports that 10 Australian athletes had been questioned by police after accessing a venue without having the correct credentials.
“Early this evening a number of Australian athletes went to support their mates at the Australia-Serbia match,’’ De Jong told media at 1.30am local time (2:30pm AEST). “Ten of the Australians didn’t have accreditation to be in that part of the venue.”
“The Brazilian authorities and us are working through the issues. Nobody has been arrested. We will provide you with a more detailed statement when those discussions have advanced. No one has been arrested or charged.”
Australia lost the game 87-61 and will play in the bronze medal match against Spain on Sunday at the same venue, Carioca Arena 1. Thanks for reading.
TRAGEDY: 65-Year-Old Woman Found Dead In Mosque’ Well
A 65 year old woman who was in charge of ensuring proper sanitary condition of a mosque in llorin, Kwara was found dead inside a well at the mosque premises on Saturday.
The incident occurred at AnsarulDeen Mosque, Osere area, Sawmill in llorin West Local Government Area of the state.
Eye witnesses’ said that the woman, popularly known as “lya Majeobaje”, fell into the well on Friday while fetching water to clean the mosque.
They said that there was nobody within the vicinity of the mosque to rescue her when she fell inside the well at about 5p.m.
Some of the residents of the area who discovered the dead woman immediately alerted the state fire service in llorin.
The Director of the State Fire Service, Mr Tiamiyu Raji, confirmed the incident. He said personnel from the Fire Service removed the woman from the well dead on Saturday afternoon.
He said that the corpse of the woman was taken to the B Division of Police State Command, Surulere in llorin.
Effort to speak with the Public Relations Officer of the State Police Command, on the incident proved futile. Thanks for reading.
NFF ClearsAir On "Japanese Gift"
The Nigeria Football Federation has cleared the air on stories about the body hijacking a donation to the Dream team from Japanese plastic surgeon, Dr. Katsuya Takasu.
Prior before the third place match between Nigeria’s Dream Team and Honduras, which Nigeria won and claimed the bronze medal, there were stories circulating on social media that the Nigeria Football Federation had hijacked the donation from a Japanese Plastic surgeon, Dr. Katsuya Takasu who promised Dream Team a cash prize if they go on to clinch any medal (Gold, Silver or Bronze) at the Men’s football event of the Rio Olympics.
However, the Nation’s football body as come out to debunk such claims, in a statement issued on their website, the NFF President, Amaju Pinnick said: “His message was a lie, an atrocious false alarm before an important match. I had exchanged correspondence with the Honourable Minister on the issue of the donation and we agreed that there was need for caution. The Minister said to me that he read the donation in the papers and had expressed serious concern. I also received a mail from the NFF Integrity Officer who expressed very serious concern with this kind of donation.
“I got in touch with the Ambassador of Nigeria to Brazil and the Honourable Minister to say that whatever had to be done should be done after the Bronze Medal Match, to avoid any distractions. The NFF may be having financial challenges, but I assure you nobody in the Federation is interested in that money.
“If we get the Government’s go-ahead to collect the money, no official of the NFF will be involved even in the collection. The money will be received directly by the team.
“There are matters in the football world today that FIFA and the various confederations frown at. We are very much aware of that”.
If we had rushed to collect that kind of money and hand over to the players, the same people who are condemning the NFF now would have said worse things.
Although, it remains unclear whether former goalkeeper Peterside Idah who started the discussion on social media will provide proves to substantiate his controversial claims. Thanks for reading.
Former Reds Striker Takes Subtle Dig At Jurgen Klopp
Christian Benteke claims a lack of trust from Jurgen Klopp caused his failure to establish himself at Liverpool.
Former Liverpool Player Christain Benteke has said Jurgen Klopp did not trust enough to lead the line at the club, he believed the reds manager did not have faith in his abilities during his time at Anfield.
Christain Benteke who joined Liverpool from Aston Villa in club record fee of £32 million by Brendan Rodgers but the arrival of Jurgen Klopp to Anfield saw the Belgian slipped down the pecking order.
During his first interview as a Palace player, the Belgium international said: ‘A lot of things happened at Liverpool, When I arrived it was with Rodgers as manager, but then he was sacked and Klopp came in and had his own plan. But that’s part of football. I could have done better, but I think I also needed some trust from the manager and the staff.’
Benteke signed a four-year deal with Crystal Palace to put end to a torrid time at the Merseyside; the former Aston Villa striker will hope to put his past behind him and help an ailing Crystal Palace side back to its full strength. Thanks for reading.
Barcelona Confirms Imminent Departure Of Key Player To Man City
Barcelona has confirmed the imminent departure of goalkeeper Claudio Bravo to Manchester city.
The arrival of Claudio bravo to the Etihad Stadium has merely been confirmed by Barcelona after Technical secretary, Robert Fernandez admits the goalie is on his way out of the Camp Nou.
Robert Fernandez said: “We have the beginning of an agreement with Manchester City for Claudio Bravo,” We are awaiting events this week. When Claudio leaves, we hope to have a new keeper.”
Bravo who has fallen down the pecking order at the camp Nou to a much younger Andre ter stegen may be offered a lifeline by Pep Guardiola who already showed Joe hart the way out of the Etihad stadium after continually dropping the Englishman from the starting line-up so far this season.
It is believed that Pep Guardiola prefers a keeper who is better with the ball at his feet which the 33-year-old Chilean fits the bill.
Barcelona might also be on the look out for replacement for the Chile international was brought in to replace Victor Valdes but saw the Number One spot snatched away by Ter stegen last season. Thanks for reading.
