These are the top stories you should be monitoring today.
The Kaduna Police commissioner, Austin Iwar, on Sunday confirmed that 45 villagers were killed by bandits in Birnin Gwari Local Government Area of the state.
According to Premium Times, Iwar said, “Yes 45 people were confirmed dead and as we speak the state command have already deployed 150 policemen to the area to provide security.”
The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Nigeria has filed a petition at the United Nations (UN) against President Muhammadu Buhari.
In a letter to the UN Secretary General, Antonio Guterres, the National Chairman of PDP, Uche Secondus, told the world body that Buhari has a predetermined plan to use federal agencies like the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), the army, and the police to ‘truncate’ Nigeria’s democracy.
The PDP, in the letter which is dated April 30, 2018, accused Buhari of violating the Nigerian constitution and persecuting members of the opposition, as well as attacking journalists and “well-meaning” Nigerians who hold different opinions from Buhari’s party, the All Progressives Congress (APC).
The British, German, French, Chinese, the U.S, and the Russian embassies in Nigeria, as well as the European Union secretariat in Abuja, were copied in the letter.
Despite violent activities across many states where the All Progressives Congress (APC) held its ward congresses, the party described the conduct of the election as “generally peaceful.”
Violence and alleged illegalities were recorded in several states including Bauchi, Delta, Ebonyi, Enugu, Oyo, Abia, Imo and Rivers.
In other states like Enugu, Oyo and Ebonyi, party officials alleged rigging and manipulation of the process.
The APC, in a statement by its National Publicity Secretary, Bolaji Abdullahi, however said, “The All Progressives Congress (APC) wishes to congratulate all its members for the generally peaceful conduct of the Party’s ward congresses which took place across the country over the weekend.
“We however acknowledge there are some issues arising from the conduct of the elections in some states.
“With this in view, the party had set up various appeal committees which will begin sitting from Monday, May 7, 2018.
“We therefore call on all Party members to remain law abiding and where there are issues, they should seek redress through the appeal committees in their respective states.”
Senator Oluremi Tinubu (Lagos Central) on Sunday urged the federal government to declare public holidays for collection of Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs), ahead of the December 2018 deadline.
Tinubu, in a statement in Lagos, said that the PVCs were the tools to participating in the forthcoming 2019 general elections.
She also urged residents in the state to ensure that they collect their PVCs.
The police have confirmed that the candidates to be recruited in the ongoing process will have to write an examination conducted by the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB).
President Buhari recently announced that he had approved for the police to recruit 6,000 new officers. The recruitment is to help increase the personnel of the Nigeria Police Force, currently at about 300,000.
And… stories from around the world.
Vladimir Putin is due to be sworn in for a fourth term as president of Russia today after winning the election in March.
He has been in power for 18 years, whether as president or prime minister, and opponents have likened his tenure to the reign of an emperor.
Riot police confronted protesters against his rule in Moscow and other Russian cities on Saturday. There have been fears of new unrest on Monday as he takes office.
UK foreign secretary, Boris Johnson has urged President Donald Trump not to give up on the Iran nuclear deal, saying “at this delicate juncture it would be a mistake to walk away“.
Johnson is in Washington to persuade Trump to remain a part of the international accord.
The deal saw Iran agree to limit its nuclear activities in return for the easing of sanctions on its economy.
Thousands marched through London under the banner of free speech on Sunday after Tommy Robinson, a former leader of the far-right English Defence League, was permanently banned from Twitter.
Protesters flying national flags and holding placards decrying limits to free expression rallied at Whitehall after marching through central London from Speakers’ Corner in Hyde Park, a location seen as emblematic of free speech that has been the scene of several recent far-right rallies.
Robinson called for the demonstration last week in response to Twitter’s decision to ban him for “hateful conduct” after he posted a message saying: “Islam promotes killing people.”
Sir Alex Ferguson remains in a serious condition at the Salford Royal Hospital following a brain haemorrhage as the football world rallies to his support with a deluge of messages wishing him well.
The 76-year-old former Manchester United manager underwent emergency surgery after he was rushed by ambulance from his home in Wilmslow, Cheshire on Saturday.
He was taken first to Macclesfield district hospital and then to Salford hospital under a police escort. His family, including his wife Cathy and his son Darren, also a football manager, were understood to be at his bedside.
Lava from an ongoing eruption from Hawaii‘s Kilauea volcano has now destroyed 21 homes on the Big Island.
One day after more than 1,700 people were evacuated from their homes in Leilani Estates after serious earthquakes, the eruption caused lava to shoot more than 200 feet in the air.
