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UN Rights Experts Updraid ‘Killing

#Gaza: UN Rights Experts Updraid ‘Killing, Hushing’ Of Journalists

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#Gaza: UN Rights Experts Updraid ‘Killing, Hushing’ Of Journalists—-UN independent human rights experts have warned that. the ongoing military operations by Israel in Gaza have made it the deadliest and most dangerous war for journalists covering it “in recent history”.

 UN independent human rights experts gave the warning in a statement on Thursday.

Expressing deep concern, the Human Rights Council-appointed experts highlighted the alarming toll on journalists and media workers in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, particularly in Gaza.

“We are alarmed at the extraordinarily high numbers of journalists and media workers who have been killed, attacked, injured and detained in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, particularly in Gaza, in recent months blatantly disregarding international law,” the experts said.

The experts noted “disturbing reports” of attacks against media workers despite being clearly identifiable in jackets, helmets and vehicles marked “press”, seemingly indicating a “deliberate strategy” by Israeli forces to obstruct and silence critical reporting.

Since Oct.7,  2023, they said, 122 journalists and media workers have lost their lives in the Gaza Strip, with many others sustaining injuries.

Four Israeli journalists were killed by Hamas on  October 7, when fighters from the extremist group which controls Gaza and other Palestinian militants, attacked Israeli communities in southern Israel.

“We condemn all killings, threats and attacks on journalists and call on all parties to the conflict to protect them,” they said.

Dozens of Palestinian journalists have also been detained by Israeli forces in both Gaza and in the West Bank where harassment, intimidation and attacks on journalists have increased since the Hamas terror attacks.

The experts paid tribute to the resilience and courage of media workers in Gaza, noting that rarely have journalists “paid such a heavy price for just doing their job” as those in Gaza now.

“[They] continue to put their own lives on the line every day in the course of duty, while also enduring enormous hardship and tragic loss of colleagues, friends and families in one of the bloodiest, most ruthless conflicts of our times,” the experts said.

They highlighted the case of Al-Jazeera journalist, Wael al-Dahdouh, who lost his wife, two children and a grandson in an Israeli bombing on  October 25. He also survived a drone attack that killed his cameraman in late December.

He lost another son, also an Al-Jazeera journalist, along with another colleague, who were killed by an Israeli drone strike targeting their car on January 7, 2024.

The experts stressed the critical importance of the right to information as a “survival right” during times of conflict, on which the very lives of civilians depend, and that journalists play an “indispensable role” as a vital source of information, and as human rights defenders and witnesses to atrocities.

“Journalists are entitled to protection as civilians under international humanitarian law. Targeted attacks and killings of journalists are war crimes,” the experts warned.

The independent expert called on the International Court of Justice (ICJ) and the International Criminal Court (ICC) to pay “particular attention” to the dangerous pattern of attacks and impunity for crimes against journalists.

The experts further urged Israeli authorities to permit journalists to enter Gaza and safeguard the safety of all journalists in the Occupied Palestinian Territory.

They called on all combatants to facilitate prompt, independent, and impartial investigations into every journalist’s killing, in accordance with international standards.

The experts speaking out are all Special Rapporteurs, who along with other independent rights experts are mandated to monitor and report on specific thematic issues or country situations.

They work on a voluntary basis, serve in their individual capacity, are not UN staff and do not receive a salary.

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SHOCKING !! Oluyin Of Iyin-Ekiti In DSS Net Over Alleged Suspicious Demand for Governor’s Used Chair

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SHOCKING !! Oluyin Of Iyin-Ekiti In DSS Net Over Alleged Suspicious Demand for Governor’s Used Chair

 

The Department of State Services (DSS) has invited the Oluyin of Iyin-Ekiti, Oba Adeniyi Adeola Ajakaiye, for questioning after he made a quiet but suspicious demand for the chair used by Ekiti State Governor, Biodun Oyebanji during a thanksgiving service at Babamuboni Memorial Anglican Church, Iyin-Ekiti.

According to leaked correspondences exchanged between Babamuboni Anglican Church and Oluyin’s Palace, Governor Oyebanji had attended an event on May 31, 2026 at the invitation of Senate Leader, Michael Opeyemi Bamidele, an indigene of Iyin-Ekiti few days to the state’s gubernatorial election.

How Oluyin of Iyin-Ekiti Strangely Demanded Governor’s Seat

It was gathered that after the church program, the Oluyin of Iyin Ekiti, Oba Ajakaiye quietly and specifically requested for the chair which the Governor sat on during the church program.

The church’s Vicar who suspected a mischief by the Oluyin’s palace politely declined the estranged and bizzare request.

According to the church, the decline made Oba Oluyin furious who immediately influenced the untimely transfer of the church’s vicar, Ven. Dr. Samuel Sunday Agunbiade from the church.

The Palace, in a letter addressed to the church , insisted that the governor’s seat be surrendered for “royal custody and appropriate traditional rites.”

In the said letter from the Oluyin-in-Council to the church, they strangely said that “the replacement chair to be commissioned henceforth shall be placed under strict and adequate guard at all times, to avert any future desecration or recurrence of such grave oversight against the sanctity of the stool.”

Meanwhile, the request which has been described as barbaric and bizarre in Nigeria’s political and religious history, immediately raised suspicion and outrage within the community.

The Position of the Anglican Church

The Anglican Church, in its formal reply, rejected the demand, stressing that church property is held in trust under ecclesiastical governance. It further explained that the chair no longer existed, having already been dismantled and incorporated into the altar furnishing.

According to the church, “Consequently, the Church is not at liberty to surrender, transfer, or remove dedicated Church property for external purposes outside the procedures prescribed by ecclesiastical authority.

“As custodians of these properties, we are duty-bound to preserve and administer them in accordance with the doctrine, discipline, and governance of the Church.”

REQUEST FOR THE REMOVAL OF THE CHURCH CHAIR TO THE PALACE nnnnn_040357

Despite the stance of the church to strictly adhere to its ecclesiastical responsibilities and constitutional obligations, the palace persisted.

Outrage in Iyin-Ekiti as Residents React

Residents of Iyin-Ekiti alleged that the monarch’s insistence was not cultural but sinister with claims that the chair might be for ritual manipulation against the governor whom at the time was preparing for his re-election.

They noted that the DSS invitation to the Oluyin underscores how seriously the security agency views the matter stressing that there are sinister motive behind the estranged act.

It was equally gathered that the fallout extended to the church leadership. Ven. Dr. Agunbiade, the vicar who stood firm against the palace’s demand, was transferred under circumstances widely perceived as punitive.

Residents noted that while governors, presidents, and dignitaries have attended church services across Nigeria and Ekiti State in particular for decades, never has a demand been made for their chairs to undergo “traditional rites.”

They described the incident as mischievous while calling for a thorough investigation by the DSS to unravel the mystery and sinister motives behind the bizzare request of the monarch.

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Global Wave of Cyber Intrusions Spares No Sector, but Nigeria’s Banking System Stands Resilient

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Global Wave of Cyber Intrusions Spares No Sector, but Nigeria’s Banking System Stands Resilient

 

By Adesegun Adeshi Gbenga

 

Nigerian banks have moved swiftly to contain the effects of a sophisticated global cyber campaign sweeping across sectors and continents, with industry sources assuring the public that the nation’s financial system remains strong, resilient and secure.

 

The campaign, described by analysts as one of the most coordinated waves of attacks in years, is neither peculiar to Nigeria nor limited to finance. Organisations in telecommunications, healthcare, government, energy, technology and corporate registries across Europe, Asia, the Americas and Africa have been targeted by the same wave of intrusions, underscoring the borderless nature of modern cybercrime.

 

The data is stark: CheckPoint, a leading international cybersecurity firm, reports a 115 per cent surge in attacks on the global financial sector last year, with organisations worldwide facing thousands of attempted intrusions weekly. The current campaign has been linked to threat actors that have struck more than 35 organisations across several countries and sectors.

 

Despite the onslaught, banking services and digital channels across Nigeria remain fully operational and customer deposits safe. Banks activated their incident response protocols as soon as reports emerged, working closely with regulators, law enforcement and international cybersecurity partners to investigate and strengthen their defences. Nigerian banks operate some of the most advanced cybersecurity infrastructure on the continent, backed by years of sustained investment in protecting customer information and assets. Experts note that resilience in an era of global cyber warfare lies not in immunity from attack, which no organisation can claim, but in the speed and rigour of response, and on that measure the industry has acted decisively and in full compliance with regulatory requirements.

 

The banking public is, however, urged to remain vigilant. Fraudsters often exploit moments of heightened attention with fake calls, text messages and emails. Customers should never divulge personal or banking information, including passwords, PINs, One-Time Passwords (OTPs), card details or Bank Verification Numbers (BVNs), to anyone over the telephone, however convincing the caller sounds; no bank will ever ask for these details.

 

They should also avoid opening suspicious emails, clicking unfamiliar links or downloading attachments from unknown senders. Anyone who suspects foul play or unusual account activity should contact their bank immediately, and only through its dedicated official channels: verified customer care lines, official websites, mobile applications or branches.

 

 

As governments and corporations worldwide race to shore up their digital defences, the message from the Nigerian banking industry is one of calm and confidence: the system is safe, deposits are secure, and the institutions entrusted with the nation’s savings remain watchful and prepared.

 

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