DAILY RENDEZVOUS

Daily Rendezvous Statement of ICC Prosecutor, Fatou Bensouda, on the occasion of this year’s International Day for the Elimination of Violence against WomenThe Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court (“ICC” or the “Court”) serves as an important legal instrument in the fight against impunity for atrocity crimesOn the occasion of this year’s Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women, I join the calls for a world free of violence against women and children.Women and girls around the world continue to be the victims of unspeakable crimes, from sexual and gender-based violence to harassment, human trafficking, child marriages, and being forced to serve as child soldiers.Despite progress made in the fight against impunity for such crimes, they remain prevalent. These are crimes that have traditionally gone un-reported and un-punished for too long.Their impact on women and girl victims is profound, with sometimes irreversible physical and mental repercussions....

Daily Rendezvous The United Nations has condemned in totality, the killing of about 110 farmers in Koshobe, in Jere Local government of Borno State, North East Nigeria. United nations states that, about 110 farmers who were harvesting their crops were ruthlessly murdered by non state armed groups and that several women might have been kidnapped. This is contained in press statement issued by the UN humanitarian coordinator, Edward Kallon and made available to Daily Rendezvous, Sunday. Kallon said, "I am outraged and horrified by the gruesome attack against civilians carried out by non-state armed groups in villages near Borno State capital Maiduguri.  "At least 110 civilians were ruthlessly killed and many others were wounded in this attack.     "In early afternoon of 28 November, armed men on motorcycles led a brutal attack on civilian men and women who were harvesting their fields in Koshobe and other rural communities in Jere Local Government A...

Daily Rendezvous Northeast governors forum has began to strategise how to intergrade the 'Almajiri' system into formal system of western education in order to stem the tide of unemployment among young people in the zone as a result of lack of education. The chairman of the North East Governors Forum and governor of Borno State, Babagana Zulum, kick-starting the meeting said, the recent youth restiveness witnessed in the country is a direct result of a blooming youth unemployment in the north east and the country at large and that government has a responsibility to create avenues for gainful employment and engaging the youth in productive ventures in order to curb the security threat posed by unemployment. Zulum said, education remains the most potent tool in addressing unemployment and creating gainful employment for youths in the north east region in order to curb the menace of insurgency and kidnapping. Zulum made this known in his opening remarks at t...

Daily Rendezvous Senator representing northern Adamawa, Ishaku Abbo, has dumped the PDP for APC, this shifting the balance of power in the state in favour of the opposition who now hold two of the three senatorial seats in the state. Although the move did not come as a surprise to political observers who have long considered him a wolf in sheep clothing among PDP members in the state.  Abbo,who has been a fierce critic of the governor, Ahmadu Umaru Fintiri, remains to seen whether he would be a curse or a blessing to APC following his image crisis since coming into office. Abbo while jumping ship said, "I write to formally inform you Sir, the Senate and indeed Nigerians of my defection from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the All Progressives Congress (APC). "This is as a result of the mismanagement of the PDP by Governor Ahmadu Umaru Fintiri in Adamawa State which led to the crisis in the party that in turn led to the polarization of the party in the state ...

Daily Rendezvous The judge says Mr Ndume has failed to produce Mr Maina or file an application to show why he should not forfeit the bail bond of N500 million. The Federal High Court, Abuja, on Monday, ordered Ali Ndume to be remanded in Kuje Prison following the refusal of Abdulrasheed Maina, former Chairperson defunct Pension Reformed Task Team (PRTT)’s to appear for his trial. Mr Ndume represents Borno South in the Nigerian Senate. The judge, Okon Abang, gave the order when Mr Ndume failed to file a formal application to show cause why he should not forfeit the bail bond of N500 million deposed on May 5 as part of the conditions for standing surety for Mr Maina. The lawyer for the EFCC, Mohammed Abubakar, had on November 18 asked the court to make an order for the lawmaker to forfeit the bail bond since Mr Maina, who he stood surety for, had jumped bail. Mr Abubakar also asked the court to revoke Mr Maina’s bail and issue a warrant of arrest on him. Although the court granted the ap...

Daily Rendezvous The Executive Secretary of Tertiary Education Trust Fund, (TETFUND) Suleiman Bogoro, said that the setting up of Academic Publishing Centres across Nigerian universities would provide a solid footing and opportunity for the nation's future writers, thinkers and artists to produce books locally in order to discourage overseas production and demands for foreign currency. Bogoro said, the funds intervention is specifically targeted at enhancing the capacity for publishing academic materials in the context of the complex system of knowledge production.   Bogoro made this knwon during an engagement with beneficiary institutions for APC in the North-East geopolitical zone held at Modibbo Adama University of Technology (MAUTECH), Yola, over the weekend. Borogo said, it has become partinent to chart a road map for operation, management and sustainability of the centres in order to boost local production of academic books in the country. He note...

Daily Rendezvous Ladi Bala, an indigene of Adamawa State and a seasoned Journalist with Nigerian Television Authority (NTA) has gone through a though challenge on her way to clinch the coveted prize of the national president Nigerian Association of Women Journalists, (NAWOJ). In a reverberating contest which pulls about one thousand delegates from across the nation, Ladi Bala, through her well coordinated campaign machinery and a strong home-based support from Adamawa State Council, defeated her closest rival from Borno state Aisha Ibrahim with a wide margin. The Returning officer, Chief Boniface Okolo Ezeogo, while announcing the results during the NAWOJ 10th triennial delegates conference in Minna, Niger State declared Ladi winner and returned elected. Ladi Bala polled a total of 439 votes to defeat her closest rival, Aisha Ibrahim who polled only 251 votes. Lucy Danjuma Chindaba, a presidential Aspirant from plateau state came a distant third with 85 votes, while Ruth Ab...