News
Sad! Somalia Cafe Att3ck K!lls Nine During Euro Final
By Kayode Sanni-Arewa
Images posted online showed a huge fireball and plumes of smoke billowing into the night sky as the explosion ripped through the cafe.
The death toll from a car bombing at a cafe in Somalia’s capital Mogadishu that was packed with football fans watching the the Euro 2024 final has risen to nine, security sources said Monday.
Witnesses described scenes of panic and chaos after the powerful blast late Sunday, with people scrambling for safety and the main entrance to the cafe destroyed by the blaze.
Mohamed Yusuf, an official from the national security agency, said nine civilians were killed and 20 others wounded in the explosion, raising the official toll of five given by police late Sunday.
The popular Top Coffee restaurant, which is located near the presidential palace in the centre of the city, was thronged with young men watching the final that Spain won 2-1 against England.
“There were many people inside the restaurant, most of them youth who were watching the football match… but thanks to God, most of them made their way out safely after using ladders to climb up and jump over the backside perimeter wall,” Yusuf said.
No group has claimed responsibility for the bombing, but the state-run Somali National News Agency said Sunday it was carried out by Al-Qaeda linked Al-Shabaab jihadists.
Images posted online showed a huge fireball and plumes of smoke billowing into the night sky as the explosion ripped through the cafe.
‘Bleeding and Screaming’
“I was inside the restaurant watching the football match when I heard a huge explosion, there was smoke, dust and fire at the front side of the restaurant and we panicked,” Said Muktar told AFP.
“I and several other people rushed towards the main entrance, but it was completely inaccessible,” he said, adding that he saw people “bleeding and screaming”.
“The whole situation was chaos.”
Images of the aftermath of the bombing on Monday showed piles of rubble where the restaurant once stood and several burnt-out vehicles, as local residents inspected the scene.
Police officer Mohamed Salad told AFP he rushed to the site a few minutes after the blast.
“Five people died outside the building and on the main road including drivers of vehicles that were passing by the area,” he said.
“Four people died inside the restaurant, some of them removed from under the debris.”
Al-Shabaab has been waging a bloody insurgency against Somalia’s fragile federal government for more than 17 years and has carried out numerous bombings in Mogadishu and elsewhere in the country.
There had been a relative lull in attacks in recent months as the government presses on with an offensive against the Islamist militants.
But on Saturday, five inmates said to be Al-Shabaab fighters were killed in a shootout with guards in an attempted jail break from the main prison in Mogadishu.
Three guards were also killed and 18 others wounded, prison officials said, after the inmates managed to get hold of weapons.
Somalia’s President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud has vowed “all-out” war against the jihadists and government troops have joined forces with local clan militias in a military campaign supported by an African Union force and US air strikes.
But the offensive has suffered setbacks, with Al-Shabaab earlier this year claiming it had taken multiple locations in central Somalia.
Although driven out of Mogadishu by AU forces in 2011, Al-Shabaab still has a strong presence in rural Somalia.
Somalia last month called for the African Union to slow the planned withdrawal of its forces from the troubled country.
UN resolutions called for troop numbers in the AU peacekeeping mission, known as ATMIS, to be reduced to zero by December 31 with security handed over to the Somali army and police.
The third and penultimate phase was to see the departure of 4,000 soldiers out of a total 13,500 ATMIS troops by the end of June.
But Somalia’s government said it wanted to see only 2,000 troops leave in June and the remaining 2,000 in September.
AFP
President Bola Tinubu has departed Galeao Air force Basa (SBGL) Airport, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, on Saturday, for Abuja after attending the 19th G20 Leaders Summit in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
The President is due to arrive at the Presidential Wing of Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja, at 10.00 p.m. (Nigerian time).
President Tinubu had attended the G20 Leaders summit where he endorsed the global alliance against hunger and poverty, which he said was pivotal.
The President also held bilateral talks with Kristalina Georgieva, the Managing Director of the International Monetary Fund (IMF), who commended his administration’s economic reforms and their positive indicators.
He also presided over the signing of a 2.5 billion dollar Letter of Intent between the Nigerian government and the JBS S.A., a Brazilian company and one of the top three largest meat processing companies in the World.
The president was accompanied in the trip by senior government officials including the minister of foreign affairs yusuf Tuggar, the national security adviser, Nuhu RIBADU and many others.
In commemoration of this year’s International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women, the House of Representatives will lead a landmark march on Monday, November 25, 2024, along with other strategic activities as part of its unwavering commitment to eradicating gender-based violence (GBV) in Nigeria.
This was contained in a statement issued by the HoR spokesperson, Rotimi Akin, Jr on Saturday.
According to him the march, which starts at 8:00 AM, will bring together over 1,000 participants – including Representatives and members of the public – on a symbolic walk from the National Assembly to the Headquarters of the Nigeria Police Force.
This demonstration of solidarity will culminate in the submission of a petition to the Inspector General of Police, demanding decisive action to safeguard vulnerable populations and ensure accountability for perpetrators of GBV.
“This march and the associated activities are not just symbolic gestures, they reflect our resolve and call to action against gender-based violence head-on,” said Hon. Abbas Tajudeen,, Speaker of the House of Representatives.
“We stand united in the fight to protect the rights and dignity of all Nigerians, especially the most vulnerable. Together, through collective action and legislative reforms, we can build a society where safety, justice, and equality prevail.”
Beyond the march, the 10th House of Representatives in alignment with its Legislative Agenda (2023 – 2027) has outlined *key activities to sustain awareness and action throughout the 16 Days of Activism:*
1. *Sash Demonstration Ceremony* – Tuesday, November 26, 2024
Members of the House will don orange sashes, symbolising solidarity with the fight against GBV, during plenary sessions throughout the campaign period.
2. *Convergence of State Assembly Speakers* – Monday, December 9, 2024
A strategic meeting at the Transcorp Hilton, Abuja, will bring together Speakers of State Houses of Assembly to discuss legislative strategies for combating GBV nationwide.
3. *National Citizens’ Summit and GBV Conference 2024 -* Tuesday, December 10, 2024
This summit will conclude the 16 Days of Activism with discussions on constitutional reforms and securing endorsements for gender equality initiatives championed by the House.
The House of Representatives invites all Nigerians to *participate in this historic march on Monday, November 25, 2024.* Participants will receive orange T-shirts—the official colour of the United Nations campaign to end violence against women—symbolising hope for a future free of violence.
*Details of the March:*
• *Date:* Monday, November 25, 2024
• *Time:* 8:00 AM
• *Starting Point:* Speaker’s Car Park, National Assembly
• *End Point:* Nigeria Police Force (NPF) Headquarters
Gender-based violence continues to devastate families and communities across Nigeria. The 10th House of Representatives however, remains steadfast in driving systemic reforms, fostering collaboration, and championing accountability to address this pervasive issue.
Together, let us take a decisive stand for justice, equality, and the protection of human rights, paving the way for a safer, more equitable Nigeria.
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