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BREAKING: Nigerian Human Rights Activist Arthur Judah Angel Assassinated
By Kayode Sanni-Arewa
Nigerian human rights activist and anti-death penalty advocate Arthur Judah Angel, has been assassinated in his country home in Edo state.
Mr Angel, who was the President and founder of Life Wire International Foundation, wrote: “I refused to die, a true life story of Divine Intervention on death row”
It was gathered on Tuesday that Mr. Angel, who had spent nine years of his life on death row after being sentenced to death for a crime he did not commit in 1986, was killed and buried in a shallow grave on Sunday.
The assailants also burnt down his house down after the assassination.
After he was granted a pardon and released from prison, Angel dedicated his life to fighting against the use of the death penalty in Nigeria.
He travelled to over 15 countries to speak out against death penalty through his art exhibitions and drawings.
The incident happened at Ugboha, Esan South East, Edo state.
When SaharaReporters contacted Arthur’s cousin, Michael Ihaza, he confirmed the assassination of his uncle.
He told SaharaReporters that although, they don’t know of anyone whom his late uncle had any problem with, the family has cases in court over their landed properties sold by trespassers and land grabbers.
“We won one of the cases a few weeks ago and Arthur was the head of the family,” he said.
He, however, noted that Arthur Angel’s 15-year-old has been accused of killing him, adding that “as it is, we don’t believe that side of the story”.
He said, “Probably those who killed him may want to push that narrative to divert attention. If the son killed him, how would he have buried him alone and burnt their only house? He didn’t steal anything. He didn’t run away and he went to the police to report the incident.”
“Well, we want the police to do a thorough investigation and bring perpetrators to justice. But till the police are done with the investigation, we cannot really say what happened,” he added.
When SaharaReporters contacted the Edo State Police Command regarding the tragic incident, the Command’s spokesperson SP Chidi Nwabuzor said he did not have any record of such an incident yet.
He requested for the location of the incident so that he can track it.
A review of his autobiography on Amazon described ‘I Refused to Die’ as a personal and harrowing account of one man’s time on death row in Nigeria.
It described Arthur Angel as lucky enough to escape death row alive and brave enough to tell his story to the world in order to highlight the flawed and corrupt criminal justice and penal systems in Nigeria.
“Through his drawings and his book, he is courageously championing a cause.
“It may be difficult to assimilate this story. You heard or read about this but still wonder if it is true; anyhow, the story is real. It may sound like something out of a vicareque book, but this one is no fiction. It happened to Arthur Judah Angel.
“Punishment is synonymous with crime, but when a man is innocent yet faces death sentence, it could be regarded as absurd. For Arthur Judah Angel, a victim of circumstances, he had felt it, heard it, experienced and seen it all, yet he conquered all odds.
“It is all here, as expressed by the irrepressible Arthur Judah Angel. If 16 years of unreasoned goal failed to subdue and dehumanize him, I just wonder what could. Here’s an angel in the gallows… an endless memoir,” the review added.
Source: SaharaReporters
News
See Photos of World’s Tallest and Shortest Women Meet for Afternoon Tea in London
The world’s tallest woman and the world’s shortest woman met for the first time this week, sipping tea from china cups — and bonding over what they have in common while celebrating their differences.
Jyoti Amge, shortest woman, and Rumeysa Gelgi, tallest woman, meet for the first time and share afternoon tea
Rumeysa Gelgi, from Turkey, stands at 7 feet and 0.7 inches, while Jyoti Amge, from India, is 2 feet and 0.7 inches.
Jyoti Amge, shortest woman, and Rumeysa Gelgi, tallest woman, meet for the first time and share afternoon tea
Jyoti Amge, shortest woman, and Rumeysa Gelgi, tallest woman, meet for the first time and share afternoon tea
Jyoti Amge, shortest woman, and Rumeysa Gelgi, tallest woman, meet for the first time and share afternoon tea
“You’re so beautiful,” said Gelgi, 27. “Thank you — you too,” replied Amge, 30.
Their meeting, over afternoon tea at London’s Savoy Hotel on Tuesday, came ahead of Guinness World Records Day, which is held annually in November to mark record-breaking achievements and encourage people to attempt records. The pair have been honored as “World Record icons” in the 70th anniversary edition of the Guinness World Records book.
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“Meeting Jyoti for the first time was wonderful,” Gelgi said in a release Wednesday. “She’s the most gorgeous lady. I was waiting to meet her for a long time.”
Gelgi said the pair bonded over their love for makeup, jewelry and doing their nails.
Video footage showed them sitting down for tea, cakes and sandwiches stacked next to them, with the London Eye visible from the window.
Amge said in the release that she was “so happy to look up” and see the world’s tallest woman, whom she called “good-natured.” She added that it was difficult at times for the pair to make eye contact “due to our height difference.”
“Guinness World Records is all about celebrating differences,” its editor in chief, Craig Glenday, said in a statement ahead of Guinness World Record Day, which is on Thursday.
“By bringing together these two amazing, iconic women, they can share their perspectives on life with each other and, also, with us,” Glenday said.
Gelgi’s record-breaking height is due to a rare genetic condition called Weaver syndrome, which causes rapid growth, according to the National Organization for Rare Disorders.
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The primary symptom is growth and bone development that occurs faster than usual, making those affected taller than average. People with Weaver syndrome may have rigid muscles and difficulty extending their elbows or knees.
Gelgi used a walking aid for support during the pair’s meeting. Her case of Weaver syndrome was the 27th ever diagnosed and the first in Turkey, according to Guinness World Records.
Weaver syndrome is generally caused by changes in the EZH2 gene, according to the NORD, though the organization notes that some people with Weaver syndrome do not have a mutation in the gene.
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Amge, an actor who played the character of Ma Petite in the television series “American Horror Story,” has a genetic growth disorder that occurs in the early stages of fetal development, known as achondroplasia.
According to Johns Hopkins, the condition causes shorter bones, abnormally shaped bones and shorter stature. While the genetic defect can be passed from parent to child, in about 80 percent of cases, achondroplasia results from a spontaneous mutation that occurs in the developing embryo.
On Thursday, Gelgi shared photos on Instagram of the two exploring London despite the cold weather, posing side by side in front of Tower Bridge.
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