Headline News

25, June 2018

Sasse Old Boys: SOBA UK Secretary General says the national body needs a decent man to run its affairs ⁰

Press Statement: Update on Decisive Action(s) taken against the splinter group of SOBA UK

Fellow Sobans, On 24th February 2018, the members of the SOBA UK General Assembly convened and voted unanimously to:

a) reject calls for fresh elections in the UK by SOBA General in Cameroon and,

b) take necessary actions to redress any infringement of the SOBA UK trade marks.

We repeat that SOBA UK has for some time now been the subject of sustained attack from the activities of members of the splinter group purporting to be SOBA UK, which is a clear infringement of our intellectual property and disregard for the already well established association in the United Kingdom.

Exactly two weeks ago on 8th June 2018 we informed you that the Executive of SOBA UK had commenced decisive action against certain individuals of the splinter group. We outlined specific activities that demonstrated bad faith, opportunism and collusion with key elements of SOBA General in Cameroon, notably Prof Ephraim Ngwafor and Mr Ebot Mfoataw to undermine the SOBA UK General Assembly of registered members.

The actions initiated so far are focused on recovering intellectual property that belongs to SOBA UK in an attempt to resolve the confusing situation amongst members of the public of the splinter group also calling themselves SOBA UK instead of using an alternative name and freely associating as they see fit. The said individuals of the splinter group were contacted by our legal representative and given a period of two weeks to return SOBA UK’s intellectual property and to stop purporting to be SOBA UK. We regret to inform you that our legal representative informed us at close of play Friday 22nd June, 2018 that these individuals had failed to meet the requirements of our requests. Instead of doing everything possible to remove themselves from what is a very serious and urgent situation, the said individuals provided a lengthy and misleading write-up that did not address the specifics of what they had been accused of. Furthermore, the write-up shows deep collusion between the splinter group and Prof. Ephraim Ngwafor and the dubious plan to attempt to usurp the legitimate association of SOBA UK members. We have taken the exceptional step of publishing the write-up so that this collusion can be evidenced to our membership.

From the write-up provided, extracts of SOBA General constitution (separate from the SOBA UK constitution) amended by Professor Ephraim Ngwafor show material changes to the 2018 SOBA Constitution that could in theory affect all Soban groups worldwide. These most recent changes have been made without due consultation or ratification from the SOBA UK General Assembly. It is obvious that these changes have been done in an effort to prop up the splinter group in the UK and seek control of SOBA UK and its assets, both financial and otherwise. Specifically, amending the constitution to create the so called SOBA General Council that gives it powers to dissolve any elected Executive of SOBA anywhere in the world and appoint an election commission and its members, is a gross abuse of the goodwill of Sobans to freely associate around the world.

On behalf of our registered members in the UK, considering no ratification of such dubious constitutional changes, the nonpayment of any registration into SOBA in Cameroon, our obligations from the SOBA UK Constitution, the SOBA UK General Assembly, our ownership of UK trademarks and autonomy, we are making it clear that these constitutional changes by Prof Ephraim Ngwafor in SOBA are null and void, and will not stand the scrutiny of any court in the UK.

On the intellectual property in the UK, we the members of SOBA UK, live in the UK, freely and voluntarily associate and do business in the UK and own the intellectual property in the UK in order to protect SOBA UK and avoid confusion in the public and abuse of our UK brand name. The process of achieving a trade mark was not taken lightly by us or by the UK Intellectual Property Office (IPO). For a legitimate group that had demonstrated hard-work, track record of operating and doing its business over many years in the United Kingdom, the evidence was and continues to be available in abundance for the award of our trade marks in the UK. Our trademarks have been evidenced by certificates and TM numbers which are made available to anyone who wishes to verify online. Those who believe they can challenge these facts with their alternative version of doing business in the UK are more than welcomed to do so. Our members however, remain very confident of their standing and brand name in the UK.

There has been a narrative provided by Prof Ephraim Ngwafor that his firm has achieved trade marks for SOBA with the African Intellectual Property Organisation (OAPI) but with no trade mark numbers or certificates provided. Whilst this does not strictly concern us in the UK, we have reasonable grounds to believe that no such trademarks have been achieved as of this date and this irresponsibly exposes SOBA in the African region. The OAPI is part of the World Intellectual Property Organisation (WIPO) and they follow the same standards of issuing trade mark evidences as the UK IPO. It is also worth noting that even with such a trade mark from OAPI it would not cover business undertaken outside the region and certainly not in the United Kingdom. Therefore these misleading statements about the intellectual property rights of SOBA UK are totally baseless and our members should remain very confident from many years participation in legitimate SOBA UK activities.

Finally, the failure of the said individuals of the splinter group to adhere to the deadline set by our legal representatives is regrettable because of the potential consequences to them of now pursuing these matters fully through the legal system. The various cases brought against the individuals by members of SOBA UK are founded on solid evidence. We strongly advice those concerned to consider the potential impact to their individual circumstances first and respond to the reasonable requests from our members. We will keep you posted in the coming weeks, as we remain hopeful of achieving a reasonable conclusion to these matters.

Yours faithfully,

John Bawak

Secretary General SOBA UK

On behalf of Executive and Members of SOBA UK Signed:

On the 24th day of June 2018 United Kingdom.

25, June 2018

That Depressing Amnesty International report on the Anglophone Crisis ⁰

The rather combative government riposte to the Amnesty report was an unnecessary own goal that sullies and casts aspersion on Cameroon’s image before the international community.

The alarm bell sounded by Amnesty International on the vicious cycle of violence currently taking place in the Anglophone regions is hardly surprising, coming as it were amidst the grotesque campaign of human savagery and barbarism by murderous nihilistic soldiers, responsible for the brutal killing of hundreds of innocent Anglophones and burning down over 100 villages till date. In its latest report, the London-based human rights group said “security forces have tortured people, fired on crowds and destroyed villages, in a spiral of violence that keeps getting more deadly.” Amnesty said security forces have tortured at least 23 people, including minors to extract confessions, while Ambazonia fighters have killed at least 44 security forces and targeted suspected Anglophone sympathizers of the Biya regime. The report is bound to cause consternation within and outside Cameroon with adverse consequences for the army chain of command, including President Biya as commander-in-chief, who risks potential criminal liability for individual or command responsibility for war crimes of murder, torture, extra-judicial executions and enforced disappearances. It is certainly impossible to live down the damning report, but the combative government riposte of dismissing the report as biased;accusing AI of hostility is an unacceptable impudent display of statecraft. Any effort to discredit AI will instead attract global opprobrium against Cameroon, which might inevitably lead to the nation’s military and political leaders being dragged to the International Criminal Court (ICC) at The Hague for prosecution.

Titled: “A turn for the worse: Violence and human rights violations in Anglophone Cameroon,” the report which is based on in-depth interviews with victims and eye-witnesses, and material evidence including satellite images, documents how Anglophones are paying the highest price as violence escalates in the North West and South West regions. The report details a range of war crimes and possible crimes against humanity committed by security forces deployed to counter the Anglophone insurgency. Amnesty particularly noted that: “People in Cameroon’s Anglophone regions are in the grip of a deadly cycle of violence. Security forces have indiscriminately killed, arrested and tortured people during military operations which have also displaced thousands of civilians.”

According to the report, victims described being blindfolded and severely beaten with sticks, ropes, wires and guns, as well as being electrocuted and burnt with hot water. Some were beaten until they lost consciousness, and Amnesty documented that at least one person died in custody. One man who was arrested on December 13, 2017 in Dadi gave a harrowing account of the torture he suffered: “… They tied our hands behind our backs, gagged us and tied our faces with our towels and shorts, which they tore. They then made us lie in the water, face down for about 45 minutes… During three days, they beat us with shovels, hammers, planks, and cables, kicked us with their boots and poured hot water on us… when I tried to move and shouted, one of them used the cigarette he was smoking to burn me.”

AI said satellite images and photographic evidence show the complete destruction of Anglophone villages, burned to the ground by soldiers in response to the killing of security officers by Ambazonia forces. “In some cases, following these security operations, people were arbitrarily arrested and tortured while detained in illegal detention facilities and in secret. For instance, at least 23 people, including minors, arrested in Dadi village in Akwaya by security forces, spent three days incommunicado during which, they were tortured to extract confessions of supporting the separatists. “In another instance, the bodies of four men, arrested in Belo by the security forces the day before, were found bloodied; with signs of torture at the Bamenda regional hospital mortuary,” AI noted.

The Amnesty report epitomizes, in a dramatic fashion, the rampaging culture of impunity in the army. It is indeed a tragedy that the nation’s military would be accused of such egregious human rights violations that cast the country negatively in terms of moral accountability and respect for the rule of law. That the army could be accused of war crimes and crimes against humanity, hints of an imprudent display of lawlessness.That security forces, whose prime responsibility is the protection of lives and property should be accused of having the blood of many civilians on their hands, is neither edifying to the military, nor the nation. It is one more embarrassment that Cameroon can do without.

The report also reflected the heightened state of impunity and indecorous professional conduct in military circles.The images of torture and systemic abuse of Anglophones in secret detention centers, which have gone viral on social media, advertised a certain violation of even the basic rules of war, which exposed a breakdown in the leadership command chain. Notwithstanding the situation, as the ethos of modern democracies demand, the military cannot operate outside the law. This is what makes the excesses documented in the report, all the more puzzling!

Be that as it may, the Amnesty report was also an unwholesome expression of the helplessness of the commander-in-chief. All in all, the impression created is that President Biya, as commander-in-chief has been taken hostage by the army chiefs and their cohorts who are profiteering from the crisis. This being the case, the import of the report is for Biya now to take effective action to protect the Anglophone population against the army’s campaign of terror within the boundaries of the rule of law; to change the scorched-earth strategy for handling the Anglophone crisis by discarding the indiscriminate use of brutal force that inevitably creates a vicious cycle of violence.

Rather than dismiss the Amnesty report as a grossly impaired document that is baseless and not grounded in facts, President Biya should take the opportunity to restore the rule of law and engage in genuine dialogue with the Ambazonia leadership. Peace will not be achieved unless the culture of impunity among the security forces is broken and Cameroon outlaws torture. The military high command must be investigated for sanctioning or failing to prevent the torture and deaths of people in their custody, arrested in the counter-insurgency operations. The soldiers certainly have no reason to raze villages and kill innocent civilians, including a 96-year-old bed-ridden woman, burnt to death by soldiers in Kwa kwa. If things went wrong in the past, this is the time to correct them.

Mr. President may find it necessary, as an image boosting measure, to commit his government’s willingness to conduct a thorough investigation into all the allegations with a view to determining the truth, sanctioning those culpable, and preventing a recurrence. The government must, as a matter of urgency, set the record straight with verifiable data of the number of detainees in various detention cells, the charges preferred against them, the status of their prosecution and the number of those that have died in custody. The government can continue to wallow in self-delusion, but the obstinate refusal to dialogue with the Ambazonia leadership, and the misguided demonization of Ambazonia forces as terrorists will neither end the insurgency nor repair Cameroon’s battered international image.Despite all the rampage, the army has been struggling to counter the Ambazonia fighters. The soldiers remain on the defensive.

Amnesty is however unequivocal that these breaches including torture, extrajudicial executions and detention without trial, including the trail of blood and death wherever the army appears, can only make an already desperate situation worse. In AI’s view, “the government’s heavy-handed response will do nothing to calm the violence – in fact it is likely to further alienate Anglophone communities and fuel further unrest,” noted Samira Daoud, Amnesty Deputy Director for West and Central Africa. Amnesty concluded by saying: “Authorities must ensure accountability for crimes committed by the security forces as well as by the armed separatists. They must immediately end the use of unlawful, unnecessary and excessive force and ensure that people are protected.” Mr. President should create a commission of inquiry with parliamentary oversight to undertake an independent investigation not just of the Amnesty report; but the entire anti-Anglophone counter-insurgency operation to ensure security forces operate within the rule of law and with respect for the rights of citizens. The report of such an enquiry should be made public and those found to have compromised service integrity made to face the full wrath of the law. That is what is expected of any responsible government confronted with such grievous allegations.Trying to kill the messenger because the government hates the message is a self-defeating strategy.

By Ekinneh Agbaw-Ebai

25, June 2018

Nine EU nations set to formalize a joint military intervention force ⁰

The French defense chief says nine European Union countries are set to formalize a plan for the creation of a joint European military intervention force, which would have the backing of Britain following its exit from the 28-nation bloc.

Representatives of the EU countries—France, Germany, Belgium, Britain, Denmark, the Netherlands, Estonia, Spain and Portugal—will meet in Luxembourg later on Monday to sign a letter of intent on the issue, Florence Parly said in an interview with Le Figaro.

The plan, which was launched last year by French President Emmanuel Macron, involves “joint planning work on crisis scenarios that could potentially threaten European security,” according to a source close to the minister.

The force is intended to be rapidly deployable to deal with those situations, including natural disasters, intervention in a crisis or evacuation of people.

The joint military force would be separate from other EU defense cooperation and will operate independently of the union.

“This is clearly an initiative that allows the association of some non-EU states,” Parly said. “The UK has been very keen because it wants to maintain cooperation with Europe beyond bilateral ties.”

Germany, which was initially reluctant to join the military plan, announced earlier this month that it would support it.

The new government in Italy “is considering the possibility of joining” but has not made a final decision yet, said the French minister. The former government had shown interest in the plan.

In December 2017, 25 EU states inked a major military deal, under which they agreed to cooperate in various projects, but it is not clear whether London would be allowed to take part in any of them once it leaves the bloc.

Britain, Europe’s biggest military power along with France, will no longer be allowed to operate within the union after its separation from the bloc.

The United Kingdom voted to leave the EU by a margin of 51.9 percent to 48.1 percent in a referendum held on June 23, 2016. It is now involved in a complicated debate with the EU for the separation.

Source: Presstv

25, June 2018

Senegal, Japan draw 2-2 in World Cup thriller ⁰

Japan and Senegal have displayed an excellent thriller in the World Cup as they share points to remain hopeful of a place in the round of 16.

The hard-fought battle between football powerhouses from Asia and Africa ended in a 2-2 draw in Yekaterinburg Arena, Russia, on Sunday.

The Group H match was marked with two brilliant comebacks for Japan as strikes from Takashi Inui and Keisuke Honda deservedly matched goals from Senegal’s Sadio Mane and Moussa Wague.

Inui’s curled finish in the 34^th minute leveled a game that could end with Senegal’s lead at the break. Mane scored in the 11^th from a ball deflected by Japan goalkeeper Eiji Kawashima which then bounced off the leg of the Senegalese captain into the net.

Senegal’s Wague scored with a powerful shot in the 64th minute before Japan substitute Honda netted from Inui’s pull-back on 78 minutes.

The 32-year-old Honda, who replaced Shinji Kagawa in the second half, became the first Japanese in history to score in three different world cups.

Both teams now top Group H with four points as they clinched unexpected victories in their opening matches of the World Cup. Japan beat South America heavyweight Colombia 2-1 while Senegal recorded the same score-line against Poland.

The World Cup will run until July 16 in Russia.

25, June 2018

Turkey: Erdogan and his party win presidential and parliamentary elections ⁰

Recep Tayyip Erdogan and his ruling Justice and Development (AK) Party have claimed victory in Turkey’s presidential and parliamentary elections.

“Our people have given us the job of carrying out the presidential and executive posts,” said Erdogan in a speech from Istanbul on early on Monday.

“I hope nobody will try to cast a shadow on the results and harm democracy in order to hide their own failure,” he added.

The country’s main opposition party initially said that Erdogan would fall well short of a first-round victory, but after the results were announced that it would carry on its democratic struggle “whatever the result.”

With 99 percent of votes counted in the presidential race, Erdogan had 52.5 percent.

Polls across the country of 81 million people officially closed at 5 pm (1400 GMT). There are no exit polls in Turkey and initial results are expected during the early evening.

Votes were cast in 180,065 polling places across the country.

Votes by Turks living abroad who cast their ballots in 60 countries at 123 embassies and consulates will be counted at the same time in the capital Ankara.

Turkey’s main opposition presidential candidate Muharrem Ince said on Sunday Turkish citizens should protect ballot boxes against possible fraud by President Erdogan’s ruling AK Party.

Erdogan called the snap elections, bringing forward a vote that was expected to be held in November 2019.

Six candidates were vying for the Turkish presidency. If a candidate wins just over 50 percent of the vote, he will win the presidency, but if not, there will be a runoff on July 8.

Erdogan won the last presidential election in 2014 after completing two terms as prime minister.

People wave flags outside the Justice and Development Party (AKP) headquarters in Istanbul, on June 24, 2018, during the Turkish presidential and parliamentary elections.

In April 2017, 51 percent of Turkish voters endorsed constitutional changes backed by Erdogan, which grant new executive powers to the president and scrap the post of prime minister.

Supporters of the reforms argue that they will modernize the country, but opponents fear a possible authoritarian rule.

The constitutional overhaul would mean that Erdogan could stay in power for another two terms until 2029.
Source: Presstv

24, June 2018

Why doesn’t the Interim Government assassinate Biya and end the Southern Cameroons war? ⁰

Frankly speaking it is fair to say and painfully accurate that the Biya Francophone regime, alongside their Francophone dominated army, the French Cameroun media gurus and the French Cameroun Diaspora have waged horrific war on Southern Cameroons, through the deployment of army soldiers, support and supply of French Cameroun’s Rapid Intervention Battalion (BIR) and plenty of other anti Southern Cameroons groups all part and parcel of the same package.

All attempts to destroy Ambazonia have been very much in full flow for many as 57 years now. Regime change was initiated by the French Cameroun government following the ouster of A.N.Jua as premier of West Cameroon. The anti Southern Cameroons policy has recently been curtailed by the Interim Government of the Federal Republic of Ambazonia to save Africa’s new nation. However, the Yaoundé regime is still moving forward with directives from Paris in terms of sewing carnage, mass slaughter and carving Southern Cameroons into various enclaves/segments.

We have seen the Biya regime selling oil and gas to Southern Cameroons fine allies the British. CDC sold to French interest groups. We have seen the Francophone army killing hundreds on lame and ridiculous reason that they are clearing the supply route in and out of the Southern Zone. We have seen French Cameroun soldiers’ burn down Southern Cameroons towns and villages. We have seen Biya led effort against the Ambazonia Liberation Army lead to a multiplicity of armed groups deep within Southern Cameroons.

Not killing Biya will not finish the war; it would more likely lead to ever worsening blood-shed. Despite the propaganda of the Beti Ewondo political elites, it is clear to even the half brained, half blind, half deaf, that Biya has no support from the French Cameroun people. The vast majority of the French Cameroun army are young men who joined the military to gain access to free money and women.

Let your opinion be heard on the war in Southern Cameroons

By Chi Prudence Asong

24, June 2018

Kroos strikes at death as World Cup holders Germany come back from brink ⁰

Toni Kroos rescued holders Germany from the brink of an unthinkable early World Cup exit here Saturday, curling home a sensational winner in the fifth minute of stoppage time to seal a 2-1 win over Sweden.

The 10-man reigning champions were in deep trouble when Kroos stepped up to steer in his dramatic winner in the final minute of time added on at Sochi’s Fisht Stadium.

Before that, a Kroos error had led to Ola Toivonen giving Sweden a 32nd-minute lead and even a Marco Reus equalizer early in the second half appeared to be only a temporary stay of execution for Joachim Loew’s men.

But the rescue act from Kroos, who had endured another difficult night in the German midfield, is a huge lift to a side who saw Jerome Boateng sent off late in the game.

They now have qualification for the last 16 back in their own hands ahead of their final Group F game against South Korea on Wednesday.

There is still no guarantee that they will avoid the fate of the last two World Cup holders, with Spain four years ago and Italy in 2010 both being knocked out in the group stage.

Not since 1938 have Germany been eliminated from the World Cup in the first round. However, this result, and the manner of it, will provide an almighty boost to the Germans and is a hammer blow to Sweden, who will face off with Mexico in their last match with all still to play for.

Mexico’s 2-1 win over South Korea earlier on Saturday had ensured that Germany would be out in the event of a defeat, with a draw little better.

Germany coach Joachim Loew wielded the axe following the shambolic 1-0 loss at the hands of Mexico with which they began their defense of the trophy, with the much-criticised Mesut Ozil and Sami Khedira dropped while Mats Hummels missed out due to injury.

Marco Reus, Sebastian Rudy and Antonio Ruediger were among those who came into the team. But just like against Mexico, Germany’s usual composure was not there.

Sweden denied penalty

Sweden should have had an early penalty when Marcus Berg was released on goal and, at the point of shooting, was fouled by Boateng.

Berg’s effort was saved by Manuel Neuer. Boateng played the man and not the ball, but there was no penalty given and no recourse to the Video Assistant Referee.

It was a warning for the Germans, who were then dealt a body blow — literally — when Rudy was left with a bloodied nose after receiving a stray boot in the face.

Ilkay Gundogan replaced him, coming in alongside Kroos, but it was the Real Madrid man who was at fault as Sweden went in front just a minute later.

His pass was pounced upon by the Swedes, who sprung forward, Viktor Claesson picking out Toivonen to control on his chest and lift the ball over Neuer with the aid of a slight deflection.

Sweden’s defender Martin Olsson reacts to the team’s loss during the Russia 2018 World Cup Group F football match between German.

Loew sent on Mario Gomez in place of Julian Draxler at half-time, and it took just three minutes of the second half for the equalizer to arrive.

Timo Werner’s low centre from the left was behind Gomez, who got a touch but not enough to put off Reus from bundling it in.

They then set off in search of the winner, with Gomez twice coming close and fellow substitute Julian Brandt smacking a post late on.

Boateng had already walked by then, seeing a second yellow in the 82nd minute for a foul on Berg.

Hope looked to be gone, but then Kroos exchanged passes with Reus at a free-kick on the left edge of the box and sent a sweet strike into the far corner.

24, June 2018

US Secretary of State says Trump will ‘likely’ meet Russia’s Putin in near future ⁰

US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo says President Donald Trump will “likely” meet with his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin in the months ahead to discuss persisting tensions between the two countries.

Pompeo made the remarks during an interview on Saturday with the local MSNBC news network, further disclosing that the White House National Security Adviser John Bolton is due to visit Moscow this week to discuss potential plans for a bilateral summit between the two leaders.

“I don’t know what the president’s schedule is going to be,” said the top US diplomat, adding that “I know Ambassador Bolton’s planning to travel to Moscow on Sunday or Monday.”

“He’ll be meeting with his counterpart,” Pompeo said of Bolton’s agenda during his Russia visit. “I think it’s likely that President Trump will be meeting with his counterpart in the not-too-distant future following that meeting.”

File photo of US National Security Advisor John Bolton (Photo by AFP)

The remarks came just days after Bloomberg news outlet reported that talks were underway for Trump and Putin to meet next month, although plans were not yet finalized.

According to Pompeo, officials from the two rival nations were also engaged in examining their “overlapping interests” and looking for ways Moscow and Washington could collaborate.

“The president’s been unambiguous since he took office that there are places where Russia is working against the United States but many places where we work together,” he underlined.

Pompeo then went on to assert, “I had a chance to do that in my previous role as CIA director, where we worked with the Russians on counterterrorism issues, where the two nations had shared interests.”

He further added, “And so we are having conversations with our Russian counterparts trying to find places where we have overlapping interests but protecting American interests where we do not.”

The development comes after Trump stunned leaders of allied nations and even many officials in Washington earlier this month when he insisted that Russia should be readmitted to the Group of Seven (G-7) just prior to and during the group’s summit in Canada.

“Whether you like it or not, and it may not be politically correct, but we have a world to run,” Trump declared. “And in the G-7, which used be the G-8, they threw Russia out. They should let Russia come back in because we should have Russia at the negotiating table.”

24, June 2018

Ex-Vatican diplomat jailed for possessing child porn ⁰

A former Vatican diplomat has been handed a five-year prison term for the possession of child pornography.

Carlo Alberto Capella received the sentence from a Vatican court on Saturday.

In addition to serving prison time in the small jail inside the Vatican police force headquarters, Capella is required to pay a fine of $5,800.

Capella’s trial lasted two days, and he admitted at the first hearing on Friday that he had developed a “morbid” desire while working at the Vatican Embassy in Washington DC in 2016.

The priest confessed that when he was in the United States as a diplomat, he had collected dozens of pornographic photos and videos on his mobile phone.

The US State Department notified the Vatican in August 2017 of a possible violation of laws relating to child pornography by a member of the diplomatic corps of the Holy See accredited to Washington and asked that Capella’s diplomatic immunity be lifted so the priest — who is an Italian — could face charges there.

However, the Vatican refused to do so and recalled Capella from the US that year.

Also, Canadian police had issued an arrest warrant for Capella on suspicion of possessing and distributing child pornography on the internet while visiting a church in the country.

This is the latest scandal to hit the Catholic Church, which has a notorious track record of child sexual abuse carried out by priests and subsequent cover-ups by church authorities.

Catholic Church sexual abuse victims include some as young as three years old, with the majority being between the ages of 11 and 14.

Pope Francis, who was appointed in 2013 with a mandate to overhaul the Vatican, has promised strong action in response to sexual abuse cases and cover-ups.

23, June 2018

Five killed in Boko Haram bomb attack in Nigerian village ⁰

At least five people have been killed and six others injured after Boko Haram Takfiri terrorists launched an attack on a village in Nigeria’s northeast.

Residents said Saturday that a bomber, suspected to be a member of the Takfiri terrorist outfit, detonated his explosives among a group of residents sleeping in the open in Tungushe village, which lies six kilometers (nearly four miles) north of the provincial capital of Maiduguri, at about 12:15 a.m. (2315 GMT) on Friday.

Mustapha Muhammad, a civilian militia leader in the area, said the blast was followed by gunfire from Boko Haram militants lurking in the dark.

Tungushe resident Umara Kyari also said the attackers torched eight thatched houses and three vehicles.

The Nigerian government has insisted on several occasions that Boko Haram has technically been rooted out from its bastions in northern Nigeria. However, attacks have continued unabated in crowded places, mostly by female recruits. The attacks have targeted mosques, markets and camps housing displaced people.

On Wednesday, 15 people, including military personnel, were injured when two bombers targeted a market on the edge of a military base in Maiduguri.

On June 16, six young girls killed 43 people in bomb attacks in the town of Damboa.

Since 2009, acts of terror by Boko Haram have left at least 20,000 dead and made over 2.6 million others homeless. The group pledged allegiance to the Daesh Takfiri terrorist group in 2015.

Boko Haram, whose name roughly translates as “Western education is forbidden,” has used kidnapping as a weapon of war, seizing thousands of women and young girls as well as men and young boys.

The United Nations warned late last year that areas affected by Boko Haram face humanitarian crisis. Adamawa, Borno and Yobe states in northeast Nigeria are the three states most affected.