News
Ghanaians Protest Economic Hardship

Ghanaian police said they had arrested 42 demonstrators in the capital, Accra, after clashes erupted during protests against economic hardship and the government’s handling of illegal mining, known locally as “galamsey”.
AFP reported that the protests, organised by the group Democracy Hub, began on Friday and were set to continue until Monday.
The demonstrators, mostly young people, marched through the city chanting patriotic songs and carrying placards expressing frustration over environmental destruction caused by illegal mining and perceived economic mismanagement by the government.
Forty-two people were arrested on Sunday, police said in a statement.
“These individuals assembled unlawfully and attacked police officers who were performing their lawful duties,” police spokesperson Grace Ansah-Akrofi told AFP.
“They will be arraigned in court for their actions, which include obstructing traffic, damaging property and causing disturbances.”
The police said in the statement that the protesters engaged in various acts of lawlessness, including removing the ignition key from a police vehicle and throwing it away, pushing down crash barriers and disrupting the peace.
They also announced a manhunt for other protest leaders, including popular lawyer and activist Oliver Barker-Vormawor for allegedly evading arrest.
“We are working to bring all those responsible to face justice,” Ansah-Akrofi added.
Barker-Vormawor, however, insisted that the police’s claim about him was “baseless and misleading”.
“I have been in consistent communication with senior officers within the Police hierarchy regarding my whereabouts and availability,” he said in a post on X.
In response, Democracy Hub condemned the police’s use of force, calling it an unjustified attack on peaceful demonstrators.
“We urge the authorities to engage in constructive dialogue with protest leaders to protect the rights and safety of all participants,” the group said in a statement.
The protests come as Ghana gears up for a presidential election in December, with the economy at the forefront of the campaign.
The race pits ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP) candidate and Vice President Mahamudu Bawumia against former president John Mahama of the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC).
Ghana’s economy is slowly recovering from a severe financial crisis in 2022, which forced the country to default on its external debt.
Inflation peaked at 54 percent in December 2022 but eased to 20.4 percent last month.
With President Nana Akufo-Addo stepping down after two terms, his deputy Bawumia is leading the ruling party’s bid to retain power.
Ghana, a leading producer of oil, gold and cocoa, is gradually steadying its economy with a $3-billion relief package from the International Monetary Fund.
AFP
Crime
Female Corps Member Recalls Harrowing Assault by Anambra Security Forces

A National Youth Service Corps member, Jennifer Elohor, who was brutalised by Anambra security operatives, otherwise known as “Agunechemba”, at a corpers lodge in Oba, Idemili Local Government Area of the state, has recounted her harrowing experience.
In a video that went viral on Tuesday, the operatives armed with guns stormed the corps members’ lodge, accused them of being Internet fraudsters, although they knew they were corps members. They were seen beating the female corps member despite her cries for help.
The incident has continued to generate widespread reactions across the state, with stakeholders, civil society organisations, human rights groups, and lawmakers condemning the action of the vigilante group, with many demanding justice for the victim and calling for sanctions against the vigilante team.
Elohor, who narrated her ordeal in an interview with a media personality, Aprokoking, shared online on Wednesday, said the Anambra State operatives broke into her residence, assaulted her, and forcefully took her and some of her colleagues away.
This is just as the Anambra State Government has tendered a public apology to the victim and anyone who had suffered abuse or harassment in the hands of Agunechemba personnel.
The corps member said the incident occurred on July 13, around 5pm, at the lodge where she and other corps members were residing.
She said she and her colleagues were indoors when suddenly they heard a violent knock on their door.
She said, “At first, we thought it was our neighbours’ door because it’s a three-storey building with several flats. But the knock became louder and more aggressive, so I decided to check. Before I could reach the door, it was kicked open.
“A masked man armed with a gun stormed into the room without any form of identification or uniform.
“At first, I thought it was an armed robber until he ordered all of us to come outside. I tried to explain that we were corps members and even suggested showing our NYSC identity cards. My colleagues also presented theirs, but the men ignored us. The intruders ransacked our room, seized our phones and laptops, and became violent.
“They pushed us downstairs, almost shoving me down the staircase. They kept asking what gave me the right, as a woman, to challenge them. It was when we got outside that we saw their vehicle and discovered they were from the Anambra Vigilante Group.”
She further claimed that when they requested to call their lodge proprietor or NYSC officials to notify them of where they were being taken to, the vigilante members became more brutal and violent.
“They beat me, tore my clothes, and even hit one of my colleagues with an iron rod for pleading on my behalf. They forced me into their vehicle, pressing my neck, slapping me, and threatening to smash our phones if we contacted anyone,” she added.
Following the outrage, the Anambra State Government, through the Special Adviser to the state governor on Community Security and leader of Agunechemba, Ken Emeakayi, while speaking to journalists on Thursday, restated that the eight personnel responsible have been identified, sacked, arrested and detained.
News
Nigeria Consul-General in Cameroon, Ambassador Coker dies
The Ministry noted that before his appointment as Consul General in Buea, Ambassador Coker had served Nigeria meritoriously in the country’s Missions in Conakry, Guinea, and Shanghai, China.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has announced the sudden death of Ambassador Taofik Obasanjo Coker, Nigeria’s Consul General in Buea, Republic of Cameroon.
In a statement issued on Wednesday by the Ministry’s Spokesperson, Kimiebi Imomotimi Ebienfa, Ambassador Coker died on Saturday, August 16, after a brief illness.
Ebienfa described the late envoy as a hardworking and dedicated career diplomat who served Nigeria with distinction and professionalism in different capacities.
“His untimely death, therefore, is a great loss to the diplomatic community and the nation at large,” the statement read.
The Ministry noted that before his appointment as Consul General in Buea, Ambassador Coker had served Nigeria meritoriously in the country’s Missions in Conakry, Guinea, and Shanghai, China.
News
NITDA shuts down 13.5 million social media accounts for code violations
Highlights of the 2024 Compliance Report include: Registered complaints: 754,629, Content removed: 58,909,112, Content reuploaded after appeal: 420,439, Accounts shut down/deactivated: 13,597,057.

The National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA) on Wednesday shut down 13,597,057 social media accounts on platforms including TikTok, Facebook, Instagram, and X (formerly Twitter) for posting offensive content and breaching Nigeria’s Code of Practice for online platforms.
The Vanguard reports that the enforcement action followed the submission of the 2024 Compliance Report by major service providers such as Google, Microsoft, and TikTok.
Despite the shutdown, NITDA commended the platforms for their cooperation and adherence to Nigeria’s regulations, which were developed in collaboration with the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) and the National Broadcasting Commission (NBC).
Highlights of the 2024 Compliance Report include: Registered complaints: 754,629, Content removed: 58,909,112, Content reuploaded after appeal: 420,439, Accounts shut down/deactivated: 13,597,057.
NITDA said the figures demonstrate the platforms’ efforts to protect users and remove harmful content in line with national laws.
The agency reiterated that all online platforms operating in Nigeria must be locally registered, comply with tax requirements, and adhere to the Code of Practice.
NITDA added that it will continue working with industry stakeholders, civil society, and regulators to promote user safety, digital literacy, and transparency across Nigeria’s digital ecosystem.
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