Today In Nigerian History;21st August

Prof.-Attahiru-Jega

On this day in 2014;The Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, said  that it would not allow the use of masked security agents to safeguard the 2015 general elections, stressing that “any security personnel deployed for the election must be someone identifiable.”


Former INEC Chairman, Prof. Attahiru Jega, who made the position of the Commission known during an interactive session he had in Abuja, with both local and international Civil Society OrganiSations, CSOs, involved in monitoring elections in the country, described the emerging trend of using hooded security men for elections as “highly worrisome.”

“Security agents who are deployed on election duties should not be masked, the doctrine of transparency requires that they should be identifiable. “We will not allow such persons during the 2015 elections. Any security personnel deployed for the election must be someone identifiable, such that if anything happens we will be able to know who to hold responsible,” Jega added.

Also on this day in 2015;The Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Muhammad Sa’ad Abubakar, , asked  President Muhammadu Buhari to jail those found guilty of embezzlement while their property should be confiscated.

And on this day in 2014;A helicopter belonging to Bristow Helicopters with 12 people on board, crashed into the Lagoon near the Oworonsoki end of the Third Mainland Bridge in Lagos.

According to an eyewitness, the aircraft, marked 5NBGD  was said to be coming from one of the oil rigs in the Escravos area of Delta  State and was said to be heading to Murtala Muhammed Airport, Ikeja when it went down around 3.p.m.

According to reports, three of those on board were confirmed dead, while six others, who were rescued, were moved to the nearby Gbagada General Hospital and a private hospital.

The crash occurred at the back of Oworonsoki Police Station after a loud bang was heard from the helicopter. The National Emergency Management Agency, NEMA, its Lagos State counterpart, LASEMA, and policemen were said to have embarked on rescue operations immediately after the crash.