Trump order barring refugees, migrants from Muslim countries triggers chaos, outrage

President Trump’s executive order barring refugees and migrants from predominantly Muslim countries from entry into the United States rippled across the world on Saturday, causing widespread confusion, triggering outrage among immigrant advocates and leading to the detention at U.S. airports of people flying into the country.

In addition to blocking all entries from seven countries, including business people, students and others, the ban is also being applied to U.S. legal residents from those nations — so-called green card holders — who were traveling abroad at the time the order was signed, federal officials said Saturday.

Those familiar with the order, who spoke on condition of anonymity because they said its rollout had been chaotic, said green card holders currently in the United States will not be affected. They noted that the Department of Homeland Security is allowed to grant waivers to those individuals and others deemed to not pose a threat to national security.

“If you’ve been living in the United States for 15 years and you own a business and your family is here, will you be granted a waiver? I’m assuming yes, but we are working that out,’’ said one official, who could not be more specific because details of the possible waivers remained cloudy, as did many other details of how the ban will be enforced.

President Trump signed an executive order halting all refugees from entering the U.S. for 120 days, among other provisions. Here's what the order says.

But officials made clear that the federal officers detaining refugees and migrants holding valid U.S. visas and restricting them from entering the country were following orders handed down by top DHS officials. Those orders, the officials said, reflect the desires of Trump’s White House.

The president’s order, signed Friday, suspends admission to the United States of all refugees for 120 days and bars for 90 days the entry of any citizens from Iraq, Iran, Syria, Yemen, Sudan, Libya and Somalia. Trump said that the goal is to screen out “radical Islamic terrorists” and that priority for admission would be given to Christians.

The executive action has caused “complete chaos” and torn apart families, said Abed Ayoub, legal and policy director of the American-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee. “It’s causing a negative and destructive impact on the Arab-American community,” Ayoub said.

The White House on Saturday rushed to explain and defend its action, saying it strengthens national security and denying that it targeted Muslims. “The notion that this is a Muslim ban is ludicrous,” one senior administration official said. A second official noted that many majority-Muslim countries, including Afghanistan, Pakistan and Turkey, were excluded from the measure.

And House Speaker Paul D. Ryan (R-Wis.), who frequently clashed with Trump during the presidential campaign, strongly backed the president’s executive order. “This is not a religious test and it is not a ban on people of any religion,’’ he said. “This order does not affect the vast majority of Muslims in the world. It does not affect a large number of nations that are Muslim-majority.’’

...

SOURCE: The WASHINGTON POST

BREAKING: Police dismiss six personnel attached to Gov. Nyesom Wike

The police have dismissed an Inspector and five sergeants attached to the Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike, over alleged misuse of firearms during the legislative rerun in the state in December last year.

They are ex-Inspct. Eyong Victor, ex-Sgts. Peter Ekpo, Oguni Goodluck, Orji Nwoke, Okpe Ezekiel and Tanko Akor.

The errant operatives were said to have stormed the Port Harcourt City Council Secretariat and prevented the movement of election results of Emouha polling unit to the appropriate collation centre designated by the Independent National Electoral Commission in disobedience to senior officers present.

Their actions were said to be contrary to the provisions of Force Order 237.

Parading the former policemen on Friday in Abuja, the Force Public Relations Officer, Donald Awunah stated that despite strict warnings from the Inspector-General of Police that all personnel on election duty should be of good conduct and desist from escorting their principals to polling units throughout the period of the election, the recalcitrant operatives were found blatantly breaching the directive.

This, he added, was unacceptable by all standards in the Force, noting that in the course of discreet investigations, the dismissed personnel were found to have in total disrespect to orders and directives, compromised, engaged in unprofessional acts and other unbecoming conduct.

Awunah said, “These aforementioned police personnel while in the convoy of the Governor of Rivers State, Nyesom Wike on the date of election on December 10, 2016 misused the firearms in their possession contrary to the provisions of Force Order 237.

“The personnel became overzealous, took laws into their hands and opened fire, causing panic in the crowd.

“They joined in storming the Port Harcourt City Council Secretariat and prevented the movement of election results of Emouha polling unit to the appropriate collation centre designated by INEC, in flagrant disregard and disobedience to senior police officers present at the venue.”

The spokesman stated that the operatives, after the conclusion of investigation into the public mischief, were subjected to internal disciplinary measures, found guilty and consequently dismissed from the Force.

“They will be prosecuted under the Electoral Act to serve as a deterrent to others,” he stressed, noting that the personnel’s misconduct, if not checked could be inimical to discipline and proper administration of the Force.

Awunah added, “Their actions are capable of bringing the entire Nigeria Police Force to disrepute and portray the Force in a very bad light as a lawless organization not guided by the rule of law.”

The former policemen protested loudly against their dismissal as they were taken away in handcuffs.

Source: PUNCH NEWSPAPER

Explosions rock Govt House Asaba on Tuesday.

Explosions rock Govt House Asaba on Tuesday, November 2, 2010

THERE was panic at Government House Asaba on Tuesday afternoon about 3 pm following explosions suspected to be bombs.

The two explosions went off at about 3pm causing partial damage to few buildings located at the VIP Guest House within the Government House complex. No life was however lost.


Although it was not immediately ascertained whether the explosions were bombs, security has been beefed up and the affected area cordoned off.

The blasts which went off with the interval of eight minutes caused panic as security men positioned at the main gate of the Government House ran to the scene.

State Police Public Relations Officer, PPRO, Mr. Charles Muka who also visited the scene told reporters that “two explosions actually occurred. We have cordoned off the place as you can see and bomb disposal unit are looking at it. Only two buildings were affected so investigation is on”

Also soldiers have been deployed around Patani-Kaiama bridges over allege plot to blow up structures.