The Canadian Government says it targets accepting 1.2 million immigrants from 2021 to 2023 even with  interference generated by the global pandemic. Immigration Minister Marco Mendicino said what he called an "ambitious" three-year immigration plan today that set targets for bringing skilled workers, family members and refugees into Canada. Canada is planning to bring 401,000 new permanent residents in 2021, 411,000 in 2022 and 421,000 in 2023. “The key to both short-term economic recovery and long-term prosperity is immigration,” Mendicino said, according to AFP. “As with every other aspect of our lives, the pandemic has affected migration to Canada,” the minister commented. Last year's plan promised to bring in more than one million immigrants over a three-year period, but the COVID-19 crisis and the resulting travel restrictions have slowed down the process. At a news conference in Ottawa today, Mendicino said immigrants drive the population and econo

  The U.S.  Department of Homeland Security  has quoted it will  replace the H - 1B visa lottery ,  the method for selecting which foreign professionals receive the intended visas each year, with a selection process that gives priority to the jobs with the highest salaries.  Under these reforms, the H-1B programme will place those workers who are offered the highest wage, ensuring that the highest-skilled applicants are admitted. The proposal is the latest in a series of changes the administration has made to regulate the H1-B program.  US officials affirm that the change will basically  save the wages of American workers . According to the Department, modifying the H-1B cap selection process in this way will motivate employers to offer higher wages for higher-skilled workers instead of using the program to fill relatively lower-paid vacancies. The proposal, which was announced Wednesday will be opened for a 30-day comment period. 

                       Image File Copy The army also said it did not shoot at the Lekki protesters. The  Nigerian Army  has said that it was persuaded to enforce the curfew in Lagos by the state government. The army declared, on Tuesday, in a statement by its 81 Division in Lagos. The statement was signed by its appointee  Osoba Olaniyi. Mr Adeniyi while explaining the role played by the army at the Lekki toll gate maintained that they acted within the confines of the Rules of Engagement for Internal Security operations. He also stated that soldiers did not shoot at the #EndSARS protesters in Lagos. In the statement titled “Press release on alleged massacre of protesters at Lekki toll gate,” Mr Olaniyi described the allegations of soldiers shooting at protesters as untrue, adding that no soldier fired a shot at the protesters. “The attention of Headquarters 81 Division Nigerian Army has been drawn to a viral video on social media in which it was alleged that civilians protesters were m

 

    Femi Falana, human rights lawyer,     on Monday said his group, the Alliance on Surviving COVID-19 And Beyond (ASCAB), has commenced investigation into last Tuesday shootings of protesters at the Lekki Toll Gate in Lagos. Falana, said ASCAB has so far identified the barracks where the soldiers who opened fire on protesters were deployed from. He made this known on Monday in an interview with Arise TV. Some soldiers had shot and killed some unarmed End SARS protesters seated at the Lekki toll gate in Lagos State. Falana, who insisted that soldiers were deployed to the demonstration ground last Tuesday, said, “We have already identified the barracks where the soldiers left for Lekki, we have already identified the barracks.” He, however, did not disclose the details of the barracks. Falana added, “The President was likely to have been told soldiers were ordered so I want to believe that’s why it was not addressed. They said it was a rumour but I think the facts are emerging now, that

Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu   I heavily grieve for those who have lost their lives or been injured during the period of these protests. My deepest sympathies go to their families and loved ones for none should have been made to pay such a dear price. My career as an active politician spans nearly three decades. In that time, I have seen many things as Nigeria has struggled, sometimes against itself, to undertake the often painful yet inexorable push toward democratic government accountable to, and protective of, the people. Though this journey, I have traversed the landscape of human experience. Having been as a political prisoner during our struggle for democracy but also having the singular honour of serving this state and its people as governor, I have known highs and lows, seen both the good and the bad of things. But the events of the past few days have been extraordinary in a most dire sense. Only time will tell if we have the collective wisdom and requisite compassion to learn t

All Progressives Congress (APC) national leader, Bola Tinubu, has paid a solidarity visit to the governor of Lagos state, Babjide Sanwo-Olu, dismissing the opinion that he travelled out of the country.  Speaking on Saturday  October 24, at the Marina State House , Tinubu stressed the need for a thorough investigation into Tuesday night attack. He said, “First, we have to segregate the calendar – those who suffered casualty before the protests from the hands of SARS. You have to separate that from those who suffered casualty due to what happened at the toll gate. “For those who suffered casualty from SARS, the Commission of Inquiry that is already set up will unearth that and will make their recommendations. I trust the calibre and the character of the people there, they are independent. That is one. “Those who suffered casualty during the gunshots need to answer some questions too. Even though we want to help, we still must extract information that will help the government to prepare i

Femi Adesina,  Special  Adviser on Media and Publicity President Muhammadu Buhari didn’t mention anything about the shooting of #ENDSARS protesters in Lekki on Tuesday night during a nationwide broadcast yesterday because it would be “premature and presumptuous.” Nigerian President Muhammadu Buhari spoke to the nation about the unrest that has engrossed the nation recently, but without making any mention of the shootings of peaceful protesters by    Men  In Nigerian  Military Uniforms  at Lekki toll plaza on Tuesday night that bring about outrage in Nigeria and the world at large. However, his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Femi Adesina, who appeared on Politics Today, a live show on Channel Televisions said the President couldn’t have said anything about the shooting because it was being investigated.  

DJ Switch was among the protesters  victimized  at the Lekki toll gate when soldiers allegedly  fired upon  the protest ground on Tuesday night. She confirmed the death of 15 persons, while also revealing that police officers also joined in the shooting. The Nigerian Army has denied any involvement in the shooting, even stating that videos showing their officers actively shooting at the protesters was photoshopped. Dj Switch, was at the scene of the incident, as she shared a Live video from the shooting as it happened on that night. She has now come out to tell how the unarmed protesters were murdered. Taking to her Instagram page moments back, DJ Switch, shared images of some of the shells she was able to personally pick from the scene. According to her, the mistake her and other protesters made, was to drop the corpses of the dead at the feet of the military officers, as the officers ultimately took off with the bodies and cleared the evidence.

  Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu of Lagos state was a guest at Arise TV on Thursday morning, October 22, where he denied claims that the CCTV cameras at the Lekki tollgate were taken down before  Men in Nigerian military uniforms Open Fire on peaceful protest for Police Reforms on Tuesday, October 20.  " i will just say the truth of what happened. nobody ordered. i called the managing director of  lcc  that night when i saw the pictures and what he said to me was that because of the curfew that had been announced, they took a decision that they will take out installations that were critical to them." "that camera that you saw is not a security camera, it’s not a motion camera. it’s a laser camera for vehicles. when you are approaching the toll plaza, you would remember that there is a camera that is at the level of your car. what that camera does is that it picks the tags and number plates of cars approaching the toll plaza. it’s an infrared camera and not a security camera

                       FILE COPY The Nigerian police officers guarding the Lagos State House of Assembly in the Alausa area of the state assaulted two journalists, Femi Dawodu and Segun Odunayo from Punch Newspaper who were covering the #EndSARS events on Wednesday.  Lagos state governor imposed  a state-wide  curfew  on Tuesday in response to growing protests over police brutality but  allowed those on essential services such as health workers, security operatives, and journalists to carry out their legitimate duties. According to PUNCH Metro, Dawodu and Odunayo had gone to cover events around the Alausa area, a major demonstration ground for protesters. While making a live recording of the activities in the area , the policemen confronted them and ordered them to stop recording. After showing the policemen their identity cards, the policemen became annoyed and pounced on them. Odunayo said the policemen tortured them for four hours, adding that the cops stripped them of their clothe

Former vice president Atiku Abubakar has called on President Muhammadu Buhari to address the nation about ongoing violent clampdown on the ENDSARS protest and nuisance by thugs. The Full Text: 1. I woke up this morning and did the unusual: I called to speak to all my adult children. 2. I did so because I wanted to be sure that they are safe. I also wanted to be assured that the event of yesterday was a nightmare. 3. But it was real. This is our new normal. As I speak, many parents and homes are in mourning. Their children, mowed down in their prime by a needless show of force by security forces that were supposed to be protecting them. 4. For over a week, our young people have been trying to draw our attention to their grievances, by way of the #EndSARS movement. 5. Sadly, it reached a violent crescendo yesterday, with the unprovoked killing of unarmed and peaceful protesters, even while they demonstrated their patriotism by singing the National Anthem. 6. I am heartbroken at this turn