EXCLUSIVE: Binniyat’s Health Condition Worsening in Prison: Prison Source

…Now uses crutches in prison says wife

By Steven Kefas, Kaduna

70 days after the arrest and detention of Epoch times reporter, Mr Luka Binniyat at the kaduna convict prison without trial, the deteriorating health condition of the 2017 award winner of the Nigeria union of journalist (NUJ) “The torch Bearer of Nigeria journalist” seem to be getting worse, prison source told our reporter.

Binniyat was seen being pushed on a wheel chair in the prison premises on Monday as the source said that the former chairman, correspondent chapel of the NUJ, kaduna state chapter, was battling a crippling leg infection.

This was even after it was reported last week that Binniyat was rushed to the prison clinic which had no drugs nor qualified and competant health workers after his inmates where alarmed by the suffering he went through over many nights.

The source said of Binniyat as fearing for his life remains unattended to by a qualified doctor as he has been unable to have any good sleep which May have dangerously heightened his blood pressure.

When contacted, his wife, Gladys Binniyat said that she has been unable to see her husband being the only visitor that is allowed to bring him food twice a week.

“I have not been able to see him since 2nd January, 2022″she said.

“He called me on Monday using the official prison number to my surprise and said that the prison officers in the clinic said that he should buy crutches,”she said.

“I bought the crutches and I have taken them to the prison, yet they didn’t allow me to see him.

“I am very disturbed over his health condition.” she said.

Binniyat’s lawyer, Barrister Ehizogie Fidelis Imadojemu, who also confirmed his deteriorating health conditions to this reporter, said he is worried about the journalist’s condition in prison nwith regards to the snail speed of his trial.

“Luka called me on Monday and told me about the condition of his health in prison, he told me he now uses wheelchair provided by the prison authority.

Barrister Imadojemu also expressed dissatisfaction with the way and manner his client’s case is going after 70 days in detention.

“During one of my regular visits to see him at the Kaduna Minimum Security Custodial Centre, he told me of pains he felt in his legs. In recent time, the pains have increased so that he now moves in a wheelchair.

“From what he told me, it’s an ailment that predates his recent arrest, detention and remand. He has not seen a Doctor. His only contact with a Health care provider in the Custodial Centre to examine the legs was not a Doctor or a Medical Practitioner, properly so called.

“He has had little or no medical attention. I am trying to speak to the authorities at the Custodial Centre so that he meets with a Medical Practitioner immediately as his health is deteriorating very fast.” He said

Barrister Imadojemu further said that charges were filled against Luka at the Federal high court in December but the case is yet to be assigned to s judge.

“Although Charges have been filed against him since early December of 2021, in Case Number: FHC/KD/79c/2021, the case before the Federal High Court, Kaduna, has not been assigned by the Presiding Judge or Senior Judge who normally assigns fresh cases. Consequently, no date has been fixed for his arraignment.

“His bail application filed after the Charges were filed, has also suffered the same fate. Hopefully, when he is arraigned, his bail application will be heard.” Imadojemu said.

Recall that Journalist Luka Binniyat was arrested by men of the Kaduna state Investigation Bureau (SIB) on November 4 2021 over a news article he authored for New York based online newspaper, Epoch times.

Binniyat was alleged to have quoted Senator Danjuma La’ah, the Senator representing Southern Kaduna Senatorial District in a publication on the killings of 38 people in Madamai and Abun communities in Southern Kaduna in September 2021, a publication the Kaduna state commissioner of Internal Security perceived defamatory.

Anti-Buhari message: We’ll mobilise to appear with Kukah before DSS – Christian youths

For his continued romance with bandits, the Department of State Services should invite popular Islamic cleric, Ahmad Gumi, for questioning, Christian youths under the aegis of the Christian Association of Nigeria (Youth Wing) said on Sunday.

The organisation was reacting to the reported invitation of the Catholic Archbishop of Sokoto Diocese, Fr. Matthew Hassan Kukah, by the DSS for his comments on the state of the nation in which he pounded the President, Major General Muhammadu Buhari.(retd.)

The President of YOWICAN, Belusochukwu Enwere, said these in a statement issued on Sunday titled, ‘We will mobilise christian youths across the country to answer DSS invitation of Bishop Kukah.’

Enwere said, “The attention of YOWICAN has been drawn to the purported invitation extended to Bishop Hassan Kukah, Bishop of Sokoto Diocese. Bishop Kukah committed no offense; rather, the government should channel her energy in the fight to liberate the country from terrorists and bandits.

“Recently, more than 200 people were killed and villagers displaced in Zamfara State. This is disheartening indeed. We will mobilise all Christian youths across the country to honour this invitation.

“The DSS has extended her invitation to us not Bishop Kukah and we will honour it. The DSS should first invite Ahmad Gumi for questioning for interfacing with bandits.

“Controversial Islamic cleric, Ahmad Gumi, has advised people in the terrorised North West of Nigeria on how they can live in peace with the armed bandits occupying their forests.”

YOWICAN quoted Gumi as saying that people can develop “mutual relationship with the bandits without being harmed”.

According to Enwere, Gumi has been “fraternizing with the bandits and he has been working freely without any invitation from the DSS or police.”

He said, “The DSS has invited Bishop Matthew Kukah for questioning days after the prominent Catholic priest ramped up his criticism of President Muhammadu Buhari for failing to curb nationwide insecurity.

“Bishop Kukah had slammed President Buhari in his Christmas sermon, saying the Nigerian leader has failed to show competence as terrorists, bandits and other violent criminals embark on a coordinated and relentless rampage across the country.”

Newswire Law & Events

Working in the 21st Century with GreyHobb (Greysoft Technologies – www.greysoft.ng)

The Covid-19 pandemic came with a truckload of revelations. It is clearly possible for people to work from outside traditional office spaces and still achieve results. Also, since working from home comes with its own share of distractions such as the assurance of electricity supply in this part of the world, internet integrity, the absence of a semi-work environment where one could call out Amina from the next workstation and ask her opinion on a professional matter, children interruption during work hours etc., Greysoft Technologies – www.greysoft.ng decided to design a beautiful and serene co-working space (The GreyHobb) to take away all your headaches and the best part here for startups looking to spend a fortune on setting up their own office space is that they can just save that money and come to GreyHobb for as low as 15k monthly subscription.

Co-working spaces can lower a company’s real estate costs and provide greater flexibility in procuring and managing space. As a business strategy, co-working can be more cost-efficient than creating dedicated office space in certain markets with a large percentage of highly mobile employees. For businesses seeking to quickly enter new geographic markets, co-working also provides a more efficient alternative to planning, designing, constructing and relocating to a new permanent office space.

GreyHobb provides its visitors with an inspiring work and relaxation environment. On entry, you’ll spot an outdoor work area, heavily supplied with unwavering electricity and internet supply. You will also notice the abundance of breeze, clean oxygen air, blowing in from all corners. This is because of the lavishness of trees in the premises. As you approach the hub, you’ll notice to your left, the cafeteria with two external gazebos where co-workers can sit and eat as well as work. Behind is an external urinary where gents can go to do their thing. Inside the structures are well ventilated rooms, artistic sceneries with inspiring quotes and texts. The highpoint of it all is the culture that is practiced by the people in this environment, both staff and co-workers. A sharing ecosystem with everyone eager to learn and contribute to the growth of the other.

At GreyHobb, we can say we agree with the Nigerian artist Davido when he said; “We Rise by Lifting Others”.

Top Five (5) Tech Innovation Hubs and Co-working Spaces in Kaduna

Kaduna state in Northern Nigeria famed for coming tops on Ease of Doing Business is rapidly adopting technology in almost all its endeavours. This naturally translates to an increase in digital activities around the state. In the last few years, we have seen tech innovation hubs emerge but the most prominent ones to engage if you were a stranger looking for a really great hub are as given below;

GreyHobb, a Modern Co-working Space

These were the words of the CEO of Greysoft Technologies/GreyHobb, Isah Raphael when we asked him about what inspired the level of excellence at GreyHobb. Right at the top of the company’s list of values is “people”. The hub profoundly ensures that people feel welcome and comfortable when they enter into its premises. The environment in itself is serene, neat and friendly. It is built in a way that it captures basic needs. From the outdoor working spaces, access to constant electricity and internet supply, a cafeteria with two gazebos for eat-outs, trees and flora that more than present an exquisite scenery, provide a maximally aerated environment. Your experience can be nothing short of remarkable! www.greysoft.ngTraining programs are diverse and unique; from basic digital literacy programs to emerging technologies. GreyHobb is also a Certiport Authorized Testing Center (CATC) licensed to train and administer exams on IC3 program packages.

The internal offices are well built and cozy such that it fosters work and relaxation. The inscriptions on the walls inspire possibilities and the space managers are happy to listen and reason with visitors always.

The creative space is called GreyCreate. Its partnership with Rabitz Studios (www.rabitzstudios.com) has seen it churn out tons of creative content from events, films, music and cultural contents.

What stands out in GreyHobb is the way the community is built. People are happy to share ideas with one another. A co-worker is eager to help the next in need and that is not a very common feat in most co-working spaces. Surely, a great deal of work must have gone into building such a community.

GreyHobb, Kaduna – Beyond Co-working

GreyHobb, Kaduna – Beyond Co-working

At its core, GreyHobb (by Greysoft Technologies – www.greysoft.ng) seeks to create strong communities and foster synergies, adding greater value to everyone who participates in the ecosystem. The dynamic energy of this space helps people feel that they are part of something larger than themselves and that others care about their success and want to help propel their ideas forward.

Greysoft Technologies Nigeria – http://www.greysoft.ng is at the heart of tremendously alleviating poverty through a strong campaign and implementation of digital literacy. The Greysoft Innovation Hub popularly known as GreyHobb, situated in Kaduna state of Northern Nigeria has a simple mandate – “Help people leverage technology for improved livelihood“.

Greysoft’s CEO, Isah Raphael in an interview stated that “with the right level of digital literacy, poverty can be rapidly alleviated if not eradicated”. According to GSMA, the number of smartphone users in sub-Saharan Africa is estimated to reach half a billion in 2021, up from a subscriber base of 477million in 2019. The African population is largely youthful and to keep these youth idle is to make them available for employment as instruments that foster activities which pose threat to local communities, like thuggery, insurgency and banditry. Most of these youngsters own a smartphone. These phones can access the internet and browse opportunities on freelance platforms like Fiverr, Upwork, etc.

GreyHobb is training young people on how to live online by first acquiring basic competences on digital literacy (IC3 standard), as well as developing freelance solutions that match menial job givers with job seekers. After training, trainees are linked to online freelance platforms and provided with access to mentorship. Some of the trained youth who emerge above expectation may be hired to also become mentors to others. This is a process that will be iterative until the result is in sight.

Working in the 21st Century with GreyHobb (Greysoft Technologies – www.greysoft.ng)

Working in the 21st Century with GreyHobb (Greysoft Technologies – www.greysoft.ng)

The Covid-19 pandemic came with a truckload of revelations. It is clearly possible for people to work from outside traditional office spaces and still achieve results. Also, since working from home comes with its own share of distractions such as the assurance of electricity supply in this part of the world, internet integrity, the absence of a semi-work environment where one could call out Amina from the next workstation and ask her opinion on a professional matter, children interruption during work hours etc., Greysoft Technologies – www.greysoft.ng decided to design a beautiful and serene co-working space (The GreyHobb) to take away all your headaches and the best part here for startups looking to spend a fortune on setting up their own office space is that they can just save that money and come to GreyHobb for as low as 15k monthly subscription.

Co-working spaces can lower a company’s real estate costs and provide greater flexibility in procuring and managing space. As a business strategy, co-working can be more cost-efficient than creating dedicated office space in certain markets with a large percentage of highly mobile employees. For businesses seeking to quickly enter new geographic markets, co-working also provides a more efficient alternative to planning, designing, constructing and relocating to a new permanent office space.

GreyHobb provides its visitors with an inspiring work and relaxation environment. On entry, you’ll spot an outdoor work area, heavily supplied with unwavering electricity and internet supply. You will also notice the abundance of breeze, clean oxygen air, blowing in from all corners. This is because of the lavishness of trees in the premises. As you approach the hub, you’ll notice to your left, the cafeteria with two external gazebos where co-workers can sit and eat as well as work. Behind is an external urinary where gents can go to do their thing. Inside the structures are well ventilated rooms, artistic sceneries with inspiring quotes and texts. The highpoint of it all is the culture that is practiced by the people in this environment, both staff and co-workers. A sharing ecosystem with everyone eager to learn and contribute to the growth of the other.

At GreyHobb, we can say we agree with the Nigerian artist Davido when he said; “We Rise by Lifting Others”.

Why Coworking is best for Startups – The GreyHobb experience

Why Coworking is best for Startups – The GreyHobb experience

Co-working spaces are flexible and shared work environments that make significant effort to connect users with supportive networks that commonly result in efficient work outputs, high level of collaboration and knowledge transfer.

Startups are usually small by nature and definition in the sense that the founders do not have big money in most cases. They also lack well-rounded experience in their field and the complete man-power they need; talk more of having the wherewithal to rent a fully furnished office space, powered with uninterrupted 24hr electricity and internet supply to run a successful venture. That’s why Apple, Facebook and the likes started from the garage.

GreyHobb, a co-working and creation innovation hub in Kaduna, Nigeria, founded by Greysoft Technologies Limited – http://www.greysoft.ng, sets off in a mission to help people leverage technology for improved livelihood, with a vision to achieve optimal access to digital opportunities. At GreyHobb, every startup is already incubated on sign up. This is evident in the structure of the community of co-workers, as each is carefully admitted in line with Greysoft’s values and vision. Joining an umbrella of innovative minds on a journey to solve problems digitally means that you are in the right space, if that’s your angle.

What’s important is that you immediately have access to a pool of mentors who are already walking the path you are dreaming of. You also have access to manpower, such as; digital marketers, product designers, developers etc. and some of these come in for free if you have good social skills. Naturally, you would have to hire these services and pay through your nose, but hey! The lady behind you is a good content writer and she could help you with a killer article if you ask nicely or at least show you how.

GreyHobb is well designed with external features such as gazebos for folks who like natural air and open spaces. The cafeteria is also built as gazebos so you can enjoy an all-round work experience whether you were indoors or outdoors. There’s also an external urinary and a wonderful ecologically friendly environment littered with trees everywhere, making the air clean and healthy to breathe.

There is also a crypto trading community at GreyHobb that trades for members just to ensure that members get richer – can you beat that?!As far as co-working spaces are concerned in Kaduna and I daresay Nigeria is concerned, GreyHobb is one of a kind.SHARETWEETPINSHARE

Top Ten (10) Tech Innovation Hubs and Co-working Spaces in Nigeria

Top Ten (10) Tech Innovation Hubs and Co-working Spaces in Nigeria.

Luka Binniyat: 63 days today behind Bars without bail: HURIWA Raises Alarm Of Alleged Poisoning

Leading Civil Rights Advocacy Group-: HUMAN RIGHTS WRITERS ASSOCIATION OF NIGERIA (HURIWA) has raised alarm that some dark forces embedded inside the Kaduna State government may have deliberately ‘poisoned’ or may be contemplating poisoning the Global Spokesman of the Southern Kaduna Peoples Union (SOKAPU) Comrade Luka Biniyat illegally detained at the maximum security prisons in Kaduna at the instance of the the Kaduna State Commissioner for internal Security Samuel Aruwan. 

The Civil Rights organization- HUMAN RIGHTS WRITERS ASSOCIATION OF NIGERIA (HURIWA) has called on the Kaduna State Governor Nasir Elruffai to call his commissioner to order to stop using the Kaduna State judiciary to illegally detain the Kaduna born frontline International journalist over a civil matter of alleged libel against the person of the aforementioned Commissioner who incidentally hails from the same Southern Kaduna State and is also a trained Journalist like the illegally incarcerated Journalist.  

“We call on the Kaduna State governor to prevent any untoward thing from being inflicted on the person of the detained Journalist by some evil forces just as the RIGHTS GROUP SAID the detained journalist is confirmed critically ill inside the Prison by his Wife who visited him Yesterday. We call on the Kaduna State House of Assembly to ensure that the life of this illustrious Son of the State is not endangered in anyway by any reactionary elements whilst he is being illegally detained without bail for 63 days over a mere civil related cause of action which ordinarily shouldn’t be subjected to official manipulation “. 

HURIWA said thus:  “On 3rd November 2021, a complaint was made to the Kaduna state commissioner of police, alleging that a news story, authored by Luka in the Epoch Times, a US-based magazine, defamed the complainant. 

Luka was alleged to have quoted Senator Danjuma La’ah, the Senator representing Southern Kaduna in the national assembly but the senator surprisingly came out to deny making the comments he was quoted to have said in the said publications. The police then arrested Luka, the next day, 4th November on charges of injurious falsehood and defamation. 

In the First Information Report (FIR), after Luka was arrested and before charging him to court,  the complaint was changed to cyberstalking according to section 24 (b) of the cybercrime prohibition prevention act of 2015. Luka subsequently was detained in 3 different police facilities including the notorious CID cell where he passed through very dehumanising conditions.

Luka was taken to a magistrate court in Barnawa on the 9th and then on the 10th of November. Luka’s lawyers applied for his bail while the police prosecuting lawyers opposed it.  On 10th November when his bail was denied, he was transferred to the kaduna prison from the Police cell in Gabasawa. 

On 23rd November, he was brought to court again and all parties made their submissions.  Luka’s lawyers argued that because cyberstalking is not within the jurisdiction of a magistrate court the court was illegally detaining Luka on a case it has no power on. The police prosecuting lawyer opposed it, saying they have sent their report to the state ministry of justice and are still waiting for legal advice.  

The Judge then gave 6th December for the bail hearing. But he didn’t come on that 6th. He said he started his annual leave on the 1st of December. He now gave a new date of 29 December for the bail ruling.  But on the 29th of December, the judge didn’t come to court while Luka wasn’t even brought to court too. 

Luka’s lawyers then concluded plans to apply to a higher court, but while Luka was in prison, the state filed the case at a state high court and served him the papers in prison.

So, 63 days today Luka is still in prison, waiting for his first appearance at the state high court where the case would be starting afresh and the bail application starting afresh.

Luka’s trial is marred by irregularities, the margistrate who first ordered his detention seems not to be independent to make any decision even when it is clear he should.

His wife visited him yesterday and said she couldn’t see him because he was too sick to come see her at the visiting room. She said he is suffering from severe leg pain which might have been made worse by the poor living conditions in the prison. We have also gathered that he was taken to the poorly equipped prison clinic on a wheelchair yesterday.” 

HURIWA has therefore served the Kaduna State Government to within 48 hours produce the detained Journalist in a court of competent jurisdiction so he can apply for jail just as HURIWA threatened to take steps to alert the World about the speculated plots by certain UNKNOWN MEMBERS OF THE DEEP STATE in Kaduna State to eliminate Comrade Luka Biniyat by food poisoning.