There was a mild drama on Thursday in Adamawa, when Rivers State governor, Nyesom Wike visited to canvass delegates’ support for his presidential aspiration.
 
SaharaReporters learnt that Wike was at the Government House, Yola, the state capital to seek the support of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) delegates ahead of the party's presidential nomination.

But PDP delegates openly rejected the Rivers State governor, telling him that their ballots were reserved for the former Vice President, Atiku Abubakar.

Atiku was the party’s last presidential candidate when he challenged President Muhammadu Buhari at the poll in 2019.

Wike had said he was in Atiku Abubakar's home state because he was better qualified to fly the PDP ticket.
 
He, therefore, urged the delegates to pick the party's presidential candidate without tribal, religious and regional considerations.
 
However, the PDP chairman in the state, Tahir Shehu, dramatically responded that Adamawa delegates were not for him.
 
He said, "Adamawa state delegates are for Atiku Abubakar. You told me you came to ask us to vote Atiku.”

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Femi Adesina

Special Adviser on Media and Publicity to President Muhammadu Buhari, Femi Adesina, has taken a swipe at the President’s critics, saying they never see anything good in his administration.

Many Nigerians have been highly critical of Buhari’s government, describing him as inept and a big failure, particularly regarding his handling of security and the economy.

Femi Adesina

Recently, Catholic cleric, Bishop Matthew Kukah, in his Easter message again accused the Buhari government of failure.

Kukah accused Buhari of destroying Nigeria and also alleged that the President was allowing corruption to fester.
 
“With everything literally broken down, our country has become one big emergency national hospital with full occupancy,” he said.
 
“Our individual hearts are broken. Our family dreams are broken. Homes are broken. Churches, Mosques, infrastructure are broken. Our educational system is broken. Our children’s lives and future are broken. Our politics is broken. Our economy is broken. Our energy system is broken. Our security system is broken. Our roads and rails are broken. Only corruption is alive and well.”
 
Adesina in a Facebook post on Thursday said Buhari's administration never acknowledge the achievements of the administration beyond the problems of insecurity.
 
The Special Adviser said Buhari's critics were beneficiaries of the past administration, saying they “pine and hanker after those days that you did nothing, and government just brought bags of money to you at home”.
 
He wrote, “Last week on this platform, focus was on the fact that adversaries of the Muhammadu Buhari administration were hiding behind the smokescreen of insecurity to vent their spleen.
 
“We stressed that security was everything, and noted that while robustly confronting the monster of insecurity, President Buhari was equally taking giant strides on many other fronts, which the caterwauling crowd deliberately ignores.
 
“Today, let’s dwell on something they have deliberately refused to see, hear, and chose not to talk about. But whether they see it or not, talk about it or ignore, it is there, as conspicuous as a tiger in a tea shop.
 
“A fortnight ago, members of the Fertilizers Producers and Suppliers Association of Nigeria (FEPSAN) visited the President at State House, Abuja. And among others, this information came out from Mr Thomas Etuh, President of the body:
 
“Mr President, before you created the Presidential Fertilizer Initiative in 2016, Nigeria’s fertilizer production base was almost zero. We had less than 7 companies producing at 100% of their installed capacity. Nigeria’s Urea output was reported at less than 300,000 tons.
 
“Today, Nigeria can boast of having some 70 NPK blending plants. 95% of this investment is from the private sector. This is a clear sign of the confidence investors have in Mr President’s policies and programs.”
 
He continued, “From 7 to 70 blending plants just under Buhari! But why are they not talking about it? Because it doesn’t fit into the narrative they want Nigerians to buy and imbibe. The country is broken under Buhari. It is divided. He has made a poor job of leading the country. That is what the poor salesmen sell.
 
“I hear! When you hate a baby, you claim that the midwife that begat him is a witch. What has that got to do with the innocent tot? Their snouts have been yanked from the honeypot, so they are throwing tantrums.”
 
“Politicians, so-called civil rights activists, priests, talk show hosts, and many others. All they want is to have the illicit bread back. So they must create the impression that Buhari did nothing.
“From 7 to 70. Why are they not talking about it? No, it doesn’t serve their interests, so they would pretend it didn’t happen,” he said.
 
“Whether they acknowledge the good things going on or not, this country won’t return to the rent seeking era, where you sit idly, and because you are a priest, critic, social activist, media personality, politician, or what, they just bring loads of cash to your house to curry favor. Buhari hasn’t done it, he won’t do it, and we shouldn’t do it as a country.”
 
“They live their lives perpetually on the complaint counter. But with the realization of the progress being made by patriotic Nigerians, they will be soused and marooned in that inglorious place for a long time to come.
 
“The people are not ready to return to the dark past, whether those tiny but vocal minority talk about the good things happening or not. Forward we move,” he added.
 

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‘Unknown gunmen’ terrorising major parts of Nigeria’s southeast region have called for the immediate release of the leader of the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Nnamdi Kanu.
 
Kanu is being held by the Department of State Services (DSS) at its headquarters in Abuja, after the Nigerian government repatriated him from Kenya in June 2021, an action his lawyers termed “illegal, unlawful, unconstitutional extradition”.

He is standing trial on charges bordering on treasonable felony and terrorism before the court.
 
In a 2 minutes 55 seconds clip shot in a forest, a member of the group said there won’t be an election in the region if the government fails to release Kanu.
 
“We the unknown gunmen in Biafraland have come to make our position known to the public. We are here to protect our fatherland by all means. We don’t have any sponsor. And we are not planning to have,” he said.
 
“We are not under the command of Simon Ekpa, DOS or Uwazuruike. Any government giving any of these people money is wasting their time. Only the release of Mazi Nnamdi Kanu can calm us down. Monday sit-at-home is sacrosanct. Nothing can stop it apart from the release of Mazi Nnamdi Kanu.
 
“There shall be no election, and anybody that attempts any election matter will die. And for the INEC people, what will happen to you when we get you, only God knows, no more posters, political posters in Biafra land, if you try us, you campaigning, fire will burn you, fake Biafra media, you think you can post rubbish, we the unknown gunmen have endured enough from you. We shall no longer tolerate any rubbish.”

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Kidnappers, on Thursday morning, released Musa Madaki, a younger brother of the Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Kasuwan Magani, Kaduna.
 
Madaki, alongside scores of people, were kidnapped two months ago.

The kidnappers later demanded a huge sum of money as ransom, but as the majority of the Kasuwan Magani residents are peasant farmers, they could not afford the ransom, Daily Post reports.
 
The victims were subsequently held hostage and tortured.
But Madaki was released by the kidnappers after he fell ill.
A resident in the area, Mose Bulus told the newspaper on Friday that “they kidnapped several of our people last two months.
 
“They demanded millions as ransom. But we are all farmers who could not afford three square meals a day. Even when we begged them, they refused to reduce the ransom to our reach.”
 
According to him, it was when one of the kidnapped victims became sick, and was at the point of death, that they released him.
 
He added that other kidnapped victims were still with the bandits in their den.
 
He appealed to the Kaduna State Government and security agents to intensify efforts aimed at releasing the victims.

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As of now, el-Rufai is leaving a legacy in Kaduna State, which will be used as criteria to judge his government. His inconsistent policies directly affect many institutions and sectors in the State, creating all kinds of socio-economic consequences. So it is a lot more difficult to defend the Kaduna State government's policies when el-Rufai is its best role model. 

The State's socio-economic position is alarming, with high poverty and unemployment rates. According to the United Nation's Global Multidimensional Poverty Index, 44% of the population in Kaduna are in extreme poverty. For every 100 people living in Kaduna, 44 people do not have access to health, education and essential living resources like water, housing, and food. The State has a combined rate of 73% for unemployment and underemployment, ranking second in Nigeria behind Imo State. That means only 27 people are fully employed out of every 100 living in the State. Although, Nigeria's double-dip economic recession has contributed to making the country maintain its poverty capital status for the second successive year. However, the State is also wrestling with el-Rufai's bad economic policies. 

Some would argue that the el-Rufai government has built roads and bridges. However, rural areas' infrastructural investment and community development are unbalanced. The government mainly invests in five local governments out of the twenty-three. The current data shows that building a bridge and roads is not attracting investments. The neo-liberal policies designed to collect taxes from the entire residents to raise internally generated revenues are people into hardship and creating inherent social issues in the State. 

Of course, the State' has fiscal sustainability challenges, which is why the State no longer reveals its investment funding sources. Gone are the days when roadside billboards show the figures, dates, and duration of contractors' contracts in Kaduna. Neither does the Kaduna state government publish the information publicly. For example, the information on the cost and source of funds for the roads this government is building is unavailable. These are public funds, and transparency shows that public infrastructure procurement follows value-for-money standards and practices. 

The World Bank 2021 report shows that Kaduna has a weak legal and institutional framework for public-private partnerships and does not pay contractors at the stipulated time. These contractors own businesses that employ thousands of people and borrow money at exorbitant rates from banks to make ends meet. Failure to pay companies has contributed to the closure of companies, causing hardship to owners. Unfortunately, we will only know the true economic position of Kaduna after this government has departed. 

Nevertheless, the apparent outcome of the el-Rufai government is represented in the data. They have created a wider disconnect between the three political regions of the State in terms of jobs, security, investments, health, and education. The retrenchment of thousands of workers to allow the State to create an allowance for public spending has pushed hundreds of thousands into poverty, which brings me to the last point of discussion – education.

Last week, a Daily Trust reported that over 7,000 Kaduna teachers are awaiting posting nine months after recruitment. Their salaries have also not been paid – creating more hardship. Let's recall when el-Rufai justified the sacking of 22,000 teachers in 2017 by calling them unqualified. He then employed 15,897 more but still found a way to explain the sacking of 4,562 of those he employed, all within a year. But this lack of consistency is not limited to the education sector. It is seen across the government's Ministries, departments and agencies.

According to the 2020 Kaduna Annual School Census report, there are 5,312 public schools in the State – the figure keeps fluctuating by a wide margin every year. The report shows that 66% of these schools have no water source, 67% have no health facility, 36% have no decent chalkboard, and 80% have no power source. Most of these schools also need teachers because there is a shortage of teachers in public schools. Therefore, we must all be concerned about the future of the next generation. The parents of the over 2.5 million children in Kaduna State's public schools are right to be worried.

UNICEF reported that Nigeria has about 11 million children out of school, the world's highest recorded figure. The statistics show that one out of every five children you count globally is from Nigeria. As Nigeria's third most populous State, Kaduna must enrol more children into education. The Almajiri system is contributing to the high illiteracy rate in our communities. The consequences of leaving young children uneducated have contributed to our insecurity challenges. But the State has not designed a pragmatic project that will prevent young boys from begging for food on the street. 

In a nutshell, el-Rufai has not been able to develop a coherent policy that will improve the living standards of people living in the State. Based on the evidence, el-Rufai's lack of understanding of basic economics has contributed to the present problems. Of course, that is why his political stock is plummeting as fast as the living standards of the people in Kaduna.

As I conclude, many would expect to read a solution for the problems created by el-Rufai. Indeed, el-Rufai will require an army of seasoned specialists to teach him some basics of economics before he can grasp the broader picture. But there is no guarantee of how long that will take. In the meantime, his advisers should find a way to make him understand that rolling out austere neoliberal policies does not work for developing economies. It only leads to harmful socio-economic consequences, like increased poverty, unemployment, poor education funding, and worsening income distribution. 

 

Dr Nasir Aminu - Cardiff Metropolitan University

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Half of the total foreign nationals arrested for involvement in illegal drug smuggling in Himachal Pradesh between 2017 and 2021 are from the African nation, Nigeria, according to the state police data.

Hindustan Times reports that police data shows that from 2017 to 2021, a total of 72 foreign nationals have been arrested for their involvement in the narcotics trade in the hill state. Of these, 36 were Nigerian nationals, followed by 15 from other African countries, 14 Europeans, four Americans, two from the Middle East and one from an Asian country.

“We are concerned about the involvement of foreigners in the illicit drug trade in Himachal. Of the 72 foreigners arrested between 2017 and 2021, seven have jumped bail,” said Sanjay Kundu, director-general of police (DGP). “We are taking steps to expedite their trials.”
 
According to the narcotics control wing of state police, most of the Nigerian nationals arrested for supplying drugs to Himachal were operating from Delhi.
Nigerian nationals from India’s capital are actively involved in the smuggling of chitta (adulterated heroin) into Himachal, resulting in a multifold increase in the trade, police said. The majority of the peddlers from Himachal are in the age group of 16 to 26 years, police data suggests.
 
“There are three types of networks active in Himachal. One is being run by Punjab-based smugglers, another by Africans and the third one is being operated from Uttar Pradesh,” said Gaurav Singh, superintendent of police, narcotic control wing. “Our main focus is to nab the smugglers, along with local conduits.”
 
Data also highlighted that in the last five years, the state police have arrested 8,122 Indian nationals and 80 foreigners under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act, 1985.
 
Chitta has made inroads even in the rural pockets of areas that attract a higher footfall of tourists, especially in Shimla, Kangra, Una, Sirmaur and Solan. The problem is more acute in the areas bordering Punjab, a senior officer said.
 
“Chitta smugglers have spread their tentacles in the rural regions. The government needs to play a more proactive role in the coming days as the problem is compounding,” said Narendra Chauhan, president of Anti-Drug Force, a Rohru-based NGO working to motivate women and youth to fight against the drug menace.
 
“Not only men, but young women too are into drug abuse. The number of visitors at our outdoor patient department (OPD) is increasing by the day. We are even arranging special OPDs only for the addicts,” said Dinesh Dutt Sharma, head of the psychiatry department at the Indira Gandhi Medical College and Hospital.
 
Dr Sanjay Pathak, CEO, state mental health authority, said, “Multiple drug usage among addicts is on the rise. About 40% of calls received on the drug prevention helpline are related to such cases.”
 
To curb the menace, the state police have launched ‘Drug Free Himachal’ app that educates users about the harmful effects of narcotics. It has been downloaded by 40,000 people so far. The police are also running an SMS campaign.
 
“We are constantly reviewing depositions by cops as witnesses in courts to ensure speedy trials in the NDPS cases. Attempts have been made for stricter norms pertaining to bail and confirming identities of sureties,” said the DGP.
 
The police have also introduced ‘Register 29’ in all police stations of the state to keep tabs on the drug smugglers and their conduits. “We have carried out financial investigations in 22 cases and properties worth ₹12 crore have been attached as well,” an officer said, requesting anonymity.

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The Minister of Labour and Employment, Chris Ngige, has asked the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) to stop threatening his counterpart in the Ministry of Communications and Digital Economy, Isa Pantami.

Ngige also accused ASUU of bullying the Director-General, National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA), Kashifu Inuwa.

The labour minister on Thursday said the solution to the ongoing industrial action by the university lecturers is in their hands.

Pantami and seven academics were elevated by the council of the Federal University of Technology, Owerri to the position of a professorship at the council’s 186th meeting.

The minister’s promotion generated controversy and ASUU later said it would sanction Pantami and the vice-chancellor of FUTO.

After its National Executive Council (NEC) meeting held in Lagos in February, ASUU declared Pantami’s promotion illegal.

At a press conference, President of ASUU, Prof. Emmanuel Osodeke, said, “You cannot be a minister and a lecturer in a university. It is an encouragement of illegality.

“Pantami has to quit as a minister and be tried for doing double jobs within the same federal system. He is not qualified. Pantami should not be treated as a professor. We have resolved to sanction ASUU members involved in his promotion and the VC of FUTO.”

Similarly, the Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University branch of ASUU earlier threatened to initiate the process of withdrawing the degree certificate of the Director-General, National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA), Kashifu Inuwa, as an alumnus of the university.
 
This followed Inuwa’s submission that the ASUU-favoured “University Transparency and Accountability Solution, had failed integrity test, vulnerability test (security integrity), User Acceptance Test and stress load test, as well as the hardware requirements.”

However, Ngige while featuring on Channels Television’s Politics Today on Thursday, said, “ASUU has to come down from their high horse. You cannot go and start intimidating people in NITDA and threatening the Minister of Digital Economy and Communication with revocation of his professorship that he is a fake professor.

“You go to ABU (Ahmadu Bello University) and say you are going to withdraw the certificate of the director of NITDA. That’s bullying. It is not allowed in the labour negotiations.”

Speaking on when the ongoing strike by university lecturers will end, Ngige noted that it was in the hands of the lecturers’ union (ASUU).

“It depends on ASUU. The ball is in their court. They should go and meet the Benimi Briggs Committee and look at what the committee is doing and make further inputs so that the work can be accelerated,” he said.

Ngige, who noted that he had “not slept” in a bid to see universities reopened, added, “The ASUU issue is a recurring decimal.”

He said the union has gone on many strikes in the last two decades.
 
“It is a very sad situation. I am a product of the public school,” the former Anambra governor said.
 
The minister noted that there would be a meeting of all stakeholders next week as part of moves to resolve the lingering strike.

Meanwhile, ASUU had accused the Nigerian Government of unseriousness in its handling of the crisis in the education sector.

Osodeke faulted the government’s budgeting of money for the payment of fuel subsidy and questioned why a substantial sum could not be allocated for its demands.
 
The lecturers went on strike over two months ago to demand increased funding for universities among other issues.

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IGP Usman Baba Alkali

The Inspector-General of Police (IGP) Usman Baba Alkali, has warned against attacks on police officers and facilities in the country, especially in the South-East region, saying such would no longer be tolerated by the force.
The police boss, who lamented the destruction of the facilities, other police operational assets across the country, and the killing of officers, also ordered the deployment of additional assets to support the fight against the criminals.

IGP Usman Baba Alkali
“Consequently, the IGP has ordered the immediate deployment of additional operational assets to complement officers and men attached to Operation Restore Peace in the South-East, and other launched operations, with the aim of flushing out criminal elements who hide under the guise of aggrieved citizens to perpetrate criminal acts,” a statement issued by the Force spokesman, Olumuyiwa Adejobi on Thursday, read.
“The IGP warned that attacks on police officers in the line of duty would no longer be tolerated under whatever guise, as the Force holds the lives of its personnel sacrosanct, and such unwarranted attacks would be strictly treated in accordance with extant laws.”
Adejobi quoted the IGP as reassuring of the police’s resolve to protect lives and properties in the country.
He said, “It is vital to respect the lives and fundamental rights of Police officers and other security operatives, in order to enable them to advance their sacred mandate of serving and protecting the citizens better.”
The IGP’s warning followed incessant attacks on police formations across the country, especially in the South East, in recent months.
While gunmen have killed scores of officers in the region, civilians have also died due to the rising level of insecurity in the area.
Aside from police officers, other security operatives have lost their lives while public facilities including that of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) were also targeted.
Although no group has claimed responsibility for the attacks, the group leading the separatists’ agitations in the South-East – the Indigenous Peoples of Biafra (IPOB) – has persistently denied reports linking it to the assaults.
Several state governments in the region, notably, Anambra, have launched plans to quell the rising insecurity in the South East. Governor Charles Soludo, who recently assumed office, has equally offered amnesty to the gunmen.

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Olusegun Obasanjo

Former President Olusegun Obasanjo has disclosed that amid the growing insecurity in the country, the creation of state police would be a better option than community policing.
Obasanjo made this disclosure when the leadership of the National Association of Ex-local government chairmen in Nigeria paid him a courtesy visit in Abeokuta on Wednesday.

Olusegun Obasanjo

A statement by his Special Assistant on Media, Kehinde Akinyemi hinted the visit was led by the pioneer National chairman, Hon. Albert Asipa.
Obasanjo, who commended the initiative behind the formation of the body, said that the development clearly showed that some local chairmen in the country were better than even the top elected leaders.
The former President while responding to one of the speakers, Chinwe Monu-Olarewaju’s submission on creation of community police to curb the wave of insecurity quipped that the idea needed to be changed.
“Our situation in Nigeria concerns everyone, particularly, the case of terrorism. The case has got over the issue of community police. It is now State police. It is from that State Police that we can now be talking about community police,” he said.
He also spoke on the need to strengthen the traditional system and the local government administration, “which I prepared during the popular Murtala/Obasanjo administration, because I believe that there is need to enable that tier of government to work truly as a local governmen. They have their own Executive, Judiciary and Legislature.
“They were working and they were very visible, building and managing roads, looking into education, health, local administration, agriculture, but they were all gone,” Obasanjo said.
He said that the experience the former chairmen had in local government administration was enough to aspire for higher posts, stressing that some of them have the competence, ability and integrity to get to these posts.
Obasanjo, who was presented with a letter of a life patron, assured that he would look into their request, assuring further that he would be available on request for their needs at all times.
Ashipa had earlier told the former President why they decided to come together in all the 774 local governments in the country, declaring, “we can also contribute to the economy and political developments of the country.
“And realising your position as father of local government in Nigeria, we need you to actualise our goals, hence this all important visit. And to come and say happy 85th birthday celebrations.”

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The staggering sum of #100 million fixed by the APC NEC for its presidential nomination form has rightly sent shock waves of righteous indignation across the country. The APC had fixed #30 million for the “expression of interest form” and #70 million for the “nomination form”, making a total of #100 million. 
The party hopes to rake in #1.5 billion from the 15 aspirants that have so far declared interest in the presidential race. By this singular act, the APC has shown a shocking insatiable bacchanalian propensity to corrupt democracy, democratic ethos, and also scam the entire country. 
The vulgarity of this exercise lies not just in the abominable fee prescribed, but more in the party’s pretentious mantra of fighting corruption, using a well-orchestrated and carefully oiled Hitler’s Goebel’s propagandist machinery of dubious pedigree. It is the more abhorrent when we realize that this is miles apart from (indeed more than double) the price fixed by the party’s whipping child, the opposition PDP, which has fixed its at #40million –#5 million for the nomination of interest and #35 million for the nomination form. The #100m is also over 100% of the #40 million fixed by the same APC for 2018, presidential nomination form.
President Muhammadu Buhari and the APC have, by this singular act, exhibited a very odious and unpleasant example of how not to fight corruption. They have managed to convince Nigerians that politics is indeed the art of grand deception, double-dealing, duplicity, beguilement, sham and self-contradiction. They have justified the cliché that diplomacy is the clever art of telling a person to go to hell in such a way that he actually eagerly looks forward to the journey.

Nigerians should recall that in the prelude to the 2015 presidential elections, president Buhari had trenchantly criticized the #27.5 million levy imposed on his party aspirants for presidential nomination form. He had pooh pooed it as exorbitant. He has now supported #100 million for the same exercise.
With the new amended Electoral Act of 2022 fixing the #5 billion limit for presidential campaign as against the earlier #1 billion under the 2010 Electoral Act, as amended, Nigeria’s politics and democracy have been completely monetised with a swing towards anti-people capitalist mercantilism. It has been turned into a marketplace bazaar of bare-faced monetary banditry reserved only for state captors, who have cunningly cornered our collective commonwealth. It is so shameful and so disorientating that Nigeria can ever find herself in this despicable state of nadir.
Under the Buhari government, Nigeria has since become the poverty capital of the world, outstripping India. Nigeria ranks the number 149 most corrupt country in the world out of 180 countries surveyed, as adjudged by Transparency International, under its Anti-Corruption Perception Index. The macroeconomic environment has been badly fouled, leading to a free-for-all fall of the exchange rate of the naira which now exchanges between #580 and #700 to the dollar, as against #180-#190- Buhari met it in 2015. Nigeria daily experiences an uncontrollable inflation rate that defies any economic sense, analysis and solutions.
To aspire to be a Governor under Buhari’s “puritanic” APC, an aspirant must cough out #50 million; while aspirants to the Senate, House of Representatives and House of Assembly must vomit #20 million, #10 million and #2 million, respectively.
With this circus of Baba Sallah’s Alawada Kerikeri histrionics and sheer theatrics, President Buhari and the APC successfully completed their disdain for, mockery and denigration of Nigerians and our hard-earned democracy.
Buhari and the APC must tell us where they hope that Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, whose present annual salary is #12.126 million as recommended by the Revenue Mobilization, Allocation and Fiscal Commission set up under section 32(d) of part 1 of the third schedule to the 1999 Constitution, will Obtain 100 million from when he would require 99 months (eight years and three months) to earn the #100 million price for the nomination form. It will take President Buhari himself whose salary is #14.05m 84 months (7 years) to get #100m. They must explain to Nigerians where aspirants like Dr Chris Ngige and Rotimi Amaechi who are ministers with an annual salary of #2, 026, 400 (#168,867 per month) will get 100 million for a presidential form, when it will take them nearly 50 years to earn #100 million. Let Buhari and the APC explain to Nigerians how Kayode Fayemi (Ondo State Governor), Yahaya Bello (Kogi State Governor), David Umahi (Ebonyi State Governor) and Rochas Okorocha (ex-Imo State Governor), whose salary per annum is #2, 223, 705, will cough up #100 million when it will take each of them 45 years to earn #100 million. Where will non-wealthy members of the APC, like Gbenga Hashim Olawepo get such money from?
This APC party and President Buhari must tell Nigerians where Senator Orji Uzor Kalu and former Senate President Dr Ken Nnamani would fetch #100m from, when their salary as Senators was and is #750,000 per month (aside from humongous allowances). It would take Kalu and Nnamani 135 years to earn 100 million. In the final analysis, APC is probably zeroing in on Orji Uzor only a few presidential candidates in the persons of billionaires like Kalu and Bola Tinubu. The Director-General of Tinubu’s Support Organization (TSO), Kebbi-born Aminu Suleiman, has already signed a cheque for the #100 million. To them, it is “chicken change”. Nigeria is haemorrhaging badly. It is just like the case when Rome was on fire while Nero fiddled away.   
The price tag of #100 million has obviously conscripted the political space, marginalized, emasculated, and excluded the youths and women from the APC political space. Yet, this is the critical segment of the society that ought to enjoy inclusiveness and a liberalised political space to ensure their full participation in politics and engagement in the national conversation.
Where is the place of the “Not-too-young-to-run” policy signed into an Act of Parliament by Buhari on May 31, 2018? The APC’s mockery of democracy has certainly thrown up nothing but money-baggism, godfatherism and crass opportunism by those who have captured the State and our commonwealth.
I now frontally challenge any of the aspirants who will purchase these forms, to show us the source of the fund and also publicly display their tax returns in the last three years.    
The APC’s Shylock’s “pound of flesh” extortionist #100 million levy is politically insensitive to the already vanquished Nigerians, having regard to the present grinding poverty, unending insecurity, unabated corruption, melancholy, disorientation, hunger, thirst, pains, pangs, blood, hopelessness and haplessness, with which the party has afflicted Nigeria and Nigerians in the last 7 years. Nigeria has never found herself in such battered and tattered doldrums since Lord Lugard forcefully amalgamated the disparate enclaves of Northern and Southern protectorates on January 1, 1914, to found the contraption called Nigeria. 
The exorbitant sum of #100 million is a direct invitation to bare-faced thievery and political brigandage when these aspirants eventually win elections and emerge leaders. The price tag constitutes direct and brazen discrimination against other pauperized Nigerian members of the APC party, especially the youths and women, contrary to section 14(2)(b) of the 1999 Constitution, which provides that “participation by the people in their government shall be ensured in accordance with the provisions of this Constitution”. It is also provided that “the Federal Republic of Nigeria shall be a State based on the principles of democracy and social justice” (section 14(1) of the Constitution).
While “the state social order is founded on ideals of freedom, equality and justice” (section 17(1) of the Constitution); section 42(1) prohibits a citizen of Nigeria from being discriminated against on the basis of sex, community, ethnic group, place of origin, religion or opinion. This is precisely what the APC has done to the youths, women and disabled members of the party. This is more so because the Constitution does not permit independent candidacy. Members of the APC, except the select deep pockets, money bags and nouveau rich, are automatically cut off from the party’s various elective offices.
The problem with the tune, tone and template now set by the APC is that politics has become the exclusive preserve of the high, mighty and wealthy members of the society; and not for the poor. This has devalued democracy and institutional morals. The APC is now rabidly promoting plutocracy (government of the wealthy); gerontocracy (government of the oldest members of the society); and oligarchy (government of a select few). 
If President Buhari and the APC are genuinely interested in widening and deepening the political space, they should immediately call for a NEC and NWC meeting of the APC to rescind and cancel this obnoxious policy of deliberate exclusion of critical segments of their ruling party. It is a policy that is only fit for the national museum of monuments and artefacts.

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Zamfara State Governor Bello Matawalle

The Governor Bello Matawalle-led Zamfara State government has sent 97 clerics to Saudi Arabia on Lesser Hajj to “pray for a stoppage of banditry.”
The clerics were to engage in prayer sessions in almost all strategic holy places of worship in the cities of Makkah and Madina with a view to also restore peace in Nigeria in general.

Zamfara State Governor Bello Matawalle
Addressing the clerics before their departure, the state’s deputy governor, Hassan Nasiha, admonished them to consider the state and its people in their prayers.
This, he said, they should do with the hope that God would cause an end to multiple problems of the nation.
Delivering a sermon at the departure, a cleric, Dr Atiku Balarabe, briefed the pilgrims on how best to concentrate on their worship and prayers in Saudi Arabia.
Earlier in the month, Matawalle distributed more than 200 Cadillac 2019 models to traditional rulers in the state.
 

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Zamfara State Governor Bello Matawalle

The Governor Bello Matawalle-led Zamfara State government has sent 97 clerics to Saudi Arabia on Lesser Hajj to “pray for a stoppage of banditry.”
The clerics were to engage in prayer sessions in almost all strategic holy places of worship in the cities of Makkah and Madina with a view to also restore peace in Nigeria in general.

Zamfara State Governor Bello Matawalle
Addressing the clerics before their departure, the state’s deputy governor, Hassan Nasiha, admonished them to consider the state and its people in their prayers.
This, he said, they should do with the hope that God would cause an end to multiple problems of the nation.
Delivering a sermon at the departure, a cleric, Dr Atiku Balarabe, briefed the pilgrims on how best to concentrate on their worship and prayers in Saudi Arabia.
Earlier in the month, Matawalle distributed more than 200 Cadillac 2019 models to traditional rulers in the state.

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At least 16 people were killed in two Afghan cities on Thursday by bomb blasts that were claimed by the Islamic State group (IS).
Since Taliban fighters seized control of Afghanistan last year after ousting the US-backed government, the number of bombings has fallen but the jihadist and Sunni IS has continued with attacks — often against Shiite targets.

Earlier this week, at least six people were killed in twin blasts that hit a boys’ school in a Shiite neighbourhood of Kabul.
On Thursday, 12 worshippers were killed in a blast at a Shiite mosque in the northern city of Mazar-i-Sharif, said Ahmad Zia Zindani, spokesman for the provincial public health department in Balkh.
He added that 58 people were wounded, including 32 in serious condition.
Grisly images posted to social media showed victims of the attack being carried to hospital from Seh Dokan mosque.
“Blood and fear are everywhere,” Zindani told AFP, adding “people were screaming” while seeking news of their relatives at the hospital.
“Many residents were also coming to donate blood,” he said.
The blast occurred as worshippers were offering midday prayers during the Muslim holy month of Ramadan.
In a statement, IS said “the soldiers of the caliphate managed to get a booby-trapped bag” inside the mosque, detonating it from afar.
In a separate blast on Thursday in the city of Kunduz, at least four people were killed and 18 wounded. Police spokesman Obaidullah Abedi told AFP that a bicycle bomb exploded near a vehicle carrying mechanics working for the Taliban.
Late on Thursday, IS claimed that attack too but said its fighters set off an explosive device on a bus carrying Kunduz airport employees.

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The Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Timipreye Sylva and the Group Managing Director of the Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), Mele Kyari, have been accused by the House of Representatives of sabotaging refineries investigation.
The Chairman of the House adhoc committee investigating rehabilitation of the refineries, Ganiyu Johnson, affirmed that Kyari and the minister were frustrating efforts by the parliament to unravel why Nigeria’s refineries are not working despite billions of dollars spent on their rehabilitation.

He made this known on Thursday during a press briefing in Abuja, stressing that the Minister, the Group Managing Director and Managing Director of Kaduna, Port Harcourt and Warri Refineries have refused to appear before the committee on three different occasions.
While summoning them to appear before the House on Thursday, April 28, Johnson said if those concerned had nothing to hide from Nigerians, they would have honoured the invitation from the parliament, adding that failure on their part to honour the invitation is a sign of disrespect for the National Assembly.
The Committee was constituted by the Speaker of the House in January to investigate why the nation was still depending on the importation of petroleum products and a huge amount of money spent on the rehabilitation of the refineries.
According to Daily Post, he said the NNPC recently awarded contracts for the rehabilitation of the refineries in Kaduna (1.3 billion dollars), Port Harcourt (1.5 billion dollars) and Warri (900 million dollars).
The Committee Chairman said, “You may all recall that the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Femi Gbajabiamila in January 2022 constituted this Committee to determine the actual cost of rehabilitating the refineries and what is needed to bring them back to maximum refining capacity.
“The Committee was mandated to determine the true state of the Refineries, ascertain the actual cost of rehabilitating the refineries and what is needed for the refineries to function at maximum refining capacity.
“The Committee therefore relying on relevant laws and pursuant to the provisions of sections 62, 88, and 89 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (as amended), requested the GMD of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) to forward a Status Report on the Nation’s Refineries and the actual cost of rehabilitating the refineries from 2012 to date.
“The Committee specifically requested the GMD to provide relevant information and documents that will help in the investigations.
“We are compelled to make this Press Statement because of the continued refusal and flagrant disregard of the GMD of the NNPC, the Hon. Minister of State for Petroleum Resources and the General Managers of Port Harcourt, Warri and Kaduna Refineries to the invitations to appear before the Committee.
“We consider this continued refusal and negligence to appear before the Committee as disrespect to the Leadership of the National Assembly of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
“The Committee is worried that the Port Harcourt Refining Company (PHRC), Warri Refinery and Petrochemicals Company (WRPC) and Kaduna Refinery and Petrochemicals Company (KRPC) had all been operating at gross losses since 2010 before they were finally shut down in 2019.
“This Committee has the mandate of the House of Representatives and the Constitutional responsibility to demand accountability from those in positions of managing our resources.
“It is worrisome that the GMD of the NNPC, the Hon. Minister of State for Petroleum Resources and the General Managers of Port Harcourt, Warri and Kaduna Refineries have refused on three invitations to appear before the Committee to account for the Billions of Dollars spent on the rehabilitation of the refineries over the years.
“The Committee is aware that the NNPC recently awarded contracts for Rehabilitation of Refineries (WRPC $900 Million, PHRC $1.5 Billion and KRPC $1.3 Billion).
“As Chairman of this Honourable Committee, I hereby summon the GMD of the NNPC, the Hon. Minister of State for Petroleum Resources and the General Managers of Port Harcourt, Warri and Kaduna Refineries to appear before the Committee on Thursday 28 April, 2022 to avoid legal, constitutional and parliamentary measures to be taken against them in order to compel them to appear.
“As members of the National Assembly and Representatives of the people, we have the constitutional duty to name and demand from those responsible; the Hon. Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, the GMD of NNPC and the Operators of the Refineries to let us know the problems besetting our refineries in order to proffer solutions for a sustainable future and for the benefit of all Nigerians.
“We represent the people and we own the people this responsibility and until they appear, they are stalling our investigation unless they have something to hide. Otherwise, by now, we should have made progress. So this should be the last time we are calling on them to appear. Why is the refinery not functioning if they do not have anything to hide.”

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Chris Ngige

A multi-billion naira property owned by Chris Ngige, Nigeria’s Minister of Labour and Employment has been uncovered.
SaharaReporters gathered that the sprawling edifice under construction is located at number 23, Milverton Road, Ikoyi, Lagos State.

Chris Ngige
Sources said the apartments in the ongoing building are being sold for $3 million (N1.74 billion at the prevailing exchange rate of N580/$).
A flyer designed in 2021 for the residential property which is being fronted by an estate developer for the minister read, “Luxuria Ikoyi is the most luxurious block of apartments in Ikoyi, Lagos, comprising 4-Bedroom Flats, 4-Bedroom Maisonettes, and 5-Bedroom Penthouses, located at the Milverton-Alexander intersection in Ikoyi.

EXPOSED: Multi-billion Naira Properties Located In Ikoyi Owned By Nigeria's Insouciant Labour Minister, Chris Ngige, Amid Education-crunching Strike By Academic Staff Unions | Sahara Reporters https://t.co/wx7bLljolV pic.twitter.com/zGQjSw3Whz

— Sahara Reporters (@SaharaReporters) April 21, 2022
“Amenities at Luxuria Ikoyi include:
. 2 Parking Spaces (Penthouse 3)
. 4 Bedrooms Ensuite (Penthouse 5)
. Two (2) fully fitted kitchen
. Two (2) BQs/Maids rooms
. Air conditioning
. Innovative lighting system
. Floor lights
. Wall and Down lights
. Picture lights
. Statement open riser staircase
. Breathtaking Lekki/Ikoyi views
. Wrap around Balcony
. Double volume Lounge
. Light Filled space
. Smart home system
. 24 hours electricity
. Smart Home set-up
. 24 hours high-tech security
. Exclusive lift accessibility
. Reception/Lobby
. Swimming Pools
. Gym
. Spa
“The 4-Bedroom Flats are N380 million ($700,000). The 4-Bedroom Maisonettes are N450 million ($800,000). The 5-Bedroom Penthouse is N1.5 billion ($3,000,000).”
Ngige had last Tuesday declared his intention to contest for President in the 2023 general elections before a crowd at Alor in the Idemili South Local Government Area of Anambra state.
He said his experience in public office over the years gives him the capacity to perform well as president.
According to him, the All Progressives Congress (APC) has not failed Nigerians and President Muhammadu Buhari is greatly misunderstood, especially in the South-East.
“My dear friends, colleagues and comrades, many would wonder that after serving seven years as minister in one of the most difficult ministries of government, in a polity riddled with rising unemployment, bickering and economic disputes between workers and employers, in a famished economy, Dr. Chris Nwabueze Ngige would have asked for a deserved rest,” his media office had quoted him as saying.
“Yes, a deserved rest would have been okay for me as a person but the zeal, the burning desire in me to see a prosperous, united and equitable Nigeria, where no man is oppressed, where there is no chasm between the haves and have-not, would not allow me to go home and rest.
“Today, as I sit back to ruminate on the state of our country, I find a country led by a patriot — a good-hearted leader, Muhammadu Buhari — though greatly misunderstood, especially in the south-eastern part of Nigeria.
“Permit me to say that I want to get the nomination of our party and to stand on its manifesto to actualise and execute the programmes of the APC.
“Shall we say the APC as a party and as a government has failed? The answer is a big ‘no’. The three cardinal issues upon which Nigeria gave us a mandate in 2015 are infrastructure/economic development, security and anti-corruption. In properly assessing this government and our programmes, it is important we start from where we met Nigeria in 2015.
“In obedience to your will and results gathered in my consultations, we are going to vie for the post of president of the federal republic of Nigeria.”
So many strikes by labour unions were recorded under Ngige as Minister of Labour and Employment including the ongoing industrial action by the Academic Staff Union of Universities which entered its 66th day today (Thursday).
ASUU had on Monday, February 14, 2022, announced a four-week total and comprehensive warning strike following the inability of the union and the Nigerian Government to reach common ground on the demands of the university lecturers.
Some of ASUU’s demands include the release of revitalisation funds for universities, renegotiation of the 2009 FGN/ASUU agreement, release of earned allowances for university lecturers, and deployment of the UTAS payment platform for the payment of salaries and allowances of university lecturers.
Following the expiration of the initial four-week warning strike, the union had gone ahead to declare additional eight weeks of industrial action, saying that it was giving the government more time to attend to its needs. 

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No fewer than 173 soldiers have been deployed to keep peace in Guinea Bissau as part the country’s contribution to global peace.
This was known while speaking at the pre-deployment training graduation of Nigerian contingent to ECOWAS mission in Guinea Bissau, by the Chief of Operations, Army headquarters, Maj Gen Oluwafemi Akinjobi.

He spoke at the Martin Luther Agwai International leadership and Peacekeeping Centre Jaji, Kaduna State, said, “Since independence, Nigeria has contributed over 100,000 troops to over 40 countries on peace keeping missions.”
Major General Zakari Abubakar, Akinjobi who represented the Chief of Operations, noted that Nigeria remains the beacon of peace and the gatekeeper of the ECOWAS sub-region.
He maintained that Nigerian peacekeepers have helped restore peace in many conflict areas around the world, which have earned them many national and individual commendations from several missions.
He added, “The nation continues to strive to ensure security and stability in Africa through collective security by contributing to International peace and security, which is essential to Nigeria’s defence policy.”
He then warned the troops not to harbor any acts that will tarnish the image of the country while they are in the mission area saying, “You are going there as representatives of the nation so you must be of good behaviour.”
Earlier, Commandant of the centre, Major General Auwal Fagge, said the aim of the pre-deployment training was to equip the earmarked unit with requisite skills and knowledge to function effectively and efficiently in their deployment to Guinea Bissau.
He assured that the troops who have undergone four weeks intensive training including cordon and search as well as weapon handling are adequately equipped to keep the peace in the mission area.
He charged the troops to carry out their duties bearing in mind the multinational, as well as cultural religious diversities of the operating environment, which underscores the need for courtesy and respect for others.

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Family members of Surajudeen Olawale Ogunneye, a 37-year-old man from Ijebu Ode, Ogun State, have accused the management of Real Strikers Security Services of working in connivance with others to cover up the cause of the death of their son while on duty.
 
The deceased person had resumed work on April 12, 2022, as usual. The he had gone about his duty of securing a telecommunications mast base station operated by IHS in the Obanikoro area of Lagos without any hindrance or complaint. 
 
As the breadwinner of his family, the young man’s widowed mother and siblings looked up to him a lot for financial and moral support – and he never failed them.
 
He was popular among colleagues and people, who lived around his workplace where he had eked out a living for over 10 years.
 
Everything went on smoothly until the next morning, April 13, when Ogunneye’s younger sister, Zainab, received a call from a colleague of her brother informing her that he was ill and about to be rushed to a hospital in an ambulance.
 
The young lady was asked to quickly make it down to their office at Obanikoro so that she could accompany her ailing brother to the hospital.
 
But by the time she got to the place, it was the corpse of her brother with bruises all over it, that was shown to her.
 
“I was told not to be afraid, that he was only sick and needed to be taken to the hospital, that was why they wanted me to come around.
 
“But when I got there, my brother’s dead body was what they showed to me, telling me that they didn’t know how he died,” Zainab said while narrating the incident to SaharaReporters on Thursday.
 
Suspecting foul play, the family reported the matter at the Ilupeju Police Station and subsequently had it moved to the State Criminal Investigation and Intelligence Department, Panti, Yaba, Lagos, for speedy findings into the cause of the victim’s death.
 
However, since that period, the management of Real Strikers Security Services has allegedly been working tirelessly to frustrate police investigation into the incident.
 
From denying the victim’s family and police access to the duty post of the deceased to retrieve his personal items to refusing to fund the cost of autopsy and also failing to provide CCTV footage of the day Ogunneye was said to have died despite several requests from the police for the video, the management of Real Strikers Security Services has allegedly employed various tactics to ensure they escape possible prosecution over the circumstances surrounding the death of the young man.
 
“They have been playing games with us. The police asked the company to come with the CCTV footage to the station but they refused. The person that was supposed to take the police to the scene of the incident did not also show up.
“The company has been frustrating all our efforts to find out the cause of his death. So far, nobody from the company has visited our family since this incident occurred. They are also insisting that we would be the ones to pay for the autopsy.
“The company claims that the security camera is with their chief security officer but he has refused to hand it over to the police for analysis. They know that the moment they tender the CCTV footage, their lies will be exposed, so they have been doing everything not to release it to the police.
“The management of the company claimed that my brother died in the process of stealing diesel. But if that is true and they have the video evidence, why are they afraid to release it.
“He has worked at the place for over 10 years, how come CCTV never captured him stealing diesel for once? Why is it now that they are claiming he died in the process of stealing diesel? If they are sure of their claims, why are they reluctant to release the footage of that day?
“Bruises were found all over his body when it was brought out of the tank. We are sure that he was killed. It was after then that they threw his body into the tank to make it look like he died while trying to steal diesel.
“We are Muslims; we are supposed to have buried his body by now but the security company is frustrating all our efforts to get justice on this matter.
“My brother had huge dreams but they cut them short,” Zainab added.
An official of Real Strikers Security Services contacted by our correspondent over the issue declined comments, saying that the police were on the case.
 
The spokesperson for the police command in Lagos, Benjamin Hundeyin, when contacted by SaharaReporters, said he was not aware of the case but promised to find out the progress made with the investigation and get back to our correspondent.
 
He, however, advised the family of the deceased to hire a competent lawyer in their quest for justice over the death of their son.
  

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Pensioners in Rivers State on Wednesday stormed the state​ secretariat, demanding the payment of eight years of gratuities and six years of pension arrears​.
The pensioners, who displayed placards with various inscriptions, lamented the failure of the administration of Governor Nyesom Wike to pay gratuities, pension arrears and other entitlements since it came on board in 2015.

Coordinator of the pensioners, Lucky Ati told journalists that retired civil servants in the state were going through a lot of hardship as he described the actions of the state government as unfortunate.
Ati said: “We are here because, for over nine years, some persons have not been paid their entitlements.
“These are statutory entitlements. We are not asking for anything outside what they are supposed to pay us. For the past eight years, no person in Rivers has been paid gratuity. And you can imagine the life of a civil servant that has nothing and eight years thereafter nothing is been paid.”
He​ further condemned the failure of the Rivers​ State Government to implement the recommendations of the tripartite committee​ set up to look into the issues concerning their welfare.
“There is nothing that we have not done. There was a tripartite committee that submitted their report in April 2021 and nobody has acted on the recommendation of the report.
“They acknowledged that they have received the report, so how voluminous is the report that government cannot issue a White Paper on? The government has not done anything to implement what is in the report,” he lamented.
Also speaking, Comrade Enefaa Georgewill, Chairman, Rivers State Civil Society Organisations said members of the CSOs joined other well-meaning citizens to call on the state governor and government to pay retirees who have served the state for 35 years their pension arrears and gratuity. 
Georgewill noted, “For us, a governor that flies first-grade and class aircraft across the country because of his personal Presidential campaign, and doles out hundreds of millions of naira to citizens of other states because of politics, has no moral justification to deny our old parents their meagre pension arrears and gratuity. 
“The situation can be likened to a father who has not provided food for his children in the house, but is seen spraying money at a neighbour's ceremony just to appear as though all is well. This is the height of irresponsibility.”
Addressing the protesters, the Director-General of Rivers State Pensions Board, Samuel Ijeoma, however, assured the protesters that the state government had approved the payment.
 “As of last week, the governor had approved all of them for payment and about 1,000 persons and I am sure that by next week, they will be paid,” Ijeoma said.
Reacting, Georgewill said: “His organisation is aware of yet another promise by the agent of government, but hope this is not a ploy by the governor to make the old pensioners keep quiet until after the PDP primaries billed to hold at the end of May.” 
He threatened that if this was the case, his organisation would mobilise all its affiliates and Rivers people to join the pensioners in protest till the money was paid.
Like George will noted, despite owing pensioners, Wike's administration has lavished money on luxury cars for lawmakers and judges. 
For instance, in December 2017, the state government bought new Toyota Land Cruisers, SUVs worth hundreds of millions of naira for the 16 National Assembly members from the state. 
In August 2020, Wike gifted judges in the state High Court 41 new SUVs.













 

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Muhammadu Buhari

The Conference of Northern States Civil Society Networks, a non-governmental coalition operating in 19 northern states, has condemned President Muhammadu Buhari's recent pardon for top government officials convicted of corruption.
Buhari had at the council of state meeting on Thursday, April 14, granted pardons, under the Prerogative of Mercy, to Joshua Dariye, former governor of Plateau State, and Jolly Nyame of Taraba State.

Muhammadu Buhari
The pardon for the ex-governors, who are both serving various jail terms for misappropriation of funds, has continued to elicit intense outrage.
In a statement signed by Ibrahim Waiya, its chairman, and Ibrahim Yusuf, its secretary-general, the coalition said the move was in contrast to Buhari's mouthed fight against corruption.
The coalition also blasted the president, saying despite coming to power with the promise of tackling corruption, his actions and policies have always been against the efforts to support and strengthen the anti-graft institutions in Nigeria.                                                                                               
The statement read, "It has come to our notice that, President Muhammadu Buhari GCFR, has through the council of states pardoned two former state governors who were jailed for stealing public funds in 2018 and were yet to serve half the length of their jail terms in prison. This is rather unfortunate, shocking and at best, paradoxical coming from a man who rode to the corridor of power under the guise of anti-corruption.
"We wish to remind His Excellency President Muhammadu Buhari that fighting against corruption was the leading pillar of his campaign promises and administration agenda, upon which many Nigerians believed and supported his presidential bid.
"It is however unfortunate that since the inception of this administration in 2015 the actions and policies of the Government have always been against the efforts to support and strengthen the anti-graft institutions in Nigeria, such as EFCC, Judiciary and others, but are rather ridiculed and making a caricature of their selfless services.
"We are aware of the level at which corruption has succeeded in undermining the operations of many institutions and processes, and giving rise to anti-public policies.
"Consequently, if such practices are allowed to thrive continuously, corruption would damage, in entirety, the legitimacy of this regime and shall surely lead to a total loss of public sympathy and trust in the system.
"Similarly, the Conference of Northern States Civil Society Networks wishes to remind His Excellency President Muhammadu Buhari of one of his favourite statements “If we don’t kill corruption, corruption will kill us.
"The current action to grant a state pardon to some corruption convicts is surely a disservice to the nation and a breach of social contract between the President and the Nigerian citizens on whose mandate, the President acts. 
"We, the members of this great conference and as anti-corruption ambassadors hereby condemn this action in totality and request His Excellency, President Muhammadu Buhari GCFR, to as matter of urgency reverse his decision on state pardon granted to some corruption convicts, in the interest of Nigerian citizens.
"Failure of the President Muhammadu Buhari to reverse his action, the conference shall be left with no option but to canvass for the support of other civil society organisations across the country and beyond to pass a vote of no confidence on Federal Government, and this measure we believe may lead to a total loss of public trust, and by implications, the government may lose its integrity and support of the Nigerian citizens."

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The Niger State Government has confirmed the killing of six children by a Nigerian Air Force fighter jet in the state.
According to the Secretary to the Niger State Government, Ibrahim Matane, the incident which occurred last week is being investigated.

He added that the children were killed during a raid on the terrorists.
The incident occurred in the Kurebe community, Shiroro Local Government Area of Niger State.
When asked if six children were killed by a NAF fighter jet, Matane replied, “Yes, it occurred, the government is looking into the incident and an investigation is ongoing to ascertain what happened.”
The spokesperson of the Coalition of Shiroro Associations (COSA), Salis Sabo, had earlier in a statement accused the Nigerian Air Force of killing six children and bombing houses in Kurebe.
According to him, the strikes occurred on April 13.
“Six children were bombed to pieces by explosion from fighter jet belonging to Nigerian Air Force in Kurebe, Shiroro Local Government of Niger State. The incident happened on Wednesday the 13th of April, 2020, in the morning when the children were coming back to fetch water from a motorized borehole within Kurebe community,” the statement said.
“A man who lost two of his daughters and two granddaughters in the incident said; there was no single bandit within the village at the time the aircraft bombarded the innocent children. He added that the terrorists’ camps are well known.
“He said the terrorists around the community are of two groups, with two different camps. One links up with the community through Unguwan Zomo, the other through Kwantan Yashi area. Therefore, they do not understand why fighter jet would be targeting the community where civilians live.
“The person whose house was destroyed narrated their ordeal. He maintained that they are living a life of denial, they are at the mercy of the terrorists as the terrorists come into the community at will, loot their property, raped their daughters, wives and even their mothers. They forced then to live in the village as anyone who attempts to leave will incur the wrath of the terrorists.” 
He added that there was no presence of any security personnel in the area.
“The two other children who lost their lives in the incidents have for long lost their parents. One of them is a daughter to late Malam Isah Kurebe and the other is a daughter to late Malam Adamu Kurebe, who was killed by the terrorists two years ago. The innocent child he left over; has now been taken away by similar fate. This is the second time this type of incident is happening.
“While we continue to vent, spleen, raise dust and even bring down the roof when occasion calls for that, to get the Government do what it has sworn to do. However, the continued pampering of these nefarious vermin who inflict terror straight from gutter will leave us with so much to be inferred.”

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