SECURITY THREATS: Nigerian Air Force is Combat Ready

The Nigerian Air Force (NAF) has urged its personnel and soldiers to be combat ready and get fit for deployment to quell insurgency and emerging security threats in the country.

The Commander, NAF Enugu, Air Commodore Paul Masiyer, gave the advice after a quarterly route march of NAF’s officers and soldiers in Enugu on Saturday.

Newsmen report that NAF personnel were joined by members of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) in the exercise.

Masiyer said that the essence of the physical exercise was to keep troops in shape and combat ready at all times.

“The Chief of the Air Staff (CAS), Air Marshal Sadique Abubakar, said it is it mandatory that each personnel of NAF must participate in this exercise today.

“The essence is to keep NAF officers and men combat and operational ready for deployment at any moment against insurgency and other emerging security threats and challenges in the country,’’ he said.

According to him, the invitation of para-military and NYSC members to participate in the exercise is aimed at promoting cordial military-civilian relationship, in the state and beyond.

“We want to promote comradeship and spirit of oneness with the public and sister security agencies to create understanding and seamless interface for quick result whenever we carry out joint or unilateral internal security duties,’’ he said.

Newsmen report that the officers and soldiers marched in five units along the Enugu-Onitsha and Enugu-Abakaliki Roads notwithstanding the cold weather as they engaged in stretch and push-up exercises.

The exercise, which started with medical check-up of officers and soldiers lasted for four hours.

:Vanguard 

NAFDAC Gets New ADG

Dr Abubakar Jimoh, the Spokesperson of the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC), says Mr Ademola Magbojuri has taken over from Mrs Yetunde Oni as Acting Director-General (DG).

Jimoh disclosed this while reacting to the conflicting reports in the media over the retirement of Oni in an interview with newsmen on Saturday in Abuja.

He explained that the immediate past acting director-general reached the retirement age of 60 years on Sept. 21, and Federal Government directed that the most senior director in the the agency takes charge.

He said that Magbojuri, who would pilot the affairs of NAFDAC until a substantive D-G is appointed, had received handing over notes on Friday.

Magbojuri, until this appointment, was in charge of NAFDAC’s training and research institute in Kaduna.

Newsmen observed that as at Friday, the NAFDAC head office in Abuja was still sealed by the union that is agitating over non-payment of allowances and appointment of either an acting or substantive D-G.

Recall that NAFDAC’s Medical and Health Workers Union of Nigeria started an industrial action on Sept. 22, over improved allowances and appointment of the new DG of the agency.

The Vice President of the union, Mr Idzi Isua, told newsmen on Friday that they were around the office to ensure total compliance by the members.

Isua said that the union was demanding for an allowance known as a specific allowance which other agencies in the same salary structure with NAFDAC were benefitting.

:Vanguard 

Nigeria 57Th Independence Day Celebration: NPF Assures Adequate Security

ENUGU-ENUGU state commissioner of police, Danmallam Mohammed yesterday assured members of the public in the state of smooth and hitch free independence day celebration.
CP Danmallam, who made this known at the state police commands headquarters in Enugu, pointed out that his command would partner other sister security agencies to ensure safety celebration in state.
He urged member of the public to be law abiding,cooperate with police and report any threat to peace during the celebration and beyond.
“Enugu Police command is ready to make sure that Independence Day celebration in the State will be smooth and hitch free.
“All hands are on deck as we are collaborating with other sister security Agencies and relevant stake holders for a smooth celebration in the state.
“Members of the public should be law abiding,be ready to partner the police by volunteering useful and timely information and not to hesitate to report to the nearest police station about any threat to peace and security in their environment”, He disclosed.
He also wished everybody happy Independence celebration and advised members of the public to be security conscious.

:Vanguard 

Nwodo On Defence Of Ndigbo - MASSOB

ENUGU – The‎ Movement for Actualization of Sovereign State Of Biafra, MASSOB, has commended the courage of President General of Ohanaeze Ndigbo, Chief Nnia Nwodo, and his passion for restoration of dignity of ‎the Igbo nation.

Nwodo while delivering a lecture at Chatham House, London‎, this week, had dissected problems of Nigeria, noting that the Igbo question in Nigeria must be addressed conclusively.
‎MASSOB under the leadership of Comrade Uchenna Madu said Nwodo was a rare breed of of an Igbo leader‎ and praised his leadership quality.
In a statement in Enugu, yesterday, MASSOB National Director of Publicity, Samuel Edeson said that Nwodo was indeed an action leader whose
address in London proven him a fearless, a‎ man of integrity who stands for justice cannot be intimidated.
“‎He has exposed Nigerian
government. Truth is always bitter but only the truth will set Nigeria free.
“MASSOB is not saying that Nigeria should disintegrate.
What we are demanding is freedom of Biafrans. Any Igbo man or woman who wishes to remains in Nigeria is free and if any Nigeria feels to live in Biafra, he will be accepted.
“If President Mohammad Buhari is supporting the states of Palestinian and Saharawi, why is he against Biafra freedom?
“MASSOB wishes to make it clear that no amount of
threats by Nigerian army, police and other security agents can ever stop us from pursuing our freedom.
“What we are doing is
legal, constitutional and justifiable and nobody can ban us because self determination is guaranteed by United Nations and the African Union charter, which Nigeria is signatory to both organisations,” Edeson said.
The Pro-Biafra group alleged that it was for fear of internation‎al prosecution that the Nigerian government is considering pulling out of 90 international organizations it belongs to.
“Nigerian government is afraid of prosecution by all these organizations. The genocide and war crime cases are at the
door of Nigeria government. The Chief of Army Staff and the GOC 82 Division‎ must face ICC.

“Python should go ahead and dance, after dancing we shall
see the end of Python. Biafra agitators cannot be banned. Nigeria, let Biafra go and you will have peace,” he stated.

:Vanguard

Nnamdi Kanu 'Dead or Alive' - UK Ask Nigeria

The government of the United Kingdom has asked the Federal Government of Nigeria to state the whereabouts of British-Nigerian man and leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra, Nnamdi Kanu, saying “We are seeking urgent clarification from the Nigerian authorities about the status and whereabouts of Mr. Kanu, a British-Nigerian man, who has been reported missing since September 14,” on Thursday.

This came as the Defence Headquarters, Friday, declared that it does not know the whereabouts of IPOB leaders Nnamdi Kanu and asked citizens not to panic over hitherto October 1st deadline given the Igbo by a group of Northern youths to vacate the region, saying the threat was no longer effective.

The DHQ which said contrary to some reports, it did not raid the IPOB leader’s home, said it was not the place of the military to declare Kanu wanted.

The DHQ equally explained that it was constrained to move a special military operations against the dreaded herdsmen because they were neither visible nor carry out their activities under an open or known group.

Director of Defence Information, Major General John Enenche, who addressed the media at the Defence Headquarters, denied that Nnamdi Kanu was in military custody.

The United Kingdom Press Officer, to the high commission in Nigeria, Joe Abuku, stated that the inquiry followed reports that Kanu had been missing since September 14, 2017 when armed soldiers stormed his residence in Abia State.

Abuku said this in response to questions from Saturday PUNCH seeking to know UK’s concern on the missing IPOB leader.

“We are seeking urgent clarification from the Nigerian authorities about the status and whereabouts of Mr. Kanu, a British-Nigerian man, who has been reported missing since September 14,” Abuku stated in an email on Thursday.

On stripping of Nnamdi Kanu’s citizenship Abuku said: “One of the conditions that can make the United Kingdom strip its citizen of nationality is if the person engages in a terrorist activity at home or abroad. And Kanu has dual citizenship and therefore a citizen of Nigeria and the UK,”.

He also said: “The Indigenous People of Biafra is not a proscribed organisation in the UK,” the mission spokesperson stressed..

Abuku also said, “We do not routinely comment on whether an organisation is or is not under consideration for proscription. A decision to proscribe an organisation must be based on a belief that it is concerned in terrorism as defined in the Terrorism Act 2000, and it must be proportionate.”

But the Director of Defence Information, Major General John Enenche, who addressed the media at the Defence Headquarters,on Friday denied that Nnamdi Kanu was in military custody. ” Nnamdi Kanu is not in the custody of the military,”he declared.

“The military did not proscribe IPOB. Due process was followed to proscribe it. The job of the military was to diagnose security issues and warned the public of consequences and that is part of our media operations.

“We did our media operations very well, otherwise that weekend would have been the longest weekend in this country and we are also very careful choosing our words and we know the law very well, “he added.

He also denied that the military troops on Operation Python Dance raided Kanu’s home. Hear him:” Nobody raided Kanu’s home and I stand to be justified, not from the information I got.

‘I was watching it live, I was monitoring it live and also speaking with them on the ground. “The people that came out there that I saw were the Biafra security service and Biafra National Guard. ” I think I later confirmed that there was nothing to actually justify them legally to mount roadblocks. I saw the militancy, nobody told me and I saw the action there. We are still investigating.”

He spoke on the post military operations in the South East thus:”For the past couple of days since the operation started, the feedback I have been getting from that place is that yes, they are happy.

“Some of them were actually afraid even before the operation started not from our troops but from the people that we actually getting them fighting, people that are actually intimidating them. But now, they have a lot of relief. “We have our sources of information as information outfits of the armed forces.

We also get information from the general public using our own sources as a form of checks and balances.” Enenche said the country was not militarized contrary to the position of some people. “Other countries passed through this, if you go into history, before getting to where they are as developed countries today. “Like in China, you see one policeman inside a car, you hardly see a military man outside and it depends on the developmental process and what you passed through.

“That’s why in simple terms, I will tell you that we are not alarmed at all. “For example, the last terrorist attack in the UK, 24 hours after the attack, the government asked the military to take over the area. ” If the UK government can tell the military to take over, to back up the Police, I think we are just about 100 years old of amalgamation and we about 57 years old, it’s not out of place, “he stressed.

He expressed disappointment over the position of some legal practitioners on military involvement in the IPOD issue just as h said some of them got it right in his assessment of various contributions to the issue.

“Of course, there will be competing demands on who is to do what by the military, the executive, the legislature they are all arms of the government and they all have responsibilities,”he said. ”The statement that came through me is not at par at all with what the Chief of Army Staff came out to clarify.

:Vanguard

Police Will Enforce Arrest of AREWA Youths

Kaduna Court Okays Arrest Of Arewa Youths
The commissioner of Police Kaduna State Command, Agyole Abeh, has declared that the warrant of arrest on Arewa Coalition youths from the court of law will be fully implemented.
In Kaduna, Abeh, simply said:” Any warrant of arrest from a court will be carried”
Recall that, the Coalition of Northern Groups, (CNG) had in Kaduna issued the quit notice in June, asking Igbos to vacate the North before October 1 as they claimed their demand was in response to the secessionist stance of some pro-Biafran groups, like the Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB.
Kaduna State government had condemned the quit notice and ordered the arrest of those signatories to the declaration :“The Kaduna state government took exception to the fact that the ‘northern youths’ did their irresponsible press conference in Kaduna,” he said.
Our correspondent who obtained the details of Kaduna State government warrant of arrest on Arewa Youths noted that in an application for criminal direct complaint signed by Bayero Dari, M.D Joseph, O.A Adejobi, A.A Muhammed and A.G Makinde, Ministry of Justice Kaduna State dated 3rd August,2017, and addressed to the registrar,chief magistrates court,Ibrahim Taiwo road, enumerated the offences committed by the accused person: “Inciting disturbance punishable under section 78 of the penal code laws of Kaduna State 2027, disturbing public peace punishable under section 77 of the penal code laws of Kaduna State 2017, Injurious falsehood punishable under section 373 of the penal code laws of Kaduna State 2017, unlawful Assembly punishable under section 66, and criminal conspiracy punishable under section 59 of the penal code laws of Kaduna State 2017″
However, in the case no: KMD/137x/2017, between commissioner of Police(applicant) VS Abdulazeez Suleiman (respondent), the spokesman of Arewa youth Coalition, the court said:” Upon an oral application dated the 8th August,2017 brought pursuant to section 24 (1) of the Kaduna State administration of Criminal Justice Laws 2017 and under the inherent powers,sanctions,and jurisdiction of this Hon. Court, praying the court for the following orders: (1) An order of the Hon.Court directing the commissioner of Police Kaduna State to arrest the accused person and conduct an investigation into the allegations made in the criminal direct complaint, after conclusion of the investigation refer the matter back to court for adjudication.(2) And for such further orders as the court may deem fit to make in the circumstances.”
It is hereby ordered that: The commissioner of Police Kaduna State is hereby ordered to investigate the allegations contained in the criminal direct complaint against the accused person, one Abdulazeez Suleiman and refer the matter back to court for adjudication within two weeks after service of this order. Case adjourned to 28th September,2017 for mention.

The warrant of arrest of the accused person which dated  8th August,2017 with the case no: KMD/137x/2017, between the Commissioner of Police (complainant) and  Abdul’azeez Suleiman,(defendant) explained that, the accused:” Stands charged with the offence of inciting Section 78,disturbance 77,injurious falsehood 37,unlawful Assembly section 66,criminal conspiracy section 59 of penal code law 2017. You are hereby directed to arrest the said Abdulazeez Suleiman and to produce him before me.

:Leadership

Nigeria Senators Salaries?

As many Nigerians, including human rights groups such as Femi Falana, SAN, and the Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project, SERAP, have continued to demand, for instance, the actual amount legislators earn without success, the Chief Operating Officer, Public and Private Development Centre (PPDC), Mrs. Nkem Ilo, on Friday has said that Nigerians had rights to request for such pieces of information on any public institution or person.
Ilo told newsmen in Abuja on Friday that the Freedom of Information (FOI) Act allowed citizens to request for information and where it was denied, to have recourse to the court.
She said it was in the mandate of PPDC to support individuals, civil society organizations and the like, to access information from public institutions.
“If you seek information from anyone and such information is not proactively disclosed, you can have recourse to court.
“I will like to tell people out there that if you have challenges with getting public information, write to PPDC to know how we can help you.
“I want to state that our resources which we provide are free to citizens and civil society organizations.
“We are also willing to provide technical support to civil service and public institutions to meet their mandates on FOI,’’ Ilo said.
According to Ilo, the Centre annually conducts ranking of public institutions based on their compliance to proactive and responsive disclosure of information.
She stated that the ranking had resulted to a rising competition as more public institutions proactively disclosed on their websites public expenditure information that would ordinarily not be there without a request.
Ilo said that services could only be effectively and efficiently used by citizens if the right contracts were being awarded and implemented according to specification.
She explained that the only way details of a contract could be ascertained was through access to necessary information.
“For example, primary healthcare centres in Nigeria, there are lots of news about their ineffectiveness and inefficiency that some of them have been abandoned and are not equipped.
“The only way that can be verified is by requesting for information from National Primary Healthcare Development Agency.
“The moment you are armed with information using the FOI Act, you can check whether those contracts were properly awarded and how much was awarded.
“You can also check how equipped they are and how they have been contributing to the economic development of Nigeria,’’ she said.
The PPDC on Thursday, unveiled its 2017 Freedom of Information (FOI) compliance ranking for public servants and security sectors’ organisations.
The Bureau of Public Service Reforms (BPSR) was ranked first among 166 public institutions assessed, for its proactive and responsive compliance to information disclosure.
The Infrastructure Concession Regulatory Commission (ICRC) and the Independent Corrupt Practices and other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) were ranked second and third.
Police Service Commission, Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps and Nigerian Immigration Service placed first, second and third, respectively, in security organisations category.

Twelve security organisations were rated.

:Vanguard

EFCC attack-dog of APC, carrying out hatchet job against Fayose – Ekiti Govt.

The Ekiti State Government has said that the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, has, following the commission’s arrest of some government officials in the state yesterday, “further demonstrated that it is an attack-dog” of the All Progressives Congress, APC, party and is allegedly on a mission of carrying out what it described as a hatchet job against Governor Ayodele Fayose.”
While Governor Fayose was officially declaring his ambition to contest the 2019 presidential election under the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, yesterday, the EFCC arrested the State Commissioner for Finance, Chief Toyin Ojo and the Accountant General of Ekiti, Mrs. Yemisi Owolabi over allegations of misappropriation of bail-out funds.
But Ekiti state however said that despite the development, the “…government under Governor Ayodele Fayose cannot be intimidated.”
The Special Assistant to the State Governor on Public Communications and New Media, Lere Olayinka, gave the comment as equally seen on the Facebook page of the governor.
Also in a statement issued on Thursday, Mr. Olayinka said that “it is obvious that the hawks around President Muhammadu Buhari are afraid of Governor Ayodele Fayose’s declaration to contest the presidential election in 2019, hence the usual panicky measure of arresting government officials in Ekiti on the day of his declaration, with the view to embark on another round of media trial against the governor and his government.”
The Ekiti government added that “it is funny that the EFCC, in the bid to carry out its usual hatchet job against Governor Fayose, failed to take into cognizance, the subsisting court order, which forbids any official of the Ekiti State government from being arrested by the EFCC. Up till today, the court order has not been appealed and it subsists.”
“What has the EFCC done to those involved in the grass-cutting scam and the $43 million Ikoyi scam?”
The government said; “It is so funny and laughable that these characters in the APC government can’t even disappoint for once by being unpredictable.”
“Like we have said before, the game plan of those who want power in Ekiti State by force as well as those who do not want anyone to speak against President Buhari, that they see as a god, is to stifle Ekiti State government and make it impossible for the government to carry out its responsibilities.”

“However, the EFCC and its collaborators should know that we have threaded this path before and we, in the government of Ekiti State won’t be intimidated by the…anti-corruption agency that has come to see itself as instrument of harassing, oppressing, intimidating and coercing perceived opposition figures.

:Vanguard

October 1st Declaration: You are free to live in any part of Nigeria - FG

ABUJA – FEDERAL Government, Friday, reassured every Nigerian not to panic but to live freely in any part of the country without fear of molestation.
The assurance was coming on the heel of growing tension in the country, barely 24 hour to the expiration of the October 1 deadline quit notice issued by the coalition of Arewa youth groups.
The Vice President, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo also challenged religious bodies and other relevant stakeholders in the project Nigeria to leverage on their influence to jettison every divisive groups and their actions in the country.
Osinbajo, who was speaking at the public lecture to mark the 57th independence anniversary of Nigeria organised by the Nigerian Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs (NSCIA) in Abuja, reiterated the government resolve to achieve just and equitable society.
Represented by the Minister of Mine and Steel, Kayode Fayemi, the VP explained that in a society like Nigeria, there is bound to be differences, therefore, we should build on those things that bind us together.
His words: “Without a doubt we are marking our independence anniversary this year during period of challenges on our unity as a country. In recent time the federal government had to take far reaching measure to address potential threat on the well being of our republic.
“Nigeria is a vastly plural society with the population of close to 200 million creating and enterprising people consisting over 250 distinct ethnic nationalities and spread over and extensive land mark.
“We have challenges but there is nothing compare with love that the God had blessed us with, I believe our challenges are not insurmountable on the road to building a strong and united Federal Republic. We have all that it takes to turn our diversity to strength and our large population to be seeing as an opportunity rather than a problem.
“Managing our diversity and differences and our large population to make it work to our advantage as a country is a really challenge before us. We can follow the example of others with similar composition and achieve sustainable peace and development in the midst of our diversity.
“Even in personal relationship, at the family and community levels, there is bound to be diversity of opinions. There is no way we can avoid having differences as a country, so, the fact that we have differences is not the main problem, regardless of how these differences are reported in the traditional and social media.
“This is why our administration will continue to enlarge the spaces for dialogue as we believe it is only by continuously engaging that we can deepen mutual trust and understanding among the different tribes and religions in our country.
“Stakeholder groups such as the supreme council for Islamic affairs have a responsibility of leveraging your influence to continue to condemn the divisive directorates and actions in the country. In our religious gathering as the voices of reason and truth, we must influence our children to see our country’s diversity.
“We have to reinforce that the ties that bind us together are more than those that seek to tear us apart. Our goal is to achieve a just and equitable society, where every individual can pursue and achieve his or her own God given potentials regardless of either age, ethnicity , religion, physical-ability , heath status, economic circumstances among others.

“We continue to assure every Nigerian that we are committed to upholding the peace and unity of our great country and that every Nigerian can continue to live freely in any part of this country without fear or hindrance.

:Vanguard 

Senate Okays Death Sentence For Kidnappers

It will no longer be a free reign for kidnappers as the Senate has gone tough on them by going for the death penalty.

After receiving and debating on a bill on the crime, the Upper House on Thursday approved the death sentence for the offences of abduction, wrongful restraint, or wrongful confinement for a ransom.

Across the country, Nigerians have been at the mercy of kidnappers, who abduct, maim and kill their victims even after their families have paid various sums of money as ransom.

Before approving the capital punishment, the lawmakers went through the clause-by-clause consideration of the report at their plenary session and resolved that the time had come for drastic measures to be taken against the perpetrators of the act.

Senator Chukwuka Utazi (PDP-Enugu) presented the report on behalf of the Chairman, Senate Committee on Judiciary, Human Rights and Legal Matters, Senator David Umaru.
The bill was sponsored by Senator Isa Misau (APC-Bauchi).

While presenting the report, Senator Utazi said that the bill sought to prescribe stiff punishment for the offence of abduction, wrongful restraint and wrongful confinement for ransom.

He said that the Bill seeks to combat and prevent any form of kidnapping in Nigeria and wider powers given to the Inspector-General of Police (IGP) to ensure adequate crackdown on the crime.

Clause 1 (3) of the Bill states that “whoever is guilty of the offence that results in the death of the victim shall be liable upon conviction to death.”

In Clause 5 (2), the Bill stipulates that “anyone who fails to produce any book, account, receipts, vouchers or other doc­uments which is in his possession or control shall be liable on conviction to a fine not exceeding N100,000 or to imprisonment for a term not exceeding one year or to both fine and im­prisonment.”

Clause 3 provides a 30-year jail term to anyone who colludes with an abductor to receive any ransom for the release of any person who has been wrongfully confined.

The report was unanimously adopted by the lawmakers after a voice vote put out by the Senate President, Dr. Bukola Saraki.

The Senate also passed the Bill for the Prohibition and Protection of Persons from Lynching.

However, the report of the Committee on Trade and Investment on Counterfeit Goods Bill was stepped down due to technical irregularities.

:Streetfolded 

FG Negotiates With US On Looted Funds Repatriation

The Federal Government has revealed plans to adopt a new approach to recover stolen funds stashed abroad.

Minister of Foreign Affairs, Geoffrey Onyeama, who briefed State House Correspondents at the end of the Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting, yesterday, said the approach was to negotiate directly with the Ministry or Department of Justice of the United States of America or other judicial agencies in the countries where looted funds from Nigeria were being kept, instead of hiring expensive lawyers.

He said other countries where the government has been working assiduously to repatriate stolen funds included the United Arab Emirates, Germany and Liechtenstein.

He, however, did not say how much money had been stolen from the country so far.

“It’s an ongoing thing, we have been discovering all the time because you see the sophistication that there is today in hiding money around the world is amazing, even western countries themselves have a lot of problems and it takes them a lot of time and they discovered about the Panama papers. Nobody knew about all those funds illegally stashed until you suddenly have the revelations under the Panama papers. So, it’s really an ongoing thing and then new ones coming up all the time.”

Asked what strategies were being put in place to recover the monies, the Foreign Affairs Minister said: “We cooperated with David Cameron when he was the prime minister of the UK to organise a global conference on anti-corruption. 

You know for a very long period of time, it was not a priority for industrialised countries to worry about money flowing from developing countries into their banks because, as far as they are concerned, they have their own image of rulers of third world countries, so the president’s strategy was to put it on the front burner for them to buy into.”

The president had consistently expressed worries that despite strenuous efforts to retrieve monies stashed away various foreign bank accounts in Europe and America in particular, their governments were reluctant to assist in repatriating them.

Buhari is unhappy that the foreign governments were introducing various technicalities, which have caused a slow down in the effort to recover the monies.

He is also alarmed that despite the anti-corruption war of his administration, some governments we reportedly demanding for firm guarantee that the monies, if retrieved, would not be re-looted by corrupt officials in the country.

Part of the president’s agenda at the just concluded 72nd United Nations General Assembly in New York was to seek the cooperation of world leaders for the repatriation of the looted funds.

On why Buhari’s presentation skewed towards the international community, Onyeama explained that it was meant for a global audience, hence contained issues of global concern but, which also had implications for Nigeria’s wellbeing.

“First and foremost, he was speaking to the international audience on a global stage and the UN is there for global issues, so I think its absolutely in order because Nigeria is part of a global community addressing global issues. But he addressed all those issues covering also all the things that affect Nigeria as a country. When Mr. President came in, he outlined three priorities security, governance anti-corruption and the economy.

“On anti-corruption which is a priority for us he called on the international community to insist and maintain good governance and he himself talked about good governance being a priority for this country and wanted the international community to key into it because we are looking to these countries to help us get the stolen funds back.

SUN 

Why Northern Nigeria Opposes Restructuring - Governor of Oyo State

 

Ibadan—Oyo State Governor, Senator Abiola Ajimobi, yesterday gave insight into why the North is against the clamour for the restructuring of Nigeria’s politics system. restructuring Ajimobi, at the third annual lecture of Dauda Adegbenro Foundation, in Ibadan, said the North opposed the agitation because it wanted the status quo of which it is a great beneficiary, sustained. 

The theme of the lecture is: “Transparency in the Extractive Industries: Driving wealth creation and sustainable revenue as solution to economic recession.” 

The governor, represented by his Chief of Staff, Dr. Gbade Ojo, said there were many things wrong with the present Nigeria’s political system that restructuring would put right. 

According to him, the nation’s present political system has robbed states of revenues and unless there is a reform, the second tier of government will continue to depend on handouts from the federation account. 

He added that without a constitution amendment or restructuring, the state’s would remain parasites. He said amending the constitution would make states get involved in the extractive industries and boost their revenues. 

He also said Nigerians must decide on the type of federalism they want to practice as no two federalism are the same. 

In his lead paper at the lecture, Executive Secretary, NEITI, Mr. Waziri Adio, listed areas Nigeria should focus on to drive sustainable growth and development on the extractive industries and in Nigeria.

:Vanguard

Mark Zuckerberg Has Responded To Trump's Claim Against Him

Mark Zuckerberg; I want to respond to President Trump's tweet this morning claiming Facebook has always been against him.

Every day I work to bring people together and build a community for everyone. We hope to give all people a voice and create a platform for all ideas.

Trump says Facebook is against him. Liberals say we helped Trump. Both sides are upset about ideas and content they don't like. That's what running a platform for all ideas looks like.

The facts suggest the greatest role Facebook played in the 2016 election was different from what most are saying:

- More people had a voice in this election than ever before. There were billions of interactions discussing the issues that may have never happened offline. Every topic was discussed, not just what the media covered.

- This was the first US election where the internet was a primary way candidates communicated. Every candidate had a Facebook page to communicate directly with tens of millions of followers every day.

- Campaigns spent hundreds of millions advertising online to get their messages out even further. That's 1000x more than any problematic ads we've found.

- We ran "get out the vote" efforts that helped as many as 2 million people register to vote. To put that in perspective, that's bigger than the get out the vote efforts of the Trump and Clinton campaigns put together. That's a big deal.

After the election, I made a comment that I thought the idea misinformation on Facebook changed the outcome of the election was a crazy idea. Calling that crazy was dismissive and I regret it. This is too important an issue to be dismissive. But the data we have has always shown that our broader impact -- from giving people a voice to enabling candidates to communicate directly to helping millions of people vote -- played a far bigger role in this election.

We will continue to work to build a community for all people. We will do our part to defend against nation states attempting to spread misinformation and subvert elections. We'll keep working to ensure the integrity of free and fair elections around the world, and to ensure our community is a platform for all ideas and force for good in democracy.

We'll Chase Rev. Fr. Mbaka out of Biafraland- Biafra Zionists Federation

The Biafra Zionists Federation (BZF) have accused the founder of the Adoration Ministry Enugu Nigeria (AMEN), Reverend Fr. Ejike Mbaka of plotting to sabotage the Biafra project, threatening to chase him out of Biafraland, if he did not retrace his steps.

The Zionist leader, Barrister Benjamin Igwe Onwuka, who made the declaration in a statement accused the firebrand Catholic priest of supporting the killing of Igbo citizens by the federal security forces.

“The Zionists are warning Ejike Mbaka that he is putting his adoration ministry on the line. All the clerics supporting these killings will be sent away from here by the Biafra government and we will take over that his adoration ground.

“Attacking us and calling us names is unacceptable. People are being killed every day, has any of them come out to speak against it? We have marked Mbaka as enemy of Biafra,” he addd.

The self-declared President of Biafraland said: “it is regrettable that our church leaders, notable ones, instead of supporting Biafra, are busy using words that do not in any way reflect what is happening. Look at the killings in Abia, have they said anything.

“Go to South-Africa, Desmond Tutu, an archbishop was in in the vanguard fighting for the liberation of the people, but here in Biafra, Rev. Fr. Ejike Mbaka and archbishop Emmanuel Chukwuma, and several others are campaigning against the overall interest of the Biafran people.

“They cannot be supporting our opponents openly here in Biafra land. If they don’t want to support Biafra, let them mind their business, let them face their duty of preaching the word of God, but involving themselves in attacking the people is very tragic.

The group equally vowed that Nigeria’s Chief of Army Staff, Lt. Gen. Tukur Buratai, the Chief of Defence Staff, and the Minister of information, Lai Mohammed will end up in prison over the recent deployment of troops to Abia State. The Army exercise code-named ‘Operation Python Dance’ led to a confrontation between the military and the pro-Biafra agitators, resulting to reported death of scores.

Barrister Onwuka, argued that banning IPOB will not affect restoration of Biafra which his group was already advancing. “It is a waste of time; IPOB just a group, Biafra is a country. You cannot ban a nation which came into being in May 1957. So, banning IPOB is just simple waste of their political time. I said this because Biafra has already been recognized by the international community.

He went further: “We all saw what happened at the just concluded UN General Assembly on September 22, where Biafrans were allowed to protest by the New York Government, but such was not the case with the Nigerian Government. Their rented protesters were denied access. So, this confirms our earlier statement that the US has since recognized Biafra, far back in 2013 by then President Barrack Obama.”

On the army invasion of Abia State, the Zionists said “it is clearly a tragedy. It is clearly a military invasion; it has nothing to do with IPOB or Nnamdi Kanu. This is the North invading the East because of Biafra. I want to deeply condemn that act.

“The attack on Biafran soil is an attack on all of us. The army is not supposed to be interfere in the internal security situation of the nation; they are not supposed to get involved in domestic security of the country. So, sending the army to Aba and Umuahia was with an ulterior motive.

“Using Nnamdi Kanu and the IPOB to as a pretext to kill young men and women in in Abia and other parts of Igbo land, the North will have to pay for it. So, I condemn in totality the brutality of the army in the name f Operation Python Dance.

“We, therefore state clearly today that all those involved, the Chief of Defence Staff, the Chief of Army Staff and the Minister of information, will pay for these killings, they will all end up in ICC and then in prison.

“Anyone involved in this military force against un-armed agitators will never go scot-free. We are not only going to take them to the ICC but prosecute the matter to the end until they are made to pay dearly for it. This time around, they will not escape justice. They did it in 1967-1970 and went away with it but it won’t happen this time. Britain and Saudi Arabia will not even save them.”

“For Lai Mohammed, can you see the lopsidedness in his argument? How can someone compare IPOB with herdsmen? These herdsmen have been killing people in their hundreds unhindered and that is why I insist that some Northern leaders are behind Boko Haram and herdsmen.

“So, the statement from Lai Mohammed is rubbish and I am telling him today that he will face ICC over the killings in Abia. We are as well calling on the Northern religious leaders, the Sultan of Sokoto and the Emir of Kano to call President Buhari and the Army Chiefs to order. They should order them to withdraw these troops and rampaging herdsmen from Biafra land”, he added.

:Orient 

The Federal Government of Nigeria is still calling on interested investors to come and invest in bitumen "the second largest deposit in the world"

Why do we have to be spending over N300bn annually to import what we have in abundance? 

The Association of Bitumen Marketers and Distribution of Nigeria(ABIMD) has said that Nigeria loses over N300bn annually to massive importation of bitumen. 

 

IRIELE, a small community situated in Ondo state and her indigenes have high hopes for development of their natural endowment. Over the years, they have dreamt of the day when bitumen would be exploited, creating job opportunities, infrastructure and economic prosperity.

The people of this town consider bitumen as a God endowed heritage which should be harnessed immediately to create jobs, deliver infrastructure and reduce the hardship they face daily. Those dreams have not become reality up till now, denting their hopes and leaving them frustrated as the indigenes of these towns wait endlessly for the government to attract the needed investment.

In the light of the foregoing is the pressing need to tap into Nigeria’s rich mineral reserves. The failure of government to properly utilise the wealth of the nation to the betterment of lives of the citizenry has long been overlooked. This belief is voiced by majority of the ordinary people in this bitumen bearing community – including border communities like Agbabu and Ilubirin.

The mono-economy of Nigeria is totally forced on Oil, that single product that has become an albatross to the country. Some even described the exploitation of oil as a curse as it has denied other mineral resources attention.

One of such mineral resources that oil has denied attention is bitumen. The Nigerian bitumen deposit put at 42.74 billion metric tons is the second largest in the world and was first discovered in 1900. While Canada, the world largest bitumen country is using bitumen to develop every nooks and crannies of the country massively in road construction and other uses, Nigeria with the second largest bitumen deposit in the world is allowing the product to waste away unattended to.

The Ondo State Governor, Arakunrin Oluwarotimi Akeredolu has said that: ”  The main mission of the administration is to lead a patriotic, highly inspired and competent team to rescue the ship of the state. We intend to help rebuild our economy, resuscitate damaged infrastructure, restore hope and return our state to a prosperous land. We are determined as an administration to break down the barriers that have made stagnation possible. We will break down the barriers to honest leadership, to comprehensive development, to physical growth and social security. These we intend to do through the promotion of transparent leadership, rule of law, extensive consultation, quality and accessible public utilities and social security; all in a sustainable manner”.

 He added that: ” We have transited regrettably from a producing economy to a basically consumption society, which depends almost solely, on handout to survive. The resultant effect of the unproductive attitude is grinding poverty, desperation and hopelessness among our people. It is cruel irony that a state, richly endowed in material and human resources wallows in inexplicable privation.

Arakunrin should therefore act fast by using this great opportunity to liaise with the Federal government to tap this goldmine. It is not a coincidence that APC is ruling at the Federal level and in Ondo State this time around, bitumen must be tapped to the benefit of the communities, the state and federal government.

 Efforts toward the exploitation of the resources is in top gear as the Minister of Solid Minerals Development, Dr. Kayode Fayemi recently visited Agbabu to access the product. According to him, the Federal government is set to open the process for prospective investors interested in exploring the country’s vast bitumen deposit to bid for allocation of operational licences.

 He added that any serious investors with proven works and financial plans would be allowed to participate in the bid round. The Minister, who assured the communities of government readiness to protect their interests through right policy and regulations, said the licencing process will be completed in a year.

 Fayemi lamented that about 80 percent of asphaltic materials used in road construction in the country are still imported in spite of the vast bitumen deposit.

He added that tax holiday and duty free regime on mining equipment have been put in place to encourage serious investors.

The major problem confronting the exploitation of bitumen in the country has been lack of technical expertise and the high cost of tapping the resources, couple with government unwillingness to let go of oil money. To stem the tumbling economy which is monolithic in nature, the new administration must work with all the authorities involved to make tapping of bitumen a reality in the state. The second largest bitumen in the world lying fallow should be a great concern to all in the country. It is now dawn on us that over reliance on petroleum will continue to bring untold hardship on citizenry with the way world oil prices crashed. If the country’s economy has been diversified, the present hardship would have been minimal, for the country and mostly Ondo State would have something to fall back on.

 Ondo State is a peaceful state, good for investors to invest, so ,the reason why Arakunrin and his team must do everything to bring into reality the exploitation of bitumen in the state.

 Mimiko’s administration in its twilight signed a bitumen exploration agreement with the Liquefied Resources Company, but it must be confessed that the present administration must liaise with those that matter in the country to put the product to use.

There is no doubt that the exploitation of bitumen will have a heavy toll on the environment of Irele and neighbouring Agbabu and Ilubinrin communities in Ondo State, their water will be polluted, farm land destroyed, large expense of forest will be brought down and some communities will be destroyed , but the aftermath joy is more than the pain.

This is the kind of pain that the Communities with bitumen in Ondo State are ready to bare to have sustainable economy development.

There should be synergy between the state and the Federal government to see to the reality of bitumen exploration coming into fruition, and the time is  now when the price of petroleum has crashed in the world market and the revenue accruing to the FG and states nosedived. The process  whereby contractors have to import the product at exorbitant price for road construction will reduce drastically and Ondo State roads will be good for development.

:hopeonbitumen

Restructuring: Sokoto, Kebbi, Zamfara Support Devolution Of Power

Advocates of more power for states seem to be winning their age-long battle.

Their position is being vindicated at the various consultations on restructuring organised by the All Progressives Congress (APC).

In the North, which an elderstateman yesterday said was not afraid of restructuring, some states supported the devolution of power, a rework of the revenue allocation formula and a united Nigeria.

It was all at the APC’s restructuring consultation in North West (Sokoto), North Central (Ilorin) and North East (Bauchi).

Kwara, Kogi and Niger states were in Ilorin. Bauchi, Gombe and Yobe had their session in Bauchi.

Sokoto, Kebbi and Zamfara states met in Sokoto for the consultation on Nigerians’ position on restructuring, which many believe is the antidote to the dismemberment of Nigeria.

The common position in all the centres is that there should be devolution of power from the Federal Governemt to states.

The consultation being coordinated by a committee headed by Kaduna State Governor Nasir El-Rufai, started on September 18. It will end on October 9.

The governments of Sokoto, Kebbi and Zamfara advocated that some aspects of health, transport, fire service, among others, should be devolved to the states with resources attached. The Federal Government should focus on defence, foreign affairs, security and currency—a position canvassed by many eminent citizens, including frontline politician Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu.

The three Northwest states are controlled by the APC. Governors Aminu Tambuwal (Sokoto) and Atiku Bagudu (Kebbi) attended the session. Zamfara State was represented by Deputy Governor Ibrahim Wakala.

Also yesterday, elder statesman Alhaji Tanko Yakassai, an adviser to Second Republic President Shehu Shagari, said on a television programme that the north is not opposed to restructuring.

Sokoto’s position, presented by former Deputy Governor Chiso Abdullahi, rejected the creation of new states, because many states are not viable.

He said the presidential system should be preserved with fiscal federalism while power rotation and zoning should be maintained to foster national unity.

He also advocated a unicameral legislature with advisory role given to traditional rulers.

To Sokoto State, the revenue allocation formula should be adjusted to give the Federal Government 43 per cent, states 35 per cent and local governments 23 per cent.

Kebbi State equally rejected creation of new states and bicameral legislature. It suggested that zoning should be on the basis of North and South.

Kebbi’s proposal on revenue sharing is Federal Government 40 per cent, states 40 per cent and local government areas 20 per cent. It is in support of devolution of power to states.

Zamfara State also suggested that the status quo should be maintained on state creation, derivation, devolution of powers, presidential system of government and land tenure system.

The chairman of the APC Restructuring Committee for North-west, Plateau State Governor Simon Lalong, said all the views collated would be taken back to the APC national headquarters.

“At the end of the exercise, all the views collated will be analysed and this will form the opinion of the APC and the Federal Government,” he said.

Zamfara State said it was solidly for Nigeria’s unity.

Speaking on Chanels Television, Yakasai said: ”I have never known any known northerner who is opposed to restructuring. But what we want to know is what are the details? We are tired of going into something blindly only to turn out in regrets.

”I have been asking the promoters of the idea of restructuring to explain what the blueprint is What will Nigeria look like after restructuring? What we have been asking for is a blueprint for restructuring.

Yakasai, who backed the call for Nigeria to return to the 1963 constitution, added that the country must maintain the four regions adopted by that same constitution in 1963.

”Now some people have started to speak out. Emeka Anyaoku said we should go back to 1963 constitution where we had four regions- North, West, East and Midwest. Then there was a gathering of some Afenifere leaders in Ibadan and they said we should go back to the 1963 constitution but they created six regions.

”In 1963, we didn’t have six regions. We either eat our cake or have it. If we want to go back to 1963 situation, then we go back to four regions.

”If we want to create more then we use the provisions of 1963 constitution to create more (states), whatever number we want to create,” he said.

Answering a question on resource control, the elder statesman said: “I can tell you that whoever is having this kind of thinking is a short sighted person.”

He condemned those calling for the creation of more states, adding that they were doing so not to develop the poor but to win elections or get elective positions.

”There are so many states and each one is consuming 70 per cent of its revenue on bureaucracy. How can you develop on that? All countries in the world are not spending 70 per cent of their revenues on bureaucracy.

”All the 19 states plus Abuja (in the North) spend 70 per cent of their revenue on bureaucracy – salary, allowances and so on – not on development. They did not develop agriculture. They did not develop even power to provide for industries.”

But the Chairman, Political Committee, Afenifere, Prof. Banji Akintoye, urged the Federal Government to create structures to address calls for restructuring.

He accused the APC nine-member committee on restructuring headed by Governor El-Rufai of embarking on delay tactics to dampen the debate on restructuring.

Akintoye said: “If the Federal Government is committed to seeing the will of the people done, the thing to do is to create some sort of structure for sorting out this whole question of restructuring. That is how to do it. There is no other way.

”It is difficult to believe that you put a person like the young governor of Kaduna State, El-Rufai at the head of an arrangement like that and you want us to trust that you really want the thing (restructuring) to happen. No, there are other leaders of the party. Former vice president is a member of the party. Bola Tinubu is a national leader of the party. Those people would have been more credible in that type of situation.

“When you go and put a man who is avowedly opposed to restructuring to come and head a party’s committee that will collect information about restructuring, there is doubt about what they are really after. Even though I hope they will come out with something good for the country I doubt that they would.”

Bauchi, Borno,Gombe, Yobe, backed calls for restructuring at the Bauchi centre of the consultation.

Bauchi State Governor Mohammed Abubakar expressed strong belief in one and united Nigeria.

Represented by Deouty Goveror Nuhu Gidado, the governor submitted that the youth should be given priority in a restructured Nigeria with true federalism.

Yobe State Governor Ibrahim Gaidam was represented by the Permanent Secretary, Special Services, Government House, Damaturu, Lawal Usman Hassan

In its memorandum the Bauchi State chapter of the Nigerian Labour Congress submitted that the organized labour was not in support of any move towards the creation of additional states in view of the present Nigeria economic realities.

Gital also said the local government councils in the country should be granted autonomy should in order to facilitate and fast track development.

According to him, the organised labour is strongly of the view that Nigeria should continue with the current presidential system of government, which he said encourages democracy, guarantee political stability, independence of the President, proper use of talent and there is check and balance.

:thenationonlineng

2018 Volvo XC40 Unveiled As A Small Premium SUV (Photos)

Volvo Cars, the premium car maker, has expanded its line-up of SUVs with the launch of its new 2018 Volvo XC40 small premium SUV in Milan, Italy.

At the same time as it introduces the XC40, Volvo Cars also reinvents the traditional model of car ownership with its new ‘Care by Volvo’ subscription service. Care by Volvo, first available on the XC40 from launch, makes having a car as transparent, easy and hassle free as having a phone. A monthly flat-fee subscription means down payments, price negotiations and local price differences belong to the past. 

XC40 drivers will also be the first Volvo customers who can share their car with friends and family via Volvo on Call with a new digital key technology. Car sharing comes as standard for Care by Volvo customers.

The arrival of the XC40 means that for the first time in its history, Volvo Cars has three new, globally available SUVs in what is the fastest growing segment of the automotive market, paving the way for further growth in terms of sales and profitability.

The new XC40 is the first model on Volvo Cars’ new modular vehicle architecture (CMA), which will underpin all other upcoming cars in the 40 Series including fully electrified vehicles. Co-developed within Geely, CMA provides the company with the necessary economies of scale for this segment.

“The XC40 is our first entry in the small SUV segment, broadening the appeal of the Volvo brand and moving it in a new direction,” said Håkan Samuelsson, president and chief executive. “It represents a fresh, creative and distinctive new member of the Volvo line-up. So it only feels natural to reveal the XC40 here in Milan, a buzzing European hotspot for fashion, art, design and lifestyle.”

In terms of technology, the XC40 brings the award-winning safety, connectivity and infotainment technologies known from the new 90- and 60 Series cars to the small SUV segment. Like its larger siblings, the XC40 highlights the transformational effect of these new, in-house developed technologies on brand and profitability.

These technologies make the XC40 one of the best-equipped small premium SUVs on the market. Safety and driver assistance features on the XC40 include Volvo Cars’ Pilot Assist system, City Safety, Run-off Road protection and mitigation, Cross Traffic alert with brake support and the 360° Camera that helps drivers manoeuvre their car into tight parking spaces.

The XC40 also offers a radically new approach to storage inside the car. Ingenious interior design provides XC40 drivers with, among other things, more functional storage space in the doors and under the seats, a special space for phones including inductive charging, a fold-out hook for small bags and a removable waste bin in the tunnel console.

From start of production, the XC40 will be available with a D4 diesel or a T5 petrol four-cylinder Drive-E powertrain. Further powertrain options, including a hybridised as well as a pure electric version, will be added later. The XC40 will also be the first Volvo model to be available with Volvo Cars’ new 3-cylinder engine.

Production of the new XC40 starts in Volvo Cars’ plant in Ghent, Belgium in November, while order books and the Care by Volvo subscription package are open for customers now.

:Autojosh

Investors’ & Exporters’ (I&E) FX Window records $826.58m trades

The Investors’ & Exporters’ (I&E) FX Window recorded an increase in value of trade to $826.58mm for the week-ended September 22 this year (2017). This represents a 16.97 percent increase from the $706.63mm recorded the previous week-ended September 15, 2017.

This increase in value of trade can be attributed to a corresponding rise in Inter-Member trades, bringing the total value traded at the Window since its inception to $10.82bn.

Moreover, the Central Bank of Nigeria (Centrally) continued its supply of US Dollars in the foreign exchange (FX) market, offering $100.00 million at a marginal rate of N325.00 to the dollar, through a Single Secondary Market Intervention Sales (SMIS) – Wholesale session held during the week-ending September 22, 2017.

The apex bank maintained its intervention for the small and medium-scale enterprises and retail invisible transactions, maintaining the same amount of $80.00mm and $70.00mm respectively, as reported for the previous week-ended September 8, 2017.

The CBN also offered an SMIS, retail intervention for the clearance of matured FX obligations for the Raw Materials, Agriculture, Airlines and Petroleum products sectors.

For the reporting week-ended September 22, 2017, the CBN official rate fell by N0.10 to close at N305.85 to the dollar, indicating a 0.03% decrease when compared to the N305.95 per dollar recorded at the end of the previous week-ended September 15 2017.

In the Bureau de Change (BDC) market, the rates fell by ₦1.50 to close at N366.00, indicating a 0.41% decrease when compared to N367.50 per dollar, reported at the end of the previous week-ended September 15 2017.

The naira depreciated at the I&E FX Window, where rates opened the week at N359.06 per dollar, losing ₦1.33 to close the week at ₦360.39, revealing a spread of ₦5.61 per dollar between the I&E FX Window rate and the BDC market rate.

On the other hand, the spread between the BDC and the CBN official exchange rates fell by N1.40 to 60.15 per dollar, representing a 2.27 percent decrease from the spread of 61.55 per Dollar recorded for the previous week-ended September 15, 2017.

In the OTC FX Futures market, the 15th OTC FX Futures contract, NGUS SEP 20 2017, matured and settled on FMDQ’s platform on Wednesday, September 20, 2017. The matured September 2017 contract was replaced by the CBN with a new 12-month contract, NGUS SEP 26 2018 with notional amount on offer of $1.00bn at 361.41 to the dollar.

Furthermore, during the week, OTC FX Futures worth $315.06mm was traded in seventeen (17) deals, compared to the previous week’s total of $84.41 million traded in eight (8) deals.

For the week-ended September 15, 2017, trading activity in the Spot FX market between the banks and their clients stood at $1,782.30 million (average daily turnover of $356.46 million), representing a 68.26 percent increase from the $1,059.25 million (average daily turnover of $264.81 million) recorded the previous week.


Activity in the Spot FX market amongst banks for the same trading week revealed a 34.46 percent increase, as a total turnover of $156.09 million (average daily turnover of $31.22 million) was recorded against the $116.09 million (average daily turnover of $29.02 million) reported the previous week.


BusinessDay

IPOB/HAUSA CLASH: Arewa group condemns five northern Govs. to visit to Rivers

PORT HARCOURT – The Arewa Initiative for Peaceful Coexistence in Southern Nigeria, AIPCSN, has condemned the five Northern governors Who visited the Governor of Rivers State, Chief Nyesom Wike, after the clash between the Hausa community and the secessionist group, the Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB, in Oyibo Local Government Area of the state.

The AIPCSN also sued for peace among Nigerians, irrespective of ethnicity, religion, reiterating that the unity of the nation is not negotiable.
The National Coordinator of AIPCSN, Alhaji Musa Saidu, who spoke in Port Harcourt, yesterday, worried that the governors refused to visit the affected northerners in the state, noting that the victims of the clash had expected them (the governors) to visit them commiserate or visit the scene of the incident.
Saidu averred that the attitude showed that the Northerners living in the Southern part of the country were not valued by their leaders.
He said: “Now, we knew that five of our own governors came to the State, stayed and left without a message for us. We had expected the governors to visit us and know how we are feeling.
“We had expected them to come and commiserate with the Hausa Community in Rivers State. They did not visit us, they did not visit the scene where the incident happened in Rivers State. Their action was not good.”
Saidu clarified that attack was not only targeted at Muslims in the state, but stated that both Muslims and Christians were victims of the attack by the IPOB members.
He described the attacks in Abia and Rivers States, as well as the reprisals in Plateau State as unfortunate, adding that there was no need for the shedding of blood.
Saidu said: “Nigerians should learn to live together as brothers and sisters. We need peace and we want peace in all parts of the country.
We want to live in peace. Even if you kill the man selling groundnut, or the shoemaker (cobbler) in the street, what is your gain? My plea is, let us live together. We don’t want reprisal from any quarters.

“Please, we should not bring religion into it, because if we do that, it would have more adverse effects on everybody in the country. Let us appreciate our peaceful coexistence and live in harmony.


Vanguard

Biafra: Fulani Herdsmen Call For Probe Of Saraki’s Statement On IPOB

Fulani herdsmen under the aegis of Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association of Nigeria (MACBAN), has urged the government to urgently begin a probe into the activities of the Senate President, Bukola Saraki, to ascertain if he was among those sponsoring Nnamdi Kanu, the leader of Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB).

In an interview with journalists in Makurdi, the National Coordinator of MACBAN, Garus Gololo noted that the activities of IPOB in recent times demonstrated that it was more of a danger to the unity of Nigeria than the clashes between Fulani herdsmen and farmers.

He argued that the statement made by Saraki, faulting the proscription of the group by the Federal Government, was inciting and a clear signal that the Senate President might be supporting the agitation by IPOB to divide Nigeria.

He said for such a statement to have come from Saraki, it showed that he was no longer fit to lead the Senate.

Gololo said he believed that the former Kwara State governor’s presence in the National Assembly was a threat to the unity and oneness of Nigeria.

“I think it is a high-time the Federal Government commenced full scale investigation into Senator Bukola Saraki’s activities in the Senate. I doubt if that man has the interest of this country, Nigeria, at heart.

“For the number three citizen to be saying different things from the government, which he is fully part and parcel of, shows that Saraki hates Nigeria, Buhari and Fulani herdsmen and as such, his leadership is in doubt and he should step aside.

“We can’t continue to have someone in power that would declare support for a group agitating to break up Nigeria. We are for one Nigeria and in unity we stand.

“The ability of the government to declare IPOB as a terrorist group has saved the country from a premeditated war that could have led to the collapse of the unity and peaceful coexistence of Nigeria,” he said

MACBAN National Leader also commended the Federal Government’s decision to proscribe IPOB as a terrorist group.

He described the proscription as a ‘’right step in a right direction’’ that would permanently cripple the plans of the pro-Biafran group to break up Nigeria.

Saraki had last Monday condemned the ban on the activities of IPOB by the South-East Governors Forum and its classification as a terrorist group by the Nigerian Army.

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