14022018 - Workers flee as herdsmen overrun LG offices in Ondo

18 — Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 14, 2018
CASES of Nigerians languishing in
prisons abroad are on the increase.
Latest statistics revealed about
170,000 Nigerian citizens are rotting
away in jails all over the world.
The figure reflects a sharp increase
from that of 2012, which was estimated
at 16, 300, including those on death
row. Out of the 2012 figure, 6,000
were awaiting death penalties for
drug-related offences, while 5,145
women were trapped after being trafficked.
Another 3,719 were held in
Canada, over 750 were in British
jails, 700 in China, 500 in India and
96 in Indonesia, out of which 23 were
on death row. Others were held in
Malaysian and Singaporean prisons.
Most of the current 170,000 are
serving terms for drug and human
trafficking and sundry immigration
offences.
Patriotic Citizens Initiative, PCI, a
civil society group, mid-last year
raised an alarm over the ordeal of
Nigerians in jails overseas. The
group charged the Federal Govern-
Keeping Nigerians away
from jails abroad
ment to investigate allegations of
mysterious deaths and “organ harvesting”
of Nigerians in Chinese
prisons, where about 8,000 were incarcerated
for drug trafficking, immigration,
smuggling and other offences.
The majority were victims of
shoddy investigation and alleged
trumped-up charges. About 40 Nigerians
are executed, especially in Asia,
annually.
PCI’s reaction was based on a plethora
of distress calls received from
those serving terms in prisons. They
claimed Nigerian inmates disappeared
in manners suggestive of extra-judicial
killings carried out by
Chinese prison officials. There were
other allegations of slave labour,
denial of access to medical treatments
and other human rights violations.
Nigerian youths migrate in droves
to foreign countries for economic
reasons. Our poorly-developed
labour market, coupled with a
growing army of about 40 million
unemployed youths and an economic
downturn prompt the exodus. Some
were lured into drug and human trafficking
with juicy offers. A majority
still embark on dangerous journeys
despite repeated warnings.
The Federal Government should
not be insensitive to the plight of its
citizens imprisoned in foreign countries.
The Presidency should set up
an inter-agency delegation to visit
these countries to properly investigate
some of the allegations and ensure
our citizens are given justice.
The office of the Senior Special
Assistant to the President on Foreign
Affairs and the Diaspora should convene
a stakeholders’ meeting on the
plight of Nigerian prisoners abroad.
Both chambers of the National Assembly
should also intervene with a
view to finding solutions to the problem.
It is demeaning to our image to just
abandon our citizens in foreign jails
when they are being maliciously victimised.
We must create opportunities
for young Nigerians to fulfill
their dreams within our country. Nigeria
has what it takes to make its
people happier in their own country.
By Sunny Ikhioya
THESE are interesting times. Our
politicians are at it again, trying to paint
what is black as white and vice versa. We -the
ordinary folks - are left wondering but can do
nothing. We all know that having the voter’s
card alone does not guarantee victory, the
Permanent Voters Card (PVC) has to be
fruitfully utilised and other activities properly
monitored. A million ants cannot lift an
elephant, they will be crushed in the process.
How will the ordinary Nigerian see his
political dreams actualised without getting
crushed? That is the challenge that we are
faced with.
The past three years have shown that our
politicians of the People's Democratic Party,
PDP and the All Progressive Congress, APC
are the same. Despite the rhetoric, we have
seen that no significant value has been added
to the lives of the ordinary citizens. It has all
been recycled ideas and activities, even the anti
corruption strategy is same with what we had
witnessed in the past, nothing new. This was
the state we were - of 'siddon look' or do nothing
- until the former president Olusegun Obasanjo
came out with his expository letter to President
Mohammadu Buhari. The letter has
reverberated reactions both locally and
internationally but, before then, Oby
Ezekwesili, former minister, had mooted the
idea of supporting any group that is ready to
take on both the APC and the PDP, head on, in
the elections of 2019, not many people took
notice.
Femi Falana (SAN), had publicly expressed
the tragedy to the nation, of having only
President Buhari and former Vice President
OPINION
My fear for the Third Force
Atiku Abubakar running for the position of
President in the coming election. No one took
note too but, since Obasanjo intervened, the
situation has taken a new turn. The idea of a
Third Force or third major political party is
beginning to crystallise, people are now
emboldened to act or speak up, even the usually
With Obasanjo as the leader
or pivot of the Third Force
movement, what type of
people should we find there?
Retired, disgruntled, and
recycled PDP and APC
members
reserved body of Catholic Church Bishops have
come out to express their dissatisfaction with
the way the country is been governed during
their visit to the President. All parties are
beginning to strategise as a result of the
situation. The ruling APC could not find the
voice to tackle Obasanjo frontally. They only
issued a tepid and diplomatic response through
the Minister of information Hon. Lai
Mohammed.
It is clear that there has not been succour in
the land. People are suffering , while others are
being slaughtered without a thought. With the
apparent inability of the government to tackle
these issues, the country is now polarised along
ethic lines to the extent that have not been seen
before. The cry for change is palpable. The
ruling party is aware of this and the main
opposition party is trying to capitalise on the
situation. They have started the promise game
again, knowing that the gullible public will
fight themselves to death over nothing, with
the mere introduction of religious and ethnic
sentiments. Since the APC and PDP parties,
having been tried and tested and failed to give
us the required succour, there is a need for a
third party that will consist of true progressives
and patriots, who will stand for what is right,
even in the face of death.
We have seen them before, in the likes of late
Aminu Kano, Balarabe Musa, late Tai Solarin,
late Gani Fawehinmi, the late Kuti brothers -
Beko and Fela and many others. Can we find
one of such amongst our present crop of
politicians? I ask because we have so many
who have pretended to be comrades and
progressives, now in the present APC party and
in the midst of the dismal performance of the
present day government , have refused to come
out of their shell. I cannot explain it; is it for
pecuniary gains, or power, or just to belong?
What has made our progressives suddenly go
quiet in the midst of the terrible happenings in
our land? Some of these pretenders have
shamelessly come out to join the bandwagon
of continuity. And you ask, continuity to where?
To hell or to heaven?
It is an irony that the one promoting the
third force movement is Olusegun Obasanjo,
an establishment man, a known member of
the ruling class, who was once the President
and had taken part in the installation of all
Presidents after him. He is now the pivot of the
Third Force movement, what an irony! With
Obasanjo as the leader or pivot of the Third
Force movement, what type of people should
we find there? Retired, disgruntled, and
recycled PDP and APC members. Therein lies
my fear for the Third Force movement.
Ordinarily, it is a timely and welcome
development.The people seriously desire for a
true change, with a genuine leadership that
will take the people's interest as paramount,
not the ones who will give excuses when they
assume office. People who have a thorough
grasp of the challenges confronting this
country and are ready to hit the ground
running, since they know the steps to take.
It is a shame that the ruling party is fighting
to re-present a candidate who took all of six
months to put a cabinet in place, in a country
with an emergency situation. It is a shame that
people are not courageous enough to tell their
party leaders that they have failed and request
that such leaders step aside. It is a shame that
we keep quoting and referring to democracy
in other climes and pretend that all is well
when it comes to ours. Are there no
progressives in the ruling party? Where are
they? Do they not have credible and youthful
candidates who can turn the country's situation
to a more improved level? Why the conspiracy
of silence? This nation will never move forward
unless we say and face the truth. People will
come and go but the truth will remain constant.
It is better for us to embrace the truth on
time, move on and allow generations coming
behind to enjoy the foundation laid and build
on it. A Third Force that will accord every
member their individual rights is what we crave
for. It does not matter if they win the elections
of 2019 or not. What matters is that such a
party is established and instituted.
*Mr. Ikhioya, www.southsouthecho.com
Twitter: @SunnyIkhioya