08022021-gunmen-on-rampage-in-kaduna-delta-taraba-fct

CBN gov,

Itsekiri, CAN,

PFN mourn

Okowa’s father

Herders crisis: Act now to avert

civil war, Soyinka tells Buhari

COVID-19: Nigeria can’t afford

another lockdown —ATEDO PETERSIDE

12 30

Igbo

presidency’ll

end grievances

in S-East

—NWODO,

CHEKWAS OKORIE

VOL. 27: NO. 64266 MONDAY, FEBRUARY 8, 2021

ong>Gunmenong> on rampage in

Kaduna, Delta, Taraba, FCT

• Kill 20, injure many, raze houses in Kaduna, Delta

attacks•Herdsmen kidnap female farmer in Delta; she’s missing —

POLICE•Kidnap Taraba NLC chairman; 4 others in FCT after 3-

hour operation•How our colleague was murdered —IMO NBA

COVID-19:

Why

Nigerians are

afraid to

vaccine, by

Archbishop

Kaigama 8

Cryptocurrency

ban’s to

protect

Nigerians,

financial

system

—CBN 8

Low level of financial

knowledge threatens 33.6m

MSMEs

…48% of economic

growth prospect

under threat

•NASME

advocates business

support services

•Formal education

not same as

financial literacy

—BoI

COLUMNISTS OWEI 16 MAILAFIA 17 SOBOWALE 21

Marauding

herdsmen

have

launched

guerrilla

warfare on

Yorubaland

—AGBEKOYA,

AFENIFERE 10

Mr & Mrs

2 — Vanguard, MONDAY, FEBRUARY 8, 2021

Vanguard, MONDAY, FEBRUARY 8, 2021 — 3

4 — Vanguard, MONDAY, FEBRUARY 8, 2021

Vanguard, MONDAY, FEBRUARY 8, 2021—5

POCKET CARTOON

CONDOLENCE VISIT—Akwa Ibom State Governor, Mr Udom Emmanuel

(middle) flanked by his wife, Dr Martha Emmanuel, welcoming Bayelsa State

Governor, Sen. Douye Diri, on his arrival during a funeral ceremony in honour

of the first indigenous Military Governor of Akwa Ibom State, Air

Commodore Idongesit Nkanga (Retd), at the deceased's country home, Ikot

Nya, Nsit Ibom LGA, over the weekend

ong>Gunmenong> on rampage in

Kaduna, Delta, Taraba, FCT

•Kill 20, injure many, raze houses in Kaduna, Delta attacks•Herdsmen

kidnap female farmer in Delta, She’s missing — POLICE•Kidnap

Taraba NLC chairman; 4 in FCT after 3-hour operation•How our

colleague was murdered in Imo —NBA

By Jimitota

Onoyume, Chinonso

Alozie, Ibrahim

Haasan & Ochuko

Akuopha

A BUJA—The

high level of

insecurity in

the country festered

weekend as no fewer

than 20 persons were

killed by bandits, while

several others were

kidnapped.

While 19 persons were

killed in Birni-Gwari and

Kajuru Local

Government areas of

Kaduna State, a mobile

policeman was killed in

Warri, Delta State, with

his rifle taken away by

his assailants.

Similarly, chairman of

Taraba State chapter of

the Nigeria Labour

Congress, Peter Jediel,

was abducted by

gunmen from his

Sunkani residence, in

the headquarters of

Ardo-Kola Local

Government Area, just as

four persons were also

kidnapped in their

residences in Federal

Capital Territory, FCT,

after a three-hour

operation.

In the Kaduna attacks,

14 of the victims were

killed by the outlaws at

Kutemeshi village in

Birnin-Gwari LGA on

Saturday night, while

five were killed in

Kajuru LGA same day.

Several others who

sustained gunshot

wounds are currently

receiving treatment in

hospitals.

Kaduna State

Commissioner for

Internal Security and

Home Affairs, Samuel

Aruwan, who confirmed

the attacks, listed those

killed in Birnin Gwari

LGA to include Malam

Sani Barume, Yahaya

Bello, Amadu Dan

Korau, Samaila Niga,

Jamilu Haruna, Lawal

Majiya and Dan Malam

Rabo.

Others were Dauda

Kafinta, Hassan Mai

Makani, Bashir Haruna,

Lawal Ali, Mu’azu

Haruna, Mai Unguwa

Sa’adu and Harisu Bako

He said some shops

were looted with

valuable items carted

away by the attackers

during the operation.

Aruwan, who also

noted that several

houses and a church

were burnt and

warehouses stocked with

building materials

looted, listed Bulus

Jatau, Hanatu

Emmanuel, Bitrus Tuna,

Yohanna Mika, and

Monday Ayuba as those

killed by the bandits at

Kujeni village in Kajuru

LGA, while two others

were injured.

Aruwan further stated

that some of the injured

had been moved to a

neighbouring state

closer to Kutemeshi for

urgent medical

attention, while others

were in transit to an

orthopaedic hospital in

Kaduna.

El-Rufai orders

relief materials

for affected

communities

Meanwhile, Governor

Nasir El-Rufai, who had

been monitoring the

security situation at the

various locations since

Saturday, has expressed

sadness over the attacks.

The governor, who

condoled families that

lost their loved ones,

offered prayers for the

repose of their souls and

a speedy recovery for the

injured.

He further directed the

Kaduna State

E m e r g e n c y

Management Agency to

urgently provide relief

materials to the affected

communities.

Policeman

killed in Delta

In Warri, Delta State,

gunmen weekend shot

dead a policeman

around NPA area and

disappeared with his

rifle.

Spokesman of Delta

State police command,

DSP

Onome

Onovwakpoyeya, who

confirmed the killing,

said efforts are on to

arrest those behind the

killing.

Vanguard gathered

that the gunmen got

close to the mobile

policeman who was on

the road-side and

opened fire on him.

They went straight for

his rifle after he slumped

and thereafter, sped off

in a waiting vehicle.

The sad incident

caused panic in the area

as eye-witnesses

scampered for safety at

the sound of gunshots.

Herdsmen

kidnap female

farmer in Delta

Also in Obiaruku in

Delta State, suspected

herdsmen reportedly

kidnapped a female

farmer, Mrs. Joy

Osamezu, in her farm at

Ukwuani Local

Government Area, Delta

State.

Though the

circumstances

surrounding the kidnap

were hazy at press time,

sources said she was

abducted on Saturday

while working in the

farmland across River

Ethiope.

“The kidnappers are

using the woman’s

number to call one

contact in Obiaruku,

speaking Hausa, so they

went for who to interpret

for them,” a source who

craved anonymity said.

Contacted, Police

Public Relations Officer

of the state command,

Onome Onovwakpoye,

said: “The person is

missing. She went to

farm on Saturday and

she has not returned.”

Meanwhile, the BOT

chairman of Ukwuani

Community Youth

Leaders, Comrade

Marcus Enudi, has

lamented what he

described as the

continued kidnapping of

Ukwuani women on their

farms at Obiaruku by

suspected herdsmen.

He called on the state

government to station a

team of “Delta Hawk” in

Ukwuani Local

Government Area to

check the criminal

activities of the

herdsmen in the area.

“The continuous cases

of kidnapping is

overwhelming and may

lead to crises in the area,

if not nipped in the bud.

“Our women cannot

Continues on Page 27

By Providence

Adeyinka

On appointment of ex-service chiefs as ambassadors (1)

This

administration

wants to be with their

old caucus irrespective of

their ability to maintain

the posts given to them. I’m

against this because there

are other people,

especially youths, who are

capable of doing the job.

Perhaps, govt. should stop

appointing anyone who has

failed in a previous

assignment.

—Comr. Tijani Oriyomi,

Peace Ambassador

What do you expect

from a government

that kills everything about

the youth with their

policies?

They increased VAT on

chicken feed and fish feed;

stopped cryptosystem and

increased duty on imported

vehicles. They even

borrowed our pension fund

and want to dip hands in

unclaimed dividends and

dormant accounts.

—Nonso Onukwube,

Financial analyst

There are too many

secrets and so many

things going on behind

the scene in this

administration. Besides,

Buhari is a miracleworking

president. I am

confused honestly! What

exactly has he done in

the past that got people

applauding? So nothing

surprises me with this

government.

—Smith Nmecha,

Surveyor

CPresident onstitutionally,

Buhari

has the power and

right to give anyone

whatever post he

deems fit but going by

his past actions, many

people don't believe

he means well for

Nigeria and

Nigerians.

—Ben Omage,

Content Creator

This government is

confused. It pays

little or no attention to

the issues on ground.

Making ex-service

chiefs ambassadors has

nothing to contribute to

the development of any

arm of government.

Someone that can’t

connect or relate with

the youth can’t do much.

—Arisa Ugochukwu,

Bizman

There’s nothing this government

will not do! What has

ambassadorial position got to do

with these service chiefs at a time

when security is threatened across

the country? Nigerians clamoured

for their removal and Buhari is now

compensating them for doing

nothing. Many soldiers are losing

their lives daily in the hands of BH

and Fulani herdsmen, what did

Buhari give them? Nothing! They

can’t even complain or they would

be court-martialled.

—Segun Gabriel,

Self-employed

6— Vanguard, MONDAY, FEBRUARY 8, 2021

NEMA

distributes

relief materials

to flood victims

in Delta

NATIONAL Emergency

Management Agency,

NEMA, yesterday, began

distribution of relief items to

victims of 2020 flood disaster

in Ndokwa East and

Ndokwa West Local

Government Areas of Delta.

The exercise was flagged

off at Kwale, Ndokwa West

Local Governnent Area, by

Director-General of NEMA,

Air Vice Marshal

Muhammed Mohammadu

(retd).

The NEMA Edo

Operations Office had

earlier conducted an on-thespot

assessment of the

affected areas to ascertain

impact and level of

destruction of property

caused by the flood.

Some of the items

distributed included 311

bags of 12.5kg rice, 311 bags

of 25kg beans, 311 bags of

12.5kg maize, 121 kegs of

vegetable oil, 26 cartons of

tomato paste and 52 cartons

of seasoning.

Others were 622 blankets,

622 mosquito nets, 622

mattresses, 622 pieces of wax

prints cloth, 900 bundles of

zinc roofing sheets, 900 bags

of cement, 300 packets of zinc

nails and 100 bags of “3” nails.

Mohammadu, represented

by the Head of Operations,

NEMA, Edo, Mr Dahiru

Yusuf, lamented the impact of

flood in the communities and

the entire state in general.

He noted that the

distribution of the relief

materials was part of the effort

of the Federal Government to

reduce the impact of the

flood in the areas as well as

to cater for the wellbeing of

the people.

The director general urged

the beneficiaries to ensure

proper use of the items and

give credence to the federal

government’s efforts to

ameliorate the plights of

those affected by disasters.

Also speaking at the

occasion, Director, Delta State

Emergency Management

Agency, SEMA, Mr Karo

Evemoso, commended the

NEMA for the gesture.

Evesomo, represented by Mr

Daniel Okpor, Director of

Finance and Administration,

SEMA, added that the relief

materials would go a long way

in providing succour to the

victims.

He gave the assurance that

the state government would

continue to partner with

NEMA to reduce the impact

of disasters in the state.

Responding on behalf of the

communities, Rep. Nicholas

Osai, representing Ndokwa

Federal Constituency in the

House of Representatives,

commended the Federal

Government for assisting the

victims.

He thanked NEMA for

responding to the distress call

of the people and prayed for

God’s guidance and protection

for President Muhammadu

Buhari.

2 dead, many wounded in Osun communal

clash

By Shina Abubakar

OSOGBO—TWO

people

were reported killed, yesterday,

as the communal clash between

Erin-Osun and Ilobu communities

in Osun State that started Saturday

over land dispute escalated.

It was also gathered that about five

persons sustained gunshot injuries

in the violence between the two

neighbours situated in Irepodun

Local Government Area of the state.

Meanwhile, the state government

has declared a 24-hour curfew in

Irepodun and Orolu Local

Government Areas of the state until

further notice.

While there are allegations of

engagements of mercenaries by

both communities, the state

government, yesterday, called for

calm and implored the military to

assist to calm the situation, but it

seems both sides to the crisis are

not willing to back down

A resident of Ilobu, Bolade

Akinwale, told Vanguard that while

they were at the palace for the

monarch’s intervention in the crisis,

someone was brought in dead,

while another source also disclosed

that one person died on the Erin-

Osun side.

It was gathered that houses were

vandalised around Ire-Akari area

before the Ilobu mercenaries

repelled the attack from Erin-Osun

warlords.

•Govt declares 24-hour curfew

•Army, police take over communities

Army personnel arriving the palace of Olobu to maintain peace.

Govt declares

24-hour curfew

Meanwhile, the state government

stated in a statement by its Secretary,

Prince Wole Oyebamiji, that

declaration of curfew became

necessary to douse tension in the

troubled area.

According to the statement, “It

would be recalled that only about

a few hours ago, Governor

Adegboyega Oyetola had ordered

the immediate deployment of armed

policemen with support from the

army to restore law and order. This

will subsist until further notice.

“As a responsible and responsive

government that took the sacred

oath to protect the lives and property

of our citizens, we believe that the

declaration of curfew is the way to

go in this circumstance.

“By this, security operatives have

been directed to arrest and prosecute

any person found violating the

One rescued in Lagos building collapse

By Bose Adelaja

AN adult male was,

yesterday, rescued by

emergency responders at the

scene of a collapsed building

at Elegbata Street,

Olowogbowo area, Apongbon,

Lagos.

The survivor was injured

following the impact of the

incident.

According to eyewitnesses’

account, the occupants of the

storey building have been

given quit notices by their

landlords to give room for the

rehabilitation of the building,

but there was a failed attempt

at controlled destruction by the

property owners which led to

the incident.

The prompt arrival of

emergency responders was

said to have prevented further

damage as the survivor was

quickly transported to a

nearby hospital.

Director-General, Lagos

State Emergency

Management Agency

LASEMA, Dr Olufemi Oke-

Osanyintolu, said the state

firefighters from Orile-

Iganmu Division, were

deployed to the scene for quick

response, while the men of

Rapid Response Squad, RRS,

from the Nigeria Police Force,

were on ground to maintain

law and order.

According to him, the entire

building was cordoned off to

avert secondary incidents,

adding: “The agency is on top

of the situation.”

The collapsed building.

curfew and those responsible for

the violence.

“All citizens and residents of the

affected local government areas are

enjoined to comply with this

directive as any person found

contravening this order shall be

made to face the wrath of the law.

“Government enjoins all our

citizens to be peaceful and to be

law-abiding as all efforts shall be

made to protect them and their

property.”

Mobs set ablaze

suspected robber

in Yola

suspected member of a

criminal gang known as

‘Shila Boys’ in Jimeta, was

burnt to death by angry mobs

for allegedly robbing and

stabbing a lady, in Yola North

Local Government Area of

Adamawa State.

Confirming the death of the

suspect, yesterday, the Police

Public Relations Officer in the

state, Sulaiman Nguroje, said

the incident occurred on

Saturday at about 7.00 p.m.

He said the corpse of the

suspect was evacuated by

Jimeta Police division, adding

that three members of the

gang were on a tricycle when

they allegedly robbed the

lady at Mubi roundabout in

Jimeta.

“The lady (name withheld)

shouted for help and

immediately, the mob chased

the suspects, caught one of

them and set fire on him. The

other two gang members,

however, escaped,” Nguroje

said.

He also said from January

1 to date, the state command

had recorded three jungle

justices against ‘Shila boys’

gang through mob attacks.

He said the state command

had swung into action to trace

the two suspected criminals

and the mob. He warned the

general public to desist from

taking law into their hands.

He said the command was

not happy about the

shameless attitude of some

parents, who were

supporting their children

found to be involved in

criminal activities.

Vanguard, MONDAY, FEBRUARY 8, 2021—7

4 dead in Abia auto crashes

By Ugochukwu

Alaribe

U persons, MUAHIA—FOUR

weekend, lost

their lives in two separate auto

crashes along the Enugu–Port

Harcourt expressway.

Eyewitnesses told Vanguard

that a Toyota Camry car with

number plate, SSM 49 BG, was

heading to Aba when it hit two

Zulum distributes

N80m, foodstuff to

16,000 female

returnees in

Gwoza

GOVERNOR

Babagana

Zulum of Borno State,

yesterday, supervised the

distribution N80 million and

foodstuff to 16,000 female

returnees in Gwoza area of the

state.

A statement by Mallam Isa

Gusau, Special Adviser to the

Governor on Public Relations

and Strategy, said Zulum, who

is on a humanitarian visit to the

area, also ordered the

reconstruction of 33 teachers’

houses affected by insurgency

in the town.

He said: “16,000 women were

each given N5,000 cash to

compliment the variety of food

items given each of them.

“The intervention is part of the

continued support to vulnerable

residents of the communities

whose means of livelihood is

affected by activities of Boko

Haram.

“Gwoza came under Boko

Haram’s occupation between

2014 and 2015, with videos

showing the insurgents’ deadly

leader, Abubakar Shekau, using

Gwoza town as the sect’s

spiritual and territorial

headquarters.

“The military liberated the

town in the latter part of 2015.

The insurgents had, during their

stay, destroyed hundreds of

private homes and public

facilities, particularly the schools

giving the sect’s ideological

opposition to Western

education.”

He said the governor, while in

Gwoza, also supervised the

disbursement of N150 million as

soft loans and grants to small

and medium-scale traders.

Gusau said: “From the funds,

N100 million was allocated to

small and medium

entrepreneurs living within

Gwoza town, while N50 million

was allocated to similar traders

in Pulka, Izge and Limankara

towns, all in Gwoza council area.

“The governor explained that

the loan/grant, with a refundable

period of four years, is meant to

resuscitate businesses and

livelihoods destroyed by the

Boko Haram insurgents in

communities of Gwoza.

“Zulum announced that any

beneficiary that can repay 50 per

cent of his/her loans within

record time will enjoy a waiver

of the balance of 50 per cent,

while those who deliberately fail

to repay within the dateline will

be made to repay 100 per cent

of what they received as loans

and grants.”

persons on a motorcycle at

Okpuala Ngwa.

The driver of the Toyota

Camry car, who was said to be

on high speed, skidded off

the expressway and hit the

two persons who died on the

spot.

“The Toyota Camry car was

heading to Aba on high speed

while the two people killed

were on their motorcycle. The

driver of the Toyota Camry

went off the expressway and

hit the motorcycle and killed

the two people on the spot and

the car went into the bush,”

one of the eyewitnesses said.

In another crash, a Sports

Utility Vehicle, SUV, rammed

into a motorcycle at Arungwa

junction, killing the two riders

on a motorcycle.

An official of the Federal

Road Safety Commission,

FRSC, at the Arungwa

junction, who declined to have

his name in print, attributed

the crashes to over speeding

by the motorists.

At press time, efforts to get

the reaction of the Abia State

Commissioner of Police, Mrs

Janet Agbede, was

unsuccessful as she didn’t

respond to calls put across to

her.

Bandits storm police station, kill 2, injure

3 in Imo

By Chidi Nkwopara

TWO policemen were

reportedly killed,

weekend, while three others

sustained varying degrees of

injury as bandits attacked a

Divisional

Police

Headquarters in Otoko,

Obowo Local Government

Area of Imo State.

It was gathered that while

two police officers died and

three others sustained

injuries in Otoko incident in

Imo State, the invading

bandits also lost one of their

own but succeeded in taking

his lifeless body before

retreating.

A resident of Otoko

lamented that hoodlums

operating in the state were

getting bolder and very

deadly.

His words: “From the way the

bandits attacked the

Divisional

Police

Headquarters, it becomes very

clear to discerning minds that

criminals operating in the

state are getting bolder and

deadly.

“The bandits struck when

nobody can confidently say

that it was already dark, even

as their motive was not clear.

All I can tell you is that the

attackers were fully armed and

the shooting created palpable

fear in people. We all

scampered for safety.

“One of the stories making

the round in the area is that

the hoodlums lost one of their

members, but they quickly

recovered his body and

zoomed off in their waiting

vehicle.”

Reacting to the incident via

a statement, the Police Public

Relations Officer, Mr Orlando

Ikeokwu, not only confirmed

the story but also affirmed that

the Commissioner of Police has

visited the scene of the crime

and evacuated the injured

officers to a more equipped

hospital for proper attention.

The PPRO said: “Given the

above, the Commissioner of

Police, Imo State, Nasiru

Mohammed, has ordered the

command's Quick Intervention

Team, QUIT, and other tactical

teams, to jointly commence an

investigation into the incident

to arrest the perpetrators of the

dastardly act.

Woman goes berserk, sets sister, 3 others on

fire over inheritance

By Evelyn Usman

woman identified simply as

Imole, allegedly set an

apartment in Idimu area of Lagos,

occupied by her sister and members

of her family on fire, over an

argument on her share of their late

father’s four rooms apartment.

Doctors at Alimosho General

Hospital were still battling to save

the lives of the victims, weekend.

It was gathered that Imole visited

her elder sister on Dupeolu Street,

Pipeline area of Idimu, last Friday,

to demand that the four rooms be

shared equally among them, but

her sister was said to have declined,

offering her one room, as she

explained that their father had other

wives whose children were also

beneficiaries.

A heated argument, according to

eyewitnesses, ensued among the

siblings, at the end of which Imole

was pacified.

However, Imole allegedly

returned to the building midnight,

tore the window net of the

apartment occupied by her sister,

husband and two children, poured

diesel and struck a stick of matches.

The shout for

help from the

occupants

alerted

residents who

managed to

rescue and

rushed them to

the hospital.

A resident,

who simply

gave his name

as Femi,

disclosed that

Imole was

mentally

unstable. He

said she fled

the scene,

immediately

she set the

apartment on

fire.

Police

sources at

Idimu division

revealed that a

box of matches and a jerry-can

suspected to have been used by the

fleeing suspect to store the

combustive substance were

recovered at the scene.

One of the victims

Sources added that efforts were

on to arrest Imole, adding that part

of the investigation would be to carry

out a medical test to ascertain her

true mental state.

Police arrest 6 suspects over kidnapping in FCT

By Kingsley Omonobi

SIX suspects have been

arrested by operatives of

Police Command in the Federal

Capital Territory, FCT, Apo,

over alleged kidnapping.

FCT Police Public Relations

Officer, ASP Mariam Yusuf,

disclosed this, yesterday, in

Abuja that the suspects were

arrested following credible

intelligence report indicating

that they had abducted three

persons.

According to her, the suspects

were arrested by police

operatives on routine patrol,

while attempting to relocate one

of their victims.

She said further investigations

led to successful rescue of two

other victims, who identified the

suspects as kidnappers.

The PPRO said the command

had deployed covert and overt

crime fighting strategies to

strengthen security across the

FCT, especially in areas with

cumbersome terrain.

She said the command had

also launched a strategic counter

kidnapping operation to

checkmate emerging security

concerns in the territory.

Yusuf said the command was

working closely with sister

security agencies, key

stakeholders and community

leaders to rid the FCT of criminal

elements.

She called on residents to

remain calm and laws abiding,

while enjoining them to report

suspicious persons or activities

around their vicinity, to the

nearest police division.

Attack on police:

Policemen

recover body of

man whisked

away in Lagos

beach

The late Wale.

By Evelyn Usman

THE bloated body of Wale

Kalejaiye, the man that was

reported to have been whisked

away by hoodlums, who attacked

a team of policemen, last week, at

Ibeju Lekki area of Lagos, was

weekend recovered at the shore

of a beach in Magbon Segun

community within Ibeju Lekki.

Vanguard had reported last

Wednesday that hoodlums

numbering over 100 attacked

policemen attached to the

Inspector General of Police

Monitoring Team, at Ibeju Lekki,

in a bid to evade arrest.

The policemen stormed the area

last Monday to effect the arrest of

some persons said to have refused

to honour their invitation at the

Force Headquarters, Abuja, over

an ongoing investigation

bothering on land matter and

threat to life.

Late Wale, who resided in

Akodo community, was said to

have led the policemen to Iwaju

Oba Street, where some arrests

were made. While moves to arrest

others were still on, hoodlums

said to have been armed with

dangerous weapons, including

guns, swooped on the operatives.

During the attack, the hoodlums

reportedly descended on Wale

and whisked him away, while the

Police zoomed off.

Relatives tried to reach him to

no avail, until Saturday, when

news filtered round that his body

had been recovered by policemen

attached to Akodo Division.

A distraught relative of the

deceased, Jalailu Alimi, who

informed journalists of the

recovered body, said it had been

deposited in the morgue.

Alimi said: “It is a very sad

development. These people killed

my brother for nothing. This is the

most wicked thing I have seen in

my life. We got a call from the

Police at Akodo division early

morning of Saturday that they

had recovered the body. After

killing him, his assailants

dumped the body in Magbon

Segun Beach, Ibeju Lekki.“

Identities of those so far arrested

in connection with the attack were

given as Oluwo, Ayoku, Hassan

and Agbaje.

8 — Vanguard, MONDAY, FEBRUARY 8, 2021

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DISCUSSION:

Secretary to the

Government of

the Federation

(SGF), Boss

Mustapha

(right) and Chief

Executive

Officer of the

Nigeria Export

Promotion

Council, Mr.

Segun Awolowo

after a discussion

on strategies

for developing

post

Covid economy

through the

promotion of

non-oil export in

Abuja

Herders crisis: Act now to avert civil war,

Soyinka tells Buhari •Presidency keeps mum

LAGOS — Nobel Laureate,

Prof. Wole Soyinka,

has asked President Muhammadu

Buhari to act fast

in putting a check to the activities

of herdsmen to avert

another civil war.

He also said the President’s

silence on what he described

as the illegal activities of herders

across the country showed

he was complicit.

Efforts to get the Presidency’s

reaction proved abortive,

as calls made to the

spokesmen were unreplied.

Text messages also sent to

their phones were not replied.

Soyinka, who made

the call in an interview on

BBC Pidgin, said he wondered

why the President

had failed to address the nation,

especially as the buck

stops at his desk.

He said the current situation

across the country, particularly

in the Southwest,

might develop into a civil

war. “What do they expect

of us now that the war is on

our doorstep? Of course,

there will be mobilisation

and if we keep waiting for

this to be centrally handled,

By Babajide

Komolafe

LAGOS — The Central

Bank of Nigeria (CBN)

yesterday said its decision to

ban the use of cryptocurrencies

in the country is to protect

Nigerians and the nation’s

financial system from

the illegal nature of such

currencies and the inherent

risks associated with them.

Recall that on Friday, the

CBN ordered banks to close

all accounts relating to crypto

currency transactions.

Following the outcry in

some quarters against the

decision, the CBN in a statement

yesterday signed by

the Acting Director, Corporate

Communications, CBN,

Osita Nwanisobi, said: “The

recent regulatory directive

became necessary to protect

the financial system and the

generality of Nigerians (including

the youth population)

from the risks inherent

in crypto assets transactions,

which have escalated

in recent times, with dire

consequences for the integrity

of the financial system

we are all going to become, if

not already slaves in our

land. That to me is personally

intolerable. It is not an acceptable

condition.

“Whatever it takes, I stand

ready to contribute in any

way and I have made my

governor understand this,

that we are here not just to

live in but to live in dignity.

Right now, our dignity is being

rubbished. My forest is

being taken over, it’s been

shrinking, my normal hunting

ground is shrinking. My

family tells me that if I go in

depth again, they will have

me institutionalised.” Soyinka

said the first solution to

the recurring menace was

for Buhari to address the nation

on the level of insecurity

and the way forward.

He noted that the President

should say openly “that yes,

I know I am the patron of the

cattle rearers association

etc., and I am a cattle rancher

myself and it is a business.

And I do not run my business

by killing people.

‘’I do not run my business

by raping, by displacing, by

torturing. I do not run my

business by occupying land

that does not belong to me

and I am warning all business

people in the food commodity,

all cattle reared, whatever

comes to you for illegal occupation

for trespassing on

other people’s property is

your business and I am ordering

the army, I am ordering

all the security forces to

back citizens’ efforts in flushing

you out.”

Soyinka said he expected

nothing else at this stage from

President Buhari than the

statement he suggested.

“It is very late already but

it is not too late. This is a language

that we expect from

President Buhari and as

much as that language does

not come, I must consider

him as quite complicit in

what is going on because the

buck stops at his desk.

“We may enter a phase of

serious skirmishes which get

more and more violent and

may develop into civil war

and a very untidy mercy

one. That’s my biggest fear.

‘’Unless action is taken… I

am very glad that the governors

are coming together

and are discussing in all seri-

Cryptocurrency ban's to protect Nigerians,

financial system — CBN

and financial stability.

“Due to the fact that cryptocurrencies

are largely

speculative, anonymous

and untraceable they are

increasingly being used for

money laundering, financing

terrorism and other criminal

activities. Small retail and unsophisticated

investors also

face high probability of loss

due to the high volatility of the

investments in recent times.”

The statement further

reads: “First, in light of the

fact that they are issued by

unregulated and unlicensed

entities, their use in Nigeria

goes against the key mandates

of the CBN, as enshrined

in the CBN Act

(2007), as the issuer of legal

tender in Nigeria. In effect,

the use of cryptocurrencies

in Nigeria are a direct contravention

of existing law.

“It is also important to

highlight that there is a critical

difference between a

Central Bank issued Digital

Currency and cryptocurrencies.

As the names imply,

while Central Banks can

issue Digital Currencies,

cryptocurrencies are issued

by unknown and unregulated

entities.

“Second, the very name

and nature of “cryptocurrencies”

suggests that its

patrons and users value anonymity,

obscurity, and

concealment. The question

that one may need to ask

therefore is, why any entity

would disguise its transactions

if they were legal.

“It is on the basis of this

opacity that cryptocurrencies

have become well-suited

for conducting many illegal

activities including

money laundering, terrorism

financing, purchase of

small arms and light weapons,

and tax evasion. Indeed,

many banks and investors

who place a high value on

reputation have been

turned off from cryptocurrencies

because of the damaging

effects of the widespread

use of cryptocurrencies

for illegal activities.

“In fact, the role of cryptocurrencies

in the purchase

of hard and illegal drugs on

the darknet website called

“Silk Road” is well known.

ousness. I’m happy they are

pulling in groups like Miyetti

Allah, obviously knocking

some sense into the head

of their leaders and they are

talking about accepting the

decision of governors and

agreeing to obey.”

Asked whether he is in

support of the action of a

Yoruba warlord, Sunday Igboho,

he said: “We’ve never

met, I hope people will always

report things properly.

I saw a byline of one media

report that Wole Soyinka

calls Igboho a hero, I never

made any such thing.

Sunday Igboho has responded

to the situation in the way

he knew how. Now you will

see that he’s trying to work

with others.

“Somebody one day reaches

an explosion point and he

says I cannot take this any

longer and he takes unilateral

action. It may be excessive,

it may be wrong but

what matters is that somebody

has responded to an

unacceptable situation.

‘’Any error which he

makes is for the rest of us to

correct by calling him and I

know that a number of people

are doing that.”

Many states in Nigeria,

and their residents, have

lamented the activities of

armed herdsmen who not

only graze their cattle on

people’s farms but also engage

in criminality like kidnap

and murder.

Governor Rotimi Akeredolu

of Ondo State recently

issued an ultimatum to

herders in Ondo forests to

leave because the forests

were being used as bases for

criminal activities.

Also, a Yoruba warlord,

Sunday Adeyemo, led residents

of Igangan in Ibarapa

area of Oyo State to evict

Fulani leaders in the area

after giving them an ultimatum.

He accused them of

harbouring the Fulani herders

who perpetrate criminality

in the area. Mr Igboho

also led a similar action

in Ogun State.

As the tension escalated,

the six governors in Southwest

states met with leaders

of Miyetti Allah cattle rearers

where they reached an

agreement to ban open grazing,

child grazing and ensure

criminals among the

herders are identified and

punished according to the law.

Rabiu urges FG to replicate

the Nigerian Sugar Devt

Council in the rice sector

COVID-19: Why Nigerians are

afraid to accept vaccine,

says Archbishop Kaigama

By Luminous

Jannamike

ABUJA — Catholic

Archbishop of Abuja,

His Grace Most Revd. Ignatius

Kaigama, said yesterday

that many Nigerians

were afraid to accept the

COVID-19 vaccine because

they believe the health crisis

was being manipulated

by some people.

Kaigama, who stated this

in Abuja during his homily

at St. Jude’s Parish Zuba,

however, urged Nigerians to

disregard insinuations that

the vaccine was not medically

safe and affordable.

He said: “Even though

many today will seriously

question facts about COVID-

19 and fear that there is

manipulation by some people,

we know that the disease

is real. “People very dear to

us have died of coronavirus

disease. There is no doubt

that our world is currently

sick, ravaged by the COV-

ID-19 pandemic.

“The fear today is that the

menace of Coronavirus will

continue to be with us for a

long time, and so we need to

Airport security: MMA2 imports

X-ray machines, upgrades

air conditioning system

LAGOS — Nigeria’s flag

ship privately operated

airport terminal, Murtala

Muhammed Airport Terminal

2, MMA2, Lagos is embarking

on a massive upgrading

of its X-ray machine and

air conditioning systems for

passengers safety, security

and comfort.

The terminal, managed

by Wale Babalakin’s Bi-

Courtney Aviation Services,

BASL, has imported a sizeable

number of X-ray machines

worth $500,000 to

enhance and accelerate the

screening of passengers and

cargoes, according to a statement

by Mikail Mumuni,

Group Corporate Affairs Manager

of BASL.

Mumuni said: “Massive re-

ABUJA — Group Execu

tive Director of BUA

Group and pioneer Chairman

of the Nigerian Sugar

Institute, Kabiru Rabiu, has

advised the Federal Government

to replicate the NSDC

in the rice sub sector and

other food industry sectors

with growth potential.

Rabiu made this suggestion

during the commissioning of

the Nigeria industrial Policy

and Competitiveness Advisory

Council (Industrial Council)

in Ilorin, Kwara State.

According to Rabiu, NS-

DC’s supervisory and coordination

role in the sugar

industry has been highly

beneficial and is a model that

should be replicated in other

sectors. Currently, the

NSDC coordinates the activities

of the Nigerian Sugar

sector through monitoring

of the backward integration

and import substitution programme

that has seen significant

investments in various

Cane-to-Sugar projects by

private operators in the industry.

Kabiru Rabiu, who was a

pioneer Chairman of the

NSI where he led the implementation

committee for

the Institute, expressed happiness

that the institute had

finally seen the light of the

day. He also stressed the

importance and benefits of

the institute on the sugar

subsector in reducing the

skills gap in the industry and

attaining better technologies

and techniques in sugarcane

production and processing.

It should be noted

that Kabiru Rabiu first recommended

the establishment

of the institute during

a Nigerian Industrial Council

meeting chaired by Vice

President Prof. Yemi Osinbajo

in 2018.

be watchful and vigilant.

“Many in Nigeria, however,

ask if the vaccines are

medically safe and whether

the poor can also benefit

from them, considering that

even the palliatives meant

for the needy ended up in the

homes of a few favoured ones

or were needlessly hoarded

in warehouses.”

Kaigama said before vaccinating

Nigerians, stakeholders

must ensure that the

vaccines had been subjected

to appropriate tests for

genuineness and were properly

stored to allay the fear

of contamination.

He also stressed that the

economic difficulties on account

of the coronavirus

pandemic were palpable.

Archbishop Kaigama said:

“The other fear is that if it

takes so much time and

money now to do a test for

COVID-19, will it be that

easy for the poor to have access

to the vaccine?

“As basic as the face mask

which is seriously recommended

to be worn by everyone

is, I have seen individuals

wearing dirty face

masks for days because they

cannot afford new ones".

sources are also being deployed

to upgrade our air conditioning

system for the comfort

of passengers as we always

treat our customers as

kings and queens.”

He said the ongoing upgrading

of the facilities was

part of the company’s determination

to continue to

give Nigeria the best airport

terminal that is comparable

to those available in

developed economies.

“To satisfy our customers,

we had to buy 50% of the

money required for the importation

of the X-ray machines

from the parallel market

as the Central Bank of

Nigeria, CBN, was only able

to allocate 50% to us,'' he

said.

Vanguard, MONDAY, FEBRUARY 8, 2021 — 9

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CONFAB—From left: Kashifu Abdullahi, DG, National Information Technology Development Agency;

Prof. Umar Danbatta, Executive Vice Chairman/CEO, Nigerian Communications Commission; Dr.

Ismail Adewusi, DG, Nigeria Postal Service; Dr. Abimbola Alale, MD, Nigerian Communications

Satellite, and Muhammad Nami, Executive Chairman, Federal Inland Revenue Service, FIRS,

during the interactive session between FIRS and agencies under the Ministry of Communications

and Digital Economy, in Abuja.

COVAX: Scientists slam FG over exclusion

from Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine

....As study shows AstraZeneca vaccine less effective against South

African variant

By Sola

Ogundipe &

Chioma Obinna

A BUJA—NIGERIAN

scientists, yesterday,

slammed the Federal

Government over the exclusion

of Nigeria from the first batch of

Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine sharing

formula.

The scientists said the

exclusion would widen the gap

of distrust between Nigerians, the

government and those managing

the national COVID-19 response

for the country.

They maintained that while

Nigeria was not disqualified by

the World Health Organisation,

WHO, the country was not

qualified to access the COVAX

facility, based on criteria applied

to all countries.

On Friday last week, the WHO

Regional Director for Africa, Dr

Matshidiso Moeti, announced

that the first batch of 320,000

doses of the Pfizer-BioNTech

vaccines would be received by

Cape Verde, Tunisia, Rwanda and

South Africa.

In his submission, a renowned

Medical Laboratory Scientist and

a Public Health Analyst, Dr.

Casmier Ifeanyi, said the

eventual exclusion of Nigeria was

not good for the pandemic

response as many, of Nigerians

had anticipated the arrival of the

vaccine since January which was

later moved to February and was

finally put off at weekend.

“This development leaves

much to be desired on the part of

the populace because you are

widening the gap of distrust

between the citizens and those

who govern them, and those who

manage the COVID-19

response.

“The point is that the reasons

initially were that we were not

prepared and we did not meet the

criteria for Pfizer- BioNTech cold

chain but the National Primary

Healthcare Development

Agency came up to say that they

have the cold chain facility.

“In my own opinion, we really

do not have enough cold chain

infrastructures for a vaccine that

requires minus 70 long term

storage. No matter how we

are politically savvy with our

answers, the reality is that we live

in Nigeria and we know our

infrastructural deficit and we must

not continue to play the ostrich.”

He argued that Nigeria with

all its resources should tow the

path of Egypt that have gone

ahead to procure the

AstraZeneca and Johnson &

Johnson vaccines and rolled out

vaccinations of their populace

without waiting for WHO.

“With the huge resources

Nigeria is endowed, the

government should be able to

procure vaccines without the

WHO or COVAX for Nigerians.”

He, however, commended

efforts of the NPHCDA Director

General, and the WHO

representative in Nigeria for

securing the allocation of the 16

million doses of the Oxford/

AstraZeneca vaccine to Nigeria.

Ifeanyi urged the Nigerian

government to do everything

possible to keep faith with

Nigerians on the new

expectation and for the delivery

of Oxford/AstraZeneca vaccine

by 2nd of March 2021.

“Nigeria, over time has

established a cold chain system

that supports the storage, the

transportation and

administration of vaccines that

require 2 to 8 degrees

centigrade. We have the

capacity for that and it is not in

doubt. So choosing the Oxford/

AstraZeneca vaccine gives us

something that is more amenable

to our temperate nature and I

expect that that is what we

should do.

“Moderna and Pfizer/

BioNTech vaccines are of similar

origin and similar genetic origin

that is the RNA, whereas the

Oxford/AstraZeneca vaccine is

of a non-viral replicate origin,” he

noted.

On his own part, in a COVAX

vaccine distribution forecast,

renowned virologist, Prof.

Oyewale Tomori, said Nigeria fell

short of the WHO criteria for

COVAX facility distribution.

Tomori noted in the forecast

that Nigeria was not disqualified

by the WHO, but that the country

simply did not qualify.

According to him, as of

February 5, 2021, Nigeria’s

number of cases per million was

lower than for each of the four

selected countries to receive the

Pfizer vaccines even as Nigeria

had the lowest case fatality rate,

apart from Cape Verde.

Further, he argued that all the

four countries selected most likely

had the facility to store and utilise

Pfizer vaccines.

“As of 15 December 2020,

Nigeria was the only country that

had neither signed commitment

agreements to the COVAX facility

nor submitted non-binding

confirmations of intent to

participate in the COVAX facility.

It is obvious from the above, that

nobody disqualified Nigeria,

Nigeria disqualified herself,” he

affirmed.

AstraZeneca

vaccine less

effective against

South African

variant —Study

The AstraZeneca/Oxford

vaccine appeared to offer only

limited protection against mild

disease caused by the South

African variant of COVID-19, the

results of a new trial suggested.

Early data from a trial conducted

at South Africa’s University of the

Witwatersrand and Oxford

University showed the two-step

vaccine had significantly reduced

efficacy against the South African

variant, according to a Financial

Times report published weekend.

Among coronavirus variants

currently most concerning for

scientists and public health experts

are the UK, South African and

Brazilian variants, which appear

to spread more swiftly than others.

Although the South African

variant hasn’t been officially

detected in Nigeria, indications

show that it may already be in

circulation in the country.

“In this small phase I/II trial,

early data has shown limited

efficacy against mild disease

primarily due to the

B.1.351 South African variant,”

an AstraZeneca spokesman

said in response to the Financial

Times report.

“However, we have not been

able to properly ascertain its effect

against severe disease and

hospitalisation given that subjects

were predominantly young

healthy adults.”

The company said it believed its

vaccine could protect against

severe disease, given that the

neutralising antibody activity was

equivalent to that of other COVID-

19 vaccines.

While thousands of individual

changes have arisen as the virus

mutates into new variants, only a

tiny minority are likely to be

important or change the virus in

an appreciable way, according to

the British Medical Journal.

“Oxford University and

AstraZeneca have started

adapting the vaccine against this

variant and will advance rapidly

through clinical development so

that it is ready for Autumn

delivery should it be needed,” the

NAFDAC shuts factory for revalidating

expired curry, thyme

By Sola

Ogundipe

LAGOS—A

food

manufacturing company,

Every Rose Limited,

manufacturers of SomGeo brand

of spices, has been shut by the

National Agency for Food, Drug

Administration and Control,

NAFDAC, over revalidation of

expired SomGeo brand of curry

and thyme spices.

A statement signed by the

Resident Media Consultant to

NAFDAC, Sayo Akintola, said

the company was shut, following

a tip-off by operatives of the

Investigation and Enforcement

Directorate of NAFDAC, who

swooped on the main warehouse

and factory, located at Petu

Village, Cele 2, Bus Stop, off Ibeju-

Ethnic violence, kidnapping:

Utomi, Na’abba, Baba-Ahmed,

Moghalu, others plan national

confab in May

By Henry Umoru

ABUJA—WORRIED by the

civil strife, spate of ethnic

violence and kidnappings across

the country, leaders of the

National Consultative Front,

NCF, a frontline political pressure

group, have concluded

arrangements to convoke what

they described as 'people’s

national conference'.

They said the Peoples

Constituent Assembly would

come up in May, and give

Nigerians the opportunity to

converge and brainstorm on these

burning issues, with a view to

coming up with workable

solutions.

According to NCFront, the

conference has become very

imperative because of its

disappointment on the Federal

Government’s inability to douse

heightening ethnic violence and

civil strife in Nigeria.

The leaders have resolved that

the proposed People’s

Lekki, and No. 23, Tunji Lekki, Bello

Street, Penuncular Stream 2,

Lekki, Lagos, respectively.

The statement said sequel to

the visit by the NAFDAC officials,

it was discovered that large

quantities of expired curry and

thyme spices were stored in the

warehouse with packaging

materials, labels as well as stamps

that were being used to illegally

revalidate the already expired

products (spices).

Director-General of NAFDAC,

Prof. Mojisola Adeyeye, who

condemned the act, said the

company would be heavily

sanctioned for endangering public

health.

Adeyeye said the two locations

visited were sealed and placed on

hold, adding that the company

staff caught in the act of

Constituent Assembly would,

among others, curb heightening

ethnic strife and looming civil

anarchy in Nigeria.

To achieve this, NCFront

leaders said they would consult

with former Federal

Commissioner for Information

and South South Leader, Chief

Edwin Clark; former Vice

Chancellor, Ahmadu Bello

University, Zaria, Professor Ango

Abdullahi; Professor Woke

Soyinka, Ahmed Joda, Professor

Ben Nwabueze, and Air

Commodore Dan Suleiman,

retd.

Others include former

Secretary to the Government of

the Federation, Chief Olu Falae;

and state governors.

NCFront is coordinated by Prof.

Pat Utomi, former speaker of the

House of Representatives, Ghali

Umar Na’abba; former President

of Nigeria Bar Association, NBA,

Olisa Agbakoba, SAN; Dr

Hakeem Baba-Ahmed; Prof

Kingsley Moghalu, Dr Obadiah

Mailafia; and Chidi Odinkalu,

among others.

Insurgency: 4,982 Nigerian

refugees in Cameroon to return

By Joseph Erunke

ABUJA—AT least 4,982

Nigerian refugees in

Cameroon are set to return home,

as the National Commission for

Refugees, Migrants and

Internally Displaced Persons,

NCFRMI, has begun moves to

that effect.

Of the number, 3,224 refugees

are returning to Banki town, while

the remaining 1,758 would return

to Bama town. Both towns are in

Borno State.

Consequently, Federal

Commissioner,.NCFRMI, Senator

Basheer Garba Mohammed, met

with officials of the Cameroonian

government and the United

Nations High Commissioner for

Refugees, UNHCR, weekend in

Maroua, Cameroon, to discuss

and arrive at modalities for the

repatriation.

The development came on the

heels of President Muhammadu

Buhari’s recent directive that all

Nigerian refugees in Cameroon

be brought home safely to a life of

dignity and pride with immediate

effect.

The weekend’s meeting which

was a follow-up to the previous

one in 2017, initiated by the then

commissioner and current

Minister of Humanitarian Affairs,

Disaster Management and

Social Development, Hajiya

Sadiya Umar Farouk, also led to

the successful return of 134

Nigerians from Cameroon.

The minister had said

necessary arrangements had

been made for the refugees’

socioeconomic reinsertion into

Nigeria.

Speaking at the meeting, the

commissioner, who was

represented by the commission’s

Director of Refugee and

Migration, Tai Hassan Ejibunu,

stressed the importance of the

meeting of the Technical Working

Groups, TWGs, of both

countries.

According to him, the

voluntary repatriation of

Nigerian refugees in Cameroon

and the suppport of the

humanitarian ministry cannot be

overemphasized.

revalidating the aforementioned

products at the factory

have been apprehended

and taken to NAFDAC Investigation

and Enforcement

office for further investigation.

Various finished products and

working tools were found in the

factory while the business owner,

a lady is at large.

Records available to NAFDAC

show that the company located

at 19, Adelajo Ojo Crescent,

Magodo, Lagos, registered 16

different products for listing

under the brand name

SOMGEO and these include

SOMGEO Ginger Powder,

SOMGEO Garlic Powder,

SOMGEO Thyme Leaves, and

SOMGEO Mixed Spices Powder

among others. The registration,

however, expired on December

10 — Vanguard, MONDAY, FEBRUARY 8, 2021

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APC'll continue to rule in Ondo

for a long time

—Akeredolu

By Dayo Johnson

A KURE—GOVERNOR

Rotimi Akeredolu of Ondo

State, yesterday, expressed

optimism that the All Progressives

Congress, APC, would continue

to govern the state for a long time

to come.

Akeredolu said this while

laying the foundation of the new

APC State Secretariat Complex

in Akure.

The governor said: “Our party

will continue to occupy a prime

place in the political landscape of

Ondo State for a long time to

come, due to the stellar

performance of the APC-led

administration in the state in the

last four years, despite daunting

challenges and paucity of funds,

occasioned by the prevailing

global economic realities.

Late Gen

Williams was a

patriotic, core

professional

—Olanrewaju

By Gabriel Olawale

L Minister

AGOS—FORMER

Communications, Maj. Gen.

Tajudeen Olanrewaju (retd),

yesterday, described the late Brig-

Gen. Olufemi Williams (retd), as

a patriot, gentleman and core

professional who fought during

the civil war with zeal, passion

and with the noblest of

dedication.

Olanrewaju recalled how he

crossed paths with Olufemi in

1967, when there was the general

mobilisation of personnel to fill the

shortfall in depleted officers’ cadre

in the Nigerian Army.

The former Communications

minister, in a statement, said:

“Olufemi and I, with few others,

came together to represent the

newly created Lagos State. Out

of hundreds called for the

interview at the Arakan Military

Barracks in Apapa, only five of us

were successful.

“Femi and I were course mates

at the NDA in Kaduna, where

our friendship as young

professionals and pioneering

Lagosians in uniform deepened.?

“We are only beginning with

the State Headquarters. Be sure

that on completion of this project,

erecting such edifice across the

18 Local Government Areas in

the State will follow.

“As the largest and the ruling

party in the state, it behooves us

to have a secretariat befitting of

that status.

“You will recall that our party

has been operating from rented

apartments since its inception.

“I am sure that by the time the

secretariat complex is built, it will

be the pride of all party faithful.

“We hope that before the end

of the year, we shall celebrate the

completion of this project.”

In his remarks, the acting

chairman of the party, Mr. Ade

Adetimehin hailed Governor

Akeredolu for his unparalleled

performance which he said

earned the APC victory in the

last October 10, 2020

governorship election.

Marauding herdsmen have launched guerrilla

warfare on Yorubaland —Agbekoya, Afenifere

By Dapo Akinrefon,

James Ogunnaike &

Olayinka Ajayi

L Agbekoya AGOS—THE

Farmers'

Association and the Yoruba

Socio-Political organisation

Afenifere, yesterday, raised

the alarm that marauding

herdsmen have launched

guerrilla warfare on

Yorubaland, but vowed to

flush out the culpable

herdsmen terrorizing the

South-West.

They also disclosed that

it had begun a manhunt for

the killer herdsmen's

kingpin, known as

Mahmoud Waziri, and his

men, who terrorise farmers

and residents in Ibarapa

local government area of

Oyo State.

This came on a day the

Chief Press Secretary to

Governor Seyi Makinde of

Oyo State, Mr. Taiwo Adisa,

warned against the

growing false security

alarms in the form of fake

audio and video posts on

social media, declaring that

MEETING—From left: Kwara State Governor, AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq; Chairman, All Progressives

Congress, APC, Membership Revalidation/Registration Committee, Senator John Danboi; Secretary

of the committee, Marie Idaomi Esq; Senators Yahya Oloriegbe (Central), Sadiq Umar (North), and

Lola Ashiru (South), during the party's stakeholders' meeting, at the State Banquet Hall, in Ilorin,

weekend.

• Stop using false social media in security situation —Makinde’s aide

• Don't harbour strangers, Ogun monarch cautions subjects

• War is at the door —Afenifere

residents of the state

should ignore such

contents.

Similarly, the Olu of Oba

Eerin in Obafemi/Owode

council area of Ogun State,

Oba Ganiyu Sanyaolu,

yesterday, warned his

subjects against harbouring

strangers especially,

herders looking for a place

of abode, following their

forceful ejection from

Ibarapa area of Oyo State.

Marauding

herdsmen have

launched

guerrilla warfare

on Yoruba land

— Agbekoya

Agbekoya, in a statement

by its National Publicity

Secretary, Chief Olatunji

Bandele, stated that the

President-General of the

association, Chief

Kamorudeen Okikiola,

stated that after the exit of

Seriki Fulani from Igangan,

another kingpin,

Mahmoud Waziri,

emerged in the town with

his men, unleashing terror

on innocent citizens and

killing farmers in the area.

Chief Okikiola said two

farmers, who were working

on their farms, were killed

in two locations in the area

during an ambush laid on

them by the killer

herdsmen, while some

escaped to the town to alert

the people of the

community. The statement

read: “The Kingpin,

Mahmoud, regrouped the

killer herdsmen and

bandits, armed them with

dangerous weapons to

retaliate the exit of Seriki

Fulani from Igangan who

is now living in a village in

Kwara State. Though the

kingpin is now on the run,

his killer herdsmen are

perpetrating havoc, killing

farmers and innocent

citizens in Ibarapa area of

Oyo State. Agbekoya will

not relent until all these Fulani

criminals terrorizing Yoruba land

are flushed out.” The farmers’

body, however, called on farmers

in the South-West to avoid going

to their farms alone, but “should

make sure that they go to their

farms in groups ready to counter

any sudden attack by the Fulani

bandits and killer herdsmen.

“The killer herdsmen have

launched guerrilla warfare on

Yoruba land and we should be

alert and be very strategic in

dislodging them wherever they

are located in the South-West. We

are using this medium to call on

other security stakeholders,

traditional rulers, Southwest

governors, politicians and Yoruba

leaders to rise to face the

insecurity situation in the region.

We are also calling on the

Northern governors and leaders

to take positive steps in calling

the killer herdsmen and Fulani

bandits terrorizing Southwest to

order because if the situation

persists, Agbekoya will not

hesitate to launch a full-scale war

against herdsmen, kidnappers

and bandits”, Agbekoya

president said.

War is at the door

–Afenifere

Speaking on the development,

the Publicity Secretary of

foremost Pan Yoruba group,

Afenifere, Yinka Odumakin,

explained that the persistent

attacks by the marauding

herdsmen on the region were a

clear indication that the region

was at war.

Odumakin said: “The adamant

and persistent attacks by

herdsmen on Yorubaland are

clearly a grand war on

the Yoruba nation, and it's only

the ostriches that would bury

their heads in the sand at the

moment. War is at our door.”

Stop using false

social media in

security

situation

—Makinde’s aide

Meanwhile, Governor

Makinde’s aide warned against

raising false alarms on the

security situation in Ibarapaland

and parts of Oke-Ogun, adding

that security agencies will readily

deal with anyone seeking to

cause ethnic tension.

Adisa, in a statement, said:

“The penchant of certain

individuals, groups and faceless

bodies to take to social media and

raise the unfounded alarm just

to cause panic among the people

of Oyo State is becoming a cause

for concern.”

He particularly said some viral

social media video and audio

messages in which false and

inciting claims were made about

Ayete, Igangan, and other parts

of the state have been on the

rise in recent weeks.

The statement read: “Our

attention has been drawn to a

grand plot to precipitate unrest

in Oyo State through the use of

fake news in the social media.

This plot seeks to promote false

alarms, misinformation and

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