Open
grazing:
Challenges
(1)
Business Magazine
23
Food inflation
rises 20.6%
•As price increases
persist, headline
inflation hits 16.5% in
January
19
Clark, other N-Delta leaders,
militants lambast Gumi
5
•For saying herdsmen learnt kidnapping from militants
We’ll continue to work for
Nigeria's unity — BUHARI
AfCFTA: Mapping Nigeria's foray into Africa's single market
9
20
VOL. 27: NO. 64273 WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 17, 2021
Insecurity: Nigeria heading to
point of no return, unless....
— Ex-Head of State, Gen. Abdulsalami Abubakar
•Says embers of disunity, anarchy, disintegration spreading
fast•Urges govs to tone down their rhetoric, take full responsibility
for managing frustrations within their states•Tasks service chiefs
to deploy all resources needed for victory
8
Bandits kill
village
head, 10
others,
kidnap 20
in Niger 6
Mr & Mrs
BORNO/YOBE ELDERS FORUM IN ASO ROCK—Borno State Governor,
Prof. Babagana Umara Zulum (left); Mai Mala Buni, Governor of Yobe State
(right) and others, when President Muhammadu Buhari received a delegation
from Borno/Yobe Elders Forum in State House, Abuja, yesterday.
Insecurity: Prove you don't support
criminality, S-West govs tell FG 10
COLUMNISTS
OCHEREOME 16 AHMED 17 DEAR BUNMI 29
2 — Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 17, 2021
Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 17, 2021 — 3
4 — Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 17, 2021
vanguardnews
@vanguardnews
@vanguardnews
Clark, other N-Delta leaders,
militants lambast Gumi
By Emma Amaize, Regional Editor, South-
South, Henry Umoru & Levinus
Nwabughiogu
ABUJA — The
comment by a
prominent
Islamic cleric, Sheikh
Ahmad Gumi, that
herdsmen learned
kidnapping from Niger
Delta militants, has drawn
the ire of people of the
region who said the Niger
Delta struggle is different
from the heart-rending
crimes being perpetrated
by killer-herdsmen in the
country.
Lending his voice to the
issue, South South
Leader, Chief Edwin
Clark lampooned Gumi,
saying his statement
that Fulani herdsmen and
armed bandits learnt how
to kidnap from Niger
Delta militants was not
only criminal, but
obnoxious and stupid.
These came on a day the
House of Representatives
told the Inspector-General
of Police, Mohammed
Adamu, that criminals,
including killer herdsmen
and bandits, have taken
over all roads leading to
Isuikwuato and
Umunneochi Local
Government areas of Abia
State.
Gumi had on a live
television programme on
AIT, said yesterday that
bandits and criminal
herdsmen learned
kidnapping from the
Movement for the
Emancipation of the
Niger Delta, MEND,
adding that if militants
could be granted amnesty,
the same treatment should
apply to the bandits and
herdsmen.
He said: “We didn’t take
a different route of trying
to solve this problem and
that is why we are still
here today. And when we
say amnesty, we don’t
mean that anyone proved
to be involved in murder
should go free as such.
“They learnt
kidnapping from MEND.
I do not see any
difference. They were the
first victims of rustling.
Their cattle is their oil.
What we are seeing now
is more of an insurgency
than banditry. I can say 10
percent of the herders are
criminals, not 90 per cent.
In the end, they took up
weapons to protect
themselves from
extinction.
“They can take care of
the little remnants of
criminals among
themselves because they
don’t want anybody to
bring mayhem to them.”
PANDEF slams
Gumi
•Chief Edwin Clark
But reacting, the Pan-
Niger Delta Forum,
PANDEF, two top
monarchs and agitators in
Niger Delta, slammed the
religious leader, Gumi,
over his provocative
outburst that herdsmen
learned kidnapping from
Niger Delta militants.
Aside from PANDEF,
former national chairman,
Traditional Rulers of Oil
Minerals Producing Areas
of Nigeria, TROMPCON,
and paramount ruler of
Seimbiri Kingdom, Delta
State, HRM Charles
Ayemi-Botu; Ovie of
Idjerhe Kingdom, Delta
State, Udurhie I, HRM
Monday Obukowho
Whiskey; and 21st
Century Youths for Niger
Delta and Agitators with
Conscience, 21st
CYNDAC, also queried
the sanity and spirituality
of Gumi.
National Publicity
Secretary, PANDEF, Ken
Robinson, told Vanguard:
“PANDEF considers the
statement by Sheikh
•Sheikh Ahmad Gumi
NEWS HOTLINES
018773962,
08052867058
Gumi that herdsmen
learned to kidnap from
Niger Delta militants and
that if Niger Delta
militants could get
amnesty, herdsmen
should get same, as not
only irrational, bizarre
and outrageous, but a
desperate attempt to
underplay the horrendous
crimes being perpetrated
by killer herdsmen in the
country.
“What Gumi is
invariably saying is that
amnesty should be
granted to armed robbers,
Yahoo boys, sea pirates,
bandits terrorizing North-
West and parts of North-
Central, and to Boko
Haram terrorists. Of
course, they are,
reportedly, even
recruiting so-called
repentant Boko Haram
terrorists into the
Nigerian Army. It’s
unthinkable.
“Sheikh Gumi could
push his ‘one-upmanship’
this far because we are
more or less in a
rudderless state.
“On a more serious note,
the saneness of that
Sheikh needs to be
interrogated. Nobody in
the right frame of mind
On arrest of Lekki Tollgate protesters by Police (3)
Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 17, 2021— 5
POCKET CARTOON
would make such an
assertion, in the face of
current occurrences.”
Herdsmen have
overrun the
country, says
Ayemi-Botu
On his part, Seimbiri
Kingdom monarch, HRM
Ayemi-Botu said: “Tell
Gumi to differentiate from
Niger Delta militants
marauding killer
herdsmen, bandits and
Boko Haram that have
been killing, kidnapping
and robbing innocent
citizens throughout
Nigeria
and
neighbouring West
African countries with
impunity and recklessly
because President
Muhammadu Buhari is
the grand patron of
herdsmen.
“The three sets of killer
squads have the same
agenda which is to turn
Nigeria to an Islamic
state or caliphate, thus
completing Usman Dan
Fodio’s uncompleted
jihad. Under the pretext
of cattle rearing, the
entire country is under
siege and has been
overrun by herdsmen
from all over West African
states.
“Everybody is miffed
because the President is
nonchalant about the
mayhem being unleashed
daily until the wicked
agenda is achieved. God
forbid,” he said.
Spiritual
evaluation
needed
— Whiskey
The Ovie of Idjerhe,
HRM Whiskey, in his
reaction, said: “If actually
the respected Islamic cleric
made such indicting
statement about the
situation in the Niger
Delta where oppressed
people were fighting for
their legitimate survival
and drawing international
attention to organised
conspiracy against our
region, then he needs
spiritual evaluation to
know if he actually
represents the institution
he claims to represent.
“You cannot and should
never compare outright
criminality with a regional
outcry against institutional
conspiracy. If Sheikh
Gumi can advocate
amnesty for criminal
elements like bandits,
then the security agencies
need to invite him to throw
more light on bandits’
operation and possibly
their sponsors since he
now knows so much about
them.
“The country is in a bad
Continues on Page 27
By Yinka Latona
THE Human Rights
Act is created for a
reason and the unlawful
arrest and dehumanization
of peaceful protesters
clearly is a denial of those
rights. If we claim we
practice democracy, I see
no reason why a peaceful
protest should be fought
against. The government
has clearly shown its
people via its response to
the protest that Democracy
is only but a façade.
—Obe Temitoyosi,
Analyst
THIS is an
indication that
this govt. has no respect
for human rights. This
attitude is like making
mockery of the country
amongst comity of
nations. Let citizens
express their
dissatisfaction in the
poor governance of this
country. Is that too
much to ask?
—Olaide Oyewole,
Analyst
T HIS unlawful,
inhuman and unruly
act is so disheartening.
Without any doubt, the
arrest of peaceful protesters
at Lekki Tollgate is against our
fundamental human rights.
I could remember vividly that
the likes of the president and
his caucus protested against
the Jonathan administration
on fuel price increase without
any intimidation by govt. but
the reverse is the case today
under same President Buhari
and Gov. Babajide Sanwo-
Olu.
—Abdulkadir Yusuf,
Good Governance Advocate
POSTERITY won’t be
kind to the APC-led govt.
as they constantly stripped us
of our human rights. Lekki
Tollgate incidence proved
exactly as stated in paragraph
23 of #EndSARS Presidential
speech! But the limits of
oppressors are prescribed by
the endurance of the
oppressed. We must continue
to show our oppressors that
there is no limit to our
endurance, we cannot be
broken.
—Jude Oseh, Devt.
Advocate
THE
protesters
should act as human
so as not to be
dehumanized. Why try to
start another war? What’s
their business with govt.
making tollgate a source of
revenue? They refused to
heed govt’s call to cancel
the protest. So I don’t blame
the govt. but the protesters.
They got what they
deserved.
—Ugbodaga Anethekai,
Engineer
THE arrest of
peaceful protesters
at Lekki Tollgate is totally
wrong and against the
fundamental human
rights of Nigerians. That
act is barbaric and
insensitive.
It shows that our
government has not
learnt from the October
20, 2020 Lekki
incidence.
—John Shokoya,
Medical Practitioner
6— Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 17, 2021
Court remands
18-year-old
housewife over
alleged murder
of hubby’s
fiancée
A
Kano Chief Magistrates’
Court, yesterday, ordered
the remand of an 18-year-old
housewife, Suwaiba Shuaibu, in
prison for allegedly stabbing her
husband’s 17-year-old fiancée
to death.
Shuaibu, who resides at
Gimawa village in Doguwa
Local Government Area of
Kano, is standing trial on a count
charge of culpable homicide.
It would be recalled that the
state police command had on
January 19, arrested the
defendant for allegedly stabbing
her husband’s fiancée.
The prosecutor, Asma’u Ado,
told the court that the defendant
committed the offence on
January 1, at Gimawa village,
Kano.
She said on the same date, at
about 10:00 pm, the defendant
called the deceased, Aisha
Kabir, of the same address
through her phone.
The prosecutor said: “In the
process, the defendant
deceived and lured the victim
into an uncompleted building,
situated at Gimawa village,
attacked and stabbed her with
a sharp knife on her neck and
chest."
The defendant, however,
denied committing the offence.
According to the prosecutor,
the offence contravenes Section
221 of the Penal Code.
The Chief Magistrate,
Mustapha Sa’ad-Datti, ordered
that the defendant be remanded
in a correctional centre, pending
legal advice from the office of
state Director of Public
Prosecutions (DPP).
Motorcyclists
protest death of
colleague in
Ogun
By James
Ogunnaike
ABEOKUTA— Commercial
motorcyclists, yesterday,
went on the rampage in
Sagamu, Sagamu Local
Government Area of Ogun State,
protesting the death of one of
them.
It was gathered that the
deceased motorcyclist lost his life
while attempting to resist arrest
by a task force team put in place
by the local government
authority after allegedly driving
against traffic.
It was gathered that the
motorcycle rider fell and hit his
head on the ground and died
instantly.
The development threw the
entire town into confusion as
motorcycle riders in their
numbers protested against the
action of the taskforce.
The protesters were said to
have destroyed vehicles and
other valuables, while residents
scampered for safety and many
business outlets hurriedly closed
Contacted, the state Police
Public Relations Officer,
Abimbola Oyeyemi, confirmed
the incident.
Bandits kill village head, 10 others; kidnap
20 in Niger •Wife of slain monarch also abducted
By Wole Mosadomi
BANDITS, yesterday, killed the
village head of Kusherki in
Rafi Local Government Area of
Niger State, Alhaji Masud
Abubakar, and 10 other villagers.
The bandits also kidnapped 20
villagers from different
communities in the area while the
wife of the slain traditional ruler
was among those kidnapped.
It was gathered that the bandits
numbering up to 50 were said to
have invaded the communities on
motorcycles armed with AK-47
rifles and other dangerous
weapons as they rode from village
to village shooting sporadically
and ended up killing 11 people,
including the village head.
Among the 11 killed were five
members of the local vigilante and
other youths supporting the
vigilante men.
It was reliably gathered that the
bandits started from Kasuwe
village and moved from there to
other villages killing and maiming
innocent villagers.
They were also said to have
moved from house to house and
carted away valuables and
foodstuffs.
Just as the invasion was on in
these communities, another set of
bandits were also reported to have
blocked the major highway from
Sarkin Pawa to Minna, leaving
motorists to scamper for safety.
Secretary of Munyan Local
Government Area, Mr James
Jagaba, confirmed the attack but
could not ascertain if people were
abducted or not.
According to him, “I cannot give
details of what happened now but
members of the vigilante are still
battling with the bandits.
Reacting to the incessant
banditry, especially in the past
three days, the state government
in a statement by Chief Press
Secretary to Governor Abubakar
Police arrest 7 for alleged car-snatching in Imo
By Chinonso Alozie
O WERRI—SEVEN
persons have been
arrested in Imo State, over
alleged stealing of vehicles,
days after they were said to
have been released from prison
on the same offence.
The state Police Public
Relations Officer, Orlando
Ikeokwu, who disclosed this,
yesterday, in Owerri, said the
arrest was made possible after
the Imo police got a distress call
from Aba in Abia State.
The police said: “On February
1, 2021, based on a distress call
from Aba, Abia State, informing
the command that some
hoodlums snatched one Lexus
350 SUV, with number plate,
KSF 758 FS, and were believed
to be moving towards Imo
State.
“Upon receipt of the report,
operatives of the Command’s
Quick Intervention Team,
QUIT, swung into action.
“However, at the point of
arrest, the stolen SUV was
recovered from them. It is
noteworthy that the suspects
were all released from Aba
prison after serving their jail
terms on a similar offence.”
On how the suspects
operated, the police said:
“They all confessed to the
crime and explained their
various roles in the operation.
The suspects
"Amado Kenedy, Igilegbe
Chinendu and Nwaorie Moses
are the operational members,
whose responsibility was to
snatch the vehicle while
Godfrey Ntosi, Chinedu Agwu,
Ejiofor Egwe and Eze
Obinwanne were saddled with
the responsibility of rebranding
the snatched vehicle,
removal of tracking and
security devices installed in the
vehicle, as well as sale of the
vehicles.
"Arrangement is at advanced
stage to transfer them to Abia
State for further investigation
and prosecution.”
Boko Haram razes over 140 houses
in Borno village
By Ndahi Marama
MAIDUGURI—OVER 140
residential houses were
reportedly set ablaze when
suspected members of the dreaded
Boko Haram sect invaded Egiri, Zira
I and II villages of Biu Local
Government Area in Southern
Borno senatorial district.
It was gathered that the bandits
also carted away foodstuffs and
livestock, after displacing hundreds
of people from the three settlements
Sunday night.
Ali Yusuf, who is now taking
refuge in Biu town after fleeing from
Zira 1, said before the bandits came,
the people had fled the town, adding
that the insurgents came through
Garin Mallam village to attack Egiri
before proceeding to Zira I and II,
as they wreak havoc without
confrontation.
He said: “We were lucky to have
gotten information about the
impending attacks, so we quickly
mobilised our family members
including women and children and
fled before the insurgents stormed
these communities.”
Yusuf, however, said no life was
lost as the insurgents met the all
affected villages deserted, but
notwithstanding, the attackers set
ablaze about 20 houses in Egiri, 50
houses in Zira I and 75 others in
Zira II.
His words: “We are terrified by the
latest attacks by insurgents in our
hitherto peaceful communities.
He appealed to the government
and other security agencies to come
to their aid, as most of them are
displaced with no means of
livelihood.
All efforts to get confirmation from
the Police Public Relations Officer,
DSP Edet Okon, proved abortive at
press time, but a reliable security
source in Biu Local Government
Area confirmed the recent
destruction by the insurgents in the
three communities.
The recovered car.
Bello, Mrs Mary Noel-Berje,
described the situation as callous
and regrettable.
She said: “The murder of the
traditional ruler is callous,
regrettable and it is a challenge to
the security agencies to intensify
their search to fish-out and ensure
that the perpetrators of such
heinous acts are brought to
justice.
“The situation, particularly in the
last 72 hours, has become
alarming. Efforts are ongoing to
secure the release of the abducted
NSTA passengers. The
development is becoming more
worrisome."
Miscreants on rampage, attack
LAWMA officials during enforcement
By Olasunkanmi
Akoni
AT least two officers of the
Lagos State Waste
Management Authority,
LAWMA, Enforcement and
Monitoring Team, EMT,
sustained injuries when they
were attacked while enforcing
the environmental sanitation
law against nuisances in Ajah
area of the state.
Stones and other dangerous
weapons were used by
suspected miscreants and street
traders during the operation at
Ajah roundabout, along Lekki-
Epe Expressway, Lagos Island.
One of the officers reportedly
sustained a head injury, while
the other sustained rib injury.
Speaking on the attack,
LAWMA Managing Director,
Ibrahim Odumboni,
condemned the incessant
attacks on the agency’s
personnel carrying out their
official duties in the task of
ensuring the general
cleanliness of the environment,
warning that such will no
longer be tolerated by the state
government as they will not be
deterred by such act.
Odumboni said: “Some
miscreants said to be street
traders attacked our personnel
at Ajah flyover bridge area of
the state while on enforcement
operation, using stones and
other dangerous weapons.
“Our officials were dislodging
street traders and squatters in
some slums in the area who
have turned the sheds into
criminal hideouts.
“No level of resistance and
intimidation by hoodlums can
deter us on our resolve to clean
up the entire metropolis.”
Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 17, 2021—7
How Ondo Chief Judge detained me for 3
years — Stepbrother
By Dayo Johnson
AKURE—A man, identified as
Olupelumi Fagboyegun,
yesterday, alleged that the Chief
Judge of Ondo State, Olarenwaju
Akeredolu, detained him for three
years for going to their father’s
house.
Olupelumi, who claimed to be a
stepbrother to the Chief Judge,
made the allegation in a viral video.
Fagboyegun said: “The
Honourable Chief Justice of the
Federal Republic of Nigeria, I am
calling you to please rescue me from
the hands of the Ondo State
Judiciary that is being run like a
family affair, that if you don’t know
anybody, you cannot get justice.
“I have been living abroad for the
past 30 years; I came on holiday to
Nigeria to my father’s house
because I share the same father with
the Chief Judge of Ondo State, I
was arrested at my father’s clave, I
was locked up, I was charged with
forceful entry into my father’s house.
“Even if I was convicted of this
crime, it only carries one-year prison
penalty but I am being on open
remand for the past three years.
“This case has been going on for
the past three years because the
Chief Judge is using her power to
influence the judicial system, I have
been unable to get justice. They
have changed judges five times,
they have re-arraigned me five
times, they have changed their
charges five times and up till today,
February 15, 2021, that I am talking
to you, the case is still pending.
Please come and rescue me.
“The Ondo State government
cannot help me because the Ondo
State government is a family
business. Buhari should rescue me
from the hands of this woman so
that I can go back to my family. I
want to go back to my children. I
am a single parent.
“This woman is keeping me here
for the past three years for coming
to my father’s house. Please help
me I want to go back to my family.”
Chief Judge refutes
allegations
In her defence, Justice Akeredolu
said: “What is happening is the
handiwork of some persons who are
using Mr. Olupelumi Fagboyegun
against my family.
“Two years after my father died,
somebody bearing his name filed a
suit against my mum, two of my
brothers, and the eldest male of my
father’s family, stating that they
should exhume my father’s body
and do a DNA because the man in
question alleged to be my father’s
son.”
She stated that the said man filed
a Writ of Summons, which was
served on her mum which itself
made her mum agitated and
embarrassed.
“I had to call the lawyer and asked
what was behind the action. In
response, the lawyer, who filed the
writ told me that Mr. Olupelumi
Fagboyegun alleged that he was
born in the household of my
grandmother; and that, his mother
was living with my grandmother
when he was born.
“When I asked who the
grandmother was, he said the
person in question was my father’s
mother. I then told him that the
woman died in 1967."
One or two years after my mum
died, he went to one of my father’s
premises, where my cousin wanted
to establish a poultry
farm. One morning, he
went with thugs
wielding cutlasses, but
he was prevented from
entering the premises.
“The police looked
into the matter and by
the time police got
there, he had escaped,’
she stressed.
She also narrated that
the matter is before the
Magistrate's Court and
that she does not know
the magistrate
handling the matter;
also, she has not shown
interest in the matter,
adding that
Fagboyegun is being
used by some people.
Justice Akeredolu
said: “They should ask
the said Mr.
Olupelumi Fagboyegun which
police station or prison is keeping
him and by whose order. God will
expose evil-doers to shame and to
ridicule.”
Akeredolu orders probe
In a swift response, Governor
Rotimi Akeredolu in a tweet said: “I
have instructed my Attorney-
General to investigate the
allegations; we will ensure the
investigation is thorough, fair and
transparent.”
Also reacting, the Attorney-
General and Justice Commissioner,
Charles Titiloye, said the governor
has directed that the allegation be
investigated.
• It’s handiwork of some persons
against my family—Chief Judge
•As Akeredolu orders probe
Olupelumi Fagboyegun.
Titiloye, in a statement, said the
governor has directed the
Department of Public Prosecution,
DPP, to immediately investigate the
allegation made against the Chief
Judge of Ondo State, Justice O. O.
Akeredolu by Mr. Olupelumi
Fagboyegun (her brother) in a video
that went viral on social media
platform on February 15, 2015
wherein he alleged that Ondo State
judiciary and courts were being
used by the Chief Judge to
persecute him and keep him in
custody for the past three years on
trumped-up criminal allegation of
unlawful entry into his father’s
house.
Olarenwaju Akeredolu,
State, Chief Judge.
Ondo
“Investigation into the matter will
be thorough, fair and transparent
to assure the public that Governor
Oluwarotimi Akeredolu’s
administration in Ondo State is
determined to preserve the integrity
of the courts and the judiciary and
ensure that it remains the last hope
of the common man.
“The Attorney-General, who
assumed office November, 30, 2020
said his office is yet to be briefed of
the criminal case and has directed
the Department of Public
Prosecutions in the Ministry of
Justice to investigate the allegations
contained in the online video clip
and report back to him within 24
hours.”
Police parade man caught with human legs, others in
Osun
By Shina Abubakar
OSOGBO—A 40-year-old
herbalist, Adeboye
Moshood, caught with human
legs and other body parts, was
yesterday, paraded by the Osun
State Police Command
Addressing journalists at the
state Police Command
headquarters in Osogbo,
Commissioner of Police, Olawale
Olokode, said Moshood
confessed to having cut off the
human legs and flesh at Iworo
area of Gbongan, Ayedaade Local
Government Area of the state.
According to the CP, the police
received a tip-off that the man
brought human parts into his
house yesterday morning
(Tuesday) leading operatives of
the force to invade his house to
effect his arrest.
“He confessed to have stolen the
two human legs and the flesh from
a body at Iworo area of Gbongan
town. He will be arraigned in court
once the investigation is
concluded,” he said.
Fielding questions from
journalists, Moshood said he
found the dead body on his way
from Modakeke at Iwaro and
discovered it would be useful for
money ritual.
“I went to Modakeke on
Monday and while I was
returning, I stopped by at Iwaro
where I saw a corpse. I was scared
but I realised it will be useful for
me, then I cut it out for money
ritual. I am a farmer and
herbalist,” he said.
Three other suspects, Muyiwa
Moshood
Abereijo, 28, Sunday Clement, 20
and Joseph Emmanuel, 25, who
specialised in stealing motorcycles
in Ile-Ife area of the state were
also paraded.
According to the CP, they were
arrested on February 2 upon a tipoff
in Ile-Ife and two of the
suspects were identified by
victims.
He said: “They confessed to
have successfully stolen 25
motorcycles within Ile-Ife. Two
victims were invited and have
identified two of the suspects as
those who snatched their
motorcycles.
"They were also caught with a
locally cut to size gun, effort is on
to arrest the receivers of the stolen
motorcycles.”
Suspected
cultists shoot
Makurdi varsity
female student
Late Jessica.
By Peter Duru
MAKURDI—A female student
of Benue State University,
Miss Jessica Agee, was Monday
night reportedly shot dead at her
Gyado Villa residence, adjacent to
the campus, by unknown gunmen
suspected to be cultists.
An eyewitness, who spoke on
condition of anonymity, said the
armed men broke into the residence
of the student at about 10 pm, shot
her and fled.
He said: “The young men
suspected to be cultists stormed her
one-room apartment at about 10 pm
shot her and ran away without
picking anything from the house.
“The sound of the gunshot created
pandemonium in Gyado Villa,
especially among the large BSU
students community, who reside in
that area of Makurdi town.”
Vanguard also gathered that
earlier in the day, the institution had
witnessed heavy sporadic gunshots
by unknown persons at the vicinity
of the Faculty of Law, creating fear
and anxiety in the institution.
Though no official statement has
been issued by the institution on the
matter, Head of Information of the
university, Mr Tser Vanger, who
confirmed the earlier sporadic
shooting around the law faculty, said
he had no detail of the murder of
the female student.
Contacted, Dean of Students
Affairs, Prof. Emmanuel Ortor, said:
“I have been sick and have not
been to the office for some time now
so I have no detail of the incident.”
The Police Public Relations Officer,
Catherine Anene, who confirmed
the murder, said the body of the
student had been deposited in a
morgue while an investigation into
the matter was ongoing.
7 children feared killed as explosion rocks
Zamfara community
AT least seven children
were feared dead
following an explosion that
rocked Magami village in
Maradun Local Government
Area of Zamfara State.
Confirming the incident,
yesterday, Commissioner for
Security and Home Affairs
Abubakar Dauran, said the
victims went to the bush in
search of firewood when they
picked an explosive device
and began playing with it, and
shortly after, it exploded.
While six were said to have
died instantly, others were left
with various degrees of
injuries.
Those who sustained injuries
were immediately rushed to a
hospital in Gusau, the state
capital for medical attention.
According to the
Commissioner for Security
and Home Affairs, he later got
information that one person
among the victims that were
hospitalised also died.
Dauran said the state had
put measures in place to
prevent future occurrences of
such.
Meanwhile, the Police
Command in the state under
the leadership of the
Commissioner of Police, Abutu
Yaro, has created 10 additional
Police Out Stations in different
villages of the state.
He has also deployed
Tactical and Conventional
Police Personnel to the newly
created outstations to
promptly respond to distress
calls and provide effective and
efficient security services to
the communities so that
members of the public can
have the confidence to go
about their legitimate
businesses.
8 — Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 17, 2021
:Vanguard News
:@vanguardnews :@vanguardnews NEWS HOTLINES: 08052867023, 08052867058
FOR JAKANDE:
Dr. Rotimi
Oladele, former
President of
Nigerian Institute
of Public Relations,
NIPR signing the
condolence register
for late former
governor of Lagos
State, Alhaji Lateef
Kayode Jakande at
NIJ Ogba, Ikeja
yesterday, while
Provost of Nigerian
Institute of
Journalism, NIJ,
Mr. Gbenga
Adefaye looks on.
Insecurity: Nigeria heading to point of no return,
unless... — ex-Head of State, Gen. Abubakar
By Wole Mosadomi
M
I N N A —
FORMER Head of
State, General Abdulsalami
Abubakar, retd, said yesterday
that the country stood the risk
of disintegration, if the violence
currently spreading in the
system was allowed to fester.
Consequently, the former
head of state, whose warning
came against the backdrop of
recent ethnic clashes,
insurgency, banditry and
kidnapping across the country,
urged Nigerians to remain
calm.
Addressing journalists in his
uphill residence in Minna,
Niger State, Abubakar said the
recent spread of violence across
the country, if not carefully
handled, might lead Nigeria to
a point of no return.
He called on all Nigerians,
especially the governors, to take
full responsibility in managing the
divergent voices and frustrations
within their states that could fuel
disunity, anarchy and
disintegration.
General Abubakar, who is the
chairman of the National Peace
Committee, NPC, said: “As if the
continued insurgency in the
country, the kidnap and armed
robbery are not cup full, the
recent happenings in some parts
of the country, of ethnic attacks,
is unfortunate and is adding to
the problems.
“In the last two weeks or so,
tension has been growing in
the country and embers of
disunity, anarchy and
disintegration are spreading
fast and if care is not taken, this
might lead us to a point of no
return.
“We at the National Peace
Committee, wish to add our
voice to the voices of millions
of Nigerians calling for calm in
these difficult times because
these times demand that we all
join hands to resolve our
challenges so as to keep our
country united. We do not have
the luxury of trading blames.
“Thousands of our people are
homeless and have refugees
across the length and breadth
of their own country.
“We know the difficulties that
our farmers have faced in the last
few years and that the harvests
will be a serious challenge this
year.
‘’Therefore, let us all rally
in these hard times, make
the required sacrifices and
remain vigilant, standing by
one another.’’
General Abubakar also
appealed to governors of states
to sheathe their swords, saying
“they should tone down their
rhetoric and take full
responsibility for managing the
divergent voices and frustrations
within their states.
“It is true that we are all in a
states of fear and collective
anxiety. However, the last thing
we need is for the enemy to sense
a lack of unity on our part or a
break in our ranks.’’
His admonition to the
governors came on the heels
of the verbal exchange
between Bauchi State
governor, Bala Mohammed,
and his Ondo State
counterpart, Rotimi Akeredolu,
over the propriety of herdsmen
bearing AK47 rifles.
While the Bauchi governor
justified the action of the
herders, claiming they were not
being protected by the
government, Akeredolu
described his statement as
provocative.
Abubakar also urged the new
service chiefs and the Inspector
General of Police to rise to the
urgent demands of the moment.
“You need to rally your troops
and design the best strategy to
end this tragic war that has
continued to consume and
destroy the foundations of our
dear country.
“We hope that based on your
field experiences in this war, you
can draw up a well co-ordinated
programme to ensure that all our
resources are deployed to
achieve the much needed victory
in this avoidable war,” he charged
the security chiefs.
The former head of state also
called on traditional institutions,
religious leaders as well as
development associations,
including Non Governmental
Organisations, NGOs, to work
towards mobilizing Nigerians on
the need to live in peace with
one another.
Recall that ethnic tensions,
particularly, in the South West,
had recently gripped the country,
especially in Oyo, Ondo and
Ogun states, following clashes
between the Yoruba and Fulani
herders on one hand, and the
Hausas on the other hand.
These are exclusive of the
spate of terrorist attacks, banditry,
kidnapping, cattle-rustling and
armed robbery in the different
parts of the country.
Illegal fire arms: Senate seeks stiffer punishment for offenders
By Henry Umoru
ABUJA—THE Senate has
moved to impose stiffer
penalty for those in possession of
illegal firearms in Nigeria to serve
as a deterrent tom potential
offenders.
According to the Senate, the
action is, among others, designed
to control influx of illicit firearms
into the country.
It also raised the alarm that of
the estimated 500 million
weapons circulating in West
Africa, 350 million, representing
70%, were in Nigeria.
The Senate equally called for
the establishment of a
comprehensive disarmament
and arms destruction ceremony
for Nigeria that should be carried
out through the Office of the
National Security Adviser, Major-
Gen Babagana Monguno,
retd, to ensure that
confiscated illegal firearms do
not re-enter the society.
This is even as the move by
the Senate to amend the 50-
year-old Firearms Act yesterday
scaled second reading.
The bill was referred to the
Senate Committee on Judiciary,
Human Rights and Legal
Matters, led Senator Opeyemi
Bamidele, APC, Ekiti Central, for
further legislative work and report
back at Plenary within four weeks.
The move by the Senate
followed a bill seeking to amend
the Principal Act, sponsored by
Senator Uba Sani, APC, Kaduna
Central, entitled ‘’Firearms CAP
F28 LFN 2004( Amendment) Bill,
2021( SB. 549).’’
The Senate called for the
provision of a stipulated time
within which the destruction of
unserviceable firearms must be
carried out, except where there
was a valid court order to the
contrary.
According to the Upper
Chamber, there is the urgent
need to proffer an effective,
coordinated and sustained
legislative strategy to address the
underlying factors encouraging
the circulation of arms and
concurrently block the outlets
through which illicit firearms are
proliferated.
The Senate resolved that
proactive measures must be
taken to stop easy access to and
re-circulation of illegal arms in
communities.
Earlier in his lead debate,
sponsor of the bill, Senator Sani,
noted that the major objective of
the bill was to impose stiffer
penalty for offences under the Act
to serve asa deterrent as well as
strengthen current efforts by
government to control the influx
of illegal firearms.
According to him, the bill makes
provision for the destruction of
firearms brought into the country
illegally.
Arguing further that the
amendment would help Nigeria
address its current security
challenges, Sani said: ‘’The Bill
seeks to impose stiffer penalty for
offences in the Principal Act, and
provide for the destruction of
firearms imported illegally into the
country or in the possession of
individuals without valid licences.
“You will recall that the bill was
first read on the floor of this Senate
on November 25, 2020. The main
aim of the proposed amendments
is to curtail the proliferation of
illegal arms and bring the existing
law in line with global best
practices. The amendment will
also effectively address some of
the security challenges currently
plaguing Nigeria.
“The United Nations Regional
Centre for Peace and
Disarmament in Africa, UNREC,
recently reported that
proliferation of illicit small arms
and light weapons, SALW, in
Nigeria has reached an alarming
proportion. Analysts estimate
that out of the 500 million
weapons that may be circulating
in West Africa, 350mMillion,
which represents 70% of such
weapons, can be found in Nigeria.
Buhari to Ambassadors: Strive
to promote trade, foreign direct
investment
By Johnbosco
Agbakwuru
A BUJA—PRESIDENT
Muhammadu Buhari has
urged ambassadors-designate,
consuls-general and charge’ d’
Affaires to continually project the
strengths of Nigeria, showcase
priorities of the government and
uphold standards that will bring
honour to the country.
President Buhari gave the
charge at the virtual induction /
orientation held for them at the
National Intelligence Agency,
NIA, auditorium.
In a statement issued by the
Special Adviser to the President
on Media and Publicity, Chief
Femi Adesina, yesterday, the
President told the diplomats to
always be mindful of the policy
direction of the government,
particularly the nine priorities it
had listed.
He further charged them to
strive to promote trade, human
capacity development, foreign
direct investment and other areas
of cooperation with countries at
national and multilateral levels
to support national growth and
development.
He said: “You must not forget
that you have been posted to
your respective bilateral and
multilateral missions to represent
and project Nigeria as a great and
Buhari appoints Abdulrasheed
Bawa as substantive EFCC boss
By Henry Umoru &
Johnbosco
Agbakwuru
A
B
U J A —
PRESIDENT
Muhammadu Buhari has
appointed Abdulrasheed Bawa as
the substantive chairman of the
Economic and Financial Crimes
Commission, EFCC.
Recall that President Buhari
had last year suspended the
Acting chairman of the anticorruption
agency, Ibrahim
Magu, over corruption
allegations.
The appointment of Bawa, 40,
as the EFCC boss was contained
in a statement issued by the
Special Adviser to the President
on Media and Publicity, Chief
Femi Adesina, in Abuja
yesterday.
In a letter to President of the
Senate, Ahmad Ibrahim Lawan,
President Buhari said he was
indivisible nation and a very
attractive investment
destination.
“In our effort to achieve
realistic development-oriented
domestic and foreign policies, the
government has identified nine
priority areas to guide our policy
directions and thrust within the
time frame of 2019-2023.
“These are: build a thriving and
sustainable economy;
enhance social inclusion and
reduce poverty; enlarge
agricultural output for food
security and export; attain energy
sufficiency in power and
petroleum products; expand
transport and other
infrastructural development;
expand business opportunities,
entrepreneurship and
industrialization; expand access
to quality education, affordable
healthcare and productivity of
Nigerians.’’
The President also noted that
the priorities include building a
system to fight corruption,
improve governance, create
social cohesion and improve
security for all.
“I, therefore, urge all of you to
be guided by these identified
priority goals, as well as your
various station charters which
highlight specific mandates and
guidelines on government’s
expectation. We expect you to
fight hard for Nigeria and for
Nigerians abroad.''
Federal High Court stops payment
of filing fees in human rights cases
By Ikechukwu
Nnochiri
ABUJA—THE Federal High
Court has stopped the
charging of filing fees in the
prosecution of human rights
cases.
Chief Judge of the High Court,
Justice John Tsoho, gave the
directive in a circular yesterday,
by an Assistant Chief Registrar
(Litigation) of the court, Jane
Egbo.
Prior to the directive, applicants
in fundamental rights
enforcement suits were
mandated to pay filing fees before
their cases are assigned to a
Judge for hearing.
acting in accordance with Paragraph
2(3) of Part1, CAP E1 of
EFCC Act 2004.
“Bawa, 40, is a trained EFCC
investigator with vast experience
in the investigation and
prosecution of Advance Fee
Fraud cases, official corruption,
bank fraud, money laundering,
and other economic crimes.
“ He has undergone several
specialized trainings in different
parts of the world, and was one of
the pioneer EFCC Cadet Officers
in 2005. He holds a B.Sc degree
in Economics, and Masters in
International Affairs and
Diplomacy,’’ the statement read.
Meanwhile, the letter was read
by the Senate President on the
floor of the Senate yesterday.
With this letter from President
Buhari to the Senate, the
suspended former acting
chairman of the EFCC,
Ibrahim Magu, is effectively
out of the system.
Such litigants were also
required to pay default fees when
processes are filed outside the
period allowed by rules of the
court.
However, the new circular,
entitled: Re; Monetary claims
and default fees in
fundamental right
applications, read: “I have
been directed by the Chief Judge
of the Federal High Court,
Justice Tsoho to inform all
DCRs (Deputy Chief
Registrars) and Station
Registrars that henceforth,
monetary claims and default
fees in respect of fundamental
human right applications should
no longer be charged. Be so
informed and comply accordingly.''
Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 17, 2021 — 9
From left:
Representative
of the
founder, Kesington
Adebukunola
Adebutu
Foundation,
Chief Kola
Oyefeso; President,
Eko
Club, Dr. Ade
Dosunmu,
with Erelu of
Lagos, Abiola
Dosunmu,
during the inauguration
of
Kesington
Adebutu
Pools and
Garden of the
Club, in Lagos.
:Vanguard News
We'll continue to work for Nigreia's
unity —Buhari
•Says stability of Nigeria his priority
•Vows to identify, deal with people
constituting nuisance;
•Senator Ndume absent at Borno,
Yobe elders meeting at Aso Rock
By Johnbosco
Agbakwuru
ABUJA — PRESIDENT
Muhammadu Buhari
said yesterday that his administration
will continue to work
for the stability of Nigeria and
succeed over those who don’t
need the unity of the country.
He also vowed to identify and
deal with what he described
as the small number of people
with resources and influence
that are constituting a
nuisance to the oneness of the
country. Buhari stated this
when he received a delegation
of Borno/Yobe Elders Forum
who paid him a courtesy
visit at the Presidential Villa,
Abuja.
But the senator representing
Borno South and Chairman,
Senate Committee on Army,
Senator Ali Ndume, who has
been a vocal voice from Borno
State was conspicuously
absent at the meeting.
President Buhari told his
guests that the stability of the
country was of paramount
interest to him, adding that
the federal government
would continue to work towards
it, despite the actions
of a few people.
In a statement issued by his
Special Adviser on Media and
Publicity, the President said:
“We need this country. We will
continue to work for its stability.
I feel that whatever happens,
we will continue to make
it, and will keep on praying to
God so that for those who feel
that they don’t need Nigeria,
we will succeed over their intentions
and actions.” He attributed
the upheavals in
some parts of the country to a
few people with resources and
influence, assuring that they
would be identified and dealt
with in due course.
He said: “I am confident
that we will eventually convince
the small number of
people with resources and influence
that are a nuisance to
this great country. God willing,
we will identify them, and
deal with them. I am extremely
concerned about your constituency
like the rest of the
country.”
:@vanguardnews :@vanguardnews NEWS HOTLINES: 08052867023, 08052867058
The President noted the request
for the upgrade and development
of infrastructure in
the states and assured that
while he would do his best in
acceding to the requests, he
would, however, prioritise development
in education.
“We are aware of the infrastructure
deficit. Our priorities
will be education because
all our citizens know that
children within a certain age
must receive it otherwise
if they miss it, the future is destroyed,”
he said.
He expressed appreciation
to the leaders for coming to
terms with the positive improvement
that has occurred
in the states since the inception
of his administration.
In his remarks, Professor
Babagana Zulum, Governor
of Borno State, said the leaders
were in Abuja to thank the
President for the tremendous
improvement in their states
and to intimate him with
some of the prevailing socioeconomic
conditions.
Also speaking at the event,
Architect Bunu Sheriff and
Gambo Gubio expressed appreciation
to the President as
well as the armed forces for
their commitment and sacrifices
in bringing a new lease
of life to the Northeast.
They requested the completion
of long-standing infrastructure
and on-going
projects in the states, especially
roads. Speaking to correspondents
after the meeting,
Governor Zulum said it was
to thank the president and put
forward requests for more
troops and infrastructure for
the northeast. He said: “The
Borno Elders’ Forum and Yobe
Elders’ Forum met with Mr.
President purposely to convey
their appreciation to the federal
government, under the
distinguished leadership of
President Muhammedu Buhari
and all the efforts he has
made to address insecurity in
the region.
“Again, they have raised their
concerns to Mr president with
a view to solving them, infrastructural
deficits in Borno and
Yobe States and the entire
northern region. They have
also requested from the federal
government sustained military
operations which has been
yielding fruitful results in recent
times. “So far so good, the
president has responded positively.
The government and
people of Borno and Yobe
states that he will do everything
possible within the available
resources to ensure sustainability
of the ongoing military
operations in the region.
PDP: NWC divided over Secondus’ alleged
failure
By Clifford Ndujihe
& Dirisu Yakubu
ABUJA — AGAINST the
backdrop of the crisis
rocking some of its state chapters,
and perceived failure of
the Prince Uche Secondus-led
National Executive Committee,
NEC’s failure to take advantage
of perceived gaffes of
the ruling All Progressives
Congress, APC, the National
Working Committee, NWC
of PDP had a stormy meeting,
yesterday.
The NWC it was gathered
was divided over what some
members alleged as the party’s
incapacity to take opportunity
of the APC’s poor leadership
to boost the fortunes of
the PDP. The matter was was
compounded by the management
of crises in some Northern
chapters of the party and
the continued suspension of
some members of the National
Assembly.
The PDP had suspended
Ndudi Elumelu, Wole Oke,
Lynda Ikpeazu, Anayo Edwin,
Gideon Gwadi, Toby Okechukwu
and Adekoya Abdul-
Majid for allegedly backing
the emergence of Femi Gbajabiamila
as Speaker of the
House of Representatives
against the PDP’s choices.
The PDP had nominated
Kingsley Chinda for the position
of minority leader; proposed
Chukwuka Onyema
as deputy minority leader;
Yakubu Barde as minority
whip and Muraina Ajibola as
deputy minority whip.
However, Speaker Gbajabiamila
side-stepped the
PDP’s nominees and endorsed
the list led by Elumelu with
Toby Okechukwu (Enugu) as
Deputy Minority Leader,
Gideon Gwani as Minority
Whip and Adesegun Adekoya
as Deputy Minority Whip.
At the NWC meeting, yesterday,
sources said that Secondus
was put on the spot on
lifting the suspension, a proposal
that seemed to put him
between the devil and the deep
blue sea. Lifting the suspension
is bound to raise issues
with some governors who accused
the National Assembly
‘rebels’ of having betrayed the
party during the election that
brought Gbajabiamila.
Secondus has reportedly
been at discord with Governor
Nyesom Wike of Rivers
State and it was feared that
lifting the suspension would
further put him in trouble with
the governor. The meeting
which was supposed to last
between 12 noon and 2.00
p.m. lasted at least two more
hours as the NWC tried to
calm frayed nerves.
Said a source: “It was a
stormy meeting and at least
two prominent national officers
threatened to resign saying
that they would not want
to be dragged down with what
is happening. Most of the issues
we have especially in the
North have to do with poor
party management.”
No leadership
crisis in PDP
—National scribe
Speaking exclusively to
Vanguard, on the issues, National
Secretary of the party,
Senator Ibrahim Umar Tsauri,
said there is no leadership
crisis PDP but lamented that
the APC was bent on causing
crisis for the party, particularly
in the states where it is in
control of the reins of government.
He said: “As a member of
the NWC of our party, I am
not aware of any crisis in the
leadership of the party. The
chairman has been doing a
good job since he came on
board."
Herders/farmers’ crisis:
Malami calls for creation of
commission for pastoralism
By Ikechukwu
Nnochiri
26.8m poor Nigerians captured in
nat’l social register, says FG
By Joseph Erunke
ABUJA — A total
of 26.8 million extremely
poor Nigerians have
so far been captured in the
national social register of the
National Social Investment
Programme, the federal government
has said. Minister of
Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster
Management and Social
Development,Sadiya Umar
Farouq, who disclosed this in
Abuja yesterday, explained
that the number was out of the
estimated 82.9 million extremely
poor people in the
country.
According to the minister,
the captured number is
equivalent to about 6.3 million
households.
Farouq explained that the
26.8 million had coverage
across the 36 states of the federation
and the FCT in 601 of
the 774 LGAs in Nigeria.
She added that government
had covered 7,320 wards, and
ABUJA—MINISTER of
Police Affairs,
Muhammad Dingyadi, said
yesterday that efforts were on
to install Closed Circuit
Television, CCTV, cameras on
all major highways across the
country to curb the rising cases
of kidnapping.
Dingyadi, who disclosed
this in an interview on Channels
Television breakfast programme,
Sunrise Daily, said
President Muhammadu
Buhari has given the approval
for the project. According to
him, the Federal Government
has entered into an agreement
with NPS Technology
Company to re-fix the abandoned
CCTV project. “We are
moving forward, like you are
aware, on the $470million
CCTV project that has been
A BUJA—THE
Attorney- General of
the Federation and Minister
of Justice, Mr. Abubakar
Malami, SAN, said yesteray
that the setting-up of a
commission for pastoralism,
regulated by law, could
provide recipes for resolving
protracted farmer-herder conflicts
in the country.
According to the AGF,
simply addressing farmerherder
crisis “from purely
theoretical perspectives often
devoid of reality and without
synchronization with the
needs and aspirations of the
involved stakeholders”, is not
only counter-productive,
“but inimical to the emergence
and sustenance of a
peaceful and prosperous Nigeria”.
In an address be presented
as a special guest of honour
at the Peace, Unity and Security
Lecture Series 2021, held
at the ECOWAS auditorium
in Abuja on Tuesday, Malami,
argued that the Commission,
when established, could facilitate
in-depth analytical studies
with a view to providing
lasting solutions to the recurring
clashes between herders
and farmers. He said: “One
of the issues that dominated
the media space in recent
time is the issue of farmerherders
conflict. Farmerherder
crisis is real. It, therefore,
requires real time and
practically-oriented solutions.
“The better approach towards
resolving the crisis
over the short, medium and
long terms is to directly involve
the stakeholders to
come up with solutions at the
conception, implementation
and monitoring faces.
“In this case, communityoriented
approach is likely to
yield greater dividend in diffusing
and eventually eliminating
the menace that has
retarded economic development
and created widespread
insecurity.
“Ladies and gentlemen, it is
not out of place for me to say
that simply addressing
farmer-herder crisis from
purely theoretical perspectives
often devoid of reality
and without synchronization
with the needs and aspirations
of the involved stakeholders
is not only counter-productive,
but inimical to the emergence
and sustenance of a peaceful
and prosperous Nigeria.
“It is against this backdrop
that I proffer the following
recommendations for the
consideration of the symposium.
The setting up of regulated
grazing reserves to replace
the ‘Burtali’ or ‘Hurumi’
pastoral system. Intensive enlightenment
to livestock
breeders on the need for sedentary
farming and transhumance
agriculture as complimentary
economic process to
nomadic farming.
“Provision of water holes in
remote grazing locations,
subsidized veterinary care and
mobile ambulatory services
for surgeries and other medical
interventions for livestock."
72,363 communities, adding
that it automatically provides
the biggest database for any
social inclusion or social protection
intervention. The Minister,
who spoke at the ministerial
dialogue on NSR in Abuja,
explained that the portal
would help the Federal Government
facilitate the lifting of
over 100 millions out of poverty.
“As of January 31, 2021, of
the estimated 82.9 million
(40.2 percent) Nigerians living
below the poverty line, we have
identified and registered 26.8
million poor and vulnerable
individuals, equivalent to
about 6.3 million households
in our country.
“We are expecting another
20 million to be added to the
database and held in the Rapid
Response Register – a shock
responsive intervention register,
specifically targeted at urban
informal workers impacted
by the current COVID-
19 pandemic. This database
capacity is unprecedented in
the history of our dear country."
Kidnapping: FG to install CCTV cameras on
major highways —Minister
abandoned.
‘’Mr President has now
given us the go-ahead to resuscitate
the project and we
have already entered into a
concession agreement with
NPS technologies. They are
there trying to re-fix the entire
system to resuscitate it. “By
the time this system is put in
place, we will have a lot of
technology to manage this
crisis, particularly this issue of
kidnapping. ‘’It will go a long
way to ensure we reduce the
number of kidnappings in this
country,” the Minister said.
C
M
Y
K
10 — Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 17, 2021
:Vanguard
News
:@vanguardnews :@vanguardnews NEWS HOTLINES: 08052867023, 08052867058
By Dayo Johnson,
Dapo Akinrefon,
Levinus
Nwabughiogu &
Deola Badru
AKURE—THE South-West
Governors’ Forum,
yesterday, challenged the Federal
Government to come out and let
Nigerians know that they do not
support criminality.
This came on a day the House
of Representatives directed the
Nigeria Police Force to
immediately investigate the
violence that engulfed the
Shasha community in Ibarapa
Central/North Federal
Constituency of Oyo State, last
weekend.
Similarly, Governor Seyi
Makinde of Oyo State, yesterday,
gave conditions for reopening the
crisis-torn Shasha market, in
Ibadan, the state capital.
The Minister of Youth and
Sports Development, Mr.
Sunday Dare, also called on the
different tribes and groups living
in Oyo State to maintain peace
and the cordiality that had
characterized decades of their
peaceful and flourishing
coexistence in the state.
Prove to
Nigerians you
don’t support
criminality,
S-West govs tell
Buhari
Chairman of the South-West
Governors’ Forum, Governor
Rotimi Akeredolu, who spoke
during an interview on Politics
Today on Channels Television,
said: “What we expect from Mr.
President is for him to come out
and let Nigerians know that he
does not support criminality.
“He once said, ‘if you find
anybody with arms without a
license, they should be arrested.
Security agencies must be at work
without rest.’ Everyone has said
no to open grazing, then the law
should follow.”
Speaking on the Yoruba rights
activist, Sunday Adeyemo,
popularly called Sunday Igboho,
Akeredolu described him as “a
child of circumstance, and we
must look at the circumstances
that led to his intervention.
“I do not support people taking
the law into their hands. I do not
support illegality. Those
circumstances might not be legal,
but when you look at it, you’ll
know he is a child of
circumstance.”
The governor said most of the
criminal herdsmen apprehended
in Ondo State spoke Fulfude
(Fulani language).
His words: “Essentially, in
Ondo State, we discovered
criminal herdsmen who were
using our forest reserves to
perpetrate crimes and we said look
we cannot stay by and watch
things happen this way.
“People were kidnapped. We’ve
been debriefed by all of them, and
we know people who took them.
“If you’re not licensed to be in
the forest, then you’ll be taken to
be doing illegal ventures, that’s
where we stand.
“My duty does not include
profiling those who come into the
country, but all I know is that
those perpetrating these crimes
speak a common language.
“Whether they are foreigners
or from here, it is a matter for the
• Gbajabiamila
INSECURITY: Prove to Nigerians
you don’t support criminality,
S-West govs tell FG
• Say Sunday Igboho’s a child of circumstance
• It’s a bold statement —Afenifere
• Investigate Shasha violence, Reps tell IGP
• Makinde gives conditions to reopen market
• As Sports minister calls for peaceful co-existence
police to go after them and
identify them.
“What we heard from those
who have been debriefed is that
they spoke the language that was
clear to them. Most of them were
speaking Fulfulde and that is
clear, this is a common language
spoken in West Africa and some
part of North Africa, so how did
they come here?.
‘’One of our major problems is
when we have issues of this
nature, and we have Miyeti
Allah. If they are not your
members, there is no need to
defend them.”
On the justification of
Governor Bala Muhammed of
Bauchi State that herdsmen
should carry arms, Akeredolu said
“Bala Mohammed has not
spoken like a statesman. How can
you come out to say people
should come out and carry
firearms (AK-47) when it is illegal,
people are not licensed to carry
guns?
“Bala Mohammed has only
added more petrol to the fire. No
governor should speak that way.
So, I should ask my people to
carry guns? Statements like that
must be condemned and I
condemn it.”
It’s a bold
statement
—Afenifere
Reacting to the governors’
declaration, the pan-Yoruba
socio-political organization,
Afenifere, commended Akeredolu
for his remarks, describing it as a
bold statement.
Afenifere’s National Publicity
Secretary, Yinka Odumakin, said:
“That is a bold statement which
we salute them for. He cannot
continue to play the ostrich while
some people are daily killing our
people.
‘’What did he say to Lam
• Akeredolu
Adesina in Ibadan in 2000? If he
is here to dissolve one Nigeria,
he should let us do it speedily
and peacefully. That is a bold
statement, we salute them.”
Investigate
Shasha violence,
Reps direct IGP
Meanwhile, the House of
Representatives has resolved to
constitute a working group to
participate in the consultations
to be held by the Committee led
by the National Security Adviser,
NSA, Mohammed Monguno, on
peace and unity talks.
Speaker of the House of
Representatives, Mr. Femi
Gbajabiamila, stated this shortly
before the commencement of
plenary yesterday.
The House also asked political
leaders and community
influencers to be circumspect in
the use of languages to avoid
stoking ethnic and religious
crises.
He said: “Last week, I spoke
about the rising spate of
insecurity and conflict across the
country. Shortly after, and
throughout the weekend, the
warnings about the dangers we
face manifested in Ibadan, Oyo
State of Nigeria where an
explosion of violence led to
citizens’ death and the loss of
hard-earned property.
“On behalf of the House, I
commiserate with the families of
those who lost their lives in this
most unfortunate incident. And
I commiserate too with the
government and good people of
Oyo State.
‘’I assure all Nigerians that the
House of Representatives will
work, within the powers available
to us, to prevent a recurrence of
similar incidents, not just in Oyo
State, but across our country -
North, West, East and South.
• Makinde
“The House of Representatives
has neither command nor control
of the country’s security
apparatus. We cannot act to
deploy men and equipment to
gather intelligence, enforce laws
fairly, and take all other actions
necessary to prevent the
breakdown of law and order and
the wanton violence that follows
in its wake.
“However, the House is a
microcosm of our beloved country,
and here in this chamber, we
represent every tribe and region,
creed, and religion. And we owe
a duty to the people we serve, to
do the things we believe sincerely
in our hearts can improve the
circumstances of their lives.
“Today, we serve that duty by
calling on the Nigeria Police
Force, NPF, to conduct a speedy
and thorough investigation into
the recent violence in Oyo State,
to allow for prosecution and
punishment of those who
instigated and participated in the
killings and destruction of
property. The Committees on
Police Affairs and Justice are
mandated to communicate the
House’s position to the Inspector
General of Police.
“President Muhammadu
Buhari has announced a
committee, led by the National
Security Adviser, Maj. Gen.
Mohammed Monguno, retd, to
hold peace and unity
consultations across the
country.
“The committee will engage
governors, traditional rulers,
religious leaders, security
agencies, indigenous and settled
groups across the states of the
Federation to enact resolutions
aimed at building an honourable
peace in our land.
“The House of Representatives
aligns with this initiative, and we
will constitute a working group
to participate in these
consultations. We will work
together to examine the cultural,
religious, and localised conflicts
over land and history that are
often at the root of internal
security challenges and violent
upheavals such as occurred in
Oyo State last week and other
parts of the country over the
years.
“I urge all of those who have
large followership of people who
listen to them and respect their
voices, to be more circumspect
about the information they share,
the language they use, and the
conversations they enable.
“The words we use about each
other can have outsize
consequences on our nation’s
peace and stability because words
have the power to build and also
to destroy. And for political
leaders, let me reiterate that we
have a greater responsibility to
keep the peace in our country.
“To do that, we must first
commit ourselves to the cause of
equal justice and fair treatment
for all. Only then, can we wage
peace with resolve, secure in the
knowledge that with peace, a
more prosperous union is within
reach.”
Makinde gives
conditions to
reopen Shasha
market
Similarly, Governor Makinde,
who led Governor Abubakar
Bagudu (Kebbi); Governor
Abdulahi Ganduje (Kano);
Governor, Bello Matawalle
(Zamfara); and Governor,
Abubakar Sanni (Niger), to
Shasha market yesterday,
promised to reopen the market if
certain conditions were met.
Shasha market was shut last
Friday when Yoruba and Hausa
communities clashed, reportedly
resulting in the death of some
residents, destruction of
properties, and displacement of
people in the area.
Addressing the market men
and women, Makinde said: “They
(the northern governors) just
finished a meeting with the Seriki
of Shasha and the Baale of
Shasha. As a government you
trust and elected into office, please
trust our judgement to watch out
for you and ensure that we coexist
peacefully.
“There is nothing we can do in
an atmosphere of unrest and
disharmony. Those who go to
Iroko to continue trading, I will
lock up the place.
“When you are all ready to
cooperate, you will come to me.
When you have agreed that there
won’t be any more bloodshed
here, you will come to me and
then I will reopen the market. I
beg you. We won’t lose any more
lives.”
Also speaking on behalf of the
northern delegation, Governor
Bagudu of Kebbi State
condemned the “spontaneous
attacks.”
He said: “The market has been
closed down and there are many
people whose livelihoods are
being affected. The Nigeria
Governors’ Forum will also
support him (Makinde) to ensure
that those who have lost their
livelihood are supported in this
trying period.”
Sports minister
calls for peaceful
co-existence
On his part, the Minister of
Youth and Sports Development,
Mr. Sunday Dare, who
condemned the clash in Shasha,
urged the ethnic groups involved
in the clash to sheath their swords
and stop any further provocative
actions and utterances capable
of causing any form of unrest.
The minister, who expressed his
displeasure at the unbridled
insecurity in the state, told the
residents to see themselves as
one family and eschew violence
and bitterness by ensuring that
minor conflicts do not degenerate
into unwarranted crises.
He urged the warring sides and
all the people of Oyo State to obey
and support all the measures
being put in place towards
sustaining peace and security in
the state by all the levels of
government
Dare advised Governor Seyi
Makinde not to spare any efforts
in seeing that peace and security
are fully restored to Sasa and all
other flashpoints in the state.
Olaiya flyover
to gulp
N2.7bn, says
Osun govt
By Shina Abubakar
OSOGBO—OSUN State
government, yesterday,
disclosed that it would spend
N2.7 billion on the construction
of the flyover at Olaiya
Intersection.
A statement by the
Commissioner for Information
and Civic Orientation, Mrs.
Funke Egbemode, stated that the
Public Procurement Agency has
issued approval of “No-Objection/
Due Process Certification” for the
award of the contract for the
flyover.
She said the project was
approved by the State Executive
Council, after a memorandum by
the Ministry of Works and
Transport to the council.
Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 17, 2021 — 11
:Vanguard :@vanguardnews :@vanguardnewsNEWS HOTLINES:
EHINBGETI—From left: Sam Egube, Commissioner for Economic Planning and Budget,
Lagos State; Ben Llewellyn-Jones, Deputy High Commissioner, British Deputy High
Commission, Lagos; Obafemi Hamzat, Deputy Governor, Lagos State; Babajide Sanwo-
Olu, Governor; Toki Mabogunje, President, Lagos Chamber of Commerce and Industry,
and Ben Bruce, founder, Silverbird Group, during the opening of Ehingbeti 2021, the
Lagos Economic Summit, themed: ‘For a Greater Lagos: Setting the Tone for the Next
Decade’, in Lagos, yesterday.
Ehingbeti: Buhari, Okonjo-Iweala, Mo
Ibrahim, Adesina offer policy
requirements for greater Lagos
By Babajide Komolafe &
Olasunkanmi Akoni
LAGOS—LAGOS
State
Economic Summit,
Eghingbeti 2021, yesterday,
kicked off with President
Muhammadu Buhari, the newly
appointed Director-General,
World Trade Organisation, WTO,
Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala;
Founder and Chair of Mo
Ibrahim Foundation, Mo
Ibrahim, and President, African
Development Bank, AfDB, Dr.
Akinwunmi Adesina,
highlighting policy measures
needed to build a greater Lagos.
Speaking in line with the theme
of the three-day summit: ‘For a
Greater Lagos: Setting the Tone
for the Next Decade’, they
advocated the development of
modern infrastructure, provision
of basic services and job creation
for youths, as well as efficient
bureaucracy as necessary
conditions for attaining the vision
of a greater Lagos State over the
next decade.
Their recommendations
followed the declaration by
Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu
that Lagos would be a Smart City
by 2030.
The governor said this, while
unveiling the Lagos 2030 plans,
during his opening address at the
summit.
Unveiling the vision for Lagos
State over the next 10 years,
Sanwo-Olu said: “In 2030, Lagos
will be a Smart City, fully covered
by a network of several thousands
of kilometers of fibre optic
infrastructure that will carry
broadband internet into our
homes, offices and schools and
unleash a technology revolution
that has never before been seen
in this part of the world.
“The Smart City that is
unfolding will also be home to a
network of intelligent cameras
that will support not only security
and policing across the state, but
also traffic management and data
collection for urban planning.
“We are pushing ahead with
plans to develop, in partnership
with the private sector, a Medical
Park that will offer world-class
medical and diagnostic services
....As Sanwo-Olu unveils plans for
Smart City
in Ikoyi.
“We have so much to celebrate,
but there is also so much to be
done, and we are driven by a
sense of urgency on the enormous
task ahead to build the Lagos of
our dreams.”
FG‘ll support Lagos’
drive to boost
potentials —Buhari
President Buhari, in his
goodwill message delivered
virtually, called on participants at
the summit to come up with a
practical master plan to achieve
the ‘Lagos of our dreams’.
Buhari said the Federal
Government was determined to
open up opportunities by which
Lagos State can achieve its smart
city projects.
He said: “We want a Lagos that
is united and that ensures its
economic prosperity leaves no one
behind. I urge all stakeholders to
come up with plans to achieve
Lagos of our dreams.”
He commended the Lagos
State Government for its
partnership and collaboration
with the Federal Government for
putting together an economic
summit aimed at improving the
lives of citizens of the state and
Nigeria in general.
What Lagos should
do —Okonjo-Iweala
In a virtual session with
Governor Sanwo-Olu, Dr.
Okonjo-Iweala said apart from the
construction of roads, Lagos
should invest in technology such
as broadband for every
household, embrace artificial
Intelligence and Digital economy,
ensure the steady and sustainable
supply of electricity and
renewable energy/green to
remain competitive in the next
decade.
Okonjo-Iweala said: “The state
should harness the youths by
providing employment. The state
should move from importing raw
materials and exporting primary
raw products to value and
processing, to industrialize
Africa.”
Invest in youths
—Adesina
Also speaking, Dr. Akinwunmi
stressed that the youths should
be given a chance to contribute
their quotas to the development
of the state.
He said: “The state should also
invest in education by turning
tertiary institutions in the state to
world-class.
“Youths are not the problem of
Lagos, they are the asset. The
slogan should not be the young
shall grow, but the youths have
arrived. Youths do not need
empowerment or handouts; what
they need is an investment.
“The poverty level in Lagos has
reduced from 30.3 per cent in
2009 to 4.5 per cent in 2019 but
20 per cent lives in then slum.
“A prosperous Lagos will bring
a healthier Lagos. A lot needs to
be done in tertiary education
especially in science. We must
turn tertiary institutions in Lagos
to world-class.
“The climate situation in Lagos
should be attended to urgently.
There is a growing need to invest
more in the transport system.
“The private sector needs to be
mobilised to support the new
Lagos. The taxes belong to the
people. There must be
accountability for taxes collected.
I see a greater Lagos, a Lagos
where visions are turned into
reality and where women and
youths thrive.”
Lagos should focus on
basic services
—Mo Ibrahim
On his part, Mo Ibrahim
advised the Lagos State
government to focus on the
provision of basic services and a
peaceful environment to enable
young people and businesses to
thrive.
In this regard, he said the government
should focus on transportation, waste
management and schools.
Women again? Crying wolf where there's
none!
....And drinking hot beverage w hile in a molue,
let's call that PARAGAtea!
Putting the cart before the horse!
12 — Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 17, 2021
:Vanguard News
:@vanguardnews :@vanguardnews NEWS HOTLINES: 08052867023, 08052867058
COMMISSIONING: From left: Mr. George Ajayi, Special Guest; Mrs. Alexandra Ogiaga,
Mr. Omoniyi Benson-Orifa, Chairman, Chadon Hotel; his wife, Juliana and Mr. Babajide
Shodeinde, former FirstBank staff, during the official commissioning of New Chadon
Hotel in Mende, Maryland, Lagos. Photo: Bunmi Azeez
Okowa opts for private burial, lays his
father to rest
By Festus Ahon
ASABA—
Governor
Ifeanyi Okowa of Delta
State, yesterday, opted for a
private burial for his late
father, Chief Okorie Okowa
and laid his remains to rest
at Owa-Alero, Ika North East
Local Government Area of the
state.
Chief Okorie Okowa, a
Knight of Saint Christopher
of the Anglican Communion,
breathed his last on January
28, 2021, after a brief illness
at the age of 88.
Beside family members at
the private funeral,
Archbishop of Bendel
Province, Anglican
Communion, Archbishop
Cyril Odutemu; Deputy
Governor of Delta, Mr
Kingsley Otuaro; Speaker of
the Delta State House of
Assembly, Chief Sheriff
Oborevwori; former
Governor James Ibori and
former Deputy Governor,
Benjamin Elue, were at the
ceremony.
Others include Chief Jide
Omokore, Senator James
Manager, Ndudi Elumelu
and Chief Judge of Delta,
Justice Marshall Umukoro.
Speaking during the
funeral service in the home
of the late octogenarian,
Governor Okowa thanked
Nigerians for their show of
love, saying because he had
announced that the
ceremony would be private
for the family, “those who
came are truly family
members.”
He said as a teacher, his
late father fought for the
ordinary man and suffered
victimisation for daring to
stand for the truth.
Okowa said: “On behalf of
my siblings, I welcome you
to my father’s home. He is
no more, he has just been laid
to rest. He has been a strong
pillar in my life and we
wished he had lived longer,
but it pleased God to call him
at this time.
“Our father was a good
man who fought for the
church, the children and the
ordinary man, especially as
a teacher and suffered
consequences for standing
by the truth and at the end,
God vindicated him.
“We thank God that he
played his role in the
community. He was very
passionate about the
development of Owa-Alero
and I am glad that he saw all
we did for the community.
“He did not compromise
his faith even as an Okpara-
Uku of his quarter and that,
we can attest to as his
children.”
•Ibori, Odutemu, Otuaro, Oborevwori,
Elue, others in attendance
While apologising to those
who could not attend the
funeral because he had
declared it a family burial, he
said: “We do not know when
it is best to die but we thank
God he took our father at a
ripe age.
“For those who couldn’t
come, I apologise, there is still
a time to celebrate his life and
times and that will be August
21, 2021, his birthday, and we
will all be there by the grace
of God.”
Earlier in a homily, Bishop
of Ika Diocese, Church of
Nigeria, Anglican
Communion, Rt. Rev.
Godfrey Ekpenisi, said the
late Pa Okowa contributed
immensely to the growth of
the church and education in
Ika nation.
The Bishop urged
Christians to fear God and
keep his commandments,
saying: “This is the whole
duty of man.”
PIB: N’Delta CSOs vow to ensure
protection of host communities' interest
By Chioma
Onuegbu
UYO —AS Nigeria hopes
for the passage of
Petroleum Industry Bill, PIB,
civil society organisations in
Niger Delta have vowed to
ensure that the bill
accommodates the interest
of host communities to oil
companies.
Representatives of the
CSOs, who spoke during
stakeholders PIB postpublic
hearing engagement
in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State,
facilitated by Order Paper
Nigeria, decried the
situation where the oilproducing
areas that bear
the brunt of oil extraction in
the country were prevented
from making inputs during
National Assembly’s public
hearings.
Executive Director of “Wethe-People,”
Mr Ken
Henshaw, said it was an
insult to prevent host
communities to speak at
both the Senate and House
of Representatives public
hearings, whereas
representatives of
government and oil
companies were allowed to
speak extensively.
Henshaw expressed
concern that while
government body language
indicated its commitment to
a bill that reflects the needs
of the people, the content of
the bill in its current shape
and form meant the exact
opposite.
He said: “The governance
structure does not have full
participation of
communities, but gives too
much powers to oil
companies. For example, it
allows oil companies to
decide who the host
community should be, how
the funds coming to the host
communities would be
managed, and to determine
composition of the Board of
Trustees of the Host
Community Trusts, and that
they may not necessarily be
from the host communities.
“And it goes further to say
that if there is any sabotage
on any oil facility, in any
community that the
community would lose its
share of benefits from the
host communities’ funds.
Omatseye makes case for
state varsity in Itsekiri land
By Jimitota
Onoyume
WARRI— Prominent
Itsekiri professor, Jim
Omatseye, has called for the
upgrade of College of
Education Warri to a full
fledged university.
Omatseye, who retired
from University of Benin,
said the campus of the
university can be in Koko,
Warri North Local
Government Area of the
state, if the state government
was looking at the problem
of land.
Omatseye, who is former
And we think that is quite
strange.
“We know that oil theft is
a multinational business
controlled by armed cartels
of different origins, not
necessarily a practice of oil
communities.
“It is unfortunate the PIB
proposes that oil theft is the
action of host communities,
this is unacceptable. So, we
are saying you cannot give
the responsibility of
protecting oil pipelines to
unarmed communities.
They formed the Joint Task
Force, JTF, to protect the
pipelines and they failed
and you did not punish
them, now you want to
punish host communities
when they fail to protect
those facilities."
Dean of Education,
University of Benin, Director
Institute of Education in the
university, said the state
government should not
ignore Itsekiri areas.
He said: “If you look at the
spread of tertiary institutions
in Delta State, the Itsekiri
area has no university. The
only College of Education in
Warri area can be
transformed to a university.
To say there is no land is
unfair. The College of
Education can be
transformed to a university
with the campus in Koko,
Warri.”
Amaechi lauds maritime
academy’s restructuring effort
By Dirisu Yakubu
MINISTER
of
Transportation, Rotimi
Amaechi, yesterday, lauded the
management of Maritime
Academy of Nigeria, MAN,
Oron, Akwa Ibom State over its
restructuring of the institution
to meet international standards.
Amaechi spoke at the just
concluded 2020 Ministerial
Retreat in Oron, shortly after
commissioning the newly
acquired simulators to be used
for training of the academy’s
cadets.
According to him, the Rector
of the institution, Duja Effedua,
has shown commitment and
dedication in transforming the
institution without any form of
monitoring from the ministry,
adding that the ability to work
without supervision is the
hallmark of competence and
preparedness for any
assignment.
Amaechi in a statement by Eric
Ojiekwe, Director, Press and
Public Affairs, Federal Ministry
of Aviation said the academy
was dilapidated and almost on
NDDC plans post graduate
scholarship in Nigerian
varsities
NIGER
Delta
Development
Commission, NDDC, has said
it was making plans to run its
post graduate scholarship
programme in Nigerian
universities, especially those in
Niger Delta.
NDDC Interim Administrator,
Mr Effiong Akwa, made the
disclosure during a courtesy visit
by a delegation from University
of Port Harcourt, UNIPORT, led
by the acting Vice Chancellor,
Professor Stephen Okodudu, at
the NDDC permanent
headquarters in Port Harcourt,
Rivers State.
Akwa, who was reacting to a
request by the vice chancellor
for another hostel in the
university, promised to assist in
elevating the educational
institutions in Niger Delta to
make them suitable for the post
graduate programme.
Ijaw leader berates Bauchi gov for
backing herdsmen carrying AK-47
By Etop Ekanem
AN Ijaw leader, Chief
Julius Babogha, yesterday,
lambasted Governor Bala
Muhammed of Bauchi State
over the statement credited to
him supporting Fulani
herdsmen owning sophisticated
weapons such as AK-47 to
unleash mayhem on the citizens
of the country.
Babogha, who addressed
newsmen, called on President
Muhammadu Buhari to
caution the Bauchi governor
over the inciting comments
capable of causing crisis in the
country.
It will be recalled that
Governor Muhammed had at
a forum discussing the excesses
of the Fulani herdsmen across
the country, said the herdsmen
have the right to own and carry
around AK-47 rifles for the
protection of their cows.
the verge of being closed down
because of lack of training
equipment, infrastructural
deficit, over population and
other challenges, which led to
the setting up of an interim
committee to look into the
problems facing the institution
at the time.
He said: “There is nothing
about the achievements,
anybody can achieve that, but
what worries me is that all this
while that the school was
created, why could they not
achieve what he has achieved?
“Anybody could do what he
has done but the commitment
and dedication on their part is
impressive. If we don’t have this
kind of person that has
commitment to his assignment,
then we have a problem.
“I think the Ministry of
Transportation must set up
machinery to monitor the
agencies, so that we know their
objectives, what they have set out
for themselves to achieve. The
ministry will ensure these
objectives are achieved and
sanction those who are not able
to deliver."
The NDDC boss observed that
in an era of COVID-19
pandemic, it was necessary to
assist universities to properly
and comfortably
accommodate students in order
to ensure sufficient provision for
social distancing in the hostels.
He told the Vice Chancellor
that the university’s request
would be taken care of in the
2022 budget of the NDDC,
describing UNIPORT as a
flagship university in the Niger
Delta region.
Akwa advised the university
to write formally to the
ommission for appropriate
budgetary provisions and
presentation to the budget
committee of the National
Assembly.
He expressed confidence that
the National Assembly would
be willing to accommodate the
request since the project would
impact on the quality of the
learning environment, as well
as the welfare of the students.
Babogha, who is GMD/CEO
of Babsfield Corporate Ventures
and Tamfel Global Resources,
said the statement was nothing
but abuse of office, saying:
“Niger Deltans can equally
carry arms to protect their fish
farm, waterways and other
farms that generate income for
them.
“In this direction, l appeal to
President Buhari to caution
some of the Northern governors
on their choice of words in order
not to plunge this country into
another round of war, because
we cannot allow one ethnic
group to constitute so much
threat to the rest of the country.
“We call on the Buhari
government to consult the
history books. If he does, he will
discover that the same events,
which led to the 30-month civil
war between 1967 and 1970 are
playing out now and those who
fail to learn from history will be
forced to repeat it.”
C
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Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 17, 2021 — 13
:Vanguard News
:@vanguardnews :@vanguardnews NEWS HOTLINES: 08052867023, 08052867058
FUNERAL SERVICE: From Left—Mrs Funmilayo Ademu, Mrs Oligbemi Otubu Mrs Tobiloba Okapa, Mrs Bolajoko
Olises, Mr Abidemi Otubu, Mrs Olufunke Ojikale, Mrs Olubumi Sosina, all children of deceased during funeral
service for late Mrs Mariam Adike-Ohunene Otubu by Church of The Lord Aladura, Lagos Centre, Agege, Lagos.
Anglican Communion tasks FG on
security, unity
By Chimaobi
Nwaiwu
THE CHURCH of Nige
ria, Anglican Communion,
Diocese on the Niger,
and its Diocese of Mbamili
counterpart, have called on
the Federal Government to
consider the security and
unity of Nigeria as it's greatest
priority and gift it will
give Nigerians.
The two Dioceses spoke
through their Bishops, Rt.
Rev. Owen Nwokolo and Rt
Rev. Obiora Uzochukwu respectively,
at Cathedral
Church of St Michaels
Umuokwu-Anam, Anambra
West Local Government
Area, Anambra State, during
the enthronement service for
the latter.
Rt Rev. Uzochukwu was
the Sub Dean to Nwokolo at
the All Saints Cathedral
Onitsha before he was consecrated
and enthroned as
the new Bishop of Diocese
of Mbamili, following the
transfer of Rt Rev. Henry
Okeke, the pioneer Bishop of
Mbamili to Diocese of Ideato,
Imo State.
Bishop Nwokolo who earlier
in the week hosted the
Standing Committee Meeting
of All Anglican Bishops
in Nigeria at All Saints Cathedral
Onitsha, told newsmen
that the Bishops in Nigeria
resolved that they will
continue to pray for the Federal
Government and appeal
to President Muhammadu
Buhari to always make protection
of lives and property
of the citizens of the country
his priority.
"Security and unity of Nigeria
are the main challenges
and duties every government
and authority must
take very serious. They are
even enshrined in the constitution,
that the President
should protect and defend
the country and the people.
"Yes, we successfully hosted
the Standing Committee
Meeting of all the Anglican
Bishops in Nigeria. Incidentally,
it was where the Archbishop,
Metropolitan and
Primate Church of Nigeria,
His Grace Most Rev. Henry
Ndukuba, simultaneously
consecrated Bishop Uzochukwu
and another Bishop.
"The take away from the
Standing Committee Meet-
ing of the Anglican Bishops
is, that "Each child of God
should know that Jesus
made a sacrifice for us to
be Christians. We should
also take up the challenge
not minding the inconveniences
and challenges and
hold on to the teachings and
the principles of Christianity,
avoid the deceit of the
devil and cling on the teachings
of God and implement
it everywhere we are till the
end our lives"
Bishop Nwokolo and his
wife Elsie, urged the new
Bishop of Mbamili Diocese,
Rt. Rev. Uzochukwu and his
wife Chizoba, to work hard
because the tasks ahead of
them in their new Diocese
are enormous, adding that
God who appointed them
will see them through.
Also speaking to newsmen,
Bishop Uzochukwu appealed
to President Buhari
to restrategize on security
policies and prioritize security
of the people, while urging
Nigerians to be patient
with the government as the
security problems of the
country will be resolved.
"There is hope. When the
darkness is thicker, the morning
is close. What we ask the
Federal Government to do
is to prioritize security of
the country, work hard to
secure the country and the
people, God will help us rise
to the challenges.
"We are expecting the people
of Mbamili Diocese to
serve God with their hearts,
minds, finances and everything
God has given them.
God will take care of other
things concerning us. The
Scripture says, "He that He
has called, He will equip."
Chairman, Planning and
Organizing Committee of
the Consecration and Enthronement
of Rt Rev. Uzochukwu,
Sir Kennedy
Mmoya thanked the people
of the Diocese for making
the occasion a success.
Insecurity: Dialogue with Kanu, adopt
ESN, Abia monarch tells S'East govs
•Says FG should de-proscribe IPOB, apologise to Kanu over
loss of parents
By Steve Oko
UMUAHIA—THe im
mediate-past Chairman
of Umuahia North
Council of Traditional Rulers
and the traditional ruler
of Oriendu Autonomous
community, HRH, Eze Philip
Ajomuiwe, has urged
South East governors to reconcile
their differences with
the Leader of the Indigenous
People of Biafra, IPOB,
Mazi Nnamdi Kanu and
seek ways to work together
in the interest of the zone.
Eze Ajomuiwe also advised
the governors to rather
adopt and provide legal
backing for the Eastern Security
Network, ESN, recently
set up by Kanu with the
mandate of protecting the
Old Eastern region against
terrorists instead of floating
another outfit.
The monarch who canvassed
the opinion in an exclusive
interview with Vanguard
in Umuahia, said this
had become necessary because
of the growing insecurity
in the region.
He was reacting to the incessant
cases of kidnapping
for ransom, rape and murder
of innocent citizens by suspected
Fulani herdsmen operating
along Akara/Isuikwuato/ABSU
axis and other
parts of South East.
The monarch said South
East Leaders should quickly
go into dialogue with Kanu if
the ESN he floated had the
capacity to provide protection
for the people since Nigerian
security agencies seem to have
been overwhelmed.
His words: " If ESN will
serve the purpose of protecting
our people, I will advise
South East governors to
adopt and support the outfit
instead of setting up another
one.We can't continue to
wait until we are all exterminated
since the security
agencies seem to be overwhelmed.
How can we
keep quiet when our subjects
are being raped and
kidnapped by foreigners in
our own forests?
"It's time our governors dialogue
with Kanu and reconcile
with him. They should tell
their Houses of Assembly to
give legal backing to ESN.
Our governors should embrace
Nnamdi Kanu as our
son. He preaches the truth;
he is not a terrorist. Criticising
him and calling him
names are not the best for
us as a people”.
He regretted that government
had not done enough
to prosecute violent herders
and bandits while victims
of their atrocities have
been abandoned.
The royal father urged
the federal government to
quickly de-proscribe
IPOB, arguing that there is
no evidence to prove that
the group is a terrorist organisation
contrary to
claims by government.
"Federal Government
should learn how to dialogue
and not to use excessive
force as being meted
to IPOB and #EndSARS
protesters. A father doesn't
kill his children. FG should
rather find out why the agitations
are increasing instead
of killing the agitators.
If you continue to kill,
who will you govern? FG
should learn to dialogue.
It's double standard not to
outlaw Fulani bandits while
peaceful agitators are
tagged terrorists".
He urged the federal government
to deproscribe
IPOB and grant amnesty to
Kanu and engage him in
peaceful dialogue with a
view to permanently address
the cause of their agitations.
" It's not good to demonise
IPOB but pamper bandits.
All Nigerians must be
treated equally. Government
should call Kanu and
know why he is crying so
we can have peace."
Eze Ajomuiwe said the
federal government should
apologise to Kanu over the
loss of his parents who he
said died as a result of trauma
following the military
raid of their palace on September
14, 2017.
I'll move into new Abia govt
house before 2023 —Ikpeazu
By Ugochukwu
Alaribe
UMUAHIA—ABIA State
governor, Dr. Okezie Ikpeazu
has said that the new
Government House located at
Ogurube Layout, Umuahia,
would be completed before he
leaves office in 2023.
Ikpeazu stated this when he
visited the new government
house complex in the company
of the Speaker of the
Abia State House of Assembly,
Chief Chinedum Orji, to
ascertain the progress of
work.
The governor expressed satisfaction
as the contractor of
the project was back on site,
stressing that the visit was to
ensure that the job was going
according to specifications.
In his words: “It is important
that the Speaker is part
UNN suspends lecturer over
sexual harassment, threat to life
By Ikechukwu Odu
NSUKKA—THE Univer
sity of Nigeria, Nsukka,
UNN, yesterday, suspended
Dr. Chigozie Odum, a senior
lecturer in the Department of
Archeology and Tourism
over allegations of sexual
harrassment and threat to
life of a student of the institution.
Vanguard gathered that
the suspect allegedly impregnated
a female student
of his department identified
as Chinyere Onah and went
ahead to threaten her life
should she mention that he
was responsible for her pregnancy.
It was also gathered that
following a petition from the
family lawyer of the female
student, men of the Crack
Squad, Enugu State Police
Command have arrested the
lecturer in Nsukka from
where he was moved to Enugu
for thorough investigation.
A letter of suspension dated
February 15, was signed
of the inspection to see what
the Executive is doing with the
funds appropriated by the
Legislature for the project. I
have come to see the quality
of work and to ensure they are
working in line with specifications.
Presently, the contractor
is doing electrical, plumbing
and tilling works as plastering
has been completed.”
He encouraged the contractor
to expedite work to
achieve the plan of completing
the project in good time.
Asked to give a specific time
for the completion of the
project, Ikpeazu said, "I will
move into this place and use
it before I leave office as governor
in 2023".
The construction of the new
government house complex
commenced during the administration
of former governor,
Senator Theodore Orji.
Defection: Umahi, former zonal
PDP Chair register with APC
By Peter Okutu
ANOR BAKALIKI—GOVER
David Umahi of
Ebonyi State, yesterday revalidated
his membership
with the All Progressives Congress,
APC.
The registration validated
Umahi's defection to the ruling
party after he defected
from the Peoples Democratic
Part, PDP in November, 2020.
The governor's brother and
former National Vice Chairman
of PDP, South East Zonal
Chairman, Austin Umahi
also defected and officially
registered with the All Progressives
Congress.
The event which took place
at Uburu polling unit in Ohaozara
Local Government
Area of the state at about
12:30pm witnessed the presence
of some members of the
State Executive Council.
The governor stated that
from the records available, the
state was targeting over one
million registered members
in the state.
Umahi who expressed optimism
with the turn-out of
APC members for the revalidation
exercise noted that the
South East zone was now All
Progressives Congress, APC.
He noted that the APC
would completely take over
the zone by 2023, adding that
the developmental strides of
President Muhammedu Buhari
has endeared him to the
people of the zone.
He noted that those attacking
his person in the social
media and sponsoring media
reports against his government
are exhibiting acts of
frustration and assured the
people that no amount of
sponsored media reports
would deter him from delivering
laudable projects to the
people.
The governor warned those
sponsoring and posting viral
video in the social media alleging
that a section of the
country should leave the state
to desist from doing so, as
such act was capable of igniting
problem in the country.
by Mrs. Achiuwa F.C., Deputy
Registrar of the University.
It read: “Following the
accusation of sexual harassment
made against you by
a female student in the Department
of Archeology and
Tourism, the Vice-Chancellor
has directed that you be
suspended from duty immediately.
“You are hereby so suspended
from duty with immediate
effect.
“You should stay away
from your duty post until the
final determination of the
allegation against you. You
should handover any University
property in your custody
to the Head of Department
of Archaeology and
Tourism.
“The Bursar is by a copy
of this letter advised to place
you on half salary pending
final disposal action on your
case.”
An unconfirmed report
stated that the university had
already set a committee to
investigate the matter before
it was made public.
C
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14 — Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 17, 2021
:Vanguard News
:@vanguardnews :@vanguardnews NEWS HOTLINES: 08052867023, 08052867058
Dangote injects N10bn
into the education sector
As the Dangote
Academy prepares to
admit another set of student
engineers, it can be revealed that
the company has in the recent
past injected over N10billion into
the Nigeria’s educational sector.
The breakdown sighted shows
that aside government, the
Dangote Group is the second
largest contributor to education
in Nigeria. It is also the country’s
largest private sector employer.
A document also sighted shows
that about 1,000 engineering
graduates have been admitted
into the academy and
subsequently employed into the
various subsidiaries of the
Dangote Group.
The free training programmes
in the Dangote Academy located
in Kogi State are: Graduate
Engineer Training Scheme,
Junior Technician Training
Scheme and Vocational Training
Scheme.
The conglomerate has
provided a plethora of
infrastructural support to the
Ayade decries state’s rising
monthly wage bill
By Emma Una
C
A L A B A R —
GOVERNOR Ben
Ayade of Cross River State has
decried the rising monthly wage
bill in the state.
Speaking in Calabar during the
2021 South South Mandatory
Continuing Professional
Development Programme of
Association of National
Accountants of Nigeria,
ANAN, the governor said the
accountants should seek ways
to address the financial burden
plaguing the states and nation.
According to him; “Considering
the upheavals recorded in our
national economy accentuated
by global COVID-19 pandemic,
the great role played by
accountants in nation building
and the need to re-engineer the
country’s tertiary institutions, one
of which is the construction of N1.2
billion for the Ahmadu Bello
University Zaria.
The company has also donated
a N1.2 billion Business School for
the Bayero University Kano.
According to the document,
the company also constructed
N500 million worth of dormitories
and power supply facilities for the
University of Science and
Technology, Wudil, Kano State.
The company also built a N300
million Aliko Dangote Business
Complex for the University of
Ibadan Business School.
The document revealed that
the company donated N50
million to Ogun State based
Crescent University, as part of its
contribution to support the
school in providing
infrastructural facilities.
In the same vein, the company
also donated N120 million for the
construction of school blocks at
Nawair-ud-deen Comprehensive
College, Idi-Oro, Mushin, Lagos,
among others.
accounting profession and place it
at the appropriate pedestal to
contribute to integrated growth
and national development
cannot be over emphasised.”
The governor, who was
represented by the Secretary to
State Government, Mrs Banko
Agbor, said efforts were being
made to weed out those whose
names were duplicated in the
state’s pay roll.
He said: “The accounting
subsector of any economy is an
important and crucial component
of development. This is because
finance and administration have
over time proven to be
inseparable components in
governance as operations at
either public or private levels
must necessarily be pivoted by
proper accounting system and
regulations that act as the
fulcrum for revenue generation
and projects delivery.”
NYSC boss tasks corps members
on modern trends in agriculture
CORPS
members
have been advised to
equip themselves with modern
trends in agricultural practices.
NYSC Director-General,
Brigadier General Shuaibu
Ibrahim gave this advise
yesterday in an address during a
virtual seminar with the theme,
“Alleviating Hunger and Poverty
through Agriculture: Today’s
Youth-Tomorrow’s Leaders”,
organised by Corps Members
serving at the International
Institute for Tropical Agriculture,
Ibadan.
He noted that the NYSC
Management seeks active
participation of Corps Members
in agriculture which is in
alignment with Federal
Government’s drive to boost
agriculture, so as to diversify
national economy from over
dependence on oil.
Ibrahim added that NYSC has
resuscitated its farms and other
ventures for the impartation of
skills to Corps Members, while
also giving attention to NYSC
Skills Acquisition programme, in
order to empower Corps
Members with skills that will
provide them with alternative
sources of livelihood after
service.
“I call on Corps Members to
leverage on the opportunity
provided by this seminar to equip
themselves with modern trend in
agriculture”.
S-WEST CRISES: Desist from acts that can
provoke north, NEF warns southerners
•Meet with northern govs over crisis •Why we met NEF — Lalong
By Joseph Erunke
A
B U J A —
NORTHERN
Elders Forum, NEF, has
warned southerners to desist
from acts that could provoke
the people of the northern
part of country.
This came as Northern
governors and NEF met
Monday night to fashion out
ways to douse the escalating
ethnic tensions across the
country in the wake of crises
in the South West, especially
the Shasha crisis in Ibadan,
Oyo State.
The northern governors
were led by their chairman and
governor of Plateau State,
Simon Lalong while the elders
under the aegis of NEF, were
led by the forum’s chairman,
Prof Ango Abdullahi.
Speaking to reporters after
the meeting that lasted
about four hours, Governor
Lalong explained that the
meeting was prompted by the
ethnic crises in the southern
part of the country, especially
in the South West, occasioned
by quit notices and Shasha
crisis in Oyo State.
Lalong said: ”This is a
delegation of Northern elders
led by Prof. Ango Abdullahi.
It is part of our engagements
since we have these quit
notices here and there and
then the problems in the
country. As Northern
governors, we have to engage
some of our leaders and to find
ways of calming nerves.
“Today (Monday night), we
just came back from Kaduna
RevolutionPuls Group empowers
over 150 widows
THE Management of
RevolutionPlus Group,
has celebrated its Group
Executive Director, Mrs.
Tolulope Onalaja on her
birthday by empowering over
150 widows in her 1st Quarter
Widows Empowerment and
Skills Acquisition
Programme.
Speaking on why she
choose to empower widows,
Mrs. Onalaja, who was born
on February 14, said: “After
all God had done for my
company, I wanted to give
back to the society through
empowerment but it was
ANAN PROGRAMME: Mrs Banko Agbor, SSG of Cross River (centre), to her left; Professor Muhammad
Mainoma, President of of Association of National Accountants of Nigeria, ANAN, and others at 2021
South South Mandatory Continuing Professional Development in Calabar, Cross River State yesterday.
actually my husband who did
this first when he
empowered 10 widows with
N50,000 naira during his
45th birthday.
‘’Seeing the impact the
money had on them, I
decided to replicate same last
year when I clocked 40 by
empowering 40 widows. ‘So
this year, we decided to make
it bigger by empowering 1000
widows, but in order to reach
a wide range of widows, we
made it a quarterly affair and
through the grace of the
almighty God, it was a
success.”
after the North West meeting
with security organisations. We
just had a fruitful discussion with
the Northern elders this evening
(Monday) and part of the meeting
was to find ways of calming the
nerves and also assuring our
northern brothers that measures
are being taken.
“We don’t want to talk about
asking people to go away but
when you have issues like these,
you look at the way forward, very
mature way forward and that was
what we discussed and then also,
to address some of the issues, the
problem that is expected on the
side of government, both federal
and state governments in the
North.
“The bottom line is to find a
way forward, to make progress in
the North and also in Nigeria. As
I’m talking to you now, after our
meeting in Kaduna, our
governors sent a delegation to
go to Oyo and they are right now
in Ibadan to assess the situation
there and see the truth about
what is really happening to
Northerners in the South West
and then bring back report.
“We are carrying the meeting
forward, we have not finished.
This is part of our deliberations,
what we have here will be sent
back to the Northern governors,
what we have here is a
representative of Northern
governors. So, we are going to
report back to the full house, that
is the northern governors for full
deliberation. As you can see,
tensions are everywhere. So we
are trying to calm nerves and also
to find progress where there are
grievances here and there, we
can allay the fears and also help
in solving some of those
grievances.”
Also speaking, Publicity
Secretary of NEF, Alhaji Hakeem
Baba Ahmed, said: “We are here
to meet with the Northern
Governors Forum because they
are our first point of call; they are
our governors as northerners.
Wherever we go on any issue we
Benue recommends capital punishment for human
traffickers
By Peter Duru
M
A K U R D I —
BENUE State
government, yesterday
recommended death sentence for
convicted human traffickers to
check the illicit trade.
Deputy Governor of the state,
Benson Abounu, who made the
recommendation while hosting
the Director General of the
National Agency for the
Prohibition of Trafficking in
Person, NAPTIP before
inaugurating the State Task
Force on Human Trafficking in
Makurdi, said the state had
suffered much from the activities
of human traffickers.
According to the Deputy
Governor: “NAPTIP remains a
very important agency of
government because the worst
thing you can do to anybody is
taking away his freedom and
selling him off to an unknown
person and place.
“In Benue we have had series
of cases of our children being
taken and sold out into servitude.
It is a serious offense against
humanity and if you ask me
about the appropriate
punishment for the masterminds,
I recommend that it should not
be imprisonment but that the life
of those behind it should go.”
The Deputy Governor also
commended the International
Organisation for Migration, IOM,
need to meet with them.
“We came to lay down our
complaint as northerners, we
came to show them our support
in some of the initiatives they
have taken, we came to seek their
assurances as we are vigilant and
to be assured that they are on
their toes to protect our interest
as northerners and to urge them
to collaborate with their
colleagues to descalate the
tension and to protect every
Nigerian and we are very happy
about what they have said.
“We urge northerners not to
take the law into their hands but
exercise restraint and maturity.
We are asking Nigerians from the
southern part of the country to
desist from acts that could
provoke other Nigerians.
“We have people all over the
place, the last thing we want in
the North is to see any attack on
anybody from outside the region
and we want Northerners in
other parts of the country to be
treated equally.”
for recently facilitating the
repatriation of 76 Benue
indigenes from outside the
country.
Novartis, Run for a Cure Africa
lift breast cancer patients
IN commemoration of World
Cancer Day, Novartis in
partnership with Run for a Cure
Africa has initiated a peer
Navigation programme for
Metastatic Breast Cancer Patients
in Nigeria and Ghana.
The main goal of the Peer
Navigation Program is to prepare
health care practitioners, breast
cancer patient volunteers and
advocates, to help patients
diagnosed with breast cancer.
The program is poised to provide
tools which will prepare patient
organizations and health care
providers to implement peer
navigation in their various
centres to address the unique
needs of underserved metastatic
breast cancer patients and
barriers to quality cancer care and
support.
Speaking, Ad Interim Cluster
Head for Novartis English West
Africa, Adeyele Adenika said:
“The vision is to improve patients’
lives, while also bolstering the
health care system capabilities”
“The programme will provide a
roadmap for creating a navigation
team with the ability and intent to
customize support for cancer
patients, according to local needs.
Patients will feel supported and
heard, have a better sense of
well-being, better mental health
and are more informed and
educated to make empowered
decisions about their health.
“Access and awareness is one
of the major challenges we face
as patients do not know how to
access cancer care and it is our
priority to ensure they know
more about their disease and how
to get help in Nigeria. Our role is
to help patients access optimal
care which is one of the greatest
barriers we have regards to breast
cancer management in Nigeria.
According to Founder and
Executive Director of Run for a
Cure Africa, Dr. Ebele Mbanugo,
“Our goal is to have peer
navigation become a part of the
breast cancer management plan
in Nigeria and Ghana with plans
to ensure the programme is
accessible in all states, teaching
hospitals and medical
establishments.''
Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 17, 2021 — 15
NIGERIAN GUILD OF EDITORS' CONDOLENCE VISIT TO LATE JAKANDE'S FAMILY
From left: Mr. Taiwo Adeboye, son-in-law; Dr. Olanrewaju Adeboye, daughter of deceased; Mr. Eze Anaba,
Standing Committee member of Nigerian Guild of Editors (NGE) and Editor, Vanguard newspaper; Mr. Ken
Ugbechie, Publicity Secretary, NGE; Hon. Seyi Jakande, son of deceased; Alhaja Abimbola Jakande, widow; Hon
Widow of the late former governor, Alhaja
Deji Jakande, son; Vicky Ibanga, Treasurer, NGE; Mr. Mustapha Isah, President, NGE; Mary Atolagbe, Gen. Sec.,
Abimbola Jakande receiving a condolence letter
NGE; Abisola Olusi, daughter during NGE's condolence visit to the family of Late Alhaji Lateef Jakande, first
from Mr. Mustapha Isah, President of Nigerian
civilian Governor of Lagos State at his residence, Ilupeju, Lagos yesterday. Photos: BUNMI AZEEZ.
Guild of Editors, NGE during the visit.
NIGERIAN GUILD OF EDITORS' CONDOLENCE VISIT TO LATE TONY MOMOH'S HOUSE
(LEFT): From left Mr
Eze Anaba, Standing
Committee member,
NGE; Ken Ugbechie,
Publicity Secretary;
Gabriel Akinaduro,
SCM; Mrs Janet
Momoh, widow of late
Tony Momoh; Mr
Mustapha Isah,
President, NGE; Mr
Steve Nwosu, SCW;
Mary Atolagbe, General
Secretary and Victoria
Ibanga, Treasurer.
Photos: LAMIDI
BAMIDELE.
NGE President, Mr Mustapha Isah presenting a condolence
letter to Mrs Janet Momoh, widow of Late Prince Momoh.
:Vanguard News
:@vanguardnews :@vanguardnews NEWS HOTLINES: 08052867023, 08052867058
Farmers/herders clash: ECOWAS must curb
movement of foreign herders in S-West — Ganduje
By James
Ogunnaike
ABEOKUTA —
GOVERNOR Abdulahi
Ganduje of Kano State,
yesterday, called on the Economic
Community of West African
States, ECOWAS, to take drastic
steps in curbing foreign herders,
who are always armed with
sophisticated weapons, from
making incursion into Nigeria.
The governor said this at a
Stakeholders’ Parley on Farmers/
Herders Conflict, organised by the
Ogun State government, held at
the Obas’ Complex, Oke Mosan
in Abeokuta.
He also advocated what he
described as “commercial
herding” as panacea to the
incessant clashes between
herders and farmers in the
country.
Ganduje reiterated his call on
the federal government to ban
open grazing and block
grazing routes from the
northern to the southern part
of the country.
He noted that herders
would need to abandon
“traditional grazing” and
embrace “merchant grazing”
in order to find lasting solution to
killings and wanton destruction
of property that had characterised
farmers/herders clashes in the
country.
The parley also had in
attendance, Governors Bello
Matawalle (Zamfara), Abubakar
Sanni Bello (Niger), Atiku
Bagudu (Kebbi) and Rotimi
Akeredolu (Ondo).
The meeting was equally
attended by traditional rulers,
representatives of All Farmers
Association of Nigeria, AFAN;
Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders
Association of Nigeria,
MACBAN, and other relevant
stakeholders.
Ganduje acknowledged that
climate change has been
responsible for the influx of
herders into the country from the
neighbouring countries,
maintaining that open grazing
was no longer sustainable and
realistic, particularly in the face
of conflicts between herders and
farmers.
He said investigation had
shown that herders wrecking
havoc are foreigners who enter
the country illegally through
E-COMMERCE: IDU youth wing partners
Konga.com, Emerhana Foundation
By Festus Ahon
ASABA—THE
first
E-Commerce Summit
organised by the Isoko
Development Union Youth
Wing, IDU-YW in partnership
with Konga.Com and the
Emerhana Foundation with
over 150 Isoko youths affiliated
to the flagship online shopping
giant Konga.com.
The event which took place at
the Isoko Unity House, Oleh has
as its theme “Skill Acquisition for
Sustainable Living in a Pandemic
World and Beyond.”
Speaking at the event,
President of the IDU-YW, Mr.
Hyacinth Ewariezi Ede , said his
administration was poised to
restore the dignity of the
youths of the Isoko ethnic
nationality through
sustainable empowerment
programmes and initiatives.
Ede said gone were the days
where the youths would be seen
hovering around political leaders
for daily bread that may never
come, adding that with the
advancement of technology and
the growth of e-commerce, it
was expedient that the youth
of Isoko began to take advantage
of the many benefits of ICT and
the online market shares.
“We can’t continue to do
things the old way. There is
need for the youths of Isoko to
actively take path in the many
opportunities in the internet
rather than just socialising.
''My administration will
continue to scout for
opportunities that will improve
the economic capacity of our
youths,” he said.
Niger in the north and Benin
Republic in south.
While noting that clamouring
for eviction of Fulani herdsmen
from the southern part of the
country cannot solve the crisis,
the governor called for strong
resolution mechanism towards
ending the conflicts.
Glo’s Appointment Manager
further eases NIN registration
THE hassles encountered by
Nigerians in registering for
the National Identity Number
(NIN) were further reduced
yesterday as Globacom launched
an app that makes it possible for
people to choose a day, time and
location convenient for them to
undergo the process.
According to Globacom, the
Land dispute: Adogun Atele
family drags Obasanjo to court
By Innocent Anaba
LAGOS—HEAD
of
the Adogun Atele
family, Pa Nurudeen Akapo
and four other principal
members of the family have
asked an Ogun State High
Court to restrain former
President Olusegun
Obasanjo and his farm
(Obasanjo Farms Nigeria
Limited) from further
trespassing on their family
land measuring 464.77
hectares situated at Sogunro-
Itele Awori, in Ado-Odo,
Ogun state.
Other claimants in the suit
are Mr. Sunday Owotolu,
Chief Taoreed Dada and
Alhaji Monsuru Yusuf.
The claimants through
their lawyer, Gbenga Ajala in
suit against former President
Obasanjo, Obasanjo Farms
Limited and Bureau of Lands and
Survey, Ogun State, are praying
the court to cancel the purported
interest of the former President
and Obasanjo farms Nigeria
Limited on the disputed land.
In their statement of claims, the
family said that they are the
affirmed founder and the first
settler of Itele land comprising of
Ayetoro-Itele, Odan-Otun, Ajasa,
Ejigun, Aparadija, Adeleye,
Efura, Kongi, Lafenwa,
Olugbode, Oguntedo, Beyioku,
Egunjobi, Senikoro, Onifade, and
Sogunro villages.
According to them, the land in
dispute falls within their family’s
comprehensive Survey Plan No-
PEG/06/2001/025 drawn by
surveyor J.O Olorunkunle and
Plan No LA/49/1946 drawn by
Surveyor Liasu Smith
respectively.
The claimants said that
sometime in 2012 former
President Obasanjo and his farm
applied to the Bureau of Lands
and Survey, Ogun State for
issuance of Certificate of
Occupancy on the disputed land,
whereas the ownership of the
entire Itele land including the
land in dispute had been judicially
affirmed by the Court of Appeal
in three separate judgments.
app, tagged Appointment
Manager, was “unveiled to help
our numerous subscribers and
Nigerians in general to reduce
the stress involved in the NIN
registration process.”
The company added that,
through the utilization of the app,
customers will go through the
process hassle-free, which saves
them time and also ensures the
registration is done in a safe and
COVID-19-compliant
environment, with fewer people
in attendance.
To use the app, Glo said the
customer will “Enter the URL
https://ninappt.gloworld.com/
on any browser and enter phone
number in this format:
08050000000. This will be
followed by clicking on the date
icon to select available dates for
the month, followed by selection
of desired state and shop. Next is
the selection of the desired time
to be followed by entrance of the
number provided by the app to
ensure the customer is indeed a
human being, after which he or
she will click on Submit.”
The company added that,
“Customers will then receive an
SMS notification with an ID,
Scheduled date and shop to visit
which he will present at the
shop”.
Globacom which urged its
subscribers to make utmost use
of the app for the registration, also
advised those who are yet to link
their NIN with their mobile
numbers to text their NIN to 109,
adding that they can also dial
*109*NIN# to submit their NIN
or call 109 to update their
NIN via voice call.
16 — Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 17, 2021
Why Lekki Tollgate should be abolished
TO Lagos dwellers, especially the
embattled citizens who live in the
Lekki and Ajah axis, the toll plazas imposed
on them by the All Progressives Congress,
APC, administration in Lagos is tolerated
with heavy grudges.
The Victoria Island-Lekki-Ajah-Epe
corridor is the only major road out of Lagos
that was constructed through the initiative
of the Lagos State Government. All other
corridors to Ikorodu, Ibadan, Seme/Agbara
and Abeokuta were constructed by the
Federal Government.
All the federal roads are pavilioned with
complex long bridges, flyovers, drainage
channels and causeways. They are
invariably between six to 10 lanes each:
much wider and longer than the Lekki-Epe
Expressway pioneered by the LASG.
The question is: Why should the LASG
insist on erecting toll plazas on the road
leading to the “New Lagos”, thus exploiting
the people and applying a chokehold on
ease of movement along that corridor?
If the Federal Government led by
Generals Yakubu Gowon, Olusegun
Obasanjo and Ibrahim Babangida had
erected toll plazas on Ikorodu Road, Apapa-
Oworonshoki Expressway, Mile 2-Seme/
Agbara, Lagos-Abeokuta and the second
longest bridge in Africa - the Third Mainland
Bridge - who will move in Lagos? Why would
the Federal Government use the money it
generated from our oil in the East and Niger
Delta and build massive infrastructures for
free in Lagos (the former Federal Capital)
only for the LASG to toll its roads and
bridges built with taxpayers’ money?
The people of Lagos have good reasons to
nurse a burning malice towards the Lekki
toll plazas. What is the rationale in handing
over such an important new corridor to a
private construction company, Lekki
Concession Company, except that it is linked
to a political godfather in the state?
When the Bola Ahmed Tinubu regime
announced the concession arrangement in
2000, the LCC was supposed to construct a
suitable highway to Epe and recover its
money through tolling. Narrower shunpikes
were also constructed for those who did not
wish to pay at the plazas.
The Babatunde Fashola administration
later initiated the construction of the Lekki
Linkbridge. It is reported that the linkbridge
generates about N10m daily, while the
Admiralty Circle Toll Plaza alone which
processes about 80,000 vehicles everyday
generates some N16.6m daily.
Since the Lekki Tollgate operations were
suspended on October 20, 2020, reports have
it that about N7.8bn has been lost. But the
Managing Director of the LCC, Mr. Yemi
Omomuwasan, put the figure at N2.5bn,
adding, however, that the suspension is
threatening the jobs of 500 workers, while
the company still owes N24bn and
$50million to local and foreign lenders,
respectively.
Victoria Island, Ikoyi, Lekki/Ajah
residents had borne the grudge of coughing
out the tolls and being made to waste
valuable time waiting to pay at the plazas.
There have been sporadic protests over their
existence which invariably fizzled out. The
events of October 20, 2020 changed the
narrative around the Lekki Tollgate in
particular.
A group of unarmed Nigerian youths
involved in the historic #EndSARS protests
chose the Lekki Tollgate as one of their
venues, perhaps a fallout of the old grudge
against the existence of the plaza. They
chanted patriotic songs and conducted
themselves in the most civil manner. Their
protest was beamed live through major local
That Tollgate is now a
monument to
democracy, freedom
and a better Nigeria
and international news outlets. It was the
LASG, in cahoots with the Federal
Government that introduced chaos into the
peaceful protest and gave hoodlums the
opportunity to burn and loot government
and private property.
It was the political machinery of the ruling
party that brought hired thugs in BRT buses
to confront the protesters. When that failed,
the state and federal governments colluded
to bring in the Army, which subsequently
used live arms to quell the protest, thus
leading to the injuries and death of yet-tobe-ascertained
number of protesters. It was
the violent action by the LASG and Federal
Government that tripped off the rioters,
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looters and arsonists who raged for days
without let or hindrance.
As part of efforts to placate the protesters,
the Federal Government persuaded state
governments to set up panels of inquiry.
Though we all know that such panels are
usually used to pour cold water on burning
issues in order to sweep them under the
carpet, the protesters agreed to participate
in the various panels, especially the one set
up in Lagos under the chairmanship of
Justice Doris Okuwobi.
The order by the Panel of Inquiry that
operations of the Tollgate should be opened
for repairs while the Panel was yet to
conclude its assignment was read as yielding
to political pressure from the LASG, hence
the move for another protest. The activist
members of the Panel disowned the order,
and for good reasons.
How can you order preparations towards
the reopening of the toll plazas when the
whole truth of what happened on October
20, 2020 has not been ascertained and
justice served to victims of the military
operation and police brutality who testified
at the panel? If the plazas are reopened
without justice to those victimised when will
the justice come?
The truth is that the status of the Lekki
Tollgate has changed forever. That Tollgate
is no longer a money minting site for some
Shylock politicians; it is now a monument
to democracy, freedom and a better Nigeria.
Any money made from that plaza from now
on is blood money! It is now a site for the
celebration of the unarmed young
nationalists and martyrs felled by military
bullets.
The LASG under Governor Babajide
Sanwo-Olu should, after the Panel winds up,
also wind up the Lekki Tollgate. There is no
better way to “Defend Lagos” than by
respecting their wish for the abolition of the
Lekki Tollgate and the construction of a tenlane
expressway to Epe with the taxpayers’
money.
Enough of the extortion.
Justice begets peace
WHAT kind of social or
political engineering can
be executed on a country that has
been set adrift by politicallymotivated
ethnic tension?
Nigeria is today being pulled in
different directions by forces that
may seem beyond it but which are
actually within manageable
limits, if only those invested with
the authority to act will do just
that. It is little or no consolation
to say that we’ve been here before.
What is happening right now
reminds one of those moments of
our not so recent history when
everyone seemed to be for
themselves while God is for us all.
While Nigeria runs a rigid,
centrally-controlled government,
that centre seems not to be too
concerned about the hullabaloo
that surrounds it. Abuja, “the
presidency” or the President
appears more inclined to watch
from the side lines as things spiral
out of control. Again, it is not as if
this is an entirely new territory.
We have been here before.
The present statis, or that state
in which Abuja looks on like a
bystander while Nigerians from
and of different constituents
tackle one another, is the defining
character of the APC-led
administration of President
Muhammadu Buhari. Rather
than it taking one decisive stance,
making a conspicuously
unambiguous statement on where
it stands on the ongoing debate
concerning cattle herders or some
fringe groups among them that
have found the business of
kidnapping and rape more
lucrative than the honest, but, no
doubt, outmoded business of
grazing cattle from one end of the
country to another; the centre has
decided to play the ostrich, either
burying its head or averting its
gaze as if by so doing the problem
it fears would disappear.
Nigerians from different parts
of the country are viewing the
silence from the centre as
complicity in acts of criminality.
While Nigerians poke their
fingers in each other’s face and
dance to the drumbeats of war, it
is the state governors, themselves
unbiased players in the
smouldering war games, that are
left to resolve things the way it
seems good to them.
Rhetorically described as “chief
security officers” of their states,
the state governors can hardly
secure their own places of
residence. When things come to a
head, they can be placed under
house arrest and prevented from
leaving their homes by the same
commissioners of police that sit
as members of the state cabinets
while executing orders from
above. Again, that is not nothing
new.
We have seen it in different
guises under the current
dispensation of our political
journey as a country under
democratic rule. The mounting
challenges the governors are
called upon to manage are mostly
about security. Yet beyond the
security votes that many of them
routinely collect and promptly put
to other personal uses, where the
less dishonest of them are
spending them to equip and
empower the police among other
security agencies- where they are
not spending their security votes
to buy patrol vans and construct
police stations, state governors
are mere lame ducks condemned
What is being talkative
about condemning the
criminal acts of bandits
and their overtly
suspicious victims or
adversaries?
to wring their hands in pain,
unable to act where the security
of their states is concerned. But
they are, nevertheless, stepping up
where Abuja, symbolised by
President Buhari, has been
stepping back, save issuing
through “the presidency”
periodically dire but ineffectual
warnings that many more
Nigerians are learning to ignore.
Of what uses are warnings that
are not backed by or contradicted
by action? What are Nigerians to
learn from the empty threat of
Abuja to deal with anyone stoking
the embers of ethnic tension
where the “body language” of
Abuja is that of an ethnic
champion?
Femi Adesina has told
Nigerians that asking President
Buhari to speak up, either way on
the tense situation created by
criminal herders and hysteric
Nigerians who see themselves as
victims of the herders, amounts
to making a talkative out of the
president. This, for a president
that has sealed off all other
avenues of communicating with
Nigerians that his predecessors
exploited to their advantage.
Which kind of leader forgoes the
opportunity to address and
thereby allay the concerns of
those over whom he rules? What
is being talkative about
condemning the criminal acts of
bandits and their overtly
suspicious victims or adversaries?
What started among fringe
groups that operate mainly in
forests and lonely highways is now
playing out in the heart of a city
like Nigerians saw among the
Hausa and Yoruba traders in
Shasha Market, Eleyele Local
Government Area of Oyo State,
last week.
How could a little dispute over
the disposal of waste or a fight
between two people snowball into
an ethnic battle between
members of two erstwhile friendly
groups? The suspicion that some
Nigerians have that the Fulani
are out to lord things over them,
buoyed by the idea, as some have
argued, that there is a president
of Fulani extraction that will
protect them, is probably being
extended to all Northerners and
making some Nigerians less
patient to tolerate certain
behaviours, however ordinary but
now invested with great
significance, that could have been
better ignored. State governors
have become key players on
security issues that are well
beyond their briefs. But since
President Buhari has elected not
to be talkative, all kinds of rascals
are exploiting his silence to
spread hate.
Simplistic as it may sound (even
though it’s appearing more
difficult to do), all that was needed
for all this tension to have
dissolved before now was for
President Muhammadu Buhari
to have spoken up in very loud and
clear words condemning the
criminal activities of rape, arson
and murder by fringe elements
who just happened to be Fulani.
By refusing to speak while
individuals acting in the name of
“the presidency” rise to explain
or justify these criminal acts, the
President has allowed a festering
sore to metastasise into a
cancerous wound that is now
fraying the edges of the country’s
tenuous unity.
Ethnic nationalists from the
south of Nigeria are rising by the
day and are riding the crest of
public acclaim, no thanks to the
uncontrolled vitriol and
triumphant boasts of murderous
revanchists spokespersons like
Alhassan Saleh of the Miyetti
Allah Kautal Hore with the active
support of a Bala Muhammed
who as governor of Bauchi makes
an invidious case for the cattle
herders to be allowed to bear
arms, the same arms they have
been accused of using to pacify
farmers and others whose farms
and communities are sacked with
impunity.
Even the Nigerian Immigration
Service like other security
agencies taking their cue from
Abuja now wants Nigerians to
disbelieve the evidence of their
own eyes that cattle herders bear
arms. Where there’s no justice,
there can’t be peace.
C
M
Y
K
Beginner's guide to restructuring
You cannot conquer what you do not confront—
Anon
IHAVE decided to publish an old material
on restructuring in the hope that it will
contribute to an understanding of an issue over
which Nigerians agree.
What is restructuring? Restructuring is the
generic term applied to complex and varying
demands by Nigerian elite for changes in the
manner the Nigerian state is designed,
governed and shares its resources among
groups, communities and individuals. It is a
term which represents the expression of
grievances by elites largely outside the
mainstream political process, and is invariably
presented as a fundamental panacea to most
of the failings and weaknesses of the Nigerian
state.
Is this a new issue in Nigerian politics? The
complaints that the Nigerian federal state is
imperfect, or is structured around basic
injustices, inequalities and unfair distribution
of power and resources is as old as the Nigerian
nation itself. From colonial times, the manner
a large and complex country like Nigeria
should be structured and governed has been a
major source of political quarrel. Demands
for restructuring have notably been more
pronounced at moments of acute political crises
and tensions. Causes and sources of localised
generation of large economic resources and
poverty have also provided major reasons
behind periodic resurgence of debates and
demands for restructuring of the Nigerian state.
Why has this remained an unresolved
problem? Many political problems are never
entirely resolved to the satisfaction of most
interests. Dominant perspectives on the manner
restructuring should proceed all had in-built
potentials to create new grounds for emergence
of demands for further restructuring. The most
pronounced alterations in the federal structure
of the Nigerian state were made by the military,
and were informed primarily by the
imperatives of national security and
management of plural interests that had access
to the narrow political base of military
governments. Democratically-elected
governments have been prime beneficiaries
of the post-military restructuring processes,
and their attempts to engineer elite consensus
around the essentials of restructuring the
federation were half-hearted and duplicitous.
Elite that champion restructuring as key
national challenges have remained outside the
political mainstream, unable to influence
formal political structures to genuinely
respond to demands for restructuring.
Is there national consensus around
structuring? The most common roots for the
clamour for restructuring are grievances
expressed as marginalisation or unfair
distribution of resources. Virtually every group
or community in Nigeria can find good reasons
why the nature of the Nigerian state violates
its rights to justice and fairness. In this respect,
there is consensus. Beyond this point, however,
there is little agreement over process and
outcome of restructuring. Federal and state
governments disagree over sharing of
responsibilities and resources. Elite that speak
for ethnic groups disagree on all key elements
put forward by each other. Demands for
restructuring tend to be put across in combative
and largely alienating manners, which tend to
push others championing different
perspectives to harden their positions.
What are the basic outlines of these
demands? One is the demand for a federal
structure with fewer but stronger federating
units that will generate and retain larger
portions of economic resources, and a centre
with less powers and less resources. This is
often expressed in the case for six or eight
federating units, involving the collapse of states
Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 17, 2021—17
into the larger units. The case against this
position comes from minority ethnic groups,
many of which will lose defining political
characters and economic clouts. There is also
suspicion that this option will bestow parity to
the "South" against a "North "which had
enjoyed historical superiority in population
and numbers of federating units. Another is
the demand for a federal structure that allows
federating units to retain, almost exclusively,
the benefits of all resources located within
them. This is a variant of the "fiscal federalism"
case, often expressed as resource control.
The case against this position is that it
ignores the historical roots of the modern
Nigerian economy which pooled resources
from all Nigerians and sections to build today's
sources of wealth. More significantly, it
jeopardises the future of a nation which fails
to establish a minimum, flexible threshold on
sharing national resources, and allowing
unequal distribution of resources and wealth
in a stable federal system with varied and
bountiful resources. A third is predicated on
addressing grievances of specific groups, such
as additional state in the South East,
additional states to relieve tensions between
ethnic groups currently lumped together in
"artificial" units, additional states to reflect
The clamour for restructuring
has been a major victim of the
substance and character of the
Nigerian political system
population and geographical sizes, and states
to be created to accord recognition to ethnic
groups as federating units. A fourth makes the
case for a fully-operational third tier of
government, or a system that allows federating
units to choose how or if they want to create
sub-unit structures. Then there are others which
make the case for a return to pre-1966 federal
structure, a confederation that will leave a very
weak centre and largely autonomous units,
and a federal system that contains provisions
for any part or parts to leave the nation entirely.
Some demands combine elements of many of
these outlines.
Which one of these is true federalism?
Every federal system is true or false depending
on the perspectives and interests of those who
support it, or oppose it. Federal systems are
imperfect, man-made compromises that
should contain dynamic elements for
adjustment, and operate on the basic
assumption that relationships between and
among federating units must be constantly
policed to address rigidity and loss of the
underlying philosophy that the best federal
system is one where the whole is only as
important as the parts decide, and that
decisions on its nature and operation are
products of consensus and compromise.
Is any section of the country benefitting
from the status quo? Some fractions of the
Nigerian elite appear to champion the cause
for restructuring more than others, and
cultivate impressions that other elite are
specifically against restructuring. The
clamour for restructuring has been a major
victim of the substance and character of the
Nigerian political system. Elite competition
for power and economic resources have had
little to do with interests of the poor or the
weak in all parts of the nation. Poverty can be
addressed under any arrangement, but elites
do gain or lose on the basis of their
relationships with sources of power and
wealth, which is substantially the state. All
elites will oppose or support versions of
restructuring that best suits their interests, in
the same manner most non-elite will kick
against virtually all restructuring proposals if
the details are made known to them.
Can we ever agree on the best federal
system for Nigeria? A federal system that is
the product of continuous discussions and
negotiations involving elite, communities and
governments as interested parties can improve
the operations of our federal system. Violence
and threats over restructuring have tendencies
to emasculate dispositions to discuss
grievances. Government platforms tend to
reinforce elitist competition over power and
economic resources rather than address
popular grievances, and have been historically
vehicles for the actualisation of incumbent
political goals. The best prospects for reviews
in the manner the Nigerian state is structured
lie in elites and community leaders directly
engaging each other in discussions and
negotiations.
What can be done to improve the way we
live without restructuring? Sustained
improvements in the quality of governance at
all levels as well as rapid and even
development are essential. Elite cohesion and
respect for the complex nature of the nation
will build bridges that can create positive
dispositions to look for solutions that give
everyone something. Constitutional
amendments can be made to make changes
in the federal structure less cumbersome, and
ensure that irrespective of geographical
locations, ethnic origin or other defining
characteristics, no Nigerian suffers
disadvantages arising from the operations of
our federal structure.
08055069060 (SMS Only)
FEC returns life to the DSO
NIGERIA is not starved of good
people to do us proud. On
Monday, Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala
demonstrated this in making history
as the first African and first woman
ever to become the Director General
of the World Trade Organisation,
WTO, to global acclaim.
Her first virtual press conference
espoused the qualities for which the
world picked this international
economist and development expert
to be admitted into the revered inner
sanctum of universal civil service.
Few hours earlier, in faraway Las
Vegas in Nevada, Kamaru Usman
demonstrated that Nigeria wasn’t
lacking brave hearts as he
successfully defended his UFC
welterweight title against Gilbert
Burns and totally annihilated the
unfortunate fellow in the third round.
Raw power of the highest sort
properly channelled into usefulness.
A commentator even said he had a
Ph.D in cage fight! That is the height
of dexterity and accomplishment.
As it is always, we look at the
pecuniary end of everything, the
naira and kobo view imposed by
government policies and conditions
that are lacking in substance and
articulation. But I see the scarf of the
Nigerian colours of green-whitegreen,
made of Nigerian fabric (Aso
Oke) around Okonjo-Iweala’s neck;
I see the Nigerian Flag draped at
Usman’s corner of the cage, and I
see a Nigeria in full flight, ready to
take on the global community with
our best eleven on the pitch.
But not so at home. Our best eleven
are very far away from the playing
pitch because of ethnocentric factors
that are tearing the country apart and
the leadership is complicit for their
inability to deal with it. Good news
have been so much in deficit here
that you literally have to scavenge
for them. This is why Okonji-Iweala
brings a nourishing breather.
Apart from the crushing story of
near anarchy unfolding in the land,
I started feeling some elation from
mid last week when the Minister of
Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai
Mohammed, after the Federal
Executive Council, FEC, meeting,
announced the approval by Council
of N9.4bn to fast-track the Digital
Switchover, DSO, process which, for
long, had floundered in Nigeria.
The Digital Switchover process
commenced in July 2006 under the
auspices of the ITU and was
expected to end by 2015 and 2020
respectively. The process would free
up broadcast frequencies for uptake
by the telecommunications industry
for mobile, broadband and last mile
connectivity services to the various
ends of a country. For Nigeria, this
would put more phones in the hands
of people, further stimulate the data
sector and extend more affordable
services even to areas where
telecommunications services are yet
to berth. Unfortunately, Nigeria
missed both cuts.
Expressing regrets, Mohammed
said: “We were not able to make it.
Good news have been
so much in deficit here
that you literally have to
scavenge for them; this is
why Okonji-Iweala brings
a nourishing breather
But with the approval of this memo
by today, we would be striving to
switch from analogue to digital. The
effect of the move today is that the
digital switchover is real and the
economic effect of it will be the
creation of hundreds of thousands
of jobs in content production, channel
distribution, Nollywood and
electronic appliance productions to
service about 20 million Nigerian
homes. At the end of the switchover,
we would have created the biggest
free-to-air TV platform in Africa. I
will be announcing a ministerial task
force that will execute the council
resolve, either this week or next.”
It doesn’t matter anymore that
Nigeria was failing in the process
very dismally. What for me is more
important is that government has
taken a major decision that will rev
up the digital switchover engine. And
this is much better than anything that
has come from Mohammed for
weeks.
Really it can be very exhausting to
watch a minister declare that this
government has done more to secure
the nation than any other
government. And following after that
are images of burnt houses, a
number of deaths and all kinds of
depressing things too benumbing for
the body to manage.
We seem to be insulated from the
chaos around us as we throw figures
about the place, forgetting always,
that truth is measured by the reality
on ground.
On the DSO, Mohammed scores
very high. And this is what
government is all about – to breathe
life into dying or dead processes and
give the ordinary folks something to
hope for.
The DSO is returning to life and
the world can begin to see us
differently again. Mind you, the
N9.4bn is little drop in a sea of needs,
like a measure of tea spoon from a
swimming pool. But, at least, a
journey has started with all fervency.
Acting Director General of the
Nigerian Broadcasting
Commission, NBC, the body
executing the DSO process for
Nigeria, Prof. Armstrong Idachaba,
also looked very relieved on Monday
as we x-rayed the DSO journey so
far. While trying to make a strong
impact at takeoff point, the
Commission took some decisions,
including going into agreement with
some service providers without
following due process. The
Commission suddenly found itself
with over N12bn debt overhang. The
process was trapped, with the various
stakeholders nearly submitting to a
stupefying helplessness. Thankfully,
the Bureau of Public Procurement,
BPP, made a redeeming intervention,
offering professional advice and
clearing the way forward.
“It is a relief for everybody. You
can’t drive a process with credibility
issues. The issue of support by
governments – Federal, States and
Local Councils – is key to the success
of the DSO project,” he told this
writer. Suddenly, Idachaba observed,
the intervention has infused
transparency and confidence into
the process, thus challenging all
parties involved in the project
delivery to expedite action by way of
responding to the good faith
demonstrated by government.
Expectedly, this FEC approval will
take care of legacy debts owed service
providers, including signal
distributors and set top box
manufacturers. Then the real game
for the survival of the DSO will
begin.
All pretenses will be thrown over
board and the various stakeholders
will have to re-strategize to deliver
the DSO as it was originally
conceived. After what seems to be a
bailout intervention, the DSO will
have to fend for itself and sort out its
complexities.
18 — Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 17, 2021
ON February 1, 2021 the Minister
of Industry, Trade and Investment,
Niyi Adebayo, announced with
flourish the Federal Government’s
approval of the National Quality
Policy, NQP, which is primarily meant
to stop the rejection of Nigerian
exports to foreign countries.
Much as this measure is welcome in exports were rejected due to poor
that it will help in solving a major branding, labelling and packaging.
impediment to our efforts to diversify Nigeria accounts for over 60 per cent
our means of earning foreign of the world’s yam production but due
exchange from dependence on crude to lack of quality control issues, she
oil sales, it is seriously bemusing that is struggling to break the surface as a
a country that gained its independence major yam exporter.
over 60 years ago and once depended In April 2017, the immediate past
on produce exports for its survival is Minister of Agriculture, Audu Ogbeh,
only just now realising the need to had lamented: “Some consignments
create an NQP to promote its exports. of yams were exported from Nigeria
This simply underlines the decades to the United States and according to
of neglect of our non-oil export reports we have today, they were
sector. In September 2019, Williams found to be of poor quality”.
Eze, the Director of Business The Minister had vowed to
Development of the Nigerian investigate both the companies that
Investment Promotion Council, NIPC, exported the yams and the Agriculture
disclosed that 30 per cent of Nigerian Ministry’s Quarantine Department to
Who’ll implement the National Quality Policy?
find out “how such a consignment left
here”.
It is not as though no governmental
mechanism exists at all to ensure that
Nigerian exports undergo appropriate
quality control measures. Indeed, nine
Federal agencies and departments are
charged with this responsibility.
These are: the Nigerian Ports
Authority, NPA; Nigerian Customs
Service, NCS; Federal Airports
Authority of Nigeria, FAAN; the
National Agency for Food and Drug
Administration and Control,
NAFDAC; and the Standards
Organisation of Nigeria, SON.
Others are the Nigerian Export
Promotion Council, NPEC; Nigerian
Agricultural Quarantine Services,
NAQS; the Central Bank of Nigeria,
CBN; and the National Agricultural
Seed Council, NASC.
In Nigeria, the adage that “a goat
owned by many people dies of
hunger” is so true. Inter-agency
synergy is lacking. This much is
obvious even among our security
agencies.
The bureaucracy is full of indolent,
unpatriotic, corrupt and incompetent
workers, and the political leadership
is only interested in the power and
corrupt enrichment their offices
afford them. Few officials are
interested in the supervision and
follow-ups that produce effective
governance.
We suggest that for the NQP to
work, one agency should be handed
the core assignment with others
represented for their specialised
inputs.
The North and the rest of us (2)
This is the concluding part of
this piece. The first part which
was published yesterday
harped on the incompatible
association between the North
and the South.
By SAM AGBESUA
UNFORTUNATELY for
the innocent children of the
guard, the landlord came at the
time they were coming from
school. The Northern elite felt
disappointed seeing the children
coming in school uniform. He
queried the guard about what he
was seeing. The man explained
that it was the NYSC man who
enlightened them.
He then flared up with the young
man asking him whether that was
what he came to do in the North.
Thereafter, he arranged for the
transfer of the young man out of
the area.
One can reasonably guess that
that was the end of Western
education for those innocent
children whose crime was just the
accident of their place of birth.
How are we sure that those
children are not members of the
Boko Haram or the murderous
herdsmen or other bandits
tormenting innocent Nigerians
today. The above story clearly
reveals the marked difference
between the North and the rest of
us on what really constitute values
that are really having impacts on
the polity.
No wonder Sir Ahmadu Bello
unambiguously declared the
amalgamation of the North and
South as “the mistake of 1914.”
How long can we continue to
accommodate this mistake and the
retrogressive impacts of the North
on the rest of us? Under the present
situation, it is quite unreasonable
for the Northern hegemonists and
their selfish collaborator quislings
from the South to continue to shout
at the top of their voices that
Nigeria is an indivisible entity
without doing the needful first. This
is a great fallacy. Nigeria is
divisible. We should stop living in
self-delusion.
A Yoruba proverb says that in a
hunting expedition, instead of the
elephant to be the armour bearer
of the leopard, the expedition will
rather be conducted separately.
If every group goes its different
way and life becomes meaningful
for everyone, is it not desirable
than under an enforced association
where life is perpetually
meaningless to almost everyone?
The situation of the country is
moving to where the North and the
rest of us will be doing ourselves
favour to heed the counsel of Dr.
Nnamdi Azikiwe, Nigeria’s First
Republic President. Zik pleaded in
a broadcast: “Whether our beloved
Nigeria will continue to remain
OPINION
united as one country or will
become disintegrated into minute
principalities depends now upon
two factors … I have only one
request to make … if this embryo
Republic must disintegrate, then in
the name of God, let the operation
be a short and painless one.”
Zik added: …Let it not be featured
by violence … should the
politicians fail to heed this
warning, then I will venture the
prediction that the experience of the
It is only the
restructuring of the
country that can save
the situation for
Nigeria as single
political entity
Democratic Republic of the Congo
will be a child’s play if it ever comes
to our turn to play such a tragic
role…”.
The bitter truth is that the
prevailing system cannot work. It
has never worked. It will never
work. It is only the restructuring of
the country that can save the
situation for Nigeria as single
political entity. This will foster a
symbiotic rather than the
prevailing parasitic relationship.
Each group in a genuine
federation will be allowed to
develop at its own pace, creating
room for healthy competition as
seen in the pre-independent era.
Then, under Chief Obafemi
Awolowo, the Western Region
became the cynosure of all eyes as
a result of spectacular social,
economic and political
developments that were glaring
even to the blind and audible to
the deaf.
Other regions tried as much as
possible to rise to the challenges
of the breakthroughs in the West.
Sir Ahmadu Bello in the North
and Dr. Nnamdi Azikiwe in the
East also did things that were of
great landmarks and of immense
benefits to their people.
Unfortunately the negative effects
of the Northern domination on the
rest of us had virtually wiped off
the gains of that era.
The Northern elite of today are
not ready to face challenges of
generating the resources they need.
They are only interested in the
feeding bottle federalism in which
the needed resources, generated
mainly from the South are under
their control and doled out to them
periodically without making any
serious effort to work for what they
need.
It is purely a parasitic
relationship. Ahmadu Bello did not
rely on allocation from the centre
to develop the North. He worked
assiduously for what he needed.
In fact, under the present Buhari
government, it appears the
detestable Ironsi’s Decree 34 of
May 24, 1966 is just being
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implemented. Ironsi and his
cohorts failed to consider the
peculiarity of Nigeria as a multiethnic
and multi-religious nation
before coming up with the ill-fated
decree. Compare the language and
expectations of that decree with
what is on ground under the present
regime, you find the spirit of the
decree dangerously hovering over
the nation. The North can recall
the major role it played in the
conflagrations the ill-fated decree
inevitably attracted which did not
spare Ironsi and almost consumed
the whole nation.
If the decree, even before
implementation by Ironsi,
generated such conflagrations,
anyone who thinks it would work
now is living in a fool’s paradise.
The North should not be deluded
into thinking that there is
immunity for it against the
avoidable conflagrations this time
around.
Because the Northern elite are
already complacent with the
periodic allocation from the
centre, they are ready to even
threaten war to prevent the
restructuring of the country that
will force them to work for what
they need. The only alternative to
the restructuring of the country is
for each group to go its separate
ways peacefully just as Zik
admonished.
•Agbesua, former managing
director of Tribune, wrote from
Ibadan.
Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 17, 2021 — 19
Axxela gets high
ratings for strategic
initiatives, revenue
diversification
By Peter Egwuatu
Food inflation rises 20.6% as price increases
persist *Headline inflation hits 16.5% in January
By Elizabeth Adegbesan
ECONOMY
INCREASES in the prices of ba
sic food items continued for the
17th consecutive month, prompting
the Food inflation to hit 20.57 per
cent in January, the highest since
September 2019.
Consequently, the nation’s annual
inflation rate also rose for the 17th
consecutive months to 16.47 percent
in January representing 0.71 percentage
point increase from 15.8
percent in December 2020.
the National Bureau of Statistics,
NBS disclosed this in its Consumer
Price Index (CPI) Report for January
2021 released yesterday noting
that the rise in the food inflation
was caused by increases in prices
of bread and cereals, potatoes, yam
and other tubers, meat, fruits, vegetables,
fish and oils and fats.
This upward trend in food prices,
according to analysts, will persist
due to the insecurity in the country
and the approaching planting season.
The NBS stated: “The consumer
price index, (CPI) which measures
inflation increased by 16.47 percent
(year-on-year) in January 2021. This
is 0.71 percent points higher than
the rate recorded in December 2020
(15.75 percent). Increases were recorded
in all COICOP divisions that
yielded the Headline index.
“On a month-on-month basis, the
Headline index increased by 1.49
percent in January 2021. This is
0.12
percentage points lower than the
rate recorded in December 2020
(1.61 percent).”
On the food inflation, the NBS
stated: “The composite food index
rose by 20.57 percent in January
2021 compared to 19.56 percent in
December 2020.
“This rise in the food index was
caused by increases in prices of
Bread and cereals, Potatoes, Yam
and other
tubers, Meat, Fruits, Vegetable,
CURRENCY BUYING SELLING
US DOLLAR
POUNDS
EURO
FRANC
YEN
CFA
WAUA
RENMINBI
RIYAL
RAND
126.00 +2.95
2,428.00 -5.00
15.90 +0.26
63.15 -0.15
59.87 +0.40
379 379.5 380
527.7954 528.4917 529.188
461.1293 461.7377 462.346
426.8018 427.3649 427.9279
3.5958 3.6006 3.6053
0.6805 0.6905 0.7005
545.3257 546.0452 546.7646
58.6479 58.7257 58.8035
101.0424 101.1757 101.309
26.2077 26.2423 26.2768
CBN Exchange rate as at 16/02/2021
PRESENTATION — From left: South West Zonal Liaison officer, Nigerian Association of Road Transport
Owners, Mr. Seyi Adejuyigbe, Managing Director, MASTERMINDER Oil & Gas Limited, Mr. Ademola
Ademoroti, Director General, Lagos State Safety Commission, Mr. Lanre Mojola, and Director of Operations,
MASTERMINDER, Mr. Kamal Lawal, at the presentation of Personal Protective Equipment to the
DG in Lagos, recently.
Fish and Oils and Fats.
“On a month-on-month basis, the
food sub-index increased by 1.83
percent in January 2021, down by
0.22 percent points from 2.05 percent
recorded in December 2020. “
Commenting on the development,
MONEY MARKET
Analysts at Financial Derivative
Company (FDC) said: “The rate of
inflation is expected to slow as interest
rates rise and consumption declines.
However, inflation-stoking
factors persist. Petrol prices are likely
to increase further towards N200/litre
on higher oil prices.
“In addition, as we gradually enter
the planting season, this coupled
with rising insecurity across the country,
will lead to supply shortages and
keep food prices elevated.”
N69.4bn debt: Court reinstates AMCON’s order
to seize Jimoh Ibrahim’s assets
By Babajide Komolafe
AFederal High Court Lagos
Division has declined to vacate
an interim order through
which the Asset Management Corporation
of Nigeria (AMCON)
seized the properties of barrister
and businessman, Jimoh Ibrahim
over an alleged N69.4 billion debt.
A statement from AMCON disclosing
the development said:
“Disclosing this in a statement,
Recall that following the order of
Honourable Justice R.M. Aikawa
also of the Federal High
Court, Lagos, AMCON
effectively took possession
of twelve prime assets
belonging to Barrister
Jimoh Ibrahim, who is
also the Chief promoter of
Global Fleet Oil & Gas
Limited and NICON Investment
Limited in
Lagos and Abuja over the
staggering indebtedness.
“The embattled businessman
who himself is a
lawyer, and who decided
to attend the court session
fully robed as a lawyer on
Tuesday February 16,
2021 sat there helpless,
listening to superior argument,
which made his
plea fall flat on the
ground. He, as well as
NICON Investment Limited
and Global Fleet Oil
and Gas Limited, which
he owns had asked the
court to set aside the order
for “non-disclosure
and misrepresentation of
material facts.”
“Ibrahim and Co. also asked the
court to order AMCON to pay N50
billion indemnity for alleged failure
to conduct due diligence before
obtaining the said order and
for misrepresentation and concealment
of fact, which the court
also brushed aside.
“Justice Rilwan Aikawa, in the
ruling, upheld the arguments of
AMCON’s lawyer, Mr Kemi
Pinheiro (SAN) that AMCON
made “full and substantial disclosure
of all material facts” at the
time of obtaining the orders on
November 4, 2020. The presiding
Judge therefore ruled that the order
subsists.”
Following the November 4 order,
AMCON had announced on
November 18 through a statement
signed by its head of Corporate
Communications Department, Mr
Jude Nwauzor that AMCON had
effectively took possession of over
12 properties belonging to the businessman
and his firms. The properties
included the NICON Investment
Limited building on Plot 242,
Muhammadu Buhari Way, Central
Business District, Abuja;
NICON Hotels Limited building
located at Plot 557, Port-Harcourt
Crescent, off Gimbiya Street,
Abuja and the building of NICON
Lekki Limited also at No. 5, Customs
Street, Lagos.
The statement added then that
in addition to the takeover of the
listed properties, the Court also
ordered the freezing of all accounts
belonging to Barrister
Jimoh Ibrahim and his companies
including Global Fleet Oil & Gas
Limited and NICON Investment
Limited all of whom are defendants
in the Suit No. FHL/L/CL/
776/2016.
ENERGY
GLOBAL Credit Ratings, GCR
has accorded higher ratings to
Axxela Limited, a company with duallisting
of debt securities on the Nigerian
Stock Exchange (NSE) and the
FMDQ markets has been accorded
higher ratings by
According to the GCR report
Axxela was accorded national scale
issuer ratings of BBB+(NG) and
A2(NG) in the long term and short
term by Global Credit Ratings, GCR.
The ratings are valid until September
2021 and were ascribed due to
Axxela’s strategic initiatives, continued
diversification of revenue sources, and
robust business continuity plans.
GCR stated that, “Axxela’s ratings
reflect its leading position within the
Nigerian natural gas distribution
market, supported by long term distribution
franchises in Lagos and Port
Harcourt. Other key strengths which
have underpinned the stability of earnings
and cash flows include long term
agreements with suppliers and customers,
as well as a shipper license on
the West African Gas Pipeline which
enables Axxela supply gas to other West
African countries. Axxela evidenced
resilient performance in third quarter,
Q3, and full year, FY20, despite the
COVID-19 disruptions, and reported
strong revenue growth over the review
period underpinned by a larger client
base, rising volumes, and firmer selling
prices.”
Agusto & Co. also recently re validated
Axxela’s corporate credit rating
as “Bbb+” with a stable outlook until
June 30, 2021.
Commenting on the rating renewal,
Bolaji Osunsanya, Axxela’s Chief Executive
Officer, said: “Given the global
headwinds faced by many sectors
due to the pandemic, the company’s
rating profile reaffirms our healthy financial
status, competitive position,
and the application of Environmental,
Social, and Governance (ESG)
standards across our sustainable business
model. As an industry leader,
Axxela will continue to spur wider
industrialisation to develop communities
and maximise shareholder
value.”
Nigeria’s crude oil production to rise by
32,000bpd Q4’21 ENERGY
By Prince Okafor
NIGERIA’s crude oil produc
tion capacity is set to rise by
32,000 barrels per day, bpd following
the commencement of Total Exploration
and Production Company,
Total E&P’s $500 million Ikike
oil field in the fourth quarter of
2021.
Estimated to hold 70 million barrels
of crude oil, the field is located
in the Oil
Mining
Lease
(OML) 99,
approximately
20km offshore
Nigeria.
It is
owned by
a joint
venture
(JV) comprising
Total
E&P
Nigeria
(40 percent,
operator)
and Nigeria
National
Petroleum
Corporation (NNPC, 60 percent).
Speaking during a courtesy visit to
the Nigerian Content Development
and Monitoring Board, NCDMB in
Yenagoa, Bayelsa State, the Managing
Director of Total E&P, Mr.
Mike Sangster noted that the company
had operated in Nigeria for
60 years and is the only IOC that
operates in the upstream, midstream
and downstream sectors of
the Nigerian oil and gas industry.
20 — Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 17, 2021
cent of total trade in Asia and
72 per cent in Europe and
about 50 per cent in North
America in 2019.
AfCFTA is meant to lower or
eliminate cross-border tariffs on
the majority of goods, facilitate
the movement of capital and
people, promote investment
and pave the way for a
continent-wide Customs
union. Participating countries
can withdraw from the
agreement after five years.
Timeline
The idea of a single African
market was first mooted in 1963
by then Nigeria’s Prime
Minister, Abubakar Tafawa
Balewa. In pursuant of this, in
1980, the Lagos Plan of Action
was adopted by leaders of
African countries.
Further in 1991, African
Heads of State signed the
Abuja Treaty leading to the
formation of the Africa
Economic Community, and in
2018 in Rwanda, they signed
the treaty for the establishment
of AfCFTA.
African context
The AfCFTA will cover a
market of 1.2 billion Africans
with a combined Gross
Domestic Product, GDP, of $2.5
trillion. It would increase intra-
African trade by up to 52.3 per
cent; and enable all AU
countries to share in the welfare
gain, which is estimated at 2.64
per cent of continental GDP -
roughly $65 billion in 2018
terms.
It is also expected to double
the continent’s share of world
trade from three per cent to six
per cent over the next 10 years.
AfCFTA will boost wages for
unskilled workers in the
agricultural and nonagricultural
sectors, as well as
for skilled workers, with a small
shift in employment expected
from agricultural to nonagricultural
sectors. It would
also be accompanied by
additional dynamic benefits,
notably, export diversification,
durable sustained growth, an
enlarged regional market that
better attracts FDI, with wider
economic space for
industrialisation and catalytic
effects for structural
transformation.
The pact will expand the size
By Yinka Kolawole
THE African Continental Free Trade Agreement, AfCFTA, is
a continent-wide trade pact aimed at tearing down barriers
to commerce among African countries. It is focused on trade
liberalisation across the continent and provides for progressive
elimination of tariff and non-tariff barriers and development and
promotion of regional and continental value chains.
The agreement which came into effect on the 1st of January,
2021, is expected to encourage trade activities by removing tariffs
of over 90% of goods traded between member countries.
AfCFTA is expected to drive the integration of African countries
into the global economy and enhance their bargaining power in
international trade negotiations.
When fully operational, it will constitute the largest trading
bloc since the World Trade Organisation, WTO was formed in
1994.
54 nations of the African Union have signed to join the bloc
with only Eritrea yet to join, 36 have ratified the accord and 34
have deposited their instruments of ratification, while 41 countries/
Customs unions have submitted their tariff offers, including the
East African Community, EAC and the Economic Community of
West African States, ECOWAS.
Background
According to the African Development Bank, AfDB, intra-African
exports amounted to only about 16 per cent of total trade on the
continent. By contrast, internal shipments accounted for 52 per
of Africa’s economy to $29
trillion by 2050, as estimated by
the United Nations’ Economic
Commission for Africa, ECA.
The general view is that no
African country is fully ready
for trade liberalisation. Most
plan to use the AfCFTA as a
driving force to enhance their
global trade competitiveness.
Nigerian context
Nigeria is among the
countries that are seemingly
competitive within the African
context but require additional
work to optimize the benefits of
AfCFTA. Others are South
Africa, Morocco, Kenya, Egypt
and Botswana.
All other countries require
material work to be competitive
within the AfCFTA context,
according to Yewande Sadiku,
Executive Secretary, Nigerian
Investment Promotion
Commission, NIPC.
The African giant has a land
size of 983,213 sq km out of the
continent’s land size of
30,365,000 sq km, with a
population of 201 million,
accounting for 15 per cent of
the total African population of
1.3 billion people.
Nigeria also has a productive
population, 20 – 59 years old,
of 85 million which is 15 per
cent of the continent’s total
viable population of 588
million, with a labour force of 61
million - 12 per cent of Africa’s
500 million labour force.
And of course, Nigeria boasts
of the continent’s largest
economy with GDP of $477
billion, accounting for 19 per
cent of Africa’s $2.5 trillion
GDP.
But a report by the African
Export-Import Bank,
•Niyi Adebayo, Minister of Industry,
Trade & Investment
AfCFTA: Mapping
Nigeria’s foray into
Africa’s single market
Afreximbank, noted that out of
Africa’s total merchandise trade
of about $1 trillion in 2019,
Nigeria accounted for only 6.4
per cent of the intra-continental
trade, the third largest in the
continent.
South Africa with the largest
share accounted for more than
a fifth of intra-African trade at
21.5 per cent. Other countries
in the top ten include: DR
Congo 8.2%; Algeria 5.2%;
Namibia 4.9%; Botswana 4.0%;
Egypt 3.8%; Zimbabwe 3.7%;
Ivory Coast 3.4% and; Angola
2.5%.
Potential opportunities
Trade experts believe that
The negotiations
are pretty
complex
because the
countries that
are negotiating
would lose tariff
revenues.
Reducing the
tariffs means
the import
duties are lower
so they would be
gathering less
revenue than
before
•Yewande Sadiku, NIPC CEO
AfCFTA will enhance Nigeria’s
potential for business growth.
Already, many Nigerian
companies, particularly in the
service sector, have long
developed the capacity to serve
the rest of Africa. The large
domestic market makes Nigeria
the ideal gateway economy.
There will be an expanded
market for Nigerian goods and
services, creating jobs and
economic growth. It will also
provide opportunity for many
informal enterprises to
formalise operations.
Nigeria’s key competitive
advantages are its strategic
location; strategic time zone
(GMT +1); favourable weather;
large growing population -
expected to be world’s 3rd
largest by 2050; growing
middle class population;
young, energetic, tech-savvy
entrepreneurial population;
optimistic mobile population
with resilient, hard-working
“can do” spirit.
Other advantages are a large
population of consumers; huge
unfilled demand; abundant
natural resources; abundant
economic opportunities;
sophisticated financial markets
and; two decades of political
stability, amongst many others.
The country also boasts of key
comparative advantages such
as four international airports
and major seaports in Lagos,
Calabar and Bonny Island;
3,798 km of railway tracks and
168,000 km of road network
and; land borders with Benin,
Cameroon, Chad and Niger
and a natural hub for the
continent.
On the potential benefits of
the Agreement for the country,
Secretary, National Action
Committee on AfCFTA, Francis
Anatogu, said from the trade
pact, Nigeria aims to double its
export trade to $50 billion
within the decade.
According to Yewande
Sadiku, Executive Secretary/
Chief Executive Officer,
Nigerian Investment Promotion
Commission, AfCFTA is
expected to expand market
access for Nigeria’s exporters of
goods and services, spur growth
and boost job creation;
eliminate barriers against
Nigeria’s products; stimulate
increase in Nigeria’s total
exports, with a small structural
shift in Nigeria’s economy
towards manufacturing and
services.
She added that this will lead
to a total increase in Nigerian
economic welfare by 0.62 per
cent - equivalent to around
$2.9 billion in 2018 terms.
Changes would result from
tariff reduction, ease of doing
business, and trade facilitation.
MSMEs
AfCFTA will provide an
expanded market for Nigerian
products and services; ensure
remedy actions against
injurious practices by foreign
companies and countries;
contribute to the formalisation
of operations in the informal
sector; enhance the potential
for Nigeria’s business growth
and create opportunity for
those in the services sector to
serve the rest of Africa.
It will also provide a platform
for Small and Medium
Enterprises, SMEs integration
into the regional economy and
accelerate women’s
empowerment; provide an
expanded platform for
Nigerian manufacturers and
service providers for
connection to regional and
continental value chains.
Potential threats
But if not properly managed,
Nigeria, under the trade pact,
can become a target economy.
There are challenges with
power supply, route to market
infrastructure (road, rail, ports),
and security, that hinder
competitiveness of Nigerian
goods and services. Also,
urgent reforms are needed to
Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 17, 2021 — 21
•Engr. Mansur Ahmed, MAN President
improve the country’s ease of
doing business and
competitiveness
Revenue loss
Trudi Hartzenberg, Executive
Director of South Africa-based
Trade Law Centre (Tralac) said:
“The negotiations are pretty
complex because the countries
that are negotiating would lose
tariff revenues. Reducing the
tariffs means the import duties
are lower so they would be
gathering less revenue than
before.
“For some countries, the tariff
revenues they get from trade
taxes amounts to 25 per cent
or more of their total fiscal tax
revenues. The easiest taxes to
collect are import duties.”
Put in perspectives, the
projected non-oil revenue in
Nigeria’s budget for 2021 is
N1.49 trillion, out of which
N508.3 billion (34 per cent) is
expected from Customs duty,
signifying the potential
revenue loss for the country.
In a statement, Chairman,
Nigerian Economic Summit
Group, NESG, Asue Ighodalo
•Dr Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, WTO DGdesignate
noted: “Despite the
considerable benefits the
agreement would offer to
Nigeria, it would affect tax
revenue as the country would
no longer collect import duties
from member-states.”
Government efforts
The full implementation of
AfCFTA should drive
investment interest in African
countries that are the most
suitable locations for
production and investment
To this end, the NIPC boss
noted that the government’s
efforts are focused on ensuring
Nigeria’s attractiveness as a
destination. CAMA 2020 and
Finance Act 2019 and 2020
have improvements aimed at
helping small businesses to
survive.
She also said the government
has increased its engagements
with the organised private
sector - Chambers of
Commerce, sector associations,
industry groups, etc.
This was corroborated by the
Secretary, National Action
Committee on AfCFTA. He
stated: “We are effectively
coordinating with all critical
stakeholders to ensure a
smooth playing field for
Nigerian traders and
businessmen to explore the vast
market.”
Operators’ reactions
Private sector operators have
expressed cautious optimism in
their expectations from the
trade agreement.
President, Manufacturers
Association of Nigeria, MAN,
Engr. Mansur Ahmed stated: “A
possible challenge that stares us
in the face is the issue of
dumping. The dumping issue
frankly is a matter of political
will. Do our governments and
political leaders have the
Some Nigerian
manufacturers
are quite ready
to compete in
the continental
market
especially in
cosmetics, food,
beverages and
tobacco, cement
and plastics but
others will face
stiff
competition
and will
struggle
political will to agree on those
things that we have to do? For
instance, to ensure that we do
not allow dumping to take
place, there is a need to ensure
that all countries operate based
on the rule of origin that has
been agreed. But the difference
is that while some countries will
ensure that these regulations
are complied with, others
unfortunately will not do so.
This calls for an effective
monitoring mechanism to be
put in place to ensure that all
countries do the right thing.
“Some
Nigerian
manufacturers are quite ready
to compete in the continental
market especially in cosmetics,
food, beverages and tobacco,
cement and plastics but others
will face stiff competition and
will struggle.
“Government must be more
serious about its effort to reduce
the cost of production and
improve the business
environment. Our trade
related regulatory agencies
must also change their attitude
from that of gatekeepers and
revenue collectors to trade
facilitators.
“If we introduce and sustain
the right policies that should
promote investment, reduce
cost and improve productivity,
Nigeria’s manufacturing sector
has advantages to leverage on
and should benefit greatly from
AfCFTA, provided the various
protocols being negotiated are
complied with by all membernations.”
On his part, Director-
General, Lagos Chamber of
commerce and Industry, LCCI,
Dr Muda Yusuf, said the trade
deal will produce winners and
losers.
“AfCFTA will produce
winners and losers across
sectors. The vulnerability risks
vary from sector to sector. It
calls for a review of business
models of many firms and
industries in the light of new
competition forces that will
emerge.
“It presents a significant
competitiveness risk, especially
for the real sector of the
Nigerian economy. Production
costs are high, there are issues
with costs of logistics, the ports
processes and infrastructure,
multiplicity of taxes, forex
liquidity among others. The
benefits and costs of the trade
treaty will vary from country to
country depending on their
economic competitiveness.
“To benefit optimally from
this, we need to strengthen the
competitiveness of our
domestic firms, especially those
in the real sector. We need to
liberate them from the shackles
of constraints putting pressure
on their costs and inhibiting
their competitiveness.
“The quality of our
infrastructure needs to improve,
our policies need to facilitate
competitiveness, our
regulations need to support
business growth and our
institutions need to
demonstrate better
appreciation of the value of
investment and investors in an
economy.”
“The government needs to
urgently implement the
recommendations of its AfCFTA
Readiness Committee. If our
industries
remain
uncompetitive, then we would
have issues with the continental
treaty. However, this is not to
diminish the significance of
AfCFTA and its potential
benefits to the Nigerian
economy. ”
In the same vein, Director-
General, Nigerian Association
of Chambers of Commerce,
Industry, Mines and
Agriculture, NACCIMA, Amb.
Ayoola Olukanni, said that
access to foreign exchange
(forex), irregular electricity
supply and poor infrastructure
such as power, roads, rail and
efficient functioning of the ports
are issues affecting the
readiness of Nigeria for
AfCFTA.
“We must reposition the
Nigerian economy especially
the manufacturing sector by
improving infrastructure such
as power, roads, rail and ensure
efficient functioning of our
ports. This is to enable us to
compete effectively and
successfully under AfCFTA.”
22 — Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 17, 2021
Visa partners GIGL on special e-commerce tariff for SMEs
By Juliet Umeh
DIGITAL
payments
company, Visa has entered
into partnership with Logistics
Company, GIGL, to introduce a
special e-Commerce Tariff for
small businesses in Nigeria.
The collaboration will allow
merchants who have signed up on
Visa Small Business Hub access
a discounted tariff plan for their
logistics needs with the logistics
provider.
Also,interested SMEs will be
redirected to the GIGL Merchant
Portal Page when they visit the
Small Business Hub on the Visa
Nigeria website.
The partnership deal helps
business owners access up to 25
percent discounts on all GIGL
tariffs when they fund their wallets
with a Visa business or corporate
card via the GIGG App or the
GIGL website.
Vice-President Visa West Africa,
Kemi Okusanya said: “Visa has
continuously shown its support in
the recovery of African
economies, through strategic
partnerships to help reposition
small businesses for improved
growth and recovery.
“Our partnership with GIGL
seeks to further provide a platform
for business owners to enjoy
discounted offers to better serve the
everyday consumer,” Okusanya
said.
Merchant Support and Growth
Manager, GIG Logistics, Mosun
Suleiman, also said GIGL has
continued to validate unflinching
support for digital commerce
merchants and SMEs by solving
the most critical factor with online
and offline sales, which is
delivered to the end-user.
He said: “Powering
decentralised commerce and
providing adequate support for
SMEs through initiatives and
strategic partnerships are
integral parts of our business
culture. We are committed to
building practical solutions that
simplify logistics by providing
timely, cost-efficient, and
effective deliveries while
returning best value to all
stakeholders,” she added.
Africa leads global mobile money
growth with 46 percent
By Prince Osuagwu, Hi-Tech
Editor & Juliet Umeh
THERE are about one billion
mobile money accounts
globally, according to latest report
by cybersecurity giants,
Kerspersky. These accounts, the
report revealed, process more
than $1.9 billion daily.
However, the most interesting
aspect of this positive
development is that Africa leads
the pack with about 46 per cent of
the accounts, meaning that a
greater chunk of the $1.9 billion
is processed in Africa. The
continent is also expected to
increase the 481 million accounts
it currently has, to exceed half a
billion accounts before the end of
first quarter 2021.
With such a strong growth, the
region has no doubt become the
epicentre of the global market;
but the report also considers it
most vulnerable and at the
highest risk of cyber attacks.
The report, however, advised
consumers to keep mobile wallet
safe as cybercriminals are
constantly coming up with
innovative tactics to compromise
people’s wallets whether
traditional bank accounts or
mobile wallets.
Africa’s strength
Kaspersky said by the end of
2019, Africa had 481 million
registered mobile money
accounts, making up 46 per cent
of global accounts.
Also, with the COVID-19
pandemic resulting in lockdown
conditions in many countries,
more people, particularly in Africa
turned to mobile wallets instead
of cash, as a safer option.
The company noted that
although cash has long been
considered “king” in Africa,
mobile money and e-wallets have
also been growing exponentially
over the past decade, following the
number of international and
African players who enter and
expand into new markets across
the continent.
The report says they provide a
more user-friendly alternative to
processing micro-payments even
as they reduce the number of cash
people need to carry with them.
Enterprise Sales Manager at
Kaspersky in Africa, Bethwel Opil
said: “While there is ample
benefit to be gained from mobile
money, spam, phishing, social
engineering, and fraud all form
part of the cyberattack landscape
when it comes to this innovation.
Threat actors are constantly
coming up with more innovative
tactics to compromise people’s
•As Kaspersky hints on cybersecurity threats
•Warns African users to keep mobile wallet safe
wallets whether these pertain to
traditional bank accounts or
mobile wallets.
“It is, therefore, imperative that
consumers remain vigilant and
apply commonsense to their
transactions and engagements
with mobile money services,” he
added.
“Considering the significant
growth and potential for mobile
money and e-wallets, these
payment platforms must
maintain a high level of security
and keep improving on it.
Education is, therefore, the most
critical component of mitigating
the risk of social engineering
compromises from people
opening malicious links, sharing
sensitive information, or falling
prey to fraudulent schemes,” Opil
explained.
Tips to keep mobile wallet safe
Meanwhile, some of the tips the
report provided on how to keep the mobile
wallets safe, include:
* One of the best ways to avoid having a
device being compromised is to avoid
clicking on malicious emails, attachments,
or other messages. Users must lookout for
red flags in communication from those
purporting to be from service providers.
* Never trust messages unconditionally.
Always check potential issues through one’s
personal account on the Website or in the
mobile money app. This is especially
important when confirming the crediting
of funds.
* A user must also never use an unfamiliar
delivery service especially when it comes
to online purchases. Users must be careful
of using alternative money transfer methods
to the ones they are comfortable with. These
are typically not covered by the protection
programs of mobile money or money
transfer applications.
* It goes without saying that users must
never give out personal information beyond
what is necessary for the transaction. This
includes usernames and passwords.
NetPlusDotCom disrupts Fintech sector with Android-based
POS terminals
By Prince Osuagwu
TECHNOLOGY and digital
payment company, NetPlus-
DotCom, recently disrupted the payment
landscape, launching an Android-based
Point-of-Sale POS terminal.
The device, NetPOS, which enables
seamless transactions, aids
quick sales and issuing of receipts.
According to the company, the
device which is certified by the Nigeria
Interbank Settlement Systems,
NIBSS, can process multiple
types of payment. It comes in two
variants - the NetPOS Mini and
NetPOS Pro devices.
Both devices are preinstalled with
unique Payment Applications, and
the NetPlus Merchant Super App,
STORM.
STORM, itself, also has utilities
and features that enable transactions
to be conducted seamlessly.
Founder of the company, Wole
Faroun, said: “With the launch of
our NetPOS devices in the market,
our plan is to deliver an all-in-one
solution that serves as a smartphone
and a POS terminal, thereby
giving business owners the luxury
of achieving more with even
fewer amount of devices.
“These are the first locally-branded
POS terminals and they offer
Digital Space’s Abitoye floats
foundation to help poor Nigerians
By Juliet Umeh
IGITAL Space founder, Olubukola Abitoye, has
Dlaunched a foundation aimed at offering succour to
the less privileged Nigerians against the economic hardship
orchestrated by the Covid-19 pandemic.
Digital Space Capital Limited offers a wide range of
financial services with seamless solutions in asset
management, corporate finance, and business advisory, onlending,
forex services, brokerage and dealings,
crowdfunding and aggregation.
Abitoye said that having experienced poverty as a child,
the foundation, Florence Modupe Foundation, was floated
in honour of her mother who single-handedly raised her from
the tender age of five, after the demise of her father.
The foundation was also unveiled on her 40th birthday,
alongside the launching of her book; Guiding Grace.
She said: “I am honoured to meet with so many women
and men today who are deeply passionate about development
and sustainable growth. Your energy
and dedication are truly inspiring. I
want to say that this enthusiastic
engagement of civil society sets the
tone for our journey that starts today. I
have chosen today to kick off something
that I am most passionate about and if
you are here in this room, it is because
you share that passion too.
“What we are setting out to achieve
from this day is no mean feat, but with
a vision like ours; dreams will come true
and success stories will be told at the
•Abitoye
end of this race,” she added.
MDXi commits to energy efficiency,
environmental sustainability
By Prince Osuagwu
CHIEF Operating Officer of career-neutral data centre,
MDXi, Mr. Gbenga Adegbiji, has said that: “In January
2021, MDXi recorded 100 per cent availability of supply
from the national grid through the Eko Electric Distribution
Company, EKEDC. He said the availability record meant the
company did not have to run any of its four heavy duty
generating sets, thereby saving a huge amount of carbon
emissions, and contributing its own quota to the environment.
“The availability means stability of all facility equipment
and more peace of mind for our customers aside from the
added benefit of reducing carbon footprint,” he added.
He also explained: “The company has started to reap the
full benefits of its green power initiatives embarked upon
some years ago with an investment of close to $1m in direct
connection of its Lekki Data Center to the national grid in
additional branding for partners
including banks, fintechs, and other
financial institutions,” he added.
NetPOS Pro has a design infused
with top-notch Android features that
makes selling easy and seamless.
The device comes with built-in
GPS for tracking, a 2-inch Thermal
Printer that is quick and efficient
and has up to 16GB of storage
space.
NetPOS Mini is an Androidbased
smart mobile phone and a
POS terminal that will help manage
businesses.
It comes with the Android 10 OS
and other latest technologies that
make accepting payments much
faster.
order to enjoy 100 per cent power
availability from the grid. “
Since it launched in 2015,
MDXi has operated carrierneutral
facilities and harnessed
MainOne’s network footprint not
only to interconnect all major
network and content providers in
the West African sub-region, but
also to enable ISPs and virtual
network operators connect the
Data Centers to provide services
to hosted customers.
The organisation has a focus on
deliberate action and a
commitment to doing what is right
even though it comes at a high
cost. Obtaining 100 per cent of its
power supply from the National
Grid,implies that the company
can reduce its dependence on
fossil fuels.
C
M
Y
K
Open grazing: Challenges (1)
IN recent times, one of the most
deep-seated security
challenges plaguing Nigeria is the
menace of some murderous
herdsmen who pillage, plunder
and terrorise local farmers,
vandalising their farmlands,
desecrating their sources of
livelihood and killing those who
dared to challenge their nefarious
activities. Beyond the economic
ramifications of the activities of
these herdsmen, which will no
doubt lead to famine, food
insecurity and unemployment if left
unchecked, there is an immediate
security challenge which calls for
an urgent attention.
It is common knowledge that
Nigeria is bedevilled by a myriad
of security challenges particularly
stemming from armed conflicts
relating to inter-community
conflicts, herders-farmers conflicts,
Boko Haram, clashes between
socio-cultural and religious
groups, among others. However,
the most ubiquitous security
challenge facing Nigeria is the
menace of Fulani herdsmen whose
nomadic nature and
transhumance tradition
transcends the borders of Nigeria’s
geopolitical delineations, often
pitting them against sedentary
farmers and proprietors of
largescale, mechanised farming.
In recent history, herdsmen have
been accused of various forms of
attacks, especially ransom
kidnappings and militia
expeditions against farming
communities considered
antagonistic to their herding and
pasturing activities. The
nonchalance of the Nigerian
government despite the
international classification of these
herders as terrorists seems to have
emboldened these herders who now
wield automatic rifles and assorted
ammunition during their nefarious
escapades.
Ceaseless reports of herdsmen
attacks
The media is constantly awash
with reports of ceaseless,
unprovoked and unrepressed
attacks on individual farmers and
farming communities which then
makes one conclude that the
Nigerian government has failed in
its primary responsibility of the
protection of lives and properties;
and to question the effectiveness or
even the enthusiasm of the
Nigerian security apparatus in
curbing the spate of these wicked,
sadistic, borderline psychopathic
attacks. Late last year, the British
Broadcasting Corporation made
the following headline: "Dozens of
Farm Workers Killed in ‘Insane’
Nigeria Attack". It reported that
more than 43 agricultural
labourers working in rice fields
were slaughtered in Borno State;
while six were reported to be
seriously wounded and 15 women
kidnapped. The CNN however
stated that the number was 110. In
a recent newspaper report titled:
"Ibadan Farmer Dies After Fulani
Herdsmen Allegedly Set His
Cashew Farm Ablaze", the media
reported that without any
provocation, the herdsmen set a
farmer’s cocoa and cashew farms
ablaze and in an attempt to put out
the fire, the farmer’s body caught
fire and was burnt alive! In another
news, Chief Olu Falae, an Afenifere
chieftain, granted a media
interview which was titled: "How
Fulani Herdsmen Killed My Farm
Guard, Took Away His Heart,
Rifle". He narrated the incidence
of his own kidnap and the attack
of his farm guard. He further
added that a number of other
herdsmen vandalised farms not
because of grazing their cows but
because of malice and deliberate
sabotage. Another report reads
thus: "Again, Fulani Herdsmen
Strike in Ondo, Kill Cousin of
Akeredolu’s Media Aide In Ondo".
As you would have guessed by now,
the deceased is equally a farmer.
In fact, the details of his murder is
so gory as the herdsmen
overpowered him and twisted his
neck backward in order to
asphyxiate him. Yet again, in
another news report titled:
"Suspected Kidnappers Kill OPC
member, Abduct Farmer in Ondo",
it was reported that a member of
The nonchalance of the
Nigerian government
seems to have
emboldened these
herders who now wield
automatic rifles during
their nefarious
escapades
OPC was killed by herdsmen when
he joined a search party to rescue
a farmer who had been kidnapped.
In fact, the report of these incessant
killings is overwhelming and
hardly does anyday go by without
any such incidence. Equally tragic
was the murder of Dr Fatai
Aborode in Igangan, Oyo State.
The deceased, a candidate at the
2015 elections into the House of
Representatives, was a PHD holder
and farmer who was reported to
have made it a cardinal point of
his operations to cultivate
friendship with the Fulani in the
area. Many of them were employed
on his farm and he in addition gave
regular gifts, including maize for
the feeding of their cattle. Despite
it all, he was killed in a gruesome
manner as reported by his
manager thus:
We were on the way from farm
when, on getting to the point of the
incident, we were forced to stop. Two
gunmen came out from the bush and
forced us to stop. Two others blocked
us at the back to ensure that we did
not escape. Behind us was another
motorcyclist with his wife on board.
They were also stopped and we were
ordered to come down from the
motorbikes. They didn’t manhandle
the rest of us apart from my boss. At
first, we thought that they were
kidnappers so he asked if they
wanted money. They told him that
they didn’t need his money.
Meanwhile they took me about
500 metres away from where my
boss was taken. The other man and
his wife were in between where I
was and where my boss was held
down. One of them kept watch on
me while they were dealing with
my boss. As he was being macheted,
I heard the voice of the other man
who was on the bike with his wife
pleading that they should not kill
my boss but they turned deaf hears.
At a point, the man who held me
down left me to meet the others; so
I had the opportunity to bolt away.
Government’s response
Sometimes ago, the Federal
Government set up a committee
comprised of the Vice President
and some state governors with a
view to bringing about an
immediate cessation to the attacks
by herdsmen. Also, government
announced an additional measure
which it believes will help in
reducing friction between
herdsmen and farmers; the
establishment of cattle colonies
across the states of the Federation.
Announcing this decision, the
former Minister of Agriculture,
Audu Ogbeh, was reported to have
stated as follows:
One of the most topical issues we
have today is that of farmers and
herdsmen clashes. If we do not deal
with it quickly, we run the risk of
damaging the harmony and the coexistence
of Nigeria as a country.
The killings are getting too many.
In our attempt to solve the problem,
we have proffered certain solutions
but perhaps we were not sensitive
enough to Nigeria’s fragile
sensitivities and suspicions. When
we spoke of colonies, we were
immediately greeted with reactions
that this was an attempt to seize
Nigeria’s land and give to the
Fulanis to colonise. The intention is
not for Fulanis or anyone to colonise
any territory. It is to provide a haven
for cattle to graze in peace under
controlled environments to prevent
the conflicts between farmers and
herdsmen. Only yesterday, a
committee was set up by the Vice
President with members, most of
them state governors, discussing
this matter and resolving that states
that are interested will begin work
on this matter as soon as next week.
The solution proposed by the
former Minister of Agriculture, i.e.
the use of state lands for the
establishment of cattle grazing
colonies for the Fulani herdsmen
is not only impracticable, but has
no premise under the extant
Nigerian laws. In fact, it betrays
the intention of the Nigerian
government to tolerate the
herdsmen rather than prevent
further heinous attacks on
innocent Nigerians; to placate
rather than punish the murderous
herdsmen. At a time, the
Presidential spokesman, Femi
Adesina, reportedly stated,
infamously, that “your ancestral
land for grazing or your life”.
One thing which is clear,
however, is that even if state lands
are acquired for the establishment
of grazing colonies, there is no
guarantee that the Fulani
herdsmen will not seek to extend
their domain by forcefully
acquiring other lands because, by
Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 17, 2021 — 23
their nature, they are nomads.
There is also the possibility that
:Vanguard
whatever expanse of land
News
designated for the herdsmen may
be overgrazed by the cattle, and
therefore leading to the irresistible COVID-19:
temptation to forcefully take
NSCDC embarks
further territories which have
vegetation. These considerations on sensitization
are notwithstanding whether these
ranches are privately or publicly exercise in Delta
managed.
Beyond the political and security
considerations dictating a restraint
in the acquisition and allocation
of state lands for the establishment
of grazing settlements, there are
equally legal impediments to such
acquisition. To meet up with the
expected quota of 10,000 hectares
required from each state, the states
would inevitably have to acquire
land from private citizens and
thereafter allocate it for the
establishment of the colonies
which, if considered, qualify as
private interests. While the Land
Use Act empowers the governors
of the states to acquire land for
public purpose(s), the courts have
held on several occasions that
governments cannot acquire land
from a private individual only to
make same available for the use of
another private individual as this
would not amount to “public
purpose”. In Wuyah v. Jama’a
Local Govt, Kafanchan (2013) All
FWLR (Pt. 659), the court stated
as follows:
The law does not give license to
anybody, an individual, constituted
authority or government, such as the
respondent, to acquire,
compulsorily or otherwise, any land
that belongs to a person and alienate
or transfer it to another private
individual or body for his/its private
use. To do so will run foul of the
aforementioned sacrosanct
provisions of the Land Use Act. The
aim of the Act is not to divest citizens
of their pre-existing titles to land.
No doubt, the Land Use Act is an
expropriatory legislation which
must be construed fortissime contra
preferentes – strictly against the
acquiring authority, but
sympathetically in favour of the
person whose property rights are
being taken away.
Applying the foregoing to the
suggestion of the establishment of
cattle colonies, I do not see how
any acquisition of land by any state
government for the establishment
of cattle colonies would qualify as
a public purpose. The approach of
the courts is to strictly construe any
statute by which government can
or purports to exercise the
expropriation of the proprietary
rights of the citizens. Therefore, as
herdsmen are in reality
businessmen engaged in the
business of cattle rearing for their
own personal financial gain, I do
not see how the provision of land
for the grazing of their cattle, even
at the payment of a fee, would satisfy
the provisions of the law if the land
is acquired from other private
individuals.
In stating the above, I am not
unmindful of the provisions of
Section 51(1)(h) of the Land Use
Act which permits acquisition “for
obtaining control over land
required for or in connection with
economic, industrial or
agricultural development”. This, in
my estimation, contemplates a
situation in which the land is
acquired for the use by the
government of its own plans for
agricultural development. What is
however clear from the stated
intention of government is a plan
to make the land available for the
use of the herdsmen and their
cattle.
To be concluded
ASABA—IN line with the recent
directives by President
Muhammadu Buhari to all
government apparatuses to embark
on measures to guide against the
second wave of the Covid-19
pandemic, Delta State Command of
the Nigerian Security and Civil
Defence Corps, NSCDC, has
commenced the sensitization of
members of the public across the
twenty-five local government areas
of the state to educate and create
awareness on the need for them to
always abide with all the Covid-19
protocols.
In a statement by the state Public
Relations Officer of the command
and Superintendent of Corps, Eke
Onyekachi, stated that the state
Commandant of the Corps, Dr.
Ikpeamaonwu as directed by the
command’s headquarters in Abuja
that all the command of the NSCDC
across the country should as a matter
of urgency mobilize its men and
women to embark on sensitization
exercise across the country.
According to the PRO, "the exercise
is been carried out in all the local
government areas as well as in
schools, markets, churches and other
private places to educate and sentize
them on the need to always put on
their face masks, wash their hands
regularly with water and soap and
avoid crowded environments."
He commended the state
commandant, Ikpeamaonwu for his
support in carrying out the exercise
and called on the men and women of
the command to adhere strictly to the
directives of the exercise.
LG polls: Isoko
North PDP
inaugurates
campaign council
By OchukoAkuopha
OZORO—THE
Peoples
Democratic Party, PDP, in Isoko
North Local Government Area, Delta
State, has inaugurated a Campaign
Council for the March 6, 2021 council
elections with Special Adviser to the
Governor on Community and Rural
Development, Rt Hon. Emmanuel
Okoro as Chairman.
Speaking Monday, at the PDP's
secretariat, Ozoro, venue of the
inauguration where the party's flag was
presented to 20 councillorship
candidates, the party's Chairman in
the area, Prince Godwin Ogorugba,
charged the Council to work together
to deliver all candidates of the party at
the polls.
Expressing optimism that the party
would have a smooth sail in the area
during the polls, he said,
"there is no course of alarm; PDP
will win the chairmanship and all the
councilorship positions."
Inaugurating the Council, Vice
Chairman, PDP Delta South, Chief
Julius Takeme urged its members to
"campaign to the nooks and crannies
of your Ward to ensure victory for all
our candidates."
Responding, Okoro thanked God for
the opportunity to serve, and assured
that the council would do everything
possible to deliver all the party's
candidates.
In his remark, Chairmanship
candidate of the party in the area, Mr
Christian Iteire, noted that with the
quality and credentials of people
selected for the campaign Council, the
party was on the right track to victory.
Top politicians from the area who
attended the event included
Commissioner for Transport Hon.
Ovie Oghoore; DESOPADEC
Commissioner, Dr Paul Oweh; Dr
Patrick Akporuno; Dr Nelson
Ejakpovi; Hon. Mike Ogwah among
others.
24 — Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 17, 2021
VOL. 2 NO. 70
Why Igbo now invest in girl-child education
By Anayo Okoli, Vincent
Ujumadu, Chimaobi
Nwaiwu, Nwabueze
Okonkwo,Peter Okutu,
Chinenye Ozor, Chinedu
ENUGU—IN the past, it was
not fashionable in Igbo land
to send girls to school. The kitchen
was rather seen as the best place
for them. Hence, they were given
out early in marriage. Families
preferred to send only the boys for
apprenticeship or to school for the
few that had interest in education.
Today, the situation has glaringly
changed.
Igbo girl-child now competes
favourably, if not better, with the
boys, in the academic field.
Question is, what influenced the
change; which is more profitable,
investing in the education of the
girl-child or the boy child?
Many parents in Igbo land were
reluctant in the past to send their
female children to school for the
simple belief that there was no
need to spend so much money
educating them since they would
be getting married and therefore
would no longer be very useful to
their maiden families. Stories
were told of parents pressuring
their female children to get
married once they were in their
teens so that their bride price
would be used to pay the school
fees of their male children.
It was common in the 1960s and
1970s to see more male children
in school because most parents
did not take female education
serious. But all that has changed
as females are competing with
their male counterparts in school
enrolment.
Although records in the
Ministry of Education in Anambra
State show that there are still more
males than females in schools, the
gap has, however, narrowed such
that in few areas, the ratio of male
to female will be 50:50. It was in
the effort to increase female
school enrolment that informed
the deliberate policy of the
Anambra State Government to
encourage many communities to
establish secondary schools for
girls only in their areas. That
decision paid off as many girls’
schools have excelled in
competitions and external
examinations where boys schools
also competed.
The Regina Pacis Secondary
School, Onitsha owned by the
Catholic Archdiocese of Onitsha
is a typical example. The all-girls
secondary school won the World
Technovation Challenge
Competition in the USA in 2019.
The school also won the national
competition, which qualified it to
represent Nigeria at the
competition in the USA. The girls
that represented Nigeria at the
competition were Promise
Nnalue, Jessica Osita, Nwabuaku
Ossai, Adaeze Onuigbo and
Vivian Okoye. They won the
•Educated girl-child contributes more to society — Anueyiagu
•Properly groomed daughter is an asset — Chief Ikeoha
•Importance of girl-child education is huge — Wilcox-Iwuchukwu
•Era of preferential treatment over sex of a child over — Mrs. Ebere
•Still important to give the boys best for their role in families — Anakwe
•Girls in school, getting education
competition with a mobile
application called the FD-Detector
which they developed to help
tackle the challenge of fake
pharmaceutical products in
Nigeria and beyond. They applied
the robotics and coding insights
in solving existential problem of
fake drugs. There was also the case
of Miss Maduaforkwa from Ihiala
in Anambra State who came tops
in the 2020 West African School
Certificate Examination for the
entire country.
Apart from doing well
academically, some parents said
their female children are more
caring than their male
counterparts after exposing them
to acquire equal education. Mrs.
Grace Ibeka, a retired principal
said she is enjoying more benefits
from her only married daughter
than from her three male children.
“We did not discriminate in
giving our four children, three
boys and one girl, education. They
all attended the same primary
and secondary school. After their
university education, they all got
married, but I must tell you that it
is the girl that cares more for us
than her brothers. It is the girl that
would always call to ask after our
health and would send money for
our upkeep. So I must say that
girl-child education is more
important because they are more
caring. It is not as if my male
children are poor, far from it”,
Ibeka explained.
For Mrs. Margaret Wilcox-
Iwuchukwu, an Onitsha, Anambra
State-based legal practitioner, the
importance of girl-child education
cannot be over-emphasized.
Wilcox-Iwuchukwu, the vicechairman,
Nigerian Bar
Association, NBA, Onitsha
People have seen
the benefit of
training girls in
school and in other
fields of human
endeavour; unlike
the olden days
when kitchen was
rather seen as the
best place for them.
branch, said people see girls as
lesser humans but in the actual
fact, they are not, even though God
created a woman to be under a
man.
“People have seen the benefit of
training girls in school and in other
fields of human endeavour; unlike
the olden days when kitchen was
rather seen as the best place for
them.
“I even had to establish a
foundation known as Wilcox
Foundation in 2015 after the death
of my father, Wilcox Amana, to
immortalize him because he was
an advocate of girl-child
education, which explained why
he sent me to school to graduate
as a lawyer.”
In his own contribution, another
lawyer, Humphrey Udechukwu
noted that today, you will realise
that training a girl-child in
education or other trade is as
important as anything one can
think of because when her parents
or father and mother-in-law grow
old, she would be able to cater for
them.
“The cradle of civilization has
been there in the Western world
for training the gild-child but it
depends on when we in the third
world countries embraced girlchild
education. It will amount to
living in a fool’s paradise for
someone to still think that kitchen
is a better place for a girl-child
all through her life without first of
all passing through schools to
acquire education or learning a
trade that will help her in life,
before and after marriage.
“This time around, men even
prefer marrying either graduates
and working class ladies or
successful businesswomen.
Nowadays, nobody wants to
marry idle, uneducated girls just
for child-bearing as was
applicable in the past”,
Udechukwu noted.
According to a veteran
journalist, Abuchi Anueyiagu,
proper education helps the girlchild
to realise her potentials and
positions her to play important
roles in the society. He said
investing in girl-child education
is more important than in male
child, arguing that an educated
woman with increased earning
potential is more likely to give
back to the community than her
male counterpart. Anueyiagu said
that “a girl-child needs to be
educated to acquire knowledge
and skills needed to advance her
status for social interactions and
self-improvement. Girl-child
education also prepares her to
face the reality in society and
teaches her to be a good wife and
mother.
“The world is changing and
everyone is fast changing to
become somebody. A female
child has more compassion for
her maiden family than the male
who could get married and hardly
take care of his parents and
siblings. A female child even if she
is married, tends toward her
maiden family more.
“They take care of their parents
and siblings more. In the
primitive world, it was
erroneously believed that a girlchild
belongs to another who will
take care of her and her own
without contributing any anything
to her maiden family but the
circumstances of the
contemporary life have proved the
earlier presupposition wrong. In
many places today, it is the girlchild
that is the pillar, the light
and the lifeline of her maiden
family. So, why should attention
not be given to her?”
In the opinion of Chief Michael
Ubani, the tendency of men to
marry educated girls influenced
the girl-child education.
According to him, a girl bereft of
education and knowledge will
likely end up marrying a truck
pusher. He maintained that the
trend of sending only the male
child to school has changed
because families have realised
that an educated girl-child is more
useful in the family/society than
even the educated male child.
“Today, more boys are going into
business to make money, instead
of pursuing education as was the
case before. The number of girls
attending school at different levels
of education has risen because of
the tendency among the boys or
men who are into business and
who have made the money to
marry educated girls, including
graduates. The bottom line is
money, and it doesn’t matter
whether the boy went to school or
not, the question is, does he have
money? The Holy book says that
money answereth everything; so,
that girl who is bereft of education
and knowledge will likely end up
marrying a truck pusher.
“Nevertheless, some parents
have found out to their chagrin,
that some educated girls are
useful, even more useful than some
educated boys, hence the current
practice of sending girls to
school”, he said.
For Chief Ebenezer Ikeoha,
resident of Owerri, Imo State,
female children have become
most cherished asset in the family
if given adequate home training.
Such girls, he said, often turn out
to be the breadwinners of their
families even after they had gotten
married. He added that such
training cultured them to be
humane, become peace makers in
every home that they find
themselves in, as well as
enterprising in their work.
“I have two boys and two girls.
The two girls are the third and
fourth. What I want to say is not
as if the boys are not doing well;
the point I want to make is that
while the boys are busy waiting
for when they will get plenty
money, my daughters have
equipped themselves and now
have established themselves with
skills. It is not just my home; you
can see it in other families.
“When there is no food in the
house, most times, the females are
always ready to do menial jobs just
to put food on the table of the
family. This is the hard work you
see in women.
“Just imagine when you give her
proper education, there is 99 per
cent assurance that she will hardly
forget where she comes from and
the parents that gave her that
training. This is the reason why you
see most men now paying more
attention to their daughters. They
need care and full support especially
in their old age,” Ikeoha said.
Continue on Page 25
Why we now invest in girl-child
education
Continues from page 24
Chief Peter Enemuo, erstwhile
President-General of Ogulogu Olo
autonomous community in
Ezeagu Local Government Area,
Enugu State, believes that the
importance of girl-child education
has dawned on parents and
guardians, hence, the increase in
the enrollment of girls in schools
in his area. He said that parents
no longer give out the girl-child
in early marriage as a result,
social norms have changed the
narratives, especially in the
South-East region. The girl-child,
he said, is no longer seen as a
kitchen material.
Hon. Opata Igbo of Uzo-Uwani
Council Area of Enugu State said
that girl-child education has
improved tremendously unlike in
the past when girl-child education
was seen as a waste of resources.
He said that most parents in the
contemporary Igbo society invest
more on girl-child education for
upkeep of the family. Right to
education is for all irrespective of
gender.
Hon. Opata noted that with the
establishment of the University of
Nigeria Nsukka in 1960, the
tempo of girl-child education
changed as most parents sent the
girl-child to school. The
university made education
accessible for all manner of girls
- the poor, needy, impaired and
physically challenged ones in the
society due to societal values and
enlightenment.
For a mother of three, Mrs.
Jenny Ebere who spoke with
South-East Voice, the era of
preferential treatment over sex
of a child was over. According to
her, female children have even
proven more reliable than their
male counterparts as they are
now successful entrepreneurs in
different fields of human
endeavour and so have become
keepers of their family heritage
in some cases.
“The era of discrimination is
over. Female children are mostly
trustworthy. They have
distinguished themselves. They
are mostly the ones that take
care of their parents in their old
age. Training them is just the best.
They are prudent managers of
resources”, she said.
However, a Pastor and a father
of two, Promise Izuogu, played
down the issue of
THE TEAM
SUPERVISING EDITOR:
Chioma Gabriel, Lagos
(08052201257)
EDITOR
Anayo Okoli, Enugu
08034046839
Vincent Ujumadu, Awka
Dennis Agbo, Enugu
Chinedu Adonu, Enugu
Chidi Nkwopara, Owerri
Chinonso Alozie, Owerri
Peter Okutu, Abakaliki
Chimaobi Nwaiwu, Nnewi
Ugochukwu Alaribe, Aba
Nwabueze Okonkwo,
Onitsha
Chinenye Ozor, Nsukka
Ikechukwu Odu, Nsukka
discrimination. He said the
training of male children is
more advantageous as they are
naturally the heads of families
and establishments.
“In the Bible, God confers
headship on the males and so
giving them the necessary
training they need is very
important. The females are also
important and so should not be
relegated to the background.”
But Chief Ozoh Anaekwe,
former President-General of
Onitsha Markets Amalgamated
Traders Association, OMATA,
maintains that male education
remains more valuable. “No
matter the situation, there is no
basis for comparison between the
importance of male child
education to that of female child.
It is still important that male
children be given good training by
families because of the prominent
roles they play in the families.”
He, however, agreed that the
roles a girl-child plays as regards
welfare of their parents is
tremendous. “It is indisputable
that girls these days are taking
care of their parents more than
the boys. When the girls marry
and live with their husbands,
whatever they get from their
husbands, they prefer sending
them to their parents. Conversely,
the boys prefer to spend what they
have on their children and their
in-laws. The girl-child transfers
greater percentage of her love and
care to her parents while the males
lean towards taking care of their
children and their in-laws more
than their parents.
“It is still more profitable to
train male children. If you have
wealth, you should give more to
your male child than the girlchild
no matter what the female
children are doing for their
parents. If you have money to
send only one person to school
and you have only one option,
please send the boy because he
is the person to take over the
house. A girl can marry and live
in a very far place and if you have
a bad in-law, he can take your
daughter overseas and dump her
there, and for 20, 30 years, you
will not see them.
“Your male child must come
home; his first home is your
home, his children’s first home is
your home. So the male represents
and retains the family no matter
the condition or the situation.
"Whatever the girl is
contributing from her husband’s
place, it is still important that your
male child is trained and given a
lion share. The males are more
important to the family than the
females because the female must
leave to go and build another
home for her husband.
“But it is no more fashionable to
train males and leave females.
Female children are no more for
the kitchen; they are now doing
great things for their parents and
family than their husbands'
families. Any family that prefers to
send only the boys to school is
making a big mistake because the
girls have great roles they play in
their parents’ houses and families
too like the boys.”
For Chief Augustine Emelobe of
Oba, Idemili South Council of
Anambra State, the wind of change
and economic empowerment as well
as exposure has influenced parents’
decision to educate both female and
male children. Igbo parents, he said,
are excited to educate all the children
without preference.
EKE—THE people of Oma
Eke Community, Udi
council Area of Enugu State, last
week protested what they called
attempt to commission a nonexistent
road project in the area.
The community expressed
surprise over the commissioning
of road awarded under ecological
project, before construction work
even began, describing such act
as “a monumental fraud that
must be resisted.”
The angry indigenes who
moved round the streets of the
community to register their
grievances, displayed placards,
some with inscriptions such as:
Please do not commission the
uncompleted Eke Oma road;
Public procurement act crucified;
Corruption unlimited; EFCC
where are you? Buhari must hear
this, among others.
By Anayo Okoli
E NUGU—OZALLA-ABOR
community, Udi Local
Government Area of Enugu State
has sent a Save-Our-Soul
petition to the Inspector-General
of Police, Mohammed Adamu,
over what they called
intimidation, harassment and
threat to life by certain land
grabbers who they alleged want
to forcefully take over their
ancestral land.
They alleged that the said land
grabbers are using policemen in
Enugu Police Command to
“threaten, harass and intimidate”
them to forcefully take away their
community land worth over N10
billion. They also claimed that
few members of the community
connived with the highly placed
land grabbers to deprive them of
their land.
In the petition by their lawyer,
A. C Amechi, dated 3rd February,
2021, and copied to the
Chairman, Police Service
Commission, the Chairman,
Senate Committee on Police and
the Commissioner of Police,
Enugu State; they urged the
Inspector-General of Police to
intervene urgently to save the
community from imminent crisis.
The petition was written on
behalf of Ichie Peter Eze, Head of
Ozalla Abor Village; Sir Elias
Eruchie, Chairman, Ozalla Abor
Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 17, 2021 — 25
Community protests commissioning
of non-existing road
By Chinedu Adonu
South-East Voice learned that the
road, an ecological fund project of
N429. 9 million, which was
secured under the office of the
Secretary to the Federal
Government, is yet to commence,
yet a Federal Government
delegation was said to be in the
area to commission the project
which was resisted by the
community.
According to the Town Union
Chairman of Oma Eke community,
Kenneth Ogudu, who addressed
journalists, some Federal
Government delegation came to
commission a road project yet to
be constructed.
“Over 3.8km road was awarded
and funded by the Federal
Government through the
Ecological Fund Project since
2019 but as you can see, nothing
has been done in those areas
named in the contract paper. Today,
the contractor and fraudulent people
from the Federal Government said
•Youths protesting commissioning of non-existing roads
Village Council of Elders; Ichie
Cornelius Onodingene, Ichie
Callistus Ille, Ichie Vintus
Nnadieke, Ichie Gregory Emefu,
Pastor Fidelis Udochukwu,
Athanasius Akwaka, Festus Ogbu
and indeed, Ozalla Abor Village,
Abor Autonomous Community,
Udi Local Government Area,
Enugu State.
Alleging compromise, the
lawyer wants the Inspector-
General of Police to take over
investigation of the case from men
of D 13, Enugu Police Command.
“On the 19th October, 2020, this
law office wrote to you
complaining against ten sons of
Ozalla Abor village and the
Commissioner for Lands and
Urban Development, Enugu State.
Surprisingly, on the 26th January,
2021, at about 3 am, the children
of our clients were arrested by Anti-
Cult department from Enugu
Police; the group our clients
complained against had lodged a
counter attack, using the Anti-Cult
department. And the following
were arrested: Maxwell Obodo,
Jude Amadi, Chukwuma Agu,
Paul Ifebuche Eze and Ejike
Ugwu. They were accused of
attempted murder and armed
robbery. They were taken to the
Chief Magistrate's Court on the
same day of the arrest. They are
still in detention till today.
“The investigation, if any, was
very hasty. They were arrested by
they are coming to commission the
road project not done.
“We have not seen anything and
they cannot commission a road
not done. I am calling on the
Federal Government to intervene
and charge the contractors to come
to the site,” he said.
Also speaking, Godwin Onwusi
said that no ecological project as
awarded since 2019 has been
executed. He said the last paragraph
of the contract agreement clearly
stated thus: “This contract is fixed,
firm and not transferrable.
“My people are agitated, they
are not happy. The source of my
people’s grievances is that
sometime in 2019, Enugu Eke-
Eke-Oma Eke, Obodo Amankwo
Oma Road was awarded through
Ecological Fund Project under the
office of the Secretary to
Government of the Federation at
the cost of N429. 9 million.
“So, we kept on waiting, as we
were waiting, we stumbled on the
letter of the award which stated
clearly at the last paragraph, “this
contract is fixed, firm and not
transferrable” believing that we
were waiting for them to
commence work on the road. To
our greatest surprise, we heard
that they are coming today to
commission the road. I am sure
that the SGF is not aware of this
kind of fraud going on here.
“How could the Federal
Government send a team to
commission a project that was not
executed? Nothing was done in
all the places mentioned in the
contract paper and the contract
agreement says it is fixed, firm and
not transferrable. So, nothing has
been done and they want to
commission it?”
The community urged President
Muhammadu Buhari to intervene
and charge the contractor to
commence the construction of the
3.8km road as awarded.
Enugu community petitions IGP over
activities of land grabbers
...Says they want to set the community on fire
3:00 am on the 26th of January,
2021 and charged to court at
about 9 o’clock same day. There
was no previous arrest or
invitation yet the same Enugu
Police Command has not
concluded the investigation on the
complaint our clients lodged
since July, 2020.
“But no armed robbery took
place as alleged. No murder or
attempted murder took place as
alleged. Nobody was the victim of
armed robbery.
"The said arrest was planned to
pay our clients for reporting the
land grabbers to Enugu Police
Command. The worst is that some
policemen from Enugu Police
Command asked the land
grabbers to write a phantom
petition against the five elders
who told the Chief Magistrate's
Court that the children are
innocent of the trumped up
charges and that there was no
robbery or attempted murder in
their village as alleged. They now
want to intimidate the senior
citizens/elders for speaking the
truth.
“In view of the foregoing, we
humbly request the following that
the complaint of our clients
against the underlisted be handed
over to the Inspector-General of
Police Team from Abuja for
discrete investigation. They are
John Nnabuchukwu Onyechi,
Chukwuka Ugwuigwe, Anthony
Eze, Ifeanyi Eze, Ejike Ugwu,
Uche Njeze, Innocent Ugwu,
Joseph Agu, Everest Udengwu
and Ferdinand Agbo,” the
petition said.
26 — Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 17, 2021
vicahiyoung@yahoo.com
Retired varsity workers, families
suffering, NASU, SSANU raise alarm
NON-Academic Staff
Union of Universities
and Allied Institutions,
NASU, and its Senior Staff
Association of Nigerian
Universities, SSANU
counterpart, have raised
the alarm over the untold
hardship retired members
and their families are
passing through.
NASU and SSANU
lamented that their retired
members of the unions
have not been paid their
entitlements including
death benefits to their
families.
General Secretary of
NASU, Prince Peters
Adeyemi, while explaining
some of their grouses with
the Federal Government,
said: “Many anomalies
have been observed with
respect to payment of
retirement and death
benefits to our members.
These anomalies were
pointed out to the
government and in the
signed Memorandum of
Understanding, MoU, of
October, 2020, it was agreed
that within a two-week
time-line, efforts would be
made to correct the
anomalies. Till date,
however, the situation
Terminal benefits: NLC laments plight of
sacked Intels' workers, families
NIGERIA
Labour
Congress, NLC, has
decried the suffering and
untold hardship no fewer than
599 sacked workers of
Integrated Logistics Services,
Intels, have been exposed to
over two months after they
were sacked without payment
of their terminal benefits,
NLC in a letter to the
Managing Director, Intels,
Onne Port, Rivers State, dated
January 29, 2021, intimated
the company of its readiness
to mediate in the dispute
between the leadership of the
Maritime Workers’ Union of
Nigeria, MWUN, and Intels
to ensure amicable resolution
of the dispute.
Congress in the letter by its
President, Ayuba Wabba,
while insisting that the
national leadership of NLC
was willing to provide an
enabling environment for the
peaceful resolution of all the
issues at short notice, it
contended that towards an
amicable resolution of issues,
there should be cessation of
further hostile actions by
either side, and withdrawal of
pending actions.
According to the NLC letter,
it recalled the letter of
complaints by MWUN, an
affiliate, over the dispute
between it and Intels, saying
in MWUN’s letter of
complaint dated 21/01/2021,
the union averred that
“Associated Maritime
Services, AMS which
employs some of its members,
“provide dedicated personnel
for Intels Nig. Ltd.
Accordingly, Intels Nig. Ltd
always gives instructions to
AMS to declare redundancy
and number of workers to be
declared redundant and
issues instructions to AMS to
carry out its wishes.
remains the same and our
members continue to
languish.
“The justification and
benefit of retirees is that a
labourer deserves his/her
wages and that having
served the nation
meritoriously for years, they
deserve to retire with good
benefit packages.
Unfortunately, little has
been done in the payment
of retirement and death
benefits to our retired and
out-gone members and the
hardships caused by
inexplicable delays in
payment of retirement and
death benefits to retired or
departed staff is
excruciating.
"This was addressed in
the 20th October, 2020
Memorandum of
Understanding, with a twoweek
timeline within which
the Office of the Accountant
General of the Federation,
AGF, the IPPIS Office, the
Office of the Head of the
Civil Service of the
Federation, OHCSF and
the National Pension
Commission, PenCom,
were to take further action
and revert. Sadly, there has
been no feedback on this
aspect of the MoU which
“Over the years,
redundancy matters at AMS
were jointly sorted out as
“Intels being the principal
always negotiated with the
Union, staff welfare benefits
and severance packages to
workers of Associated
Maritime Services. However,
recently, the management of
Intels refused to negotiate
with the Union, “severance
benefits of 602 workers now
reduced to 599 whose
appointments on the
instruction of Intels were
terminated without payment
either by Intels or Associated
Maritime Services.
“The Union also averred
that from the facts above, it
was obvious that the
relationship had always been
a tripartite one with Intels
“being the principal
employer.
“In light of this, it was
taken aback when “Intels
refused to be present at the
negotiation table with
Associated Maritime
Services and the Union over
the severance benefits of 602
workers (now reduced to
599). After a prolonged wait
to get Intels to the negotiating
table failed, the Union in
exercise of its statutory right,
gave a seven-day notice to the
authorities to withdraw all
letters of redundancy issued
to our members.
“Instead of seeing reason,
and come to the negotiating
table, Intels Nig. Ltd locked
out our members from
assessing their work place
and stationed at the gate,
well-armed security
operatives who kept chasing
away our members.
Consequent upon the lockout,
the Union embarked
upon a three-day warning
strike to draw the attention of
had a two-week timeline
even three months after.”
IPPIS problem
On his part, President of
SSANU, Mohammed
Ibrahim, lamented that the
Integrated Payroll and
Personnel Information
System, IPPIS, had
compounded the situation,
saying: “The university
system is not the same
with the Ministries and
Departments, MDs
because there are
peculiarities in the
university; the job schedule
is not the same with the
ministries. For example,
government had approved
the law extending the
service years of our
members. We retire at the
age of 65 years for the nonteaching
staff, while those
in the academic line,
especially at the
professorial level, can retire
at the age of 70 years. When
this platform of IPPIS was
shown to us, we realised
that once you are 60 years
of age, it kicks you out or if
you have put in 35 years in
service. We drew their
attention. .payment from
the same source.”
the government to the unfair
labour practice of Intels
Management.
The Union further averred
that the Nigerian Maritime
Administration and Safety
Agency, NIMASA, in its quest
for an amicable resolution of
the matter, twice scheduled a
meeting (on the 9th and 15th
of December 2020) with the
Intels and the Union but Intels
declined to be at the meeting
on both occasions; In spite of
the belligerence of Intels, the
intervention of the
Commissioner of Police
(Eastern Port Police
Command) and other
respected stakeholders led to
the suspension of the strike on
the second day. However,
rather than reciprocate this
goodwill, Intels instituted an
action against the leadership
of the Union at the National
Industrial Court; Port
Harcourt Division, and has
since refused to pay any of the
599 employers who are in dire
financial straits with their
families.
The Union, left with a little
option has declared a trade
dispute with Intels and filed
same with the Ministry of
Labour Employment.
“If the aforementioned
account is the reflection of
what has happened between
Intels and the Maritime
Union, we would urge you to
reconsider of your decisions
in line with provisions of our
Labour law and fair labour
practices. We are prepared to
provide an enabling
environment for the peaceful
resolution of all the issues at
short notice.
In our view, the first step
towards an amicable
resolution of issues is cessation
of further hostile actions by
either side, and withdrawal of
pending actions.”
Local insurers losing out on big ticket
transactions — NAICOM laments
Stories by Rosemary
Iwunze
THE NATIONAL Insur
ance Commission, NA-
ICOM, has lamented the
declining participation of
local insurers in big ticket
businesses such as aviation,
annuity as well as oil and
gas risks underwriting.
Expressing this concern
while speaking in Lagos at
a directors' conference,
Commissioner for Insurance
and Chief Executive
of NAICOM, Mr. Sunday
Thomas, noted that more
businesses are being sent
abroad to reinsure them,
further eroding the capacity
of the local market.
He said: "More businesses
especially in the aviation
sector and oil and gas are
now being reinsured
abroad. Of more concern is
the declining participation
of life companies in the annuity
business which is the
emerging business for our
industry.
"These are the areas
where the industry can impose
itself on the economy
through the control of funds
for national development;
unfortunately, we are missing
it."
According to Thomas, the
industry must embrace
technology to move forward.
"The industry must invest
handsomely in technology
which is one of our key drivers
for developing the market.
Institutions should be
prepared to digitalize their
processes, procedures and
systems in order to make
their operation seamless
and real time."
Thomas stated that the
Commission is investing
heavily in automating its
processes and expects
nothing less from insurance
institutions.
Meanwhile, Thomas advised
the insured public not
to discard insurance as part
of measures to cut cost in
the face of the harsh economic
situation.
He said: "It is good to reduce
cost but in terms of insurance,
people should ensure
that all assets are adequately
insured.
"It is good to have a good
risk management framework
as well as be able to
manage our insurances
and assets. Many are left
with the option of cutting
cost, however, not all cost
cutting will measure success
and some might even
end up hurting our businesses.
As business owners
and as businesses
spring up, we must ensure
that we put the right processes
in place in trying to
manage our assets and ensure
that we have more
strategic thinking.
"Risk is part of our business
endeavours and the
best thing is to evaluate and
see what part of the risk you
can transfer. The insurance
industry has proven its relevance
in the affairs of the
economy," Thomas noted.
SUNU Assurances' private
placement records 100%
subscription
SUNU ASSURANCES
Nigeria Plc has announced
a 100 per cent subscription
for its private
placement exercise.
Disclosing this in a statement,
Managing Director
of the company, Mr. Samuel
Ogbodu said that the
private placement exercise
of 3,010,800,000 ordinary
shares of 50 kobo each at
N1.00 per share, with respect
to the Private Placement
Memorandum dated
Monday, January 4, 2021
has been successful.
He stated that a total of
two applications for
3,010,800,000 ordinary
shares were received in connection
with the private
placement.
Linkage Assurance attributes growth to
brokers' support
LINKAGE
ASSUR
ANCE Plc has attributed
its continuous growth
and market expansion to
good relationships with the
insurance brokers.
The company said its focus
going into 2021 and
beyond will be to strengthen
the relationship by continuously
providing efficient
services and meeting
claims obligations prompt-
FBN Insurance donates to less privileged
FBN INSURANCE Lim
ited has donated various
items to homes and hospice
in Lagos and Port Harcourt.
In a statement, the company
said that it visited children
at the Heritage Homes
Orphanage (Lagos) and
Rhema Orphanage Home
(Port Harcourt). Items such
as food, beverages, toiletries,
clothes as well as cash were
donated to the children of the
orphanage homes.
The company said it made
a similar donation to the
Down Syndrome Foundation
Nigeria, Lagos. Most of
the items donated to the
Homes and Hospice were
largely raised through the
company's annual Staff Gift
ly
Ṁanaging Director/Chief
Executive Officer of the
company, Mr. Daniel Braie
stated this at the general
meeting of the Nigerian
Council of Registered Insurance
Brokers, NCRIB,
Lagos Area Council, LAC,
hosted by the company in
Lagos.
Braie said: "Linkage Assurance
Plc recognises the
pivotal role of the broker's
Drive, an in-house initiative
that encourages staff to donate
various items for a
common cause. The FBN
Insurance Staff Gift Drive
which was incepted in 2015,
is in its 6th year.
While appreciating the
goodwill of the insurer, the
Assistant General Manager,
Heritage Homes Orphanage,
Mr. Reuben Amara,
said: "On behalf of the
Board, Management and
the entire members of the
Heritage Homes Orphanage,
we express our deepest
appreciation to the Board,
Management and the entire
staff of FBN Insurance Limited
for their kind donation
towards the upkeep of the
He said the two applications
for 3,010,800,000 ordinary
shares were found to
be valid, accepted and processed
accordingly.
He noted that the Securities
& Exchange Commission
has cleared the basis of
allotment, adding that the
Central Securities Clearing
System, CSCS, accounts of
successful allotees will be
credited with shares allotted
not later than February 12,
2021 by the registrars to the
issue, Crescent Registrars
Limited.
The SUNU boss, posited
that the company is embarking
on the growth phase
while it remains committed
to its strategic objectives and
core values, which will also
guide the future and culture
of the company.
community in the growth of
insurance business and
that is why we decided that
apart from hosting the national
body, we would go a
step further to host the various
Area Councils across
the country.
"So far, we have done this
in Abuja, Kaduna, Port
Harcourt and now Lagos.
If not for the COVID-19
pandemic that broke out
last year we would have
covered more states."
children in the Home. We
pray that the Almighty God
will reward your labour of
love, especially at this difficult
time of the global
COVID-19 pandemic."
The National President of
the Down Syndrome Foundation
Nigeria, Mrs. Rose
Mordi, also expressed the
Foundation's appreciation
for the insurer's donation. In
her statement, she said: "We
are grateful for your support,
concern, love and for
the interest shown to our
mission. We thank you from
the depth of our hearts and
pray that FBN Insurance
continues to grow from
strength to strength."
Continues from Page 5
state in terms of security
and for anybody to justify
these criminal activities
that have given the
nation’s security
leadership so much
trouble calls for serious
concern from all
Nigerians, irrespective of
tribe and religious
background.
“Kidnapping is an
international crime that
people learn from,
watching foreign movies.
The question now is
where did Niger Delta exagitators
learn the act of
kidnapping from?”
Gumi’s
statement
disgusting,
insulting
— Izon Ebi
Speaking for Niger
Delta agitators,
coordinator of 21st
CYNDAC, self-styled
“Gen” Izon Ebi, said: “We
strongly condemn the
provocative statement of
Sheikh Gumi that is
capable of igniting
serious problem in the
Niger Delta. It is
disgusting, insulting and
provocative to compare
herdsmen to Niger Delta
militants.
“It is a deliberate effort
to justify the atrocities of
the so-called Fulani
m e r c e n a r i e s
masquerading as bandits
that were imported to
dislodge former President
Goodluck Jonathan from
office. Nigerians know
the truth and cannot be
deceived by the antics of
Sheikh Gumi.
“Nigerians are patiently
watching the macabre
dance of the Northern
elite because of power.
Amnesty to bandits will
mark the end of the flow
of oil and gas from our
region.”
Criminal,
obnoxious,
stupid
statement, says
Edwin Clark
South South Leader,
Chief Edwin Clark has
lampooned Islamic
Cleric, Ahmad Gumi,
By Elizabeth Adegbesan
The naira yesterday was stable at N409.67 per
dollar in the Investors and Exporters (I&E) window
even as the volume of dollars traded rose by eight
percent.
Data from FMDQ showed that the volume of
dollars (turnover) traded in the window rose by eight
percent to $30.44 million from $28.21 million on
Monday.
vanguardnews @vanguardnews @vanguardnews
Clark, other N-Delta leaders,
militants lambast Gumi
saying that his statement
that Fulani herdsmen and
armed bandits learnt how
to kidnap from Niger
Delta militants was not
only criminal, but
obnoxious and stupid.
Speaking with Vanguard
yesterday in Abuja, he
said: “That statement is
not only criminal but
obnoxious. How can he
say that? The people in the
Niger Delta took arms
when they found that they
have been oppressed,
dehumanised, and their
rights taken away from
them and given to other
Nigerians.
“They took all our land.
The situation has affected
their lives. They take all
our money, they no longer
go to school, they can no
longer swim, they can no
longer catch fish. They are
fighting for their rights.
What did Nigerians do to
almajirai or to bandits in
the North. Were you not
there when they said they
are Fulanis from outside
Nigeria. So, where did
they get it from the Niger
Delta people?
“That is a stupid
statement, it is obnoxious
and criminal. I don’t
blame them because they
are the people, their
governors, their
politicians who exploit our
oil, they are the senior
managers, and zonal
managers of oil
industries, they are the
people who have oil blocs,
they have taken away our
oil, our people have
nothing and at that time
the youths decided to take
the driver’s seat.
“These people were
kidnapping for wrong
done to them to attract
world attention. Their
areas were occupied by
military men.
“Their areas are
occupied by military men
who were stealing their
oil. So what are they
talking? By killing
people, maiming people,
raping women? Who told
them that our people are
carrying AK-47?
“They are very jealous
because of the amnesty
which they do not
deserve. With Boko
Haram, they have now
created the North East
Development
Naira stable at N409.67/$ in I&E
window
Commission, whose
money are they using if
not money from the Niger
Delta? They should stop
it.”
‘Criminal
herdsmen,
bandits’ve taken
over roads to 2
Abia LGs’
Meanwhile, the House
of Representatives has
told the Inspector-General
of Police, Mohammed
Adamu that criminals,
killer herdsmen and
bandits have taken over
all roads leading to
Isuikwuato and
Umunneochi Local
Government Areas of Abia
State.
The House said the
criminals were maiming,
robbing, kidnapping,
raping and killing the
people and other
travellers, warning that
unless urgent steps were
taken, the situation might
degenerate to chaos and
lawlessness.
The call followed a
motion considered by the
House at plenary
yesterday.
Moving the motion,
titled “Need to Address
the Worsening Security
Situation in Isuikwuato/
Umunneochi Federal
Constituency, Abia State,”
the sponsor and Deputy
Chief Whip of the House,
Nkiru Onyejiocha, who
also represents
Isuikwuato/Umunneochi
federal constituency in
the parliament, informed
the House that a former
transition chairman was
attacked in the area.
She said: “There is an
increasingly disturbing
security situation in and
around Isuikwuato and
Umunneochi Local
Government Areas of Abia
State which, unless
urgent steps are taken,
may degenerate to chaos
and lawlessness.
“Virtually all roads that
lead to the areas have
been taken over by
criminals, killer
herdsmen and bandits
who lay siege on the
people of the local
government areas,
maiming, robbing,
kidnapping, raping and
killing the people and
travellers.
“There has been no
single day in the last five
months that there were no
reported cases of
abductions, robberies,
theft or some form of
criminality in and around
the two local government
areas and those criminal
elements are so audacious
that they operate in broad
day light and night time,
mostly without any
interference from security
operatives.
“Victims of those
murderous gangs range
from poor peasant
farmers, old and young
people, travellers,
traditional and political
leaders, among others,
and a case in point is that
of one Mr Obiajulu
Okafor who was
kidnapped along with his
wife and driver, on
January 2, 2021, which
forced his family to pay a
ransom of N22 million to
secure their release.
“On October 6, 2020, in
two separate incidents,
the chairman (Transition
Committee) of Isuikwuato
Local Government Area
and the member
representing Isuikwuato
Local Government Area in
Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 17, 2021—27
Abia State House of
Assembly, were attacked
on the same road.
“While the House
member was lucky to have
escaped unharmed (with
a bullet-ridden vehicle),
the Transition Committee
Chairman paid ransom to
regain his freedom from
the kidnappers.
“The people of
Isuikwuato and
Ummunneochi can no
longer go to their farms or
engage in other means of
gaining livelihood for fear
of being abducted, raped
or killed by herdsmen
and criminals who have
taken over their farmlands
and roadways;
“Unless urgent and
drastic measures are
taken to halt the tide and
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018773962,
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WORKING VISIT —Governor Hope Uzodimma of Imo State with the
Managing Director/ CEO of Zenith Bank Plc, Mr. Ebenezer Onyeagwu when
the latter paid a working visit to Governor Uzodimma at his office in Owerri,
yesterday.
combat those criminal
elements terrorizing the
constituency, calamity
may befall the areas as the
people may tend to take
the laws into their hands,
which may lead to a state
of anarchy”.
Adopting the motion,
the House urged the IGP
to prioritize the security of
those local government
areas and arrest the
criminals terrorizing the
constituency.
It also urged the various
security agencies to
collaborate for the
purpose of ensuring a
safe and conducive
environment in the
constituency while
mandating its Committee
on Police Affairs to ensure
compliance.
Senate, Buhari poise for war over moves to make
FRC chairman-nominee sole administrator
By Henry Umoru
ABUJA - STRONG
Indications emerged
yesterday that the Senate
is poise for war with
President Muhammadu
Buhari, following his
moves to make his nominee
for the Fiscal Responsibility
Commission, Barr. Victor
Muruako, a sole
administrator.
The Senate also took a
swipe at President Buhari
over his action, saying what
the Act establishing the
FRC stipulated was a
substantive chairman and
not a sole administrator.
With this development,
the nominee, Victor
Muruako, had it tough with
the Senate Committee on
Finance yesterday during
screening session.
Speaking yesterday in
Abuja when the FRC
Chairman-designate
appeared before his
Committee, Chairman of
the Senate Committee on
Finance, Senator
Olamilekan Adeola, All
Progressives Congress,
APC, Lagos West,
wondered why the
nominee was not
accompanied by any staff of
the commission or
stakeholders for the
screening.
They declared that
Muruako based on his
sole appearance, runs the
commission as a sole
administrator The visibly
disappointed committee
Cchairman was quick to
make excuses for the
nominee, stating that it was
not his making.
In his defence, the
nominee said that his
inability to come for the
screening with other
relevant staff and board
members was due to the
moribund nature of the
commission.
He said: “This
commission has passed
through challenges, at a
point the commission was
scheduled for scrapping at
a point it was schedule for
merger and at a point our
appropriation was stopped.
“It is only President
Muhammadu Buhari who
came and gave back life to
why we are here.
“For us it is a new
beginning you Know where
FRC has been? Just go and
check when the
commission was brought
back to life.
“We thank God this is a
new beginning for the
commission. If you check
the record it has been
difficult times, for us we are
not looking at today, we are
looking at tomorrow, where
we intend to put the nation
and our efforts to
strengthen the
microeconomic stability of
the nation.”
Responding, the
Committee insisted that it
would take up the almost
emptiness of the
commission in and board
membership before the
Senate and the Presidency
.Specifically , the Chairman
of the committee, Senator
Adeola said, “This
committee will take it upon
itself to write the Senate
and also the Presidency to
inform them that there is
need to have a full and
complete board of the Fiscal
Responsibility
Commission, so that the
board can become fully
functional and alive with its
responsibility.
“We have listened with
rapt attention to you . A
lot of questions have been
asked, bordering on your
capacity, experience and
your challenges.
28 — Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 17, 2021
CHANGE OF NAME
BAYELSA: How Diri rode the storm
in 365 days
By Samuel Oyadongha
Y ENAGOA—THE
Governor Douye Diriled
administration, which
clocked one year on Sunday,
could best be described
as God’s divine
arrangement for Bayelsa
State. The mantle of leadership
fell on him at a time
most Bayelsans were looking
forward to Chief David
Lyon’s inauguration as
governor and occupant of
Creek Haven, the seat of
power in the predominantly
Ijaw speaking
state.
Diri had resigned his
fate to the Red Chamber
as the senator representing
Bayelsa Central when
providence swung the
pendulum in his favour.
On February 13, 2020, the
Supreme Court voided the
election of Lyon of the All
Progressives Congress,
APC, as governor-elect
paving the way for his
swearing in the next day,
February 14.
The administration was
yet to find its bearing
when a chain of events
including the novel Coronavirus,
flurry of litigations,
which though had
been settled in favour of
Diri and the devastating
floods, unsettled the government.
However, Diri fondly referred
to as the Miracle
Governor, has left no one
in doubt about his penchant
for peace and harmony.
A product of the Ijaw
struggle, having served at
a time as the national organising
secretary of the
pan-Ijaw group, Ijaw National
Congress, INC, and
knowing the delicate history
of the state political
culture of pulling down
their leaders, Diri decided
to open a fresh chapter
to change this narrative
by reaching out
across board.
Diri has also refrained
from antagonizing his
perceived opponents and
has basically focused on
leaving enduring legacies
of good governance
anchored on peace, unity
and prosperity as could be
seen in the new rapprochement
between the
state and its representatives
at the federal level
in Abuja irrespective of
party affiliation.
Interestingly, when the
Supreme Court dismissed
all the cases challenging
his governorship victory,
he was not swayed and
on each occasion he humbly
held thanksgiving services
to dedicate his triumph
to God and Bayelsans.
“This victory is not mine.
Bayelsans are the owners
of this victory. I call on my
opponents and Bayelsans
to join hands with my administration
to build the
state. Bayelsa has lots of
potential waiting to be harnessed.
There is much for
us as a state and the only
way this state can grow is
when we free our minds
from acrimony, hatred and
covetousness.
“Bayelsa is still one
state. Let us realize that
power only comes from
God. Whatever it is that
has angered anyone, let
us sheathe the sword in
the interest of the state.
Let us shun hatred and
embrace love, peace and
unity. That is only when
Bayelsa can move forward,”
he said.
Also, the welfare of civil
Diri has also
refrained from
antagonizing his
perceived opponents
and has
basically focused
on leaving enduring
legacies
of good governance
anchored
on peace, unity
and prosperity.
•Governor Douye Diri
servants has been the corner
stone of his administration
policy thrust resulting
in regular payment
of salaries. He has
equally recognized the
lack of policy continuity
and the abandonment of
project as bane of development
in the state and consequently
initiated moves to
finish uncompleted projects
of his predecessors. Contractors
have been mobilised
to resume work on the West
and Central senatorial districts
roads. Also contract for
the Yenagoa-Oporoma road
started by his predecessor
was reviewed upward, including
construction of a
bridge to link the road to
Oporoma in the central
flank of the state.
Fund was also released
for the ongoing rehabilitation
of all the internal roads
in the capital city as well as
re-awarding of the contract
for construction of Phase 2
of the Gloryland Drive road
from the Ecumenical Centre
in Igbogene to link the
Amassoma road. Also work
is ongoing on the Igbogene-Bayelsa
Palm outer
ring road.
On the eastern flank, government
had awarded the
contract for re-construction
of the collapsed Elebele
Bridge in addition to the
Imiringi Bridge, which was
completed and commissioned.
A blueprint on agriculture
and small and medium
scale enterprises is also being
developed as part of
deliberate efforts to empower
Bayelsans to take charge
of the local economy.
Accordingly, the state
House of Assembly had given
approval for the state
government to secure two
agricultural loans from the
Central Bank of Nigeria
with minimal interest rates
to empower Bayelsa farmers.
Government has already
accessed N3 billion
agricultural credit facility
from the CBN while another
N8 billion is being awaited.
The essence of securing
such loans, according
to the governor was to empower
Bayelsa farmers and
not the state government as
other states were already
benefitting from the CBN
agricultural credit facilities.
“We decided to log into
the CBN from where so
many states have benefited
in loans with single digit
interest rates. We didn’t go
for those loans for the state
government but in the interest
of our farmers so that
our people will also be beneficiaries
of these facilities
that several other states had
accessed far more than we
have,” he said.
Also steps are being taken
in addressing the concerns
of primary school
teachers. For instance, since
2014, the morale of teachers
had been down due to
non-promotion and non-
payment of the 18 per cent
minimum wage arrears
owed the teachers since
2011.The governor has approved
the payment of the
arrears owed teachers and
accordingly implemented
their outstanding promotion
since 2014.
Similarly, retirees who
were not paid their gratuities
for several years are
now smiling following the
payment of gratuities dating
back to 2008 as N200m
is set aside every month for
payment of gratuities. A retiree,
David Barigha, said:
“Governor Douye has lived
according to his promise. I
could not imagine receiving
an alert as payment of
my gratuity after many
years of waiting.”
Today, even ardent critics
and opposition groups concede
that he has shown beyond
doubt his determination
to change the political
cum development narratives
through his government
of consensus, unity
and prosperity. Chief Henry
Igwe, Tarilaye Dakoru,
former critics of the governor
as well as Hon James
Inengite, a chieftain of the
APC and former chairman
and coordinator of all the
other parties have expressed
willingness to
work with the governor to
bring development to the
state.
DAVID
I, formerly known and addressed
as KPAMI CHIKA DAVID, now
wish to be known and addressed
as THOMAS KPAMI CHIKA.
All former documents remain
valid, FCMB and general public
take note.
FESTUS TSEBA
I, formerly known and addressed
as IBRAHIM CHERYANG,
now wish to be known and
addressed as IBRAHIM
TSEBA CHERYANG. All
former documents remain valid,
general public take note.
YAHAYA
This is to confirm that the names
JMILOU
YAHAYA
KABIROU(French Spelling) refer to
one and same person as JAMILU
YAHAYA KABIRU (English) but
now wish to be known and
addressed as JIMOH CHEGEDE
YAHAYA. All former documents
remain valid, general public take
note.
MUHAMMAD
This is to confirm that YAKUBU
MUHAMMAD OJO and YAKUBU
MOHAMMED OJO refer to one and
same person but now wish to be
known and addressed as YAKUBU
MUHAMMED OJO. All former
documents remain valid, general
public take note.
ABACHA
This is to confirm the
Correction of date of birth of
MAIDAWA ABACHA. Wrong
date of birth 27/11/1994.
Correct date of birth 27/11/
1996. All former documents
remain valid, general public
take note.
ISHAYA
I, formerly known and
addressed as AUGUSTINE
ISHAYA ISHAYA, now wish to
be known and addressed as
AUGUSTINE ISHAYA. All
former documents remain
valid, general public take note.
NURA
I, formerly known and
addressed as JAMILA NURA,
now wish to be known and
addressed as JAMILA
YAKUBU. All former
documents remain valid,
general public take note.
LABARAN
I, formerly known and
addressed as HAYATU
LABARAN, now wish to be
known and addressed as ISAH
BADAMASI. All former
documents remain valid,
general public take note.
AKPAN
My name was mistakenly written
as UTIBE JOSHUA AKPAN
instead of SAMUEL EBONG
JACOB. That henceforth I should
be known and addressed as
SAMUEL EBONG JACOB. All
former documents remain valid,
general public take note.
HENRY
I, formerly known and
addressed as HENRY HOPE
ENEYE, now wish to be known
and addressed as OSEH HOPE.
All former documents remain
valid, general public take note.
JATO
I, formerly known and
addressed as DENNIS
SAMSON JATO, now wish to
be known and addressed as
DENNIS SAMSON UNIMKE.
All former documents remain
valid, general public take note.
IBOR
I, formerly known and
addressed as EGOM IBOR,
now wish to be known and
addressed as EGOM IBOR
IBOR. All former documents
remain valid, general public
take note.
KASIMU
I, formerly known and
addressed as AMINA
KASIMU, now wish to be
known and addressed as
AMINA LULWAN. All
former documents remain
valid, general public take
note.
ENECHOJO
I, formerly known and
addressed as ABDUL
HANNAH ENECHOJO, now
wish to be known and addressed
as ABDUL HANNAH
ACHIMI. All former
documents remain valid,
general public take note.
ABDUL
I, formerly known and
addressed as ABDUL
HARUNA, now wish to be
known and addressed as
UMORU IDEGWU. All
former documents remain
valid, general public take note.
ISAAC
I, formerly known and
addressed as GIDEON ISAAC,
now wish to be known and
addressed as JUMAI
OGACHEKO. All former
documents remain valid,
general public take note.
CHINYERE
I, formerly known and
addressed as UGWU
FRANCISCA CHINYERE,
now wish to be known and
addressed as UGWU
FRANCISCA. All former
documents remain valid,
general public take note.
ADULE
I, formerly known and addressed
as GODWIN SABO, now wish to
be known and addressed as ADULE
SABO GODWIN. Wrong date of
birth 01/01/1989. Correct date of
birth 12/07/1994. All former
documents remain valid, general
public take note.
BUDU
I, formerly known and
addressed as BUDU MAURICE
SOKARI NENGIA, now wish
to be known and addressed as
NENGIA MAURICE SOKARI.
All former documents remain
valid, general public take note.
SANI ITORO
I, formerly known and
addressed as SANI MARYAM,
now wish to be known and
addressed as MARYAM ANGO.
All former documents remain
valid, general public take note.
NGAA
I, formerly known and
addressed as IBRAHIM NGAA
PHILIP, now wish to be
known and addressed as
IBRAHIM PHILIP. All former
documents remain valid, First
Bank Plc and general public
take note.
SPACE
FOR
SALE
Why is he off erotic action
at 49?
Dear Bunmi,
DO YOU think it’s a
common thing for a
49-year-old man not to
want sex? My husband and
I got married two years ago
- it is the second time for
both of us. We managed to
have sex for a few times
during the three years we
courted but, since we got
married, I can count on my
fingers the number of times
we’ve had sex. He told me
just before we got married
that he no longer needed
sex but I thought that after
marriage, and with me
constantly by his side, he
would change his mind.
But he hasn’t.
So why did he get
married? Sometimes we go
Dear Bunmi,
CAN YOU please tell
me when a woman
should first have sex with
a new partner? In a recent
discussion with my friends
on the topic, all of them,
except me, waited at least
a week before sex. I’ve
always had sex on the first
night with a man, if I like
him. Now I feel a bit cheap
for doing this.
Tola, by e-mail.
Dear Tola,
through the routine as if
we ‘11 go all the way, then
he turns over and goes to
sleep. It’s very frustrating,
I tell you. My husband has
refused to talk about his
problem and acts as if I’m,
making a big deal of it. His
first wife had several
affairs, then left him for
someone else. I know there
are a lot worse things that
happen in a relationship
than not having sex, but
this is ridiculous! Do you
believe we have a future
together? Or should I
divorce him? I feel
frustrated and wouldn’t
want to get married a third
time.
Franka, by e-mail.
Dear Franka,
It’s obvious that your
husband’s sex drive has
When should I ‘do it' with
a new love?
Sex with someone on a
first date can be risky and
exciting, but it is more
likely to be unprotected so
you could put yourself at
risk of a sexually
transmitted disease, or
even pregnancy.
Researchers say it is better
to wait as women can use
this courtship time to check
out whether they’ve found
a good man to sleep with,
or a one-night
disappointment. I’d
encourage you to make
your lovers work a little
harder before pay day!
been weak for a long time.
The poor man suffered the
humiliation of his wife
sleeping with other men
and then leaving him in the
end. This must have given
him the sense that he is
inadequate and likely to be
rejected, even by a woman
he loves and who loves
him. By confiding in you
that he no longer needed
sex, he is asking you to
accept that he now rarely
feels aroused and is near
impotent. So, every time
you mention the absence of
sex, his fear of rejection
“becomes intense.
Instead of re-assuring
him that this new marriage
he was courageous enough
to go into wouldn’t end in
humiliation, you’re already
plotting your escape! He’s
tried to make love a few
times only for his attempts
to backfire miserably;
which obviously adds to his
frustration. Help your
husband to accept that
your marriage will survive
your not having sex and
accept this yourself. Tell
him fore-play should not
necessarily be followed by
penetrative sex and
encourage him to stimulate
you to orgasm. Your
husband needs to feel that
he can still satisfy a woman
sexually and mutual
massage is a wonderful
way for a couple to share
intimacy and affection - it
can also encourage intense
orgasm by you, and your
man. Give it a try.
Surprised this toy boy is not a
gold digger!
Dear Bunmi,
IKNOW toy boys are the
rage these days and
they connote the image of
a gold-digger. I met this
friend’s younger brother at
a bank that I use and he’d
been after me since then.
I’m a single mother of two
and fairly comfortable.
Even though I’m seven
years older, this man and I
started a relationship. I enjoyed
his company and the
sex is good. Only he hasn’t
asked me for any gifts or
money - instead he gives
presents that lifts my spirit.
Is it a matter of time before
he starts milking me? And
how far should I go in my
generosity?
Clair, by e-mail
Dear Clair,
You won’t be the first
woman to be under the
spell of a toyboy - there are
tons of women in your
shoes asking the same
question: Does it really
work in the bedroom? Here
are four good reasons
researchers give why a
toyboy might prefer
maturity over youth: Older
women know what they are
doing: They’ve clocked up
more lovers so have more
experience. Young girls
might have breasts that
point to heaven, but older
women will keep him on
cloud nine through sheer
sexual knowledge.
Older women take
charge: They’re not afraid
to direct on position, pace
or fore-play, so he’s not left
wondering what his lover
wants or when she wants it.
She’s capable of satisfying
her own needs which takes
the pressure off him and
she doesn’t just lie back
and expect him to do all the
work. Older women take
their time: It usually takes
women longer warm-up
than men. She doesn’t
apologise for it, knowing a
slower sex session is liable
to be more enjoyable for
both of them.
Older women are
confident: They’re likely to
be less inhibited and far
less hung up on what
people will think if they try
something a little unusual.
So make the most of this
experience and have fun.
Your toyboy works in a
bank and is most unlikely
to milk you dry for sex!
Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 17, 2021 — 29
He can’t function without
porn!
Dear Bunmi,
WE’VE BEEN married
for over four years now
and have two sons. Our sex
life was good until recently
when my husband, who is in
his mid-30's, started
experiencing erectile failure.
He has since resorted to
watching blue films whenever
we want to make love. This
easily excites him and he
keeps the film on during sex.
I find this very disgusting. At
first I thought it was to help
him get his sex drive back.
Now I feel he is making love
to the characters in the sick
movies, not me.
Ruth, by e-mail.
Dear Ruth,
Could your husband be
worried about anything that
could cause his not being able
to be aroused by you? You
have to talk to him about how
unhappy he is making you
feel and why he’s suddenly
behaving the way he is. It’s
often something that has
nothing to do with the
Dear Bunmi,
RECENTLY, A group of
us girls got talking and
almost all of us admitted to
thinking about other men
when making love to our
partners. This is supposed to
liven up an otherwise dull
session. Is this fantasy thing
common? Isn’t it disloyal to
the partner you’re with when
you fantasize about other
men?
Folusho, by e-mail.
Dear Folusho,
Fantasy is supposed to be a
wonderful way to improve
sexual arousal. Your mind
can take you to wonderful
places with endless erotic
possibilities. Both men and
women can benefit from wild
fantasy during sex. Those
who’ve never tried it are
missing out. Here are a few
professional tips on fantasy:
Story lines - Fantasies are
limited only by the
imagination. The variety of
erotic storylines is almost
endless. Many have fantasies
that give them pleasure
through life, while others
change their fantasies
regularly and incorporate
real life events and people
they have met.
Fantasies often get their
power from their extreme
content. They contain images
You have to
talk to him
about how
unhappy he is
making you
feel. It’s often
something
that has
nothing to do
with the
relationship
that turns men
off sex. If he
has lost
confidence in
himself, you
need to help
him find it
relationship that turns men
off sex. If he has lost
confidence in himself, you
need to help him find it.
Watching blue films together
once in a while is healthy, if
it is what you both want.
Should one fantasise during
love-making?
the individual would never
want to experience in real life
and the thought conjure up
feelings of guilt or fear. This
charge of emotion gets
transformed into powerful
sexual excitement.
Men vs Women: Research
suggests half of women
fantasise while making love
to their husband and most are
dreaming about sex with
another man. And men are
the same - often thinking of
other women. But this should
not be a source of guilt or seen
as infidelity. Remember,
fantasy is only in the mind.
Inspiration: People fuel
their fantasy from a variety
of sources. They may get their
images from pornography,
from reading erotic literature
or from day dreaming about
a man they met on the bus.
The amount you fantasize
isn’t an indicator of how good
or bad your sex life is. In fact,
people with healthy sex lives
have been known to fantasize
more because they are
inspired by their lover.
Feeling it for real: Fantasy
is amazing and it’s well worth
exploring the sex life in your
head. You can even go further
and try to act out a fantasy
with a lover; it’s a great way
to spice up your sex life but
try not to be too disappointed
if reality falls short of your
day dreams.
Share your problems and release
your burden. Write now to
Dear Bunmi,
Vanguard Newspapers,
P.M.B 1007, Apapa, Lagos, or
bunmsof@yahoo.co.uk
C
M
Y
30 — Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 17, 2021
•The late Lateef Jakande
Jakande - war hero in
peacetime
By PAT UTOMI
IT’s easy to celebrate
extraordinary personage.
But what is more important is to
flatter them by imitating them
appropriately. I am tempted,
therefore, to ask of the politicians
pouring encomiums on the late
Governor of Lagos State, Alhaji
Lateef K. Jakande? Who among
them can make the effort to be like
him? That is where the rubber meets
the road.
I knew Alhaji Jakande. He knew
also that I genuinely regarded him
highly. When I looked at Nigeria’s
broken National Honours system
with the many crooks on the
Honours roll I thought we should
create something young people
could model themselves on. The
result was the Leader Without Title,
LWT, Honour Colloquium Series.
We at CVL, the home of the LWT
Tribute Series, were careful to avoid
honouring politicians because the
flavour of the moment is to celebrate
politicians with access to public
resources and power to dole out
favours. We have been careful to
avoid honouring politicians,
especially from the brood with little
sense of service. But we could not do
a good job of setting up role models
for tomorrow’s leaders if we did not
erect before them someone like
Jakande. So we honoured him in the
LWT Tribute Colloquium Series. He
and Dr. Alex Ekwueme have been
held up as the only examples from
the political class, for young people,
in the 10 years of the LWT Tribute
Series.
I thought that useful because as a
young person looking for role
models from the ranks of statesmen,
I found worthy of such from the
immediate post-independence era
Dr. Michael (MI) Okpara and Chief
Obafemi Awolowo. In many ways,
Alhaji Lateef Jakande was the Elisha
that followed Elijah Obafemi
Awolowo. I was, therefore, quite
comfortable with the appellation of
Babakekere to his name as the Awo
heir-apparent.
But the time I had for the former
Lagos State governor traversed
political life. His simplicity, integrity,
and focus may have come through
with his use of his personal car, a
Toyota Crown for official duties as
governor when his colleagues went
for the super-luxury Mercedes Benz
models; his continuing to live in his
home in Ilupeju instead of moving
into Lagos house on Marina; and in
clearly recognising Education,
Housing and Transportation as the
primary needs of Lagosians and
pursuing the