20022021 - INSECURITY Give us state police now - Govs

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2 —SATURDAY VANGUARD, FEBRUARY 20, 2021 Burial ceremony of late Alh Lateef Olukayode Jakande at Volts After Gardens, long expectation, Ikoyi, Lagos. Soludo declares interest to succeed Obiano How Jakande turned down offer to become President of Nigeria — Tinubu By Olasunkanmi Akoni NATIONAL Leader of the All Progressives Congress, APC, and former Governor of Lagos State, Bola Tinubu, has revealed how late first Civilian Governor of Lagos State, Alhaji Lateef Jakande, LKJ, politely, rejected the call by some progressive groups to contest for the Presidency of Nigeria. Tinubu, stated this on Friday, while addressing the crowd at the eight day ‘fidau ‘prayer for late Jakande, held at his Bishop Street, residence, Ilupeju, Lagos. According to Tinubu: “To all of us in Lagos, we have been extremely lucky to have him, extremely lucky to draw from the fountain of his knowledge. “Nigeria equally is lucky but when the crisis of military and many others arose, we met him, we said, we wanted Jakande but he said, he was no longer interested in becoming the president in the midst of chaos. “We told him, we wanted him to come and lead, he said no, the field was left for us, he has left an open field. There is no way, one can say, we will beat his record, he is already immortal, it is only from our own character , our vision that will drive our mission.” Earlier, in his sermon, the National Missioner and Chief Imam of Ansar-Ud- Deen Society of Nigeria, Sheikh Abdulrahman Ahmad, said nothing could have stopped Tibubu from becoming President of Nigeria if God so destined. He urged well meaning Nigerians s to support the dream of Tinubu, particularly the Southern part of the country in achieving the dream. His words: “Asiwaju Tinubu really followed the template Alhaji Jakande built. “Asiwaju, God is challenging you by giving you another opportunity to be part of the history of Nigeria. “It takes visionary leadership and determination to succeed. The challenges of security, insurgency and COVID-19 afford you an opportunity to rescue Nigeria.” Nigeria to exit dependence on oil revenue in 10 years — Awolowo *Says non-oil exports to hit $30bn THE Executive Director/ CEO of the Nigerian Export Promotion Council, NEPC, Mr. Segun Awolowo, yesterday assured that given the steps being taken to improve the non-oil exports, Nigeria will exit its dependence on crude oil revenue in the next 10 years. Mr. Awolowo stated this while briefing State House correspondents after meeting behind closed doors with President Muhammadu Buhari at the presidential villa, Abuja. According to him, in the next decade, Nigeria can get $30 billion in terms of non oil export not withstanding the effect of the current COV- ID-19 pandemic. He said, “But more importantly, we must just continue, we must increase production and productivity all across the two sectors that the zero oil plan is postulating for the country and then we get out of it. We cannot run an economy that 90 percent of our earnings is from crude oil. It is just not working and that is what we are seeing through out the years when we went into first recession when the world oil prices stood worldwide.” While noting the changing world dynamics, he said: “We need to move again from just raw materials, we need to look at the entire value chain and that is where you create jobs and that is where you earn more money. “So ten years time frame we are looking at to get to $30 billion but we must be consistent, we must invest more in the non oil sector From left: National Leader of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Asiwaju Bola Tinubu; Lagos State Governor, Mr. Babajide Sanwo-Olu and wife of the deceased, Alhaja Abimbola Jakande, during the 8-day Fidau prayer for the first civilian Governor of Lagos State, Alhaji Lateef Jakande, at Bishop Street, Ilupeju, yesterday. than looking for oil.” Acknowledging the president’s support to NEPC and the non-oil export sector, he recalled that the non-oil exports sector was experiencing challenges, especially with the basic incentive, the Export Expansion Grant (EEG) being suspended, with over N350 billion in unpaid EEG claims. He added: “The situation had dire effects on exporters, some shut down plants, some laid off people thereby increasing the numbers of unemployed population. Mr President rescued the situation with his approval of the new EEG scheme.” On the implementation of the Zero Oil Plan, the NEPC boss affirmed that it has received enormous support and buy-in even as it is integrated in the Economic Recovery and Growth Plan, adding that the National Economic Council has set up a National Committee on Exports to drive it Awolowo further remarked: “The entire world is now raising a lot of concerns about the long-term devastating impacts of oil and focusing on climate change. The unpredictability on oil prices will not stop. First 2008, oil price crashed due to global financial crises; then in 2014 oil price crashed due to shale over production; then in 2020, oil price crashed due to COVID. “We have seen a return to a positive GDP growth in last quarter of 2020. We have now seen strong recoveries in Agriculture (growth of 3.4%) and Services, and those sectors put a lid on 2020 declines. “We have achieved a lot, but we continue to get requests from all the States for Export programmes. And these initiatives touch the grass roots, women, youths, creates hundreds of thousands of jobs.” The NEPC boss, who outlined the improvements achieved in non-oil export products and jobs created across the country, said: “Even for what we are doing there now on this, we need to scale it up, and take it to more states, It is projects like these that we need to truly become an ‘Export Nation’ We just need to scale up our Zero Oil plan so that it reaches and touches more. Bawa’s appointment will achieve required reforms in EFCC — Omotola THE Director-Gener al, Center for Institutions Reforms in Nigeria, CIRN, Lai Omotola has described the nomination of a 40-year old Abdul- Rasheed Bawa to head the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC. as capable of achieving the required reforms in the anti-graft agency. Reacting to the development, Omotola applauded President Buhari, saying that the appointment vividly shows that Buhari is committed to making reforms that would springboard Nigeria to higher height in all sectors. ‘President Muhammadu Buhari has demonstrated that he is indeed a man of reforms. By choosing Bawa, he has demonstrated his commitment towards the continuous fight against corruption in Nigeria. He has shown the commitment in two forms: one; he has nominated the youngest man in history to run EFCC, secondly, for the first time in history of EFCC, an operative from the antigraft agency will run the commission. “You will recall that during the travails of the former Chairman of EFCC, Ibrahim Magu; when he was being investigated by the presidential panel, CIRN called for an amendment of EFCC Act that would make an insider within the operative to take control of the dayto-day operations and workings of the anti-graft commission. At present, Abdul- Rasheed Bawa is the head of Lagos Zone of the commission. Within a short time, we have seen a lot of reforms he has brought to the zone. He has changed the ambience of EFCC and he has also ensured that operations of EFCC in terms of Investigation are based on specialized departments; meaning that it now operates in a specialized way. Omotola also said that the appointment shows the belief of the President that youths possess the needed knowledge and the capacity to govern Nigeria effectively. By Vincent Ujumadu, Awka AFTER long expectation by members of the ruling All Pro gressives Grand Alliance, APGA, and other stakeholders in Anambra State, the former Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN, Professor Charles Soludo has finally declared his intention to contest the November 6, 2021 governorship election in Anambra State. Soludo’s name began to make the round as the likely successor to Obiano for more than two years, but he had not come out to say he was interested in the race, until Thursday when he visited the headquarters of APGA in Awka. Over time, however, no fewer than 15 groups have been campaigning for Soludo, with some of the groups making donations in the various churches and at ceremonies across the state on his behalf. At a time, some politicians in the state who perhaps were afraid of his intimidating credentials started saying that he had decided not to contest, while others said the presidency had promised him the governorship only if he contested on the platform of All Progressives Congress, APC. But declaring his governorship ambition at APGA secretariat, Soludo said he is aspiring to contest under APGA, adding that the November 2021 governorship election in Anambra State is consequential to the survival of the party. His visit to the party headquarters was like a carnival, as notable past and present political office holders accompanied him. Among those that came with him included serving and former commissioners, former deputy governor of the state, Chief Emeka Sibeudu, chieftains of APGA and all the local government chairmen in the state. Before his declaration, the former CBN governor had visited APGA stakeholders in the 21 local government areas of the state, culminating in his Aguata Local Government area naming him as the sole candidate from the area, despite the fact that there were other governorship aspirants from the local government. Addressing the party officials, Soludo said: “This election is consequential in Anambra State and if APGA does not win, it means the party is gone. Let no APGA member toy with this election. If APGA loses Anambra, it has lost direction. “Therefore, do not make mistake in the person the party will field for the election as candidate because the party cannot afford to lose the November election.” According to him, the collective destiny of the party is at stake and must be protected by all means. Anambra State chairman of APGA, Sir Norbert Obi assured Soludo that the party would be fair to all the aspirants during the forthcoming primaries to select the governorship candidate of the party. #End SARS Inquiry: Wike receives report indicting SARS officials By Egufe Yafugborhi GOVERNOR Nyesom Wike on Friday challenged Inspec tor General of Police, IGP, Adamu Mohammed, to justify Federal Government’s seriousness in setting up nationwide #EndSARS Judicial Commissions of Inquiry by implementing emanating recommendations. Wike declared the challenge when the commission of inquiry in Rivers State, chaired by Justice Chukwunenye Uriri (rtd) submitted its report to the Governor at Government House, Port Harcourt. Uriri had told the Governor that the commission received 190 petitions, struck out 82 for lack of due diligence or jurisdiction and eventually considered 108 of them. He noted that policemen who committed crime against Rivers people, do not have any affinity with the State. He stated that, “it is noteworthy that our commission has the highest number of petitions in the federation. Lagos has 210 petitions while we have 190. Lagos is still there but by the grace of God, we are here presenting this report to you. “It is our opinion that this figure represents the highest degree of total disregard of law and order by law enforcement agencies in the State.” Governor Wike then immediately set up a 5-man committee to extract White Paper from the report of the commission that investigated Human Rights Abuses, Police Brutality and Extrajudicial Killings by now disbanded Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS) in the state. He said, “The truth of the matter is that I am not sure the Again, Boko Haram invades Dikwa in Borno By Ndahi Marama, Maiduguri BOKO Haram members last night invaded Dikwa Local government Area of Borno state shooting sporadically after engaging security operatives. Residents including thousands of Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) according to sources scampered for safety following the attack. This happened few days after some insurgents stormed neighboring Marte Local Government Area and wrecked havoc, as well as took control and mounted their flags at the Council Headquarter. A resident who did not want his name, in a text message to Saturday Vanguard last night said, “the insurgents invaded Dikwa at about 5:30pm on Friday and have been exchanging fire with troops up to 9:05pm at press time.” He said he did not have actual number of casualties but he suspected that the terrorists, the troops and innocent civilians were likely to suffer casualty.
Election losers exploiting herders/ farmers crisis in Edo — Obaseki *Wants military to protect forest reserves By Johnbosco Agbakwuru GOVERNOR Godwin Obaseki of Edo State has blamed the tension in the state over the idea of grazing lands on those he described as the same political opponents he defeated in the last gubernatorial poll in the state. Recall that the governor had been reported to have promised to establish grazing lands for herders, but while speaking to State House correspondents after meeting with the Chief of Staff to the President, Prof. Ibrahim Gambari, at the presidential villa, Abuja, weekend, he said his government was only encouraging private citizens to do business with herders for profit. He accused the political opponents of deliberately misrepresenting the position of government for selfish reasons. According to him, “If you will just go through some blogs and some of the narratives and messages sent around online and on social media, you can see a correlation. For instance, the people who are pushing the message that I have given grazing land in Edo, if you see them, they are the same blogs, the same people who were sponsoring opposition messages throughout election. So, clearly, if you were in my position, what will be your conclusion? “Apart from that, the people who have been pushing the narrative are just trying to create scare, trying to create trouble. These are people who we defeated during the last election. “So, clearly, we are not saying we don’t have challenges, we have security challenges, but leadership or people who have aspired to leadership, should not be irresponsible. You don’t inflame already tensed situation. That’s what we are saying.” Governor Obaseki affirmed that he did not renege on his promise to provide grazing lands, saying: “I said a state government is not in the business of ranching or of providing grazing lands. However, there are communities that have lands, which have, as at today, accommodated herders under some arrangements. “What I suggested was that these communities should look at making lands available SATURDAY VANGUARD, FEBRUARY 20, 2021 — 3 where and when herdsmen come in. They can grow grass and charge them to herd in specific areas and avoid getting the herdsmen to trespass into other people’s farm lands because that is what causes crisis. Insecurity: Your prayers, sermons should gear towards peace, stability, Tinubu charges clerics •As Osoba, Sanwo-Olu, Fayemi, Yerima, others pay tributes to late LKJ By Olasunkanmi Akoni From left: Managing Director, Portland Paints and Products, Mrs. Bolarin Okunowo; Chairperson, Esosa Balogun; Shareholder Proxy, Mr. Mathew Akinlade; and the Secretary, Mr. Olamide Osundolire at the company's event held in Lagos, recently. PHOTO: AKEEM SALAU Akeredolu’s inauguration will be low key — Committee By Dayo Johnson, Akure THE second term in auguration ceremony of the Ondo State Governor Rotimi Akeredolu, slated for Wednesday, February, 24, will be a low-key event in view of the COV- ID-19 pandemic. Chairman of the Inauguration Committee and the Deputy governor elect, Mr. Lucky Ayedatiwa said this in Akure during a press conference to herald the second term inauguration. Ayedatiwa said that invitation for the programmes will be limited to very few people. According to him:“It is important to stress that attendance at every function will be strictly by invitation in order to control crowd and reduce the risks associated with COVID-19. “In other words, the venues will be a no-go areas for individuals without official invitation cards. For more emphasis, the DOME which sits full capacity of 1,800 guests will now sit 500 for the inauguration while it will accommodate only 400 for the state dinner later in the evening.” He disclosed that the week-long activities will include Inauguration lecture which will come up on Tuesday, February 23,2021, and will be delivered by the President of Development Bank, Dr. Akinwumi Adesina. NATIONAL leader of the All Progressives Congress, APC, and former Governor of Lagos State, Bola Tinubu, has urged both Muslim and Christian clerics to channel their prayers, commitment, fasting, sermons towards promoting peace and stability across the country. Tinubu, gave the charge on Friday, while addressing the mammoth crowd at the eighth day ‘fidau ‘prayer for the soul of the late first civilian Governor, Alhaji Lateef Kayode Jakande, LJK, held at his Bishop Street, residence, Ilupeju, Lagos. Recall that Jakande died in his residence, last week Thursday, at the age of 91 and laid to rest on the second day, Friday, at Vaults and Gardens Cemetery, Ikoyi, Lagos. On the occasion, Lagos State Governor, Mr. Babajide Sanwo-Olu, led other dignitaries, which include: Lagos state deputy governor, Dr. Femi Hamzat, Speaker of the Lagos State House of Assembly, Mudashiru Obasa, former Governor of Ogun State, Otunba Segun Osoba, Ekiti State Governor, Kayode Fayemi, former Governor of Zamfara, Ahmad Sani Yerima, former Inspector- General of Police, Musiliu Smith, Ganiyu Olarewaju Solomon, GOS, among others. The event was also attended by members of the Lagos State Executive Council, various Islamic and Christian clerics, traditional leaders and chiefs, APC chieftains in the state, Local Government chairmen, market women, among others. The prayer session was conducted by Islamic scholars and clerics, with second lecture and prayer delivered by Chief Imam of Anserudeen Society of Nigeria, Abdulraheem Ahmad while Pastor Daniel Adeeko, prayed for the repose of the deceased and family members he left behind. Tinubu, who described late LKJ as a flagbearer, true progressive, true leader, said, “We have listened to the clergymen, to our father who has gone to answer the call of Almighty Allah, we pray that God will forgive all his sins. To the family; it is not your loss but our loss. We cannot be alive forever, Allah destined the date we will depart. Today is eight days, we all assemble here to pray for Alhaji LKJ. Well, if I start to write, I will write epistle, I am one of the lucky men to grow under him. This is the house I learned to become a politician and my journey to political life. He said go, we need many like you, go to the senate and the rest is history. To our junior brothers and sisters, may God bless you, and set you on the right path of success. “Jakande has many children, not just you alone, we are, and we are truly his children. “Today, he is no more but he is still existing to the eternity, we pray for Lagos State, we pray for Nigeria to give us more people, more leaders who are prudent, honest, that give priority to the world the future, looking at what will become the life of the children. “He converted three sets of school classes for students in a day to single one, he converted so many hospitals, he is the most progressive individual that you ever have, progressive to the core. “I appeal, in his memory today, for us not to turn whatever challenges we are facing right now, to ethnic, tribal and religion crisis, only God almighty Allah will judge your faith. “Only Him that is perfect, only Allah will pray to direct us on the right path. You ‘ulamas’ (Islamic scholars) too, you are very critical in present situation, your prayers, commitment, fasting, all the sermons should gear towards peace and stability. Herdsmen Crisis:Yoruba will lose more in event of war, Oluwo warns, calls for peace By Shina Abubakar, Osogbo OLUWO of Iwo, Oba Ab dulrosheed Akanbi has cautioned Yoruba groups to stop drumming the beat of war, warning that the Yoruba may lose more if the herdsmen crisis degenerates into war. The monarch in a statement issued by his media aide Alli Ibrahim yesterday counseled Yorubas in the South-west to consider their kinsmen in the north before declaring war against the Hausas in the Yoruba states. He also urged the deviant Fulani herdsmen to respect human dignity and desist from kidnapping and killing of fellow humans. Appealing to the Yoruba nation, Oluwo stressed the need to consider the billions of immovable investment of their kinsmen in the northern states, saying that in the event of crisis herdsmen may only lose cattle while their kinsmen would lose billions of investments in the north. He also said that profiling the entire Fulani as criminals should be avoided as there were law abiding ones. He said the path of peace is the most honourable, tasking security operatives to prosecute criminals irrespective of ethnic affiliation, saying doing so would clear the air and show that the current outcry was against the criminal herdsmen. He described Nigeria as a nation of complex identities, call- ing on stakeholders, especially government to domesticate dividends of democracy as a means of tackling numerous crisis in the country. The statement reads further, “The lingering Yoruba- Fulani saga is a fragile issue that demands witty, technical approach. No doubt, the activities such as killing, kidnapping, raping perpetrated by the bad eggs among the Fulani are condemnable. As a people, we must understand who to fight. I see Fulani as a section of the Hausas. And most Fulani are not stationed in their origin. They have relocated and settled else where. Their most valued items are their cows. Most of their properties are movable. Is this who we want to declare war against? “Declaring war against the Fulani will be derogatorily translated to a war against the Hausas. Fulani are just a section of the Hausas. What will be the fate of billions of investments and properties of the Yorubas in the northern States? If their own cows could be moved, how will our innocent sons and daughters in the northern states move their investments and properties? I see Yoruba losing more should there be war. “I’m appealing to all and sundry to dignify human lives and toe the path of honour in sustaining a peaceful co-existence. War is an enemy of humanity. What war can do, peace can do better”. Dialogue with bandits, only way out for peace, Gumi insists By Wole Mosadomi DAYS after he made similar remarks that attracted attacks from Nigerians Islamic Scholar, Sheikh Ahmed Abubakar Gumi has insisted that the only way to put an end to insecurity in Niger state and Nigeria generally is to enter into dialogue with the bandits terrorising parts of the country. Sheikh Gumi told Journalists in Minna, Niger State yesterday after visiting the bandits in their hideout in Dutsen Magaji in Mariga Local Government area of the state, adding that from what he has seen, the bandits were ready to give peace a chance after dialogue with the appropriate government officials. “From all indications, the bandits are ready to sheath their swords with the appropriate authorities by going into dialogue with them and not by force,” he remarked. Accompanied to their hideout by Secretary to Niger state government, Alhaji Ahmed Ibrahim Matene, Gumi said he seized the opportunity to preach to the bandits that Islam is against taking the lives of innocent people and appealed to them to embrace peace by laying down their arms. The Islamic Cleric assured the bandits that he will continue to discuss with the State Government to explore whatever assistance and support government will give to them with a view to achieving the set objectives. Some of the commanders in their separate remarks applauded the State Government for the peace process, stressing that it would go a long way in restoring peace across the state. The bandits appealed to the State Government to assist the release of their members arrested by Security Agencies and detained across the state for the peace process to thrive.
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20022021 - INSECURITY Give us state police now - Govs

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