24022021 - Banditry designed to 9 destroy Nigeria — GOVS

CRYPTOCURRENCY: 

We acted in 

Nigerians' best 19 

interest — EMEFIELE 

FG concessions 12 

highways to investors 

•Expects N1.34 trn investments, 250, 000 

jobs to be created•Obtains nod from ICRC 

to proceed with project 5 

Zenith Bank’s profit before tax rises 5% to N255.9bn 

8 

VOL. 27: NO. 64278 WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 24, 2021 

Banditry designed to 

9 

destroy Nigeria — GOVS 

•As S-West govs vow to fight criminality with every legal means 

•Herdsmen, farmers now carry AK-47, Northern govs lament •Say farmers/herders crisis would have been 

averted if livestock plan was implemented •PDP intervenes in Ortom/Mohammed’s rift over herdsmen 

Nigeria operating fatherism, 

not federalism 

GOVS VISIT NIGER... 

– Adesina, AfDB boss 10 

10 

Chairman of the Nigeria Governors' Forum and Governor of Ekiti State, 

Dr Kayode Fayemi (2nd left) with a delegation of the Forum in Minna, Niger 

State, yesterday, to commiserate with government and people of Niger State 

on the series of kidnappings in the state. 

Mr & Mrs 

COLUMNISTS DEAR BUNMI 16 FASAN 17 AFE 34 

STATE OF THE NATION: How to save Nigeria 

— Utomi, Na'Ábba, Ozekhome, others 35 

Uzodimma, 12 

Ohanaeze differ 

over military 

invasion of Orlu 

Oando’s shareholder 

wins court case 

against SEC 32

2 — Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 24, 2021

Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 24, 2021 — 3


vanguardnews 

@vanguardnews 

@vanguardnews 

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018773962, 

08052867058 

Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 24, 2021— 5 

POCKET CARTOON 

private sector 

investment will flow into 

the highways, while no 

fewer than 50,000 direct 

jobs and 200,000 indirect 

jobs would be created by 

the concessioning of the 

highways to the private 

operators. 

UZODINMA IN ASO ROCK—President Muhammadu Buhari receives Imo 

State Governor Hope Uzodinma in State House, Abuja, yesterday. Photo: 

State House. 

FG concessions 12 

highways to investors 

•Expects N1.34 trn investments, 250, 000 jobs 

to be created•Obtains nod from ICRC to 

proceed with project 

By Soni Daniel, 

Northern Region 

Editor 

ABUJA—In its bid to 

ensure regular 

maintenance of road 

networks across the 

country, the Federal 

Ministry of Works and 

Housing plans to 

concession no fewer than 

12 federal highways to 

private entities to 

manage. 

The arrangement will 

enable the private 

companies introduce toll 

gates on the 12 highways 

and generate revenue 

which they would use to 

regularly maintain such 

roads. 

This information is 

contained in a 

document, which 

Vanguard obtained, 

yesterday, from the 

Federal Ministry of 

Works and Housing in 

Abuja. 

The 12 highways to be 

concessioned under the 

Ministry’s “Highway 

M a n a g e m e n t 

Development Initiative”, 

HMDI, are: Benin- 

Asaba, Abuja-Lokoja, 

Kano-Katsina, Onitsha- 

Owerri, Shagamu-Benin 

and Abuja-Keffi- 

Akwanga. 

Others are: Kano- 

Shuari, Potiskum- 

Damaturu, Lokoja- 

Benin, Enugu-Port 

Harcourt, Ilorin-Jebba, 

Lagos-Ota-Abeokuta and 

Lagos-Badagry-Seme 

Border. 

The roads, according to 

the ministry, come under 

the pilot phase of the 

HDMI to be managed by 

selected private sector 

investors under its 

V a l u e - A d d e d 

Concession, VAC, 

arrangement. 

The 12 highways, 

according to the 

document, reviewed by 

Vanguard represent 

merely 5.6 per cent or 

1,963 kilometres of the 

country’s 35,000 km 

federal highway 

network. 

The document 

estimates that not less 

than N1.34 trillion of 

Not about revenue 

“It’s not really about 

revenue, it is about the 

expected injection into 

the economy. The 

estimated private sector 

investment required for 

the development and 

maintenance of the 12 

routes is N1.34 trillion 

and the impact such 

investment will have on 

the economy cannot be 

overstated. 

“The anticipated 

private sector 

investment will stimulate 

thousands of job 

opportunities for 

Nigerians as the 

Highway Economy 

comes alive along 

federal highways. 

“A minimum 50,000 

direct jobs and over 

200,000 indirect jobs are 

envisaged to be created, 

spanning construction 

works, installations, 

steel fabrication, security, 

hospitality, vehicle 

repairs, waste 

management and 

administrative work as 

the value chain along the 

Highway Economy is 

activated. 

“The combined impact 

of this mini economy 

will be a significant 

boost to our national 

GDP as productivity and 

earnings are enhanced,” 

the document read. 

Beyond the Value- 

Added Concession, VAC 

arrangement, the 

FMWH is also planning 

to use another vehicle, 

known as the Unbundled 

Assets Approvals 

initiative, UAAI, to 

maximize the use of its 

assets on the highways. 

Under this category, 

the ministry plans to 

issue approvals/permits 

to individuals to use 

assets on the right of 

way on a Build, Operate 

and Maintain basis. 

Both the VAC and the 

UAAI, according to the 

ministry, aim to provide 

adequate highway 

services through the 

development of 

revenue-generating 

assets along the 

highway. 

“This is key to 

maintaining the 

functionality of the 

highway as well as 

engaging and 

generating wealth for 

indigenous small and 

medium enterprises,” it 

says. 

Approval obtained 

The ministry explained 

that it has already 

obtained the approval of 

the Infrastructure 

Concession and 

Regulatory Commission, 

ICRC, to go ahead with 

the implementation of 

the HMDI which 

incorporates the 

concessioning of the 

highways and the right 

of way to private sector 

operators. 

Explaining the 

objectives of the HMDI, 

the ministry said: “The 

objective is to develop 

an eco-system along the 

federal highway 

network by bringing 

multi-dimensional 

resources of skills, 

manpower, finance, 

technology, and 

efficiency into the 

National Highway 

governance. 

“Ultimately, this homegrown 

initiative will be 

the lasting solution to the 

development and 

management of federal 

highways by introducing 

order, accountability and 

p r o f i t a b l e 

entrepreneurship to the 

operation, management, 

and maintenance of 

Nigeria’s 35,000 km 


“The Initiative is 

expected to be anchored 

on private sector 

engagement via 

concessioning of 

economically viable 

routes to technically and 

financially capable 

private companies, 

through 

the 

management and 

development of the rightof-way. 

“A major hindrance to 

highway development 

and management has 

been paucity of required 

funds to service the vast 

and ever-expanding road 

network. To negate this 

handicap, the FMWH 

proposes 

engagement 

Continues on Page 35 

the 

of 

By Yinka Latona 

Should FG grant amnesty to bandits? (3) 

Lemony Snicket was right 

when he said: ‘Criminals 

should be punished, not fed 

pastries.’ When you pardon a 

criminal, you have just 

encouraged him or sent a 

message to some people 

somewhere that they can 

always go Scot-free whenever 

they break the laws. Bandits 

are criminals. They have no 

good intentions. They don’t 

deserve amnesty. They 

deserve a visitation to the 

gallows. 

—Folorunso F.Adisa, 

Mediaprenuer 

Bandits are threats to 

national security and 

if a country cannot allow 

peaceful protesters to 

have their way, they 

shouldn’t in any way 

negotiate with anything 

that threatens the peace 

of the nation. In my 

opinion, several innocent 

untried individuals in 

prison need amnesty. 

Adeleke Kehinde, 

Content creator 

I 

actually do not believe 

amnesty should be 

granted to bandits. Besides, 

more people will see it as a 

shortcut to success looking 

at how past repented 

criminals are treated when 

granted amnesty. If they can 

take weapons and start 

killing people for no reason, 

I don’t see any reason why 

they won’t keep going back 

to the same crimes when 

their demands are not met. 

—Sunkanmi Ade, 

Make-up artist 

Bandits don’t deserve 

amnesty. Why should 

they be granted one? I 

support what Gov El-Rufai 

said on BBC Hausa Service. 

If they are granted amnesty, 

they will never honour it. 

Then the government will 

have to be meeting with 

different groups and new 

ones will continue to spring 

up here and there. 

—Odunayo Ayobami, 

Student 

I 

don’t think it’s the right 

step. Those who commit 

crime should be punished; 

it’s strange to be thinking of 

granting them amnesty. It’s 

high time we started 

implementing our laws 

religiously. The law says that 

if you offend, you face the 

consequences. Should we 

grant amnesty to people who 

had killed and maimed us? 

It's unfair. 

—Mrs. Shokoya Yetunde, 

Businesswoman 

The northern elders 

based their requests on 

the fact that Niger-Delta 

militants got amnesty. 

Comparing that struggle to 

this one is baseless. That 

struggle was based on 

resource control, 

environmental 

degradation of a resourcerich 

region. They had 

regard for human lives 

unlike the bandits who kill 

at will. What economic 

reason is their struggle 

based? They are terrorists 

that should be treated as 

such . —Aremu Precious, 

Entrepreneur

6— Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 24, 2021 

Court 

discharges, 

acquits engine 

oil trader over 

death of 

pregnant 

fiancee 

By Peter Okutu 

ABAKALIKI— AN Ebonyi 

State High Court, Abakaliki 

Division, has discharged and 

acquitted one Chukwudi Omeh, 

who has been standing trial for 

eight years over the death of his 

pregnant fiancee. 

Omeh, an engine oil trader, was 

accused in 2012 of killing his 

pregnant fiancee, Chinagorom 

Agama. 

The mutilated corpse of the 

deceased, a student of Ebonyi 

State College of Education, ÊkwÍ, 

and her bag were discovered at 

the Alisaoko forest in Ohaukwu 

Local Government Area with her 

private part, hair and breasts 

missing. 

At the time of her death, she 

was three months pregnant. 

Her fiance, Omeh, was 

sponsoring her in school from 

proceeds of his engine oil 

business at ÌkwÍ Ngbo market in 

the local government. 

Their relationship, it was 

gathered, started in 1999 while 

they were in secondary school but 

they decided to marry in 2012. 

Following the discovery of her 

corpse, Omeh was arrested and 

accused of killing her and 

arraigned in 2013 before the court. 

However, the court presided 

over by Justice Vincent Nwanchor 

declared the defendant 

discharged and acquitted. 

He held that the prosecution 

failed to prove beyond a 

reasonable doubt that the accused 

committed the crime. 

The prosecuting counsel for the 

state, Lilian Okorie, blamed the 

inability of the police to carry out 

a diligent investigation on the 

matter before charging the 

accused to court. 

She also advised the discharged 

man to make a lasting peace with 

the deceased’s family members 

irrespective of the court 

judgement. 

Counsel to the defendant, 

Cletus Nwokposi, appreciated the 

court for discharging his client, 

noting: “The court has 

demonstrated that it is indeed the 

last hope of the common man.” 

Omeh, while thanking the court 

for acquitting him, prayed for the 

repose of the souls of his late 

fiancee and unborn baby. 

Cultists kill bricklayer in Delta 

By Ochuko Akuopha 

WALE— SUSPECTED 

Kcultists have reportedly 

killed a bricklayer, simply 

identified as Mr Jerry, at his 

residence around Utagba-Uno 

Street, Kwale, headquarters of 

Ndokwa West Local 

Government Area of Delta 

State, Monday. 

Sources said the deceased, 

who is also a member of the 

commercial motorcycle task 

force in the area, was shot at a 

close range by his assailants, 

who broke into his house while 

he was with his wife. 

Policeman killed as suspected hoodlums 

attack police station in Aba 

•Govt places N1m bounty on attackers 

•Bans Keke, Okada operations from 7 pm to 7 am 

By Steve Oko 

ABA—A policeman on duty was, 

yesterday, killed in an early 

morning attack on a police station 

at Abayi Osisioma Local 

Government Area, near Aba, Abia 

State. 

It was gathered that the attackers 

stormed the station around 2:00 am 

and set the station ablaze after 

killing one of the police personnel 

on duty. 

An unspecified number of 

vehicles parked at the station were 

also set ablaze by the invaders 

whose identities are yet to be 

ascertained. 

Meanwhile, the Abia State 

government has promised N1 

million reward for any credible 

information that could lead to the 

arrest of the invaders. 

Confirming the attack, yesterday, 

Abia State’s Police Public Relations 

Officer, Geoffrey Ogbonna, said 

investigations into the incident had 

commended to apprehend the 

perpetrators. 

It would be recalled that another 

police station was also in a similar 

fashion set on fire at Omoba in 

Isialangwa South Local 

Government Area in early January. 

The Abia State government, 

yesterday, described the attack on 

the police station and the killing of 

the police officer as “mindless and 

cowardly.” 

Govt places N1m 

bounty on attackers 

The government in a statement 

by the Commissioner for 

Information, John Okiyi, promised 

N1 million reward for any credible 

information that could lead to the 

arrest of the invaders. 

The government also announced 

an immediate ban on tricycle and 

motorcycle operation between 7 pm 

and 7am in all major cities 

throughout the state. 

The statement made available to 

Vanguard in Aba read in part: “The 

attention of Abia State Government 

has been drawn to a mindless and 

cowardly attack on a police station 

in Aba by yet to be identified armed 

hoodlums in the early hours of today 

(yesterday) leading to loss of 

precious lives. 

“We wish to assure members of 

the public that the government is 

working with security agencies in 

the state to fish out the perpetrators 

of this dastardly crime and bring 

“There have been series of 

cult clashes in Kwale in the 

last few months. This is 

making it eight persons that 

have been killed by cultists 

since January. Some survived 

the attacks. 

“They shoot every day and 

on Valentine’s day, two 

persons were killed," a source 

who craved anonymity told 

Vanguard. 

Effort to get comments from 

Delta State Police Public 

Relations Officer, Mr Bright 

Edafe, was abortive at press 

time, but a security source in 

the area confirmed the 

incident. 

them to justice as quickly as possible. 

“No part of Abia land will be ceded 

to criminals operating under any 

guise and we will not spare any 

resource in ensuring that the 

perpetrators of this dastardly act are 

brought to book in no distant time 

and the stolen arms and ammunition 

recovered completely. 

“Government, therefore, calls on 

citizens to avail law enforcement 

agencies with vital information that 

will lead to the arrest of the criminals 

and recovery of these arms. 

“We are determined to pay N1 

million for any information leading 

to the recovery of any of the stolen 

arms and or arrest of any suspect. 

“Consequently, the Government 

hereby imposes a ban on Keke/ 

Okada operations between 7 pm 

and 7 am in all major cities of the 

state starting from today,February 

23, 2021. 

“Once again, we call for total 

vigilance and prompt information 

from citizens to ensure the arrest and 

prosecution of the hoodlums. We call 

on banks and other vulnerable 

institutions to fortify security around 

their places of business while 

strongly advising all security 

formations in the state to remain on 

red alert until the situation is fully 

pacified. 

“Law-abiding citizens and visitors 

are advised to go about their normal 

businesses while maintaining 

vigilance as measures have been 

put in place to ensure their safety. 

"Those attacking security agents 

and formations only seek to 

engender anarchy. We will, 

therefore, continue to support 

security agencies with whatever 

they need to foil the agenda of the 

hoodlums. 

“While we implore community 

leaders to be vigilant, we urge 

parents and guardians to take more 

interest in the activities of their 

children and wards to avoid their 

falling prey to criminally minded 

individuals.” 

Police arrest 2 ex-convicts for robbery in Ogun 

By James Ogunnaike 

TWO ex-convicts, Abiodun 

Oshoba and Mustapha Sakiru, 

have been arrested by operatives of 

the Ogun State police command for 

robbing one Aminu Iliyasu of his 

Bajaj motorcycle at gunpoint. 

The suspects, according to a 

statement by the command 

spokesman, Abimbola Oyeyemi, 

were arrested following a complaint 

lodged at Sagamu police station by 

the victim. 

Iliyasu reported that the two 

suspects boarded his motorcycle as 

passengers and asked him to take 

them to the Conference Hotel at 

G.R.A quarters, Sagamu. 

Oyeyemi said: “On their way to 

the place, the suspects brought out 

a gun and ordered him to stop. They 

subsequently dispossessed him of 

the motorcycle and made away with 

it. 

“Upon the report, the DPO 

Sagamu Division, Okiki 

Agunbiade, mobilised his men and 

in-conjunction with members of 

Vigilante Group blocked all the exit 

points of the GRA and commenced 

stop and search.” 

He added that their efforts yielded 

positive result when the motorcycle 

was sighted at one of the exit points, 

in possession of Abiodun Oshoba 

The suspects. 

with the number plate folded. 

Oyeyemi said: “On sighting the 

policemen, he abandoned the 

motorcycle and took to his 

heels. He was chased and 

apprehended by the 

policemen and his arrest led 

to the apprehension of his 

accomplice, Mustapha 

Sakiru.” 

A locally made pistol with 

one live cartridge was 

recovered from them. 

The Police spokesman 

disclosed that preliminary 

investigation revealed that 

the duo met in Igbeba prison 

where they served different 

jail terms and decided to 

form a gang after their terms 

in the prison. 

“While Sakiru Mustapha 

was jailed in 2016 for 

hijacking a truck, Abiodun 

Oshoba was jailed in 2019 

for snatching a phone; both 

of them came out of prison 

in 2020 and decided to 

continue their devilish 

trade,” he said. 

Meanwhile, the state 

Commissioner of Police, 

Edward Ajagun, has 

ordered the transfer of the 

suspects to the State Criminal 

Investigation and Intelligence 

Department for discreet 

investigation and prosecution. 

Mother of 3 jailed 28 years for child theft in A-Ibom 

By Chioma Onuegbu 

UYO—A mother of three, Mary 

Effiong, was yesterday, 

sentenced to 28 years imprisonment 

for child theft by an Akwa Ibom State 

High Court sitting in Uyo. 

It was gathered that Effiong stole 

two pupils of Saint Philip’s Primary 

School, Use Offot and sold them in 

Osisioma Ngwa, Abia State. 

Effiong had in her statement to 

the police confessed that on 

November 12, 2018, she lured the 

pupils, five and six years old, with 

biscuits, claiming to be a friend to 

their mothers. 

She testified that she had an 

agreement with one Blessing 

Sunday alias Mummy Vom from 

Osisioma Ngwa in Abia State, who 

engaged her to look for children in 

Akwa Ibom for her. 

According to her statement, a man 

saw her in a bush while trying to 

escape with the two pupils and 

raised the alarm, and she was 

eventually caught and taken to the 

primary school where the 

headteacher identified the pupils 

and denied knowing the convict. 

In his judgement, yesterday, 

Justice Okon Okon described 

Mary Effiong's conduct as 

despicable, abominable and an 

embarrassment to motherhood, 

adding that for her to leave her 

children to abduct other people’s 

children for financial gains, speaks 

volume of her wickedness. 

He held that the defendant “is a 

joy killer set to cause grief and inflict 

pains on other parents, while 

jealously protecting and guiding 

her children. 

“But for providence, she would 

have succeeded in trafficking the 

two children to Abia State and 

ultimately sold them to a ready and 

willing buyer.” 

The trial judge ruled that the 

convict needed to be punished 

severely to serve as a deterrent to 

others, who engaged in the illicit 

trade. 

He found her guilty and 

sentenced her to 28years 

imprisonment. 

Child stealing is punishable 

under Section 380 of the Criminal 

Code, Cap. 38, Volume 2, Laws of 

Akwa Ibom State of Nigeria, 2000. 

Gunmen invade poultry farm, kidnap 24-yr-old man in 

Oyo 

By Ola Ajayi 

IBADAN—A popular poultry farm 

at Oke Odan, Olomo area in Apete 

community, Ido Local Government 

Area of Oyo State was, Monday night, 

invaded by gunmen, who abducted a 

24-year-old man. 

It was gathered that the attackers shot 

severally to scare people when they 

stormed the farm before kidnapping 

the young man, who is the son of the 

owner of the farm. 

According to information, the 

hoodlums on arrival demanded to see 

the owner of the farm. So, when they 

did not find him, they went away with 

his son. 

Contacted, National President of 

Soludero Hunters Association, Oba 

Wahab Anabi promised to mobilise his 

men. 

Also, the Divisional Police Officer at 

Apete Division and other officers, a local 

vigilante group have since been 

combing the surroundings of Olomo 

community in search of the abductors. 

It was gathered that the abductors 

escaped through a forest between the 

University of Ibadan and Ajibode.

Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 24, 2021—7 

Police rescue 81-yr-old monarch from kidnappers 

in Calabar •They made me trek for more than a mile —Monarch 

By Ike Uchechukwu 

CALABAR—THE 81-year-old 

monarch, Chief Bassey 

Iyamba, whisked away from his 

house at Ambo by Idang in 

Calabar South Local Government 

Area, late Monday night, 

yesterday, recounted how he was 

made to trek for more than a mile 

before he was rescued by the 

police. 

According to him, ”Three men 

entered my compound 

pretending to be customers, who 

came to buy chicken from our 

poultry not knowing they came 

to kidnap me, Although I got 

information that they wanted to 

kidnap me a month ago and I 

restricted my movement, not 

knowing I was still a target. 

•Says they came pretending to be customers 

“One of them entered my sitting 

room and started harassing me, 

he molested my wife and my 

children while asking me to bring 

the money, I told him I had no 

money in the house. 

“They dragged me, hit my head 

and face before succeeded to 

whisk me away. They took me to 

the creek, where I trekked for 

more than a mile before we 

arrived at our destination because 

they took me from one camp to 

another. 

“I must commend the police 

and the youths of my community, 

they did a lot of work to ensure 

my captors did not succeed in 

taking me across the water into 

the other side of the creek. I am 

most grateful because God used 

them to save my life. 

“I am an 81-year-old man, those 

men would have killed me inside 

the creek were it not for the timely 

intervention of the police because 

they escaped when they 

discovered that the police were 

on their trail and were closing in 

on them. 

“They left me alone in the creek, 

and when I started shouting I 

realised no one was with me. That 

was when police rescued me this 

early morning (Tuesday).” 

Speaking on the incident, the 

state Commissioner of Police, 

Sikiru Akande, said the incident 

had given them a platform to 

prove that they can react promptly 

and swiftly during emergencies. 

His words:”I want to thank God 

for helping us react swiftly in the 

rescue of the 81-year-old 

traditional ruler. Our response is 

an insight and a tip of the iceberg 

to the fact that we have started 

keeping our promise to Cross 

Riverians. 

“We are sending a message to 

hoodlums and all criminals alike, 

who want to test our strength or 

will that we are not going to relent 

until they are completely flushed 

out of the state. 

“I want to thank the youths of 

the community, Operation Puff 

Adder, Operation Akpakwu, the 

Efut Division and most especially 

the Marine police, who took the 

risk of securing the waterways, 

ensuring the hoodlums did not 

escape through the waterways 

with their victim.” 

53-yr-old man stabs neighbour to death while defending 

his brother 

By Esther Onyegbula 

TRAGEDY struck in the 

early hours of Monday at 

8, Akpaku Lane, Mafoluku- 

Oshodi area of Lagos when a 

man allegedly stabbed his 

neighbour to death during an 

altercation. 

Vanguard gathered that the 

incident occurred about an 

hour after the deceased, 

Chibuike Nwanne, returned 

from a party, with his wife. 

A report had it that Chibuike 

Nwanne had an altercation 

with one of his neighbours, 

Ifeanyi Emmanuel, over an 

unknown issue. 

In the course of the quarrel, 

another tenant, Sunday 

Amaefula, was said to have 

dashed out of his room with a 

broken bottle to defend 

Emmanuel, claiming he 

(Emmanuel) was his brother. 

He allegedly stabbed 

Nwanne at the chest region, 

causing him to slump. The 

victim’s pregnant wife was 

said to have raised the alarm 

that jolted other occupants 

from sleep. 

Efforts to save the life of 43- 

year-old Nwanne said to have 

wedded last year, failed as he 

reportedly bled to death. 

Tenants prevented 

Amaefula, 53, from escaping, 

until the arrival of policemen 

from Mafoluku division. 

During interrogation, 

Amaefula told policemen that 

he did not know what came 

over him. Besides, 

investigation also revealed 

that he and Ifeanyi 

Emmanuel, the tenant he took 

side with during the 

altercation, were not blood 

brothers. 

Police nab 2 

suspected robbers 

In another development, two 

suspected robbers were, 

yesterday, arrested around 

Alakara area of Lagos State. 

The Divisional Police Officer 

of Alakara and his men on 

patrol, according to Muyiwa, 

intercepted two men on a 

motorcycle. 

The suspected robbers. 

He said: “During a search, 

two brand new Beretta pistols 

with three magazines and 22 

live ammunition were 

recovered from them. 

“The suspects, Mojeed 

Satan and Kudaisi Ajetumobi, 

could not give satisfactory 

explanation on their means of 

livelihood. 

"Meanwhile, Commissioner 

of Police, Lagos State, Hakeem 

Odumosu, has ordered that the 

Sunday Amaefula, suspected killer. 

suspects and exhibits be 

transferred to the State 

Criminal Investigation and 

Intelligence Department, 

SCIID, for proper 

investigation.” 

23-year-old man killed in Imo cult clash 

By Chinonso Alozie 

OWERRI—A cult clash 

between rival groups at 

Agwa Secondary School in 

Oguta Local Government 

Area of Imo State has 

reportedly claimed the life of 

a 23-year-old man, Tobechi 

Duru. 

Confirming the death of the 

man, the state Police Public 

Relations Officer, Orlando 

Ikekwo, said the command 

got the information through a 

distress call and moved their 

men to the scene. 

Okonkwo said another 23- 

year-old man, Wisdom 

Uzoma, was arrested in 

connection with the incident 

after he allegedly confessed to 

committing the crime. 

The PPRO in a statement, 

yesterday said: “On the 20/02/ 

21, through a distress call, 

operatives of the command 

moved to Agwa Secondary 

School, Agwa, in Oguta Local 

Government Area. 

Wisdom Uzoma, the suspect, 

“Upon arrival at the scene, 

operatives met the remains of 

a young man, who was later 

identified to be Tobechi 

Chijioke Duru, 23-year-old, of 

Obudi Agwa, in Oguta Local 

Government 

Area, Imo 

State. He 

was said to 

have been 

killed while 

two rival 

cult groups 

clashed at 

the school 

premises. 

“However, 

on the 21/ 

0 2 / 2 1 , 

based on 

discreet and 

painstaking 

investigations, 

operatives 

of the 

command 

arrested the 

fleeing 

suspect, one Wisdom Uzoma, 

23-year-old, of Obudi Agwa, 

in Oguta Local Government 

Area of Imo State. He 

confessed to the crime, and 

will be prosecuted 

accordingly.” 

SON arraigns 

bizman for 

engine oil 

adulteration, 

logo forgery 

By Onozure Dania 

A 

Federal High Court 

sitting in Lagos, 

yesterday, ordered the 

remand in police custody of 

a businessman, Chidi 

Nwanyanwu, charged with 

adulteration of engine oil 

and inscribing forged 

Standard Organisation of 

Nigeria, SON, logos on the 

product. 

Trial judge, Justice 

Maureen Onyetenu, 

ordered the remand of the 

defendant following his 

arraignment alongside his 

two firms, Two Ocean Oil Ltd 

and Hi-Power Lubricants. 

In the four-count charge, 

SON accused the defendants 

of dealing in adulterated 

engine oil, non-compliance 

with SON’s Conformity 

Assessment Programme and 

forging of the SON’s logo, 

the mark of quality and 

certification number. 

The SON’s counsel, Joseph 

Olofindare, said the 

defendants, of 21, Kenneth 

Obas Place Estate, Ojo, 

Lagos committed the offence 

on or about February 1, 2021 

at the Trade Fair 

Administrative Block 

Complex, Badagry 

Expressway, Lagos. 

The offences, according to 

Olofindare, are punishable 

under sections Section 26, 

26(a)&(b) of the SON Act, 

2015, and section 1(18a)(ii) 

of the Miscellaneous 

Offences Act, 2004. 

The defendants pleaded 

not guilty. 

Their counsel, Uchenna 

Umoneke, informed the 

court that his client’s bail 

motion had been filed and 

served on the prosecution. 

Olofindare did not oppose 

the application but noted that 

Nwanyanwu had been 

evasive since 2016 and had 

dishonoured all of the SON’s 

invitations for a meeting on 

how to find a remedy for the 

problems created by his 

products. 

Following the allegation, 

Umoneke prayed for a short 

adjournment to enable him 

to file a further and better 

affidavit for Nwanyanwu’s 

bail. 

Granting his prayer, 

Justice Onyetenu, 

adjourned till March 10, 

2021, for the hearing of the 

defendant’s bail application 

and remanded Nwanyanwu 

at the Force Criminal 

Investigation and 

Intelligence Department, 

CIID, Ikoyi, Lagos.

8 — Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 24, 2021 

:Vanguard News 

:@vanguardnews :@vanguardnews NEWS HOTLINES: 08052867023, 08052867058 

VISIT: From left — Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Finance, Aliyu Ahmed; Minister of Finance, 

Dr Zainab Shamsuna Ahmed; and Kwara State Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq; during a 

courtesy visit by the governor to the minister's office, in Abuja. 

We’re ready to end insecurity in Nigeria, 

new service chiefs tell Senate 

•Reps urge service chiefs to rescue abducted Kagara 

students, staff 

By Henry Umoru & 

Tordue Salem 

ABUJA — The new serv 

ice chiefs yesterday assured 

the Senate and Nigerians 

of their readiness to end 

insecurity in the country. 

Speaking separately in the 

Upper Chamber yesterday, 

the Chief of Defence Staff and 

other service chiefs-designate 

all expressed their individual 

and collective readiness to 

bring the scourge of insecurity 

in the form of Boko Haram, 

banditry, kidnapping, 

among others, to an end. The 

Senate Joint Committee of 

Defence, Army, Air-force and 

Navy, led by Senator Aliyu 

Wamakko, APC, Sokoto 

North, yesterday screened 

the new service chiefs. 

Other chairmen of the committees 

are Senator Ali 

Ndume, APC, Borno South for 

Army; Senator George Sekibo, 

Peoples Democratic Party, 

PDP, Rivers East, Chairman, 

Navy; and Senator Bala 

Ibn Na’allah, APC, Kebbi 

Central, Chairman, Airforce. 

The new service chiefs were 

led to room 211, Senate New 

building, venue of the 

screening by the Senior Special 

Assistant to the President 

on National Assembly matters 

( Senate) Senator Babajide 

Omoworare. 

The service chiefs include 

Maj. Gen. Lucky Eluonye lrabor, 

Chief of Defence Staff 

(CDS); Maj. Gen. Ibrahim 

Attahiru, Chief of Army Staff 

(COAS); Rear Admiral Awwal 

Zubairu Gambo, Chief of 

Naval Staff (CNS); and Air 

Vice Marshal Isiaka O. 

Amao,Chief of Air Staff (CAS). 

When the nominees appeared 

before the Joint Senate 

Committee on Defence, 

Army, Navy and Air Force yesterday, 

they all pledged their 

best to ensure that insecurity 

became a thing of the past. 

Recall that President Muhammadu 

Buhari had in a 

letter dated January 27, 2021, 

forwarded the nominations of 

the military chiefs to the Senate 

for confirmation. 

Also recall that Buhari had 

in a letter to the President of 

the Senate, Senator Ahmad 

Lawan, dated January 27, 

2021, said the screening was 

being sought in furtherance of 

Section 18 (1) of the Armed 

Forces Act Cap A.20 Laws of 

the Federation of Nigeria. 

To begin the screening process, 

President of the Senate, 

Senator Ahmad Lawan had 

last week, referred the names 

of the newly appointed Service 

Chiefs to its Joint Committee 

on Defence, Army, Airforce 

and Navy to commence the 

screening exercise and report 

back to the Senate at Plenary 

for other legislative actions. 

In his remarks, Major 

General Lucky Eluonye lrabor, 

Chief of Defence Staff, 

CDS, said the mandate of President 

Buhari was very clear to 

him and his colleagues, stressing 

that they would deliver on 

the core mandate. 

He said: “I have had extensive 

experience as a commissioned 

officer of the Nigerian 

Army. I have had experiences 

in both operational and, of 

course, instructional and field 

experiences and I hope as we 

interact together, you will see 

more of what we could deliver 

in a manner Nigerians will be 

happy.” On his part, the 

COAS-designate, Major General 

Attahiru, assured the panel 

that if confirmed for the position, 

he will provide the right 

leadership for the Nigerian 

Army and reposition it. 

He said: “My vision is to 

reposition it for professionalism, 

defeat all adversaries in 

joint environment. 

“Futhermore, let me assure 

you all that I will do all that is 

necessary to work assiduously 

with other service chiefs to 

bring an end to the security 

challenges in the country.’’ 

Also speaking, the Chief of 

Naval Staff Designate, Rear 

Admiral Auwal Gambo, said 

his vision was to leverage on 

all factors to re-energise the 

Nigerian Navy in fulfillment 

of national security objectives. 

On his part, the Chief of 

Air Staff Designate, AVM Isiaka 

Amao, recalled how the 

country has spent taxpayers 

money to train him right from 

1984 to date, promising not 

to let the country down in his 

new capacity. ‘’Of course, for 

my resume, you can see that I 

have the experience to hold 

this appointment. I want to 

promise that I will not let the 

Nigerian people down and I 

will do my best, with the coordination 

of my colleagues, to 

ensure that the insecurity in 

the country becomes a thing 

of the past,’’ he said. 

Meanwhile, the House of 

Representatives yesterday 

urged the new service chiefs 

to rescue Government Science 

Secondary School, Kagara, 

Niger State, students 

that were abducted last 

Wednesday. The legislators 

called for the rescue through 

a motion of urgent national 

importance, sponsored by 

Unyime Idem(Akwa-Ibom/ 

PDP). Presenting the motion, 

Unyime said: “On Wednesday, 

February 17, 2021, at 

about 2:00am, Government 

Science College, Kagara, Niger 

State, was attacked by 

unknown gunmen reportedly 

dressed in military uniforms 

and killed one student. abducted 

27 students and three 

members of the staff alongside 

12 of their relatives and 

several others running into 

nearby bushes for safety. 

“At least 30 travelers were 

abducted on Sunday, February 

14, 2021, by gunmen 

who ambushed commuters 

along the TeginaZungeru 

highway in Rafi Local Government 

Area of Niger State. 

‘’It was confirmed by the officials 

of the drivers’ union in 

the area who said the victims 

were travelling in a bus of the 

Niger State Transport Authority, 

NSTA, when they ran into 

an ambush by the bandits. 

The gunmen also killed three 

members of the local vigilante 

group which attempted to 

foil their operation. 

“While the government and 

the security agencies were 

working in securing the release 

of the several abducted 

persons, another attack occurred 

in Shiroro also in Niger 

State, on Thursday, February 

18, 2021, where gunmen 

attacked and killed one 

person, injured two, and a yet 

to be ascertained number was 

abducted. 

Zenith Bank’s PBT rises 5% to N255.9bn 

LAGOS — Zenith Bank 

Plc has announced an 

impressive result for the year 

ended December 31, 2020, 

with Profit Before Tax (PBT) 

rising by five per cent to 

N255.9 billion from N243.3 

billion in the corresponding 

period of 2019. 

This is in spite of a challenging 

macro-economic environment 

exacerbated by the 

COVID 19 pandemic. 

The increase arose from a 

combination of growth in the 

top-line and a significant reduction 

in interest expense to 

N121.1 billion in 2020 from 

N148.5 billion in 2019, as 

the net interest income increased 

toN299.7 billion in 

2020 from N267.0 billion in 

2019. 

According to the bank’s audited 

financial results for the 

2020 financial year presented 

to the Nigeria Stock Exchange 

(NSE) on Tuesday, the 

Group recorded a growth in 

gross earnings of five per cent 

to N696.5 billion from 

N662.3 billion in the previous 

year. 

The Group recorded eight 

per cent growth in non-interest 

income to N251.7 billion 

in 2020 from N232.1 billion 

in 2019 and a one per cent increase 

in interest income to 

N420.8 billion in 2020 from 

N415.6 billion in 2019 The 

Group’s increased retail activities 

translated to a corresponding 

increase in retail 

deposits and loans. 

Thus, retail deposits grew by 

N612.7 billion from N1.11 

trillion to N1.72 trillion Yearon-Year 

(YoY), while savings 

balances significantly grew by 

88 per cent Year on Year, YoY 

and closed at N1.16 trillion. 

This retail drive, coupled with 

the low-interest yield environment, 

helped reduce the cost 

of funding to 2.1 per cent from 

3.0 per cent and also reduced 

interest expense. However, the 

low-interest environment also 

affected the net interest margin, 

which declined to 7.9 per 

cent from 8.2 per cent due to 

the re-pricing of interest-bearing 

assets. 

Other performance indicators 

showed that operating 

costs grew by 10 per cent YoY 

but are still tracking well below 

inflation which at the end 

of the year stood at 15.75 per 

cent. 

The Group also increased 

corporate customer deposits, 

which alongside the growth in 

retail deposits, delivered total 

deposit growth of 25 per cent , 

to close at N5.34 trillion, driving 

growth in market share. 

Total assets also increased 

significantly by 34% to N8.48 

trillion from N6.35 trillion. 

Govs should decide what to 

pay workers — Reps 

•Want states to run prisons 

Cryptocurrency used to fund 

#EndSAR protests, ICPC 

tells Senate 

By Henry Umoru 

ABUJA — THE Independent 

Corrupt Practices 

and Other Related Commission, 

ICPC, yesterday told 

the Senate that the #End- 

SARS protest was largely financed 

by cryptocurrency 

According to ICPC, there 

are strong indications that 

cryptocurrency could be used 

to fund insurgency. 

Speaking yesterday in Abuja 

during an interactive session 

with Senate Joint Committee 

on Banking, ICT, Cybercrime 

and Capital Market, 

led by Senator Uba Sani, All 

Progressives Congress, APC, 

Kaduna Central on the decision 

of the Central Bank of 

Nigeria to ban cryptocurrency 

in Nigeria, chairman of 

ICPC, Bolaji Owasanoye, 

threw his weight behind the 

Central Bank. 

He said cryptocurrency lent 

itself to money laundering 

and terrorism financing. 

Speaking further, the ICPC 

boss noted the anti-graft agency 

currently had a number of 

cases linked to cryptocurrency 

but was unable to track the 

suspects. He reminded the 

Senate how in 2018, a 

number of globally rated financial 

institutions had their 

financial statements hacked, 

with the perpetrators asking 

to be paid in cryptocurrencies. 

According to him, the CBN 

as a regulator, has responsibility 

to ensure sound financial 

stability. ‘’It will be difficult 

to achieve in the case of 

cryptocurrencies where the 

role of players are unknown,’’ 

he said. The ICPC boss warned 

the lawsmakers to, as a matter 

of urgency, take decisive 

action against cryptocurrencies, 

sharing with them the experience 

of the Indian Supreme 

Court and how it ruled 

and admitted that it “does not 

know what it is”. 

By Tordue Salem 

ABUJA — The House of 

Representatives yesterday 

passed for second reading 

a bill to allow state governors 

determine how much 

they will pay their workers. 

The issue of remuneration 

is at the moment on the concurrent 

list(duties shared by 

federal and states) in the 1999 

Constitution, as amended. 

Besides, the House also 

passed another legislation for 

the federal government to 

hands off from the administration 

of correctional centres 

in the country. 

The two bills, after a thorough 

debate, were referred to 

the ad hoc committee of the 

House on the review of the 

1999 constitution (as amended). 

The bill seeking to remove 

establishment correctional 

centres from the exclusive 

list aims to empower 

the states to establish and 

manage correctional centres 

in their various states, so as to 

reduce the menace of prisons 

congestion. 

Chairman of the House 

Committee on Media and 

Public Affairs, Benjamin Kalu 

who sponsored the bill, argued 

that the growing population 

of inmates in correctional 

facilities across the nation 

and resultant over-stretching 

of the facilities had made it 

impossible to reform the inmates, 

adding that as a result, 

most inmates return to the society 

unreformed. 

He also said that Section 

12(8) of the Nigerian Correctional 

Act empowers the state 

controllers of correctional 

service to reject inmates where 

it is apparent that the operational 

centre is filled to capacity, 

noting that inmates will 

soon be rejected if the bill was 

not passed. 

Although the bill was stiffly 

opposed by some lawmakers, 

it was eventually passed for a 

second reading. In the same 

vein, the bill seeking transfer 

of the subject matter of minimum 

wage from the exclusive 

list to the concurrent list, sponsored 

by Garba Dattj Muhammed 

(APC-Kaduna), was 

passed after a long debate. 

Muhammed while leading 

the debate, said the proposed 

legislation “would allow individual 

states negotiate remuneration 

with their staff 

according to their workforce 

and resources”. 

He said: “Virtual and 

cryptocurrencies pose serious 

legal and law enforcement 

risks for Nigeria. The current 

National Identification 

Number registration and linking 

with SIM cards is a pointer 

to the fact that insurgents, 

terrorists, kidnappers, bandits, 

and drug merchants have 

used the anonymity of unregistered 

SIM cards to commit 

crimes with relative ease. 

“Cryptocurrencies guarantee 

similar anonymity and 

can easily be used as leverage 

for terrorist financing and 

other crimes. With the NIN 

registration, cryptocurrencies 

may become an alternative 

payment platform for kidnappers 

and this would be impossible 

for law enforcement to 

agencies to trace.” 

The ICPC boss cited a case 

study of a current investigation 

by the commission on 

money laundering involving 

several hundreds of millions 

of naira. He said: “The main 

suspect used technology in 

placing the money in the banking 

sector. A sizable amount 

was traced to several bank 

accounts but before investigators 

recovered some of the 

money, a large proportion had 

been made to disappear using 

serpentine ICT-aided 

transfer schemes that has so 

far eluded investigators. 

“This ongoing case is a 

glimpse into the world of anonymity 

of virtual or digital 

transactions. With cryptocurrencies, 

the wallet of the user 

of cryptocurrency system only 

store information, or encrypted 

links in the Blockchain 

where transaction confirmation 

can be found. “There is 

no movement of any ‘currency’ 

in the real sense of the word. 

By their very nature, they provide 

considerable anonymity 

that is almost impossible to 

be accessed by unauthorized 

persons, including law enforcement 

authorities.”

Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 24, 2021 — 9 



INSECURITY: Banditry designed to destroy 

Nigeria — GOVS 

By Wole Mosadomi & Mary 

Therese-Nanlong 

ABUJA—THE Nigerian 

Governors Forum, NGF, 

said yesterday that there was no 

other term to describe acts of 

banditry and kidnapping than 

terrorism, noting that banditry 

was designed to destroy Nigeria. 

The NGF spoke on a day 

Northern governors lamented 

the proliferation of arms, 

including AK-47 rifles among 

herdsmen and farmers in the 

country. 

Chairman of NGF and 

governor of Ekiti State, Kayode 

Fayemi, who stated this during a 

solidarity visit to Niger State 

governor, Abubakar Bello, in 

Minna over the abduction of 

students and staff of Government 

Science College, Kagara, by 

bandits, said the President and 

governors were worried about 

insecurity in the country. 

He said: “At the level of the 

governors’ forum, we met last 

week and we came out with some 

specific ideas we have shared with 

the federal authorities but for us, 

our visit is in commiseration, 

solidarity and in identifying with 

you, the government, and the 

good people of Niger State. 

“We want to reassure you that 

even this difficult time shall pass 

but we must put our heads 

together, put all our efforts 

together, demonstrate resilience, 

reassure our people not to give 

up hope because ultimately we 

can only defeat terrorism 

collectively, not in isolation. 

“What we are witnessing is 

terrorism, there is no other name 

for it. We may call it banditry, 

kidnapping, these are the 

remnants of the actors in the 

north-east that have found 

themselves in other parts of the 

country. Whether they are 

known as ISWAP, Shekau faction, 

they are remnants of what we 

are still dealing with in that part 

of Nigeria. 

“That is why we must not treat 

the north-east in isolation of this 

problem. We are all victims as long 

as any section of our country is 

ravaged by this problem. 

“On behalf of all your brother 

governors, I want to assure our 

people in Niger State that we are 

all for Niger State. We shall not 

rest until we resolve the 

challenges we have here as we 

have in other states.” 

Fayemi said the country 

cannot run away from the fact 

that the problem had to do with 

poverty, inequality, illiteracy and 

loss of hope among Nigerians. 

“The ultimate agenda is to 

destroy Nigeria, let’s not make 

any mistake about it. It’s either 

we succumb to that agenda or 

fight it with every fibre in our 

being,” he said. 

Responding, the Niger 

governor thanked his 

counterparts and expressed his 

happiness at the visit, describing 

it as a “morale booster.” 

He said the state had always 

been peaceful but noted that 

there was an agenda by some 

groups to deprive “our young 

ones of having a good education. 

“Everyone you see here has 

been on his/her toes praying for 

the safe return of the kidnap 

victims. Niger State has always 

been a peaceful state. Agreed 

from time to time we’ve had 

incidences of kidnapping but not 

to this magnitude. 

“I think the time has come for 

us to come together and impose 

on the federal authorities to do 

the needful. I think there is need 

for the federal authorities to key 

in and work with state 

governments, so we are able to 

provide adequate intelligence 

and find a final solution to this 

menace.” 

Also yesterday, Northern 

governors lamented the 

proliferation of arms, including 

AK-47 rifles among herdsmen 

and farmers in the country. 

Chairman of Northern 

Governors’ Forum and governor 

of Plateau State, Simon Lalong, 

who stated this in a Channels 

Television breakfast programme, 

Sunrise Daily, also said recurring 

farmers/herders clashes could 

have been averted, had states 

implemented the federal 

government’s National Livestock 

Transformation Plan, NLTP. 

Lalong, who insisted on ban of 

open grazing in the country to 

stave off the frequent clashes 

between farmers and herders, 

said: “Today, we are now seeing 

the hazard of allowing people do 

open grazing here and there. 

‘’But they (herders) also want 

solution. By the time you explain 

to them, they also want to stay in 

one place, they would also stop 

carrying AK-47. 

‘’I’m not justifying anybody to 

carry AK-47 but don’t forget that 

in the course of our deliberations 

and investigations, it was not 

only Fulani herdsmen that were 

carrying AK-47, even farmers 

were carrying AK-47. 

‘’It is just proliferation of arms 

in respect to guarding 

themselves. Everybody is trying 

to protect himself, we shouldn’t 

allow self-help. 

“At the time there were 

farmers-herdsmen clashes here 

(in Plateau), we arrested people, 

farmers also had AK-47 and the 

herdsmen were also holding AK- 

47 too. 

‘’But if you want all of them not 

to hold AK-47 again, you must 

put deliberate efforts to curtail the 

influx of light arms and secondly 

find ways to take these people 

away from the old type of farming 

and then introduce them to the 

modern system.” 

Speaking further, Governor 

Lalong said the country would 

have avoided the frequent 

clashes between farmers and 

herders, if the National Livestock 

Transformation Plan, NLTP. was 

well implemented. 

NLTP was proposed by former 

Minister of Agriculture, Audu 

Ogbeh, in 2018 and was adopted 

by the National Economic 

Council, NEC, headed by Vice- 

President Yemi Osinbajo. 

The plan, a voluntary initiative 

that allows state governments to 

implement whichever aspect 

they feel comfortable with, was 

to run for a period of 10 years, 

from 2019 to 2028. 

But the governor expressed 

regrets that some states rejected 

the plan on the grounds that 

they didn’t have land for it. 

“When we came and 

realised that what was really 

very prevalent was the Boko 

Haram and farmersherdsmen 

issue, the national 

livestock plan was 

introduced. 

‘’But when we got to the 

period of implementation, 

there were a lot of problems 

here and there, even from some 

regions of the nation. 

‘’Some said they don’t want the 

national livestock plan because 

PARLEY: Managing 

Director of the 

Nigerian Ports 

Authority (NPA), 

Hadiza Bala Usman 

(left) with Governor 

Babajide Sanwo-Olu of 

Lagos State, during the 

NPA MD’s courtesy 

visit to the governor to 

discuss collaboration 

for the take-off of the 

Eto Electronic Truck 

Call-up app for the 

management of trucks 

at the ports in Lagos. 

•Herdsmen, farmers now carry AK-47, Northern govs 

lament •Say farmer/herder crisis would have been 

averted if livestock plan was implemented •PDP 

intervenes in Ortom/Mohammed’s rift over herdsmen 

bearing AK-47 rifles 

they don’t have the land. At that 

time, if the policy had been well 

implemented, today we would not 

have been talking about farmersherdsmen 

crisis because that 

policy was well drafted,’’ he said. 

The governor said some people 

did not care about reading the 

plan because they believed it was 

for a particular ethnic group. 

He explained further: “Now 

people don’t even care about 

reading it. By the time ranching 

and grazing is mentioned, people 

believe it belongs to a particular 

ethnic group. 

‘’We don’t even want to read 

what is contained in the policy to 

even talk about accepting it to be 

implemented in our various states. 

Now you can see the menace 

everywhere. 

“The policy is still there, why 

don’t we go back and address this 

issue because it was specifically 

not only about grazing. It was to 

assist the farmers-herdsmen crisis 

and also empower the farmers and 

herdsmen to be kept in one place.” 

Recall that the clashes between 

farmers and herders had caused 

verbal exchange between Benue 

State governor, Samuel Ortom, 

and his Bauchi State counterpart, 

Bala Mohammed, who justified 

the bearing of arms by herders, 

saying they used such arms to 

protect themselves against cattle 

rustlers. 

But Ortom and even Ondo 

State governor, Rotimi Akeredolu, 

disagreed with the Bauchi State 

governor, contending that he 

(Governor Mohammed) was 

encouraging the herders to 

continue to kill innocent people 

in their ancestral lands. 

In fact, the umbrage between 

Ortom and the Bauchi governor 

degenerated on Monday, as the 

Benue governor accused his 

Bauchi counterpart of being a part 

of the terrorist group terrorising 

Nigeria. 

He also said Governor 

Mohammed should be held 

accountable should anything 

happen to him as, according to 

him, the Bauchi governor was 

profiling him for assassination by 

the herdsmen. 

The disagreement 

between both governors of 

Peoples Democratic Party, 

PDP, has attracted the 

intervention of the party. 

NASS confirms Buratai, others 

as ambassadors-designates 

amid minority protest 

•Buhari should post them to neighbouring 

countries, says Lawan 


Levinus 

Nwabughiogu 

A protest BUJA—AMID 

from the Minority 

at the hallowed chamber 

yesterday, the Senate confirmed 

the immediate past Chief of Army 

Staff , Lt-Gen Yusuf Tukur Buratai 

from Borno State and other former 

service chiefs as non-career 

ambassadors-designates. 

Also confirmed by the Senate 

were General Abayomi 

Olonisakin, retd, from Ekiti State; 

Vice Admiral Ibok Ekwe Ibas, retd, 

Cross River; Air Marshal Sadique 

Abubakar, retd, Bauchi; and Air 

Vice Marshal Muhammad S. 

Usman, retd, Kano. 

The appointment of the former 

service chiefs was also confirmed 

in the lower chamber, the House 

of Representatives. 

Presenting the report, 

chairman of the Committee on 

Foreign Affairs, Adamu 

Muhammad Bulkachuwa, All 

Progressives Congress, Bauchi 

North, said their appointments 

were made in line with section 

171(40) of the 1999 Constitution 

as amended. 

Bulkachuwa said: “Their 

experiences as service chiefs in 

the military where they rose to 

the highest ranks in their careers 

have made them eminently 

qualified; and the nominees were 

very knowledgeable and 

articulate in their response to 

questions directed at them by the 

committee. 

“The committee received 

petitions against their 

nominations as non-career 

ambassadors of the Federal 

Republic of Nigeria but the 

petitions were dismissed.” 

Immediately after Senator 

Bulkachuwa presented the report 

of his committee for 

consideration, the Senate 

LASG to take 24 % equity in TBS, 

Trade Fair Complex 

By Emma Ujah 

LAGOS—LAGOS State 

government, yesterday, 

offered to take up 24 per cent of 

Tafawa Balewa Square, TBS, and 

the Lagos International Trade 

Fair Complex, according to 

Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu at 

a virtual investors’ forum 

Under the arrangement, Lagos 

State government would 

contribute 24 per cent of required 

investment in exchange for the 

same amount of shares in 

concession Special Purpose 

Vehicle, SPVs, in partnership 

with the concessionaires. 

The Director-General of the 

Bureau of Public Enterprises, 

BPE, Mr. Alex Okoh, disclosed 

that the concession would be 

for a period of 30 years, renewable 

by the federal government for 

another 30-year period. 

Okoh said: “The purpose of this 

Investors’ Forum is to showcase 

two government enterprises 

which require private sector 

investment, as well as, 

innovative management capacity 

to unlock their full potentials 

which hitherto had been suboptimally 

utilized. 

‘’Both of these enterprises had 

Minority Leader, Senator 

Enyinnaya Abaribe, PDP, Abia 

South, referred the Senate to 

page three of the report and asked 

the chairman of the committee 

to explain the recommendation 

that the nominees be confirmed, 

even with a petition hanging 

around their nominations. 

Abaribe, while coming under a 

point of order, demanded 

explanation as to the rationale 

behind the dismissal of the 

petition against the nominees by 

the committee, particularly 

against the backdrop of the 

Senate resolutions in the past 

calling for their removal as service 

chiefs. 

According to Abaribe, the 

petitioner had that for integrity 

sake, the Senate cannot confirm, 

especially considering the fact 

that it had repeatedly called for 

their sack because of continued 

insecurity challenges in the 

country. 

At this point, the President of 

the Senate, Senator Ahmad 

Lawan, interrupted Abaribe, 

saying the fact that the Senate 

had called on President Buhari 

to sack them as service chiefs did 

not forestal their appointments 

for different national 

assignments. 

Lawan, who pointed out that 

the Senate resolution 

demanding their removal was in 

no way related to President 

Muhammadu Buhari’s request 

for the Senate to confirm them 

as ambassadors-designate, said 

the two roles were different. 

“Without prejudice to what the 

executive will do, where we need 

to fight Boko Haram insurgency 

and banditry, because of their 

experience in the field, they 

should be able to interact very 

closely and sufficiently to advice 

and create the atmosphere for 

working together, for partnership 

and cooperation between 

Nigeria and its neighbours.'' 

previously been concessioned but 

government had to act decisively 

to terminate the concessions in 

view of the fact that the former 

concessionaire acted contrary to 

the expectations guiding the 

development of those iconic and 

legacy facilities in Nigeria. 

“The fact that these two 

enterprises are being showcased 

again today for private sector 

investment speaks to 

government implicit confidence 

in the ability of the private sector 

to reinvigorate these national 

assets and make them, not just 

viable, but to again stand as 

monuments of national pride.” 

The BPE boss said the 

expectation of the Federal 

Government in undertaking the 

concession of Lagos Trade Fair 

Complex was to catalise business 

in West Africa through strategic 

trade exhibitions that project the 

vast potentials of the industrial 

axis of Lagos and Ogun states. 

He said: “Similarly, it is 

government’s expectation that 

the TBS must move beyond 

disjointed cluster of business 

premises to a world-class 

integrated events and business 

facility comparable to its 

counterparts globally.’’


:Vanguard 

News 

#EndSARS: Lagos panel 

summons IGP 

By Gabriel Olawale, 

with agency reports 

LAGOS—LAGOS State 

Judicial Panel of 

Restitution and Inquiry, set 

up to investigate cases of 

police brutality, especially 

involving officers of the 

now-defunct Special Anti- 

Robbery Squad, yesterday, 

summoned the Inspector- 

General of Police, 

Mohammad Adamu. 

The IGP was summoned 

over a case involving one 

Adewale Adewuyi, a 

petitioner, whose 26 acres 

of farmland were allegedly 

seized by police since 2013. 

This came on a day a 

rights activist and a lawyer, 

Dele Farotimi, alleged 

threat to his life over his 

position on the reopening 

of Lekki toll gate. 

Lagos panel 

summons IGP 

Debo Adeleke, the 

petitioner’s lawyer, alleged 

that the police invaded the 

farmland located at Age- 

Mowo near Badagry on 

December 17, 2013, and 

destroyed it. 

The development, the 

counsel said, affected the 

health status of his client. 

Adeleke, who asked the 

panel to summon the IGP, 

said his client – brought on 

a stretcher – could not feed 

himself after the incident. 

The lawyer also said a 

Federal High Court had in 

2017 ordered the police to 

release the farmland and 

pay damages for physical 

assault. 

The petitioner’s lawyer 

said: “That order is needed, 

although I’m not supposed 

to say this is a fact-finding 

panel, we need to summon 

the IGP, so that he can tell 

the commissioner of police 

to release this land to us. 

They are not using the 

land, it is just there. 

“Everybody fears the 

Lagos state judicial panel 

on restitution. We will be 

grateful if my lord will issue 

the order.” 

On his part, police 

counsel, Cyril Ejiofor, 

requested two weeks to get 

the issue resolved. 

But Chairperson of the 

panel, Doris Okuwobi, 

ordered that the parties 

mentioned in the petition 

should be served the 

summons and adjourned 

till March 30. 

Farotimi, activist, 

alleges threat to 

life 

Meanwhile, Mr. 

Farotimi, who is a member 

of the Radical Agenda 

Movement in the Nigerian 

Bar Association, NBA, said 

that he has already filed a 

petition to the DSS and 

Nigeria Police over alleged 

plans to assassinate him by 

some people, who are not 

comfortable with his 

position. 

Farotimi, who addressed 

newsmen in Lagos, said: “I 

am already aware that I was 

...as Farotimi 

alleges threat to 

life 

offending a lot of powerful 

people due to my position 

as regards the EndSars 

protest, the killings at the 

Lekki toll gate and the 

planned reopening of the 

toll gate. 

“But on Tuesday last 

week, I was threatened by 

some state actors that my 

life is not safe so long as I 

am in Lagos. I was told to 

watch my back because I 

can be killed at any time if 

I don’t back down. 

“Somebody, who is also 

privileged to certain 

conversations at a certain 

level which I won’t want to 

disclose, now revealed the 

calculated plan to 

assassinate me. I won’t 

reveal the name of my 

sources and I know it is not 

one of those empty threats 

because the threat was 

specific, names were 

mentioned and I know one 

of those mentioned at a 

personal level because he 

is someone I have known 

for years. 

“I have written a petition 

to security agencies and 

also requested protection 

from the Nigeria state. I am 

not a drug baron, I don’t 

cheat people, if anything is 

to happen to me look no 

further than the person I 

mentioned in my petition. 

The identity I have already 

made clear to my associates 

and family.” 

Farotimi, however, made 

it clear that his position on 

the EndSars protests was 

not for personal gains, but 

an obligation he owed 

future generations. 

He said: “I am speaking 

for the voiceless, my 

activism did not start today, 

the threat to my life did not 

start today, but this 

particular one is coming as 

a function of my role in 

questioning the rationale 

behind the rush to reopen 

the toll gate." 


INSECURITY: We’ll fight criminality 

with every legal means —S-West govs 

....Say Amotekun not against any ethnic group or business 

....Moves against open grazing 

By Dayo Johnson 

Aof KURE—CHAIRMAN 

the South-West 

Governors’ Forum, 

Governor Rotimi 

Akeredolu, yesterday, 

declared that governors in 

the region would fight 

criminality with every legal 

means. He also dismissed 

insinuations by some 

Northern governors and 

leaders that Amotekun was 

established to attack ethnic 

nationalities or businesses. 

Akeredolu, who said this 

during his second term 

inauguration lecture, held 

in Akure, stated: “What we 

have set out to do in the 

South Western states is not 

targeted at any ethnic 

nationality or business. 

Nigeria operating fatherism, not federalism —Adesina, AfDB boss 

By Dayo Johnson 

Aof 

KURE—PRESIDENT 

African 

Development Bank, AfDB, 

Dr. Akinwunmi Adesina, 

yesterday, lamented that 

Nigeria is not practicing 

true federalism, but 

fatherism. 

Adesina, who was the 

guest lecturer at the second 

inaugural lecture of 

Governor Rotimi 

Akeredolu, in Akure, said 

Nigeria’s system is 

essentially a revenuesharing 

system. 

Speaking on the theme: 

'Towards a New Nigeria: 

From Federal Fatherism to 

a Commonwealth’, the 

AfDB boss said: “With 

stupendous resources, all 

concentrating at the centre, 

states are ever dependent 

on the centre. With the 

magnetic field of Federal 

Revenue Allocations, states 

are constantly pulled, 

powerless, into perennial 

LECTURE—From left: Ondo State All Progressive Congress Chairman, Ade Adetimehin; wife of the 

state governor, Betty Akeredolu; Governor Rotimi Akeredolu; former Osun State deputy governor, 

Senator lyiola Omisore; Deputy Governor-elect, Lucky Ayedatiwa and wife, during Governor 

Akeredolu's Second Term Inaugural Lecture, in Ondo. 

“But we are against 

criminality and we shall 

fight criminality with every 

legal means. 

“It is in the interest of our 

collective wellbeing. All we 

require is the support and 

understanding of all 

federating units, including 

the Federal Government. 

“The simple truth is that 

we have lived in self-denial 

amid an excruciating pain 

that is almost cancerous 

now. 

“Notwithstanding our 

challenges today, my firm 

belief in the Nigerian 

Project is strengthened by 

my fact of a true Nigerian. 

“That I desire a more 

united Nigeria with every 

ingredient of freedom, rule 

of law, patriotism, love, 

mutual respect and 

harmony is an 

understatement. 

“I am prepared to fight for 

it legitimately for the benefit 

of all. Today, the most 

potent threat to national 

belief is insecurity. 

“And because we have 

allowed a sustained, nonbeneficial 

stagnation for too 

long in our approach, the 

consequences are 

increasingly becoming 

more dire. 

“The time to act is now, 

not tomorrow. As leaders, 

the choices we make create 

the path to our desires. “We 

cannot pretend that all is 

well when indeed, more 

things are going wrong. 

“Today, rather than our 

nation, Nigerians are more 

• Twisted federalism responsible for sectional activism, says Akeredolu 

dependency.” 

His words: “This financial 

pilgrimage creates a sense 

of helplessness and overt 

dependency on the centre. 

“State governors now 

spend more time in Abuja 

than they do in their states, 

seeking the monthly 

federal manna. 

“Like a pendulum, ever 

moving from side to side in 

constant motion, so too has 

this unfortunate 

dependency become 

seemingly unstoppable. 

“The truth, however, is 

that to survive and strive, 

states must become 

financially independent of 

the centre in Abuja. 

“This is federalism of 

fiscal dependency. It’s 

federalism that’s fiscally 

unhealthy for the states and 

the federal government. 

Because Nigeria depends 

on oil for over 70 per cent 

of government revenue, 

any decline in the price of 

oil creates fiscal and 

economic volatilities that 

reverberate across the 

states. 

“What’s needed is 

greater economic and fiscal 

autonomy for the states. 

The issue is less about 

states or regional autonomy, 

but the financial and 

economic viability of 

Nigeria’s constituent states. 

“If Nigeria were to be a 

conglomerate firm, it would 

not be economically viable 

because 92 per cent of its 

constituent subsidiary 

companies are not viable 

without the support of the 

holding company. 

“Nigeria’s federalism 

doesn’t grow its constituent 

entities. It simply makes 

them perpetual dependent. 

“The Nigeria system is, 

therefore, not federalism, 

but fatherism. The 

agitations for 

decentralization can be 

understood when viewed 

in the light of a craving for 

greater autonomy. 

“But let us face it, political 

autonomy is meaningless 

unless it’s backed by greater 

fiscal self-reliance at the 

state level 

“We tend to copy a system 

that is not well suited to our 

context. The United States 

that we copied from does 

not control resources at the 

state level. Instead, the 

states generate the bulk of 

their income from taxes.” 

Speaking on the 

restructuring of the country, 

Adesina said it should not 

be driven by political 

dependency but by 

economic and financial 

viability. 

He said: “As a way out of 

the economic quagmire, 

much has been said about 

the need for restructuring. 

Restructuring should not be 

driven by political 

expediency, but by 

economic and financial 

viability for political viability. 

“The achievements of 

economically viable entities 

inclined to ethnic 

nationalism. 

“We have resorted to 

clannish satisfaction in 

place of nation-building. 

We are gradually and 

unconsciously replacing 

national patriotism with 

sectional activism. 

“No one, I repeat, no one 

should be blamed. Our 

very faulty and twisted 

federalism is responsible. 

“Regrettably, even those 

with palpable national 

passion and patriotism are 

today, gradually tilting to 

the unintended ethnic 

nationality cabin. 

“Most Nigerians are 

losing faith in our “Unity in 

Diversity” sloganeering, but 

there is an opportunity to restore 

national consciousness through 

true federalism. It hurts none, it 

pays all." 

and the viability of the 

national entity, require 

constitutional changes to 

devolve more economic and fiscal 

powers to the states or regions. 

“Our union would be equitable. 

Our union would be fully 

participatory. We must be 

audacious.” 

Twisted 

federalism 

responsible for 

sectional 

activism, says 

Akeredolu 

In his opening remarks, 

Governor Rotimi Akeredolu 

blamed the growing sectional 

activism, which he said is 

gradually replacing national 

patriotism on the faulty and 

twisted federalism as operated in 

the country. 

He lamented that most 

Nigerians are losing faith in unity 

in diversity sloganeering while 

urging that the only opportunity 

to restore national consciousness 

is through True Federalism.

Vanguard, , WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 24, 2021 — 11 

:Vanguard 

:@vanguardnews 


• NO ROAD—Traffic gridlock at Oshodi-Apapa expressway, along the Mile 2 axis, yesterday. 

APAPA GRIDLOCK: NPA, Lagos to impound 

trucks without call-up slip 

• 8 truck holding bays to take-off; move to end corrupt practices 

By Olasunkanmi Akoni 

LAGOS—THE Nigerian Ports 

Authority, NPA, and Lagos 

State government, yesterday, 

disclosed plans to finally 

commence a three-month trial on 

enforcement and compliance of 

Electronic Call-Up System from 

February 27, 2021, as part of 

measures to ensure the free-flow 

of traffic in Apapa access port 

areas and environs. 

Governor Babajide Samwo-Olu 

and the NPA Managing Director, 

Hadiza Usman, said this when 

the latter led a delegation of NPA 

management on a courtesy visit 

to the governor at the Lagos 

House, in Alausa, Ikeja. 

While receiving the delegation, 

the governor said: “There have 

been conversations around the 

call-up system, It has been a 

tedious and rigorous process and 

we are happy it is taking off now; 

it is will be a transparent system, 

there will be a virtual dashboard 

that people will see at the various 

stations. 

“We are starting with eight 

holding pass at the first instance, 

and as numbers and investments 

improve, NPA will approve 

others, our target is to take about 

3,000 and 5,000 articulated 

trailers off the road to be able to 

feed and serve our ports well. 

“This will certainly be the 

beginning of better customers’ 

ASOHON seeks govt's intervention on 

kidnappings in orphanages 

By Providence Adeyinka 

LAGOS—ASSOCIATION of 

Orphanages and Homes 

Operators in Nigeria, ASOHON, 

yesterday, urged the Federal 

Government to intervene in the 

invasion of orphanages and 

homes by kidnappers and, at the 

same time, pay attention to 

funding of social services. 

Speaking at a media briefing in 

Lagos, the National President of 

ASOHON, Gabriel Oyediji, said 

kidnappers have now included 

orphanages and homes in their 

checklists of terror, raiding 

orphanages and abducting 

children for ransom. 

Oyediji said: “This is a new 

cancer, a horrible phenomenon 

threatening the future of Nigerian 

journey in the ports and people 

living around the port areas. 

Since it will be app-based and no 

one had to interface with security 

agents or call at ungodly hours, 

enforcement will be that if you 

don’t have any business on the 

road, we will have enough towing 

vehicles to tow your truck off the 

road. 

“There will also be fines to deter 

others so that people can 

understand the seriousness of 

this. The Lagos State Traffic 

Management Authority, 

LASTMA, Federal Road Safety 

Commission, FRSC, and Police 

should work together to ensure 

the free flow of traffic around the 

ports and Apapa/Oshodi 

Expressway. 

“There are regulations to 

ensure that shipping firms have 

holding bays to park their trucks 

rather than park on the roads and 

then cause gridlock and pay 

demurrage on empty containers. 

“They are not responsible for 

ensuring their trucks get into the 

port, they are not under pressure 

to ensure the best time since their 

deposits will be refunded so they 

are not under any form of 

pressure 

Three months’ trial of 

e-call up 

“This is the beginning of a 

strong collaboration among the 

NPA, Lagos state and the people. 

orphans. If orphanages are now 

being targeted and therefore 

made unsafe, then where else is 

safe? This is a new cancer 

traumatizing children. It needs 

an urgent cure before it begins to 

spread like wildfire. We call on 

relevant authorities to help protect 

our orphanages and homes.” 

The ASOHON boss also said 

that apart from insecurity, which 

at the moment is the number one 

problem plaguing orphanages 

and homes in Nigeria, the poor 

attention being paid to social 

services in the country which 

operators face and must be 

addressed. 

He also identified scarcity of 

adoptable children to be the major 

cause of child kidnapping, 

explaining that many people 

Our officers should ensure this 

project works; we are starting 

with a two-three month trial. 

“There could be initial teething 

problems but we would ensure we 

smoothen the journey so that the 

trailers can get to the ports early 

enough. “Lagos will ensure these 

resolutions come to life and give 

relevant strength and support to 

make it work.” 

Menace of trucks 

embarrassing 

—NPA boss 

Earlier, Usman, in her address, 

said: “We are here to strengthen 

the collaboration with Lagos State 

Government on the 

implementation and compliance 

as we commence deployment of 

E- Call up system on February 

27, 2021. 

“We have worked seamlessly 

with the Lagos State Government 

to ensure that Apapa and Tincan 

ports are rid of the menace of 

trucks that have bedevilled that 

location. 

“It’s quite an embarrassment to 

all of us in government year in 

year out. Now, we believe we 

have a strong e-call up that will 

remove human interference from 

the process.” 

She, however, stated that one 

of the key aspects of the new 

system is that truck parks have 

been approved where it is safe to 

access port location. 

wishing to adopt children from 

homes and orphanages get easily 

frustrated by the legal hurdles and 

cumbersome process they have to 

scale in Nigeria before achieving 

their dreams. 

Oyediji pointed out that the way 

forward is to empower the 

supervising ministries so that 

they could provide needed reliefs 

in the areas of funding, 

engagement of professional 

security outfits, maintenance of 

facilities in orphanages and 

homes, among others. 

He said that the solution to the 

many challenges bedeviling 

orphanage homes is robust 

funding and adequate provision 

of modern security equipment 

and security agencies for homes 

and orphanages. 

Consult your ancestors! 

Try Native Law and Custom!




LAUNCHING: 

From left; 

Speaker, Anambra 

State House of 

Assembly, Rt. 

Hon. Uchenna 

Okafor; MD/CEO, 

Esso Properties 

Ltd, Mr. Smith 

Ezenagu and Com. 

Nweke Oliver at 

the launching of 

Berry Prime 

Estate, Agu-Awka 

and Sunray Estate, 

Amansea Awka, 

Anambra State at 

Parktonian Hotel, 

Awka, Anambra 

State. 

Uzodinma, Ohanaeze differ over 

military invasion of Orlu 

•As Uzodinma explains why he invited military 

•It's another war —IPOB 

By Johnbosco 

Agbakwuru & Steve 

Oko 

OWERRI—APEX Igbo so 

cio-cultural organisation, 

Ohanaeze Ndigbo has 

decried the use of force by the 

military in Orlu to tackle the 

Eastern Security Network, 

ESN, even as the Imo State 

governor, 

Hope 

Uzodinma,yesterday, explained 

why he invited the 

military to the state. 

President-General of Ohanaeze 

Ndigbo, Prof. George 

Obiozor on Monday, expressed 

dismay on the use of 

force, intimidation and violence 

in the crisis in Orsu in 

Orlu zone of Imo State, adding 

that it will amount to national 

catastrophe. 

According to him: “The use 

of the violent method will lead 

to a synchronised national crisis 

and ultimate disintegration 

of Nigeria and this too 

must be avoided”. 

The Ohanaeze leader who 

spoke on Monday when his 

team visited the traditional 

ruler of Amaifeke in Orlu Local 

Government Area of Imo 

State, said that those who 

preached or preferred military 

solution to Nigeria’s problem 

were equally a threat to 

Nigeria’s unity as those enemies 

they were fighting. 

He said: “Nigeria is in a 

precarious situation and a 

great caution must be taken 

by the leadership to avoid 

events that have the capacity 

of incrementally aggravating 

or opening more threats of 

national crisis.” 

He stated that insecurity in 

the country was real and 

should be treated as a matter 

of national emergency. 

Obiozor, however, thanked 

the South-East traditional 

leaders for their role in maintaining 

peace in the zone, adding 

that the Orlu senatorial 

zone was relatively the most 

peaceful in the country. 

In his reaction, Eze Okeke, 

who is the chairman of the 

state Council of Traditional 

Rulers thanked God that 

peace had eventually returned 

to Orlu. 

He said that the recent crisis 

between the Eastern Security 

Network, ESN, of Indigenous 

People of Biafra and the 

military started from the 

#EndSARS riots. 

The monarch said: “It is 

surprising to people that this 

crisis is happening in Orsu in 

Orlu zone. It should have taken 

place in the bush instead 

of the town. We don’t want war 

but peace.” 

Why I invited 

military to Orlu 

—Uzodinma 

Explaining why he invited 

the military, Governor Hope 

Uzodinma yesterday, said 

the military came to Orlu as 

the situation at hand was beyond 

the capacity of the local 

arrangement. 

Governor Uzodinma, who 

stated this after meeting with 

President Muhammadu Buhari 

at the Presidential Villa, 

Abuja, said it was the responsibility 

of government to protect 

lives. 

Speaking with State House 

Correspondents after meeting 

with the President, the 

Imo 

State 

governor explained that his 

decision to invite the military 

was to douse the uprising in 

Orlu district, adding that his 

action was precautionary especially 

with the experience 

and the destructions that followed 

the #EndSARS protests. 

He said that the situation 

in Orlu region of the state 

had gone beyond what could 

be handled locally, hence his 

invitation to the military. 

According to him, “On the 

issue of bringing the military 

to Imo State,you would recall 

during the #EndSARS 

protests that a lot of properties 

were damaged in Imo 

State, police stations were 

burnt down, soldiers were 

killed and their rifles removed 

from them. 

“And immediately after the 

#EndSARS, we thought it 

was over but issues of kidnapping 

began, where you know, 

a Catholic Bishop was kidnapped 

who was killed. And 

these militants came out and 

begin to shoot. We’ve lost 

lives, market women were 

killed, old women were raped 

in Orlu area of Imo State and 

they visited this serious terror 

on the citizenry. 

“And I came here (presidential 

villa), pleaded with Mr. 

President for his support and 

he sent additional support by 

sending in more police. The 

military also came in and that 

is where we are. 

“It was on my invitation 

that the military came. And I 

did that because I know the 

situation was beyond the local 

arrangement. We needed 

help and the help was given 

to us. 

“And as I speak to you, the 

situation has come down to 

normal. People are now going 

about their businesses 

and those caught will soon be 

charged to court. And all those 

military riffles from the army, 

the police, AK 47, and so on, 

were recovered by the people 

that came. 

“We are a government. It is 

our responsibility to protect 

lives and we have the Nigerian 

Army, Nigerian Police. We 

had security challenges and 

we invited them to go to work." 

Governor Uzodinma has 

been under serious attack that 

he brought the military to 

crush the people he was supposed 

to protect, unlike some 

of his governor colleagues 

who are negotiating with 

bandits to solve their security 

problems. 

But he denied the insinuation, 

saying that he used the 

security personnel he invited 

to restore peace and normalcy. 

“I don't know what you 

mean. I told you that our initial 

intelligence and the efforts 

to control the sporadic 

shootings in Orlu that led 

many to death, innocent 

women in the market being 

killed by a group of people 

that we were not able to identify. 

Preliminary intelligence 

reviewed where they were in a 

bush. Our local police and 

local military who went there 

and confronted them were 

repelled. 

“So, we discovered that the 

people had serious fire power. 

And that, of course, Nigeria 

is a federation, Imo State 

is a federating unit and all over 

the world, you have provincial 

police, you have federal police. 

So, there was a need for 

me to report the situation and 

that I did and we were supported 

to deal with the situation. 

“It is not about crushing 

anybody and those that came 

didn't do any crushing. Those 

that came through their intelligence 

identified where these 

people were and I can tell you, 

all the people were arrested, 

all the rifles recovered are intact. 

The people are under interrogation, 

not even one soldier 

or one of those militants 

died in the process. 

“I must commend DCP 

Abba Kyari for a brilliant job 

he did. So, let anybody politicize 

it. But I have a responsibility 

to protect the lives of my 

people.” 

On his meeting with the 

President, he said he informed 

Buhari about the progress on 

the effort to tackle insecurity. 

“I informed Mr. President 

that we were already making 

progress. And of course, 

you know, the President is a 

very peaceful man. 

“The federal government 

maybe negotiating with the 

Boko Haram but God knows 

that if I have the opportunity 

to see any man who is taking 

lives, I will confront the person 

head-on. That is why we 

are government.” 

No personal issues 

with Okorocha 

—Uzodinma 

Governor Uzodinma also 

dismissed allegations that he 

has a personal score to settle 

with his predecessor, Rochas 

Okorocha and denied there 

was an assassination attempt 

on the former governor. 

“Who will assassinate him? 

I don't know about any attempt 

to assassinate Okorocha. 

What I know is that I 

have no personal issues with 

Okorocha. 

“You will recall that before 

I became the governor, the 

Ihedioha's administration set 

up a judicial panel of inquiry 

to look into acquisitions and 

allegations of lands, converting 

government lands to personal 

property and then removing 

private lands from individuals 

and giving to other 

individuals. 

“The judicial panel of inquiry 

chaired by a judge met and 

they concluded the job and a 

white paper has since been 

raised. You know institutions 

and agencies that are involved 

with implementation 

are doing their job. 

“And the only thing I know 

is that few days ago, the 

former governor went with his 

thugs to one of the properties 

sealed by government. You 

people saw it, it was was live. 

He went there with thugs himself 

physically, wounded the 

policemen there, wounded the 

Civil Defense Civil people, the 

Civil Defense officer is currently 

in the hospital and then 

broke in . 

“Of course, you must have 

heard him saying that he is 

richer than government and 

that he is above the law. I am 

not directly involved. It is a position 

taken by government. 

There is a difference between 

governor and government. 

“The government of Imo 

State sealed a property. And I 

think that if there is anything 

anybody considered that is not 

right, the person should go to 

court to address the issue and 

not to take laws into their 

hands. 

“I remember that under 

Ihedioha, there was a recovery 

committee chaired by one 

Jasper Ndubaku. When they 

tried to visit Okorocha’s house, 

they were beaten to a stupor. 

And the same man who did 

that is now also doing the 

same thing and almost killed 

the man who did it during his 

time. 

“So, I don't want to go into 

that matter because government 

is a serious business and 

I'm very serious. I don't even 

have enough time to run the 

affairs of the state. 

“But people should know 

the difference between being 

a governor and the government 

decisions and policies. 

“And you know, we took 

oath to protect the rule of law, 

to protect our laws and we 

shouldn't be part of any arrangement 

to violate our 

laws", he said. 

It's another war 

—IPOB 

In his reaction to the military 

raid , the leader of the 

Indigenous People of Biafra, 

IPOB, Nnamdi Kanu said that 

the Orlu military raid marked 

the beginning of the second 

Nigeria/Biafra war and 

vowed to mobilise the people 

in defense of their ancestral 

land "no matter the consequences". 

He said that besides statesponsored 

persecutions and 

brazen infuriating marginalisation 

and exclusion against 

Biafrans, killer herdsmen 

and terrorists have continued 

to raid communities in the region 

unchallenged by the security 

agencies. 

" Herdsmen will attack us, 

rape our women, destroy our 

farms, kill our farmers and 

nobody will arrest them but 

when we try to defend ourselves, 

government will come 

after us rolling out the tanks 

and using their helicopter 

and gun boats", he fumed. 

Kanu explained that the incessant 

unprovoked genocidal 

attacks by herdsmen and 

the docility of the Nigerian 

authorities gave rise to the 

formation of the Eastern Security 

Network, ESN, to protect 

the hapless Biafran locals 

against terror. 

But he regretted that instead 

of going after the perpetrators 

of the heinous 

crimes against innocent citizens, 

the Nigerian State rather 

chose to declare war 

against a mere vigilante volunteer 

group. 

" If defending our ancestral 

land against conquest by Fulani 

Janjaweed invaders will 

take me to the Hague, I am 

ready to go to the Hague", 

Kanu thundered. 

" The world has the indicting 

report by the UN Reportuer 

against Nigeria but they 

have not done anything. Do 

we have to wait until we are 

all killed before we defend 

ourselves?" 

Kanu expressed shock that 

the world had helplessly 

watched the Nigerian State 

use brute force against mere 

peaceful agitators while on 

the other hand, dialoguing 

with and facilitating amnesty 

and payment of ransom to 

bandits and terrorists who 

have not shown any remorse 

or sign of ceasation to their 

killing spree. 

According to him, world 

leaders ought to have demanded 

probe of Nigerian 

leaders including some northern 

governors and Islamic 

clerics over their romance 

with bandits. 

Don't turn Imo into war zone —Imo PDP 

By Chidi Nkwopara 

OWERRI—THE Peoples 

Democratic Party, PDP, 

Imo State, has strongly condemned 

what it called "the 

horrific, violent and bloody 

battle, which recently occurred 

in the state, between 

supporters of Senator Rochas 

Okorocha and Governor 

Hope Uzodimma, where they 

were engaged in a bizarre sporadic 

shooting over the sealing 

of Royal Spring Palm Estate 

hotel by the government." 

The PDP position which 

came on the heels of last Sunday's 

confrontation, was 

signed by the state Publicity 

Secretary, Mazi Ogubundu 

Nwadike and made available 

to newsmen in Owerri. 

His words: "It is highly disgusting 

that the present All 

Progressives Congress, APC, 

government in the state has 

turned Imo into a terror zone, 

theatre of war and conflict. In 

recent times, Imolites have 

had the most tragic and excruciating 

experience, ranging 

from the recent military invasion 

in Orsu, which led to loss 

of lives and properties, insecurity 

and other forms of gruesome 

attacks, leading to 

breakdown of peace and order 

in the state. 

"The recent violence perpetrated 

by supporters of Senator 

Rochas Okorocha and 

Governor Hope Uzodimma 

has stirred up tension and apprehension 

in the state, thereby 

toppling the atmosphere 

of saturated peace and tranquility. 

"It is indeed, highly despicable 

that under the present 

administration, Imo State, 

which used to be the centre 

and cynosure of public peace 

and orderliness has turned 

into a jungle of terror where 

hooliganism, rascality, thuggery 

and abuse of the dignity 

of human peace have become 

the order of the day. 

"The APC government in the 

state has created a Frankenstein 

monster which haunts 

the relative peace and social 

order in the state. Imolites are 

now living under fear and apprehension 

and can no more 

sleep with their two eyes 

closed." 

While saying that it was 

most disheartening that "Imo 

has become a laughing stock 

and object of mockery and 

caricature due to the present 

psychopathic leadership that 

is creating unnecessary tension 

and mortgaging the 

peace of the state", Nwadike 

also recalled that only last 

week, Uzodinma invited the 

Nigerian Army to Orsu local 

council area and environs, 

"on what is purely a failure of 

intelligence gathering by appropriate 

security agencies, 

leading to the death of innocent 

civilians."




CONFERENCE: 

From left: Mr. Premier 

Oiwoh, MD/CEO, 

Nigeria Inter-Bank 

Settlement System, 

NIBSS, Plc.; Mr. Seye 

Awojobi, Registrar/ 

CEO, The Chartered 

Institute of Bankers of 

Nigeria, and Mr. Niyi 

Ajao, DMD, NIBSS 

Plc., during a press 

conference for the 

official launching of 

the e-payment 

certifications, held at 

Bankers House, 

Victoria Island, Lagos, 

yesterday. 

PANDEF, Ikponmwen, others lambast 

Gumi over comments on militants 

By Emma Amaize, 

Regional Editor, 

South-South 

ASABA—PAN Niger-Del 

ta Forum, PANDEF, 

former Provost Marshal, 

Nigerian Army, Brigadier- 

General Idada Ikponmwen 

(retd), agitators and other 

Niger Delta stakeholders, 

yesterday, upbraided Muslim 

cleric, Sheikh Gumi, 

over his claim that rampaging 

Fulani herdsmen were 

militants and not bandits. 

National Publicity Secretary, 

PANDEF, Ken Robinson, 

said, "It is unfortunate 

that the nation should be 

hearing one absurd statement 

or the other from this 

man, every day. It is high 

time that the media stopped 

giving him attention. He is 

nothing other than an eccentric 

bigot, a paladin of 

marauders and murderers, 

dressed in cleric's toga. 

"It is vexing that he would 

have the effrontery to say 

Fulani herders are not 

criminals but militants 

fighting for 'their ethnic 

survival'. What nonsense in 

a hitherto illustrious country 

reduced to almost a Lilliputian 

Republic by a Fulani 

president. 

"Nigeria has never experienced 

the kind of nepotism 

and prejudice being 

perpetrated under the Buhari 

administration, in a 

constitutional democracy. 

"Virtually all strategic positions 

in the nation's public 

sector, including the 

military, paramilitary and 

intelligence agencies are 

firmly under Hausa-Fulani 

hegemony. 

"Oil blocks and marginal 

fields in the Niger Delta 

have been mostly exploited 

by northerners. The Nigerian 

National Petroleum 

Corporation, NNPC, has 

become a 'grazing' ground 

for a few. 

"In the last four years, several 

eminent Nigerians, 

across the country, including 

patriotic Northerners, 

have spoken out against 

the skewed and lopsided 

nature of appointments by 

Mr President. 

"As we speak, PANDEF 

national leader and distinguished 

elder statesman, 

Chief Edwin Clark and 15 

other eminent Nigerians 

are in court over the several 

violations of the Federal 

Character Act. 

"But the administration 

continues to play deaf and 

dumb to the protestations 

and genuine concerns put 

forward by well-meaning 

Nigerians, in the interest of 

peace, equity and justice. 

"Look at the recent appointments 

made by the 

President for the headship 

of the Nigeria Security 

and Civil Defence Corps, 

NSCDC; the Nigerian 

Correctional Service, formerly 

Nigerian Prison 

Service, and the Economic 

and Financial Crimes 

Commission, EFCC. 

"And in the face of these 

irking circumstances, a socalled 

Sheikh Gumi could 

imagine asserting killerherders 

are fighting for 

their ethnic survival. It 

then becomes necessary to 

reckon that the rest of Nigeria 

needs to be on the 

alert," he said. 

No time to play 

pranks 

—Ikponmwen 

Former Provost Marshal, 

Nigerian Army, Brigadier 

General Don Idada 

Ikponmwen (retd), told 

Vanguard: "At a time when 

all reasonable persons are 

putting heads together to 

fashion out solutions to our 

worrisome security problems, 

it is utterly disturbing 

that an otherwise acclaimed 

religious cleric 

would speak in this manner. 

Sheikh Gumi's utterances 

are diversionary, illogical, 

inflammatory and 

provocative." 

"As most Nigerians know, 

the killer- herdsmen are 

simply murderous invaders. 

Militancy relates only 

to conscientious believers 

fighting for justifiable causes." 

Speaking through the 

Coordinator, 21st Century 

Youths for Niger Delta and 

Agitators with Conscience, 

21st CYNDAC, self-styled 

"General" Izon Ebi, campaigners 

in the oil-rich region 

said: "Which ethnic 

survival in the name of killing 

and kidnapping innocent 

Nigerians? It's not 

RUGA and cow rustling 

anymore. Nigerians know 

the truth about their agenda. 

It is a shame that Nigerians 

are quiet. 

"It is so unfortunate and 

disheartening that this 

government of President 

Buhari is playing politics 

with the lives of innocent 

Nigerians. Is this government 

taking Nigerians for 

a fool or what? First, the 

government told Nigerians 

that they are mercenaries 

from Libya and Mali and 

later blame it on foreign 

herdsmen because their 

cows are being rustled." 

Reacting also, activist, 

Mr Emmanuel Igbini, 

said: "It is very unfortunate 

that AIT did not immediately 

cut off Sheik Gumi 

when he started uttering 

'destructed words'. He 

should have been treated 

exactly the way Tweeter 

shut out Trump and his lunacy. 

"He is just seeking attention. 

It would have been 

better he did so by going to 

offer himself freely as a 

medical doctor at the IDPs 

in Maiduguri and other 

parts of Nigeria." 

Asaba Airport: Delta signs concession 

agreement with state Airport company 

•Concessionaire to pay an initial sum of N1bn to the state govt 

By Festus Ahon 

ASABA—THE Delta State 

government, yesterday, 

signed a concession agreement 

with Asaba Airport Company 

to manage and run the Asaba 

Airport for 30 years. 

The agreement is coming 

after five years of negotiations 

between parties in the concession. 

The negotiation started 

in 2016 when Governor Ifeanyi 

Okowa indicated his intention 

to concession the airport 

for better management. 

The Asaba Airport Company 

Limited, the concessionaire, 

is a consortium that has technical 

partners as sub-concessionaires. 

They are Air Peace as the 

Anchor Airline and MRO operator, 

Multifreight Cargo and 

Logistics for the cargo and Logistics 

centre, Arbico Construction 

Company to build the Business 

Park, Hotel and Convention 

Centre, Rainoil Limited 

and Cybernetic Limited to develop 

the Tank Farm and provide 

aviation fuel, and Quorum 

Aviation Limited to develop the 

private jet and Helicopter Terminal 

of the airport. 

Speaking on the agreement 

and how it was arrived at, 

Chairman of Delta State government, 

Asaba International 

Airport Concession Committee, 

Mr Chiedu Ebie, who is also 

the Secretary to the State Government, 

said, "The Delta State 

government is delighted that 

after an extensive bid process, 

which spanned five years, with 

two major consortia emerging 

in the last round of bidding process, 

the FIDC-Menzies Consortium 

was selected as the preferred 

bidder to operate as the 

Master Concessionaire. 

"FIDC is an emerging and 

fast-growing Nigerian building, 

construction and civil engineering 

company. Menzies 

on the other hand is one of the 

biggest airports operators in 

the world. It operates in over 

200 airports around the world, 

showing dominance in most 

major airports in the United 

Kingdom, United States of 

America, Europe and South 

Africa." 

Meanwhile, Governor 

Okowa in his speech at the signing 

ceremony said that the Concessionaire 

would "pay an annual 

fee of N100 million to the 

state while the agreement lasts. 

They will also pay an initial 

sum of N1billion to the state 

government hours after the 

agreement is signed." 

Okowa who enumerated 

other benefits of the concession 

of the airport to the people 

of Delta State praised the 

efforts of the Airport Concession 

Committee for making 

his vision for the airport a reality. 

Alema bags Warri Voice Award 

of Excellence 

Assembly passes bills for establishment of 3 varsities 

in Delta 

By Festus Ahon 

ASABA—DELTA State 

House of Assembly, yesterday, 

passed three bills for 

the establishment of University 

of Delta, Agbor, Dennis 

Osadebe University, Anwai, 

Asaba and Delta State University 

of Science and Technology, 

Ozoro. 

The passage of the three 

bills which were sent by Governor 

Ifeanyi Okowa, seeking 

legislative backing of the 

House for the upgrade of the 

College of Education Agbor, 

Delta State Polytechnic, Ozoro 

and Delta State University, 

Anwai Campus to Universities, 

was done at plenary pre- 

Edo govt, APC fight over N30bn 

stormwater project 

•Security beefed up at Palm House as 

govt alleges arson attempt 

By Gabriel 

Enogholase & 

Ozioruva Aliu 

BENIN CITY—THE Edo 

State Government and 

the All Progressives Congress, 

APC, have engaged in 

a war of words over plans by 

the state government to probe 

the multi-phased Benin Water 

Storm project which the first 

phase of N30billion, Governor 

Godwin Obaseki on 

Monday, said was not designed 

to work and was a plot 

to defraud the state. 

The state government, also 

said, yesterday, that it had deployed 

security operatives on 

Monday night to safeguard 

the premises of the state Government 

Secretariat also 

known as Palm House, in Benin 

City, following intelligence 

reports of an arson attempt 

at the Ministry of Environment 

and Sustainability 

offices, to destroy critical documents 

about the N30 billion 

Benin stormwater project. 

But a statement by Publicity 

Secretary of APC, Chris Azebamwan, 

yesterday, dared 

Governor Obaseki to carry 

out his threat to probe the 

project and make its "findings 

public, so that the very enlightened 

and informed Edo 

people would know the truth 

of the matter." 

A statement by the Secretary 

to State Government, SSG, 

Osarodion Ogie, said that the 

government would ensure 

WARRI—THE Alema of 

Warri Kingdom, Delta 

State, Chief Emmanuel Uduaghan 

has been conferred with 

the prestigious Warri Voice 

Newspaper Award of Excellence 

as the 'Outstanding Itsekiri 

Man of the year.' 

Editor of Warri Voice Newspaper, 

Ms Tetsoma Neyin in 

her address, said that the 

award conferred on Chief 

Uduaghan was due to his outstanding 

contributions to the 

growth and development of 

Delta State, which was made 

in specific reference to his timely 

palliative distribution to 

Deltans in the ongoing coronavirus 

pandemic that is ravaging 

the world. 

that it uncovers the details 

surrounding the project, its 

execution and also assured 

that all those culpable were 

brought to justice. 

Ogie noted, "Following the 

commitment of the Edo State 

Government to probe the N30 

billion Benin stormwater 

project, the state received intelligence 

of a possible arson 

at the offices of the Ministry 

of Environment and Sustainability, 

which houses vital 

documents on the project. 

"The government immediately 

deployed security operatives 

to guard the premises 

of the Ministry overnight to 

protect its assets. 

"We have successfully evacuated 

these vital documents 

to a safe location to ensure 

their integrity and in readiness 

for a probe." 

Meanwhile, APC in a statement 

by Azebamwan said the 

project was jointly handled by 

the State Ministry Environment 

and Public Utilities and 

Ministry of Works with several 

commissioners including 

Ogie, who was in charge of 

the Works Ministry. 

He said: "While the project 

was ongoing, Obaseki as 

chairman of the Economic 

Team, regularly accompanied 

his predecessor to inspect 

the progress of work after he 

played the key role of sourcing 

the first N25 billion from 

the Capital Market through 

his company, Afrinvest, which 

reportedly got N1.5billion 

commission from the deal.‘‘ 

The ceremony took place in 

Warri. 

Publisher of Warri Voice 

Newspaper, Mr Femi Odonmeta, 

while presenting the 

award to the recipient, called 

on him to see the award as a 

stepping stone for greater 

achievements as well as a 

challenge to do more by increasing 

the temple of his 

charitable work to humanity, 

for which he is known. 

Responding, Chief Uduaghan, 

who was represented 

by Monday Agbeyi, thanked 

the Warri Voice Newspaper 

crew for finding him worthy 

of the award, noting that the 

award would spur the recipient 

to do more for the people 

of Delta State as well as the 

media, especially the Warri 

Voice Newspaper. 

sided over by the Speaker, 

Chief Sheriff Oborevwori. 

Vanguard reports that separate 

motions for the third reading 

of the three bills were 

moved by the Deputy Majority 

Leader, Mr Oboro Preyor 

and adopted at plenary presided 

over by the Speaker, 

Oborevwori. 

The names of two of the institutions 

were, however, 

changed during the Committee 

of Whole by members in 

line with law making processes 

of the legislature. 

The Delta State University 

of Education, Agbor, was 

changed to University of Delta, 

Agbor, while the Delta State 

University of Science and Agriculture, 

Anwai, is now known 

as Dennis Osadebay University, 

Anwai-Asaba. 

The House Committee on 

Education, had presented its 

reports on the three bills, 

where it said rigorous legislative 

scrutiny was carried out 

by members on the bills. 

Chairman of the Committee, 

Mr Charles Emetulu, explained 

that some amendments 

were proposed for the 

consideration of the House. 

The Speaker, Oborevwori 

expressed happiness over the 

passage of the bills, saying 

that it would further grow the 

educational sub sector of the 

state and commended the 

naming of one of the universities 

after the former Premier 

of the defunct Midwestern region, 

Chief Dennis Osadebay. 

The House adjourned plenary 

to March 9, 2021.




From left: Chief Victor Okuyemi; Mr. Dayo Keshinro, and Bayo 

Adeniran. 

FUNERAL—Mrs. Olufemi Akinbiyi, widow of the deceased (sitting), and from left: 

Adeyemi Akinbiyi; Bioku Bankole; Busola Akinbiyi; Ronke Akinbiyi; Laolu Akinbiyi; 

Simi Bankole, and Bisi Akinbiyi, all children of the late Prince Edward Olajide Akinbiyi, 

the pioneer Managing Director of Radio Lagos and Lagos Television and also Director 

of Publicity in the Jakande Administration, during his (Akinbiyi's) funeral ceremony 

held at Grailland Temple, Iju Hills in Lagos, yesterday. Photos: Akeem Salau. 

Miyetti Allah blames Ortom for enmity btw 

Fulani herders, Tiv 

•Urges Buhari to call Benue, Ondo, 

Ekiti govs to order 

By Charly Agwam 

B Miyetti AUCHI—THE 

Allah Cattle 

Breeders Association of Nigeria, 

MACBAN, yesterday accused 

Governor Samuel Ortom of 

Benue State of creating the 

hostility between Fulani 

herdsmen with the Tiv by his 

utterances and actions. 

By Ndahi Marama 

M AIDUGURI— 

NIGERIAN Troops 

have successfully charged 

through Marte Local 

Government Area, LGA, of Borno 

State, killing scores of ISWAP/ 

Boko Haram terrorists who seized 

the area few days ago. 

This came as heavy explosions 

and sound of gunshots late 

which yesterday engulfed parts 

of Maiduguri, the Borno State 

capital, reportedly claimed several 

lives with many others 

Chairman of Bauchi State 

MACBAN, Sadiq Ibrahim, 

named Benue, Ekiti and Ondo 

states as anti-herders states, 

urging President Muhammadu 

Buhari to call their governors to 

order. 

At a briefing, he also said if the 

government did not protect the 

herders, they would have no 

option than to protect 

themselves. 

sustaining different degrees of 

injuries. 

A Military Officer while 

confirming the successful 

operation said troop successfully 

and safely detonated series of 

IEDS laced along the routes and 

finally dominated the general 

area. 

According to him, “new Marte 

is effectively in our hands since 

3pm. Our will and determination 

are unshaken. We are ever 

determined not to let our Service 

Chiefs and the nation down.” 

Recall that after insurgents 

According to him, “The current 

problem of the Fulani was 

authored by Ortom. In recent 

time, Bauchi State Governor 

tactically called for protection of 

herdsmen because he 

understands the sufferings of 

herders in the country. Benue 

governor was first to ask Fulani 

herders to leave his state. Prior 

to Ortom’s election, the Tiv people 

were our playmates. 

I stand to be corrected; Terwase 

Garase (alias Gana) was one of 

the sponsors of terrorism who 

caused a lot of crises in Benue 

State and neighbouring states. 

captured Marte Local 

Government Area, and allegedly 

hoisted their flag in the area, 

weekend, Chief of Army Staff, 

COAS, Major General Ibrahim 

Attahiru on Sunday, gave 

troops of the Nigerian Army, 

‘Operation Lafiya Dole’ 48 hours 

to clear insurgents off Marte 

LGA. 

General Attahiru also 

directed troops to clear off 

terrorists from Kirenowa, 

Kirta, Wulgo, Chikingudo 

communities of Marte and 

Ngala LGA in the state. 

He even caused the death of 

many people but these deaths 

were blamed on Fulani. When 

Gana died in a battle with the 

army, Ortom queried why Gana 

was killed. 

“Benue, Ekiti and Ondo states 

are no longer safe for Fulani. We 

urge President Buhari to call the 

governors of these states to order. 

If the government does not 

protect us, we will have no option 

than to protect ourselves. We will 

also ask our members to stop 

transporting our foodstuff to 

these parts of Nigeria if our 

members are not protected.” 

Troops kill scores of terrorists, recapture Marte 

•Scores feared dead as heavy explosions, gunshots rock Maiduguri 

Union invites EFCC to probe alleged fraud in CAC 

Housing Scheme 

A BUJA—SENIOR 

Staff Association of 

Statutory Corporations and 

Government Owned Companies, 

SSASCGOC, an affiliate of the 

Trade Union Congress of Nigeria, 

TUC, has invited the Economic 


Commission, EFCC, to 

investigate alleged fraud in 

Corporate Affairs Commission, 

CAC; housing scheme. 

According to SSASCGOC, “a 

situation where staff and even 

members of our union in other 

establishments were made to pay 

for provision of Houses under 

CAC Staff Housing Scheme in 

2012 and are yet to get the house 

after full payment nine years after 

is worrisome.” 

At a briefing in Abuja yesterday, 

Secretary General of 

SSASCGOC, Ayo Olorunfemi, 

demanded for forensic audit of the 

housing scheme, saying “The 

issue of forensic audit to be carried 

out must be part of the fight 

against corruption which is a 

major policy of government that 

NLC, its affiliates and all of us 

must support. A situation 

whereby staff and even members 

of our Union in other 

establishments were made to pay 

for provision of Houses under 

CAC Staff Housing Scheme in 

2012 and are yet to get the house 

after full payment nine years after 

is worrisome. EFCC should be 

invited to unravel the mysteries 

going on with people’s money.” 

On the issue of planned 

picketing by the NLC, today, 

Olorunfemi said the members of 

TUC and SASCGOC would 

vehemently resist the action, 

arguing that a judgment by the 

National Industrial Court, NIC, 

and in line with the Trade Union 

Act had made a declaration that 

SSASCGOC and the TUC were 

the ones vested with the power 

to organize and unionize the 

statutory corporations including 

CAC, rather than the 

Amalgamated Union of Public 

Corporations, Civil Service 

Technical and Recreational 

Services Employees, AUPCTRE, 

an affiliate of NLC. 

According to him, “It is therefore 

wrong for NLC to claim any form 

of jurisdiction on affairs that affects 

senior staff in CAC. It is 

SSASCGOC and TUC that have 

such power. 

He gave the ultimatum while 

addressing troops of the Nigerian 

Army Super camp 9, Dikwa, 

saying “areas around Marte, 

Chikingudu, Wulgo kirenowa and 

Kirta must be cleared in the next 

48 hours. You should be rest 

assured of all support you 

required in this very onerous 

task. 

“I have just spoken to the 

Theater Commander, and the 

General Officer Commanding 7 

Division, you must not let this 

nation down. Go back and do the 

needful and I will be right behind 

you.” 

Meanwhile heavy explosions 

and sound of gunshots which 

engulfed some parts of 

Maiduguri, the Borno State 

capital, reportedly claimed many 

lives with others sustaining 

various degrees of injuries, forcing 

many residents to scamper for 

safety. 

The explosion and firing of 

Rocket Propelled grenades 

which started at about 5:45pm 

up to the time of this report were 

heard around Kaleri behind 

University of Maiduguri, Adam 

Kolo, Limanti and Kagarmari 

wards of the metropolis. 

Sources also said sounds of 

gunshots were heard around Fori 

and Cashew plantation general 

area near Giwa military barracks. 

It was gathered that insurgents 

attempting to infiltrate the city, 

encountered strong resistance 

from troops who engaged them 

in heavy gun battle. 

FG secures •400,000 grant to 

kick off Nat’l Livestock 

Transformation Plan in 4 states 

By Gabriel Ewepu 

A Federal BUJA—THE 

Government, 

yesterday announced securing 

•400,000 grant to kick off National 

Livestock Transformation Plan, 

NLTP, in four states. 

In a statement by the Federal 

Ministry of Agriculture and Rural 

Development, and Project for 

Agricultural Coordination and 

Planning, PACE, President 

Muhammadu Buhari, secured 

the grant from the Dutch 

Investment Agency, RVO, after 

approval of the grant, which 

Buhari signed an Memorandum 

of Understanding, MoU, during 

his visit to the Netherlands. 

The states for the NLTP include 

Nasarawa, Adamawa, Plateau 

and Gombe. 

The statement by the Senior 

Special Assistant to the President 

on Agriculture, Dr Andrew 

Kwasari who was accompanied by 

members of the FMARD-PACE 

Team, on a two-day visit to the 

Nasarawa State Livestock 

Transformation Office to ensure 

that the State Livestock 

Transformation team was fully 

aware of the requirements for 

successful implementation of the 

pilot, said the •400,000 covered 

50 per cent cost of the pilot startup 

of NLTP model in Nasarawa 

State for 30 pastoralist households 

with a start date of March, 2021. 

He said: “On the back of the 

MoU signed during the State visit 

of Mr. President to the 

Netherlands, the Dutch 

Investment Agency (RVO) 

approved a grant of about 400,000 

Euros to cover 50% cost of the 

pilot start-up of NLTP model in 

Nasarawa State for 30 pastoralist 

households with a start date of 

March, 2021. 

“In each of these states, a pilot 

farm, which will also serve as a 

training centre, will be developed. 

Cownexxion (the lead consultant 

in this bilateral collaboration, 

leading the Dutch Consortium; 

the Holland Dairy House Group) 

will serve as technical partner for 

the implementation of the NLTP 

pilot ranches in Nasarawa, 

Adamawa, Plateau and Gombe.'' 

“Cownexxion, is a leading 

Dutch consultancy focused on 

dairy farming. It has carried out 

projects in Europe, Asia, Africa, 

and the Middle East. The 

Company is experienced in 

improving technical and 

economic performance of dairy 

farming systems.” 

According to the statement the 

focus of the two and a half -year 

project will be on feed production, 

transfer of knowledge and skills 

plus the transformation of 

management. Cownexxion will 

work together with the Nigerian 

Federal and State teams, led by 

Dr Andrew Kwasari. 

....Flags off gold processing 

cluster, others in Kogi 

By Boluwaji Obahopo 

L Federal OKOJA—THE 

government, 

yesterday stepped up efforts at 

diversifying the nation’s 

economy with a 

groundbreaking ceremony of 

the Gold Processing Cluster, 

located in Mopa, Mopamuro 

Local Government Area of Kogi 

State. 

Permanent Secretary, 

Federal Ministry of Mines and 

Steel Development, Dr. 

Oluwatoyin Akinlade, who led 

the Federal government's team 

for the event, said the project 

was part of the government’s 

efforts at refocusing the 

economy from heavily 

depending on oil. 

He said the gold processing 

cluster would also cater for 

other gems stones and solid 

mineral mining activities in the 

North Central. 

According to him, “The 

Ministry of Mines and Steel 

Development has commenced 

the implementation of 

programmes aimed at 

establishing and accelerating 

mineral value chain activities 

through the development of a 

Mineral Mining cluster in each 

of the six geopolitical zone. 

“The objective of the project 

is to assembly and coordinate 

the activities of the artisanal 

and small scale miners in the 

identified areas based on the 

identified mineral type for each 

geopolitical zone. 

•


16 — VANGU 

ANGUARD, ARD, WEDNESDAY, , FEBRUARY 24, 2021 

He knows my past and is 

blackmailing me 

Dear Bunmi, 

IN my student days 

abroad in the early 80s, 

life was tough and I did a 

lot of things to keep going, 

as funds coming from home 

were virtually non-existent. 

I slept with a lot of men for 

money and was able to 

finish my studies. 

I got married and had two 

children, but the marriage 

didn’t last and I returned 

home. I have a good job 

because I’m well qualified. 

I have my own flat and a 

loving partner. Recently, 

my partner, who is married, 

visited my flat with one of 

his good friends, and you 

can imagine my shock and 

embarrassment when he 

turned out to be one of my 

‘regular customers’ during 

my student days abroad. 

Dear Bunmi, 

I 

’M a single mum and 

I’m 29. I’ve never been 

that lucky with men, as my 

partners have always been 

violent and cheats. 

Although I still care for the 

father of my child, we’ve 

been apart for close to two 

years. 

Now I’ve fallen in love 

with a friend who works in 

the same office as I do. As 

a matter of fact, he is my 

boss. We’ve been sleeping 

together for close to a year 

now. It was meant to be just 

a bit of fun, till we fell in 

love. 

I’ve asked him to make 

me his second wife, but he 

He didn’t let on that he 

knew me and I was grateful 

to him for that. However, a 

few weeks after the visit, he 

came calling on his own, 

and it was plain what he 

wanted. I told him I was 

now involved with my 

partner and he said he 

wasn’t looking for a 

permanent relationship 

and that he would keep his 

mouth shut. 

Of course, it was 

blackmail and, I’m 

ashamed to say, I let him 

have sex with me. He left 

some money and went 

away. 

I feel dirty and used and 

dread his coming back. I 

would hate for my partner 

to find out about my sordid 

past. What can I do to get 

rid of this shameless man? 

says that he’s not ready for 

that. I want to be his wife 

but, instead, I am the other 

woman...and I hate it. 

He says he hasn’t slept 

with his wife since we 

started sleeping together, 

but I don’t believe him and 

we argue a lot. I’m scared 

of losing him. 

Faith, by e-mail. 

Dear Faith, 

Why are you afraid to lose 

what you haven’t really 

got? The sooner you dump 

this liar and cheat the 

better. You need a man you 

can trust to be a true and 

caring person for you and 

your child. 

Nonye, by e-mail. 

Dear Nonye, 

Your past should be well 

behind you and you have to 

call the bluff of this 

shameless man from your 

past. It is a pity that you 

gave in to his blackmailing 

tactics. 

When and if he comes 

calling again, let him know 

you’re not having any of 

his crude overtures, and 

that if you had to, you could 

come clean with your 

partner. It would be nice if 

you had a tape recorder to 

record what would 

transpire between the two 

of you, in case he denied 

anything. 

I am sure if your man is 

any friend of this creep, he 

wouldn’t breathe a word 

about pestering you for sex 

to him. 

I hate being the other woman 

Are my friends selfish not to help? 

Dear Bunmi, 

BECAUSE of the type 

of friends I keep, and 

our life-style, I’m in 

terrible debt. I have a 

thriving business and it’s 

not that I spend a lot on 

myself per se. But I’ve run 

up huge debts trying to 

keep up with the various 

aso-ebi I bought for my 

friends’ numerous social 

engagements. 

As things are, I don’t 

even have my rent, which 

is due soon, and I haven’t 

got a clue how I’m going to 

survive. Thanks to the 

months of lockdown, due to 

the COVID-19 pandemic. 

My business is also 

suffering. 

A lot of my friends know 

how bad things are, but 

they have refused to help 

me when I asked for 

assistance from them. I was 

always very generous to 

them. I can’t believe 

they’re being so selfish. 

Mandy, by e-mail. 

Dear Mandy, 

It seems to me as if you’re 

very laid-back about 

money. The good side of 

that is you’re generous to 

your friends. The bad side 

After a series of 

unfortunate relationships, 

and on the rebound from 

parting with the father of 

your kid, you’ve taken up 

with a man whose loyalty 

and duty is to his wife, 

although he’s delighted to 

have a willing young bit on 

the side! 

Your self-esteem right 

now is low. You may feel 

that you and your child 

don’t merit more than men 

who beat and cheat on 

women. But this is not the 

case. 

Ditch the adulterer and 

hold out for a man who can 

give you the love and 

respect you deserve. 

is it means you let your 

spending get out of hand. 

Your friends are obviously 

much more careful about 

money and don’t indulge in 

every aso-ebi as you do, 

and they don’t lend money 

to others. It’s nothing 

personal; it’s just the way 

they are...in the same way 

as you’re easy come, easy 

go. And for all you know, 

your friends too might be 

having their own financial 

crisis, due to the aftereffect 

of the lockdown. 

Don’t feel too bad about 

your friends. Instead, ask 

them to help you learn how 

to budget, so this situation 

doesn’t occur in future. 

Not all men fancy flashy 

women 

Dear Bunmi, 

IREAD a letter on your 

page from a woman 

who complained that all 

men think women are just 

“sex on legs.” Well, she’s 

wrong. Not all of us think 

that way. 

I’m a divorced man of 49 

and I live on my own with 

my teenage son. I think 

that a woman’s personality 

matters most, than her 

sense of humour, trust and 

understanding. 

She doesn’t have to be 

sexy or very attractive. All 

that glitters is not gold! 

Gbogbo, by e-mail. 

Dear Gbogbo, 

The cruel experience of a 

broken relationship 

humbles a man and 

teaches him to value the 

emotional qualities that 

help a couple to get on. But 

you must admit that sexual 

attraction and the need for 

a mate are what draw men 

and women together. 

Men want to know that 

sex will be on the cards if 

they invest love on a 

woman, and demand sex as 

soon as they can. Women 

are inclined to resist sex 

without the commitment to 

care for her that she needs. 

With time, when needs 

are identified and trust 

comes in, the relationship 

takes deeper roots, or just 

withers and dies. 

He won’t have sex after 

surviving prostate cancer 

Dear Bunmi, 

LAST YEAR, my 

husband was 

diagnosed with prostate 

cancer. He’s now much 

better, but our sex life has 

deteriorated. 

I’m only 40 and I’ve tried 

to be understanding, but 

don’t know how much 

longer I can go without 

making love. I want things 

back to the way they used 

to be. 

Christina, by e-mail. 

Dear Christina, 

A major life-threatening 

illness can put people off 

Dear Bunmi, 

I 

CURRENTLY live 

with my boyfriend, and 

we have been trying for a 

baby for close to a year now 

with no success. I’ve had 

fertility tests and so has he 

– they’re all positive. I’m 

getting really depressed at 

not being able to conceive 

yet. I’ve noticed that every 

time we have sex, the 

sperm seems to run back out 

of me. Do you think this 

could be the reason why I’m 

not pregnant yet? 

Jola, by e-mail. 

Dear Jola, 

Even if some sperm leaks 

out when you make love, 

enough should be able to 

travel up through the 

cervix to your ovaries. But 

She doesn’t 

have to be 

sexy or very 

attractive. All 

that glitters is 

not gold! 

sex completely. So, I can 

see where your husband is 

coming from. But I also 

appreciate your point of 

view – this crisis has hit 

you hard and you need the 

comfort of sex. 

There’s no easy answer, 

but two things will help. 

The first is to listen to how 

your husband is feeling, 

and lovingly explain the 

impact his illness has had 

on you. 

The second is physical 

affection. Even if love 

making is not on the 

agenda, ask your husband 

to give you cuddles and 

kisses to show you’re still 

close. 

I want to conceive soon 

if you think there’s a 

problem, try sexual 

positions that let your 

partner penetrate you 

deeply – the missionary 

position with your legs on 

his shoulders is particularly 

good. When he climaxes, he 

should thrust in as far as 

possible, then withdraw in 

a straight line, so the semen 

pools at the far end of your 

vagina. 

You should try to orgasm, 

as this will dip your cervix 

into the semen. Afterwards, 

lie on your back for 30 

minutes with your knees up 

to your breast and a pillow 

under your pelvis, to stop 

sperm leaking out. If after 

three months you’ve still 

had no good results, ask for 

further tests. 

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

Where federalism works 

THE world has for more than a week 

now been treated to images from 

Texas, in the United States of America, 

that many Americans thought belonged 

in the “Third World”. The state was 

plunged into prolonged darkness 

caused by extreme weather conditions 

that froze and disabled the power grid 

that was not winterised. It’s stating it 

mildly to say that the entire state was 

grounded. 

While the sub-zero weather, 

characterised by snow storms, made 

outside movement impossible, life 

indoors was no less harrowing. It was 

really heart-rending to see some of the 

four million people affected by the dire 

situation breaking up and destroying 

their own home furniture in order to 

make fire that would keep them warm 

while wondering how they would make 

it through the next day. 

Many were frozen to death right inside 

their homes while broken water and gas 

pipes left many homes flooded with 

water. The disaster, avoidable as it was, 

was a firm reminder of the awesome 

power of nature and how nature could 

humble human ingenuity. Not only were 

residents compelled to put out 

containers to collect storm water for 

domestic use, as we normally do in our 

part, entire families filed out with their 

own bottles and other means to stand 

on queues where they could collect 

water from taps in open spaces made 

muddy by human feet. Texans carried 

water in buckets to flush their toilets and 

lit their homes by candle light. 

After days in darkness the state 

gradually returned to civilisation by 

rationed power. Not every home could 

have it at the same time in order not to 

ground the entire power system again. 

Does that sound familiar? We here in 

Nigeria are used to the peculiar magic 

of our power providers, be it the defunct 

NEPA or its successor PHCN, providing 

power to two adjacent streets where one 

is lit and the other remains in pitch 

darkness. Texans had their own 

Nigerian moment when they let out loud 

cheers after power was restored to parts 

of the state. There are online images of 

Nigerians in Texas cheering the 

Nigerian way of “Up NEPA!” after power 

was restored to their home. These are 

moments that show that, when reduced 

to the same condition, human beings are 

the same anywhere. 

One telling evidence of this are reports 

of rich or influential Texans, especially 

politicians like Ted Cruz, bailing out of 

the situation rather than thinking of what 

to do to bring succour to the people they 

claim to represent. Ted Cruz took the 

next available flight and bolted out of 

town with his family to neighbouring 

Cancun in Mexico. Caught in the act, 

he responded that he was only being a 

good father to his daughters. Of course, 

other Texans don’t know how to be good 

parents or they would not stay back to 

face the situation back home. As 


and solar power, etc. But he was quickly 

reminded that the bulk of Texas electricity 

supply came from fossil fuel. Like 

Nigeria that produces oil that is beyond 

the reach of Nigerians, Texas is the 

largest producer of electric power in 

America. But its fixation on fossil fuel, 

refusal to upgrade its power grid by 

winterising it, were more crucial factors 

in the energy crisis of a state that rejects 

any form of federal intervention in its 

affairs. 

As an affirmation of its right of selfdetermination 

within a federal setting, 

Texas runs an independent power grid 

outside the one controlled by 

Washington. If Texas could exercise its 

right in this manner, it also follows that 

it should take responsibility for its action. 

Save its attempt at buck-passing, is it not 

remarkable to Nigerians that Governor 

Abbot and not Joe Biden is being held 

responsible for the power situation in his 

state? But that, together with the fact that 

he is a Republican, is no reason for 

President Biden to stand aloof. He is not 

issuing releases through spokespersons 

while staying back in the White House. 

He is doing what a president does at 

these times, even offering to visit Texas 

if it won’t disrupt things in the state. 

But it was here in Nigeria that the plan 

by Lagos to begin a metro line system or 

even run an independent power system 

under ENRON was run aground and 

scuttled by so-called federalists who 

probably thought Lagos has no right to 

develop at its own pace. As terrorists 

misnamed bandits, insurgents and 

armed herders run over the country, 

making life ever more precarious, it is 

governors who have no control of 

anything outside their ill-spent security 

votes, without oversight or power over 

any of the military or paramilitary 

agencies- it is these governors that are 

called upon to secure the country even 

by “the presidency” in which all these 

powers are vested. This is what happens 

in a polity where it is crippled and other 

handicapped Nigerians that stand at 

road intersections to control vehicles 

driven by abled bodied people. 

Nigerians remain without hopes for a 

vaccine, some of our politicians have 

been quick to make their way to America, 

the United Arab Emirates and other parts 

of Europe to get one of the available 

vaccines out there. Not satisfied with 

their acts of betrayal of a people they 

are supposed to be responsible for, they 

sent back proud photographs of 

themselves taking the jabs, no doubt 

passing the message that only 

politicians and others of influence 

deserve to live in times of danger and 

that taking care of oneself at the 

expense of the majority is good 

business. 

Following the power debacle in Texas, 

Americans have been asking questions 

about how they found themselves in the 

place where they were reduced to a 

Banana Republic. Well, they have been 

on that path in the last four years they 

chose to Make America Great Again 

under Donald Trump. The situation in 

which America finds itself today with its 

loss of influence and respect, while 

floundering where other countries are 

Texans had their own Nigerian 

moment when they let out loud 

cheers after power was restored 

to parts of the state 

standing tall in their management of 

global crises like the COVID-19 

pandemic, was at least four years in the 

making. It all came to a head with the 

attempted coup of January 6, 2021 when 

Donald Trump, straining for tenure 

elongation, made one last ditch attempt 

to bend the electoral will of Americans. 

For us in Nigeria what the four years 

of Donald Trump’s presidency should 

tell us is the importance of good 

leadership. Where a leader fails to step 

up and lead as their position demands 

they endanger those they lead. That is 

where Nigeria is today with its failed 

leaders. Greg Abbot, the governor of 

Texas, tried to pass the buck for the 

power crisis in his state by being 

political, blaming the crisis on the 

inadequacy of renewable energy – wind 

08055069060 (SMS Only) 

For Telecoms, a place in the sun 

for alarmists 

THERE was suppressed 

excitement across the land 

last week. The country’s economy 

dealt a massive blow into 

depression by COVID-19 suddenly 

witnessed a renaissance, a stirring 

out of that dazed stupor into some 

place under the sun, making some 

of us to learn how to smile again. 

The news was so sudden that 

some people didn’t know how to 

believe it and are only now trying 

to respond in a way to encourage 

the economic minders to do even 

more. Because the possibility is 

that if we mistake these tiny ripples 

of life to be strong signs of real 

recovering, there is the more 

likelihood that we go into a more 

serious one as we often don’t know 

how to dance our way out of 

trouble but instead force ourselves 

down the slippery slope like 

somebody courting disaster. 

This is why the people walk about 

wearing forlornness as garment. 

The economy is dreary. Life is cruel 

and the danger which stalks us can 

break into death any time. 

Therefore, the announcement that 

Nigeria witnessed 0.11per cent in 

Q4’2020 sounded more like music 

to the ears although Nigerians are 

not about breaking into a dance. 

They have been so disappointed 

over the years, taking promises in 

their face value to the effect that 

they are unable to seek forgiveness 

for attracting this moment of 

hazardous folly upon themselves. 

But good news is good news and 

even in its infinitesimal 

manifestation in our land, we must 

manage a smile with suspicious 

restraints. 

The smile came last week, giving 

a justification to the alarmists, 

those always shouting about the 

protection of the 

telecommunications sector, that 

they are not wrong and that there 

is, indeed, a justification to 

jealously secure the sector for our 

collective good. The cliché 

instructs that you do not kill the 

fowl that lays the golden eggs! The 

ICT sector of which Telecoms 

remains a very visible component 

is heading down that lane that 

attracts protection and 

preservation. 

The figures released by the 

National Bureau of Statistics, 

NBS, which showed a mild positive 

economic growth of 0.11 per cent 

also credited the Information and 

Communications Technology 

Sector with an encouraging 

growth of 15.06 per cent in Quarter 

4, 2020, thus remaining one of the 

few sectors to enjoy a double digit 

growth throughout the year in spite 

of the pandemic, with others being 

13.47 per cent Quarter 3, 2020, 17. 

83 per cent Quarter 2, 2020, and 

14.07 Quarter 1, 2020. 

Comparatively, the Oil sector 

contributed 5.87 per cent in the 

same quarter down from 8.73 per 

cent in Quarter 3, 2020. The report 

noted that oil production stood at 

1.56m barrels per day which is way 

What showed on the 

GDP is not a fluke and, 

without being a prophet, 

technology is going to 

provide the support 

structure for our GDP into 

the foreseeable future 

below the 2.00m per day recorded 

in the same quarter of 2019. In 

everything production there is 

unpredictability especially in our 

part of the world and the oil sector 

is not sequestered from such 

vagaries. And this should give us 

some concerns because we are still 

some years away from what Jeremy 

Rifkin called the ‘carbon bubble’ 

in his book, The Green New Deal, 

when the world will rely more on 

cleaner sources of energy, and what 

we have always bragged about as 

our massive investment in the oil 

sector, the magic mono product 

that sustains our economy, will 

become stranded assets. That day 

is not far away and yet our oil 

production is not stable enough to 

meet the exigencies of the 

immediate. 

So, in a troubled world the ICT 

sector rallied to a surge. This is 

hardly surprising because 

technology has always been there 

to ameliorate the worries of the 

world in moments of crisis. This is 

what has happened in Nigeria. 

When the world started to shut 

down last year under the weight of 

COVID-19 and shifted the 

breathing pattern to a new normal, 

ICT provided the vessels of 

communication. There were no 

movements but people were 

talking. There were no cinemas yet 

people were entertained. Even 

when jobs were lost and people 

suffered hunger they still 

scrounged enough to buy air time 

so that they could stay connected. 

But for technology it would have 

been a nightmare far beyond what 

anybody could ever imagine. What 

showed on the GDP is not a fluke 

and, without being a prophet, 

technology is going to provide the 

support structure for our GDP into 

the foreseeable future. 

You, therefore, need to 

understand the alarmists when 

they cry that the 

telecommunications sector needs 

to be delivered and protected. As I 

write, there still some states that 

put strictures on the path of rollout 

of services by telecom operators or 

even allow expansion where 

services are already available. In 

parts of the country where there are 

security challenges – and the 

challenges are pervasive – but 

obviously more serious in some 

areas, telecommunications 

services have been seriously 

disrupted and or totally decoupled 

from existence. 

Plus the security challenges are 

the activities of some highly 

placed government officials, the 

politicians among them who throw 

their weight around some 

regulatory agencies while trying to 

approximate the laws setting up 

these agencies. This writer has 

always shouted on this column that 

the telecommunications and 

broadcast sectors are too 

important to be subjected to the 

mood swings of an ephemeral 

politician. They need to be freed 

up for growth to enable the sectors 

build up the strength to leverage 

the country into the future. Those 

who doubt the importance of ICT 

should ask themselves just these 

questions: Where was Zoom two 

years ago and where is it now? 

Which technology supplies the 

oxygen to the new normal? 

One other matter. The 

government seems to be thinking 

right when, last week, the Federal 

Executive Council, FEC, approved 

about N8.9bn for a new National 

Information and Communication 

Technology park in the Federal 

Capital Territory, FCT. My little 

warning is that this project should 

not be a packaged deal for any 

politician or a political stunt. This 

nation obviously needs such 

intervention projects that can 

withstand or at least attenuate a 

headline inflation of 16.47 per cent 

and food inflation of 20.57 

percent. We need to put an end to 

the hunger in the land using 

technology.


IN a sense, and as in the case of 

petrol, countries that do not have as 

much sunshine as Africa are already 

‘selling sunshine’ to Nigeria through 

photovoltaic solar panels and other 

renewable energy equipment. 

In February 2018, the Nigeria 

Customs Service arbitrarily imposed 

a five per cent duty and five per cent 

VAT on solar panels coming into 

Nigeria, triggering protests from the 

Renewable Energy Association of 

Nigeria, REAN, a private sector 

renewable energy interest group. 

Already, batteries needed for storage 

of solar energy are suffering a 20 per 

cent duty. Yet, solar panels are 

supposed to be exempted from duties, 

according to Nigeria’s Harmonised 

Systems Codes classification. These 

duties hiked the cost of solar 

equipment, resulting in the closure of 

many solar firms. 

There was general outrage among 

Nigerians on February 16, 2021 when 

the Minister of Power, Mamman 

Nigeria’s dream of renewable energy 

revolution (2) 

Saleh, disclosed, while receiving 

members of the Hausa Guild of Actors 

and Film Producers, Kannywood, that 

Nigeria has been spending N50 billion 

monthly as subsidy for electricity 

supply. 

Nigeria is obviously still paying 

dearly for the miscarried involvement 

of the private sector in our power 

supply. If this amount was dedicated 

to our renewable energy efforts our 

power supply woes would change for 

the better in ten years. 

Considering the monumental 

problems bedeviling electricity supply 

in Nigeria – non-availability of gas, 

operation and maintenance 

difficulties, corruption, underfunding 

and others – it is obvious that one of 

the solution to the country’s power 

problems lies in the massive 

investment in renewable energy. 

With sincerity of purpose, the right 

legislations, policies and the correct 

deployment of Nigeria’s tech savvy 

youths, green energy can light up the 

country once and for all and solve the 

perennial power crisis. It will reduce 

our carbon overload and eliminate the 

air and noise pollution arising from 

millions of power-generating sets used 

everyday in the country. 

As Chief Olu Falae, a former 

Secretary to the Government of the 

Federation, once advised in an 

interview 

published 

in Vanguard Newspaper of January 

13, 2020, which underscored the prime 

place power generation occupies in 

the economy and every aspect of the 

life of a nation. “President Buhari 

should give priority to power 

generation, because if you don’t solve 

the power problem, nothing else is 

going to work well. We need power 

for everything,” he said. 

A country without reliable and 

steady power supply in this age of 

Information Communication 

Technology, is doomed. Nigerians, 

who are part of the modern world, 

practically live their lives and earn 

their living on the internet through 

smart electronic devices. How will they 

cope if they cannot access adequate 

electricity to power those gadgets? 

Renewable energy is the solution as 

well as the future. 

OPINION 

Why we must not ignore history 

By SUNNY IKHIOYA 

RECENTLY, some people brought up the 

Asaba massacre saga as a reminder of 

the outstanding issues of the Nigerian civil war 

(1967-1970) and someone said we should 

forget it. 

For those involved in perpetrating or 

upturning of the status quo, it is very easy to 

forget. However, those who lost dear ones and 

their means of livelihood terminated will never 

forget, and will pass their grievances as history 

to generations to come. 

It is not possible to erode history; that is why 

those responsible for our education curricula 

must be very careful in what they do. 

History is fact as it records past events as 

they happened. Because of ethnic and religious 

sentiments some of us have tried to bend the 

facts to suit individual and collective interests. 

But like Uthman Dan Fodio noted: 

"Conscience is an open wound and only the 

truth can heal it". 

So it is with history: you cannot kill it; what 

you fail to do with your tainted education, the 

people will, on their own, pass it to their 

children through oral tradition, historical 

relics or monuments or whatever means of 

communication. 

Those in leadership positions today, trying 

to rewrite history because of their privileged 

positions must be very careful, as examples 

abound of their predecessors who have failed 

in this venture. 

What does history say we should do? Simple. 

Record the facts as you see them without any 

tainting. Are you doubting the possibility of 

this? Okay, let us take a trip to the history of the 

Jews as recorded by all the major historical 

books. At a time, they were slaves in the land of 

Egypt, until they left for the land God had 

prepared for them. After a lengthy sojourn and 

uncountable battles, they finally arrived the 

Promised Land where they settled, with 

Jerusalem as the capital. Again their stay in 

Jerusalem was truncated by superior forces 

and all of them had to be taken again to foreign 

lands. 

Before year 1948, the Jews had no land that 

they could call their own. It took them 1,948 

years, after the death of Christ to be able to 

settle in a country of their own. Can you 

imagine this? And today, they are one of the 

strongest nations on the face of this earth. When 

you imagine what Hitler and his accomplices 

Those who fail to learn from 

history will keep on repeating 

their mistakes; we must tell our 

stories correctly 

did to them during the Second World War, you 

would not have imagined this: A small country, 

with so much power and influence. People will 

tell you that the hand of God is in it, but you 

cannot doubt what you see, it is clear for the 

whole world to see. 

The story of the Jews is recorded in history. A 

people with no land and country until the year 

1948, but today, boast one of the strongest 

countries in the world. In fact, they are in 

control of the Middle East region presently. 

What does this tell us? We must deal fairly 

with people and neighbours because we cannot 

tell what tomorrow will bring. At the time Jesus 

was crucified, the Israelis were under the 

control of the great Roman Empire, with 

Pontius Pilate as governor of the province of 

Judea, under Emperor Tiberius, from year 26/ 

27 to 36/37 AD. The question to ask is: Where 

is the Roman Empire today? 

History can be likened to the symbol of 

justice, the lady with a blindfold, a sword on 

one hand and a set of scales on the other. "She 

symbolises fair and equal administration of 

the law without corruption, favour, greed or 

prejudice.” That is history when you tell it as it 

is; there will be no need for people to try to 

change it and it will also serve as lessons for 

mistakes of the past. 

Those who tried to change the course of 

history in the past found it difficult to appreciate 

the changes taking place in the world today. 

History is a reservoir of knowledge: those 

who are interested go through it and learn but 

those who refuse to learn from history are stuck 

in the past and subsequently are conquered by 

the change that will surely happen. 

The recent American presidential election 

afforded us the benefit of seeing history 

unfolding; we witnessed Black 

discriminations; how they have been sacrificed 

to build a nation of freedom and justice. 

Yet a Blackman had occupied the highest 

seat in the land as President, with a Black 

female vice president currently in power. Who 

would have thought that this will happen in 

the 21st century. And the change is still going 

on. I have gone this far to help us understand 

that, like justice, history is slow but it will finally 

have its way. 

Look at the great British empire; look at 

France with the great Emperor Napoleon 

Bonaparte bestriding the whole of Europe like 

a colossus; look at the great Soviet Republic: 

all that is left of them have collapsed within 

their respective boundaries. 

Those who fail to learn from history will keep 

on repeating their mistakes and failures; we 

must tell our stories and we must tell them 

correctly. It is not the Biafran story alone. The 

Send Opinions & Letters to: 

opinions1234@yahoo.com 

history of the entire Nigerian nation must be 

told correctly. The Biafran story must be 

included in our curriculum; we must know 

what caused it, consequences and why it must 

not be allowed to repeat itself. If we fail to do 

this, we will only be postponing the evil day. 

It is year 2021 and Nigeria is 61 years in 

existence but no history to tell. We must learn 

how the British manipulated the story of this 

great nation, a nation that is full of vibrant 

and hospitable people, a people classified as 

one of the happiest in the world. The British 

must open up their museums and libraries and 

let us study the manipulations that took place; 

how people in a desert land became more 

populous than those in the coastal areas and 

the Middle Belt. How the Fulani people were 

able to hold their own and force the British to 

hand power over to them. 

How the Fulani with their minority 

population, are able to impose themselves over 

a vast landscape with millions of people. We 

must understand our history, how the Hausa 

nation became docile and allowed a nomadic 

people to rule over their land. We must open 

our history books because there lies the answer 

to all of the problems facing this nation 

presently. 

In history, you are taught to understand the 

immediate and remote causes of events; a wise 

ruler will learn from it and avoid previous 

pitfalls. As it is today, we have not learnt any 

lessons from the Biafran civil war, we must 

look for the root causes. The solution is the 

acceptance of all nations under the 

geographical space called Nigeria as one, with 

rulership based on love, fairness and progress. 

But how is this possible? Again I repeat, we 

must go back to our true history, based on justice 

and fairness. 

•Ikhioya wrote via: www.southsouthecho.com

CURRENCY BUYING SELLING 

US DOLLAR 

POUNDS 

EURO 

FRANC 

YEN 

CFA 

WAUA 

RENMINBI 

RIYAL 

RAND 

ENERGY 

129.25 +0.10 

2,498.00 +55.00 

16.99 +0.10 

64.71 +1.80 

61.05 +1.81 

379 379.5 380 

530.5242 531.2241 531.924 

460.0681 460.6751 461.282 

423.7004 424.2594 424.8183 

3.5968 3.6016 3.6063 

0.6791 0.6891 0.6991 

544.8413 545.5601 546.2789 

58.7042 58.7821 58.86 

101.0505 101.1838 101.3171 

25.8442 25.8783 25.9124 

CBN Exchange rate as at 23/02/2021 


60% of electricity consumers lack prepaid meters 

— NERC *Says exploitation through estimated billing persists 

By Udeme Akpan 

EXHIBITION: From left - MD. Patrons, Peter Imo, Director Patrons, Keturah Ovio, Programs 

Manager Heartwells Foundation, Sandra Ukele, Curator Luciano Uzuegbu, General Manager, 

Bunmi Obanawu, DIDI Museum and CEO Heartwells Foundation, Ogbonnaya Igbokwe at the 

Art exhibition “Arts For Cancer” organised by Heartwells Foundation in Lagos recently. 

ABOUT 60 per cent of 

Nigeria’s electricity consumers 

lack prepaid meters and 

are currently being exploited 

through estimated billing. 

Disclosing this in its Second 

Quarter 2020 Report, Nigerian 

Electricity Regulatory Commission, 

NERC, said: “The huge 

metering gap for end-use customers 

remains a key challenge in the 

industry. The records of the Commission 

indicate that, of the 

10,516,090 registered electricity 

customers as at 30 June 2020, only 

4,234,759 (40.27%) have been 

metered. 

“Thus, 59.73% of the registered 

electricity customers are still on 

estimated billing which has contributed 

to customer apathy towards 

payment for electricity bills. 

In comparison with the first quarter 

of 2020, the numbers of registered 

and metered customers increased 

slightly by 0.36% and 

0.07% respectively. 

“The increase in registered customers 

was, in addition to new 

connections, due largely to the ongoing 

customer enumeration exercise 

by DisCos through which 

unregistered consumers of electricity 

were brought unto the 

DisCos’ billing platform. Similarly, 

the increase in metered customers 

was attributed to the roll-out of 

meters under the MAP scheme. 

The Abuja, Benin and Eko DisCos 

had metered more than 50% of 

their registered electricity customers 

as at 30 June 2020.” 

Order 

However, NERC, which ordered 

the DisCos, to ensure the metering 

gap is closed by the end of 

2021, stated: “To ensure speedy 

metering of electricity customers 

in order to meet the target of closing 

the metering gap in NESI by 

31 December 2021, the Commission, 

in addition to securing 

waiver of the levy previously imposed 

on imported meters, continued 

its monitoring of DisCos’ 

implementation of and compliance 

with the provisions of the 

MAP Regulations to fast-track 

meter roll-out.” 

Consumer complaints 

Continuing, it stated: “During 

the second quarter of 2020, the 

eleven (11) DisCos received 

203,116 complaints from consumers, 

indicating 0.68% fewer complaints 

than those received during 

the first quarter of 2020. In total, 

the DisCos attended to 189,684 

complaints representing an increase 

of 1.09 percentage points 

from the preceding quarter. 

“The report shows that Ibadan 

followed by Benin DisCos had the 

lowest customers’ complaints resolution 

rates based on the proportion 

of complaints not addressed 

in the second quarter of 2020.” 

Estimated billing 

Nevertheless, it added: “The 

estimated billing, metering and 

service interruption remain the 

most significant areas of concerns 

for customers, accounting for 

64.88% (131,789) of the total complaints 

in the second quarter of 

2020. As stated in the preceding 

reports, to ensure improved customer 

service delivery, the Commission, 

on regular basis, continued 

to monitor and audit customers’ 

complaint handling and resolution 

process by DisCos. The 

Commission also continuously 

monitors the operation and efficacy 

of its Forum Offices which 

were set up to redress on consumers’ 

complaints not adequately resolved 

to the customers’ satisfaction 

by the responsible DisCos.” 

Prices of 

petrol, others 

fall in January 

By Elizabeth Adegbesan 

ENERGY 

CONSUMERS paid less for 

Premium Motor Spirit, 

PMS, (petrol), National Household 

Kerosene (NHK) and Liquefied 

Petroleum Gas (Cooking 

Gas), in January following decline 

in prices of the commodities 

during the month. 

On the contrary, the price of 

Automotive Gas Oil (diesel) rose 

during the month. 

The National Bureau of Statistics, 

NBS, disclosed this in its 

Petrol Price Watch Report for 

January released yesterday. 

According to the report, the 

price paid by consumers for petrol 

fell month-on-month (MoM) by 

0.97 percent to N164 in January 

2021 from N165 in December 

2020. 

Similarly, the NBS Kerosene 

watch report disclosed that the 

price per litre paid by consumers 

for NHK fell by-0.64 percent 

MoM to N350 in January 2021 

from N352 in December 2020. 

Furthermore,the NBS in its 

Cooking Gas Watch Report, said 

that the price for the refilling of a 

5kg cylinder for Cooking Gas fell 

by 0.04 percent MoM to 

N1,949 in January 2021 from 

N1,949 in December 2020. 

However, the price of diesel rose 

by 0.22 percent MoM to N224 in 

January 2021 from to N224 in 

December 2020. 

The NBS stated: “Average 

price paid by consumers for petrol 

increased by 13 percent year-onyear 

(YoY) and decreased MoM 

by 0.97 percent to N164 in January 

2021 from N165.70 in December 

2020. 

“States with the highest average 

price of petrol were Abia 

(N173), Adamawa (N166) and 

Gombe (N165). 

Cryptocurrency: CBN acted in Nigerians’ best interest 

– Emefiele *SEC to develop regulation for cryptocurrency trading 

MONEY MARKET 

By Babajide Komolafe and 

Obas Esiedesa 

THE Governor, Central 

Bank of Nigeria (CBN), 

Mr. Godwin Emefiele says the 

Bank’s decision to prohibit deposit 

money banks, non-banking 

institutions and Other Financial 

Institutionsfrom facilitating 

trading and dealings 

in cryptocurrency 

is in the best interest of 

depositors and the 

country’s financial system. 

Meanwhile, the Securities 

and Exchange 

Commission, SEC, has 

said it would work with 

other regulators to develop 

a regulatory 

framework that will ensure 

safe trading in 

cryptocurrency and protect 

investors in the sector. 

Emefiele defended 

the decision of the apex 

bank yesterday, while 

briefing a joint Senate 

Committee on Banking, 

Insurance and 

Other Financial Institutions; 

ICT and 

Cybercrime; and Capital 

Market, on its directive 

to institutions under 

its regulation. 

Describing the operations of 

cryptocurrencies as dangerous 

and opaque, the CBN Governor 

said the use of 

cryptocurrency contravened an 

existing law. He said given the 

fact that cryptocurrencies were 

issued by unregulated and unlicensed 

entities made it contrary 

to the mandate of the Bank, as 

enshrined in the CBN Act (2007) 

declaring the Bank as the issuer 

of legal tender in Nigeria. 

Emefiele, who also differentiated 

between digital currencies, 

which Central Banks can 

issue and cryptocurrencies issued 

by unknown and unregulated 

entities, stressed that the 

anonymity, obscurity and concealment 

of cryptocurrencies 

made it suitable for those who 

indulge in illegal activities 

such as money laundering, terrorism 

financing, purchase of 

small arms and light weapons 

and tax evasion. 

Citing instances of investigated 

criminal activities that 

had been linked to 

cryptocurrencies, he stated that 

the legitimacy of money and 

the safety of Nigeria’s financial 

system was central to the mandate 

of the CBN, even as he 

declared that “Cryptocurrency 

is not legitimate money” because 

it is not created or backed 

by any Central Bank. 

“Cryptocurrency has no place 

in our monetary system at this 

time and cryptocurrency transactions 

should not be carried 

out through the Nigerian banking 

system,” he added. 

Also addressing the senate 

session, the Director General 

of the SEC, Mr. Lamido 

Yuguda disclosed intention of 

the Commission to develop a 

regulatory framework that will 

ensure safe trading in 

cryptocurrency and protect investors 

in the sector. 

Yuguda said the SEC recognizes 

the disruption of FinTech 

in the financial industry and 

aims to create an enabling 

regulatory environment that 

would ensure a balance between 

investor protection and 

technological advancement. 

He said, “We believe that 

FinTech would not only bring 

about efficiency to the capital 

market but would also serve as 

a veritable tool for advancing 

Nigeria’s Financial Inclusion 

agenda. 

“However, there is a need to 

develop an appropriate regulatory 

framework to ensure the 

safety of innovation to investors 

and preserve market integrity. 

The SEC boss said to develop 

an appropriate regulatory 

framework; regulators 

need to understand the crypto 

asset space to be better positioned 

to address identified 

risks. 

He said the SEC will advance 

efforts towards developing a comprehensive 

regulatory framework 

that ensures that operators in the 

crypto asset space conduct their 

activities in a manner that protects 

investors and maintains financial 

system stability. 

“The SEC will continue to 

monitor developments in the 

digital asset space and further 

engage/collaborate with all critical 

stakeholders, including the 

CBN, to create a regulatory 

structure that enhances economic 

development while promoting a 

safe, innovative and transparent 

capital market” he added. 

According to Yuguda, the 

SEC’s approach is consistent 

with the approaches of several 

securities regulators around 

the world as in the United 

States of America, the US SEC 

requires platforms that offer 

trading in digital asset securities 

and operate as exchanges 

to register or seek to be exempted 

from registration.


By Rosemary Iwunze 

IN 2012, the Central Bank 

of Nigeria, CBN, 

launched the National 

Financial Inclusion Strategy 

with the aim of increasing the 

number of adults that have 

access to financial services to 

80 per cent by 2020. 

To achieve this, different 

targets were set for each 

sector of the financial system. 

For the Insurance industry, 

the target was 40 per cent 

insurance penetration 

amongst the adult population 

by the year 2020. 

According to a survey 

released by Enhancing 

Financial Innovation and 

Access, EFInA, in 2018 titled: 

“Access to Financial Services 

in Nigeria 2018 Survey”, out 

of a total adult population of 

99.6 million, only about 1.6 

million adults representing 

1.6 per cent had any form of 

insurance in 2018, 

representing 0.1 per cent 

decline from 1.7 million adult 

population in 2016. 

Further research show that 

only about five per cent of the 

total adult population had any 

form of insurance as at the 

end of 2020. 

According to National 

Insurance Commission, 

NAICOM: “The insurance 

penetration in the country is 

still very low as only about five 

per cent of adult population 

have one form of insurance or 

the other. ” 

The poor performance of the 

industry in attracting more 

adults and hence, patronage, 

is further reflected in a report 

by AM Best, a rating agency, 

which indicated that the 

industry contracted in real 

terms by four percentage points 

between 2014 and 2018. 

According to the report titled: 

Nigeria’s Insurance Market 

Offers Significant Potential 

despite Headwinds, the 

Nigeria Insurance industry 

generated N426 billion as 

gross written premium (GWP) 

in 2018, representing 14.5 per 

cent growth over the previous 

year. In the five years between 

2014 and 2018, the compound 

annual growth rate of total GWP 

grew on average by 8.6 per 

cent per annum. 

“But that growth is not what 

it appears. AM Best analysts 

note that although growth has 

seemingly been strong, when 

viewed in real terms, the 

market actually contracted by 

approximately four percentage 

points due to inflation that 

averaged 12 per cent over the 

same period,” the report 

stated. 

Role of insurance in financial 

inclusion 

According to the World Bank, 

financial inclusion is achieved 

when every member of the 

adult population has easy 

access to a broad range of 

formal financial services that 

meet their needs at affordable 

•Sunday Thomas, Commissioner for Insurance 

cost. 

Financial inclusion implies 

not only access but usage of a 

full spectrum of financial 

services including but not 

limited to payments, savings, 

credit, insurance and pension 

products designed according to 

the need of the customers. 

Unfortunately, the majority of 

Nigerians are living below 

poverty line of below one dollar 

per day. Evidently, such a class 

of people can hardly afford 

insurance services and as such, 

remain largely uninsured 

against any form of disaster. 

Hence, when disaster strikes, 

they find it difficult or even 

impossible to find their feet 

again. 

Speaking on the issue, former 

President of the Nigerian 

Council of Registered 

Insurance Brokers, Mr. 

Babajide Agbeja stated: “The 

impact of not being able to 

secure adequate cover can be 

extremely serious, particularly 

for those with lower incomes. 

Being uninsured leaves people 

unable to plan beyond their 

immediate future, protect 

themselves against unexpected 

financial hardship and enjoy 

the peace of mind an insurance 

cover can bring. In other words, 

insurance products should be 

made affordable to every 

Nigerian, especially to the 

grassroots to mitigate against 

unforeseen risks and place 

them back to the position they 

were before the loss occurred.” 

Also speaking, Deputy 

Managing Director of African 

Reinsurance Corporation, Mr. 

Ken Aghoghovbia noted that 

access to insurance services is 

critical to financial inclusion 

particularly at the grassroots, 

hence insurance being a 

veritable tool to bringing 

people out of poverty, will 

greatly enhance the spread of 

financial inclusion. 

Speaking at an Insurance 

Directors’ conference in 

Lagos, Director, Policy & 

Regulation, National Insurance 

Commission, NAICOM, Mr. 

Pius Agboola said that there 

is a strong positive correlation 

between insurance and 

economic development, as 

such, there is a need to improve 

insurance acceptance in 

Nigeria, particularly to the 

underserved and excluded 

segment of the populace. 

Why insurance penetration is 

low 

Several reasons have been 

Although growth 

has seemingly been 

strong, when 

viewed in real 

terms, the market 

actually contracted 

by approximately 

four percentage 

points due to 

inflation that 

averaged 12 

percent over the 

same period 

•Muftau Oyegunle, President, Chartered Insurance Institute 

of Nigeria 

Financial Inclusion: Challenges, 

prospects of increasing access 

to insurance 

adduced for the poor insurance 

penetration in Nigeria. These 

include: peculiar market 

environment, limited public 

awareness and negative public 

perception by those who are 

aware of insurance. 

Explaining, Director, Policy & 

Regulation, National Insurance 

Commission, NAICOM, Mr. 

Pius Agboola said that the very 

low acceptance of insurance in 

Nigeria is largely due to 

ignorance on the part of the 

consumers and the general 

public. 

“This is further aggravated by 

sheer lack of special purpose 

machinery for the continuous 

enlightenment campaign to the 

members of the general 

public,” Agboola said. 

On its part, A.M Best noted 

that obstacles to insurance 

market growth include low 

consumer awareness, lax 

enforcement of mandatory 

coverage laws and new 

proposed capital requirements. 

The report stated: “A key factor 

behind the relatively slow real 

GWP growth has been the low 

insurance penetration in retail 

lines. Low retail penetration 

can be partly explained by the 

low level of awareness and 

trust in insurance, as well as 

the absence of strong financial 

literacy across large parts of the 

population. 

“Furthermore, the extremely 

shallow level of economic 

growth in recent years has 

affected both the demand for 

insurance as well as the value 

Continued on page 21 

Effina Survey on Access to Insurance in 2018)


Financial Inclusion: Challenges, prospects of increasing 

access to insurance 

Continued from page 20 

stated: “To help close the 

protection gap, insurers need 

the support of the government 

to enforce and promote the 

benefits of insurance. Also, 

there must be additional steps 

to enforce the uptake of 

mandatory coverage. 

“Insurers could improve their 

distribution and premium 

collection via mobile 

applications to reach a greater 

proportion of the population. 

The industry needs the support 

of the government to improve 

trust and understanding of 

insurance if the market is to 

grow in the country.” 

For Agboola, there is need for 

the implementation of financial 

inclusion initiatives in the 

insurance sector such as microinsurance 

for low income 

earners and those given credit 

loans by various state 

governments which will help 

to deepen insurance 

penetration in all the states of 

the federation. 

He said: “The goal of 

achieving and surpassing the 

target of 40 per cent adult 

population penetration will be 

Distribution of Net Premium in 2018) 

of insurable assets across a 

number of lines of business.” 

Another challenge: there is 

also a shortage of technical 

expertise across some lines of 

business. 

How to grow insurance 

penetration 

Despite the various 

challenges confronting the 

insurance sector, operators 

•Ganiyu Musa, Chairman, Nigerian Insurers Association 

achieved by providing an 

enabling environment and 

framework for the excluded 

and low income population to 

participate and benefit from 

insurances. 

This will be done through: 

argue that to boost financial 

inclusion through insurance, 

there is need to carry out 

sensitization and awareness on 

insurance business campaigns. 

They also stressed the need to 

build confidence and promote 

public understanding on 

insurance mechanisms, as well 

as development of insurance 

education across the board. 

In this regard, A.M Best 

development of legal and 

regulatory frameworks on 

takaful and microinsurance; 

definition 

and 

implementation of insurance 

literacy programmes; 

enforcement of quick 

settlement of claims and 

sanctions for infractions; as well 

as incentivise insurance 

companies to develop microinsurance 

products, takaful 

insurance and index-based 

insurance products to serve 

low-income/rural individuals.” 

Also speaking, Anike 

Okechukwu, Vice-Chancellor, 

Enugu State University said at 

the root of poverty lies the 

depriving the people access to 

basic necessities such as food, 

shelter, healthcare, education, 

security and assets, and to solve 

these issues there must be 

concerted efforts toward 

financial inclusion for all 

citizens. 

Speaking at a conference by 

the Chartered Insurance 

Institute of Nigeria, CIIN, 

Okechukwu noted that 

financial exclusion is a 

burden that must be lifted, 

and which requires adequate 

financial planning through 

insurance. 

He said: “Appropriate 

financial services can help 

vulnerable 

households 

reduce 

risk, build 

resilience, 

smoothen 

consumption, 

safeguard 

savings, 

b e t t e r 

manage 

t h e 

consequences 

o f 

unforeseen 

events, 

•Eddie Efekoha, Managing Director, 

Consolidated Hallmark Insurance 

and invest in assets and grow 

businesses. To achieve this, 

insurance remains strategic.” 

Okechukwu also noted that 

health insurance can ensure 

adequate healthcare for many 

families and reduce out-ofpocket 

expenditure. “In fact, 

health insurance is linked to 

economic growth and 

reduction in poverty. 

“Nigeria is battling with a 

number of scary health issues 

including malaria, 

tuberculosis, infant and 

maternal mortality, all of 

which have a sweeping 

impact on productivity. 

Insurance services can make 

a significant difference in the 

lives of vulnerable 

individuals by helping 

households mitigate shocks 

and improve the 

management of expenses 

related to unforeseen events 

such as medical emergencies 

and death in the family,” he 

said. 

He stated that another 

critical area that insurance 

could cover is education, 

noting that this could ensure 

that parents and guardians 

save enough money to 

ensure stability in the 

education of their wards. 

“If education insurance is 

taken up, the stability in 

providing quality education 

is guaranteed even in the 

event of the death of parents 

and guardians. 

“Housing or property 

insurance is fundamental in 

ensuring that a great majority 

of Nigerians have access to 

affordable shelter and 

protection against natural or 

man-made disasters. 

Effectively, if one is covered 

by housing insurance, it will 

ensure easy access to funds 

in any event. As you know, 

many families are homeless 

today because they are 

financially excluded.” 

Also speaking, Managing 

Director of Consolidated 

Hallmark Insurance Plc, Mr. 

Eddie Efekoha said that it is 

common knowledge that 

insurance penetration is 

nowhere near where it 

should be in the country. “As 

practitioners, we can also 

acknowledge that companies 

are doing all that they can 

within the tenets of the law 

to reach out to customers in 

order to create a sustained 

demand for insurance 

products. 

“The question is, are our 

best efforts enough? What 

more can we do to improve 

our lot? Efekoha queried. 

He said: “Even the smallest 

molecule of our operations 

should be clear and concise 

to our target audience and 

our messages should reach 

them wherever they are. Only 

then can we truly retain top 

of mind awareness and 

agree that we have taken a 

significant step in what we 

collectively desire to achieve, 

an insurance industry that is 

a significant contributor in 

terms of numbers to the 

economic growth.” 

In essence, operators 

believe that the low 

insurance penetration means 

there is room for geometric 

growth. However, there must 

be improved market conduct, 

service delivery, value 

creation as well as prompt 

and fair claims settlement, 

among others, if the sector 

hopes to contribute 

significantly to financial 

inclusion strategy going 

forward. 

C 

M 

Y 

K


Ehingbeti 2021: 9mobile pledges support for Lagos Smart City initiative 

By Prince Osuagwu 

HE Chief Executive Officer of 

T9mobile, Alan Sinfield, has 

said his company will support the 

‘Smart City’ initiative of the Lagos 

State Government. 

Sinfield at a panel session , Digital 

Transformation Solutions for 

Smart Cities at the Lagos State Economic 

Summit - Ehingbeti 2021, 

noted the significance of the Smart 

City Masterplan of Lagos State and 

how 9mobile would facilitate its realisation. 

He said: “At 9mobile, we are continually 

innovating, and smart city , 

smart building and other IoT solutions 

will be delivered through the 

deployment of technologies and infrastructure 

. This will be made possible 

by collaborating with stakeholders 

to provide seamless access. 

Telecommunications is the foundation 

and the critical building block 

for the delivery of a smart city. It 

supports the delivery of digital transformation 

and inclusion and underpins 

how the goals of full financial 

inclusion for everyone will be realised,” 

he said. 

He also noted that “one additional 

critical element will be the service 

management element. We 

should never lose sight that once envisioned, 

developed, and implemented, 

nothing ever works well or 

is sustainable without the necessary 

support teams to maintain and keep 

things working. There is a real need 

to focus on developing the skills and 

support framework and not just the 

appealing AI/ML and technology 

aspects.” 

Sinfield highlighted the telco’s 

outstanding service quality and 

noted that digital and tech hubs are 

crucial for building talent. “At 9mobile, 

we have plans to further support 

an environment that enables 

creativity and visions to be realised 

by using our resources to build ICT 

development areas and sandboxes 

for entrepreneurs to develop their 

ideas for the future.” 

He also highlighted the importance 

of big data and data mining 

as the lifeline of a smart city. “Data 

is the building block of the digital 

revolution, storing and profiling 

this for various uses will support 

the achievement of the necessary 

smart city automation. While discussions 

continue as to the extent 

to which humans can participate 

and provide real-time data input 

to the collective data feeding automated 

machine learning, first 

steps in this journey will rely on 

sensors and machine-based data 

which is much more reliable.” 

CYBERSECURITY: Beware, new hacking 

method, Agent Tesla comes through email 

attachment 

By Juliet Umeh 

research firm, Sophos, has 

A joined in the call for African 

mobile money, and internet 

users generally, to guard their 

data jealously as fintech growth 

appears to be astronomical in 

the continent. 

According to Sophos, as data 

explosion sets to happen in Africa 

considering the growth in 

mobile money and other financial 

services accounts, users in 

Africa should adopt the method 

of first considering every mail as 

a potential threat before opening 

it. 

A report released recently by 

the company revealed that a new 

information stealer, Agent Tesla 

which spreads through malicious 

email spam is being used 

to destroy hapless internet users 

and vulnerable corporate organisations. 

Although Sophos says the hacking 

method is seven-year-old, 

and goes through new phases, it 

has, however, remained a powerful 

threat to people. The research 

firm warned that people 

should be cautious with email 

attachments from unknown 

senders. 

According to the company, 

Agent Tesla steals information 

from web browsers, email clients, 

virtual private network clients, 

and other software that stores 

usernames and passwords. 

It explained that it can capture 

keystrokes while users are typing, 

for example entering their 

password, and record screenshots, 

so it can see what is on 

their screen. 

It noted that the more recent 

version of the info-stealer can use 

the Telegram messaging service 

to communicate with its operators, 

as well as a software programme 

called Tor (that’s very 

popular on the dark web) to hide 

activity like the removal of stolen 

data. It also tries to alter software 

code to block security protection. 

Senior Security Researcher at 

the company, Sean Gallagher 

said: “Agent Tesla malware has 

been active for more than seven 

years, yet it remains one of the 

most common threats to Windows 

users. 

“The most widespread delivery 

method for Agent Tesla is malicious 

spam attachments. The 

email accounts used to spread 

Agent Tesla are often legitimate 

accounts that have been compromised. 

Organisations and 

individuals should, as always, 

treat email attachments from 

unknown senders with caution, 

and verify all attachments before 

opening them.” 

The firm recommended that 

Information Technology, IT admin 

checklist for email security 

should include: 

*Installation of an intelligent 

security solution that can screen, 

detect and block suspicious 

*Cyber attacker 

emails and their attachments 

before they reach users. 

*Implementing the recognised 

authentication standards to verify 

emails are what they claim 

to be. 

*Educating employees to spot 

the warning signs of suspicious 

emails and what to do if they encounter 

one. 

*Advising users to doublecheck 

that emails come from the 

address and the person they 

claim. 

*Advising users to never open 

attachments or click on links in 

emails from unknown senders. 

*Sophos endpoint protection, 

Intercept X, detects Agent Tesla 

malware. 

Another internet security outfit 

recently disclosed that out of 

over one billion mobile money 

accounts in the global financial 

technology space, Africa has 

about 46 per cent of the accounts. 

The one billion accounts were 

said to be processing up to $1.9 

billion daily, meaning that 46 

per cent of that is processed in 

Africa. The continent is also expected 

to exceed half a billion 

accounts before the end of first 

quarter 2021. 

Signal Alliance @ 25, pushes ambitious holdco structure 

By Prince Osuagwu 

T 25 years old, technology 

Acompany, Signal Alliance is 

beginning a new phase of life. The 

company is on the verge of completing 

a holding company (holdco) 

structure that will see it become 

even a bigger player in the 

IT sector. 

The proposed holdco structure 

would have three subsidiaries - 

one focused on cloud business, 

another on technology consulting 

while the third, Sasware, which 

is already operating as a venturing 

company, would harmonise 

current investments and further 

invest in tech start-ups and techenabled 

businesses. 

Signal Alliance is looking to 

make an emphatic statement in 

the tech ecosystem in Nigeria. 

Foreign investors have dominated 

the venture activities in Nigeria 

and Africa and they are increasing 

their positions in the 

Nigerian tech market. 

Executive Vice-Chairman of 

the company, Collins Onuegbu, 

said: “Diversification of our business 

portfolio is imperative and 

we believe that these activities, in 

line with our medium to longterm 

strategy, would produce 

compelling returns. Size and efficiency 

are key factors for our 

new outlook.” 

Onuegbu also believes the tech 

market in Nigeria is still evolving 

despite the strides it has made 

in recent years, adding that there 

is still a lot of room for growth 

*Onuegbu 

and the company is being positioned 

to be part of that growth 

process. 

He revealed that in the coming 

months, the company will be 

looking to either acquire a majority 

stake in promising ventures 

or minority interest. 

“There is no more sitting on the 

fence while the good deals get 

done. We need to gain a foothold 

in the tech space venturing in 

Nigeria and are targeting 50 tech 

and tech-enabled companies 

within a 3-year horizon,” he said. 

For him, “last year, Stripe, the 

second-largest payment company 

in the world, acquired Nigerian-based 

payment gateway company, 

Paystack. Nigerian startups 

also dominated the venture capital 

activities in Africa in 2019 

only to fall behind South Africa 

in 2020 due to the impact of the 

COVID-19 pandemic. 

There are also local venture 

capital firms and equity funds that 

are springing up and positioning 

for the market. In January, Iyinoluwa 

Aboyeji, founder and 

CEO of Future Africa, a new venture 

capital that launched in 2020 

said it has returned $3.7 million 

to some of the firm’s limited partners 

and invested over $1 million 

in 16 startups. So, there is a need 

to consolidate and grow our investments 

in technology-enabled 

start-ups” 

Signal Alliance said it would 

also be looking to grow its cloud 

market position - a market it 

knows very well given its partnership 

with Microsoft. 

Signal Alliance is a Gold LSP 

Partner of Microsoft; among the 

other three partners in Nigeria 

and intends to utilise this partnership 

for its cloud business focus. 

Interswitch links HF on International Money Transfer Service 


IGITAL payments and com- 

company, Interswitch 

Dmerce 

Group, has partnered another giant 

in the sector, HF Group to expand 

digital banking services to 

include International Money 

Transfer (IMT). The IMT service 

will enable people in the diaspora 

to remit funds seamlessly into 

any HF account and also provide 

a simplified channel for them to 

make their loan/mortgage payments. 

The partnership is coming 

on the heels of the company’s diversification 

efforts into full-service 

banking. 

Robert Kibaara, HF Group 

Chief Executive Officer said: “We 

Soft skills will help girls appreciate tech 

career, says Afro-Tech Girls 


ON-profit organization 

NAfro-Tech Girls, has said 

that provision of soft skill capacity 

building could help girls and 

women appreciate Information 

and Communications based careers. 

The group made the statement 

at a conference it held to commemorate 

the 2021 International 

Day of Women and Girls in 

Science themed ‘Women Scientists 

at the forefront of the fight 

against COVID-19.’ 

Afro-Tech Girls is focused on 

encouraging and empowering 

females in the areas of Science, 

Technology, Engineering and 

Maths (STEM). 

The event which was hosted in 

partnership with IHS Nigeria, a 

subsidiary of IHS Towers, saw 

female speakers from the medical, 

science and technology sectors 

interact with over 100 participants 

in attendance online 

and a further 100 girls from public 

secondary schools watching 

from their classrooms. The event 

was also used as a soft launch of 

a longer-term partnership between 

Afro-Tech Girls and IHS 


Co-founder, Afro-Tech Girls, 

Adeola Shasanya said the theme 

of the event, reinforced present 

challenges associated with the 

current pandemic and high- 

have made significant investments 

in technology in order to 

bolster our full service banking 

proposition. Our focus is in building 

a digital first bank that is responsive 

to emerging customer 

trends. Designing the best customer 

experience is a continuous process 

and our vision is to empower 

customers to make their personal 

and business transactions at the 

click of a button.” 

Kibaara added: “Our understanding 

of the customer and the 

market, coupled with strategic 

partnerships with fintech, enables 

us to design solutions that are simplified 

to address our customers’ 

needs." 

lighted how women in science 

are currently playing a critical 

role to address these challenges. 

Shasanya said that confidence 

and soft skills needed to be improved 

to drive more interests 

among the young females looking 

to build careers in STEM 

She said: “We are grateful for 

organisations like IHS Nigeria 

that have committed to improve 

STEM outcomes in Nigeria particularly 

within young females. 

We are confident that their support 

will go a long way to ensure 

these females are equipped with 

the skills required to compete 

and contribute immensely in 

STEM related careers.” 

Some of the speakers at the 

event included - Dr. Ngozi Onyia, 

MD, Paelon Memorial Hospital; 

Ms. Cima Sholotan, Director 

of Sustainability & Corporate 

Communications, IHS 

Nigeria; Dr. Yetunde Adewunmi, 

Microbiologist, Wadsworth Center, 

New York State Department 

of Health; Dr. Mobola Oyefule, 

Medical Doctor, Mayo Clinic, 

Rochester, Minnesota; Dr. Kemi 

Ezenwanne, Medical Doctor, 

Armoured Shield Medical Centre; 

Ms. Jessica Uwoghiren, 

Data Analytics Expert; and Ms. 

Gloria Okereke, Team Lead, 

Network Operating Centre, IHS 


*From left: Romana Rajput, 

Interswitch Kenya Country 

Manager; Robert Kibaara, HF 

Group CEO and Regina Anyika, Ag. 

HFC Managing Director during the 

launch of the HF Whizz 

International Money Transfer in 

Kenya recently.





VOL. 2 NO. 71 

Why the first son is accorded 

high respect in Igboland 

— Monarchs, Igbo leaders 

By Anayo Okoli, Vincent 

Ujumadu, Chidi Nkwopara, 

Ugochukwu Alaribe, 

Nwabueze Okonkwo, 

Chinenye Ozor, Chinedu 

Adonu, Chinonso Alozie, 

Ikechukwu Odu & 

Steve Oko 

ENUGU—IN Igboland, the 

first son is generally 

accorded high recognition and 

respect by the family. He also 

wields enormous traditional 

powers in the family’s decisionmaking. 

Whether he is rich or 

poor, his opinion is always 

sought and respected by 

members of the family. This age 

long tradition has not changed 

and may not likely change in the 

near future. Question is; what is 

special in first sons of Igbo 

families? 

According to the revered 

monarch of Abriba ancient 

kingdom, Enachioken Abriba, 

Eze Kalu Kalu Ogbu (iv), Igbo 

accord high recognition to the 

first son because he is the 

family’s first hope for continuity. 

The first son, he said, is the first 

proof of his father’s strength and 

symbol of hope for the family’s 

continuity, hence, the special 

place he occupies in the family. 

This strong position, he 

explained, stems from the 

tradition and common mentality 

among the Igbo that male 

children are sine-qua-non for 

the family lineage to be 

maintained. 

“The first son is the first male 

blood of the man; his alter ego,” 

the monarch explained, "and he 

is considered the heir apparent 

of the family. Besides,because 

male children unlike their female 

siblings carry on the family’s 

name, it becomes necessary that 

the first son who is also the 

evidence of the progenitor’s 

manhood, is highly revered. 

“Ndigbo have the culture that 

female children will eventually 

be married off; so any family 

without a male child is seen to 

have gone into extinction. That 

is why the first son has much 

respect”, the monarch said, but 

however, noted that some first 

sons tend to get carried away by 

their coveted position while some 

act irresponsibly. 

He noted that such 

unbecoming attitude is not 

enough to deprive them of their 

birthright as doing so is not 

without some consequences. 

The Enachioken also cited a 

case in his kingdom where a 

certain wealthy subject who 

trained his first son abroad and 

upon graduation, he returned to 

•He is the family’s first hope for continuity — Enachioken Abriba 

•First son has same authority as his father — Igwe Ekere 

•A Jewish tradition, confirms Igbo connection to Jews — Ezekwesiri 

•He enjoys special privileges in the family — Eze Nwabeke 

•He represents the father, whether dead or alive — Igwe Ukuta 

•Plays prominent role in family, upon father's death — Lawyer 

•A group of Igbo entertainers. 

the country and he assisted him 

to secure a lucrative job but 

unfortunately, that man’s son 

was later got involved in stealing 

of the firm’s property, a situation 

that landed him in jail. 

“In those days when there was 

bucket latrine, the boy, from 

prison, would carry bucket of 

faeces past their house and the 

father who felt disgraced, 

stripped him of his right as the 

first son. But till today, that family 

has not known peace.” 

In the opinion of the traditional 

ruler of the Iggah Ancient 

Kingdom in Isi-Uzo Uwani Local 

Government Area of Enugu 

State, Igwe Herbert Ukuta, the 

respect being accorded every 

first son in Igbo families is 

because he represents the father, 

whether dead or alive. 

According to Igwe Ukuta, 

because the daughters of the 

family would be married off 

eventually, only the first son 

bears the family symbol with or 

without the father of the house. 

“The culture has been there 

from time immemorial. In Igbo 

tradition, he inherits whatever 

the father left for the siblings. It 

is left for the first son, whether 

he is a good or a bad one to be 

in unity with the siblings, 

especially after the death of the 

father. 

“Sometimes, the first son can 

be the last born of the family but 

the sisters still nurture him and 

accord him huge respect in Igbo 

tradition,” the monarch said. 

The Chairman, Abia State 

Council of Traditional Rulers, 

Eze Ndubuisi Nwabeke, agreed 

that it is the tradition of the Igbo 

people for the first son of the 

family to enjoy special privileges 

and explained that enjoyment of 

the special privileges has 

nothing to do with whether he 

is rich or poor. 

According to him, most 

families treasure the training of 

Ndigbo have 

the culture that 

female children 

will eventually 

be married off; 

so, any family 

without a male 

child is seen to 

have gone into 

extinction 

the first son because he is 

expected to take care of the family 

on the retirement of his parents. 

The respected monarch noted 

that such special privileges 

include the fact that the family 

cannot take any major decision 

without the consent of the first 

son and taking over the control 

of the family when his father 

dies. “It is a known fact that in 

Igboland, high recognition and 

respect is accorded the first son 

of the family. He is accorded this 

respect not minding his financial 

and social status, wealthy or 

poor. 

“The family cannot take any 

major decision without seeking 

the opinion of the first son. Most 

times, a father may want to 

dispose of his property but the 

buyer of such property will like 

to get the approval of the first 

son because if he didn’t get the 

approval, there may be 

problems. In most cases, you 

can’t buy a property from a 

family without the consent of the 

first son. Such transactions are 

invalid until the first son 

appends his signature. It is a 

tradition in Igboland that in the 

absence of the father of the 

family, the first son takes over 

the administration of the family. 

He is expected to take care of 

the mother and assist his 

siblings.” 

•An Igbo first son. 

Eze Nwabeke further 

explained that on the sharing of 

the family’s wealth on the death 

of the father, the first son gets 

ther largest share. 

“At the demise of the father, the 

traditional system of sharing the 

father’s property allocates 

bigger shares to the first son. The 

father while alive takes time to 

show the first son his property, 

his money in the bank and even 

his liabilities. The father also tells 

his first son his life story. 

Whenever his father dies, the 

first son is answerable to the 

kinsmen on the burial plans and 

other issues pertaining to the 

sharing of the father’s assets and 

liabilities. So, the first son enjoys 

special privileges in the family. 

It is a revered and time-tested 

tradition in Igboland,” Eze 

Nwabeke declared. 

In his contribution, the 

traditional ruler of Amandim Olo 

in Ezeagu Local Government 

Area of Enugu State, Igwe 

Hayford Agana agrees that the 

first son plays vital roles in the 

administration of his late father’s 

property. The position under the 

customary law of succession in 

Igboland, according to him, is 

that the first surviving son takes 

over the leadership of the family 

when the father dies. 

Igwe Agana, however, noted 

that in Olo heterogeneous 

cultural affinity, the first son does 

not enjoy all the property without 

responsibilities. 

He is responsible for the 

upkeep of the spouses of his late 

father in a polygamous family. 

He also takes care of the needs 

of the younger ones from the 

inherited property which he 

cannot shy away from. 

The paramount ruler of 

Isuochi, Eze Godson Ezekwesiri 

links the special recognition of 

the first son to Jewish tradition 

which he said lends credence to 

the theory that Igbo have their 

roots in the Jewish tradition. 

According to him, birthright is a 

serious matter even in the Bible 

as seen between Jacob and Esau 

following the animosity by Esau 

against Jacob for taking over 

his birthright. The monarch said 

the first son is also revered in 

Igbo tradition because the 

responsibilities of his father 

squarely fall on him upon the 

death of his father. 

According to him, the first sons 

sometime deny themselves of 

certain pleasures and 

opportunities in their bid to cater 

for the family or ensure their 

siblings are reasonably trained. 

He cautioned that under no 

circumstance should the first son 

be robbed of his birthright. 

According to him, the first son 

even if he happens to be the last 

born of the family, should be 

accorded his rights and 

privileges. 

“The first son indisputably 

inherits the father’ s Obi 

(ancestral compound), his gun 

Continue on Page 27

•The jetty at the Ogurugu seaport in Uzo-Uwani 

local government area of Enugu State. 

By Ikechukwu Odu 

NSUKKA — RESIDENTS 

of the agrarian 

community of Ogurugu, in Uzo- 

Uwani Local Government Area 

of Enugu State are lamenting 

the hardship they currently face 

following the collapse of Isi 

Bridge linking the community 

to the rest of the state. 

They have therefore sent a 

save our soul message to Enugu 

State Government to come to 

their rescue by repairing the 

bridge. 

The aged bridge was said to 

have caved-in when a heavy 

duty truck conveying goods to 

the community impacted on it 

on the first day of January, 2021. 

Community members who 

cried out for help in 

rehabilitating/reconstructing the 

bridge, told South-East Voice 

that it provided the linkage to 

their only access road, adding 

that they have been cut off from 

the other parts of the state since 

the incident happened. 

The traditional ruler of the 

community, HRH, Igwe 

Emmanuel Egwuaba, while 

regretting the inability of the 

community members to move 

their farm produce to the rest of 

the state since the collapse of 

the bridge, said life has become 

THE TEAM 

SUPERVISING EDITOR: 

Chioma Gabriel, Lagos 

(08052201257) 

EDITOR 

Anayo Okoli, Enugu 

08034046839 

Vincent Ujumadu, Awka 

Chidi Nkwopara, Owerri 

Dennis Agbo, Enugu 

Peter Okutu, Abakaliki 

Chinonso Alozie, Owerri 

Chinedu Adonu, Enugu 

Chimaobi Nwaiwu, Nnewi 

Ugochukwu Alaribe, Aba 

Nwabueze Okonkwo, Onitsha 

Chinenye Ozor, Nsukka 

Ikechukwu Odu, Nsukka 

Steve Oko,Umuahia 

•The collapsed Isi Bridge in 

Ogurugu, Uzo-Uwani local 

government area of Enugu 

State. 

Collapsed bridge cuts off Enugu 

community...indigenes lament 

attendant hardship 

difficult for farmers and other 

persons doing business in the 

Igala-speaking community of 

Enugu State, adding that 

unless urgent steps are taken 

to put the bridge in shape, 

farmers in the community 

would incur heavy losses due 

to their inability to move their 

produce out of the community. 

The monarch while calling for 

the speedy completion of the 

jetty at their seaport, also called 

on the government to support 

the farmers in the community 

with tractors in order to explore 

the agricultural potentialities of 

the community to the fullest. He 

also said that the jetty, when 

completed, would boost 

employment generation in the 

rustic community. 

The President-General of the 

community, Dennis Uba, while 

calling for the rehabilitation/ 

reconstruction of the collapsed 

bridge, said the community has 

written a letter to the state 

governor, Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi, 

and the council chairman, 

Chukwudi Nnadozie for the 

reconstruction of the bridge. 

Some of the community 

members who spoke to South- 

East Voice narrated how the 

collapsed bridge made life very 

difficult for them, adding that 

they sand-filled part of the road 

to enable only those on foot and 

motorcycles access into the 

community. 

Regarded generally as the 

Food basket of Enugu State, 

Uzo-Uwani Local Government 

Area is endowed with other 

mineral deposits and 

uncompleted infrastructure 

which can aggressively 

transform the economic fortunes 

of the state when harnessed. 

Apart from the vast arable 

farmlands in the rustic council 

area, it is also blessed with crude 

oil, gas and gold deposits which 

were discovered in the 50s by 

Safraab Oil Company at Iga. 

Part of the key infrastructure 

which now lie fallow in the 

council area are a seaport and 

an airport started by the military 

regime of General Olusegun 

Obasanjo at Ogurugu. 

The coastal community, 

Ogurugu, would have attained 

unprecedented development 

and equally become a 

commercial hub of the state just 

as Onitsha is to Anambra State 

because of its early connection 

with the Europeans but for the 

abandonment of the key 

infrastructure in the 

community. 

Traders like UAC, JOHN 

HOLT and others who 

purchased local products like 

palm oil, palm kernel, and 

timber, brought their products 

which were largely gotten from 

the community to the Ogurugu 

seaport from where they are 

shipped to other parts of the 

country or exported abroad. 

The abandoned airport, also 

in Ogurugu served as an 

aerodrome to the former 

military head of state, Obasanjo. 

By Dennis Agbo 

ENUGU —Residents of the 

coal city, particularly those 

residing in Nike area of Enugu 

metropolis have become excited 

at the news that the state governor, 

Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi has concluded 

plans to resolve the perennial 

traffic jam being experienced 

along Nike Lake and Abakpa- 

Nike roads with the construction 

of a flyover at the T-junction nexus 

of Enugu-Nsukka new road. 

Following the development of 

the Abakpa-Ugwogo-Nsukka 

road by the preceding 

administration in the state, and 

with the collapse of the 9 th Mile- 

Nsukka road, vehicular traffic had 

constituted frustration for 

motorists and residents in Nike 

area as most vehicles coming 


Why the first son is accorded 

high respect in Igboland 

—Monarchs, Igbo leaders 

Continues from page 26 

(if there is any), machete and 

other personal effects. He then 

picks a choice parcel of land as 

the right of first son before the 

remaining property of their father 

is shared among him and his 

siblings.” 

Eze Ezekwesiri noted that even 

if the first son is irresponsible or 

insane, Igbo tradition forbids that 

he be denied of his rights. 

For the traditional ruler of 

Ogrute autonomous community 

in Enugu-Ezike, Igbo-Eze North 

Local Government Area, Enugu 

State, Igwe Wilfred Ogbonnaya 

Ekere, the first son has same 

authority as his father in a family. 

He said that the first son in 

Igbobland is designated to inherit 

his father’s property as the heirapparent, 

adding that he is the 

successor of his father. He said 

that a woman may love her first 

son more than her husband 

because the first son determines 

her power in the family. 

Noting the importance of the 

first son to the Igbo, the monarch 

also linked it to what happened 

in the Old Testament and said the 

first son was the one who 

normally received double 

inheritance. However, he notes 

that God sometimes reverses this 

order, as he did with Jacob and 

Esau in Genesis 25:21-26. 

“The first son is known as the 

Okpala and he plays a very 

important role in the 

administration of his father’s 

property. The first son is the chief 

administrator of his father’s 

property. In the absence of any 

direction by the father, the right 

of the eldest son cannot be taken 

away. “If a woman is married and 

has not gotten a male child in that 

family, it is assumed that she is 

not established because that first 

son is the heir-apparent of that 

family. That first son is the 

representative of the family. 

Our people are more interested 

in getting a son when they get 

married because of his role in 

the family. 

•Gov Ugwuanyi inspecting the Ava bridge at Ugbene 

“In a polygamous family, any 

woman that bears the first son is 

assumed to own the family 

because the first son must be 

consulted before anything could 

be done. Women have more love 

for their first son than their 

husband. Without a son, nobody 

will represent you when you are 

gone. 

“If someone wants to marry my 

daughter and my son doesn’t 

approve of it, the marriage will 

not hold. As a family, if you want 

to sell a property like land and 

the first son doesn’t sign it, it will 

not augur well because he can 

contest it in the law court. In a 

family, any property that the 

father wishes to sell, he must 

make the first son a signatory to 

perfect the deal. It is the first son 

that represents his father in the 

meetings of the kinsmen when 

he is dead.” 

For Chief Clifford Iloegbune 

Okoye, a legal practitioner, the 

first son has prominent roles to 

play in a family upon the demise 

of his father. 

According to him, in the family 

circle, the first son is regarded 

as head of the family. The 

decision of the first son, as the 

family head, in terms of 

moveable and immoveable 

property, is given priority 

attention as against the decision 

of any other family member. 

For Nze Dozie Nweke, a 

community leader and 

President-General of Aboji 

Akanano Union, Oba community 

in Idemili South Local 

Government Area of Anambra 

State, the issue of first son is 

Biblical, just as Jesus Christ is 

the first son or Diokpala of 

God. 

Nweke noted that the first son 

being the symbol and 

representative of his father owns 

his father’s property with his 

other siblings such that when 

sharing their father’s 

inheritance, he will take a 

special share and then share the 

rest with others. 

Applause, worries, as Ugwuanyi plans flyover, new road 

from parts of South-East and South- 

South states, except for heavy duty 

trucks, ply the road to Nsukka and 

parts of northern Nigeria. 

The Nike Lake road was marked 

for dualisation by the past 

administration in the state but was 

unable to execute the project when 

the administration ended with the 

hope that the promised ‘seamless 

transition’ mantra of the Ugwuanyi 

campaign team in 2015 will continue 

from where his predecessor stopped. 

The road was, however, 

abandoned until 2016 when the 

new administration reconstructed 

the road in just a single lane to the 

amazement of the residents that 

expected dualisation with street 

lights as obtained under the 

Sullivan Chime administration. 

Not long after, traffic congestion 

on the road became an 

embarrassment to all the residents 

and travellers, to the extent that even 

the convoy of the governor, most 

times, was trapped in the hold up 

that sometimes lasts for hours. 

There were smiles on the faces of 

the residents in December 2020 

when Governor Ugwuanyi while 

presenting the 2021 budget to the 

state House of Assembly, dropped a 

hint that his administration will 

construct a flyover at the T-junction 

of Nike Lake road in order to 

decongest traffic in the area. 

Ugwuanyi got further applause 

when, unannounced, he 

commenced construction of a 

bridge that will serve as a bye-pass 

from Trans-Ekulu GRA through 

Ugbene II-Alulu to Nkwo-Nike, 

when the Nike Lake road will be 

closed from traffic during the 

construction of the anticipated 

flyover. 

Residents interviewed at Ugbene 

II said they were excited that 

Governor Ugwuanyi remembered 

the suburb after the internal road 

developed by the administration 

was left uncompleted by the 

preceeding administration for close 

to six years. 

A tailor in the area, Chibuzor 

Okpatu said he was happy to see the 

governor pass through the ‘forgotten’ 

part of the capital city when he 

inspected the Ava Bridge constructed 

by the state government in 

preparation for construction of the 

road that would be used for diversion 

when work begins at the flyover.


EFCC: Bawa as game-changer 

By JOHN OLORUNTOBA parts of the world. Aside being a Certified 

Fraud Examiner, CFE; Certified Anti- 

WITH the appointment of Money Laundering Specialist, CAMS, he 

Abdulrasheed Bawa, President was also trained by the United States 

Muhammadu Buhari may have finally Federal Bureau of Investigation, FBI, 

found the magic wand to reinvigorate the United States Financial Crime 

Economic and Financial Crimes Enforcement Network, FINCEN, the 

Commission, EFCC, and combat graft. World Bank, the United Nations Office of 

This was the preponderant thinking Drug and Crimes, the Nigeria Police 

among stakeholders following the Force, the Nigeria State Security Services, 

statement announcing a change of guard the EFCC Academy and United 

at the iconic Tunde Idiagbon House, thus Kingdom’s Global Training Consulting. 

sealing the hopes of embattled Ibrahim Armed with such variegated training 

Magu to return to his exalted office after from such top-notch institutions, it can 

his dramatic suspension last year and even then be said that EFCC has finally come 

melodramatic trial by the Justice Ayo under the command of a young turk 

Salami-led panel. 

weaned on EFCC’s originating doctrine - 

EFCC came into being in 2003 as part forensic and professional approach to 

of a national response to address the tackling corruption. 

challenge posed by the Financial 

Action Task Force on Money 

Laundering, FATF, which had 

indicted Nigeria as one of 23 

countries that were not 

cooperating in the global efforts 

to fight money laundering. 

In seeking power in 2015, 

President Buhari had anchored 

his promise to the nation around 

three key pillars - security, anticorruption 

and economy. Aside 

sundry allegations of impropriety 

levelled against Magu which 

necessitated his removal, 

government insiders had often 

confided that the president’s 

vision of the anti-graft agency all 

along is one driven by core 

professionals independent of the 

police. 

From his own rich experience 

in governance over the past five 

•Abdulrasheed Bawa, EFCC chairman designate 

decades, President Buhari is said 

to be of the view that specialised agencies 

like EFCC are better run by core 

professionals exposed to vigorous 

specialised training. Until now, all past 

chief executive officers of the commission 

- from Ribadu to Farida Waziri to Ibrahim 

Lamorde to Magu - were seconded to the 

commission from the police. 

But Magu 

had the 

distinction of 

being the 

o n l y 

chairman to 

have served 

more than 

five years in 

At 40, welleducated 

and 

decorated, Bawa 

obviously brings 

youthful energy 

to the table 

a c t i n g 

capacity. The serial nominations of Magu 

to the Senate by President Buhari after 

repeated rejections were said to have been 

informed by a powerful lobby within the 

ruling party alleging blackmail, whipping 

up the sentiments that his confirmation 

was being stalled only because he had 

acted against the interests of principal 

officers of the Senate, including the then 

Senate president, Bukola Saraki. 

At 40, well-educated and decorated 

Bawa obviously brings youthful energy to 

the table, perhaps serving as a signal that 

President Buhari is quite conscious of the 

growing popular clamour for more 

inclusiveness of younger Nigerians in the 

commanding height of governance. 

Aside a Bachelor of Science degree in 

Economics from Usmanu Danfodio 

University in Sokoto, he obtained a 

Masters in International Affairs and 

Diplomacy from the Usman Danfodio 

University in 2012. He is currently 

studying for a Bachelor of Laws, LLB, 

degree at the University of London. 

But much more significant is the fact 

that Bawa belongs to the select cadre who 

joined the commission from foundation 

as cadets and were bred and mentored by 

Nuhu Ribadu widely acclaimed as the 

most impactful chairman of the anti-graft 

commission in history. 

Since joining the commission in 2004 

as Assistant Detective Superintendent, the 

chairman-designate has undergone 

several specialised trainings in different 

“By settling for someone who joined the 

commission as a greenhorn and has 

undergone rigorous training locally and 

internationally, and has indeed risen 

through the ranks in the past 17 years, the 

deduction one can make is that President 

Buhari is determined to do things 

differently this time in order to achieve a 

different outcome,” said Mr. Benjamin 

Anyaoku, a senior researcher at the 

University of Abuja. 

In his last posting as the head of the 

Lagos operations, Bawa definitely showed 

capacity and character. Of course, Lagos 

is the biggest operations zonal office of 

the EFCC with 604 officers. 

Under his watch, EFCC secured 227 

convictions. He supervised the 

investigation of all cases in the Port 

Harcourt Zonal office in which a record 

215 convictions were secured in eleven 

months. He also secured the final 

forfeiture of hundreds of property to the 

Federal Government. 

Bawa supervised the investigation of all 

cases in the Ibadan Zonal office in which 

113 were concluded and 54 were charged 

to court within six months. He was 

involved in the recovery of millions of 

dollars worth of property belonging to 

former Minister of Petroleum Resources, 

Diezani Allison-Madueke. 

He was also involved in the fraud cases 

involving former Governor of Niger State, 

Dr. Muazu Babangida Aliyu. He equally 

participated in several other periodic 

raids on notorious 419 cyber cafés. 

It is perhaps a measure of his 

professional brilliance and dedication 

that he received the EFCC Merit Award in 

2020. Just as he earned the appreciation 

of the US Federal Bureau of Investigation 

(Criminal Investigative Division) in 2019 

after facilitating the collaboration 

between the EFCC and the FBI, which 

resulted in a mutual fight against 

Economic and Financial Crimes on an 

international scale. 

Definitely, with Bawa, Nigerians can 

look forward to a reinvigorated EFFC in 

the times ahead. 

*Oloruntoba, a security expert, wrote from 

Abuja.



vicahiyoung@yahoo.com 

NLC demands upward review of 

minimum pension 

AMIDST poor pension and 

unpaid benefits to the 

nation’s senior citizens, 

Nigeria Labour Congress, 

NLC, has demanded for an 

immediate upward review of 

minimum pension in line with 

Section 173 of Nigeria’s 

Constitution. 

While lamenting the plight 

of pensioners in the country 

at the National Executive 

Council, NEC, meeting, 

President of NLC, Ayuba 

Wabba, a few days ago, 

contended that the nation’s 

constitution clearly demanded 

for a review of minimum 

pension every five years. 

According to him: “We are 

also mindful of national 

minimum pension for our 

pensioners. Section 173 of 

Nigeria’s Constitution 

demands review of minimum 

pension every five years. This 

must be dutifully complied 

with.” 

Recall that the Nigeria 

Union of Pensioners, NUP, had 

for years now been pleading 

with the Federal Government 

to approve a National 

Minimum Pension for 

pensioners. 

The NUP which lamented 

that some pensioners were 

earning as little as N4,000 

monthly as pension, backed 

their demand with sections 

173 (3) and 210 (3) of the 1999 

Constitution (as amended) 

which states that “pensions 

shall be reviewed every five 

years or together with any 

Federal Civil Service salary 

reviews, whichever is earlier.” 

Speaking in Abuja, NUP 

president, Dr Abel Afolayan 

recalled that the last pension 

review was in July 2010 and 

a new review should have 

been due in July 2015. 

He said: “Despite our efforts 

and submissions, nothing has 

been done in compliance with 

the above constitutional 

provisions. This is the reason 

why the union has been very 

vocal and unrelenting in 

restating its position on the call 

and demand for a new minimum 

pension alongside the on-going 

negotiation for a new minimum 

wage which by all indications, 

will soon be implemented by the 

Federal Government. 

“It is, therefore, our humble 

request, in accordance with the 

above constitutional provisions 

that a uniformed national 

minimum pension be approved 

for Nigerian pensioners to be the 

same as any minimum wage. In 

other words, whatever amount 

is approved as minimum wage 

for workers, should also apply 

as minimum pension for 

pensioners. 

“We believe that whatever is 

good for the goose is also good 

for the gander, as both workers 

and pensioners go to the same 

market for their daily needs. 

Regrettably and pathetically too, 

many pensioners today earn as 

low as N4, 000 per month which 

is nothing to write home about. 

With the present economic 

*Aggrieved pensioners protesting over unpaid allowances. 

situation in the country, it is 

unacceptable and in fact, 

inhuman for a pensioner to earn 

less than N30, 000 which is not 

even enough to cater for his 

needs.” 

Also, retired Federal Civil 

Service workers under the 

Defined Benefits Scheme, DBS, 

had demanded adjustment in 

their pension payment to reflect 

the new N30,000 national 

minimum wage already being 

implemented in the Federal Civil 

Service. 

National Chairman of the 

Federal Civil Service Pensioners, 

Sunday Omezi, expressed 

dismay that government had 

contrary to provisions of the 

Constitution, not reviewed their 

pensions since 2010. 

He said it was unfortunate that 

Defunct PHCN retirees cry over unpaid benefits 

Defunct Power Holding 

Company of Nigeria, 

PHCN, pensioners, 

under the aegis of Concerned 

Pensioners, CPP, have 

appealed to the Federal 

Government to intervene 

over shortfalls in payment of 

their pension benefits by the 

Nigeria Electricity Liability 

Management Limited, 

NELMCO. 

The CPP alleged unethical 

practice by NELMCO in 

shortchanging the retirees in 

payment of pension benefits. 

CPP Secretary, Mr Julius 

Ayodeji, said some of the 

pension benefits, 

harmonisation, monitisation 

and electricity rebates, were 

trapped in NELMCO. 

Ayodeji said NELMCO 

officially transferred pension 

payment obligations to 

Pension Transitional 

Arrangement Directorate, 

PTAD, in July 2014, however, 

the Budget Office remitted 

arrears to NELMCO instead 

of PITAD, thereby causing 

administrative conflicts. 

The CPP scribe lamented 

that the pensioners were yet 

to receive the 33 per cent 

arrears of pension increment 

approved during President 

the retirees were not factored into 

the consequential adjustment 

negotiation arising from the new 

minimum wage. 

Omezi in a statement , insisted 

that it was time government 

harmonised pensions of its 

workers just as it did in the 

military in January 2019. 

He regretted that some 

pensioners were still receiving 

paltry N4,000 monthly pensions, 

urging the government to 

increase pension to a minimum 

of N25,000 against the N4,000 in 

place at the moment. 

He said: “We appeal to the 

Federal Government to as a 

matter of urgency, harmonise our 

monthly pensions. They have 

harmonised military pensions. 

Military pensions were 

harmonised in January 2019. We 

Goodluck Jonathan’s regime 

by PTAD. 

He noted that 16,000 

retirees spread all over the 

country were affected by the 

shortfall in payment of 

pension benefits. 

“We were prematurely 

retired in year 2000, with 

some of us spending about 15 

to 18 years in service,” the 

CPP secretary lamented. 

He explained that before 

their premature retirement, 

there was increment in the 

workers’ salary by 100 per 

cent under former President 

Abdulsalami Abubakar and a 

further increment of 42 per 

cent by former President 

Olusegun Obasanjo. 

“However, when we were 

prematurely retired in year 

2000, our gratuities were 

computed only on 100 per 

cent approved by 

Abubakar’s regime; we were 

not paid the 42 per cent 

increment by Obasanjo,” he 

said. 

Ayodeji said CPP appealed 

to NELMCO when it realised 

the pensioners were 

shortchanged and the 

organisation agreed to rectify 

the problem. 

“Till this moment, we are 

expected the government to 

equally harmonise the pensions 

of civilians. But they don’t want 

to harmonise ours. That is why 

we said they have taken us as 

second class citizens. 

“Also, in line with the 

Constitution of the Federal 

Republic of Nigeria, the Federal 

Government is supposed to be 

reviewing our monthly pensions 

every five years. 

“The last one they did was in 

2010. It was due for another 

review in 2015 which was not 

done. In 2019, workers’ 

salaries were increased and 

the Constitution says they are 

supposed to review our 

monthly pensions every five 

years or whenever workers’ 

salaries are increased but 

nothing is happening.” 

are yet to be paid the 

benefits. These benefits 

consist of harmonisation, 

monetisation and electricity 

rebates. We were short-paid 

by 42 per cent for 10 years 

from 2003 to 2014. We made 

several efforts, even 

protested for these arrears 

to be paid but to avail. PTAD 

also did not pay the 33 per 

cent pension increment. We 

are using this opportunity to 

appeal to President 

Muhammadu Buhari to 

direct those holding our 

pensions to release them to 

us,” he said. 

According to him, some of 

the retirees that started the 

struggle had died because 

there was no money to take 

care of their medical and 

other needs. 

“We worked under 

hazardous conditions; some 

pensioners were partially 

burnt, some paralysed and 

have several dependents. I 

trained all my children to 

university level but how 

many of them are working? I 

still feed them, if the 

economy is good, the 

children should have been 

the ones taking care of us,” 

he added. 

UNIBEN 

retirees raise 

alarm over 

ghost 

pensioners 

By Gabriel Enogholase 

NIGERIA Union of 

Pensioners, NUP, 

University of Benin, 

UNIBEN branch, has 

alleged that the Federal 

Government has been losing 

N1billion monthly to ghost 

pensioners. 

It claimed the loss is due to 

shoddy verification exercise 

carried out by the Pension 

Transitional Arrangement 

Directorate, PTAD, and the 

Federal Ministry of Finance. 

This was disclosed by 

UNIBEN NUP branch in a 

Save-Our-Soul, SOS, plea to 

President Muhammadu 

Buhari by the Chairman, 

Michael Ehinyameh and 

Secretary, Samanu Momodu 

respectively. 

The pensioners lamented 

that over N2 billion was 

spent in the verification 

carried out by the PTAD and 

Federal Ministry of Finance 

in 2017 without achieving 

any success. 

They expressed sadness 

that the last management of 

PTAD did not help their 

cause, claiming that during 

that time, pension arrears 

were paid for only three or 

six months. 

According to them: “The 

Federal Government lose 

over N1billion to ghost 

workers monthly and we 

brought it to the attention of 

the then management 

during a meeting with us on 

February 27, 2017. It was a 

thing of joy that the 

management of the 

University of Benin did its 

internal verification and 

over 300 names were sent to 

PTAD. Those names are still 

in the payroll as at January, 

2021 but their families never 

received such money. 

“Many pensioners were 

not paid their monthly 

entitlements and there were 

always short payments after 

suffering for 35 years with 

unblemished records. 

"The palliatives to the 

vulnerable given by the 

Federal Government was 

never given to the 

pensioners and may have 

been hijacked by unknown 

persons.” 

They, however, lauded the 

Federal Government for 

establishing PTAD, even 

though the agency had not 

fully met the aspirations of the 

pensioners. 

The pensioners called on 

President Muhammadu 

Buhari to immediately direct 

the resolution of their 

plights, adding that "the 

verification exercise carried 

out by the PTAD and Federal 

Ministry of Finance did not 

see the light of day."




AWARD—From left: Mrs. 

Tochukwu Emewulu 

(left), receiveing The 

Nigerian National 

Legacy Award for 

Leadership, in honour 

of the MD, Seamfix 

Ltd., Chimezie 

Emewulu, in 

recognition of his 

relentless commitment 

to Nation Building, 

from Amb. Ovie Odubu, 

Executive Secretary, 

Nigerian National 

Legacy Awards. With 

them is Miss Deborah 

Babudoh of Seamfix 

Ltd., during a brief 

award presentation 

ceremony, held in 

Lagos, weekend. 

Sen Adeyemi under fire over anti-Ikpeazu 

remarks 


Steve Oko 

THE SENATOR represent 

ing Kogi West senatorial 

zone, Senator Smart 

Adeyemi, has come under fire 

over his remarks that "Abia is 

governed by drunkards". 

Adeyemi had while contributing 

to a debate on the floor 

of the Senate yesterday, veered 

off from the subject on ground 

and began to attack Gov. 

Okezie Ikpeazu of Abia State. 

The motion being debated 

was how to protect schools 

across the country against attacks 

by bandits but the senator 

in his contribution, stated 

that while his state governor, 

Yahaya Bello, had awarded 

contracts for the renovation of 

schools, "Abia is governed by 

drunkards." 

But in a swift reaction, the 

Chief Press Secretary to the 

Governor, Mr. Onyebuchi 

Ememanka, said the Kogi 

senator needed "psychiatric 

examination." 

Another aide of the Governor, 

Sir Isaac Nkole, described 

Adeyemi as " a disgrace and 

national embarrassment". 

Ememanka in a release, 

asked the former National 

President of the Nigeria Union 

of Journalists, NUJ, to first 

address issues of underdevelopment 

in his home state before 

commenting on Abia. 

The release read: "Our initial 

response was to totally ignore 

the story because it is difficult 

to believe that a Senator 

of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 

will reduce both himself 

and the institution of the Senate 

to such gutter level, but 

having confirmed that indeed, 

the Senator made such comments, 

a response has become 

imperative. 

"Our view is that the senator 

is either suffering from a protracted 

case of mental illness 

or is battling with occasional 

fits of schizophrenia which 

manifests in making careless, 

dishonorable, unrelated and 

incoherent statements. 

"This conclusion becomes 

irresistible judging from the 

total disconnect between the 

matter being discussed by the 

Senate and the comments 

made by the senator as they 

affect the Governor. 

"If Senator Adeyemi was of 

sound mind, he should have 

known that when it comes to 

education, Abia is miles ahead 

of his home State of Kogi. Indeed, 

not just in education but 

in every single area of development.'' 

"If Senator Adeyemi had his 

•He needs psychiatric evaluation —Ememanka 

•He's a national disgrace —Nkole 

•Ikpeazu's champagne drinking gov, says Adeyemi 

PDP petitions security agencies over 

destruction of Anyim's birthday billboard 

in Ebonyi 

By Peter Okutu 

ABAKALIKI—THE Peo 

ples Democratic Party, 

PDP, in Ebonyi State, led by 

Elder Fred Udeogu, yesterday 

petitioned various heads of security 

agencies in the state 

over the removal of the birthday 

billboard of the former 

Secretary to the Government 

of the Federation, Senator 

Pius Anyim in the state. 

Elder Udeogu who made 

this known while speaking 

with newsmen in Abakaliki, 

charged the Commissioner of 

Police, Department of State 

Security, DSS, among others 

to fish out the perpetrators 

without delay. 

He said: "We are not having 

issues with the state government 

but the attacks and 

victimization that we have 

been receiving is very unbearable, 

like the removal of our 

billboards. 

"Last Friday, some concerned 

indigenes of Ebonyi 

State placed a giant billboard 

for the birthday of the former 

Senate President, Anyim Pius 

Anyim at the Union bank 

junction and the next morning, 

the bill board including 

the PDP billboard were all 

removed by thugs and we 

know those who sponsored 

them. 

"We don't encourage hooliganism 

in this state. If we have 

been doing that, this state 

wouldn't have been governable. 

I am using this opportunity 

on behalf of my friends 

and the good people of the 

genuine PDP, to advise the 

people that are sponsoring 

these young men to desist 

from that. I have always emphasised 

that nobody has the 

monopoly of violence. 

"The point is that the state is 

faculties intact, he should 

have known that under the 

watch of Governor Okezie 

Ikpeazu, Abia State has 

maintained first position in 

WAEC Examinations in the 

entire country for five years 

now. Kogi has not come close 

to the first 20. Never!'' 

Making his contribution on 

the floor of the Senate, Senator 

Adeyemi had said: "Despite 

the fact that some governors 

are doing their best, we 

are lucky to have a governor 

who has taken the issue of security 

as a serious priority. 

''We are bordered by nine 

states, but we had an experience 

of the unfortunate incidents 

that are happening in 

neighboring states.“ 

Some governors are committed 

to the protection of 

too dear to us. This is a PDP 

state. And this is my state and 

I was one of the youths that 

fought for the creation of Ebonyi 

State. I wouldn't like to 

watch s ome people destroy 

the state. 

"I will never at any point in 

time join them in doing what 

they are doing. And they cannot 

lure us into fight because 

we are more matured than 

them. But if they continue, we 

will have no option. 

"It will be good for them to 

be warned. If they want to get 

money from their sponsors, 

there are some other ways to 

get money from them and not 

by inciting people to go into 

crisis. 

"They have more billboards 

in this state more than us. Assuming 

we start removing 

their own billboards, it won't 

go down well with them. And 

it will be stupid of any human 

being that you draw blood 

because of billboard. What is 

billboard? Why not allow the 

billboard to be there? It was 

paid for. 

"I condemn that act. And I 

Lagos East: Tribunal strikes 

out APM's petition against 

Senator Abiru 

Stop using Uzodimma's name to seek attention, 

Imo govt warns Okorocha 

O WERRI—FORMER 

governor of Imo State, 

Rochas Okorocha has been 

warned to stop using the 

name of Governor Hope 

Uzodimma to seek attention. 

According to a statement 

signed by Oguwike 

Nwachuku, the Chief Press 

Secretary and Media Adviser 

to the governor, “No day 

passes without Senator Okorocha 

trying to use the name 

of Governor Uzodimma to 

either seek or divert attention 

of the public from activities 

linked to him, most of them 

their people, in my state the 

governor awarded contracts 

for the renovations of schools 

and provides security services 

to them. 

"In some states of Nigeria 

today, where we have highly 

intelligent people, highly educated 

people, very enterprising 

people, like Abia they are 

governed by drunkards. The 

governor of Abia is a champagne 

drinking man.'' 

am emphasising that no right 

thinking person will allow 

himself or herself to be used 

in that dastard act. And I assure 

you that those people who 

did it must be found out. I am 

giving them one month, we 

will get at them. 

"I am calling on the security 

agencies to note what is happening 

because these people 

are trying to cause problem 

in this state. 

"This billboard belongs to 

his Excellency, the former 

Senate president and secretary 

to the government of the 

federation, Senator Anyim 

Pius Anyim. Anyim is our leader 

in PDP. In fact, he is a national 

figure. This is his state. 

"His birthday was generally 

celebrated by all Nigerians 

and even outside this country. 

And so, why would people attack 

his billboard at his own 

state. Attacking his billboard 

does it stop people from celebrating 

him? They are just 

being stupid and petty. There 

must be bitter repercussions 

on this thing they have done" 

he stated. 

reprehensible. 

“Senator Okorocha's recent 

ordeal where he wilfully broke 

the law by approaching the 

Royal Spring Estate belonging 

to his wife, to forcefully 

unseal it after the government 

had legally sealed the place, 

says it all about his mischievous 

intention to use Governor 

Uzodimma's name to 

seek public notice. Senator 

Okorocha does not do this 

alone, but with the People's 

Democratic Party in Imo 

State, his newest political ally. 

But we are not surprised. 

N10m trademark judgment: 

A-Court strike-out Facebook's 

appeal 

By Innocent Anaba 

LAGOS—THE Court of 

Appeal sitting in Lagos, 

yesterday, dismisses Facebook's 

appeal challenging the 

judgment of a Federal High 

Court, Lagos, which awarded 

N10 million against it (Facebook) 

in favour of a Nigerian 

firm, Double Paws Enterprise, 

as damages for unlawfully interfering 

with the use of the 

firm's trademark. 

The appellate court justices 

that decided the matter were 

Justices Haruna Tsammani, 

Oluwayemisi Williams-Dawodu 

and Abdullahi Bayero. 

Justice Bayero read the lead 

judgment. 

Facebook had appealed the 

“It is on record that Senator 

Okorocha recently said he is 

working in cahoots with the 

opposition to achieve his political 

ambition, and he has not 

hidden his romance with key 

PDP figures in Imo State to 

undermine the All Progressive 

Congress government of Governor 

Uzodimma. 

“Nothing can be as embarrassing 

and unfortunate as a 

former governor deliberately 

flouting the law and instead 

of facing the reality, he is busy 

stoking flame with inciting 

comments he knows are not 

true representation of what the 

APC government of Governor 

Uzodimma stands for.” 

By Onozure Dania 

LAGOS—THE National 

Assembly and State House 

of Assembly Election Tribunal 

sitting in Ikeja, yesterday, 

struck out a petition by Allied 

Peoples' Movement, APM, 

challenging the December 5, 

2020 election victory of Senator 

Adetokunbo Abiru of the 

All Progressives Congress, 

APC. 

The three-man panel struck 

out the petition while granting 

an application by APM 

and its candidate, Olusola 

Babatope to withdraw the petition. 

The panel is chaired by Justice 

Bassey Ikpeme with Justice 

Mohammed Abubakar 

and Justice M. Odanya as 

members of the team. 

Abiru, following his victory 

at the poll, represents Lagos 

East senatorial district in the 

National Assembly. 

But, dissatisfied with the election 

outcome, the APM approached 

the tribunal seeking 

to nullify it. 

Other defendants in the petition 

were the APC, and Independent 

National Election 

Commission, INEC. 

Yesterday's session was the 

scheduled for hearing of the 

APC and INEC's objections to 

APM and Babatope's petition. 

But the petitioners did not 

file any response to the respondent's 

objections. 

Rather, APM and Babatope, 

having appraised the 

respondents' defence to their 

petition, filed an application 

seeking to withdraw it. 

Abiru's counsel, Mr. Kemi 

Pinheiro, SAN, confirmed receipt 

of the petitioners' application 

to withdraw. 

Pinheiro informed the Tribunal 

that under paragraph 

30 of the First Schedule to the 

Electoral Act, 2010 (as 

Amended), Abiru had filed the 

affidavit required and would 

not be opposed to the application. 

The APC's counsel, Mr 

Abiodun Owonikoko, SAN, 

and INEC also confirmed receipt 

of the petitioner's application 

to withdraw. 

Consequently, the APM and 

Babatope's application to 

withdraw their petition was 

heard, granted and the tribunal 

struck it out. 

lower court judgment 

through its counsel, Jackson 

Etti. However, counsel to the 

respondent, Double Paws Enterprise, 

was Mr Gideon 

Okebu. 

Facebook challenged the 

competence of the appeal and 

urged the Appeal Court to 

dismiss same for being fundamentally 

flawed. 

Justice Bayero in the lead 

judgment, yesterday, upheld 

the arguments of Okebu, 

counsel to the respondent and 

struck out the appeal. 

It will be recalled that Justice 

Ayokunle Faji of the lower 

court had in March last 

year, in his judgment, also 

granted a perpetual injunction 

restraining the social 

media firm from interfering 

with the plaintiff's statutory 

rights under the Trademark 

Act. 

Gas Flaring: Group wants FG to 

initiate environmental audit of 

Bayelsa community 

By Samuel 

Oyadongha 

YMENTAL ENAGOA—ENVIRON 

Rights Action/ 

Friends of the Earth Nigeria, 

ERA/FoEN, has expressed 

concern over the safety of Ogboinbiri 

community in Southern 

Ijaw Local Government 

Area of Bayelsa State, where 

the natives are daily exposed 

to gas flaring from a flow station 

in the area operated by 

Nigerian Agip Oil Company, 

NAOC. 

It urged the Federal Government 

to initiate a move for 

an environmental audit or 

post-impact assessment of the 

community. 

ERA/FoEN in its report 

presented to newsmen in 

Yenagoa described the Ogboinbiri 

situation as pathetic 

due to the intensity of the roaring 

flares from the two vertical 

gas flare stacks in the area 

which sometimes causes panic 

among the natives. 

The report by Alagoa Morris, 

Head of ERA/FoEN 

Bayelsa office lamented the 

plight of the locals, noting 

that apart from the destruction 

of their means of livelihood, 

the extreme heat and 

buildings vibration they are 

confronted with, their sources 

of drinking water have also 

been polluted.



DINNER/AWARD NIGHT—Chief Nosa Edo-Osagie (left) exchanging pleasantries with Dr. 

Nat Bunuji, Manager, Vanguard, Benin, during the 2020 Annual Bar Dinner/Award Night of 

The Nigerian Bar Association, Lion Bar, Benin Branch, in Benin City. Photo: Barnabas Uzosike. 

INSTALLATION—Celebrants Rotn Sanjueen Tandon (4th left), his wife, Rotn Geetika, 

(4th right), flanked by Charter President, Rotary Club of Eko Atlantic, Rotn Sunit 

Debroy (2nd right), his wife and incoming president of the club, Rotn Mamta (3rd 

right); the club President, Rotn Vinod Kauani (2nd left), with other exco members of 

the club, during the celebration of the Tandon's 35th wedding anniversary and cutting 

of cake, and the installation of Rotn Bola Oyebade as the 2020/2021 District 9110 

Governor, Rotary International, at The Heavens Events Centre, in Ikeja GRA, Lagos. 

BRIEFING: From left; Oladipo Maiye, Partner and Head, Oil, Gas and Power 

Services; Joshua Bamfo, Partner and Head, Transfer Pricing Services; Omawunmi 

Martins, Head, Marketing and Branding; Lateef Surakatu, Partner and Head, Business 

Advisory Services and Amaka Samuel-Onyeani, Associate Director, Transfer Pricing, 

all of Andersen at the press conference to announce the change of name from 

Andersen Tax Nigeria to Andersen in Lagos yesterday. 

WAKE-KEEPING: From left; Prophet Dr Oluwademilade Akpata (G.O. Divine 

Ewulomi Church), Snr PRO E.K Ogunlesi (The Church Of The Sogunle) Rt 

Rev Bishop Mary Licien (The Church of The Lord, Agege) and Prophertess 

Adetounawoseso (Church of The Lord, Oshodi) during a Christian Wakekeeping 

for late, Mrs Mariam Adike-Ohunene Otubu (82yrs) By Church Of 

The Lord Aladura, Lagos Centre, Agege on Thursday. 


Oando’s shareholder wins 

court case against SEC 

A 

shareholder of 

Oando Plc, Engr. Patrick 

Ajudua, has won a case 

challenging the directive of the 

Securities and Exchange 

Commission, SEC suspending 

Oando’s Annual General 

Meeting (AGM) on the ground 

of breach of his right to freedom 

of association as guaranteed 

under Section 40 of the Nigerian 

Constitution and Articles 9, 10 & 

11 of the African Charter on 

Human and Peoples Rights. 

The shareholder took it upon 

himself to legally challenge the 

commission in a suit filed at the 

High Court of the FCT. 

Engr Patrick has been hailed a 

savior of Oando Plc following his 

big win in court yesterday. 

In a hearing presided by 

Honorable Justice O. A Musa, 

all cases filed were granted in his 

favor. Engr. Patrick who has 

painfully endured the SEC’s 

infringement of his rights as a 

shareholder and an individual, for 

the past two years, was the much 

needed respite that the 

shareholders required especially 

at a time when many are 

grappling for survival following 

the country’s second recession 

in three years. 

Recall that in 2019, the SEC 

suspended the AGM of Oando 

indefinitely. AGM’s are an 

important platform for the 

protection of the shareholders of 

a company, furthermore they are 

a legal requirement for all publicly 

listed companies the world over. 

According to Patrick Ajudua, 

the SEC has denied him this 

right over the last two years. Since 

the suspension of Oando’s 2019 

AGM shareholders have been 

kept in the dark on the 

company’s affairs – specifically 

corporate initiatives and 

financials. 

Presiding over the case, 

Honorable Justice O. A Musa, 

made the following declarations; 

Ordered that Engr. Patrick as a 

member and shareholder of 

Oando has a right and freedom 

of association and assembly with 

other shareholders and right to 

receive information at the AGM; 

declared the May 31, 2019 letter 

of SEC to Oando sanctioning its 

management, 

as 

unconstitutional, null and void 

and violation of Engr. Patrick’s 

fundamental right to fair hearing 

and his human right to receive 

information on the affairs of 

Oando and his interest and 

shares in Oando; an order setting 

aside the directive of SEC 

suspending/postponing 

indefinitely the AGM of Oando 

in violation, breach and 

contravention of Engr. Patrick’s 

right and freedom of association 

and assembly with other 

shareholders and right to 

information from other 

shareholders and Oando Plc; an 

order restraining SEC and Oando 

from interfering with, disrupting 

and or interfering with the Engr. 

Sun Editor, Femi Babafemi, appointed 

NDLEA’s Director of Media 

ABUJA—THE National 

Drug Law Enforcement 

Agency, NDLEA, yesterday, 

appointed editor of the 

Saturday Sun, Mr. Femi 

Babafemi as the agency’s 

Director of Media and 

Advocacy. 

The appointment, which 

takes immediate effect will 

enable the new appointee 

leverage on his almost two and 

half decades experience in 

journalism, media and strategic 

communications to lead the 

publicity and advocacy 

campaigns of the Agency as 

envisioned by its new 

Chairman/Chief Executive, 

Brig. General Mohamed Buba 

Marwa (retd). 

The Board and management 

of The Sun Publishing Ltd has 

since approved a leave of absence 

for him to enable him take up the 

national assignment. 

Babafemi holds a Master’s 

degree in Public and 

International Affairs from the 

University of Lagos and a 

Bachelor of Arts in English 

Language from the Obafemi 

Awolowo University, O.A.U, Ile- 

Ife. 

Besides, he holds certificates in 

Communication Strategies, 

Royal Institute of Public 

Administration, RIPA, London, 

2008; Managing People For 

Strategic Advantage, Lagos 

Business School, Pan-African 

University, Lagos, 2009; and 

Effective Public Relations 

Planning, The Management 

School, London, 2011. 

Babafemi, who joined The Sun 

in 2003 as a pioneer staff, left as 

Deputy News Editor in 2008 

when he joined the Economic 


Commission, EFCC, as the 

agency’s Head of Media and 

Publicity. 

He returned to The Sun in 

April 2012 as an Assistant Editor 

and promoted Deputy Editor in 

June 2013. In January 2017, he 

was appointed the substantive 

Editor of Saturday Sun. 

With over 24 years postgraduation 

experience in 

Journalism, Media and Public 

Relations, Communication 

Strategies and Reputation 

Management, Babafemi started 

his career in the pen profession 

in the defunct National Concord. 

THE Chief Executive 

Offficer of Rolex 

Emameyan Foundation and 

Rox Mny Entertainment, 

Ambassador Rolex Erhomo 

Emameyan has condemned 

the killing of youths in Sapele 

as a result of cult and other 

related cases. 

Speaking to journalists 

yesterday in Sapele 

Emameyan described the 

killings as barbaric act that 

needed to be stopped. 

According to him, youths in 

Sapele needed to be united 

in bringing culprits to book. 

He also noted that Sapele 

before now used to be a 

peaceful city and the current 

cult and other related cases 

are uncalled for. 

Patrick’s constitutional right of 

association, assembly and right 

to receive information from other 

shareholders and members of 

Oando PLC at the postponed 

2019 AGM; an order of injunction 

restraining SEC from acting and 

/or taking any steps pursuant to 

its letter of 31st May 2019 or 

interfering in any manner 

whatsoever with Directors 

lawfully appointed by the Engr. 

Patrick and Shareholder; an order 

directing Oando to convene and 

hold AGM of Oando plc within 

90 days of the order of the court 

in compliance with the provisions 

of Companies Allied Matters Act. 

Speaking on his win, Engr. 

Ajidua said: “A win for me is a win 

for all shareholders. The lingering 

delay in resolution of the conflict 

have brought untold hardship, 

financial difficulty and loss of 

capital appreciation on our 

investment. Therefore, the 

shareholders received this 

judgement with high sense of 

humility and praying that all 

hands must be on deck to move 

the company forward. We plead 

with the regulators and others to 

give peace a chance and allow 

for harmonious resolution of the 

conflict. 

''The shareholder community 

will continue to protect their 

investment, ensure high 

compliance with code of corporate 

governance & ensure integrity 

of company operating in the 

capital market.” 

Mr. Femi Babafemi. 

Emameyan condemns Sapele 

killings, sues for peace 

"Our youths needed to 

shun cultism as it is inimical 

to human and economic 

development in Sapele. 

“There is no gain in joining 

cultism and killing your fellow 

youths. 

“Our security agencies 

needed to be alert and our 

parents have to take it upon 

themselves to educate their 

children on the dangers of 

cultism. 

“We need Peace to return to 

Sapele and this can happen if 

we all come together to stop 

the unnecessary killing of our 

young ones. 

“My condolence to the 

families of those we have lost 

and may all culprits be 

brought to book."

CHANGE OF NAME 

SAIFULLAH 

I, formerly known and addressed 

as Ashiru Saifullah, now 

wish to be known and addressed 

as Ashiru Raifullah 

Inuwa. All former documents 

remain valid, general public take 

note. 

FESTUS SUNDAY 

I, formerly known and 

addressed as Maryam 

Sunday Shawulu, now wish 

to be known and addressed as 

Maryam Alhassan. All 

former documents remain valid, 

general public take note. 

ISMAHIM 


as Suleiman Ismahim, now wish 


Ismail Suleiman. All former 

documents remain valid, 

Access Bank and general public 

take note. 

OLALEKAN 

This is to confirm that Ajayi 

Ezekiel and Ajayi Olalekan Ezekiel 

is one and same person. 

Henceforth, wish to be known 

and addressed as Ajayi Olalekan 

Ezekiel. All former documents 

remain valid, Access Bank and 


FALLANG 


as Fallang Paul Bernard, now wish 


Bernard Konang Paul. Date of 

birth is 22/02/1994. Not 12/12/ 

1992. All former documents 


note. 

IJI 


as Ahulo Iji Lawrence, now wish 


Ahulo Lawrence Iji. My correct 

date of birth is 7/07/1983. All 



EKANEE 


as Ekani Monday, now wish to 

be known and addressed as Ekani 

Ekanee Monday. My correct date 

of birth is 10/10/1998. All former 

documents remain valid, general 

public take note. 

ANI 


as Chidera Ani, now wish to 

be known and addressed as 

Sherif Lawal. All former 



SAIDU 


as Saidu Adamu Kani, now wish 


Adamu Kani. All former 

documents remain valid, FCMB 

PLC and general public take 

note. 

TIMILEYIN 

I, formerly known and addressed as 

Abass Obatayo Saheed, now wish 

to be known and addressed 

as Abass-obatayo Saheed 

Timileyin. My correct date of birth 

is 3/10/2000 and not 3/10/1999. All 



RAHMA 


as Miss Rahma Muhammad 

Danzaki, now wish to be known 

and addressed as Mrs. Rahma 

Muhammad Danzaki. All former 

documents remain valid, NYSC 

and general public take note. 





NEWS HOTLINES: 

08052867023, 

08052867058 

$2.6bn AKK pipeline project: Reps query contractors, 

summon BPP 

By Levinus 

Nwabughiogu- 

ABUJA—HOUSE of Rep 

resentatives last night 

raised questions over the alleged 

exclusion of Bablinks 

Resource Ltd, a Nigerian firm, 

in the construction contract 

of the 40’’× 318.6km BVS12 

Kaduna-Kano section or Segment 

2 of Ajaokuta-Kaduna- 

Kano. 

Acting on a petition by 

Local Content Advocacy and 

Management Group, alleging 

that contractors in the consortium 

who submitted bid 

for the project had been 

changed by the authorities, 

the House Committee on Local 

Content which met with 

some contractors over the 

matter, said it was interested 

in the implementation of the 

local contents in the project. 

Similarly, the Executive 

Vice Chairman, Brentex Nigeria 

Ltd, Sani Abubakar, in 

his testimony, said the company 

was owned by Nigerians, 

admitting however a 

partnership with Bablinks. 

But the Managing Director/ 

ALIYU 


as Muhammed Ammar, now 


as Muhammed Ammar Aliyu. 

Wrong date of birth 2/11/1992. 

Correct date of birth 2/11/1995. 

All former documents remain 

valid, general public take note. 

EMENIKE 


as Ogbuehi Bright Emenike, now 


as Ogbuehi Bright Chikadibia. 

All former documents remain 

valid, general public take note. 

ACHINAULO 


as Oyinye Josephine Achinaulo, 

now wish to be known and 

addressed as Oyinye Josephine 

Imonigie. All former documents 


note. 

IBRAHIM 


as Amina Aliyu, now wish to be 

known and addressed as Amina 

Aliyu Ibrahim. Date of birth is 

28/12/1976. Not 28/12/1978. All 



MARK 


as Ishaku Dogo, now wish to be 

known and addressed as Ishaku 

Dogo Mark. All former documents 


note. 

TITUS 

I, formerly known and addressed as 

Titus Christiana, now wish to be 

known and addressed as Titus 

Christiana N.(NANI). Wrong date 

of birth 30/08/1989. Correct date of 

birth is 30/08/1996. All former 



OBI 


as Obi Michael Uzomma, now 


as Mr. Obidigwe Michael 

Uzomma. All former documents 


note. 

Chief Executive Officer of 

Bablinks, Bolaji Isiaka, said 

the company was sidelined 

after providing the technical 

expertise that made the bid 

for the contract successful. 

Ruling on the matter, the 

committee decided to invite 

the Bureau of Public Procurement 

to appear before it and 

give testimony about the true 

position. 

It also asked Brentex CPP 

and Bablinks to furnish the 

committee with every contractual 

documents with them, 

directing its clerk to Corporate 

Affairs Commission for 

details of owners of the companies. 

Speaking with journalists, 

the lead consultant and solicitor 

for the advocacy group, 

John Lebor, alleged that the 

contractors didn't not give recourse 

to the local content 

law, Nigerian export regulation, 

among others. 

He said: “That project is 

about $2.6bn. At the award of 

that project, BPP insisted that 

there must be a local content 

company with the capacity 

and Bablinks Nigeria Limited 

is the company that has 

that local content capacity, in 

the sense that they have done 

a lot of pipeline projects in 

Warri with Shell and they are 

one of the best in the country. 

“Now, Brentex Consortium, 

being a company without experience 

into oil and gas pipeline, 

entered into partnership 

with Bablinks. In legal terms, 

there is supposed to the Chinese 

company, Bablinks and 

Brentex. 

“The due process document 

produced by the Bureau for 

Public Enterprise that was 

taken to the Federal Executive 

Council to approve this contract, 

clearly specify that 

Brentex should be responsible 

for procurement of the 

pipelines while Bablinks 

should be responsible for construction 

and engineering services. 

“So, as technical partners, 

after they entered the agreement, 

they now removed 

Bablinks. If Bablinks was not 

part of the due process, there 

would have been no local content 

that the contract would 

have been awarded. 

“Remember that Brentex 

Consortium brought in the 

Chinese Company, CPP, because 

they claimed to be the 

company financing the 

project. 

“The Chinese government 

now offered loans to us at inhumane 

sovereign guarantee. 

They are not doing us a favour, 

they gave us money and we 

are going to pay for 10 years. 

What they have done is that, 

they now imported content. 

“One Chinese engineer that 

they are bringing would earn 

what up to 500 Nigerians cannot 

earn in that project. You 

have a job of $2.6bn and you 

cannot find Nigerian companies 

and Nigerians there. 

“What we want the Parliament 

to do is to force Chinese 

company and other to come 

to the table and provide and 

take away the Chinese content 

from the contract and allow 

the local content to provide 

it. 

“Let nobody deceive you, 

China is not doing us a favour 

by borrowing us money. 

They have collected sovereignty 

guarantee, meaning 

that we are going to pay at 

very high rate. They have taken 

more than 60 per cent. We 

will not accept it and if we 

need to go to Court, we will 

do that." 

LG polls: Work hard for victory, Muturu 

charges PDP candidates in Bomadi 

By Chris Ochayi 

ABUJA—A Peace Ambas 

sador in Bomadi Local 

Government Area of Delta 

State, Amb. Kingsley Muturu, 

has charged all the Peoples 

Democratic Party, PDP, 

flag bearers in the March 6, 

2021, Local Government elections 

in the state to work hard 

for victory. 

Ambassador Muturu, who 

gave this charge in a press 

statement made available to 

journalists urged the PDP flag 

bearers to see this opportunity 

as a stepping stone to something 

greater. He advised them 

to work hard and not see the 

PDP ticket as victory already 

secured but “to reach out to 

the voters to sell the party and 

their candidacy.” 

According to him, “you 

should not rest having been 

handed the PDP flag. It is now 

the real work should start; the 

work of campaign, going to 

the grassroots to mobilise the 

people, telling them what they 

stand to gain when you are 

elected. Use this opportunity 

to aspire to something greater. 

“Consider yourselves privileged 

to bear this flag because 

many had sought for it. Do 

not abuse this rare privilege. 

When elected, do not turn your 

back on the people at the 

grassroots who you are meant 

to represent. 

“Local government is the 

tier of government closest to 

the people. Therefore, I urge 

you to let the people feel your 

presence and impact when 

elected. Distinguish yourselves 

from ineffective predecessors 

so that if, and when 

you seek higher things, the 

people will still be there to see 

you through.” 

The PDP in Delta state had 

recently handed its flags to its 

chairmanship, vice chairmanship 

and councillorship 

candidates in the 25 local 

government areas in the state 

preparatory to the local government 

council elections 

slated for March 6th. 

Office of Senior POLAD, 

Christian community pray for 

peaceful Delta LG polls 

ASABA—A body of Clergy 

men, the Christian Community 

Platform, and the Office 

of the Senior Political 

Adviser to the Governor of 

Delta State have organized a 

prayer session to seek the face 

of God in the March 6 local 

government election. 

The event, which took place 

at the Life and Power Christian 

Assembly auditorium on 

Maryam Babangida way, 

Asaba, featured praise and 

worship, Bible readings, exhortation, 

hymns and special 

prayer sessions. 

In his remarks on the occasion, 

the Senior Political Adviser 

to the Governor, 

Funkekeme Solomon, said it 

was informed by the understanding 

that peace was key 

to a successful election. 

Solomon noted that 

though Deltans had the right 

to choose who would represent 

them in the local government 

councils, it was important 

to submit to Him in prayer 

to guide the electorate in 

making the right decision. 

The Senior POLAD maintained 

that the PDP believed 

in the possibility of election 

victory going either way and 

had chosen not to leave anything 

to chance, including resorting 

to prayer for victory 

for its candidates. 

He thanked the Christian 

Community Platform for 

partnering with his office in 

the search for peace in the 

Council polls, stressing that 

the time had come to deemphasize 

violence in politics 

and elections, as power could 

only come from God. 

The Chairman, Board of 

Trustees of the Christian 

Community Platform, Bishop 

Greatman Malagu, described 

the prayer session as 

a wise decision by the PDP 

hence the involvement of the 

Platform, urging Deltans to 

vote wisely. 

Earlier in a brief exhortation, 

Bishop Gim Bright 

Adaigho, noted that the PDP 

governnent of Governor Ifeanyi 

Okowa of Delta state had 

positively impacted on the 

lives of the people, and expressed 

optimism that the 

party would do well at the local 

government level if given 

the opportunity.



Open grazing: challenges (2) 

Cattle farming are private owned 

businesses, the responsibility for 

which should be borne by the owners 

and not the other way round. 

LAST WEEK, I commenced a 

discussion on the menace of 

criminal herdsmen who continue 

to pose major security challenges. 

Also, I discussed the attempt by the 

Nigerian government to placate 

the herders by the subtle 

suggestion of acquisition of 

massive lands all over Nigeria for 

grazing, a move which will no 

doubt create more chaos as it will 

engender the acquisition of private 

lands to satisfy the spatial 

requirement for grazing ranches. 

It is, however, important to note 

that the clashes brought about by 

open grazing is not limited to 

Nigeria. Similar clashes have 

occurred in other African 

countries. In examining the 

development across West Africa, 

the Cable, an online publication 

wrote as follows: 

Eighteen killed in Niger: In 

November 2016, eighteen people 

were killed in various clashes 

between herdsmen and farmers. 

The clash, which broke out near 

the village of Bangui along the 

country’s southern border with 

Nigeria, also left 20 others injured, 

the country’s officials had said. 

What happened? Livestock 

belonging to the herders were said 

to have invaded the field of one of 

the farmers, damaging crops. 

“The nomadic herders fought 

with a farmer, whom they wounded. 

He was taken to the medical centre 

and everything started from there,” 

Oumarou Mohamane, Bangui’s 

mayor, had told Reuters. In a 

reprisal attack, a group of farmers 

then attacked the camp, burning 

down houses numbering about 15. 

Ghana too…: Villages in the 

Kwahu east district of the eastern 

region of Ghana were thrown into 

mourning after clashes between 

herdsmen and some of their 

farmers left a reported number of 

15 persons dead, including five 

Fulanis. Hundreds were also left 

stranded and displaced after 

fleeing their communities in the 

incident which occurred in 

November. 

The clashes, which were between 

residents of Dwibease and 

Hweehwe, and the herders, 

followed the death of an 

unidentified boy at Dwerebeafe. 

Solomon Aboagye, an indigene, 

was quoted by Ghana Web, an 

online platform, to have said: “In 

retaliation, three of the Fulanis 

were also killed at Aboyan. Two of 

the natives went to the farm and 

did not return. I asked some people 

to search for them and 

unfortunately, they found them 

dead.” It was also reported that the 

deaths occurred at night in the 

farms and the bodies spotted 

daytime. 

Bloodshed in Ivory Coast: 

Seventeen persons were confirmed 

dead and 39 others injured after a 

clash broke out between herdsmen 

and farmers in Bouna, north-east 

of Ivory Coast, in 2016. Among 

those injured in the clash, which 

There is no doubt that 

there is an urgent need 

by the Nigerian 

government to resolve 

the issue of open 

grazing once and for all 

spanned two days, were five of the 

security personnel deployed to 

quell the crisis. The attack was said 

to be just one out of many other 

violent clashes between the two 

parties “but none has been of this 

magnitude”. 

“On the night of March 23 to 24, 

the situation was particularly 

aggravated and it was at this time 

that 17 people died,” Vincent Toh 

Bi, one of the residents, had told 

AfricaNews. Indeed, some contend 

that clashes between herdsmen or 

cattle herders and farmers are as 

old as mankind itself as indicated 

by the biblical verse in the book of 

Exodus Chapter 22 verse 5 which 

enjoins anyone who allows his 

animal to stray and graze in the 

field of another to pay 

compensation to that other. What 

is, however, clear is that while 

mankind, inclusive of many 

African countries have developed 

policies aimed at reducing the 

conflict, Nigeria is yet to come up 

with any identifiable means of 

bringing about peaceful coexistence 

between farmers and 

herdsmen. 

Rethinking the incidence of open 

grazing: There is no doubt that 

there is an urgent need by the 

Nigerian government to resolve 

the issue of open grazing once and 

for all. One of the ways to deal with 

the matter is to encourage largescale 

farming by the cattle owners. 

The US has led the world in largescale 

farming, pioneering the use 

of intensive livestock rearing in hog 

farms, cattle sheds and sheep pens. 

There are now more than 50,000 

facilities in the US classified as 

“concentrated animal feeding 

operations,” CAFOs, with another 

quarter of a million industrialscale 

facilities below that 

threshold. 

Around the world, developing 

countries in particular were quick 

to catch up. Intensive farming of 

livestock offers many advantages 

over traditional open ranges, not 

least in the economies of cost and 

scale, it provides more efficient 

healthcare for the herds and flocks, 

and ultimately cheaper food. 

According to the UN, globally 

CAFOs account for 72 per cent of 

poultry, 42 per cent of egg, and 55 

per cent of pork production. 

Instead of the present itinerant 

method of grazing prominent in 

Nigeria, owners of cattle should 

acquire or lease land for the 

purpose of grazing. However 

rather than directly foot the bill for 

development of such large-scale 

farming, all that the government 

should do is to make loans 

available to cattle owners and 

other farmers. The Punch 

newspaper editorial was quite 

detailed in pointing that as the 

Federal Government did with the 

Anchor Borrowers Programme for 

rice, it should facilitate such loans 

for cattle farmers. Such loans 

would be used to buy land in their 

states of choice. 

In Brazil, government has grown 

to become a major player in the 

meat business and the country’s 

foreign trade secretariat states that 

from an income of $1.9m in 1994, 

beef export income of the country 

rose to $1.9bn in 2004, providing 

360,000 direct jobs as the records 

show. What the country does is to 

aid the business by facilitating 

low-interest loans to farmers. 

In Spain, livestock farming is 

intensive, with animals living on 

farms and consuming fodder and 

this practice became further 

entrenched following the country’s 

admission into the European 

Union, which caused the country 

to change some of its agricultural 

practices. 

The country received significant 

economic assistance from the EU 

to modernise the sector, increase 

productivity and improve the 

quality of its products. 

In Argentina, the practice is not 

any different. Livestock farming as 

a form of agriculture is aimed with 

increased productivity and 

modernity at the base of its 

practice. The role of government 

differs slightly from country to 

country but it is poignant to note 

government’s intervention is 

limited to making available 

assistance in terms of roving loans 

at low interest rate and regulated 

policies and not for government to 

undertake financial burdens as 

being suggested in government 

quarters. 

In Botswana, the country’s beef 

and cattle farming has grown 

exponentially from a few hundred 

thousand cattle in 1950 to close to 

three million today. The growth is 

traceable to deliberate 

government’s policies which 

averted this kind of crisis currently 

rocking the middle belt and 

southern region with occasional 

flares in other parts of the country 

with mindless deaths and 

destructions in its wake. 

Conclusion: In conclusion, the 

dangers inherent in the 

government’s proposal are 

numerous to say the least. It is 

brazenly discriminatory and 

offensive to common sense, law 

and good judgement. How can a 

purely private business become the 

burden of a central government or 

constitute a menace to other 

private citizens? Cattle farming are 

private owned businesses, the 

responsibility for which should be 

borne by the owners and not the 

other way round. Examples 

suggested in the above listed 

countries of how their 

governments have handled 

potentially intractable issues can 

be imbibed here. Borrowing from 

all that, government in Nigeria 

should encourage herders to 

acquire lands and modernise their 

practice in conformity with global 

best practices. 

Concluded 

Makinde reopens Shasha market, 

lifts curfew 

By Adeola Badru 

IBADAN—GOVERNOR Seyi 

Makinde of Oyo State, 

yesterday, ordered the reopening 

of Shasha market. 

The order for reopening of the 

market was reached during a 

meeting with the two warring 

communities in Shasha, held at 

the Western Hall, Secretariat, 

Ibadan, weeks after it was shut 

down. 

The governor said: 

“Considering the economic 

situation and the peculiarities we 

have with us, I have heard what 

you said, and we will immediately 

reopen the Shasha market. They 

will bring a bulldozer to the 

market today. 

“When my brother Governors 

visited Seriki Shasha’s palace, 

while we were working around, I 

realised that both the people I saw 

at Seriki’s place and those I met 

at Baale’s place were not happy 

because they have been 

deprived of doing their job. 

“If you look at Oyo State, even 

By Ozioruva Aliu 

BENIN CITY—THE Enogie of 

Irue N’Owina, Iyekogba area of 

Oredo local government area, Chief 

Efemwenkiekie Eresoyen and the 

Catholic church are at loggerhead 

over allegation that St Paul Catholic 

Church, Benin City in connivance 

with some persons in his community 

acquired several plots of his 

ancestral land for their church’s 

expansion. 

In two letters by his counsel, 

Olayiwola Afolabi to the Archbishop 

of the Roman Catholic Church, 

Most Rev Augustine Akubeze and the 

Parish Priest of St Paul Catholic 

Church, Rev Fr. Nosakhare 

Omorogbe said the church acquired 

the said land in connivance with 

“some infamous young men in the 

village parading themselves as 

community development 

association (CDA) illegally 

purchased and took over our client’s 

community lands including our 

client’s own ancestral home which 

was utterly destroyed and bulldozed. 

The extent of the land wrongfully 

taken amounts to over thirty five 

plots on which your church has 

erected several structures even after 

been aware of the confirmation of 

the position of our client by an order 

of court vide a judgement delivered 

on the 23rd Day of June 2014 in suit 

number B/339/2009 in a case which 

lasted for about four years.” 

The letter claimed the church was 

still meeting with the people he 

when the COVID-19 was at its 

peak, I decided not to shut our 

market places because I know and 

also explained to the leadership 

of the country at the national level 

that in our state, we have people 

that the proceeds from what they 

get today will determine if they 

will eat tomorrow or not. 

“Since peace more or less 

returned to the market and the 

community, we have given the goahead 

that the market should be 

reopened. 

“I have also given instructions 

for some palliative works to be 

done. I have instructed that solar 

light be installed in the market 

any time of the day or night; we 

will see what is going on in the 

market.” 

Speaking on the existing curfew 

placed on the market, the 

governor said: “You can see the 

CP and the DIG; they are the ones 

maintaining the curfew. And if 

they tell me peace has returned 

to the community, the curfew will 

also be lifted. But security 

agencies will still dominate the 

area.” 

Edo community head, Catholic church 

bicker over land acquisition 

claimed misled the church into the 

crisis but that it was ready to 

amicably resolve the crisis but 

without people he claimed were 

masquerading as CDA which has 

been banned. 

But reacting to the incident, 

Chancellor, Catholic Archdiocese of 

Benin City, Very Rev Fr. Michael 

Oyanoafor denied the allegation 

saying the Church acquired the land 

from the elders of the community to 

build schools with a view to bringing 

development to the community. 

He said: “I do not think his case is 

tenable because St Paul's Catholic 

Church was given a land in that 

community to build a church and 

they did, that church has been there 

now for more than ten years, then 

the community said they don’t have 

school, they gave land by the church 

and a school was built nursery and 

primary school, they were to pay 

stipend but the church discovered 

that they could not pay, the church 

requested for more land to also build 

a secondary which is on-going and 

then decide to make education free 

for the community, the church 

employed teachers and paying 

them.” 

He said the Church requested to 

meet with Eresoyen and the 

community when he claimed to be 

the Enogie but that he failed to attend 

the meeting and that when the 

church requested that the meeting 

be held in the community, he also 

declined, an indication that he was 

not in charge of his community. 

Esso Properties launches 2 estates in 

Anambra 

A 

LEADING real estate 

companies, Esso Properties 

Ltd has launched two estates: 

Berry Prime Estate and Sunray 

Estate in Anambra State. 

The event started with a 

roadshow, with the company’s 

canvassers and the Head, 

Corporate Communications, Miss 

Blessing Ugbem touring the state. 

Briefing journalists at the 

unveiling of Sunray Estate in 

Amansea, Awka, the marketing 

manager of Esso Properties 

Limited, Mr Humphrey Odie said 

the company was attracted by the 

huge development potentials of 

Anambra State. 

Odie said, “Anambra is a very 

attractive state in the South East. 

We are actually launching two 

estates in the state, Sunray Estate 

in Amansea, Awka and Berry 

Prime Estate in Agu-Awka, both 

in Anambra State. 

“Our coming to Anambra is 

because of its potentials, Anambra 

is a state you cannot ignore in 

terms of investment. We are in 

Anambra to give the people 

affordable accommodation, and 

that is what we are here to do.”

Continues from Page 5 

concessionaires who will 

manage and develop the 

right of way, whilst 

maximizing its 

commercial potential. 

Main objective 

“The main objective of 

the Initiative is to attract 

expertise and 

sustainable investment/ 

funding in the 

development of road 

infrastructure and to 

maximize the use of 

assets along the Right of 

Way and develop other 

highway furniture,” the 

ministry pointed out. 

The government, 

according to the 

document will soon call 

for bidders in a 

transparent process that 

would be conducted in 

collaboration with the 

ICRC. 

It said: “The Federal 


Housing, 

in 

collaboration with the 

ICRC, will soon 

advertise the Request for 

Qualification (RFQ) 

bidding process for the 

available categories 

under the HDMI 

scheme. 

“The process will be 

transparent to allow the 

most effective bids to 

compete vigorously in a 

process that delivers 

service and dividend to 

Nigerians. (technically 

and financially capable 

firms/consortiums). 

“We are determined to 

ensure our assets are 

entrusted into capable 

hands. Therefore, 

interested persons, 

companies and groups 

are advised to form 

consortium of 

construction/road 

maintenance companies, 

financiers, toll operators, 

rest house operators, 

advertising companies, 

lane marking experts, 

refuse managers and 

other partners.” 

Some of the revenuegenerating 

assets and 

highway services being 

targeted by the ministry 

are toll plazas, 

weighbridges, 

advertising assets, 

directional signage 

structures and space, 

street lighting with 

advertising space and 

open spaces, including 

but not limited to truck 

parks and rest areas, 

By Elizabeth Adegbesan 

vanguardnews @vanguardnews @vanguardnews 

FG plans tolling on 12 highways 

refuse management, 

towing services, 

highway monitoring and 

emergency services. 

The ministry made it 

clear that it was carrying 

out the new initiative 

since it had a legal 

framework under the 

Federal Highway Act, 

which vests the Minister 

of Works and Housing 

with authority over 

federal highways’ 

network and empowers 

him to administer tolls on 


Besides, the ministry 

said the Infrastructure 

Concession Regulatory 

Commission, ICRC,wass 

mandated by law with 

regulatory oversight 

over Ministries, 

Departments and 

Agencies, MDAs, in 

developing bankable 

PPP projects, pointing 

out that the ICRC 

worked closely with it in 

the conception of the 

initiative. 

“The ICRC has just 

issued a Certificate of 

Compliance to the 


Housing. What this 

means is that the 

ministry has met all the 

conditions necessary to 

proceed to the next stage 

of procurement of the 

HDMI scheme. 

“So, we are about to 

kick-off with the pilot 

phase of the HDMI 

scheme. In the first 

phase, the government is 

proposing the concession 

of 12 selected federal 

highways to private 

sector investors, under 

the Value-Added 

Concession, VAC 

arrangement.” 


NEWS HOTLINES 

018773962, 

08052867058 

ON CRYPTOCURRENCY —From left: Chairman, Independent Corrupt 

Practices And Other Related Offences Commission, ICPC, Prof Bolshoi 

Owasanoye; Executive commissioner, Legal and Enforcement, Securities and 

Exchange Commission, Mr Reginald Karawusa; Director General, SEC, Mr 

Lamido Yuguda and CBN Governor, Mr Godwin Emefiele, during the Public 

Hearing to investigate reason for the scrapping of Cryptocurrency in Nigeria 

at the National Assembly, yesterday. 

STATE OF THE NATION: How to save Nigeria 

— Utomi, NaÁbba, Bugaje, Ozekhome, Awolowo-Dosunmu, others 

By Clifford Ndujihe, 

Politics Editor 

A group of eminent 

Nigerians, yesterday, 

looked at the state of nation 

and returned a grim 

verdict: Nigeria is at the 

precipice of disaster and all 

hands must be on deck to 

save her. 

The solutions to the critical 

problems of the world’s 

largest black nation, they 

said include fashioning 

and implementing a 

people’s constitution, 

enjoining elite consensus, 

getting professional bodies 

to hold their members 

accountable for their 

misdeeds, observing rule of 

law, and ensuring justice, 

equity and fair-play in the 

country. 

Eminent Nigerians, who 

shared this view include 

former Speaker of the 

House of Representatives, 

Alhaji Ghali Umar 

Na’Abba; former 

presidential candidate, 

Professor Pat Utomi; Chief 

Mike Ozekhome, SAN; 

Rev. Fr. George Ehusani; 

Dr Tokunbo Awolowo- 

Dosunmu; and Dr Usman 

Bugaje. 

They spoke, yesterday, 

during the inauguration of 

the Constitution Drafting 

Committee and Coordinating 

Committee of 

the People’s Constitutional 

Dialogue initiated by the 

National Consultative 

Front, NCFront to rescue 

Nigeria from the precipice 

Naira appreciates to N408.60/$ in 

I&E window 

The naira yesterday appreciated to N408.60 kobo 

per dollar in the Investors and Exporters (I&E) 

window. 

Data from FMDQ showed that the indicative 

exchange rate for the window fell to N408.60 kobo 

per dollar from N410 per dollar on Monday, 

indicating N1.40 kobo appreciation for the naira. 

The volume of dollars (turnover) traded in the 

window yesterday rose by 135 percent to $123.37 

million from $52.58 million on Monday. 

and brink of nationwide 

insecurity, ethnic and civil 

anarchy. 

The ceremony, which held 

both physically and 

virtually in the light of the 

second wave of COVID- 19 

pandemic ravaging the 

world was flagged off by 

NCFront Co Chairpersons, 

Hon Ghali Umar Na’aba 

and Prof Pat Utomi, who 

charged the Committee to 

work assiduously to make 

the Draft People’s 

Constitution of Nigeria 

available by December 

2021. 

Members of the 

coordinating committee of 

the National Constitutional 

Dialogue are Dr Olisa 

Agbakoba, SAN, Dr 

Hakeem Baba Ahmed, 

Reverand Father George 

Ehusani, Alhaji Buba 

Galadima, Dr Tokunbo 

Awolowo Dosunmu, 

Hadjia Najatu 

Mohammed, Chief Mike 

Ozekhome, SAN, Amb Mrs 

Nkoyo Toyo, Senator Chris 

Anyanwu, Dr Usman 

Bugaje, Senator Mike 

Ajegbo, Femi Falana 

(SAN), Rev. Chris Nubia, 

Dr Bilikisu Magoro, Prof 

Ademola Abbas, Comrade 

Joe Ajaero, and Sidi Ali 

Nasser. 

The committee would be 

supported by Prof. Isawa 

Elaigwu, Prof Attahiru 

Jega, and Ambassador 

Martins Ohomoibi as 

advisors; and draw from the 

elderly experience of 

Professor Wole Soyinka, 

Alhaji Ahmed Joda, 

Professor Ango Abdullahu, 

Chief Edwin Kiagbodo 

Clark, Professor Ben 

Nwabueze and Chief Olu 

Falae among others. 

National Constitutional 

Consultation will open on 

May 1, 2021, Utomi and 

Na’Abba said, disclosing 

that the structure of the 

committee is broken into 

four categories. The Cochairs, 

Dr Olisa, Agbakoba 

(SAN), Dr Usman Bugaje, 

Dr Tokunbo Awolowo- 

Dosumu, and Rev Fr. (Dr) 

George Ehusani, with 

Agbakoba. Dr Hakeem 

Baba-Ahmed is secretary of 

the coordinating 

committee. 

The NCFront said the 

objectives and terms of 

reference of the committee 

shall be to ‘’engage all key 

Stakeholders within the 

Nigerian project 

nationwide, facilitate robust 

national consultations and 

dialogue among them, 

Collate Memoranda and 

build consensus among 

Nigerian Stakeholders on 

various Nigerian national 

questions such as and not 

limited to; Proper and 

Acceptable federating units 

for Nigeria, Devolution of 

constitutional powers, 

appropriate governance 

system and structures for 

Nigeria, Citizenship, 

Indigenes - Settlers 

(Farmers - Herders) 

matters, Independent State 

Institutions 

& 

Commissions, Justiceable 

rights of Citizens, 

Framework for State 

Constitutions, Policing, 

Military Operations, 

Democracy and Guidelines 

for Political Parties, Tenure 

of office, Judicial Reforms 

& Access to Justice in 

Nigeria, Parliamentary 

Reforms & Principle of 

P r o p o r t i o n a l 

Representations in Nigeria, 

Civil Service Reforms, 

Youth and Women 

empowerments, Self 

determination Principles, 

Referendum/Plebiscite, 

among others that may be 

duly proposed by Nigerian 

stakeholders in the process 

of the National 

consultation. 

“This intervention has 

become imperative for us in 

the NCFront, as Citizens of 

Conscience, as it’s now 

quite clear that the 

Nigerian Government and 

ruling political leadership 

in Nigeria have lost the 

legitimacy and capacity to 

foster national harmony 

and political stability for the 

country and it will be 

formally be open to 

delegates and the Nigerian 

stakeholders on May 1st 

2021.” 

Our moves to save 

Nigeria – Utomi 

Stressing the need to save 

the country, Utomi said: 

“Beginning next week the 

NCF will collaborate with 

the New Fabian Society of 

the Concerned 

Professionals and select 

media organizations to 

host Town Hall discussions 

on why Nigeria is sliding 

backward and how to save 

and rebuild it. 

“The first in the series will 

seek to hold professional 

bodies like The Bar 

Association, ICAN, ANAN, 

etc accountable for the 

conduct of their members 

in public life. The Bar 

Association can sure not 

escape blame and must call 

their members in public life 

to order if the judiciary, 

Attorneys-General and 

Elections Lawyers are the 

ones messing up our 

democracy. 

“We can challenge ICAN 

and Accountants on the 

corruption and 

transparency challenges in 

government. We can say 

the same for Bankers and 

abuse of state finances. 

So our Town Hall 

meetings will bring together 

experts, ordinary people 

and categories of 

stakeholders in conditions 

of frank talk.” 

We’re in unusual times – 

Ehusani 

Supporting the move, 

Ehusani said: “These are 

unusual times. Unusual 

times call for unusual 

measures, and sometimes 

from unusual quarters. I 

am happy to be part of the 

team to fashion measures 

to save our country. We 

can’t continue with what 

Britain gave us. We need 

to continuously review the 

basis of our staying 

together.” 

Lack of elite consensus, 

cause of our problems – 

Bugaje 

Also speaking, Bugaje 

said with elite consensus all 

of Nigeria’s nagging 

problems 

are 

surmountable. 

“We can resolve all the 

problems of Nigeria if we 

are determined. Absence of 

elite consensus is the major 

problem. The elites are 

pulling in different 

directions. Once we agree 

to pool resources together 

and work for the benefit of 

all instead of individuals, 

we will start making 

progress,” he said. 

We’re running out of 

time, says Awolowo- 

Dosunmu 

In like manner, Dr 

Awolowo-Dosunmu 

stressed the need for 

urgent measures to save 

Nigeria,saying: “We are 

very close to the brink. We 

are running out of time for 

peaceful resolution of the 

problems. We can this from 

what is happening all over 

the country. I pray that this 

initiative will succeed.” 

We need political will to 

save Nigeria – Ozekhome 

To Chief Ozekhome, 

pretence and lack of 

political will on the part of 

leaders are the stumbling 

blocks to rescuing Nigeria. 

‘’There is need to save 

Nigeria from the brink of 

the precipice. Some people 

are pretending that all is 

well but we know that all is 

not well. That a sore is not 

bleeding does not mean it 

has healed.” 

Wondering how far the 

NCFront move would go, 

Ozekhome recalled past 

efforts via the PRONACO 

conference of 2005, and the 

2014 conference, which 

leaders elected to throw 

into the archive despite the 

over 600 resolutions and 

recommendations that 

would have saved Nigeria 

if implemented. 

“My worry is what has 

changed? What is our new 

narrative? The 1999 

Constitution is a fraudulent 

document. While we are 

working for Nigeria, some 

don’t believe in Nigeria. 

These are my worries so 

that we don’t engage in a 

fruitless journey,” he said.


YOUR LUCK TODAY 

By Joshua Adeyemo Phone 08056180139 

AQUARIUS: You should not have it tough while trying to 

win the needed supports of others. Take good advice from some 

of your friends who are creatively gifted. 

PISCES: Your creativity quotient is enhanced today and if 

you demonstrating this within your working arena, you’ll earn 

success and consolidate on your recent progress. 

ARIES; It is important you don’t take things for granted. 

Watch carefully what you agree to do. 

TAURUS: Better than yesterday. Others will be willing to 

give you the needed co-operation both at home and within 

your working arena. This is a good day for lovers. 

GEMINI: Those of you who are more enterprising will have 

much to show for your efforts. The more cooperative you. Don’t 

neglect love. 

L E I S U R BE 

TAKE HEART — ELLA RANDLE 

Happiness lies in the joy of achievement and the 

thrill of creative effort.” —Franklin D. Roosevelt 

Let your light shine more brightly, as you inspire 

others to be cheerful, be confident to be yourself. 

Trust your inner feelings and ideas, as they are 

divinely given tools towards inner peace and happiness. 

-Ella Randle - 

SAYINGS OF 

OUR PEOPLE 

The hyena 

with a cub 

does not consume 

all the 

available 

food. 

~Akamba 

Proverb 

CANCER: You will need to re-examine both your personal 

ideas and advice given to you by other people. Be family 

minded. 

LEO: Provided you don’t allow others to mislead you, things 

will not go wrong. The more willing you are to take the initiative 

the better for you. Take your love life more seriously. 

VIRGO: Although you will need to be as secretive as you can, 

your success will attract others’ attention to you to the betterment 

of your cause. Be ambitious. 

LIBRA: People who more influential than you will be willing 

to support your cause but you will need to make the necessary 

move. The more self assertive you are the better. 

SCORPIO: Challenges of yesterday will today bring you 

good opportunities along your career/business lines to the betterment 

of your finances. Seek supporters of powerful ones. 

SAGITTARIUS: Think of the best way to improve on your 

working pattern in order to enhance your career prospects if 

you listen to your creative self, things will work out fine for you. 

Be more loving. 

TERROR MUDA in “Never say goodbye” 

By Kola Fayemi 

CAPRICORN Think of both immediate and far future while 

you are savouring goodies offered you by mother nature. 

ASTROLOGICAL COUNSELLING 

DUDU in “ROLLING HOT” By A.O.OLAIDE 

ASTROLOGICAL our date and place of COUNSELLING 

birth to the Astr 

tr 

Send your dat 

trological 

Counselling, P.M.B 100 

007, Apapa, Lagos 

What does future have for me 

Dear Joshua, 

I don’t want you to publish my data. However, I want 

to know how the planets lined up when I was born. And 

which day of the week was I born, would I record success 

in life? When would my success come? 

Mathias, Jos. 

Dear Mathias, 

You were born on a Jupiter ruled day – Thursday. 

You’ll succeeded earlier than you think. 

Your Horoscope Data 

DAY OF BIRTH: THURSDAY 

SUN SIGN = PISCES: SUN IN 25TH DEGREE OF 

PISCES 

MOON SIGN: PISCES: MOON IN 21ST DEGREE 

OF PISCES 

MERCURY IN 28TH DEGREE OF AQUARIUS 

VENUS IN 28TH DEGREE OF ARIES 

MARS IN 7TH DEGREE OF CANCER 

JUPITER IN ZERO DEGREE OF AQUARIUS 

SATURN IN 27TH DEGREE OF CAPRICORN 

URANUS IN 22ND DEGREE OF LEO 

NEPTUNE IN 11TH DECREE OF SCORPIO 

PLUTO IN 6TH DEGREE OF VIRGO 

NORTH NODE IN 6TH DEGREE OF PISCES 

CARDINAL AND MUTABLE STAR SIGN HOSTED 

THREE PLANETS 

EACH, FIXED AND WATER FOUR EACH, FIRE 

EARTH AND AIR 

HOSTED TWO EACH. 

PUSHFUL INFLUENCE = 40% 

NON-PUSHFUL INFLUENCE = 60% 

HIGHLY HIGHLIGHTED STAR SIGN = 

AQUARIUS 

FINAL DISPOSITOR = SATURN 

ANALYSIS OF THE HOROSCOPE DATA 

Saturn as the final depositor-the most influential 

planet at home when you were born, pointed to you as 

an ambitious person who must have a well developed 

career. You are a disciplined person with higher degree 

of leadership quality in yourself. Although, you 

can be emotional, you are stable and reliable. Less 

than 50 per cent of push-full influence in you is an 

indication of your being an amiable person. Both your 

natal sun/moon in Pisces and Aquarius are indications 

of characteristic of star signs are highly pronounced 

in your inner-self Having your hands on public pulse 

will always bring you unexpected success and 

fulfilment. 

Around your 30th birthday an endless cycle of great 

success and achievements will start for you. Oil-petrol 

chemicals will feature in your life when the predicted 

great cycle gets started for you. 

Congratulation. 

VIRGINIA 

dadadekola@yahoo.com 

HOME & ABROAD 

By Lawrence Akapa

VANGUARD, WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 24, 2021 — 37 

El Chapo’s wife arrested in US 

over drug trafficking 

THE wife of jailed Mex 

ican drug lord 

Joaquín “El Chapo” 

Guzmán has been arrested 

in the US on suspicion 

of drug trafficking, US authorities 

say. 

Emma Coronel Aispuro, 

31, was detained at Dulles 

International Airport outside 

Washington DC. 

She is charged with participating 

in a conspiracy to 

distribute heroin, cocaine, 

methamphetamine and 

marijuana. 

Guzmán is currently serving 

a life sentence in New 

York for drug trafficking and 

money laundering. 

The 63-year-old is a 

former head of the Sinaloa 

cartel, which officials say 

was the biggest supplier of 

drugs to the US. 

His trial in 2019 heard 

shocking revelations about 

his life, from drugging and 

raping girls as young as 13 

to carrying out the coldblooded 

murders of former 

cartel members and rivals. 

Ms Coronel Aispuro is 

due to appear in a federal 

court in DC via video conference, 

the US justice 

department said. 

As well as facing drug 

trafficking charges, she is 

also accused of conspiring 

with others to help her husband 

escape from prison in 

Mexico in 2015. 

He was sprung from 

Mexico’s maximum-security 

Altiplano prison after 

his sons bought a property 

near the prison and a GPS 

watch smuggled into the 

prison gave diggers his exact 

location. He escaped by 

riding a specially adapted 

small motorcycle through 

the tunnel. 

Court documents said Ms 

Coronel Aispuro was allegedly 

involved in planning 

another prison escape for 

her husband before he was 

extradited to the US in January 

2017. 

She has not commented 

on the charges. Mexican 

President Andrés Manuel 

López Obrador said the arrest 

was “a matter that the 

United States will decide”, 

but said he hoped the US 

would share more of the 

details. 

Bazoum declared winner of Niger’s presidential 

election, opponent alleges fraud 

NIGER’s ruling party 

candidate Mohamed 

Bazoum was declared on 

Tuesday the winner of its 

presidential election, while 

his opponent alleged fraud 

and opposition supporters 

burned tyres in the streets. 

Bazoum, a 61-year-old 

former interior minister, won 

55.75% of the vote in Sunday’s 

election, according to 

the electoral commission. He 

beat out Mahamane Ousmane, 

a former president 

who was toppled by a coup 

in 1996. The provisional results 

must still be confirmed 

by the constitutional court. 

The election is meant to 

usher in Niger’s first transition 

from one democratically 

elected leader to another, 

with President Mahamadou 

Issoufou stepping 

down after two fiveyear 

terms. 

Shortly before the results 

were declared, Ousmane’s 

campaign alleged widespread 

fraud, including the 

theft and stuffing of ballot 

boxes and threats against 

voters. It did not provide 

any evidence. 

“We demand the immediate 

suspension of the 

publication of these results, 

which do not in any way 

take into account the expressed 

will of the Nigerien 

people for change,” 

Ousmane’s campaign manager 

said in a statement. 

Outside Ousmane’s 

campaign headquarters 

and in other parts of the 

capital Niamey, his supporters 

protested by burning 

tyres. Police fired tear 

gas to disperse them. 

The electoral commission 

has not yet commented on 

the allegations of irregularities. 

The vote was also marred 

by two attacks that killed 

eight people in two regions 

of the country where Islamist 

militants are active, commission 

president Issaka 

Souna said. Seven of the 

victims were election workers 

in the western Tillabery 

region, near the border with 

Mali, whose vehicle struck 

a landmine as they headed 

to the polls. 

Facebook reverses ban on news pages 

in Australia 

FACEBOOK has an 

nounced it will restore 

news content to its users in 

Australia. 

The tech giant has blocked 

news to Australians on its 

platform since last Thursday 

amid a dispute over a 

proposed law which would 

force it and Google to pay 

news publishers for content. 

Australian Treasurer Josh 

Frydenberg said Facebook 

chief Mark Zuckerberg had 

told him the ban would end 

“in the coming days”, after 

the pair had talks. 

Mr Frydenberg said 

amendments would be 

made to the law. 

“Facebook has re-friended 

Australia,” he told reporters 

in Canberra on 

Tuesday. 

The government has been 

debating the law - seen as 

a possible test case for regulation 

globally - in the 

Senate, after it was passed 

in the lower house last 

week. 

Last Thursday, Australians 

woke up to find they 

could not access or share 

any news stories on their 

accounts. 

Facebook argued it had 

been forced to block Australian 

news in response to the 

proposed legislation. 

The government’s news 

code aims to set up a “fairer” 

negotiation process between 

the tech giants and 

news companies over the 

value of news content. 

But it has been strongly 

opposed by Facebook and 

Google - both argue the code 

misunderstands how the 

internet works. Facebook 

has also said it gets little commercial 

gain from news 

content. 

Hutu rebels accuse DRC, Rwanda 

after Italian ambassador killed 

RWANDAN 

Hutu 

rebels denied allegations 

they were behind the 

killing of the Italian ambassador 

to the Democratic Republic 

of the Congo and 

instead accused the armies 

of the DRC and Rwanda of 

responsibility. 

An Italian Carabinieri 

unit, meanwhile, was expected 

in DRC on Tuesday 

to investigate. 

Luca Attanasio died of 

his wounds on Monday 

after a World Food Programme 

(WFP) convoy 

came under fire near the 

eastern city of Goma while 

he was on a field trip. The 

Italian government said an 

Italian policeman, Vittorio 

Iacovacci, and a driver it 

did not identify also died. 

DRC’s interior ministry 

blamed the killings on 

“members of the Democratic 

Forces for the Liberation 

of Rwanda [FDLR]”, a 

Rwandan Hutu rebel group 

that has plagued the region 

for more than a quarter of a 

century. 

But the FDLR rejected the 

allegation in a statement 

received by AFP news 

agency on Tuesday. It said 

the ambassador’s convoy 

was attacked near the 

Rwandan border, “not far 

from a position of the 

FARDC [DRC’s armed forces] 

and Rwandan soldiers”. 

“The responsibility for this 

despicable killing is to be 

found in the ranks of these 

two armies and their sponsors 

who have forged an 

unnatural alliance to perpetuate 

the pillaging of 

eastern DRC,” it said. 

The FDLR denied “being 

involved in the attack” and 

called on Kinshasa and UN 

peacekeeping force MO- 

NUSCO to “shed light” on 

the killings “instead of resorting 

to hasty accusations”. 

Govt College Kaduna arrives Lagos for 

Principals Cup opener 

•Igbobi College battle ready 

Players and officials of 

Government College, 

Kaduna are expected to 

arrive Lagos today for the 

opening match of the 

National Principals Cup 

football competition. 

The Kaduna boys have a 

date with Igbobi College, 

Lagos in the opening match 

of the developmental 

competition slated to take 

place at the Agege Stadium 

on Friday. 

A total of 18 players and 

three officials are to arrive 

Lagos together with the 

Principal of the school 

today. 

The competition is a 

project of the ministry of 

sports in conjunction with 

the marketing consultants 

and organisers of the event, 

Hideaplus Limited and the 

event is open to all 

secondary schools in the 

country. 

The Minister of Sports, 

Sunday Dare, has 

reassured that the ministry 

was committed strongly to 

the National Principals Cup 

because of its importance. 

Dare said: “We expect 

this event to bring back the 

lost glory in football at agegrade 

level especially now 

that our U-17 and U-20 

teams struggle in 

continental competitions.” 

The Managing Director 

of Hideaspus, Tony Pemu, 

has said all arrangements 

have been concluded for a 

very exciting Kick Off of the 

Anthony Joshua and 

Tyson Fury are on 

course to meet for the 

undisputed Heavyweight 

crown in the Spring, with 

discussions ongoing 

between both teams. 

WBC International 

Featherweight champion, 

Lowe who trains alongside 

WBC Heavyweight titlist, 

Fury and has featured on all 

of his recent undercards in 

the USA, believes the 32- 

year-old will stop his rival 

inside five rounds and will 

be one of his easiest 

opponents. 

“I’ve said it from day one, 

I think Joshua is one of 

Tyson’s easiest fights,” 

Lowe told Pro Boxing Fans. 

“Because, he’s robotic, he 

hasn’t got good feet and 

when he throws threes and 

fours he gasses up. 

“If you notice when he 

hurts someone or if he does 

hurt them, that’s his 

weakness, he gets caught 

tournament. 

Pemu said: “We have 

been on this for close to one 

year and we expect a good 

take off on Friday after 

which the preliminaries 

will start across the states 

of the federation. 

“I want to thank the 

minister of sports, Dare, for 

his huge support and 

fatherly role played as we 

go about this project. We 

want to use the event to 

serve as feeder tournament 

for the age grade 

competitions especially the 

U-15 and U-17 

competitions.” 

Meanwhile, Igbobi 

Thomas Tuchel has 

praised Kylian 

Mbappe’s ‘shark 

mentality’, but insists the 

Frenchman has some way to 

go to knock Lionel Messi 

and Cristiano Ronaldo off 

their perches as the 

dominant forces in football. 

Talk of a changing of the 

guard heightened last 

week after Mbappe’s 

dazzling performance at the 

Nou Camp against Messi’s 

Barcelona. 

A stunning hat-trick has 

placed Paris Saint- 

Germain thoroughly in 

control of their Champions 

League last-16 clash and 

Joshua's one of Fury’s easiest 

fights, says Lowe 

College players have 

intensified training ahead 

of the opening match of the 

event billed for Friday. The 

school football team in the 

past two weeks has stepped 

up preparation at the 

school’s football pitch. 

Former internationals 

like Henry Nwosu, Haruna 

Ilerika, Stephen Keshi, 

Adokiye Amesimaka, 

Samson Siasia, Victor 

Ikpeba, Tajudeen Disu, 

Joseph Dosu, Franklin 

Howard, Paul Okoku, Chris 

Anigala, Godwin Odiye and 

Sam Bazuaye are some of 

the products of the 

Principals Cup 

competition. 

Tuchel: Mbappe has potential 

to be world’s best 

and he can’t deal with it. I 

think Tyson will knock him 

out in the first four rounds, 

honestly I do. 

“[I’ll] just say first five 

[rounds] I genuinely do. I 

think when Klitschko 

knocked him down and 

hurt him, Klitschko 

could’ve got him out of 

there, but with the old age 

and that maybe he was 

thinking about his legs and 

saving them a bit. 

“But, if Tyson catches him 

or hurts him, anything at all 

he’ll be all over him like a 

rag doll and he won’t be 

getting Tyson off." 

Head coach of the 

Nigeria Professional 

Football League Club 

Enyimba international, 

Fatai Osho has recognised 

the group of his team in 

CAF Confederation cup as 

one of the most difficult 

group, BSNSports.com.ng 

reports. 

Africa soccer governing 

body on Monday 

conducted the group stage 

of the CAF Confederation 

Cup and Nigeria’s 

representative were placed 

in the group A alongside 

Orlando Pirates from South 

Africa, Ahli Benghazi from 

Libya and ES Setif of 

Algeria. 

The People’s Elephants 

defeated Rivers United via 

penalty shoot-outs to 

secure a passage to the 

led to suggestions Mbappe 

may have usurped the 

Argentine as one of the 

sport’s leading lights. 

Tuchel worked with the 

France World Cup winner 

during his stint in the 

French capital and has firsthand 

experience of his 

desire to succeed. 

However, he insists that 

he is still some way off the 

very top, and that he’ll need 

to fight if he truly hopes to 

overtake the two biggest 

names ahead of him. 

‘If he wants to be there, he 

has to push them [Lionel 

Messi and Crisitano 

Ronaldo] aside. That is 

clear,’ he told BT Sport 

pundit Rio Ferdinand. 

CAF Confed Cup: Enyimba are 

in a difficult group – Osho 

group stage of the 

competition. 

Osho while speaking on 

radio interview conducted 

by Ahmad Emmanuel on 

Jatto 102.7 fm, he 

recognised Pirate and Setif 

to be a strong forces in the 

continent. 

“Our group is very 

difficult one, ES Serif is 

from Algeria and we were 

there last year, we have Ahli 

Benghazi from Libya and 

we are playing them for the 

first time, then Orlando 

Pirates from South Africa, 

these are prominent names 

in Africa Football. 

“Setif and Pirates are 

former Africa champions 

just like Enyimba then one 

can see the pedigree of the 

team in that group ."


Falcons trounce Equatorial Guinea 

9-0 to win Turkish Cup 

Super Falcons yesterday made 

history as the first African 

winners of the invitational Turkish 

Women’s Cup in Antalya after they 

thrashed Equatorial Guinea 9-0. 

The African champions won all 

three games in Turkey – 1-0 vs 

CSKA Moscow, 1-0 vs 

Uzbekistan and today 9-0 vs 

Equatorial Guinea. 

Ugonna Kanu put Nigeria head 

after just eight minutes of action. 

Captain Asisat Oshoala made it 

2-0 when she tucked away a 

penalty after the lively Toni Payne 

was fouled inside the box in the 

11th minute, before she scored 

again from the spot two minutes 

later. 

The Barcelona Ladies star then 

completed her hat-trick with a 

beauty on 26 minutes, when she 

sprung the offside trap of the 

Agent pockets 

550,000 Euros for 

Ezekiel loan to 

Anderlech 

A 

top agent pocketed as much 

as 550,000 Euros when Imoh 

Ezekiel went on a short loan to 

Anderlecht as fresh facts have 

emerged over the shocking 

financial mismanagement at the 

Belgian club. 

Anderlecht are now heavily in 

debts, still reeling from such 

mismanagement. 

Het Nieuwsblad reported the 

shocking story of how then 

Anderlecht top official Herman 

Van Holsbeeck paid his good 

friend and agent Mogi Bayat a 

whopping 550,000 Euros as 

commission for the loan of the 

Nigeria forward. 

Imoh Ezekiel played on loan at 

Anderlecht from Qatari club Al 

Arabi between 2015 and 2016. 

Guineans before she rounded up 

the goalkeeper and slotted home. 

Payne provided the assist for 

Uchenna Kanu to make it 5-0 after 

36 minutes. 

Charity Adule scored with a 

header in the 38th minute and 

Payne will then net her first goal 

for Nigeria two minutes from the 

break. 

Debutant and FC Robo skipper 

Monday Gift made it 8-0 on 69 

minutes as coach Randy Waldrum 

gave a run out for several 

uncapped players. 

Skipper Oshoala grabbed her 

fourth goal of the day in the 85th 

minute for the Falcons to win 9-0, 

while Equatorial Guinea’s misery 

was completed when a player was 

sent off soon after for dangerous 

play against debutant Ramat 

Abdulkareem. 

Tottenham players unhappy with Mourinho’s 

methods 

Jose Mourinho has split the 

Tottenham Hotspur dressing 

room with his “boring and 

frustrating” training methods. 

The pressure is growing on the 

Portuguese following a return of 

12 points from Tottenham’s last 12 

Premier League games. 

Spurs also exited the FA Cup at 

the last-16 stage to Everton earlier 

this month, though they are still 

in the Europa League and through 

to April’s EFL Cup final. 

However, The Athletic claims 

Injury threatens Awoniyi Eagles call-up 

Taiwo Awoniyi could miss out on a Super Eagles call-up 

for next month’s AFCON qualifiers against Benin and 

Lesotho no thanks to a thigh injury. 

Eagles coach Gernot Rohr has hinted on calling up the 

Liverpool loanee after a haul of goals in the Bundesliga. 

However, Awoniyi Bundesliga club Union Berlin announced 

the 23-year-old striker has suffered a thigh muscle injury and 

he will be out of action for “the foreseeable future”. 

Awoniyi was not listed for the team’s last Bundesliga game 

against Freiburg on account of the injury. 

He has already represented Nigeria at U17, U20 and U23 

levels. 

Suarez: Why I was annoyed with 

Barca 

Luis Suarez has lamented the 

way in which his time at 

Barcelona came to a close last 

summer, making clear that some 

people at the club were clearly 

trying to push him out. 

The 34-year-old spent six years 

with the Catalan club and became 

the second-highest goalscorer in 

their history with 195 goals in 283 

appearances, yet he was told that 

he was no longer capable of 

playing for a team like Barcelona. 

“What really annoyed me was 

Afrobasket: D’Tigers’ debut excites Moneke 

Latest D’Tigers debutant, Chima 

Moneke is excited about what 

the future holds for him and the 

team following their qualification 

for the 2021 FIBA Afrobasket 

championship. 

Moneke who made his debut for 

Nigeria against South Sudan 

announced his presence on the 

international scene with 8pts and 

5 rebounds under 13 minutes as 

the D’Tigers secured a hard 

fought 75-70 point victory. 

The power forward who plays 

for Orléans Loiret Basketball club 

in France, said it was an emotional 

moment for him, his parents and 

loved ones as he stepped on the 

court to represent his fatherland. 

“Making my debut for Nigeria 

was exciting and I am grateful for 

this opportunity. My parents, my 

family and friends are all very 

proud.” 

After being named in the 12 

man team invited to Kigali for the 

second window of the qualifiers 

last year, many Nigerians 

expected him to make his debut. 

Due to administrative reasons 

bothering on registration and 

eligibility; he had to sit the games 

out. 

With a decent performance in his 

first three games, the 25year old 

told Nigerians that they are yet to 

see the best of him. 

He assured that with more time 

in the team and more games, he 

will surely get comfortable in the 

team. 

“I am excited to see where this 

can take me. As I play more 

games, I will get more 

that Mourinho is losing support 

from some key members of his 

squad due to the way that he 

works. 

The former Manchester United 

and Chelsea boss is said to have 

drastically altered the approach 

taken by predecessor Mauricio 

Pochettino, whom he replaced in 

November 2019, by easing the 

workload on his players - 

something that has not gone 

down well amid a bad run of 

results. 

comfortable and hopefully get 

more opportunities to show what 

I can do”. 

Not getting carried away with 

the recent success, Moneke is 

optimistic of a long and eventful 

career for Nigeria ladened with 

trophies. 

Five-time world champions Nigeria will know their group 

phase opponents at next month’s U20 Africa Cup of Nations 

when the draw holds today at the Monotel Dar El Barka Hotel 

in Nouakchott, Mauritania. 

The ceremony, which will be conducted by CAF’s Director of 

Competitions, Samson Adamu, will commence at 13hrs GMT 

(2pm Nigeria time) and will be broadcast on CAF’s digital 

platforms. 

Fatai Amoo’s charges made sure of a place in the finals after 

reaching the final of the WAFU B U17 Tournament staged in 

Togo last month, where they lost 2-3 to Cote d’Ivoire’s Baby 

Elephants. Both teams are flying WAFU B’s flag at the 

competition taking place in Morocco 13th -31st March. 

Hosts Morocco, Algeria (North Africa); Cameroon, Congo 

(Central Africa); Uganda, Tanzania (East Africa); Zambia, South 

Africa (Southern Africa); Cote d’Ivoire, Nigeria (WAFU B) and; 

Mali, Senegal (WAFU A) are the teams qualified for the finals 

and whose names will be in the pots on Wednesday. 

Nigeria won the FIFA Cadet World Cup in 1985, 1993, 2007, 

2013 and 2015. 

Chelsea want Haaland 

‘at any cost’ 

ROMAN ABRAMOVICH has 

ordered Chelsea’s transfer team 

to sign Erling Haaland ‘at any cost’ 

as the Blues plot another bigspending 

summer. 

Chelsea are ‘quietly’ growing in 

confidence that they can sign Erling 

Haaland this summer. 

The lethal Borussia Dortmund 

striker is attracting interest from all 

around Europe, having scored 43 

goals in 43 games for the German 

giants. 

Manchester United, City, Real 

Madrid and Liverpool are all thought 

to be monitoring the 20-year-old’s 

situation, and are attracted by the 

£65million release clause that will 

come into play in 2022. 

But Chelsea believe that they can 

get ahead of the chasing pack by 

placing a bid BEFORE the clause 

becomes active. 

being told that I was old 

and that I couldn’t play 

at the top level any more, 

that I couldn’t play at the 

level of a big team. That’s 

what upset me,” Suarez 

explained in an 

interview with the 

popular magazine 

France Football. 

“Barcelona kicked me 

out, they told me they 

didn’t have me in their 

plans anymore. Another 

question is if you still 

have a multi-year 

contract and the club 

wants to sell you. 

“But the club indicated 

that they didn’t want me 

anyway. They just didn’t 

want me anymore. I 

deserved a certain 

amount of respect.” 

Morocco 2021: Golden Eaglets 

know opponents today 

QUICK TAKE! 

QUICK TAKE! 

SOUR GRAPES 

Luis Suarez has 

blasted 

Barcelona for kicking 

him out in the 

summer for being ‘too 

old’. 

The Uruguayan, 34, 

has been a massive 

success at LaLiga 

leaders Atletico Madrid since his tearful 

Nou Camp exit at the end of last season. 

DIEGO-ING HOME 

Diego Costa is 

reportedly 

wanted by Sao Paulo 

FC, the rivals of his 

boyhood club. 

The striker, 32, left 

Atletico Madrid at the 

end of December to 

become a free agent. 

Now according to Sky 

Sports, Costa has been 

offered the chance to 

return to his hometown. 

JUVE BEEN 

FRAMED 

Juventus are set to 

star in Amazon’s latest 

All or Nothing behind the 

scenes documentary. 

And the trailer has 

revealed some unseen 

footage of Cristiano 

Ronaldo sulking in the changing room. 

LOADED DYCE 

Sam 

Allardyce 

revealed club 

chiefs often pressurise 

managers to play 

expensive stars even if 

they are flops on the 

pitch. 

The West Brom boss 

said having superstar 

players on huge 

salaries makes 

management much tougher. 

DON THE 

SHIRT 

M anchester 

United are 

reportedly lining up a 

summer move for AC 

Milan keeper 

G i a n l u i g i 

Donnarumma. 

David De Gea’s 

displays have left 

plenty to be desired 

and English No2 Dean Henderson could 

step in. 

HAZ IT ALL 

Eden Hazard is in the world’s top 

three footballers ahead of 

Cristiano Ronaldo, according to old 

Chelsea team-mate Filipe Luis. 

The Flamengo left-back, 35, thinks 

the Belgian star ranks 

alongside Neymar and 

Lionel Messi in the top 

echelons of the game. 

In a single season at 

Stamford Bridge, Luis 

witnessed the Belgian 

at his scintillating best, 

winning the 2014-15 

Premier League and League Cup. 

Pele uses walking frame 

Brazil legend Pele cuts a frail figure 

in the new Netflix documentary 

focusing on his extraordinary career. 

Released on Tuesday, the film Pele, 

codirected by David Tryhorn and Ben 

Nicholas, involves a series of interviews 

with the former forward and those close 

to him. 

While the film goes into detail never 

previously discussed by the 80-year-old 

in front of camera before, it is his 

physical condition that is perhaps the 

most telling story of all. 

Entering the screen for the first time, 

Pele is only able to make his way to the 

chair in the centre of a room with the 

aid of a walking frame. 

Once he gets to the 

seat, he chucks the 

frame to one side before 

starting the interview. 

His mobility issues 

are accentuated later 

on, when he turns up to 

a BBQ in a wheelchair. 

Pele has undergone 

hip surgery previously, 

but as his son Edinho 

since admitted, his 

recovery has not gone 

to plan.


Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 24, 2021 

TODAY’S CROSSWORD 

QUICK CROSSWORD 

YESTERDAY’S SOLUTION 

TODAY’S PUZZLE 

Sudoku 

YESTERDAY’S ANSWER 

ACROSS 

1 Farm livestock (6) 

4 Excellent (6) 

8 Workers' organisation (5) 

9 Sailor (7) 

10 Young hare (7) 

11 Move effortlessly (5) 

12 Soaked (9) 

17 Consumed (5) 

19 Russian tea-urn (7) 

21 Snubs (7) 

22 Roman meeting-place (5) 

23 Annually (6) 

24 Soundless (6) 

DOWN 

1 Pair (6) 

2 Robbers (7) 

3 Passenger ship (5) 

5 Perpendicular (7) 

6 Tedium (5) 

7 Gents' hairdresser (6) 

9 Car drivers (9) 

13 Melodious (7) 

14 Varied (7) 

15 Almost (6) 

16 Punctual (6) 

18 Shin bone (5) 

20 Civilian dress (5) 

How to Play Sudoku 

Place a number (1-9) in each blank cell. (No line can have 

two of the same number). 

Each row (nine lines from left to right), column, (also nine 

lines from top to bottom) and 3 X 3 block within a bold block 

(nine blocks) contains number from 1 through 9. This means 

that no number can appear twice in any block, column or row. 

No mathematics is involved – no adding, subtraction, division or 

multiplication, just plain logic and your imagination. 

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