25022021 - Way out of Nigeria’s security problems

10 — Vanguard, THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 25, 2021
By Henry Ojelu
LAGOS—TATA Africa
Services, yesterday,
dragged Jasper
Biochemical and Allied
Products Limited before a
Lagos High Court over
alleged breach of contract.
According to court papers
filed by Metrocrest Legal
Practitioners, on behalf of
Tata Africa, the company is
asking the court to compel
Jasper Biochemical to pay
an outstanding debt of N39
million for the supplies of
industrial and food
chemicals.
Tata averred that Jasper
Chemical had purchased
some industrial and food
chemicals worth N44,
352,357.59, but only paid a
marginal part of the
:Vanguard
News
Tata Africa sues firm over
alleged breach of contract
:@vanguardnews :@vanguardnews NEWS HOTLINES: 08052867023, 08052867058
INSECURITY: Allow states to secure their space —Akeredolu
By Dayo Johnson,
Ola Ajayi, Shina
Abubakar & James
Ogunnaike
A
K U R E —
CHAIRMAN of
the South-West
Governors’ Forum,
Governor Rotimi
Akeredolu of Ondo
State, yesterday,
advocated that all states
in the country should be
allowed to secure their
space.
This came on a day the
Olowu of Kuta, Oba
Adekunle Oyelude, said
that devolution of power
remains the only
solution to insecurity in
Nigeria.
Also, the Chairman of
Myetti Allah Cattle
Breeders’ Association,
MACBAN, in Oyo State,
Ibrahim Jiji, yesterday,
distanced himself from a
report that Fulani
herders demanded
damages of N475 billion
from Governor Seyi
Makinde for the losses
they incurred during the
recent crisis at Shasha
market, in Akinyele local
government area of the
state.
Similarly, the Ogun
State House of Assembly
said plans were in
motion to legislate on
animal husbandry and
related activities,
through the enactment of
an all-inclusive law on
anti-open grazing in the
state.
Allow states to
secure their
space
—Akeredolu
Akeredolu, who spoke
during his swearing-in
ceremony for a second
term in office, also
commended Amotekun
operatives saying they
have done well in their
short time of existence.
The second term
inauguration ceremony
of Akeredolu and his
deputy, Lucky Ayedatiwa
purchased sum leaving an
outstanding balance of
N39, 088,877.
However, in a statement
of defence, Jasper
Chemicals denied all the
claims against it and
insisted that on the contrary,
Tata Africa is indebted to it.
The defendant is also
asking for damages in the
sum of N20million for
breach of contract arising
from the loss incured as a
result of the sale of unfit and
unsellable bad stock of food
and industrial chemical
Products which were
returned by costumers as
unsold.
Meanwhile, the
presiding judge, Justice
Lateefat Folami has
adjourned till April 15, 2021, for a
hearing of the suit.
• Says devolution of police central command is inexorable
• My second term is not for relaxation
• True federalism, a panacea to insecurity, says Osun monarch
• Expedite action on compensation, Miyetti Allah tells Makinde
• As Ogun Assembly considers law to ban open grazing
attracted Governors
Babajide Sanwo-Olu
(Lagos), Dapo Abiodun
(Ogun), Kayode Fayemi
(Ekiti), Gboyega Oyetola
(Osun) and Godwin
Obaseki (Edo).
Also present were
former Lagos State
governor, Asiwaju Bola
Tinubu; former Osun
State governor, Chief
Bisi Akande; former
Senate President, Ken
Nnamani; former Deputy
Governor of Osun State,
Senator Iyiola Omisore;
the Ohinoyi of Ebira
land, Ado Ibrahim,
ministers and National
Assembly members
Speaking on the state
of insecurity in the
country, Akeredolu said:
“The primary
responsibility of any
government is the
security of lives and
property of its citizens.
“We are of the firm
belief that it is high time
the police central
command became
devolved to the
federating units for
effective monitoring.
“We have been
relentless in advocating
for the establishment of
state police. There can be
no other way if we are
indeed serious about
securing lives and
property.
“It is this incongruity
which propelled the
southwest governors to
form a Regional security
Network codenamed
Amotekun.
“The ultimate is to
convince others to
understand that
devolution of authority is
inexorable. Every state
must be allowed to
RETREAT—Chairman, Goodluck Jonathan Foundation, former president Goodluck Jonathan (centre)
flanked by the former vice president of The Gambia, Mr. Ousiniu Darboe, and the Majority Leader,
The Gambian Parliament, Hon. Kebba Barrow, in a photograph with delegates and officials of the
Goodluck Jonathan Foundation, at the closing of the two-day consultative retreat for political party
leaders on the draft constitution, at the Transcorp Hilton Hotel, Abuja, yesterday. Photo: Abayomi
Adeshida.
secure its space.”
On the setting up of
the Amotekun outfit, he
said: “It has been able to
work within the law
establishing it. Its
operations and successes
recorded justify its
establishment.
“We are not paying mere
lip service to this avowal. It
is a priority. There cannot
be prosperity in an insecure
environment.”
My second term
not for
relaxation
Governor Akeredolu
assured the people of the
state that his second term
in office would not be for
relaxation.
His words: “The second
term, for us, is not a time
for relaxation. We are not
under any illusion that it
will be easy. We are,
however, ready to proceed
on the journey with
renewed enthusiasm and
vigour.
“Though we are yet to
reach the set goal, we are
confident that this
administration is on the
right path.
“We will not depart from
the trodden path which has
earned us affection and
deep reverence for the
citizenry. We shall continue
with more vigour, to justify
the trust earned by our
administration.
“We shall, God willing,
continue to serve in the best
interest of the people. Their
welfare will be the central
focus under my
leadership.”
Besides, the governor
said that his administration
in the next four years will
pursue repackaged
programmes christened
REDEEMED.
“Our administration
intends to focus on
agriculture and youth
empowerment through
entrepreneurship.
“This has led us to
establishment of the Ondo
State Entrepreneurship
Agency, ONDEA”, he said.
I’ll bring Obaseki
back to APC
Governor Akeredolu,
however, promised to
ensure that Governor
Godwin Obaseki of Edo
State returns to the All
Progressives Congress,
APC.
He said: “I will personally
lead in bringing back my
brother Governor Godwin
Obaseki to our fold, the
ruling All Progressives
Congress very soon.”
True Federalism,
a panacea to
insecurity
—Olowu Kuta
Meanwhile, the Olowu of
Kuta, Oba Oyelude
advocated for true
federalism; an
arrangement where
powers are shared among
the federating units which
are coordinate, to exert
overwhelming influence
over their sphere of
jurisdiction without any
form of usurpation.
The monarch, in a
statement, said: “True
federalism as a system that
promotes devolution of
power is the only
institutional framework that
arrogates exercisable
amount of power and
resources to every state to
have overbearing influence
on the governance
activities within its spheres.
“Taming insecurity and
engendering social
wellbeing are only
realizable in Nigeria when
the workload of the federal
government emanating
from the excessive power
and influence which it
wields, can be assuaged.”
Expedite action
on compensation,
Miyetti Allah tells
Makinde
But Chairman of Myetti
Allah in Oyo State, Alhaji
Jiji has asked Governor
Makinde to expedite action
on the compensation he
promised the herders who
lost 27 cows in a crisis at
Alafara/Ologuneru/Apata
axis.
Jiji, who spoke with
Vanguard, said: “I don’t
know anything about that
demand but I want to plead
with Governor Makinde,
who has been of
tremendous help to us, to
please see to the
compensation he promised
my people, who lost their
cows during the recent
attacks at Ido local
government area.
“When that incident
happened, the attackers
shot 27 cows and also
wounded the herder who
is now in the hospital.
Those who lost their cows
have come to me that I
should plead with
Governor Seyi Makinde to
help us as he had
promised”.
“My people had a
meeting yesterday and
they promised that they
wanted to live in peace with
everyone and that any
move that will lead to
peace, they will support it.
“Fulani and Yoruba have
been living together as
brothers. We want this
peaceful relationship to
continue. We will abide by
what Governor Makinde
says because he is a father
to us.”
Ogun Assembly
considers law to
ban open
grazing
On its part, the Ogun
State House of Assembly
said yesterday that plans
were in motion to legislate
on animal husbandry and
related activities through
the enactment of an allinclusive
law on anti-open
grazing in the state.
Speaker of the Assembly,
Mr. Olakunle Oluomo,
disclosed this during a
parley with executive
members of the State
Coalition of Civil Societies
led by its Chairman,
Comrade Yinka Folarin at
the Assembly Complex,
Oke-Mosan in Abeokuta.
Oluomo recalled that
stakeholders including
some northern leaders had
openly condemned the
uncontrolled wandering of
cattle, which had resulted
in series of attacks and
criminal activities
associated with herdsmen/
farmers’ clashes across the
State, especially in the
Yewa axis of the state
The speaker noted that
the Assembly had equally
finalized plans to engage
relevant stakeholders
through public hearings to
put in place laws for the
creation of an agency for the
collection and maintenance
of database for all residents
in the State, thereby having
verifiable details and biodata
to improve on security
operations of residents
across the State.
He added that the
legislative arm was already
liaising with the executive
arm to secure their
commitment for the speedy
assent of the bills within a
reasonable time.
C
M
Y