23032021 - Insecurity: Nigeria in critical situation — DEFENCE MINISTER

Economy 

in dire straits 

over insecurity 

2023: North can’t Nigeria develops two 

be threatened Coronavirus vaccines, 

into submitting to awaits clinical trials, 

separatist agenda certification 8 10 

9 

—NEF 

•122,410 eligible Nigerians vaccinated —GBAJA 

Nigeria’s debt to-revenue ratio to rise by 395% in 2022 — FITCH 

8 

19 

VOL. 27: NO. 64297 TUESDAY, MARCH 23, 2021 

Insecurity: Nigeria in critical 

situation — DEFENCE MINISTER 

•Man, son, nephew shot dead by gunmen in Edo •We rescued 2 victims kidnapped by 

herdsmen —COUNCIL BOSS •MACBAN disowns attack on Gov Ortom •Track, bring 

perpetrators to book — REPS MINORITY CAUCUS •Unmask Ortom’s attackers — 

AKEREDOLU •Governors worried about attack on Ortom — GANDUJE •Don't politicise 

attempt on my life — ORTOM •Anarchy looms — CAN —Pg14 

Many 

S-Court 

decisions 

no longer 

make sense 

—JUSTICE 

RHODES- 

VIVOUR 

9 

Buyers 

react as 

FG 

concludes 

sale of 

57 

marginal 

oilfields 8 

PROTEST OVER ABDUCTED AFAKA STUDENTS... 

The parents and students of the Federal College of Forestry Mechanisation, 

Afaka, blocked Kaduna–Brinin-Gwari Road, demanding the immediate release 

of the abducted students, yesterday. Photos: Olu Ajayi. SEE STORY ON PG 9. 

COLUMNIST ERIC TENIOLA 18 

See 

inside 

Mr & Mrs 

5 

19 die in 

Kaduna – 

Abuja 

road auto 

crash 7

2— Vanguard, TUESDAY, MARCH 23, 2021

Vanguard, TUESDAY, MARCH 23, 2021—3

4— Vanguard, TUESDAY, MARCH 23, 2021

vanguardnews 

@vanguardnews 

@vanguardnews 

NEWS HOTLINES 

018773962, 

08052867058 

Vanguard, TUESDAY, MARCH 23, 2021— 5 

POCKET CARTOON 

MINISTERIAL ROUND TABLE ON THE STATUS OF WOMEN—Representative of the First Lady, Dr 

Hajo Sani (3rdL); Minister of Women Affairs, Dame Pauline Tallen (4thL); United Nations Women 

Representative, Ms Comfort Lamptey ( L); Minister of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and 

Social Development, Sadiya Umar Farouk (4thR) and others, during the opening session of the Ministerial 

Round Table of the 65th Session of United Nations Commission on the Status of Women (CSW65) in 

Abuja, yesterday. 

Insecurity: Nigeria in critical 

situation, says Defence minister 

By Dayo Johnson, 

Regional Editor, 

South-West, 

Johnbosco 

Agbakwuru, Peter 

Duru, Tordue Salem 

& Ochuko Akuopha 

ABUJA — Minister 

of Defence, 

Major-General 

Salihi Magashi, retd, said 

yesterday that Nigeria is in 

a critical situation, 

considering the terrorist 

attacks, banditry and 

kidnappings the country 

currently faces. 

Magashi spoke as three 

indigenes of Ezhionum 

community, Ukwuani Local 

Government Area, Delta 

State, were on Sunday shot 

dead by rampaging 

gunmen suspected to be 

herdsmen along the road 

to a farm reserve at 

Oghonobo, a village in Edo 

State. 

The victims were a man, 

his son and nephew. 

This came on a day the 

Miyetti Allah Cattle 

Breeders Association of 

Nigeria, MACBAN, 

distanced itself from the 

assassination attempt on 

Benue State governor, 

Samuel Ortom, by gunmen 

on Saturday. 

However, the Minority 

Caucus of the House of 

Representatives has called 

on security agencies to track 

and bring to justice those 

involved in the 


the governor. 

Speaking at a National 

Defence and Security 

Summit organised by 

Defence Headquarters, 

with the theme “Promoting 

Kinetic Operations as a 

Major Plank for Counter 

Terrorism and Counter 

Insurgency in Nigeria,” the 

minister called for support 

from the civilian populace 

and other major 

stakeholders to facilitate 

operational success and 

mission outcomes. 

‘Nigeria’s 

situation 

critical’ 

He said: “We are in a 

critical situation that 

requires 

the 

understanding, buy-in, 

support and collaboration 

of important stakeholders 

and key players in this 

strategic option and 

national task. 

“This is important to 

minimize distractions and 

maximize civil support in 

order to facilitate 

operational success and 

mission outcomes. This 

summit is coming at a 

sobering time in the life of 

our dear nation. 

“A time, when merchants 

of violence are threatening 

to tear the very foundations 

of our nation; a time when 

diverse manifestations of 

security threats dot the 

landscape and impact 

individuals, communities 

and almost all sub-national 

entities in disconcerting 

ways; a time when fear and 

uncertainty pervades the 

land; and a time when 

global indicators of national 

insecurity give room for 

serious concern. 

“Physical insecurity in 

Nigeria unexpectedly, has 

both forward and backward 

linkages to different shades 

and forms of national 

security. Indeed, it is linked 

to political instability, 

economic underdevelopment 

and social 

inequalities. 

“Others are food 

insecurity and cumulative 

environmental 

degradation. These 

indicate the multidimensional 

nature of 

national insecurity. 

“In view of these realities, 

the Federal Government of 

Nigeria has over the years 

applied a multilateral 

approach with our 

contiguous neighbours and 

multi-dimensional efforts 

domestically. 

“In Southern Nigeria, the 

security approach include 

but not limited to the 

convening of various 

stakeholder dialogues in 

the Niger Delta; mounting 

of Single-Service, Joint and 

Special Task Forces; 

establishment of the Niger 

Delta Development 

Commission, NDDC; 

establishment of the 

Ministry of Niger Delta; 

declaration of the 

Presidential Amnesty 

Programme for repentant 

Niger Delta militants; 

proscription of the 

Independent Peoples of 

Biafra, IPOB; and the 

establishment of the 

Multinational Maritime 

Coordination Centre Zone 

E in the Gulf of Guinea.” 

Man, son, 

nephew shot 

dead by gunmen 

To accentuate the highlevel 

insecurity in the 

nation, three persons, 

including a man, son and 

his nephew, were on 

Sunday shot dead by 

gunmen suspected to be 

herdsmen along the roda 

to a farm reserve in a 

village in Edo State. 

The attack came a day 

after two farmers from 

Umutu community, Delta 

State, kidnapped by 

herdsmen were rescued by 

a vigilante team in 

Ukwuani Local 

Government Area of the 

state. 

Vanguard gathered that 

the man, identified as Mr. 

Egba, was driving in his car 

with the children along the 

road when the herdsmen 

accosted and opened fire 

on them. 

Confirming the attack 

yesterday, chairman of 

Ukwuani Local 

Government Area, Mr. 

Solomon Ajede, said: 

“Some of our people who 

are indigenes of 

Ezhionum and who are 

resident here in Obiaruku 

travelled to Oghonogbo, a 

reserve area where they 

farm. 

“A lot of people go there 

for farming but it is within 

Edo State. When l got the 

Continues on Page 27 

By Cynthia Alo & 

Oghenefego Obaebor 

On FG's approval of $1.5bn for rehabilitation of PH refinery (3) 

The approval will still 

be a medium of 

siphoning funds. They 

want to do everything to 

rehabilitate a refinery 

when Dangote refinery 

will be kick-starting 

very soon. As a matter 

of fact, Dangote Oil 

Refinery Company, 

DORC, has gone far and 

will be completed soon. 

—Fasanmi Kehinde, 

Student 

It’s a waste of 

resources. The FG 

doesn’t factor in 

maintenance like other 

nations. The amount of 

money approved for 

infrastructure is high with 

no maintenance plan. So, 

I see this as unjustifiable. 

Over $1.5bn spent to 

maintain 4 refineries, yet 

we still import fuel. The 

money will be 

misappropriated with no 

benefit to the people. 

—Ibukunoluwa Omonijo, 

Social worker/student 

It’s easy to say '$1.5bn is 

too much,they are 

wasting funds,' but I believe 

if we want the best, we must 

spend big. The FG should 

let private investors oversee 

the project for proper 

management. 

Also a professional 

operations and 

maintenance company 

should be appointed to 

manage the refinery when 

rehabilitation is complete. 

—Olutekunbi Temitope, 

Videographer 

I think the money 

approved for the rehabilitation 

is too 

much and a waste of 

scarce fund. There 

are better and more 

urgent needs that 

such huge amount of 

money can be 

plugged into to positively 

affect the lives 

of the common man 

on the street. FG 

should stop deceiving 

us. 

—Glory Okoye, 

Student 

I 

am not against 

t h e 

move to rehabilitate 

the Port Harcourt 

refinery but I want to 

clearly state it here 

that, this is done not 

because it’s going to 

enhance the standard of 

living of the general 

populace but because 

it’s going to sustain the 

large share monthly allocation 

of our so 

called leaders. 

—Olufemi Olusegun, 

Teacher 

FG is just deceiving 

us. This whole rehabilitation 

stuff is just 

for political reason of trying 

to get the people to 

vote for them in the coming 

2023 election 2023. 

This is not the first time 

the FG is saying such 

thing, so we the citizens 

must be hold the government 

to account. 

--Ikhumhi Emmanuel 

Student

6— Vanguard, TUESDAY, MARCH 23, 2021 

2 bizmen sue 

police over 

harassment, 

threats 

By Onozure Dania 

TWO businessmen, Dare Osamo 

and Kehinde Okelade, have 

dragged the Economic and 

Financial Crimes Commission, 

EFCC, and the Nigerian Police 

before a Federal High Court, Lagos, 

over their threat and harassment in 

connection with a business deal that 

went wrong with another aggrieved 

party. 

Other respondents in the suit are 

the Inspector-General of Police, Mr 

Isaaki Adewole, Lanre Bamgbose, 

Shibawell Energy Services Limited 

and Star Orient Nigeria Limited. 

The duo in their rights enforcement 

suit, before Justice Chukwujekwu 

Aneke are praying the court to declare 

that the claims of the first to fourth 

respondents, over an alleged breach 

of a Joint Venture Agreement between 

him (Osamo) and Adewole and their 

companies (third and fourth 

respondents) is a dispute referable to 

the civil court only under the 

Constitution of the Federal Republic 

of Nigeria, 1999 (as amended). 

The applicants in an affidavit stated 

that the first respondent is the alter 

ego of the third respondent, 

Shibahwells Energy and Logistics 

Limited, and the second respondent 

is a shareholder of the fourth 

respondent company and is a 

Director and shareholder of Star 

Orient Nigeria Limited, the 4th 

respondent in this suit. 

They stated that the first applicant 

was sometime on July 31, 2018, 

approached by the first respondent 

to enter into a Joint Venture 

Agreement with him as he felt they 

could partner well in the supply of 

aviation fuel to the airlines at the 

Lagos Airport area, adding that the 

first applicant and the first 

respondent along with their various 

companies, had a business 

relationship for a little over a year 

when the parties audited their books 

and saw that the business had made 

some losses. 

He averred that the first respondent 

and his company were having 

liquidity issues in terms of financing 

and rather than use tested financial 

model and or restructure his various 

facilities with the banks, he authored 

a petition to the police against the 

first applicant. 

He said the said petition was used 

to harass, intimidate and coerce the 

first applicant as both first and 

second respondents had decided to 

gang up to push him out of the 

company and that rather than take 

out all perceived grievance in court 

or at arbitration, both the second and 

fourth respondents authored a 

petition to the Assistant Inspector- 

General of Police Zone 2, Command 

Onikan. 

The first to third respondents in 

their preliminary objection to the suit, 

by the counsel, Ogbonnaya Agbafo, 

asked the court to make an order 

dismissing or striking out the suit for 

having been brought mala fide, for 

being incompetent, and for 

constituting an abuse of the process 

of this court. 

Also, the EFCC in its counteraffidavit 

deposed to by one of its 

operatives stated that the first 

applicant was never harassed, 

threatened and or detained at any 

time and that his agency was not in 

connivance with any of the 

respondents to violate the 

fundamental rights of the applicants. 

But the IGP men are yet to file any 

response to the suit. 

Meanwhile, Justice Aneke has fixed 

May 8, 2021, for hearing of the suit. 

Magistrates resume protest over unpaid 26 

months salaries in C-River 

By Ike Uchechukwu 

CALABAR —Magistrates in 

Cross River State, yesterday, 

resumed protest over their 26 

months unpaid salaries at the 

Governor’s Office in Calabar. 

The magistrates, who were 29 in 

number, manned the entrance of the 

Government House, Calabar, 

carrying different placards with 

various inscriptions such as “29 

esquires are in penury, pay us our 

26 months salaries”, “Ayade, stop 

oppressing Cross River Judiciary, 

pay us our salaries,” among others. 

Recall that on January 8, 2021, the 

magistrates had protested while it 

was still 24 months unpaid salary 

arrears but had to dialogue with the 

state government to find amicable 

ways to sort out the imbroglio. 

Speaking with Vanguard at the 

entrance to the Governor’s Office 

during the protest, yesterday, the 

leader of the group, Mr Solomon 

Abuo, a Chief Magistrate with the 

Cross River Judiciary, said they 

suspended the first protest in 

January to give room for the 

government to start work 

immediately in ensuring that they 

got their arrears paid. 

Abuo said while they were 

waiting, the governor called them 

to a meeting and at that meeting, 

formed a committee headed by the 

deputy governor. It was inaugurated 

and given a week to look into the 

issues and give a report so they 

could be payrolled. 

His words: “That meeting took 

place on January 19, so we waited 

till the end of January and nothing 

The protesting magistrates, yesterday. 

happened. So, we went to the 

deputy governor and he told us that 

they couldn’t conclude their work 

within one week. 

“He told us that it won’t be possible 

for us to receive January salaries that 

we will start receiving our salaries 

from February because by then they 

would be done with their report. 

“Even when Mr Olumide Apata, 

President of the Nigerian Bar 

Association, NBA, came to Calabar 

and had a meeting with the state 

government and proffered 

suggestions on how the issue could 

be resolved, nothing was done. 

“Recently, we learned that the 

committee had completed its work 

and sent its recommendations to the 

•Say govt not sincere about 

their plight 

governor and the governor still 

refused to act on it. 

“We have given the governor 

enough time and made some 

concessions, which are four 

possible options on how to add us 

to the payroll system and pay us 

but nothing is being done. 

“If the government was sincere, 

it would have taken one of the 

options but the report was sent 

before February salaries were paid, 

now we are in March, making it 26 

months.” 

Abuo further said they had three 

meetings with the newly sworn-in 

Chief Judge of the state, Justice 

Akon Ikpeme, and she maintained 

that she was doing something about 

the issue and needed more time. 

Contacted, Senior Special 

Adviser, Media and Publicity to 

Governor Ayade, declined to 

comment on the matter. 

However, a government official, 

who pleaded anonymity, told 

Vanguard that the governor had 

given instructions for the deputy 

governor to handle the matter and 

a report had already been drafted 

and the matter would be treated 

accordingly. 

Moreso, the protesting 

magistrates have vowed to continue 

with their peaceful protest, until they 

were paid their salaries no matter 

how long it took. 

Hijab: Churches, schools attacked as Christians, Muslims clash in Ilorin 

By Demola Akinyemi 

ILORIN—DESPITE 

the 

presence of armed security 

operatives, there was a violent clash 

between Christians and Muslims 

at the resumption of students at 

Cherubim and Seraphim Grammar 

School, Sabo Oke, Ilorin, yesterday, 

as the church resisted government 

officials from forcing its gates 

opened to allow students wearing 

hijab to the school. 

The church, before yesterday, had 

mounted barricades at its gate, 

which was also padlocked to keep 

government officials away from 

forcing the gate opened to allow the 

students, who wanted to resume, 

entrance into school premises. 

Situations in other nine schools 

were, however, different as the 

students were allowed to resume 

classes though not all the 

classrooms were opened. 

Fully armed security officers had 

earlier been deployed to forestall 

breakdown of law and order in any 

of the schools. 

Unlike in other nine schools, at 

Cherubim and Seraphim Grammar, 

Sabo Oke, it took combined efforts 

of officers and men of the Kwara 

State Police Command, Nigeria 

Security and Civil Defence Corps, 

NSCDC, and Nigerian Army to 

prevent the violent clash from 

spreading to other parts of the state 

capital as the aggrieved parties took 

to the streets attacking shops and 

offices. 

It was gathered that hoodlums 

reportedly attacked churches, 

schools and shops during the clash, 

creating fear and apprehension 

among residents. 

The hoodlums reportedly 

brandished cutlasses, bottles and 

other dangerous weapons, while 

they matched through some roads 

in the metropolis, just as some of 

them wore masks apparently to 

cover their identities. 

The rampaging hoodlums on 

sighting the locked gate of the 

Cherubim and Seraphim College, 

Sabo Oke, Ilorin, also attacked the 

school, as they threw stones into 

the premises even with presence 

of military operatives stationed at 

the gate of the school. 

The violence reportedly spread 

to St. Barnabas LGEA Primary 

School, Murtala Muhammad Way, 

Ilorin and some churches in the 

area, as people armed with cutlasses 

and broken bottles went on the 

rampage. 

Christians also mobilised to 

counter the attack and protect their 

property. 

Some of the affected areas include 

Sabo Oke, Murtala Muhammad, 

Surulere, Maraba, Post Office 

among others. 

Also, there were reported 

gunshots from security operatives 

when a man allegedly stoned an 

officer at one of the affected schools. 

According to an eyewitness, 

who spoke on condition of 

anonymity, “The officers said they 

were angry over such development 

despite the presence of students in 

the school. 

“The operatives, who pursued 

the youths from the gate of the school 

accused them of creating problem 

around the school.” 

The development, which caused 

apprehension among residents, 

forced shop owners and offices in 

the area to hurriedly close up to avoid 

attack, just as it was reported that 

some shops were looted by the 

hoodlums. 

I didn’t kill her deliberately —Murder suspect 

By Esther Onyegbula 

& Nimat Otori 

A27-year old murder suspect, 

Ikechukwu Michael, who is 

currently being investigated by 

the Lagos State police command 

for allegedly stabbing his 

girlfriend, Chinyere Orji, to 

death, has said the act wasn’t 

deliberate. 

Recounting the events that led 

to the unfortunate incident, 

Ikechukwu said: “When I came 

back from work, my girlfriend, 

Chinyere, opened the door for 

me, when I entered she was all 

dressed up, so I asked her 

where she was going to, she said 

she was going outside. I wasn’t 

satisfied with the response. So, 

I locked the door to prevent her 

from going outside. 

“Chinyere got angry and 

began to scatter everything 

inside the room. I was pulling 

her when she fell on the floor. 

In the process, the mirror on the 

The suspect. 

wall fell and cut her by the side 

. That was how she fell. It wasn’t 

intentional, it was a mistake. 

"After the incident, I was 

shouting for help when a 

neighbour, Angel, assisted me 

while I ran out to get a vehicle 

to take her to the hospital. 

Unfortunately, before I came back 

she had died. 

“We have been dating for two 

years before she died. She was 

a prostitute when I met her but 

she promised to stop, which she 

never did." 

Parading the suspect 

alongside other suspects, the 

Commissioner of Police, 

Hakeem Odumosu, said: "On 

March 3, at about 7 am, Alhaji 

Malami Ibrahim of Alaba Rago 

Market, Ojo, Lagos reported 

that at about 3 am he received a 

call from Task Force officials that 

Ikechukwu Michael of Abuja 

Line, Alaba Rago, allegedly 

stabbed his girlfriend, named 

Chinyere Orji, to death during 

a fight that ensued between 

them. 

"The suspect claimed the 

deceased was a prostitute, hence 

prevented her from going out in 

the night for her usual hustling. 

Serious marks of violence were 

seen on the deceased. The 

suspect will soon be charged to 

court."

Vanguard, TUESDAY, MARCH 23 , 2021—7 

19 die in Kaduna-Abuja auto crash 

By Ibrahim 

HassanWuyo 

NINETEEN 

passengers 

travelling from Lagos to Kano 

reportedly lost their lives in a motor 

accident at the Kateri axis of the 

Kaduna-Abuja highway on 

Sunday, while many sustained 

injuries. 

It was gathered that about 53 

people boarded a commercial DAF 

trailer at a filling station in Kara, 

Lagos en route to Kano. 

The driver of the ill-fated vehicle, 

Auwal Idris, said most of the 

passengers onboard the ill-fated 

trailer were picked at Kara in 

Lagos, with some to be dropped 

off at Zaria, while Kano was meant 

to be the final destination. 

Confirming the casualties, 

yesterday, Kaduna State 

Commissioner, Ministry of Internal 

Security and Home Affairs, Samuel 

Aruwan, said the accident was 

caused by over-speeding on the 

part of the trailer driver. 

He said the driver lost control of 

the vehicle after one of the tyres 

burst, which caused the vehicle to 

veer into the bush. 

He said: “A total of 53 people 

were involved in the crash, 16 of 

these died on the spot, with three 

others later confirmed dead. 

“Thirty-four sustained injuries, 

which range from bruises and cuts 

to dislocations and head injuries. 

They were evacuated from the 

scene by personnel of the Federal 

Road Safety Corps, FRSC. The 

survivors are receiving treatment 

in the hospital. 

Governor Nasir el-Rufai 

expressed shock and sadness at the 

report and prayed for the repose of 

the souls of those who perished in 

the crash while sending 

condolences to their families. He 

also wished the injured victims a 

speedy recovery. 

"Going further, the governor 

commended the personnel of the 

FRSC for their swift response and 

prompt evacuation of the casualties 

from the scene. 

They paid my dowry, stole, sold my baby for N900,000, 

victim reveals 

By Esther Onyegbula 

& Nimat Otori 

A 

20-year-old nursing mother, 

Onyineyechi, whose baby was 

stolen and sold by a syndicate, has 

revealed how she almost lost her 

baby to suspected child traffickers 

in Anyeamelu Local Government 

Area of Anambra State. 

Onyineyechi said her trouble 

began five months after she had 

her baby, Chimunanya, out of 

wedlock. 

According to her, “A young man, 

who lives in our community and 

Chinyere Okechukwu came to ask 

for my hand in marriage. The 

young man in question is a friend, 

we used to talk and he was the one 

that brought (Madam Chichi) 

Chinyere, who acted as his sister. 

“Within a week after necessary 

negotiations with my family, they 

paid my dowry and a few days later 

I had to travel with them back to 

Lagos. On the day of our trip, my 

supposed husband wasn’t there, 

when I asked, Madam Chichi said 

he has been transferred to Abuja. 

“On our way she bought a juice 

for me, which I drank and by the 

time I woke up I didn’t find my 

baby. 

“Immediately I began to ask for 

my baby, Madam Chichi said my 

baby was with her sister. When we 

got to Lagos, I kept disturbing her 

that I want my baby. With the phone 

she bought for me I contacted my 

mother, I told her they had taken 

my baby from me. So I kept 

disturbing Madam Chichi. 

"All this while, I didn’t know they 

had sold my baby already. Madam 

Chichi kept saying, they will 

reconnect me with my child. It was 

after the police got involved that 

the woman, who bought my baby 

was contacted and my baby brought 

and handed over to me. 

“They didn’t tell me how much 

they sold my baby but they told the 

police. It was later I found out." 

Parading the three suspects 

involved in the sale of the baby, the 

Lagos State Commissioner of 

Police, Hakeem Odumosu, said at 

about 3.45 pm, Onyineyechi Okafor 

reported to the Police at Satellite 

Division that her five-month-old 

son was forcefully taken away by 

Chinyere Okechukwu, of 24, 

Muyiwa Opalyeye Street, Surulere 

and sold for N900,000 to one 

Happiness Ibebuilo of Iyana Iba, 

Lagos. 

Immediately the Police swung 

into action and moved to the house 

of one Ibebuilo Paul, from whose 

custody the stolen child was 

recovered. 

The suspects identified as 

Chinyere Okechukwu, Happiness 

Ibebuilo and Paul Ibebuilo are 

currently being investigated by the 

Gender Unit of the State CID 

The suspects. 

Suspects' 

accounts 

Denying the allegation, Chinyere 

Okechukwu, one of the suspects, 

said Onyineyechi’s parents were 

aware that her baby will be 

separated from her. She alleged 

that the baby wasn’t sold. 

Another suspect, Mr Paul, said 

he did not know anything about 

the transaction, “but I was the one 

who picked up the baby from 

Maza Maza. It was my wife that 

gave me the number of the person, 

who gave me the baby. It was after 

I called the number that I went to 

receive the baby at Maza-Maza. 

“I immediately took the baby to 

the police station where I was 

arrested and made to join my wife 

in the police station as an 

accomplice. The only reason I 

agreed to pick up the baby was that 

the police said that they will release 

my wife if I did. Unfortunately, after 

I did I was arrested. 

A HELPING HAND: A beggar soliciting help from motorists along Obafemi 

Awolowo Way, Ikeja, Lagos. Photo: Bunmi Azeez. 

Gunmen kidnap wife of Ekiti ex-surveyor-general 

By Rotimi Ojomoyela 

ADO 

EKITI—Suspected 

gunmen reportedly 

kidnapped Mrs Funmilola 

Osalusi, wife of the late Surveyor- 

General of Ekiti State. 

The victim, a staff of Ado Local 

Government Area, lost her 

husband, Mr Felix Oladapo 

Osalusi, to the cold hands of 

death, barely a year ago. 

Explaining how the incident 

happened, Police Public Relations 

Officer, Ekiti Command, ASP 

Sunday Abutu, said the woman 

was abducted yesterday by three 

gun-wielding men. 

The PPRO added that the 

incident occurred at Mrs 

Osalusi’s residence located 

behind the office of the Nigeria 

Immigration Service, Federal 

Polytechnic Road, Ado Ekiti 

metropolis. 

Abutu said: “The armed men 

numbering three were said to 

have knocked the gate of the 

victim’s residence and tricked her 

outside. 

“She was said to have gone out 

of the gate to ascertain the 

identities of the guests and as she 

did that, the gunmen quietly took 

her away in their vehicle.” 

Abutu said the Police 

Commissioner, Babatunde 

Mobayo, had deployed 

detectives to suspected bushes 

Arrest, 

prosecute killer 

MOPOL, wife of 

slain Lekki 

bizman tasks 

Lagos CP 

By Nimat Otori 

LAGOS—KAFAYAT, wife of 

the slain 45 years old Jelili 

Bakare, popularly known as 

‘Baba Abu’ in Sangotedo area 

of Lagos, has called on the 

state Commissioner of Police, 

Mr Hakeem Odumosu, to 

arrest and prosecute a mobile 

Police officer, who allegedly 

shot her husband to death, 

saying it will serve as a 

deterrent. 

Speaking, yesterday, the 

woman, who bemoaned the 

ugly incident, lamented that 

her breadwinner had been 

killed. 

She said: “I want the 

Commissioner of Police to 

come to our aid and help us 

out. Who will be responsible 

for the education and upkeeps 

of our children now that 

my husband has been shot 

dead for no fault of his?" 

Kafayat pleaded that justice 

must be served in the case of 

her husband, who was cut 

down in his prime by a trigger 

happy MOPOL while eating 

at Quinox VIP Lounge, 

Sangotedo last Thursday night 

It was gathered that a mobile 

police officer attached to Thera 

Peace Estate, Sangotedo went 

on a shooting spree last 

Thursday night and shot Jelili, 

who was at Quinox VIP 

Lounge. 

Bakare was hit by one of the 

bullets and died in the 

process. 

The MOPOL, simply known 

in the area as Jonathan, was 

alleged to have been drunk 

while on duty and shot 

sporadically into the air, 

which threw the whole 

community into pandemonium 

as everyone scampered for 

safety. 

It is not clear if the MOPOL 

is facing an orderly room trial 

or not. Efforts to get the 

spokesperson of the Lagos 

Police Command proved 

abortive as calls put across to 

him were unanswered. 

where the woman was taken to, 

to rescue her. 

Abutu added that the policemen 

would work with operatives of the 

Amotekun corps, hunters, 

Vigilante Group of Nigeria and 

other stakeholders to rescue the 

widow from captivity. 

The police spokesman urged 

members of the public to oblige 

the police with information that 

could help in rescuing the 

woman.

8 — Vanguard, TUEDAY, MARCH 23, 2021 

:Vanguard News 

:@vanguardnews 


NEWS HOTLINES: 08052867023, 08052867058 

VISIT: From 

left, former 

Speaker, House 

of Representatives, 

Hon. 

Dimeji Bankole, 

President 

Buhari with 

former Governor 

of Ogun 

State, Otunba 

Gbenga Daniels, 

as he receives 

the new members 

of APC in 

State House, 

Abuja, yesterday 

COVID-19: Nigeria develops two vaccines, 

awaits clinical trials, certification 

•As FG meets AstraZeneca group, insists vaccines safe 

•Condemns vaccine racketeering, management 

By Omeiza Ajayi 

ABUJA — As the world 

scrambles for the limited 

quantity of COVID-19 

vaccines on offer, Nigeria has 

produced two vaccines against 

the virus, which are set to undergo 

clinical trials and possible 

certification. 

Chairman of the Presidential 

Task Force, PTF, on 

COVID-19 and Secretary to 

the Government of the Federation 

SGF, Mr Boss Mustapha, 

disclosed this at yesterday’s 

briefing of the PTF in Abuja. 

He said: “The disclosure 

that Nigerian scientists have 

produced at least two local 

COVID-19 vaccines which are 

awaiting clinical trials and 

certification is significant. 

This is a welcome development 

that will open a new vista in 

scientific breakthrough and 

will boost the morale and image 

of the medical industry in 

the country. 

“I call on all relevant agencies 

to provide the required 

support and enabling environment 

for smooth conduct of the 

remaining protocols for the 

certification of these vaccines, 

with a view to encouraging and 

motivating other researchers.’’ 

He said the PTF would keep 

Nigerians posted with the 

number of persons vaccinated 

so far, even as the records 

showed that over seven million 

persons had been vaccinated 

in Africa. 

Mustapha added that the 

PTF has received 300,000 

doses of the Oxford- 

AstraZeneca vaccines from 

MTN Nigeria, urging other 

partners to contribute towards 

the fight against COVID-19. 

On the issue of international 

flights, the SGF said: “The 

PTF had informed you in the 

past few weeks on the discussions 

on the KLM & Emirates 

Airlines services in Nigeria. 

Today, I will like to inform you 

that KLM has commenced full 

operations in and out of Nigeria 

since March 15, 2021, 

while operations of Emirates 

in and out of the country has 

been suspended with the exemption 

of cargo and humanitarian 

flights. 

“In the course of the week, a 

new travel and Quarantine 

protocols will be unveiled to 

incorporate persons vaccinated 

against this virus and 

make travels safe for international 

passengers. 

‘’Efforts are being put in 

place for the reopening of 

Kano, Port Harcourt and 

Enugu international airports.” 

He charged the media on 

the need to be very vigilant on 

the management of vaccines, 

saying except there is greater 

vigilance, there is no guarantee 

that the vaccines would not 

find their ways into the shelves 

of patent medicine sellers. 

AstraZeneca’s safe 

On his part, the Minister of 

Health, Dr Osagie Ehanire, 

said the ministry had last week 

met with officials of 

AstraZeneca group, adding 

that there was no cause for 

alarm regarding the safety 

and efficacy of the vaccines. 

“Last week, we met with the 

AstraZeneca group at the Federal 

Ministry of Health. The 

meeting provided an opportunity 

for one-on-one clarification 

on the vaccines. The 

outcome of the meeting was a 

reassurance of the safety and 

efficacy of the vaccine against 

COVID-19. “We have not yet 

recorded unusual side effects 

among those who have received 

the vaccine, which includes 

myself. NAFDAC is 

monitoring the process as part 

of a global tracking of adverse 

effects of the vaccine. 

‘’Anyone who has received 

the vaccine and is experiencing 

any adverse reaction, 

should please report to 

NAFDAC using the Med 

Safety App on your phone or 

report at the centre where you 

received the vaccination,” he 

stated. 

Vaccine racketeering 

Ehanire also condemned 

incidences of vaccine racketeering 

in designated centres, 

saying there was no need for 

that. 

He said: “We have received 

reports of racketeering in 

some of the designated vaccination 

centres. This is not necessary. 

Vaccination has been 

scheduled in phases such that 

frontline health workers and 

those at higher risk of the infection 

are vaccinated first after 

registration at the portal. 

‘’Everyone will be vaccinated 

free and everyone will 

eventually be vaccinated. 

There is no need to pay to be 

vaccinated.’’ 

IOM donates 28 

thermal scanners 

Meanwhile, as part of its 

contributions to ensure faster 

passenger facilitation at the 

nation’s Points of Entry, PoEs, 

the United Nations migration 

agency, the International Organization 

for Migration, 

IOM, has donated 28 thermal 

scanners to Port Health Services 

and the Nigerian Immigration 

Service, NIS. 

According to IOM, the gesture 

is to further strengthen the 

capacity of processing passengers 

at the five main international 

airports, including Lagos, 

Abuja, Kano, Port 

Harcourt and Enugu, with the 

required COVID-19 protocols 

in place. 

The UN agency is also currently 

installing isolation containers 

and boreholes at four 

land border points in the North 

West. 

IOM’s Chief of Mission, Mr 

Franz Celestin, in an address 

read at the event in Abuja, disclosed 

that for the past seven 

months, the organization, 

alongside Port Health Services 

and the Nigeria Immigration 

Service, have worked 

hand in hand to strengthen the 

PHS and NIS’ COVID-19 response 

efforts. 

“This collaboration has resulted 

in 19 Points of Entry 

being equipped with the necessary 

infrastructure and 

equipment for effective border 

management. None of 

this would have been possible 

without the generous support 

of the British Government. 

“To date we have provided 

hand sanitisers, gloves, surgical 

masks, handheld non-contact 

infrared thermometers, 

tyvek overall suits, knapsack 

sprayers and fogging machines, 

and today we want to 

complement these with 28 

thermal scanners which will 

be distributed to all the five 

international airports. 

“Human mobility has 

played a central role in the 

spread of the disease; therefore, 

it is crucial to strengthen 

applied preventive measures 

at the international airports as 

gateways to multiple foreign 

countries. I am very honoured 

to hand over these items today 

to PHS, as another testament 

of the commitment from 

the British Government and 

IOM to support border management 

in Nigeria. 

“We can all agree that responding 

to the pandemic is 

not about PPEs and equipment. 

To this end IOM has 

trained 17 PHS frontline offices 

and 9 NIS officials on 

Infection Prevent and Control 

protocols as far as border 

management is concerned. We 

are currently installing isolation 

containers and boreholes 

at 4 land border points in 

North West”, said Celestin. 

According to him, the development 

of COVID-19 

vaccines brings hope to all 

and begins the journey to what 

hopefully will one day be history. 

“We continue to advocate 

for equitable distribution of 

vaccines to ensure that no one 

is left behind. While the advocacy 

continues, we all should 

be mindful of the fact that it is 

far from over. We still need to 

collectively ensure that 

frontline agencies are protected 

so that they can effectively 

manage our vast national 

borders”, he added. 

By Udeme Akpan 

LAGOS — Nigeria’s 2020 

marginal fields round is 

gradually coming to a close, 

with many indigenous companies 

emerging as winners 

of bids for the 57 fields on offer. 

A marginal field is any oil 

and gas field with relatively 

small reserves reported annually 

to the government and has 

remained unproduced for a 

period of over 10 years. 

It is also known as “fields 

not considered by licence holders 

for development because 

of assumed marginal economics 

under prevailing fiscal 

and market terms.” 

Investigation by Vanguard, 

weekend, showed that the Department 

of Petroleum Resources, 

DPR, ‘the technical 

arm of the Ministry of Petroleum 

Resources, MPR, with a 

broad responsibility for implementing 

government policies, 

has already issued letters to 

successful bidders. 

However, of the 161 companies 

short-listed for this final 

stage, only companies 

with the technical and financial 

capacity to develop the 

fields up to first oil, and pay 

Insecurity: Economy in dire 

straits — Gbajabiamila 

By Tordue Salem 

ABUJA — If not quickly 

addressed, the heightening 

insecurity in the country 

will wreck the country’s 

economy, Speaker of the 

House of Representatives, 

Femi Gbajabiamila, has 

warned. 

To stem the tide, Gbajabiamila 

advised there is need to 

articulate a national longterm 

social and economic development 

framework, with a 

broad acceptance by critical 

stakeholders, to provide a 

pathway towards fixing the 

malaise that has too long mitigated 

against attaining the 

country’s fullest national potentials. 

Gbajabiamila, who stated 

this at a public hearing in Abuja 

yesterday, said, the House 

recently considered and 

adopted motions on the need 

for Nigeria to develop a longer 

term social and economic 

framework vision and the 

need to make adequate loans 

for a post-oil economy in Nigeria. 

He noted that such a 

framework would not be a 

product of politics or a tool 

for politicking, but a foundation 

for national rebirth, as 

had been done successfully in 

other parts of the world. 

The speaker said at present, 

the country is entirely at the 

mercy of fluctuations in the 

global price of oil and gas at 

a time it was increasingly evident 

that prices are on a sustained 

downward trend that 

is no longer sustainable. 

Gbajabiamila stated that 

the country must be resolute 

in its determination and unyielding 

commitment to overcome 

the challenges. 

He added: “We have a limited 

window of time to act before 

worsening circumstances 

force our hands in ways we 

cannot predict. 

‘’I urge you to move with due 

haste, paying attention to all 

the intervening events without 

being distracted by them.” 

Also, the Minister of State, 

Budget and National Planning, 

Mr. Clement Agba, said 

Nigeria must ensure there was 

alignment between its economic 

plans and various 

regional agreements the country 

has signed. 

The minister revealed that 

the ministry considered many 

factors in the preparation of 

the Medium Term National 

Development Plan, (MTNDP) 

2021-2025, and Nigeria agenda 

2050. This, he said, included 

the review of the African 

Union Agenda 2063 and the 

Economic Community of 

West African States (ECOW- 

AS) vision 2050 and the Sustainable 

Development 

Goals (SDGs) 2030. 

“This is to ensure that there 

is alignment between our 

plans and these various regional 

agreements we have 

signed into. And we have ensured 

that with the SDGs, the 

17 goals have been merged to 

be aligned with the 26 Technical 

Working Groups that we 

have,” he noted. 

Agba pointed out that the 

new plans captured the concentric 

diversification of the 

Nigerian economy, both in the 

oil and non-oil revenue sources 

through initiatives encapsulated 

in relevant policies, 

programmes and projects of 

the government in the new 

plans. 

He stated: “The reason for 

concentric diversification is 

that often, Nigerians keep 

saying the economy is not diversified, 

that’s absolutely 

incorrect, the Nigeria economy 

is diversified. 

‘’The problem with our diversification 

is that it is not 

concentrating. We keep saying 

the economy is heavily 

dependent on oil, yest!, it was 

some years ago when oil was 

contributing about 70- 80% of 

revenue and about 95% of our 

foreign exchange, but today 

the non-oil sectors contribute 

about 55 per cent, which is 

higher than the contribution 

of oil to the national revenue.” 

Buyers react as FG concludes sale of 57 

marginal fields 

between $5 million and $20 

million signature bonus 

within 45 days stand the 

chance to finally emerge. 

Already, many companies, 

mostly operating indigenous 

oil and gas, have paid for their 

fields, while others, including 

members of the Petroleum 

Technology Association of 

Nigeria, PETAN, are still 

making efforts. 

Others without the desired 

capacity would automatically 

lose their fields to others. 

But some companies that 

might not be able to meet up 

the target have reacted, alleging 

that the signature bonus is 

exorbitant, and that the DPR 

had not been transparent in 

the management of the bidding 

process. 

Specifically, in different interviews 

with Vanguard, the 

buyers, who pleaded anonymity, 

as it could affect their 

chances to buy the fields, also 

argued that an independent 

committee or jury, made up of 

the international oil companies, 

IOCs, Nigerian National 

Petroleum Corporation, 

NNPC, and the Ministry of 

Petroleum Resources, could 

have been established to review 

the bidding and engage 

with bidders. 

However, in a telephone interview 

with Vanguard, the 

Director/CEO, DPR, Mr. Sarki 

Auwalu, said the agency had 

been very professional and 

transparent in the handling of 

the 2020 marginal fields bidding. 

On the cost of the field, he 

said: “We are aware of the low 

oil price situation, and did not 

arbitrarily fix the cost. We reviewed 

the prices, which the 

bidders had offered, and then 

adopted average prices as the 

cost of the fields. So, we did 

not just fix the prices, we actually 

took into consideration, 

the prices which they offered 

to buy the fields.” 

Also, commenting on the 

timeline, he said: “We have 

acted in accordance with the 

guidelines regarding timelines. 

There is nothing wrong 

about this because the guidelines 

have also given DPR the 

authority to adopt additional 

other legitimate ways and 

means that could enhance the 

success of the bidding. “In 

other words, we have been very 

transparent. The DPR has adequate 

and experienced human 

capital or capacity to 

professionally manage the 

process as we have exhibited 

in the ongoing exercise."

Y 

Vanguard, TUESDAY, MARCH 23, 2021 — 9 


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

AGM: From left, Director, Olayinka Ogunsulire; Managing Director/CEO, Uzoamaka 

Oshogwe; Chairman, Emmanuel Nnorom; Company Secretary, Funmilola Suleiman; Director, 

Ayodeji Adigun, all of Afriland Properties Plc during the 8th Annual General Meeting, 

AGM, of the company, in Victoria Island, Lagos, yesterday. 

2023: North can’t be threatened into 

submitting to separatist agenda — NEF 

•Says vacation order to northerners in South brainchild of 

opportunistic politicians 

By Luminous 

Jannamike 

ABUJA —The Northern 

Elders Forum, NEF, 

yesterday, described as 

unfounded the fear that the 

recent manoeuvre by 

separatists in parts of the 

country will threaten the 

North’s political fortune, 

ahead of the 2023 elections. 

NEF’s spokesman, Dr. 

Hakeem Baba-Ahmed, who 

stated this in a statement in 

Abuja, described the wave of 

irredentism sweeping the 

nation as the brainchild of 

some politicians desperate to 

occupy the highest office in 

the land. 

He said: “We have followed 

recent developments, events 

and utterances from many 

quarters, all of which suggest 

that our country is at a 

defining moment that will 

determine its fate and the 

security of all Nigerians for a 

long time to come. 

“It is no exaggeration to say 

that our country has never 

been so threatened by a 

combination of weak and 

ineffective governance and a 

determined effort from many 

quarters to capitalise on this 

weakness to attack the 

foundations, which give all 

citizens and communities 

some comfort that we are not 

headed for almost certain, 

irretrievable disaster. 

“It appears that many 

groups and persons, who 

have public standing, 

political adventurers and 

upstarts believe that it is open 

season to intensify attacks on 

the foundations of our coexistence 

through acts that 

provoke, frighten or 

otherwise cast doubts over the 

capacities of those who have 

sworn to protect the nation 

and citizens. 

“These groups’ activities 

suggest that they perceive a 

vacuum, which provides a 

perfect setting for 

questioning the legitimacy of 

the Nigerian state, its ability 

to fight against subversion 

and other acts of hostility and 

its commitment to uphold the 

rule of law. 

“The only voices being 

heard are those which 

demand the balkanisation of 

the country, or encourage 

dangerous politics and other 

acts that pitch some 

communities against others. 

“The disturbing silence 

from responsible Nigerians 

and the capitulation of 

hitherto influential groups to 

politics of the gutter is 

creating a dangerous space, 

which further erodes the 

chances that a rational 

approach to the triggers to 

these provocations can be 

found. 

“The Northern Elders’ 

Forum recognises the historic 

opportunity for leaders, 

elders and other Nigerians 

who believe in acting 

responsibly to step up now 

and retrieve the country from 

imminent disaster. 

“The forum restates its 

commitment to sit and discuss 

all the challenges facing the 

country with responsible 

groups and leaders. 

“It understands that many 

of the provocations and 

threats are directly related to 

manoeuvers for 2023, as well 

as attempts to hurt and 

weaken the North by making 

it the culprit behind all manner 

of grievances, real or contrived. 

People who believe 

they can intimidate or 

threaten the North into submitting 

to their demands are 

grossly mistaken. 

“The North also wants a 

Nigeria, which addresses at 

least a minimum of its 

requirements, and these are 

many. Like all other 

Nigerians, it believes this 

country must meet particular 

and general interests, and no 

group’s interest is superior to 

those of the others.” 

Baba-Ahmed, however, 

warned that Nigeria’s 

democratic process must not 

be made hostage to 

dangerous and shortsighted 

politics. 

Buhari receives, Daniel, Bankole, new 

APC members in Aso Rock 

•Why we join ruling party— Ex-Ogun gov 

By Johnbosco 

Agbakwuru 

ABUJA— PRESIDENT 

Muhammadu Buhari, 

yesterday, received former 

governor of Ogun State, 

Gbenga Daniel, and exspeaker 

of the House of 

Representatives, Dimeji 

Bankole, at the Presidential 

Villa, Abuja. 

Former governor Daniel 

and Bankole recently 

defected to the ruling All 

Progressives Congress, 

APC. 

They were accompanied to 

the Presidential Villa by the 

Chairman, Caretaker 

Extraordinary Convention 

Planning Committee, 

CECPC, of the APC, and 

Governor of Yobe, Mai Mala 

Buni; governors of Jigawa 

State, Mohammed Badaru, 

and Kebbi, Atiku Bagudu. 

Daniel was governor of 

Ogun State from 2003 to 2011, 

while Bankole was Speaker 

of the House of 

Representatives from 2007to 

2011 on the platform of 

Peoples Democratic Party, 

PDP. 

Speaking to State House 

correspondents after the 

meeting, the APC chairman, 

Buni, said they came to 

present the new party 

members to the President, 

who expressed delight at the 

caliber of the defectors. 

He said: “We came to 

present new members of our 

party, Daniel and Bankole. 

Mr. President is impressed 

and happy that leaders of 

such calibre are joining our 

party at this time we are 

registering new members, 

and validating our 

membership, and, indeed, 

this is the right time for them 

to join us. That’s exactly what 

Mr. president is very happy. 

He’s pleased and 

impressed.” 

Bankole on his part, said he 

joined the ruling party to give 

support to the effort the 

President was making, 

adding that there were issues 

that needed to be resolved 

which any reasonable 

human being should support 

at this moment. 

He said: “From Borno to 

Lagos, Bayelsa to Sokoto. 

These are critical times and 

we shouldn’t be found 

wanting. 

“This is the time to step up 

and support so that these 

decisions can be taken, 

executed and owned by us as 

a nation. Because 10 years 

from now, 20 years from now, 

people ask who stood up 

when these things were 

happening?" 

On his part, the former 

governor and former 

Director-General, Atiku 

Campaign Organisation, 

Otunba Daniel, while 

explaining why he joined the 

ruling party, stressed the 

need to de-emphasize party 

in the affairs of the country. 

He said: “Why APC? There 

are too many options in the 

party. One thing is sure that 

we are going through health 

and economic challenges, we 

must do less of political 

contestations and give 

support. 

“One thing that is for sure, 

is that the entire world is 

going through challenges 

that are global challenges, 

economic challenges, health 

challenges. And when you 

are in a situation like this, as 

I usually opined, we should 

do less of partisan 

contestation, all of us must 

come together to support 

whoever is in power. 

“What we have decided to 

do is to come and give our 

support to the president so 

that jointly, we can 

continuously navigate the 

country that is what is 

relevant.” 

We must take cognizance 

of our errors, CJN tells 

judges 

By Ikechukwu 

Nnochiri 

ABUJA — The Chief 

Justice of Nigeria, CJN, 

Justice Tanko Muhammad, 

yesterday, warned judges 

across the federation to abstain 

from anything that could 

tarnish their image or tamper 

with their reputation. 

He said judicial officers 

must always take cognizance 

of their errors, saying it was 

the only way they could successfully 

avoid them in future. 

The CJN, who spoke at the 

opening ceremony of the 

2021 Refresher Course for 

Judges and Kadis, organised 

by the National Judicial Institute, 

NJI, stressed that behaviour 

of Nigerian judges 

was closely scrutinised at 

home and abroad. 

He said: “My Lords, as we 

are all aware, good governance 

is synonymous with respect 

for the Rule of Law. Its 

principles also advocate the 

independence of the judiciary, 

the doctrine of separation 

of powers, guarantee of fundamental 

rights, freedom of 

expression epitomized by 

free press and media as well 

as free and fair elections. 

ABUJA—A retired Jus 

tice of the Supreme 

Court, Olabode Rhodes- 

Vivour, said yesterday that 

many previous decisions of 

the apex court should be laid 

to rest and never followed. 

Justice Rhodes-Vivour, who 

clocked the 70 years mandatory 

retirement age yesterday, 

spoke at a valedictory session 

the Supreme Court held in his 

honour. 

He took his last opportunity 

on the bench to address key 

issues affecting both the judiciary 

and the nation. 

The retired jurist noted that 

the Supreme Court had on 

several occasions, held that it 

is absolutely bound by the 

doctrine of Precedent or stare 

decisis. 

He said the doctrine, in effect, 

means “stand by your 

decisions and the decisions of 

your predecessors, however, 

wrong they are and whatever 

injustices they inflict”. 

Justice Rhodes-Vivour argued 

that abiding by such principle 

would ensure that the 

apex court continued to follow 

some of its previous judgements 

that no longer make 

sense. 

He said: “There are some 

Precedents that are clearly out 

of date, and should no longer 

be followed. 

“I am of the view that Precedents 

that no longer make 

sense anymore or are outdated 

should be laid to rest 

and never followed.” 

On the issue of corruption, 

Justice Rhodes-Vivour 

“Good governance in itself 

is nothing if the implication 

of the fundamental principles 

enshrined in the constitution 

of this nation cannot be readily 

determined in constitutional 

adjudication by a Judiciary 

manned by upright 

judicial officers. 

“This is premises on the fact 

that as the society depends 

on justice, those who are singularly 

advantaged to do justice 

to all manner of persons, 

must ensure that they themselves 

are standing erect, far 

away from all manners of injustice. 

“One way of achieving 

that, My Lords, is to take cognisance 

of our errors, if any, in order 

to avoid them. 

“It is very clear, My Lords, that 

judicial ethics is as old as the 

emergence of civilised society 

and the art of judging as recognised 

by God Almighty is replicated 

from scriptural references 

in the two major religious of 

the world, Christianity and Islam. 

“As such, Judges should abstain 

from what could tarnish 

their good image or tamper with 

their reputation or religion. 

In her welcome address, the 

Administrator of the NJI, Justice 

R. P. I. Bozimo, said the refresher 

course was aimed at 

keeping judges abreast of global 

best practices in adjudication 

and court administration. 

Many S-Court decisions no 

longer make sense – Justice 

Rhodes-Vivour 

*Urges FG to tackle 

corruption 

By Ikechukwu 

Nnochiri 

stressed that it exists in all the 

countries of the earth, adding 

that Nigeria is no exception. 

He said what should be 

done was to reduce it drastically, 

“thereby making our 

dear country an exception by 

building credible and transparent 

systems”. 

The retired jurist further observed 

that elections in the 

country are always protracted 

due to the fact that the stakes 

are usually high. 

He noted that most elections 

are often resolved by the 

courts, simply because most 

politicians are never satisfied 

with the results announced by 

the regulatory body charged 

with the conduct of elections, 

INEC. 

Justice Rhodes-Vivour recalled 

that he had in a judgement 

he delivered in 2016, in 

an election dispute that involved 

the Governor of Cross 

River State, Emmanuel 

Udom, pointed out that a careful 

reading and understanding 

of decided authorities, 

would show that a Petitioner 

has an uphill task proving his 

petition in accordance with 

the Electoral Act. 

He, therefore, recommended 

that the Electoral Act 

should be amended to shift the 

burden of proof to INEC to 

prove that it conducted a fair 

and reasonable election. 

More so, the retired jurist 

noted that though he had in 

2006, while serving as a Justice 

of the Court of Appeal, 

held in the case of Dokubo- 

Asari Vs FRN that where National 

Security is threatened 

or there is the real likelihood 

of it being threatened, human 

rights or the individual rights, 

must be suspended until the 

National Security can be protected 

or well taken care of.

C 

M 

Y 

K 

10 — Vanguard, TUESDAY, MARCH 23, 2021 

COVID-19: 122,410 eligible Nigerians 

vaccinated — NPHCDA 

• Lagos leads, 8 states yet to commence vaccination 

By Sola Ogundipe, 

Chioma Obinna & 

Gabriel Olawale 

FEW days into the 

COVID-19 vaccination 

exercise in Nigeria, an 

update released by the 

National Primary Health 

Care Development 

Agency, NPHCDA, on 

Monday showed that a 

total of 122,410 eligible 

Nigerians have so far been 

vaccinated, representing 

3.1 percent of the 

proportion vaccinated. 

A breakdown of the 

NPHCDA update 

contained in an Electronic 

Management of 

Immunisation Data 

System, further revealed 

that Lagos is leading in the 

exercise with 36,009 

persons vaccinated. 

Two other states trailing 

Lagos are Jigawa 19,226, 

and Bauchi 14,422. 

Other states tha have 

recorded 3-digit figures in 

the exercise are Ogun, 

9,765; Kaduna, 7,099; 

Kwara, 5,302; FCT, 5232; 

Nasarawa, 5,133; 

Adamawa, 4,150; Katsina, 

3,401; Osun, 3,234; Yobe, 

2,498; Kano, 1,495; Edo, 

1,267; Ondo, 887; Imo, 

706; Rivers, 699; Cross 

Rivers, 366; Bayelsa, 358; 

Plateau, 305; Enugu, 277; 

Delta, 214; Gombe, 158; 

Ekiti, 67; Benue, 65; Akwa 

Ibom, 55 and Anambra, 10, 

while Ebonyi and Borno 

recorded 8 and 2 

respectively. 

Sadly eight states are yet 

to vaccinate a single 

person. These include 

Abia, Kebbi, Kogi, Niger, 

Oyo, Sokoto, Taraba, and 

Zamfara. 

Speaking on the 

development, the 

Executive Director of the 

NPHCDA, Dr Faisal 

Shuaib, said full 

implementation of 

COVID19 vaccination, 

has commenced in 33 

states and the Federal 

capital Territory, FCT, while 

four States of Kogi, Kebbi, 

Zamfara and Oyo are yet 

to commence . 

“We believe this would 

further assure Nigerians 

that the government is 

honest and has made a 

safe choice of vaccine for 

protecting its people 

against COVID -19. 

“We shall continue to 

collaborate with the 

National Agency for Food 

and Drug Administration 

and Control, NAFDAC, 

pharmacovigilance team 

to monitor the 

administration of the 

vaccine and document any 

adverse reactions.” 

Further, he insted that no 

Nigerian has so far 

developed severe side 

effects. 

“No Nigerian so far has 

developed any known 

severe side effects 

following vaccination with 

the AstraZeneca COVID- 

19 vaccine. 

“What we have observed 

among some of those 

vaccinated are mild side 

effects, such as pain and 

swelling at the injection 

site. 

“Information reaching us 

from the states reveal that 

there are reports of alleged 

vaccine mismanagement 

at some vaccination sites 

e.g. at Police Clinic, 

Falomo in Lagos state. 

“This is currently being 

investigated and we 

understand from the Lagos 

State Government that a 

report would be made 

available today. 

“We anticipate that 

decisive action will be taken 

against anyone found 

culpable of subverting the 

vaccination process. 

“So, we do expect full 

application of the 

accountability mechanism. 

Beyond this case, the 

Federal Government is 

following closely on its 

vaccine accountability 

framework to ensure that 

similar cases of vaccine 

mismanagement and other 

sharp practices are 

quashed,” he stated. 

Continuing, the 

Executive Director, said the 

agency had established a 

collaborative partnership 

with regulatory and anticorruption 

agencies to 

further strengthen vaccine 

accountability. 

“Generally, the 

procurement of vaccines 

will be done with utmost 

transparency and 

government approved due 

processes. We have also 

instituted mechanisms to 

ensure that the roll out of 

the COVID-19 vaccine in 

all the states is equally free 

from corrupt practices. 

The Minister of Health,, 

Dr Osagie Ehanire has 

warned against any form 

of payment for vaccination. 

Speaking yesterday 

during Presidential Task 

Force, PTF, on COVID-19 

briefing, Ehanire raised 

the alarm over vaccine 

racketeering at some 

vaccination centres in 

Nigeria. 

He cautioned Nigerians 

against paying for the 

vaccine as “everyone will 

be vaccinated free.” 

Ehanire, who was 

represented by Abdullaziz 

Abdullahi, permanent 

secretary of the Federal 

Ministry of Health, 

however, said fraudulent 

activities have been 

reported concerning the 

vaccination process. 

“We have received 

reports of racketeering in 

some of the designated 

vaccination centres. This is 

not necessary,” he said. 

“Vaccination has been 

scheduled in phases such 

that frontline health 

workers and those at 

higher risk of the infection 

are vaccinated first after 

registration at the portal. 

“Everyone will be 

vaccinated free and 

everyone will eventually be 

vaccinated. There is no 

need to pay to be 

vaccinated. 

The minister also said 

the government met with 

a group from AstraZeneca, 

whose vaccine Nigeria is 

using.” 

“The outcome of the 

meeting was a reassurance 

of the safety and efficacy of 

the vaccine against 

COVID-19. We have not 

yet recorded unusual side 

effects among those who 

have received the vaccine 

including myself,” he said. 

Unemployment, poor dietary 

practices escalating protein 

deficiency — REPORT 

By Chioma Obinna 

DESPITE efforts by the 

government and 

some private organizations 

to reduce malnutrition 

in the country, the latest 

Nigerian 2020 Protein 

Deficiency report has 

shown that poor dietary 

habits, lack of jobs, and 

poverty are escalating 

protein deficiency in Nigeria. 

The new report released 

Thursday in Lagos also 

highlighted that the main 

nutritional problems in 

Nigeria are inadequate 

intake of proteins and micro-nutrients 

such as vitamin 

A, iron and iodine 

amongst other nutritional 

and health problems. 

The report which was 

presented at the Protein 

Challenge Webinar Series 

8 tagged: “The Nigerian 

Protein Deficiency 

Report: Unpacking the 

Numbers, Exploring the 

Issues” , stated that the 

reduction in purchasing 

power naturally leads to 

a lack of funds to buy nutritious 

foods. 

Presenting the report, a 

research analyst and 

Service Line Lead at 

IPSOS, Mr Obaro 

Agalabri argued that 

lacks of the job were a 

major factor fuelling protein 

deficiency. “The lack 

of jobs adds to pressure 

on consumers in a country 

where food prices rose 

more than 20 per cent 

year-on-year in January 

and authorities struggle to 

bring insecurity driven by 

violent insurgency attacks 

and kidnappings under 

control. 

“The number of people 

looking for jobs will keep 

rising as population 

Academy of Medicine Specialities constitutes 

rapid-response group on pandemics 

By Sola Ogundipe 

A 

TEAM of eminent 

medical experts in the 

fields of virology, 

microbiology, 

epidemiology and 

medicine, has been 

assembled by the 

Academy of Medicine 

Specialties to constitue a 

Rapid Response Initiative 

Committee to assess and 

advise the Federal 

government on issues 

bordering on the COVID- 

19 pandemic. 

Among members of the 

rapid initiative group are 

Prof Geoffrey 

Onyemelukwe, Prof 

Oyewole Tomori, Prof 

Vincent Rotimi, Prof Akin 

Osibogun, Prof Bruce 

Ovbiagele, Prof Obinna 

Onwujekwe, Prof Tunde 

Salako, Prof Sade 

Ogunsola, Prof Sunday 

Omilabu, Prof Christian 

Happi, and Dr. Yahaya 

Mohammed. 

Other experts in the 

stated fields as well as 

Fellows of the Academy, 

with interest in 

communicable disease are 

to be invited to join the 

group. 

Disclosing this in a 

statement, the President of 

the Academy, Prof 

Oladapo Ashiru, noted 

that the members of the 

group would advise the 

Academy regularly and 

their recommendations 

would be published and 

made available to the 

federal government and 

in the Academy’s 

Newsletter. 

“Among their terms of 

reference include: to 

explore the current state of 

the art and provide 

recommendations to 

improve the countrywide 

strategy for 

preparedness, border 

control in cases of new 

Pandemics, regulatory 

approval, 

distribution of vaccines, 

and post-approval 

surveillance for adverse 

effects for immunisation. 

The members of the 

group would also assist in 

clarifying the struggle to 

vaccinate or not, and if, 

growth continues to 

outpace output expansion. 

Nigeria is expected to be 

the world’s third-mostpopulous 

country by 2050, 

with over 300 million people, 

according to the 

United Nations, 

”The reduction in purchasing 

power inherently 

leads to a lack of funds to 

buy nutritious foods, as 

families resort to consuming 

cheap foods with low 

nutritional values.” he 

stated. 

Citing the National Bureau 

of Statistics, NBS, he 

explained that more than 

half of the labour force in 

Nigeria was unemployed; 

hence, it reduces the purchasing 

power of households. 

In her presentation: “Exploring 

the issues behind 

protein deficiency in Nigeria”, 

Dr Beatrice 

Oganah-Ikujenyo of the 

Department of Home Economics, 

Adeniran 

Ogunsanya College of 

Education traced the main 

nutritional problems to 

socio-economic, cultural 

and political factors. 

She identified as the core 

issues facing the alleviation 

of protein deficiency as 

poor knowledge of food and 

feeding habits, poverty, 

high cost of animal protein, 

culture/superstitions, high 

consumption of starch and 

children were rarely given 

large meat or fish portion. 

Oganah–Ikujenyo said 

the report highlighted the 

specific obstacles and barriers 

hindering the reduction 

of protein deficiency in 

Nigeria, she said the report 

showed that carbohydrates 

like rice and pasta 

were the most consumed 

foods that appeared on the 

meal consumption patterns 

of Nigerians. 

with mRNA or DNA 

vaccines and AEFI 

consequences, to which 

groups or not to administer 

vaccination; Use of 

Ivermectin, steaming, use 

if vitamins and 

supplements and other 

factors. 

They are to organise 

webinar series on COVID-19 

on the variants, vaccinations, 

curbing transmission, and 

public awareness, and to 

explore the genomics aspects 

of COVID-19 in terms of 

variants. The group would 

also make reports of 

advances and progress in 

combating the Pandemic to 

the Academy for onward 

transmission to 

Government and the 

Public.

C 

M 

Y 

K 

Vanguard, , TUESDAY, MARCH 23, 2021 — 11 

:Vanguard :@vanguardnews :@vanguardnewsNEWS HOTLINES: 

Social Media Conversation 

• The gridlock, as at yeaterday, after hoodlums' attack on the e-Call Up enforcement 

teams. 

APAPA GRIDLOCK: Hoodlums attack Lagos 

traffic team over e-Call Up enforcement 

By Olasunkanmi 

Akoni, with agency reports 

LAGOS—EFFORTS 

to 

restore sanity to Apapa 

and environs may suffer set 

back, following violent attacks 

on the Lagos Traffic 

Management and 

Enforcement Team, in Apapa, 

by suspected hoodlums, over 

the implementation of the 

newly introduced Electronic 

Call-Up system in port 

operations. 

This came on a day the 

Shippers Association of Lagos 

said Nigeria loses over N800 

billion monthly, due to lack of 

24-hour seaport operation. 

An eyewitness, simply 

identified as Ahmed, said the 

incident happened around 

midnight on Saturday when 

unknown miscreants launched 

a surprise attack on the team. 

Ahmed said: “The incident 

happened around 1 am when 

trucks were been called into 

the port. Suddenly, unknown 

hoodlums launched a surprise 

attack on the men of the state 

traffic team. 

“Sensing danger, the team 

took to their heels as the 

hoodlums pursued them with 

dangerous weapons such as 

broken bottles, batons, knives, 

among others. 

“The hoodlums, who are 

being aided by policemen and 

some illegal truckers 

subsequently, took over the 

road after they have 

succeeded in sending the 

traffic team away.” 

When contacted, Special 

Adviser to the Governor on 

LIRS tasks Lagos residents to 

file returns 

LAGOS—LAGOS 

State 

Internal Revenue Service, LIRS, 

yesterday, urged taxable person(s) in the 

state to file their annual tax returns for 

the 2021 Year of Assessment under the 

provisions of the Personal Income Tax 

Act. 

A statement by Head, Corporate 

Communications of LIRS, Monsurat 

Amasa, stated that given the safety 

protocols in Lagos State, necessitated by 

the COVID-19 pandemic, the LIRS 

“charges all individual taxpayers residing 

in Lagos State to prepare and submit 

their income tax returns via the electronic 

• Why Nigeria loses N800bn monthly to 

port operations —Shippers association 

Transportation, Mr. 

Oluwatoyin Fayinka, 

confirmed the attack, saying 

that the Commissioner of 

Police, CP, Hakeem Odumosu 

had been fully briefed for 

further action. 

Fayinka said: “Our mandate 

is to ensure sanity in Apapa 

and we will not shy away from 

this. We will not be deterred 

by their antics. This mission is 

no retreat, no surrender. 

“We are urging all 

stakeholders to corporate in 

ensuring this arrangement 

achieves its set objectives, 

especially, elimination of traffic 

congestion within the ports 

and environs.” 

Why Nigeria loses 

N800bn monthly to 

port operations 

—Shippers association 

Meanwhile, President of the 

Shippers Association of Lagos, 

Mr. Jonathan Nicole, who 

spoke with the News Agency 

of Nigeria, NAN, decried the 

alleged refusal of some 

government agencies to key 

into the 24-hour port operation 

directive, describing it as 

unfortunate. 

He said: “The port is moneyspinning. 

Payments are daily 

made to shipping companies, 

terminal operators, customs, 

and transporters, Ministries, 

Department and Agencies, 

MDAs, in the ports. 

“If one is bringing out 1,000 

containers, add the customs 

filing system module of the e-Tax platform, 

introduced to make the filing process 

seamless and timely.” 

Also speaking, the Executive 

Chairman of LIRS, Mr. Ayodele Subair 

said: “The statutory deadline to file 

Individual Tax Return is March 31, 2021, 

and is just 2 weeks away. Therefore, I 

urge all taxable residents in Lagos State 

to comply with the tax laws and file on 

time, to avoid penalties and interests 

which may accrue against defaulters. 

“The LIRS wishes to remind residents 

and businesses to continue to adhere to 

all covid-19 guidelines as stipulated by 

the relevant health authorities and the 

Lagos State Government.” 

duty, shipping and terminal 

charges, transportation and 

even under-the-table 

transactions, then you will 

understand the amount 

involved. 

“We need to put in place 

policies that are workable and 

cannot be thwarted.” 

Omuo killings: 

Court remands 

3 suspects 

By Rotimi Ojomoyela 

ADO-EKITI—A 

Chief 

Magistrates Court, sitting in 

Ado-Ekiti, yesterday, ordered the 

remand of three suspects, 

allegedly involved in the killings 

of two persons, during the last 

Saturday’s Ekiti East 

Constituency 1 By-election. 

The three suspects were ordered 

to be remanded at the Federal 

Correctional Centre, in Ado-Ekiti. 

The defendants are Adenijo 

Olusola, 38, popularly called 

Solar; Paul Folorunso, 45, and 

Adebayo Serifat, 40, a female. 

They were suspected to have 

committed the offence of 

conspiracy to murder and 

attempted murder of Babatunde 

Adeleye and Bola Adebisi. 

The offence is punishable under 

Section 516 and 319 (1) of the 

Criminal Code Cap C16, Laws of 

Ekiti State 2012. 

The police prosecutor, ASP 

M.A. Akala, represented the 

police, while the Department of 

Public Prosecution, DPP, Julius 

Ajibare, who appeared for the 

state, said the state has taken over 

the matter and urged the court to 

grant the application of the 

prosecution. 

Ajibare said the motion is 

supported by 8 paragraphs 

affidavit. 

The DPP also supported his 

claims by the statements of the 

defendants and urged the court 

to grant his application. 

The Chief Magistrate, Mr. 

Abdulhamid Lawal, granted and 

ordered the remand of the 3 

suspects at the correctional centre 

in Ado Ekiti and adjourned the case to 

April 19, 2021, for mention. 

How about "my air fare?" 

Only if you were once a suspect! 

Three men in one!

C 

M 

Y 

K 




LAUNCHING: From left—Mr Chidi Jerry, author of Man and Mangrove-A Reawakening; Mr Celestine Ogolo, 

representative of Rivers State Commissioner of Information and Communication, Mr Iniruo Wills, former 

Commissioner for Environment, Bayelsa State; Dr. Mina Ogbanga; Dr. Igbik Tamuno, Commissioner for 

Environment, Rivers State, Prof. Nenibarini Zabbey and Prof Benjamin Azubuike, during the official launch of 

the Chidi Jerry in Port Harcourt to mark World Forest Day. Photo. Nwankpa Chijioke. 

Akwa, only a caretaker, will handover 

to NDDC board —Jaro Egbo 

By Emma Amaize, 

Regional Editor, 

South-South & Sam 

Oyadongha 

ASABA—THE Interim Ad 

ministrator/ Chief Executive 

Officer, CEO, Niger Delta 

Development Commission, 

NDDC, Mr Effiong Akwa, is 

only a caretaker at the interventionist 

agency and would 

handover to a new governing 

board after the ongoing forensic 

audit, his Media Adviser, 

Olorogun Jaro Egbo, has 

said. 

Egbo, dousing rising tension 

over non-inauguration of 

NDDC governing board 

screened and confirmed by 

the Senate, October, last year, 

said: "He (Akwa) believes he 

is a caretaker, who will hand 

over to a new board once the 

forensic audit is completed." 

He said those stoking tension 

in the region were powerful 

persons feeding fat on the 

system, who were angry that 

the Interim Administrator has 

blocked leakages. 

He said, "Let me tell you, no 

contract has been awarded by 

the interim administrator or 

the management team. The 

budget has just been released 

and the interim administrator 

insisted that any contract 

or project contained in the 

approved budget must pass 

through due process, which is 

that the project must be published 

for bids and only those 

qualified will be awarded 

projects. I am sure it is this insistence 

on due process that is 

leading to renewed tension. 

"I want to use this medium 

to appeal to our beloved 

South- South governors and 

stakeholders for understanding 

so that the forensic audit 

is completed before a new 

board takeovers so that the 

audit can be acted upon by 

the new board." 

Stakeholders, however, 

counteracted NDDC with the 

Udurhie I, Ovie of Idjerhe 

Kingdom, Delta State, HRM 

O. Whiskey, saying in a letter 

to President Muhammadu 

Buhari that the Minister of 

Niger Delta Affairs, Senator 

Godswill Akpabio, was the 

one causing tension in the region 

with the manner he was 

running NDDC as a personal 

estate. 

Convener, South-South Reawakening 

Group, SSRG, 

Joseph Ambakederimo, said 

that tension was escalating to 

a boiling point due to the continuous 

running of NDDC 

with interim managements, 

rather than governing board 

authorized by the Act setting 

up the commission. HRM 

Whiskey, who endorsed 

South-South governors' 

stance that President Buhari 

should escrow all funds to 

NDDC, except salaries and 

running costs, until NDDC's 

governing board was inaugurated, 

said: "Your Excellency, 

if the truth must be told and 

as royal father, I cannot run 

away from the fact that 

Obong Akpabio has dangerously 

crossed the rubicon and 

needed to be urgently called 

to order as his recent escapades 

and unguided utterances 

against critical stakeholders 

like the governors and royal 

fathers are nothing, but 

buying more trouble in the already 

tensed region like the 

Niger Delta. 

"Since September 2019, 

when the Minister of the Federal 

Ministry viciously took 

over the mantle of controllership 

of the regional interventionist 

agency, the NDDC, he 

has left nobody in doubt as to 

his mission and vision to 

make the agency his personal 

estate. 

SSRG convener, Ambakederimo, 

told Vanguard: "The 

tension is reaching a boiling 

point and the earlier the President 

reigns in Akpabio, the 

better for everyone.'' 

"We are in support of the 

statement by the South- 

South Governor's Forum on 

the shenanigan that has festered 

in the NDDC for quite a 

while largely due to the meddlesomeness 

and the obsession 

of the Minister of Niger- 

Delta. 

"We have observed long ago 

that the obsession on the part 

of the minister is never altruistic 

in the first place but only 

a scheme to corner the resources 

that belong to the people 

of the region to himself. 

Even if the position of the governors 

is coming a bit late, we 

still commend their resolve to 

speak on this matter and on 

behalf of their people who 

depend on the NDDC for their 

survival and on whose back 

the NDDC came to being." 

OGONI CLEANUP: FG flags off construction 

of N6bn water facilities in Ogoni 

By Davies 

Iheamnachor 

PORT 

HARCOURT— 

THE Federal Government 

has flagged off the construction 

of water facilities in 

Ogoni communities of Rivers 

State. 

The water projects estimated 

to gulp N6 billion in four 

local government areas in 

Ogoniland, is to provide safe 

drinking water for oil impacted 

communities in the area. 

Flagging off the projects at 

Kpean in Khana Local Government 

Area of the state, 

Minister of Environment, Dr 

Mohammad Abubakar, said 

in the first phase, six projects 

would be executed to be followed 

by eight more projects 

across the four LGAs. 

Abubakar said: "I am happy 

today to flag off the six 

projects of water for Ogoni 

communities; provision of 

portable water is one of the 

recommendations on the 

United Nations Environmental 

Project, UNEP report. 

"Today, I am happy to 

launch the rollout of 5,000 

need assessment forms to be 

distributed across all the four 

LGAs in Ogoniland. This will 

help to file appropriate skills 

to develop youths and women. 

"The Federal Executive 

Council on March 3, 2021, 

approved the award of six 

water projects for the supply 

of water at the cost of N 6 billion. 

This is a major mile stone 

and very soon, we will be running 

additional eight water 

projects for the people of 

Ogoni." 

Deforestation, high temperature behind rapid 

desertification in Nigeria — Expert 

By Emma Una 

CSOR ALABAR—PROFES 

Ndem Eniang, a 

biodiversity expert and lecturer 

at the University of Uyo, 

Akwa Ibom State, has warned 

that with the rapid rate of desertification 

in Nigeria, half 

of the country would become 

desert in the next 10 years except 

urgent measures were 

taken to stem the tide. 

Speaking to Vanguard on 

the 2021 Global Forest Day, 

Professor Eniang said a combination 

of factors among 

them extreme high temperature, 

high deforestation rate, 

decreasing rainfall and lacklustre 

government efforts towards 

afforestation were behind 

the rapid desertification 

of the country. 

He said, "Nigeria's wide 

biodiversity of 899 species, 

274 mammals, 154 reptiles, 

53 amphibians, 4,715 species 

of higher plants have been 

negatively affected by the negative 

impact of deforestation 

and desertification. 

"From 1990 to 2010, Nigeria 

halved its amount of forest 

cover moving from 

17,234 to 9,041 hectares. Going 

by that trend, we can safely 

conclude that the country 

has lost even more amount of 

that forest cover by 2020 and 

in the next decade, half of the 

country will become desert 

"Governments at various 

levels have caused the most 

deforestation by their gross 

unwillingness to imbibe and 

orchestrate holistically global 

best practices, tenets of forest 

management and ecosystem 

approaches to biodiversity 

conservation. 

"If the government is unable 

to promote afforestation, it 

should at least promote the 

protection and sustenance of 

existing regeneration by constituting 

them into protected 

areas since protected forests 

have the biological capacity 

to regenerate and replenish 

themselves 

"Nigeria has all the benefits 

to derive from our forests and 

stem desertification if they are 

well classified, protected and 

managed. Therefore, let us 

join hands and support the 

Biodiversity Preservation 

Centre and other well meaning 

individuals and stakeholders 

across the nation to 

promote the ideals of afforestation. 

" 

Insecurity issues threatening 

Nigeria's existence —NNSG 

By Dapo Akinrefon 

THE NIGERIA National 

Summit Group, NNSG, 

yesterday, warned that the insecurity 

problem threatening 

Nigeria as a country must be 

resolved. 

A statement by its Executive 

Secretary, Mr Tony Uranta, 

said, "An emergency virtual 

assembly of a vital zonal coalition 

on Monday, was suspended 

following the heated 

back and forth arguments regarding 

the need to keep Nigeria 

together, where the hotheated 

majority didn't care 

how it will be arrived at, but 

were determined that Nigeria 

should cease to exist immediately, 

regardless of the negative 

fallouts that a dismembered 

Nigeria would force on 

both Nigeria and the world. 

"The only news that we hear 

these days regarding Nigeria 

is frighteningly bizarre. We 

hear about the unilateral declarations 

of independence and 

the avoidable massacres that 

will be visited on Nigerians nationwide. 

Nobody's leading 

any attempt to urge restraint 

on anybody, even as erstwhile 

commonsensical leaders are 

grandstanding and computing 

what may be gained by who at 

the end of a series of no-walksin 

the park set of conflicts that 

we all must join in the fight. 

"This sad part, we are all in 

Maritime varsity: Our son didn't 

die of Covid-19, family insist 

By Innocent Anaba 

ASABA—THE last may 

not have been heard of 

the death of 20 years old Emmanuel 

Okpeku, student of 

National Maritime University, 

NMU, Okerenkoko, Delta 

State, as the family has insisted 

that their son did not die of 

Covid-19, but negligence on 

the part of the university management. 

It would be recalled that 

NMU Registrar, Dr Alfred 

Mulade, had said that Uhi, 

who took ill in school, was diagnosed 

with Covid-19 symptoms 

and that they followed 

Covid-19 protocols in responding 

to the situation until 

the eventual death of the student. 

But Aigbe Okpeku, in a 

statement on behalf of the family, 

said "Contrary to NMU's 

claim that arrangement was 

made for Uhi to go to Warri 

and land in the waiting hands 

of the Local Government Focal 

Person, it was a family 

member who provided the 

funds required to transport Uhi 

today, could have been avoided 

if our leaders had respected 

the people they profess to lead 

and if a reconciliatory national 

roundtable had been convened 

by the Federal Government. 

The roundtable could 

have been focused on the principles 

distilled and agreed 

upon during the 2014 National 

Conference, or the Federal 

Government could even have 

chosen to concentrate on Governor 

El-Rufai's APC report 

which was a mishmash of the 

2014 conference in a sense. 

Now, everybody is bent on the 

country's splintering regardless 

of the human, territorial 

or properties costs. 

"The ongoing insecurity 

problem threatening the very 

fabric of Nigeria as a country 

must be resolved. Sanity and 

stability must calculatedly and 

consistently replace the current 

anarchy and diminishing humanity 

that have become de 

rigueur. 

"The Federal Government 

must begin to act more as a 

government of all the people, 

must act decisively against every 

anti-law and order bodies 

and actions, such as kidnappings, 

banditry, and herdsmen 

attacks on other Nigerians. 

The Federal Government 

must show that it is determined 

to see to their elimination, 

even if it means inviting some 

superpowers of the European 

continent especially." 

and his friend from the university 

health centre to Warri. 

Upon arriving Warri on March 

3, 2021, the same Uhi that was 

supposedly expected by the 

Local Government Focal Person 

could not be attended to at 

the Warri Central Hospital as 

he was told that the unit had 

closed for the day and so he 

and his friend had to stay at a 

hotel. 

"A family member funded 

the bill as well as we have the 

proof of transfer of funds. Uhi's 

samples and that of his friend 

were taken on March 4, and 

they were asked to leave. 

"More worrying is the fact 

that the NMU asserted that Uhi 

and his friend abandoned the 

drugs that Uhi was given at the 

jetty. This is not only ridiculous 

but beggars' common sense as 

NMU had none of its medical 

personnel in attendance. The 

absence of medical personnel 

on this medical trip is even 

more disturbing considering 

the state Uhi was physically 

and otherwise having been 

seriously unwell and unable 

to eat for three days.‘‘ 

Arhedjor family elects Ikolo as 

rep for Eghwu Royalship contest 

By Onozure Dania 

WARRI—THE Arhedjor 

Royal Family has elected 

Clement Oghenerukevwe 

as its representative in the 

Ovieship contest of the ancient 

Urhobo Kingdom of 

Eghwu in Ughelli South Local 

Government Area of Delta 

State. 

Ikolo was returned unopposed 

in an election at the 

family hall in Unuame Quarters 

in the community, as the 

other two contestants, Charlie 

Ziregbe and Independence 

Asawadega did not show up 

for the election. 

The Unuevworo (traditional 

mouth piece) of Arendjo 

Royal Family, College Akpo- 

brise, who conducted the 

election, told newsmen 

shortly after the exercise, that 

the Eghwu Ruling House of 

Ekade comprised four families, 

namely: Aro, Evueraye, 

Ebedje and Arhedjor. 

He explained that in ascension 

to the Ovieship stool, the 

families must present a candidate 

each to the Ekade, 

Chief James Umolo, who is 

the Unuevworo (the traditional 

mouth piece) of the Ruling 

House, who shall, in turn, 

present the four candidates 

representing the royal families 

to the Ayawan (king makers), 

who shall produce the 

Ovie (king) from amongst the 

four candidates presented to 

them by Chief Umolo.




UNVEILING: From left—Brand Manager, Trophy, Aanu Oyewole; Celebrity Guest, Sophie Alakija; Trophy 

Brand Ambassador, Folarin Falana aka Falz; Marketing Manager, Trophy, Bamise Oyegbami and Trophy Brand 

Ambassador, Femi Adebayo, during the unveiling of Trophy Tallest Beer bottle in Lagos. Photo: Akeem Salau. 

Lawyers in Anambra boycott courts over 

insecurity 

•Take to streets to protest kidnap, murder of their colleague 

By Vincent 

Ujumadu & 

Chimaobi Nwaiwu 

AWKA—THE Nigerian 

Bar Association, NBA, 

Anambra State, has directed 

its members to boycott all 

courts from Monday March 

22, to Wednesday 24 March, 

2021 in protest against the 

worsening security situation 

in the state, which has also 

claimed the life of an Onitsha 

based lawyer, Chief Francis 

Onwuachu. 

The lawyers consequently 

took to the streets in Awka 

yesterday to protest the worrisome 

security situation in the 

state. 

Until his murder by suspected 

herdsmen, Onwuachu 

was the president general of 

Omor community in Ayamelum 

local government area of 

the state. 

The protest by the lawyers 

and subsequent boycott paralyzed 

activities at the various 

courts in the state, forcing 

the judges and magistrates to 

adjourn sittings. 

The lawyers, who dressed in 

their official attire, took off 

from the High Court complex 

and marched through the 

major streets in Awka and later 

converged at the Government 

House where they chanted 

songs to condemn the development. 

A statement signed by the 

eight branch chairmen of 

NBA in the state, which was 

made available to reporters 

read: "The committee of 

chairmen and secretaries of 

the Nigeria Bar Association 

Imo govt revokes 49 plots belonging to 

Okorocha's elder sister 

By Chidi Nkwopara 

OWERRI—IT is not yet 

Uhuru for the Senator 

Rochas Okorocha family and 

friends, as Imo State Government, 

yesterday, announced 

the revocation of 49 plots 

linked to the Senator's elder 

sister, Mrs. Geraldine Obinali. 

Government's position was 

made public vide a public 

notice issued by the management 

of Imo State Housing 

Corporation and made available 

to newsmen in Owerri. 

Part of the document read: 

"Having complied with all legal 

steps of notifying Jessdean 

Ventures Limited, of 

Number 3 Okeoma Close, 

Trans Egbu Layout, Owerri, 

owned by Geraldine Obinali 

(nee Okorocha), we hereby 

revoke the following plot 

numbers in Redemption 

Housing Estate Phase III, issued 

to her for the purpose of 

providing infrastructural facilities 

in the estates which 

was never carried out." 

After enumerating the numbers 

of the affected 49 plots, 

the housing corporation 

management equally added: 

"The general public is hereby 

notified that if anybody have 

transacted on any of the above 

numbered plots, they are to 

come to the Imo State Housing 

Corporation, with original 

papers for ratifications." 

It should be recalled that 

there has been fireworks be- 

By Chimaobi 

Nwaiwu 

NNEWI—THE Bishop, 

Diocese of Ideato, Anglican 

Communion, Rt Rev. 

Henry Okeke, has raised the 

alarm that Nigeria may be 

hit by hunger and starvation 

next year if the federal government 

fails to address the 

security problems across the 

country which is preventing 

farmers from going to farm. 

He also said that the present 

administration of President 

Muhammadu Buhari should 

not see the prejudices against 

its government as coming 

from any particular ethnic 

group in Nigeria but from 

across the six geopolitical 

zones of the country, and he 

should therefore, step up action 

towards addressing the 

complaints of Nigerians. 

Bishop Okeke regretted that 

tween Okorocha and his loyalists 

and functionaries of the 

state government, since the 

White Paper on the judicial 

panel on land administration 

was gazetted and published. 

As at the last count, no fewer 

than 25 groups, including 

Imo Stakeholders, Owerri 

Zonal Elders Forum and 

Compatriots for Good Governance, 

have variously expressed 

their support for the 

full implementation of the 

content of the White Paper. 

Meanwhile, Governor 

Hope Uzodimma, in a recent 

radio and television live programme, 

assured the citizenry 

of the determination of his 

administration to "recover all 

ill-gotten properties, illegally 

acquired by any individual, no 

matter how highly placed ". 

branches in Anambra State 

bemoans the worsening security 

situation in Anambra 

State and calls on the federal 

government, Anambra State 

government and heads of security 

agencies to wake up 

and be alive to their responsibilities 

of protecting lives 

and property of the citizens. 

The committee notes that the 

security situation in Anambra 

State is highly tensed up and 

frightening to say the least. 

"Recently, there had been 

cases of kidnap and gruesome 

murder/killing of innocent 

citizens and security personnel 

in the state and nothing 

is being done to curb this 

frightening security challenges 

in the state. 

"Just last week Friday, a 

lawyer, Bar Frank Onwuachu, 

who is also the President General 

of Omor in Ayamelum 

LGA of Anambra State was 

kidnapped along Ezu River/ 

Anaku road and gruesomely 

murdered the following day 

by his captors. 

"On19/3/2021, two prison 

officers were killed at Ekwulobia, 

Aguata LGA and this is 

barely 24 hours after Naval 

officers and policemen were 

killed at Awkuzu and Neni 

respectively. 

"Also, a Naval outpost close 

to Bridgehead, Onitsha, was 

attacked sometime last week, 

resulting to the killing of some 

Naval officers and their weapons 

carted away. 

"The committee urgently 

calls on the state government 

to, as a matter of urgency, 

summon a meeting of various 

security agencies in the state 

to address this worrisome security 

situation and tackle it 

headlong. 

"Failure by the state government 

to act immediately may 

lead to a descent to anarchy. 

"We all cannot continue to 

downplay the security situation 

or pretend that all is well. 

The time to act is now." 

The lawyers condoled with 

the family and NBA Otuocha 

branch, where the late Onwuachi 

belonged, as well as 

the families of all security 

personnel killed by unknown 

gunmen during the attacks 

in parts of Anambra State. 

Nigeria may be hit by hunger, starvation soon 

—Anglican Bishop 

insecurity in Nigeria is preventing 

farmers from going 

to their farms, just as it is preventing 

businesses that would 

have accrued to Nigeria and 

Nigerians and rubbishing every 

achievement the present 

administration has recorded. 

"People are leaving their 

ancestral homes and going to 

different places to stay because 

of insecurity. Very soon, 

farmers are expected to go 

back to farm for the season 

but how many of the farmers 

in the country are ready to go 

to their farms with the present 

insecurity in the country? How 

many of the farmers in the 

northern region will go back 

to their farms again because 

of insecurity? What that means 

is that Nigeria is in danger of 

being hit by hunger and starvation 

next year. 

"The people leaving their 

ancestral homes to settle in 

places they consider safe for 

them are people that have 

been producing food for our 

country Nigeria, doing so well 

and you find food crops moving 

from North to South, 

South to North and North to 

East and East to North. 

"Insecurity is taking us backwards 

and has driven investors 

away from the country, 

making major countries and 

people who would have done 

business with Nigeria and 

Nigerians loose confidence in 

the administration, the country 

and in Nigerian partners. 

"The prejudices against the 

present administration, especially 

on matters of insecurity 

is not just coming from the 

South East, South South, 

South West, North East, North 

West or North Central, but 

from across the six geopolitical 

zones of the country. Even 

people from the North are not 

comfortable with the way 

things are going in the country 

because nobody wants to 

loose his life". 

NANS to FG: Be decisive in 

tackling security challenges 

Imo North: Confusion in Ararume's 

camp, as PDP loyalists protest in 

Imo 

By Chinonso Alozie 

FG begins training of Abia 

young graduates on satellite, 

internet technology 

By Steve Oko 

ABA—THE Federal Gov 

ernment yesterday, began 

a five-day training of 50 Abia 

young graduates on internet 

and satellite technology. 

The training which is anchored 

by the Federal Ministry 

of Communications & 

Digital Economy is aimed at 

reducing unemployment and 

endless search for white collar 

jobs. 

Participants were drawn 

from all 17 Local Government 

Areas of the state. 

In an interview with VAN- 

GUARD, one of the participants, 

Mr. Nduoma Okoroafor 

expressed joy over the 

training which he said was a 

capacity building and empowerment 

for self reliance. 

He commended the Minister 

of States for Mines and 

Steel Development, Dr. Uche 

Ogah, for attracting the training 

which he said, would 

make huge economic impact 

on youths. 

By Peter Okutu 

ABAKALIKI—THE Na 

tional President, National 

Association of Nigerian 

Students, NANS, Comrade 

Sunday Dayo, weekend, 

called on the Federal Government 

to take a decisive action 

towards tackling the security 

situation in the country, especially 

the kidnapping of students 

of both secondary and 

territiary institutions. 

The President of NANS who 

stated this during the 65th 

Senate Meeting of the Association 

in Abakaliki, explained 

that if the development 

was not urgently tackled, 

it could lead to breakdown 

of law and order in different 

regions and emergence 

of secessionist groups in the 

country. 

Dayo further condemned 

the kidnapping of students by 

criminals masquerading as 

bandits in the country. He described 

their action as "a terrorist 

attack" which has undermined 

the efforts of the 

President Muhammadu Buhari-led 

Federal Government 

in the area of Security. 

He said: "My inauguration 

was on Wednesday, on Thursday 

night, I received news 

about my colleagues who 

were kidnapped again in Kaduna 

State, that is, from Federal 

College of Forestry 

Mechanization in Kaduna 

State and as I speak to you 

today, 35 or 36 students are 

still under the custody of these 

people. 

"I made a statement in a 

press conference, I said: 'this 

is a threat to Nigerian students 

and it's a terrorist attacked 

to Nigerian students', 

I also said, 'this insecurity in 

the North west is sending education 

into the grave in the 

region and it's also a threat to 

the future of the region. 

"The leaders in the region, 

irrespective of their own political 

interests, should come 

together and fight it. They 

started the incessant kidnapping 

of students from secondary 

schools, now they have 

extended it to the textiary institutions." 

O WERRI—CONFU 

SION has engulfed the 

camp of Senator Ifeanyi 

Ararume over the issuance of 

Certificate of Return, CoR, 

within 72 hours as said to have 

been ordered by the federal 

high court in Abuja last Friday 

on the Imo North by- election. 

Vanguard gathered yesterday 

from the camp of 

Ararume that the certificate 

of return would be issued to 

Ararume, on Monday (yesterday) 

no matter the counter 

court order stopping the issuance 

of the certificate. 

This was even as hundreds 

of loyalists to the Imo State 

chapter of the Peoples Democratic 

Party, PDP, yesterday, 

staged a protest to the Owerri 

office of the Independent National 

Electoral Commission, 

INEC, along Port Harcourt 

road, demanding that the certificate 

of return should be issued 

to their own candidate, 

Emma Okewulonu. 

According to pro-Ararume's 

group, "We are expecting that 

the Certificate of Return be 

issued to Senator Ifeanyi 

Ararume on Monday or Tuesday. 

There are no two ways 

about it. The judgment of the 

federal high court Abuja was 

clear. They should issue the 

certificate to Ararume before 

any other thing. 

"The federal high court said 

he should be issued the certificate 

of return within 72 hours 

and it must happen. The only 

confusion is to know the next 

step Ararume will take after 

these counter court orders." 

However, for the protesting 

loyalists of the Imo PDP, "APC 

has no candidate and the certificate 

of return should be issued 

to our candidate Emma 

Okewulonu. How can a party 

win an election without a candidate? 

We want that certificate 

to be given to PDP." 

Nduoma further noted that 

any effort geared towards 

youth empowerment "is the 

most effective way of fighting 

crime" considering the ripple 

effects of having a productive 

youth population. 

He noted that only Abia and 

Ebonyi States were selected 

from the South East geo-political 

zone and thanked Dr. 

Ogah for "projecting the cause 

of Abia youths". 

Another participant, Mr. 

Nkwocha Chibunna from Ikwuano, 

said that he was prepared 

to acquire the needed 

skill that would enable him 

veer into the digital technology 

for self reliance. The graduate 

of Marketing said it was 

the first time he would be participating 

from any federal 

government sponsored training 

and empowerment 

scheme in the state. 

He appealed to the federal 

government to make real 

without delay, its promise to 

empower the participants to 

enable them establish themselves.




OPENING: From left—Martins Osuji, Area Manager, Lagos, Advans Nigeria; Gaetan Debuchy, MD; Jean Luc 

Nzoubou, Deputy MD; Abiodun Olayinka, Branch Manager, Ikorodu branch, Advans LA Fayette Microfinance 

Bank and Gregoire Danel-Fedou, Chairman of the Board, Advans Nigeria during the official opening of Ikorodu 

branch of Advans LA Fayette Microfinance Bank in Ikorodu, Lagos on Monday. Photo Lamidi Bamidele. 

Attack on Ortom: Nigeria heading 

towards anarchy —CAN 

• As Benue leaders, youths demand arrest of Miyetti Allah, FUNAM leaders 

• Olawepo says attack plot to destabilize Benue 

By Peter Duru & 

Dirisu Yakubu 

MAKURDI: As outrage 

continues to trail last 

Saturday's attack on Governor 

Samuel Ortom of Benue 

State, by suspected armed 

herders at Tyo-Mu, outskirts 

of Makurdi town, Christian 

Association of Nigeria, CAN 

yesterday warned that Nigeria 

was heading towards anarchy., 

This came as leaders of the 

Association of Benue Socio- 

Cultural Organisations, AB- 

SCO, pleaded with the international 

community to intervene 

in the worsening insecurity 

in Nigeria and save the 

country from a looming disaster 

and disintegration. 

Similarly, League of Friends 

Association, LFA, urged President 

Muhammadu Buhari to 

order the immediate arrest 

and prosecution of the leaders 

of Miyetti Allah Cattle 

Breeders Association of Nigeria, 

MACBAN, and that of 

Fulani Nationalist Movement, 

FUNAM, who claimed 

responsibility for the attack 

on the governor and herdsmen 

crisis in Benue State. 

Reacting to the attack, State 

Chairman of CAN, Rev. Akpen 

Leva, warned that the attack 

on the governor was an 

indication that "Nigeria is 

heading to anarchy. If a governor 

of a state would be attacked 

for no genuine reason, 

it then means Nigeria is fast 

becoming a lawless state. This 

is incredible. 

"Nigerians should all rise up 

to condemn this satanic act. 

What is happening to Benue 

state and Governor Ortom is 

not confined to Benue state 

and the Governor alone. It 

has already degenerated and 

all Nigerians will in no distant 

future begin to feel the 

effect of the barbaric act." 

LFA 

Also, briefing journalists in 

Makurdi, Chairman of LFA 

Dr. Frank Kyungun, insisted 

that the federal government 

should arrest for questioning, 

the leaders of Miyetti Allah 

Kautal Hore, the FUNAM 

and other extremist groups 

fanning the embers of disunity 

and violence in the country 

as being demanded by 

statholders across the country. 

Dr. Kyungun drew the attention 

of the security agencies 

to the various perceived 

threats issued by Fulani sociocultural 

associations where 

they blamed Governor Ortom 

for the plight of Fulani herdsmen 

because of the Benue 

State anti-grazing law. 

He said "The League of 

Friends call on the President 

Muhammadu Buhari led 

Federal Government to fish 

out these assailants and swiftly 

prosecute them according 

to the laws of the country and 

beef up security around the 

governor and Benue communities 

in order to prevent the 

re-occurrence of this ugly 

event. 

"We call on the Police to 

quickly launch an investigation 

into this satanic attack on 

the Governor and bring the 

culprits and their sponsors to 

book to serve as a deterrent to 

others bent on threatening the 

peace, security and unity of the 

country." 

ABSCO 

On his part, Chairman of 

ABSCO, Chief Iorbee Ihagh, 

at a briefing in Makurdi said 

"since it has become clear that 

the federal government is incapable 

of arresting the activities 

of bloodthirsty herdsmen, 

it is therefore imperative 

to ask the international community 

particularly the West 

to come to the rescue of Nigeria 

to save us from a looming 

disaster and disintegration. 

We are also worried that those 

who claimed responsibility 

for this particular attack and 

killings in our state walk the 

streets of Abuja without any 

effort to arrest them for questioning." 

Protesting youths 

Protesting Benue youths 

under the aegis of Coalition 

of Benue youths, yesterday 

stormed the Benue Government 

House to protest against 

the attack on the Benue Governor. 

The various youth groups 

including students leaders 

who carried placards with inscriptions 

like 'we will defend 

our land', 'do not turn Nigeria 

to Cowgeria' and 'we will not 

repeal our grazing law', 'declare 

herdsmen terrorist now', 

among others through their 

leaders warned against any 

plot to assassinate Governor 

Ortom "because it will be the 

biggest mistake of all time." 

Receiving the protesters, the 

governor appealed to them to 

be civil assuring that he would 

continue to stand in defense 

of the Benue people. He urged 

them to be patient and await 

the outcome of the ongoing 

investigation into the attack 

warning that the investigation 

should be thorough and not 

be "business as usually." 

Plot to destabilize 

Benue 

Meanwhile, Ex- Presidential 

hopeful in the 2019 general 

elections, Gbenga Olawepo- 

Hashim, yesterday in Abuja, 

condemned the attack on 

Governor Ortom , saying the 

attack was a move to cause 

unrest in the North-Central 

state. 

Olawepo-Hashim in a statement 

in Abuja, noted that the 

attack on Ortom by armed 

terrorists while the Governor 

visited his farm near Makurdi, 

"was an indication that 

criminal elements have infiltrated 

the region, posing a 

threat to law abiding citizens 

no matter their status in life. 

Just recently, the elder brother 

to Senator Gabriel 

Suswan,a former governor of 

the state was killed. Such high 

profile killing and the recent 

attempt on the life Governor 

Ortom is an indication that 

some people are not happy 

with the peaceful order in the 

state." 

IWD fire chat: Access bank 

challenges women to take 

centre stage 

LAGOS—GIVEN the chal 

lenges women face in the 

workplace and their attempt 

to break away from societal 

stereotypes, Access Bank Plc 

has organised a virtual fireside 

chat to analyze the issues 

women face and proffered 

solutions to help them own 

their voices. 

Kaduna abduction: Parents give FG, El-Rufai 48 hours to 

rescue 39 students 

By Ibrahim 

HassanWuyo 

KADUNA—PARENTS of 

the abducted students of 

the Federal College of Forestry 

Mechanization, FCFM, 

Mando in Igabi Local Government 

Area , LGA, of Kaduna 

State, yesterday issued 

a 48 hour ultimatum to the 

State and Federal Governments 

to rescue their children. 

The grieving parents however, 

at a briefing, appealed 

to the United Nations, Nigerian 

Bar Association, NBA, 

Academic Staff Union of 

Universities, ASUU, well 

meaning Nigerians and 

world leaders to prevail on the 

state and federal governments 

to speedily rescue their children 

from the bandits. 

Recall that on March 11, 

2020, large number of bandits 

invaded the FCFM, 

Mando in Igabi LGA, and 

•Appeal to UN, NBA, ASUU, world leaders for intervention 

kidnapped the students. 

On Saturday, March 13, a 

viral video where the students 

were seen crying and appealing 

to the government to pay 

the N500 million demanded 

by the bandits as ransom for 

their release. 

At statement by Chairman 

and Secretary of the aggrieved 

Parents, Kambai 

Sam and Friday Sanni, respectively, 

which was read by 

the Chairman at the briefing, 

among others, said "You 

would recall that on the night 

of 11th March, 2021, gunmen 

invaded the Federal College 

of Forestry Mechanisation, 

and forcefully abducted 39 

students of the Institution at 

gun point - 23 of them are female 

students while 16 are 

male. Several others sustained 

varying degrees of injuries 

while running for their 

dear lives. " 

"The bandits had a field day 

Stop Hijab Bill, CAN tells NASS 

on the night of capture and 

for over an hour carried out 

their nefarious activity largely 

unchallenged until the military 

came after 3 batches of 

students had been taken out 

of the college through the perimeter 

fence. Not a single one 

of the 39 abducted students 

has been rescued. We have put 

our trust in the government 

and school authority to rescue 

the students in good time 

and safely, but that has not 

happened. It is now 12 dark 

dreary days since the unfortunate 

incident happened and 

we as parents have not received 

any positive message 

from either the school management, 

the Minister of Environment 

under whose ministry 

the school is or the Kaduna 

State Government under 

whose territorial jurisdiction 

the school is located. 

This silence is unacceptable 

as it only feeds our hopelessness 

with each passing day. 

"We are using this press conference 

to call the attention of 

government at state and federal 

levels and all stakeholders 

involved, and indeed the 

world, to act with dispatch to 

ensure the immediate and safe 

release of our children. We 

have seen this kind of ugly 

event happen in Katsina, 

Zamfara and Niger states and 

swiftly the governments acted 

and ensured the safe and 

timely rescue of the victims, 

so why is the case of the Afaka 

39 different? Why should our 

innocent children pay for the 

failure of government to provide 

security of life and property? 

Or is it now a crime to 

seek education in schools? Let 

us not forget that the students 

were taken in bad shape - some 

were barely covering themselves, 

especially the ladies. 

This is a dangerous thing and 

should have made the government 

to act faster." 

By Luminous 

Jannamike 

ABUJA—THE Christian 

Association of Nigeria, 

CAN, has urged the leadership 

of the National Assembly, to 

suspend a bill before the 

House of Representatives, 

which seeks to institutionalize 

the use of Hijab in the 

country, saying the proposed 

law is ill-timed and uncalled 

for. 

The umbrella Christian 

body warned that legislating 

the wearing of Hijab in private 

schools would lead to 

trouble that the sponsors of 

the bill may not be able to 

handle 

In a statement yesterday in 

Abuja, its General Secretary, 

Joseph Daramola, among 

others, said "The Christian 

Association of Nigeria calls 

on the leadership of the National 

Assembly to suspend a 

bill before the House of Representatives 

seeking to institutionalise 

the use of hijab in 

the country. It is ill-timed and 

uncalled for. 

"The bill titled "Religious 

Discrimination (Prohibition, 

Prevention) Bill, 2021" was 

seeking to provide a mechanism 

for enforcing certain 

provisions of the Constitution 

and other international laws 

that recognizes the right of 

female to adorn Hijab in both 

public and private establishments 


"We wonder what the sponsors 

of the Bill seek to gain 

from it other than to compound 

the security problem 

and the wearing of Hijab in 

public and Christian schools. 

According to the 1999 Constitution 

(as amended), the 

'National Assembly shall have 

power to make laws for the 

peace, order and good government 

of the Federation or 

any part thereof with respect 

to any matter included in the 

Exclusive Legislative List set 

out in Part 1 of the Second 

Schedule to this Constitution.' 

"To what extent does this 

controversial bill seek to promote 

peace, order and good 

governance? Has dress code 

become part of the Exclusive 

Legislative List? 

"While the citizens are expecting 

the National Assembly 

to make laws that will address 

the lopsided appointments, 

insecurity, unemployment 

and economic predicament, 

our lawmakers are interested 

in making laws that 

seek to promote one religion. 

This is totally unacceptable in 

a country with multiple religions. 

"Honestly speaking, it is not 

the wearing of Hijab that is 

our problem, it is the legislation 

of the wearing of it in private 

schools, especially of the 

schools whose proprietors 

have a different culture to that 

of wearing of the Hijab. If 

anyone travels to Rome, it is 

common saying that he or she 

should do as the Romans do 

since he was not forced to 

come! 

"If any Christian pupil goes 

to a Muslim School, he or she 

should abide by their practices 

there and vice versa. Why 

should a Muslim student 

come to a Christian school 

which operates under different 

dressing culture and insist 

on her own culture? That appears 

provocative and disrespectful! 

"Legislating the wearing of 

hijab in private schools would 

lead to the trouble that those 

who started it may not be able 

to handle. Abandoning school 

uniform for religious dressing 

is going to divide the students 

along religious lines and further 

polarize our society. ‘‘ 

It is also for women to fight 

impostor syndrome and maintain 

assertiveness in a non-inclusive 

workplace 

The fireside chat was 

themed "Take the Centre 

Stage: Speak Up!" and featured 

keynote speakers Dr 

Dere Awosika - Chairman, 

Access Bank Plc.; Aishah Ahmad 

- Deputy Governor, 

CBN; Ayona Trimnell Group 

Head, W Initiative at Access 

Bank; as well as an interesting 

line-up of panelists including; 

Marketing and Innovation 

Director, Guinness Nigeria 

- Adenike Adebola, Director 

of Governance and Sustainability, 

Sahara Group 

Limited - Pearl Uzokwe, 

amongst other remarkable 

women. 

Dr Herbert Wigwe ,the 

Group Managing Director 

and CEO, Access Bank PLC, 

gave the welcome address for 

the event while the keynote 

speech was given by Aishah 

Ahmad. Ahmad discussed the 

challenges women have faced 

and are still facing, particularly 

during the COVID-19 

pandemic - highlighting issues 

ranging from unemployment 

to domestic violence. 

Speaking on the notion that 

women have to work twice as 

hard as men to stay ahead in 

the workplace, Aisha disagreed 

and said, "I don't think 

women have to work twice as 

hard, I think they are working 

hard enough, what they 

need to do is to network more."


Y 

K 


:Vanguard 

News 


A KURE—NINE 

herders, with over 100 

cattle, were arrested, 

weekend, by operatives of 

the Ondo State Security 

outfit, codenamed 

Amotekun, for violating the 

state government’s open 

grazing law. 

The herders and their 

cattle were arrested along 

the Akure/Ilesa road in the 

state. 

Similarly, Governor 

Rotimi Akeredolu of Ondo 

State, yesterday, warned 

illegal occupants of the 

state forest reserves, saying 

he owed no one any 

apology on his quit order 

to criminally minded 

herders. 

This came on a day scores 

of youths from different 

parts of Oyo State, 

yesterday, staged a protest 

at the state Secretariat, 

Agodi, in Ibadan, over 

arraignment and detention 

of three members of the 

Oodua People’s Congress, 

OPC, who arrested the 

accused notorious kidnap 

kingpin, Mr. Iskilu Wakili. 

Ondo Amotekun 

nabs 9 herders, 

100 cattle 

Speaking with newsmen, 

the State Commander of 

Amotekun, Chief Adetunji 

Adeleye, said the cows 

were intercepted and 

arrested at the boundary of 

Osun and Ondo States. 

The state government has 

banned open grazing 

across the state. 

Adeleye said: “Our men 

controlled the cows to the 

headquarters of our office, 

which was about 30 

kilometres from the point 

they were intercepted. 

“I don’t want to narrow it 

on the issue of capturing 

cattle. I would want to say 

it is a way of reducing 

crime. The cows were 

blocking the major road 

leading to the state capital. 

“Apart from the possibility 

of illegal grazing in most 

cases, it is the ploy that 

kidnappers use. 

“One of the occupants in 

the vehicle that was blocked 

called our distress line; and 

within few minutes, our 

men were on the ground. 

“We should take note that 

our men are in all the 18 

local government areas and 

we are on 24 hours patrol 

ANTI-OPEN GRAZING LAW: Ondo 

Amotekun nabs 9 herders, 100 cattle 

• We owe no apology to nobody —Akeredolu 

• As Ibarapa youths protest remand of OPC members 

By Dayo Johnson & 

Ola Ajayi 

and we arrived at the scene 

promptly. 

“The culprits, who sited 

us on arrival, ran away as 

they controlled the cows to 

follow them, but we were 

only able to control them. 

We owe no 

apology to 

nobody 

—Akeredolu 

Speaking against the 

backdrop of the anti-open 

grazing law, Governor 

Akeredolu said his 

administration will not be 

afraid to take decisions 

considered beneficial to the 

people of the state, vowing 

not to take orders from any 

quarters. 

The governor spoke at the 

swearing-in of the first 

female Secretary to the State 

Government, SSG, Princess 

Oladunni Odu and four 

Special Advisers in Akure. 

His words: “We will 

continue to eject and 

punish, under the law, 

anyone, either herder or 

farmer, illegally occupying 

our forest reserves. 

“We will not relent on our 

decision to rid our state of 

undesirable elements. We 

owe no one any further 

explanation or apology on 

this resolution to ensure 

peace for no one other than 

our people. 

“Anyone, who intends to 

engage in a private 

business of animal 

husbandry, in this age, must 

be ready to abide with the 

modern methods or quit. 

“We, therefore, reiterate 

our stance on the 

prohibition of open grazing 

by cattle rearers in any part 

of Ondo State. On this, 

there shall be no 

compromise. In a similar 

vein, we will continue to 

arrest any under-age 

herders in the state. 

“The Government will 

prosecute the mindless 

handlers of these 

unfortunate kids. 

“We will insist on 

punishing any errant 

herdsman and exact 

compensation 

commensurate to the level 

of destruction of farms and 

businesses in any part of 

the State. 

“Anyone who commits a 

crime under the guise of 

outmoded pastoralism shall 

be sanctioned severely. 

“We will proceed to 

mobilize the people against 

this menace. The people of 

Ondo State will not accept 

any aberrant incursion into 

our space. 

“This administration, 

under our leadership, will 

not shirk its responsibilities 

in any manner. We will not 

mortgage the future of the 

coming generations for 

political expediency. 

“We do not want to be 

seen as politically correct 

when our people are dying 

and/or losing their 

legitimate means of 

livelihood. We shall not 

embrace the counsel of the 

treacherous and wicked. 

“The welfare of the 

people shall remain the 

primary focus of 

governance. No one will be 

allowed to trample on the 

rights of our people. The 

people of Ondo State shall 

not become underlings in 

Lawan, Gbajabiamila, el-Rufai, Mark, others storm Lagos for 

National Pilot’s book launch 

L AGOS—NOTABLE 

Nigerians, including 

President of the Senate, 

Dr. Lawan Ahmad; 

Speaker of the House of 

Representatives, Mr. 

Femi Gbajabiamila; former 

Senate presidents Dr. 

Bukola Saraki and 

Senator David Mark, 

would attend the public 

presentation of a book 

titled: ‘Discussion 

Economy and 

Restructuring in Nigeria’, 

published by the National 

Pilot newspapers. 

A statement by the MD/ 

Editor-In-Chief of the 

newspaper, Mr. Billy 

•Gov. Akeredolu 

Adedamola, said: “What is 

the way out of the perennial 

economic crisis that is 

stifling the nation’s growth 

and development? And 

how do we resolve the issue 

of restructuring that is 

fuelling ethnic tension and 

threatening national 

breakup? These are the 

questions Nigerian leaders 

of thought, policymakers 

and major stakeholders will 

gather to tackle next month 

in Lagos at the public 

presentation of the book, 

roundtable discussion on 

economy and restructuring 

in Nigeria. “Published by 

the National Pilot 

newspapers, the book treats 

exhaustively, the twin 

issues of economy and 

restructuring and offers a 

way forward. This is the first 

time a book on restructuring 

is being presented in 

Nigeria since the debate 

gained national limelight 

and it is coming in the 

absence of such formal 

intervention in the past. 

“Expected to join in 

charting a way forward for 

Nigeria at the event which 

holds at Sheraton Hotels, 

Ikeja Lagos on April 14, 

2021, are the immediate 

past president of the 

Senate, Dr. Bukola Saraki; 

his successor, Ahmed 

Lawan and former occupier 

•Adeleye, Ondo State Amotekun commander 

of the prestigious office, 

David Mark, who will chair 

the occasion. 

“Also invited are the 

Speaker of the House of 

Representatives, Mr. Femi 

Gbajabiamil; Governor 

Nasir El-Rufai of Kaduna 

State, who will be the guest 

speaker. The chairman, 

Nigeria Governors Forum, 

Dr. Kayode Fayemi leads 

other governors, who 

include Governors Dapo 

Abiodun (Ogun State), 

Yahaya Bello (Kogi), 

Nyesom Wike (Rivers), 

Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi 

(Enugu), Seyi Makinde 

(Oyo), while Babajide 

Sanwo-Olu of Lagos is the 

chief host.” 

their own space. 

“We will also not be afraid 

to take decisions 

considered beneficial to our 

people. We shall be 

encouraging all those 

interested in animal 

husbandry to embrace new 

methods. Indigenes of this 

state who wish to take to 

that aspect of agriculture 

shall enjoy the support of 

the government. 

“Non-indigenes with 

verifiable identities shall be 

allowed to bring in cattle to 

designated ranches and 

feed lots. 

“They shall be permitted 

to graze on the ranches for 

a fee. We will not cede the 

land of our ancestors to any 

person under any guise. 

“All legitimate 

endeavours shall be 

supported by the 

government for as long as 

they are of direct benefit to 

the people of Ondo State. 

Ondo won’t 

secede 

“I must not fail to 

comment on the current 

agitations by some people 

who express grievances 

arising from the challenges 

of nationhood. 

“The noises generated by 

seeming inaction or passive 

indifference on the part of 

elected and appointed 

representatives of the 

government, at all levels, 

appears to be responsible 

for the growing disaffection 

in the land. 

“While some have been 

measured in their reactions 

to these problems, others 

have been less diplomatic. 

It is not uncommon to find 

groups and individuals 

purporting to act or speak 

on behalf of the rest of us. 

“While it is the right of 

citizens to discuss, agitate 

and even fight to right 

perceived wrongs, 

culminating in self- 

determination, this must be 

done within known and 

acceptable parameters. 

“All concerned must 

agree to pursue the same 

objectives to achieve a 

desirable or desired end. 

There must be a common 

platform through which the 

demands, from the most 

mundane to the sublime, 

must be presented. 

“There must be a 

consensus, articulated and 

presented after rigorous 

engagements on the level 

of intellection as the 

agendum for action. 

“The reasons for the 

declaration of hostilities 

must not be fleeting fancies 

of disaffection engendered 

by perceived politics of 

exclusion for personal 

benefits. Self-determination 

must be a collective 

programme of action. 

“I state, unequivocally, as 

the Governor of Ondo State, 

elected by the people to 

serve them and protect their 

interests that our people 

have elected to stay in the 

Federal Republic of Nigeria 

as constituted at present. 

“We recognise that there 

are reasons to demand that 

certain anomalies be put 

right. We will continue to 

encourage dialogue as an 

effective tool in resolving 

disputes. 

“We will also not shy from 

joining others to insist on 

socio-economic justice. We 

will, however, not subscribe 

to banditry and 

recklessness in putting forth 

our demands. 

“We will not be led to 

assured annihilation by 

anyone or a group of 

people, still smarting from 

the electoral defeats of 

recent times and presumed 

exclusion from the process 

of decision-making. 

“Our people are 

knowledgeable enough to 

determine their interest at 

any point. If and when they 

consider self-determination 

as an option, they will not 

depend on external 

promptings to act. 

“That is why we are 

different. That is why we are 

who we are. And that is the 

way it is going to be.” 

Ibarapa youths 

protest remand of 

OPC members 

Meanwhile, some aggrieved 

youths, who came from Ibarapa, 

disagreed with the security 

agents questioning the rationale 

behind the arrest and eventual 

prosecution of the OPC members. 

The protesters stormed the 

Secretariat around 10:40 am with 

placards saying no to kidnapping, 

rape, and massive destruction of 

farms and other properties. 

The Convener of Igangan 

Development Advocates, Mr. 

Oladiran Oladokun said: “We are 

here to protest the arrest and 

remand of the three OPC 

members in prison. These men 

are heroes, they risked their lives 

to arrest Wakili who has terrorised 

the people of Kajola, Ayete and 

other villages. 

“They went to Wakili’s place 

and arrested him but the police 

turned against them and 

detained them. This is a bad signal 

to Nigerians on security issues.” 

C

Expectations as national labour advisory council meets 

By NWACHUKW U 

OBIDIWE 

FINALLY, the National Labour 

Advisory Council, NLAC, 

which was last convened almost 

seven years ago is here. The council 

which every serving Minister of 

Labour and Employment statutorily 

chairs, will meet today, March 23, 

2021 in Owerri, the Imo State 

c a p i t a l t o 

discuss labour issues which its 

ventilated tripartite structure best 

positions it to tackle. The two arms 

of the tripartite community - 

workers unions and employers in 

the private sector have, over the 

years, yearned for the convening of 

the council which, according to the 

International Labour Organisation, 

ILO, is a “consultative 

mechanism, providing consultation 

and co-operation between the 

government and the organisations 

of workers and employers on matters 

relating to social and labour 

policies” with international labour 

standards as target. 

While promoting social dialogue 

between 

government, 

employers and the employees is the 

major aim of NLAC, it creates a 

platform for government to seek 

the views, advice as well as get 

feedback from workers and 

employers on labour policies and 

legislations, so as 

to achieve mutual and equable 

working condition, necessary for 

optimum national productivity. 

The Buhari administration no 

doubt has taken a longer time than 

expected in convening this council 

but that also does not diminish its 

unprecedented labour disposition. 

After all, this is a government 

whose first act in office was billions 

of naira in bailout to states to clear 

arrears of workers’ salaries. A 

government that gave a definite 

directive that no civil servant in its 

employ should be sacked 

on account of severe dwindling 

national resources occasioned by 

sharp fall in price and production 

output of crude oil, went ahead to 

employ more Nigerians into service 

and implemented a new national 

minimum wage. 

Indeed, the Minister of Labour and 

Employment, Sen. Chris Ngige, had 

in the early hours of the 

administration, in December in 

2015, while outlining his 

programmes, disclosed that 

the National Labour Advisory 

Council would be cardinal 

mechanism of engagement among 

the social partners. Said he: “The 

National Labour Advisory Council 

is important because it is the 

equivalent of the public hearing at 

the National Assembly. It is a very 

important organ of the tripartite 

committee in labour 

administration. The council will help 

us to review the labour laws in the 

country and take measures to 

ensure international best practices. 

So this ministry under my leadership 

will make sure that we revive the 

council.” 

Though this council was not 

convened all through the first four 

years of the administration, the 

truth is that the office of the Minister 

of Labour whose charge it is to 

convoke it had no single respite as 

torrents of vexed industrial disputes 

from all sectors, kept even reporters 

at the corridors of the Ministry, at 

times, till early hours of the 

morning, in what appeared a bay of 

cyclic conflicts arising from 

agreements with preceding 

administrations. The list is too 

long. The Ministry got more than it 

bargained, but it succeeded 

largely, apprehending 1,425 trade 

disputes and complaints, with 788 

disputes completely resolved, 37 

cases referred to Industrial 

Arbitration Panel, IAP; 600 pending 

at various stages of conciliation, 

thus, rendering both the IAP and the 

industrial court somewhat idle. 

But this varying level of multiple 

social dialogue did not take the 

place of NLAC as agitations 

continued, especially in the wake of 

The council will take a 

stock of anti-labour 

practices such as 

casualisation, working 

poor as well as introspect 

into the expatriate quota 

disputes surrounding the minimum 

wage and appointments into the 

tripartite National Insurance Trust 

Fund, NSITF, in 2018 and 2019. 

However, budgetary constraints 

was given by the Ministry as reason 

for failure to convene the labour 

council. But hope rose in 2019 as the 

Minister upon re-appointment, 

promised the council would be 

convened by year end. “So 

everything being equal this 

important forum for tripartite 

dialogue will soon meet. I expect 

greater synergy, more so as I have 

stated that all the tripartite members 

must work together to assist Mr. 

President realise his promise to lift 

100 million Nigerians from poverty 

in the next ten years. The effort starts 

now,” Ngige said. While the 


promise didn’t materialise in the 

short period leading to the end of 

2019, the outbreak of COVID-19 in 

2020 no doubt made it impossible 

in a world of work convulsed by the 

pandemic. 

Expectations are, therefore, high 

as the council converges on Owerri. 

Emerging tripartite issues such 

as the planned amendment of the 

Minimum Wage Act by the National 

Assembly to break its exclusivity and 

reschedule it into the concurrent list 

will definitely get a mention. The 

labour centres are already up in 

arms over the amendment that 

would cede to the state governments, 

constitutional competence to decide 

what the least worker earns as a 

wage. The council will take a stock 

of anti-labour practices such as 

casualisation, working poor as well 

as introspect into the expatriate 

quota which, labour watchers say, 

has been observed better in breach 

in a country where millions of youths 

are out of job, with the Nigeria 

Bureau of Statistics recently placing 

unemployment rate at 34 per cent. 

The minister has stridently battled 

to arrest the phenomenon with the 

Ministry of Interior since 2016 but 

the efforts may not have paid off 

significantly. However, the job 

content clause which the Federal 

Executive Council in 2019 attached 

to all contracts passing through 

it may be an off-shoot of this effort. 

Similarly, the effectiveness of the 

NLAC on anti-labour practices will 

also depend on the efficient 

functioning of the Inspectorate and 

Industrial Relations department of 

the Labour Ministry because even 

with 10,098 factories so far 

inspected across the country, the 

effect still compares to a little above 

Send Opinions & Letters to: 

opinions1234@yahoo.com 

a drop in the ocean. 

While social dialogue, tripartism 

and future of work will also feature 

in the discussion, the forum will 

further give consideration to two 

memoranda: One on ratification of 

ILO Convention C143 on Migrant 

Workers of 1975 and ILO 

Convention C181 on Private 

Employment Agencies Convention 

1997. The world of work in the era 

of COVID-19 pandemic where the 

ILO has warned that 1.6billion 

workers in the informal economy, 

half the global workforce, are in 

danger of losing livelihood, is just as 

topical as the review of the labour 

laws. 

Recall that the Ministry had in 

March 2020 in Lagos initiated the 

review of national labour bills in 

liaison with social partners. Some 

of the bills being reviewed include 

Elimination of Sexual Harassment 

in the Work Place, Labour 

Migration, Elimination of Child 

Labour, the Promotion of Gender 

Equality, Occupational Safety and 

Health as well as the restructuring 

of the IAP, National Labour 

Advisory Council and the office of 

the Registrar of Trade Union to 

ensure better and effective 

performance. 

Therefore, while the president who 

has shown unprecedented support to 

the cause of Nigerian workers 

declares the event open, fresh ideas 

from the technical sessions is 

expected to form significant 

contributions not just to the Federal 

Government’s pro-employment 

macroeconomic policies but also 

lend a helping hand to the sagging 

tenor of national industrial relations, 

once again being hobbled by harsh 

economic realities. 

•Obidiwe, a journalist, wrote from 

Abuja 

Shaba and the push for space technology for Nigeria 

By AMINU GANDHI 

ON February 25, 2021, President 

Muhammadu Buhari nominated Dr. 

Ahmad Halilu Shaba as the substantive 

Director General of the National Space 

Research and Development Agency, NASRDA. 

The nomination letter was read at Plenary on 

March 2, 2021 by the Senate president, 

Senator Ahmad Lawan, for confirmation by 

the Senate. The nomination of Dr. Shaba by 

the President is pursuant to Sections 14(1) and 

(2) of the National Space Research and 

Development Agency Act 2010. 

Dr. Shaba, a seasoned scholar and 

technocrat, has over 21 years post-doctoral 

research work in the field of Remote Sensing 

and has extensive knowledge in Space 

Technology, Management, and Safety. Shaba 

first joined the public service in 1989 and 

commenced his career at the National 

Population Commission (1989-2001) before 

joining the Federal University of Technology, 

Minna (2001-2006) where he became lecturer 

and later rose to Deputy Dean of Student 

Affairs. From there, he moved to the National 

Emergency Management Agency, NEMA, as 

Deputy Director (Planning and Research) and 

joined NASRDA in 2009 as Director, Strategic 

Space Applications, where he was later 

appointed Acting Director General in 2019. 

Dr. Shaba is coming on board at a time a lot 

is expected from the agency in driving the 

development of the country. As many Nigerians 

are aware, Nigeria is signatory to the United 

Nations Sustainable Development Goals, 

SDGs, but not many are aware that the country 

cannot achieve the SDGs without an effective 

and efficient space agency. The NASRDA is 

central to the success or otherwise of Nigeria’s 

sustainable development goals and the agency 

is doing quite a lot in this regard even as it is 

expected to do more under the new director 

general whose pedigree and capacity to deliver 

has never been in doubt. A few examples could 

suffice on what the agency has been doing and 

what it is expected to do to ensure the 

sustainable development of Nigeria. 

Sustainable development is defined as 

development that satisfies the needs of the 

present without compromising the ability of 

future generations to satisfy theirs. In order to 

be sustainable, development must combine 

three main elements: fairness, protection of 

the environment and economic efficiency. 

Space technology innovation for sustainable 

development involves three key approaches. 

These are: addressing basic needs through 

innovation and capacity building, including 

poverty reduction, agriculture, urban planning 

resource management and disaster risk 

reduction; promoting innovation and 

innovative approaches which will lead to 

sustainable economic growth and job creation; 

and promoting global and regional 

cooperation for better management of global 

Space technology and 

applications are fundamental 

tools for actualising sustainable 

development throughout the 

world 

challenges together by finding global pictures 

and information. 

The use of space science and technology for 

the attainment of sustainable development and 

the need to strengthen the outer space legal 

framework is of utmost importance, especially 

in developing countries. Outer space is 

described as mankind’s common heritage, 

that developing countries must be allowed 

equal access. The rational and peaceful uses 

of outer space provide a powerful tool for 

furthering the well-being of humanity and the 

earth’s environment. Space technology and 

applications are fundamental tools for 

actualising sustainable development 

throughout the world, especially for a 

developing country like Nigeria. 

Space technology is being used to enhance 

data and information that will help decision 

makers formulate knowledgeable, timely 

decision on possible intervention and type of 

action required for socio-economic growth 

that meets the basic needs of people, such as 

food, water, sanitation, health, housing and 

transportation. Take, for instance, SDG 3 

which is to “ensure healthy lives and promote 

well-being for all at all ages”. Space 

technology is vital to its actualisation. The role 

space technology plays in ensuring healthy 

lives and well-being include telemedicine for 

rural population and medical practitioners in 

remote locations. In the area of disease 

prediction, satellites help to assess the risk of 

epidemics (e.g. Ebola outbreak) and 

environmental monitoring and analysis for 

health care and hygiene including the mapping 

of deadly mosquitoes. 

Already NASRDA is working on project with 

Malaria Eradication Programme of the 

Ministry of Health to produce malaria map 

for the areas that are prone to mosquito 

breeding. NASRDA's efforts on actualisation 

of SDG 3 also include telemedicine 

programme. The SDG 4 is to: “Ensure inclusive 

and equitable quality education and promote 

lifelong learning opportunities for all.” Space 

technology is presently being used to enhance 

satellite data and information exchange for 

establishing an operational system for teleeducation 

services for e-learning in rural areas 

and development of multi-media materials for 

interactive tele-education. It is providing telelearning 

tools for educators. 

NASRDA's efforts in the actualisation of 

SDG 4 is also done through supporting 

nationwide research and learning. This it has 

done through the provision of laboratories- 

21 GIS Labs have been established in 21 

Nigerian universities and polytechnics, 

building their capacity to use NigeriaSat-2 

and NigeriaSat-X satellite images. It has also 

been involved in training of over 1000 

Nigerians across MDAs and donation of 

satellite imageries. The agency has also 

donated images for research to several 

Nigerian tertiary institutions worth N3billion. 

In tele-education, the agency has a pilot 

scheme of 12 study centres located across the 

nation with a teaching administrative hub at 

the National Open University of Nigeria, 

NOUN, headquarters in Lagos. The network 

can enhance the delivery of lectures from the 

study centres, depending on where the resource 

persons are located. NASRDA's efforts have 

also been felt in using space technology in 

mapping and monitoring of slum 

developments in Abuja using NigeriaSat-2. 

The dataset used in this study are NigeriaSat- 

2 and Spot 5 high-resolution satellite imagery. 

The SDG 14 is to “conserve and sustainably 

use the oceans, seas and marine resources for 

sustainable development”. This goal is being 

pursued with remote sensing technologies and 

GIS for oceanography. It has greatly helped 

in marine ecosystems management, 

encouraging Nigeria to take an intelligent 

approach in managing resources found in its 

territorial seas. Vessel tracking from space is 

actualised through space technology. 

Goal 15 of the SDGs is to “protect, restore 

and promote sustainable use of terrestrial 

ecosystems, sustainably manage forests, 

combat desertification and halt and reverse 

land degradation and halt biodiversity loss.” 

Space technologies are being used to monitor 

terrestrial ecosystems by looking at land cover 

change and keeping track of desertification 

and wildlife habitat. Monitoring forest 

degradation and deforestation. Others include 

monitoring forest fires and tracking 

biodiversity. In line with SDG 17 which is to 

“strengthen the means of implementation and 

revitalise the global partnership for sustainable 

development”, NASRDA, on behalf of Nigeria, 

is a member of the Africa Leadership in Space 

Conference, ALC and plays major roles in space 

science and technology and innovation in 

Africa. 

NASRDA is also a member of the African 

Resource Monitoring Satellite Constellation 

(N2 is the first satellite in the constellation). 

NASRDA is instrumental to the development 

of the African Space Policy. NASRDA is 

currently hosting the Regional Support Office 

of the United Nations platform for Spacebased 

Information for Disaster Management 

and Emergency Response (West and Central 

Africa). The good news is that the new director 

general is well equipped to take the agency to 

the next level of space science breakthrough 

that would address development challenges 

facing the country. 

Continues online. www.vanguardngr.com 

• Gandhi, a sustainable community and 

social development expert, wrote from Abuja 

C 

M 

Y


YESTERDAY, March 22, 2021, was 

World Water Day, a universal annual 

celebration created to focus attention 

on the importance of one of the most 

precious resources on earth. Water 

makes the earth a liveable planet. 

Without it life would be impossible. 

Apart from water’s use for drinking, people, about a quarter of the global 

cooking, cleaning and generally population, lack access to lifesupporting 

water. 

sustaining the lives of all living things, 

water is also essential in supporting the Here in Nigeria, the situation is not 

economic, social and human looking good. Last year as the global 

development activities. 

coronavirus pandemic ravaged the 

The planet earth is mostly water (71 country, the World Health Organisation 

per cent) but much of the water is salty and Action-Aid disclosed that 150 

which makes it unfit for human million Nigerians (about three quarters 

consumption. Either natural processes of the population) and 95 per cent of 

or scientific manipulation must be our health centres lack access to potable 

carried out to convert the salty water water to support the Water, Sanitation 

into useable form. But unfortunately, and Hygiene, WASH, initiative. 

as the population of mankind expands This particularly put our frontline 

(well beyond the seven billion mark) health workers and pandemic patients 

fresh water resources are dwindling. at very high risk. It was one of the 

It is currently estimated that 2.2 billion reasons that concerned experts 

Nigeria’s woeful water situation 

predicted that the pandemic would lead 

to dead bodies being picked up from 

our streets. Fortunately, that did not 

happen as Nigeria emerged among the 

least affected in the world. 

With the early onset of vaccinations, 

the worst should be behind us as far as 

COVID-19 is concerned. We should, 

however, be sobered by this miraculous 

escape, bearing in mind that experts are 

prognosticating more severe imminent 

pandemics. 

Our water situation is bleak indeed. 

In the 1960s, pipe-borne water was 

taken for granted in many urban and 

semi-urban cities. People who did not 

have water in their homes could go to 

the public taps. But today, public water 

supply is more of the exception than 

the norm. 

Because of government’s failure to 

provide potable water to the people, 

Nigerians have no choice but to resort 

to perforating the earth, drilling 

boreholes and wells for water. This 

compromises the stability of the earth 

and puts us in great danger in case of 

earth tremors. 

Our government must stop paying lip 

service to public water supply. The 

Federal Ministry of Water Resources 

has failed woefully to justify its 

existence and the funds annually 

appropriated for it. We look forward 

to a time when government will return 

to the global templates for the provision 

of safe water to the people in 

compliance with the universal 

Sustainable Development Goals, SDG, 

2030. 

Does privatisation serve public interests? (3) 

This is the concluding part of this piece 

first published two weeks ago. The second 

part last week posited that public 

enterprises were infested with numerous 

problems, including the fact that about 55 

per cent of Nigeria’s external debts were 

due to funds sourced to establish them 

IF we are to go with the 2004 phase three of the 

privatisation programme, by now the Nigeria 

Ports Authority, the Nigeria Railway Corporation 

and the Nigerian National Petroleum 

Corporation and their subsidiaries should have 

been privatised. The privatisation of enterprises 

scheduled under the first phase was completed 

between 1999 and 2003. These were commercial 

and merchant banks, cement companies that were 

already quoted on the Stock Exchange. These 

enterprises which were divested through public 

offers or a combination of public offer and core 

investor sale were: NAL Merchant Bank, 

International Merchant Bank, IMB; FSB 

International Bank, Unipetrol, African Petroleum, 

AP; Assurance Bank, National Oil and Chemical 

Company Plc, NOLCHEM; West African 

Portland Cement Co., WAPCO; Ashaka Cement 

Co. Plc, Northern Nigerian Cement Company 

Plc, NNCC; and Benue Cement Company, BCC. 

The second phase was concerned with public 

enterprises engaged in sectors where the prices of 

their respective output/services were largely 

market-determined. A number of enterprises in 

this phase have either been fully privatised or 

partially privatised through sales to strategic/core 

investor groups and offer to the investment public 

on the floor of the Nigerian Stock Exchange. These 

included Festac 77 Hotel, Nigerdock Limited, 

Assurance Bank Nigerian Ltd, Electric Meter 

Company of Nigeria, EMCON; Calabar Cement 

Company Ltd., CALCEMCO; Nigeria Cement 

Company Plc., NIGERCEM; Savannah Sugar 

Company Ltd.; National Truck Manufacturers, 

Kano; Nigerian Re-insurance Corporation; Niger 

Insurance Plc; Capital Hotel Plc(Owners of 

Sheraton Hotel and Towers, Abuja); Daily Times 

of Nigeria Plc.; Ore-Irele Oil Palm; Leyland 

Nigeria and Ihechiowa Oil Palm. Others are 

Central Packages Company Ltd., Afribank Plc, 4 

Nos. Bricks and Clay Companies (Subsidiaries 

of Nigerian Mining Corporation), Concession of 

Nigerian Ports (Lagos and Port- Harcourt 

Terminal), NICON Insurance Corporation, 

NICON Hilton Hotel, Nigerian Aviation 

Company, Nigeria Unity Line, Ayip Eku Oil Palm, 

Steyr Nigeria Limited, Eleme Petrochemical 

Company Limited, Federal Superphosphate 

Fertilizer Company, Kuru Quarry, Jos and 

Volkswagen Nigeria Limited were sold. 

Delta Steel Company Ltd was sold in February 

2005 with gross proceeds of $30million. Other 

enterprises were National Trucks Manufacturers, 

Kano, sold in April 2005 with a gross proceeds of 

$3.01 million, Leyland Nigeria Limited, sold in 

2005 at a proceed of N274 million, Central 

Packaging Limited (June 2005) at a proceed of 

N141million, Ikorodu Bricks (June 2005) at a 

OPINION 

proceed of N310million, Ibadan Bricks and Clay 

(June 2005) at a proceed of N175million, Enugu 

Bricks and Clay (June 2005) at a proceed of 

N50million, Ihechiowa Oil Palm (July 2005) at a 

proceed of N34million, Afribank Plc (June 2005) 

at a proceed of N5.1 billion, Calabar Cement 

Company Ltd. (August 2002) at a proceed of 

N216million, Niger Insurance Plc (December 

2002) for N622million, Festac 77 Hotel (January 

2002) for N1.01 billion, Central Hotel, Kano (July 

2004) for N642.5million, Savannah Sugar 

Company Ltd. (December 2002) for N1.35 billion, 

Nigeria Reinsurance Corporation (December 

2002) for N1.01 billion, Daily Times of Nigeria 

Plc (June 2004) for N1.25billion, Ore-Irele Oil 

Palm (September 2004) for N166.02million. 

Others were Osogbo Steel Rolling Company 

Limited (November, 2005) for N2.61 billion, 

Katsina Steel Rolling Mill (November 2005) for 

N335million, Steyr Nigeria Limited (December, 

2005) for N800milion, Nigerdock Nigeria 

Limited (December 2001) for N3.4billion, 

Assurance Bank Nigeria Plc (March 2002) for 

N853.2, FSB International Bank Plc. (April 2001) 

for N1.65 billion and NAL Merchant Bank Plc. 

(April 2001) for N1.42 billion. 

The privatisation programme 

was just an opportunity by the 

Federal Government to allow 

very few individuals to buy our 

Commonwealth at give away 

prices 

The Federal Government did not name 

investors that bought FSB International Bank Plc., 

NAL Merchant Bank Plc., International Merchant 

Bank Plc, Cement Company of Northern Nigeria, 

Nigeria Hotels Limited, Ikoyi Hotels Limited and 

many other companies which bring up the question 

of transparency. The larger question is, how have 

we benefitted from the privatisation programme 

as a people? Events have proved that private 

ownership does not necessarily translate to 

improved efficiency. Even the present Director 

General of Public Enterprises Bureau, Dr. Okoh 

Send Opinions & Letters to: 

opinions1234@yahoo.com 

on February 22, 2018 disclosed in Abuja, that 37 

percent of the 152 privatised enterprises were non 

performing. Dr. Okoh attributed the poor 

performance of the enterprises to the challenging, 

operating business environment in Nigeria, which 

he said had made it difficult for many businesses 

to survive, while many private or privatized public 

enterprises have either closed down or relocated 

to neighbouring countries. 

There is no doubt that between 1999 and 2006, 

the government made a large undisclosed money 

through privatisation. For example, N150 billion 

was realised from privatisation proceeds through 

the sale of NITEL and Nigerdock alone. The 

proceeds went into the sales of Assets Account as 

an independent revenue from where it goes into 

the Consolidated Revenue Funds of the Federal 

Government for the funding of the Federal budget. 

The states and the local governments don’t benefit 

from it. I recall that the argument of the Federal 

Government has always been to the effect that the 

investments/projects were financed from its own 

share from the Federation Account. 

A lot of jobs have been lost through the 

privatisation programme and millions of people 

have been thrown in the unemployment 

market. Some of these companies privatised 

were established by loans procured by the 

Federal Government on behalf of the 

government and people of Nigeria and it is the 

people of Nigeria that have to repay the loans. 

Of what benefit has this privatisation 

programme been to the people of Nigeria and 

what impact? 

I think the privatisation programme was just 

an opportunity by the Federal Government to 

allow very few individuals to buy our 

Commonwealth at give away prices. They used 

our money through their authority, position, 

contacts and influence to buy our 

Commonwealth for themselves. Some of the 

sale of these companies is shrouded in secrecy. 

Those who benefitted are quick to defend the 

privatisation programme with sound 

arguments the way exploiters defend their 

actions. As usual, helpless as we are, there is 

nothing we can do about it.

C 

M 

Y 

K 

Nigeria debt-to-revenue ratio to rise 395% in 2022 

— Fitch 

By Nkiruka Nnorom 

ECONOMY 

FITCH Ratings, world’s 

major credit rating 

agency, has projected that 

Nigeria’s debt- to-revenue 

ratio will rise to 395 percent 

by 2022, indicating that 

growth rate in public debt 

would far outstrip its revenue. 

The rating agency also 

stated that debt interest cost 

would consume 24 percent of 

the country’s revenue in 

2022. 

Already, Nigeria’s debt-torevenue 

ratio stood at 83 

percent as at December 

2020. It had risen to 89 percent 

between January and 

November 2020 before slowing 

down to the current figure. 

In a note announcing 

Nigeria’s ‘B’ rating, Fitch said: 

“General government (GG) 

debt will further rise to 32.6 

percent of GDP in 2022, from 

less than 13 percent a decade 

earlier, but will remain much 

below the forecast ‘B’ median 

of 70 percent. The key challenge 

to debt sustainability 

stems from low fiscal revenue. 

“The GG debt-to-revenue 

ratio will rise to 395 percent 

in 2022 on our forecasts, versus 

a forecast ‘B’ median of 

325 percent. Debt interest 

cost will consume 24 percent 

of revenue in 2022, against a 

‘B’ median of 11 percent. 

“The picture is much 

weaker at the federal government 

(FGN) level, with forecast 

debt-to-revenue and interest-to-revenue 

ratios of 

1,031 percent and 64 percent, 

respectively, in 2022, 

reflecting a higher share of 

the FGN in GG spending and 

debt than in GG revenue.” 

It also projected a narrowing 

in the GG deficit to 4 percent 

of the GDP in both 2021 

and 2022, from 6.3 percent 

in 2020, saying that it is bet- 

CURRENCY BUYING SELLING 

US DOLLAR 

POUNDS 

EURO 

FRANC 

YEN 

CFA 

WAUA 

RENMINBI 

RIYAL 

RAND 

130.10 +1.10 

2,505.00 +12.00 

15.53 -0.23 

64.46 -0.07 

61.20 -0.22 

379 379.5 380 

527.3406 528.0363 528.723 

451.1616 451.7568 452.352 

408.3612 408.8999 409.4386 

3.4831 3.4877 3.4923 

0.6692 0.6792 0.6892 

541.1584 541.8724 542.5863 

58.219 58.2963 58.3735 

101.0478 101.1811 101.3144 

25.5817 25.6154 25.6492 

CBN Exchange rate as at 22/03/2021 

•From left: Babafemi Lawal, Lead Program Coordination, Monitoring and Evaluation, National 

Action Committee on African Continental Free Trade Area Agreement (AfCFTA); Francis 

Anatogu, Senior Special Assistant to the President and Secretary, National Action Committee 

on AfCFTA, and Yomi Badejo-Okusanya, Group Managing Director, Re-ignite Public Affairs 

Limited, Member CMC Connect Group, during a media parley with the leadership of National 

Action Committee on AfCFTA in Lagos. PHOTO AKEEM SALAU 

ter than the forecast ‘B’ median 

of seven percent and 4.8 

percent, respectively. 

Fitch stated: “The improvement 

in the fiscal deficit will be 

driven by the rebound in oil 

prices to well above the level assumed 

in the 2021 budget and 

the revival in economic growth. 

A $10 change in the oil price per 

barrel relative to our baseline 

would affect the GG balance by 

around 0.5 percent of GDP, while 

a 10 percent change in annual 

average oil production would 

impact the GG deficit by 0.3 percent 

of GDP.” 

According to Fitch Ratings, 

Nigeria has not solicited any relief 

under the G20’s debt service 

NPA suspends export cargo trucks from 

entering port 

By Godwin Oritse 

THE Nigerian Ports Author 

ity, NPA, has suspended 

trucks carrying export cargoes 

into ports for the next fourteen 

days. This measure, according to 

the Authority, was put in place 

to allow them clear the backlog 

currently causing congestion 

and consequently leading to the 

gridlock being experienced on 

the port corridor. 

Speaking on Radio yesterday in 

Lagos monitored by Vanguard, 

Managing Director of the NPA, 

Hadiza Bala Usman, said that 

the congestion experienced last 

week was a result of influx of 

truck carrying export 

cargoes. 

Bala Usman also disclosed 

that there were 

about 600 trucks of export 

cargoes right inside 

some of the container 

terminals while others 

are currently on the 

road waiting to access 

the port. 

She stated that NPA in 

collaboration with the 

Nigerian Export Promotion 

Council, NEPC, is 

meeting with all export 

stakeholders on perfecting 

their documentation 

and logistics for entering 

the ports with 

cargoes. 

She said: “One of the 

things that arose in the 

last one week is that you 

would have seen a lot of 

build-up of trucks which 

led to front page news of 

the Vanguard Newspaper. 

“We have actually suspended 

trucks accessing 

the ports with export 

cargoes with effect from 

MARITIME 

today; so all export cargoes will 

not be allowed access into the 

ports for the next two weeks. 

“We have a backlog of over 

600 trucks that have approached 

the port coming out of 

the truck parks and are currently 

in that location within 

Vanguard, TUESDAY, MARCH 23, 2021 —19 

suspension initiative adding that 

the benefit of joining the initiative 

would be small. 

“We do not expect the government 

to request any debt relief 

under the G20’s Common 

Framework as the authorities 

attach high importance to access 

to international markets,” Fitch 

explained. 

the port corridor, within 

Lilypond. 

“So we are suspending all export 

cargoes; we have noted the 

challenge we have with export 

cargoes resulted in this congestion 

is that a lot of trucks carrying 

export cargoes starts approaching 

without completing 

their documentation and this 

has been a challenge for us.” 

NMGS sees solution to unemployment 

in minerals, agric sectors 

By Providence Adeyinka 

THE Nigerian Mining and 

Geosciences Society, 

NMGS, has said that the mineral 

and agricultural sectors 

have the potential to absorb 

over 16 million (70 percent) of 

unemployed Nigerians if well 

developed. 

Recent report by the National 

Bureau of Statistics 

(NBS) showed that Nigeria’s 

unemployment rate as at the 

end of fourth quarter (Q4) 

2020 rose to 33.3 percent indicating 

that about 23.2 million 

Nigerians were unemployed. 

But speaking at the 56th Annual 

Conference of NMGS in 

Ibadan, with the theme: “Responsible 

Exploration and Exploitation 

of Mineral Resources 

in a Secured Environment” 

Engr Obadiah Nkom, President, 

NMGS, said the sectors 

can significantly boost job creation 

by employing 16.24 million 

of the total unemployed 

population in the country. 

He stated that the global social 

unrest that followed the 

global lockdown have reinforced 

the urgency of the needs 

ECONOMY 

to provide security of jobs and 

livelihood for the vast army of 

the unemployed and the underemployed. 

Nkom, who gave the figure, 

said that failure to provide job 

security will not only lead to 

continuous fratricidal conflict 

nationally and globally, but 

will make sustainable growth 

unattainable. 

Also, Minister of State, Mines 

and Steel Development, Dr. 

Uchechukwu Ogah, said that the 

development of the roadmap for 

the mineral sector would not have 

been possible without the active 

collaboration of the NMGS and its 

members who assisted in getting 

critical details of the roadmap developed 

and the sustained implementation 

since it was launched. 

Ogah who represented President 

Muhammadu Buhari, said 

that the roadmap provided a 

clear pathway for the development 

of a robust, resilient and 

sustainable mineral sector of the 

economy that contributes meaningfully 

to the nation’s GDP and 

most importantly, provides jobs 

for the unemployed in the country. 

CBN releases 

list of 47 

approved IMTOs 

By Emma Ujah, Abuja 

Bureau Chief 

MONEY MARKET 

THE Central Bank of Nige 

ria (CBN) has released the 

list of 47 International Money 

Transfer Operators (IMYOs) approved 

to receive foreign exchange 

remittances from 

Diaspora Nigerians. 

According to the list posted on 

the bank’s website yesterday, 17 

of the IMTOs were based in the 

United Kingdom; 14 in Lagos; 

eight in the United States of 

America; three in Abuja; two in 

Senegal and one each in Ibadan, 

Morocco and Belgium. 

The CBN recently banned unauthorized 

international money 

transfer operators from such 

transactions, warning that it 

would apply severe sanctions 

against them, if they remained 

adamant. 

It also came up with a new 

policy to force IMTOs and 

Money Deposit Banks to pay 

recipients of remittances in foreign 

currencies, rather than the 

Naira. 

Until then, the IMTOs and 

banks were said to be shortchanging 

remittances beneficiaries, 

as they gave them less Naira 

equivalent of their foreign exchange 

sent to them by Nigerians 

in the diaspora. 

DIASPORA 

REMITTANCES: 

Access Bank to 

pay customers N5 

for every $1 received 

By Nkiruka Nnorom 

MONEY MARKET 

IN a bid to promote 

diaspora remittances into 

the country, Access Bank Plc 

will be rewarding customers 

with N5 on every $1 received 

from their loved ones or associates 

abroad through foreign 

remittances. 

The N5 for every dollar cash 

back will be paid to Access 

Bank customers irrespective of 

their preference to receive 

funds as US dollars cash pickup 

over the counter or direct 

transfer into their domiciliary 

accounts. 

The reward scheme is in line 

with the Central Bank of 

Nigeria’s “Naira4Dollar 

scheme” aimed at encouraging 

inflow of diaspora remittances 

into the country. 

Speaking on the initiative, 

Victor Etuokwu, Executive Director, 

Retail Banking, Access 

Bank Plc, said: “Remittance 

services are a key aspect of our 

economy and it is still vibrant 

and viable today because 

people still take care of family 

members, loved ones, friends 

and invest at home even as they 

live abroad. 

“As part of our promise to create 

value and meet the needs 

of our customers, we are happy 

to announce that our customers 

can now receive the N5 for 

every $1 incentive, at any of our 

branches nationwide when 

their loved ones or associates 

send funds from the diaspora.”

20 — Vanguard, TUESDAY, MARCH 23, 2021

Y 

Vanguard, TUESDAY, MARCH 23, 2021 — 21


Upstream: Nigeria’s gas production declines by 3% in one year 

By Prince Okafor 

NIGERIA’S gas production 

witnessed another setback, 

as the sector recorded a marginal 

decline by three per cent to 

3,004.06 Billion Cubic Feet (BCF) 

in one year. 

This development is coming as a 

negative momentum to the 

Federal Government's 

determination in improving the 

utilisation of gas in the country. 

According to statistics obtained 

from the Nigeria National 

Petroleum Corporation for the 

period - November 2019 to 

November 2020 - a total of 3,004.06 

BCF of gas was produced 

representing an average daily 

production of 7,642.69 Million 

Standard Cubic Feet per Day 

(mmscfd) during the period. 

Period-to-date Production from 

Joint Ventures (JVs), Production 

Sharing Contracts (PSCs) and 

NPDC contributed about 67.29 per 

cent, 19.97 per cent and 12.74 

per cent respectively to the total 

national gas production. 

While comparing previous year's 

production for the period 

November 2018 to November 

2019, a total of 3,091.24 BCF of 

gas was produced representing 

an average daily production of 

7,882.27 mmscfd during the 

period. 

Meanwhile, the report noted that 

gas production in November 2020 

also decreased by 3.86 per cent at 

222.34BCF compared to output in 

October 2020; translating to an 

average daily production of 

7,411.52mmscfd. 

Reacting to the production drop, 

NNPC spokesman, Kennie 

Obateru, said the drop is attributed 

to the nation’s adherence to the 

Organisation of Petroleum 

Exporting Countries, OPEC's 

production quota system. 

“Nigeria was being accused of not 

adhering to OPEC quota system, 

but overtime, we have paid back 

what we over-supplied, and as at 

last week, OPEC alluded to the 

fact that Nigeria has now fully 

complied.” 

The report further stated that the 

daily average natural gas supply 

to gas power plants increased by 

5.21 per cent to 789mmscfd, 

equivalent to power generation of 

3,358MW. Out of the 219.67 BCF 

of gas supplied in November 

2020, a total of 137.41 BCF of gas 

was commercialised; consisting of 

39.99 BCF and 97.42 BCF for the 

domestic and export market 

respectively. 

Energy Vanguard gathered that 

the disparity between the 

production and supply figure is 

as a result of reinjection. A total of 

2.67BCF of gas was reinjected in 

to sustain production. 

TUESDAY, MARCH 23, 2021 

Oil Market: Nigeria’s Bonny Light price dips by 36% — Investigation 

• Affects nation’s revenue, GDP • Rebound not likely in short-term 

By Udeme Akpan, 

Energy Editor 

WITH the continued 

negative impact of the 

Coronavirus pandemic and 

other factors, the average price 

of Nigeria’s Bonny Light has 

dropped by 35.66 per cent in 

the global market, according to 

the spot market data obtained 

from the Organisation of 

Petroleum Exporting 

Countries, OPEC. 

Year on Year, Y-o-Y, data (spot 

market) obtained from the 

Monthly Market Reports of the 

organisation, showed that the 

average price of the premium 

oil grade stood at $42.24 in 

2020, thus, indicating a drop 

of 35.66 per cent, when 

compared to $65.65 recorded in 

the corresponding period of 

2019. 

However, on Quarter-on- 

Quarter, Q-o-Q, the data 

showed that the Bonny Light 

price stood at $55.55, $21.81, 

$43.21, and $43.71 per barrel 

in the first, second, third, and 

fourth quarters of 2020 

respectively, as against $64.47, 

$70.21, $63.48, and $64.44 per 

barrel recorded in the 

corresponding quarters of 

2019. 

Generally, the authoritative 

data clearly showed a 

consistent drop in the prices of 

Nigeria’s foreign exchange 

spinner during the period 

under review. 

Driving factors 

The fall in the price of Bonny 

Light was mainly attributed to 

the outbreak of the Coronavirus 

pandemic towards the end of 

2019, and its negative impact 

on the market throughout 2020. 

Specifically, the prolonged 

nature of the pandemic, which 

culminated in lockdown, 

characterised by restricted 

movement of persons and 

goods, the shutdown of 

industries, low demand for 

crude oil and petroleum-related 

products, grossly slashed 

demand, and by extension, the 

price of oil. 

It was also 

noted that the 

efforts of 

OPEC, and its 

allies to 

initiate actions 

toward market 

recovery, was 

also greatly 

weakened by 

t h e 

resurgence of 

the pandemic, 

even though 

the discovery 

of vaccines 

and other 

developments 

have, to a 

great extent, 

started to 

assist in the 

building of 

positive 

speculation, 

required for 

m a r k e t 

rebound. 

Current price 

The price of the product 

currently hovers at $64.53 per 

barrel in the global market, 

which compares with others 

such as Brent, OPEC Basket, 

which prices also hover at 

$64.19 and $66.76 per barrel 

respectively. 

Impact 

Despite its relatively low 

nature, the price remains over 

$20 per barrel in excess of the 

$40 per barrel of Nigeria’s 2021 

budget reference price. The 

budget was benchmarked on 

the production of 1.8 million 

barrels per day, including 

condensate, which is not 

usually considered as part of 

the nation’s output by OPEC. 

But it had much negative 

impact on the nation’s Gross 

Domestic Product, GDP, 

especially as average Nigeria’s 

oil output dropped Year-on- 

Year, Y-o-Y, by 15 per cent to 1.5 

million barrels per day, 

(excluding condensate), in 

2020, compared to 1.7mb/d 

recorded in the corresponding 

period of 2019, according to 

data obtained from OPEC. 

In its 2020, GDP report, the 

LCCI stated: “The economy 

ended the year 2020 in a 

negative growth region, with 

annual GDP growth declining 

by 1.92 per cent, its lowest level 

since 1994. From the analysis 

of the just-released GDP 

report, the following sectors 

were the top-performing in the 

fourth quarter of 2020. 

Quarrying and other minerals 

(48.42 per cent); 

telecommunications and 

information services (17.64 per 

cent), cement (6.59 per cent), 

broadcasting (4.42 per cent) 

and crop production (3.68 per 

cent).” 

It added: “Oil sector growth 

plunged further to 19.76 per 

cent in fourth quarter 2020, 

from 13.89 per cent in the 

preceding quarter. The 

increased scale of oil sector 

contraction was largely driven 

by a decline in crude output. 

Crude oil production fell to a 

record 1.56 mbpd in third 

quarter, third quarter 2020, the 

lowest level since at least 2013. 

This is as a result of Nigeria’s 

compliance to OPEC+ 

production reduction 

agreement aimed at stabilising 

the international oil market 

amid covid-19 disruptions. We 

note that Nigeria was 

compelled to make 

compensatory cuts as a 

punitive measure for exceeding 

production quotas. In annual 

terms, oil sector growth 

contracted by 8.89 per cent in 

the year 2020, compared to 4.59 

per cent in the year 2019. 

Meanwhile, the oil sector 

continued to grapple with 

policy and regulatory 

challenges.” 

Forecast 

From all indications, available 

data showed that Nigeria 

should not expect to witness 

the oil market rebound in the 

short term, but mostly in the 

medium and long run, as 

OPEC and other stakeholders 

would have been able to find 

lasting solutions to the various 

problems that stare the market 

in the face. 

Speaking at the justconcluded 

11th International 

Energy Agency's International 

Energy Fund OPEC 

Symposium on Energy 

Outlooks, via video conference, 

Dr. Mohammad Barkindo, 

OPEC Secretary-General, said: 

“While there are grounds for 

optimism that 2021 will be the 

year of recovery, there are 

many uncertainties ahead. 

Much now depends on the 

outcome of this race between a 

mutating virus and vaccines to 

end the pandemic, and on the 

ability of policies to provide 

effective support until that 

happens. There remains 

tremendous uncertainty and 

prospects vary greatly across 

countries.” 

Experts 

However, in an interview with 

Energy Vanguard, Dr. Bala 

Zaka, a Port Harcourt-based 

Energy analyst, who noted the 

various dangers of overdependence 

on petroleum, 

including frequent progression 

and retrogression of economic 

activities, called for urgent 

diversification of Nigeria’s 

economy.

Vanguard, TUESDAY, MARCH 23 , 2021 — 23 

UBTH inspires good health for aged with 

geriatric services 

… Says Nigeria must prioritise care of older persons 

By Chioma Obinna 

THOUSANDS of babies 

are born every day and 

as expected, the number 

of senior citizens is also 

expected to top millions by 

2030 in Nigeria. Sadly, 

despite the fact that 

Nigeria has one of the 

world’s worst life 

expectancy ratios, it has 

no functional national 

policy on the care and 

welfare of older persons. 

Worst still, the changing 

demographics in Nigeria, 

in addition to the 

breakdown of the family 

structure and absence of 

a social security system, 

present unique 

challenges to the elderly 


Today, it is no longer 

news that healthcare in 

Nigeria is not where it 

should be. The situation 

is even worse for the 

elderly. 

However, to help meet 

the needs of an ageing 

population and improve 

the quality of care for 

elderly people, the 

University Teaching 

Hospital, Benin, UBTH, 

under the leadership of 

Chief Medical Director, 

Prof. Darlington Obaseki, is 

pioneering ways to provide 

better care for older adults, 

discover better therapies, 

and educate the next 

generation of medical 

professionals, caregivers 

and community members. 

The hospital now operates 

a Geriatric Unit, under it’s 

Elder-Friendly Hospitals 

Initiative (ELDRHI) solely 

dedicated to the care of 

elderly Nigerians. 

Geriatrics or geriatric 

medicine is a speciality that 

focuses on the health care 

of elderly people. It aims to 

promote health by 

preventing and treating 

diseases and disabilities in 

older adults. The unit is 

currently being 

strengthened to provide 

patient-centred, holistic 

care to older persons in a 

setting with a good 

ambience that encourages 

family participation. It 

manages various 

categories of patients with 

geriatrics syndromes who 

otherwise would have 

required care in other 

climes. 

Obaseki describes the 

geriatric unit of the 

hospital as a unit very dear 

to his management and is 

therefore not sparing any 

effort in strengthening its 

manpower, equipment 

and other vital 

requirements needed for 

the provision of quality 

geriatrics services. 

“We have provided 

wheel-chair accessible 

toilets, handrails and grab 

bars across the hospital to 

improve patients’ safety. 

L-R: Geriatric Unit of the University Teaching Hospital, Benin, UBTH. Inset is 

the Chief Medical Director of the hospital, Prof. Darlingthon Obaseki. 

The geriatrics ward is 

almost always oversubscribed 

and plans are 

in place to establish a 

purpose-built, one-stop 

centre to broaden the 

scope of services and 

patient coverage.” 

He said beyond the 

geriatric ward, the 

hospital wants to scale-up 

innovations to ensure the 

hospital, in general, 

remains elderly-friendly. 

Head of Unit, Prof. 

Obehi Akoria, a 

Geriatrician, is happy that 

the unit is well on its way 

to becoming Nigeria’s 

leading centre for 

geriatric care. 

According to her, the 

goal of UBTH is to add 

years to the lives of the 

elderly but where this 

could not be achieved the 

hospital would like to add 

life to the years they have 

by improving their quality 

of life. 

Thus the 20-bed unit, 

established in July 2013, 

with highly proficient 

multi-disciplinary 

professionals including a 

geriatrician, other 

specialist doctors, 

geriatric nurses, geriatric 

physiotherapists, 

geriatric occupational 

The goal of 

UBTH is to add 

years to the 

lives of the 

elderly but 

where this 

could not be 

achieved the 

hospital would 

like to add life 

to the years 

they have by 

improving their 

quality of life 

therapies, clinical 

pharmacists and medical 

social workers, amongst 

others, now offers 

s p e c i a l i z e d 

interdisciplinary 

healthcare to address 

ageing-related 

challenges of the elderly. 

The unit, according to 

Prof. Akoria, applies a 

model that combines 

acute care for elders plus 

integrated rehabilitative 

care. For instance, she 

explained, physiotherapy 

enables them to 

maximize their physical 

functioning whereas 

occupational therapy 

enables them to optimise 

their individual 

independent living even 

if they may have an 

impairment. 

“Some of them are 

visually impaired, some of 

them have impairment in 

their muscular-skeletal 

system because of 

arthritis and other kinds 

of diseases but what 

occupational therapist 

does for them is that even 

if you are blind, you can 

still be independent, feed 

yourself and dress 

yourself. The whole idea 

is when they recover, we 

are hoping that we are 

able to transition them 

and their family members 

back home into society, 

but they are able to live 

optimally.” 

Prof. Akoria listed 

common problems 

presented by these aged 

population which include 

hypertension and it's 

complications, heart 

failures, stroke, diabetes 

all the complications of 

diabetes. 

“But over and beyond 

that, we have what we call 

geriatric syndromes 

which other people are 

not trained to diagnose 

and which they will often 

miss. We talk about the 

three Ds; dementia, 

depression and delirium. 

Then the six “Is”: 

incontinence, immobility, 

intellectual impairment, 

iatrogenesis, infections 

instability with a tendency 

to fall. These are things 

that people usually don't 

recognize or even when 

they see them they say 

they feel that their parents 

are getting old. But these 

are things, if you don't 

identify and manage can 

kill patients very slowly 

and even some can kill 

very quickly. 

On how Covid-19 has 

impacted the centre, she 

said older persons have 

died more from covid-19 

according to the Edo state 

data with 7.7 per cent of 

persons in the first wave 

here were older persons. 

“In this ward, the first 

two cases were very scary, 

reason being that they 

were already with us 

being managed before the 

diagnoses were made and 

they were subsequently 

moved to the isolation 

centre but in the cause of 

the event, five of our own 

staff got infected but they 

all did very well and we 

didn't have any casualty.” 

Speaking to Vanguard, 

a 79-year-old Mr. Pascal 

Okodiye and a retiree 

from the University of 

Benin was delighted with 

the care he has been given 

so far. “They have been 

taking care of me. They've 

been doing their job well. 

We thank God for that, 

may God bless all of them. 

I came here on the 12th 

of March. I can't 

remember what brought 

me here. I was weak and 

couldn't walk on my own.” 

A relative later informed 

Vanguard that the 

septuagenarian was 

diagnosed with 

pneumonia. He 

responded so well and 

was about to be 

discharged from the unit. 

Governors, Ministers to 

launch 30 laws for good 

health 

By Gabriel Olawale 

TEN State Governors 

and Ministers, Health 

Agencies, Organization 

and Eminent Personalities 

are coming together at the 

nation's capital for the 

launching of "30 Laws for 

Good Health", a new 

global book on public and 

personal health care. 

Speaking on the 

forthcoming launching 

slated for 3rd June in 

Abuja, the author and 

Founder of Healthcare 

Magazine, Dr. Bola 

Olaosebikan, said, " the 30 

Laws for Good Health 

Book is a book with a 

mission and purpose to 

empower readers on 

health, offer penetrative 

insight into health, causes 

of diseases, better 

prevention methods, as 

well as how to control and 

prevent diseases up to 

cellular level. The book 

also presents new concept 

on family health, primary 

health 

care, 

environmental health, 

nutrition, control of 

viruses, vaccine 

production, and public 

health management" A 

comprehensive manual for 

good health and health 

promotion. 

The launching of this 

healthcare book also 

coincides with the 35th 

Anniversary of *Healthcare 

Magazine* and 21 

Eminent Achievers and 

organizations would be 

presented with Healthcare 

Awards of Excellence. Hon 

Minister of Health Dr 

Osagie Enahire is the 

Chairman of the occasion, 

and ten Hon Ministers 

have confirmed their 

participation in this great 

event for health and 

national development. 

The Director of National 

Centres for Disease Control 

(NCDC) Dr Chikwe 

Ihekweazu, Chief 

Executive of NPHCDA Dr 

Faisal Shuaib, Dr Patrick 

Dakum, CEO of Institute of 

Virology, DG of NAFDAC 

Prof Mojisola Adeyeye 

have confirmed there 

attendance. The book 

would be reviewed by a 

renown virologist and 

WHO Expert Prof Oyewale 

Tomori. Chairman of BUA 

Group Alhaji Abdulsamad 

Ishyaku Rabiu, Dr ABC 

Orjiako, President of 

Nigeria Medical 

Association Prof Innocent 

Ujah and many corporate 

organizations have 

confirmed their attendance. 

MENTAL HEALTH: 9mobile 

holds virtual health talk series 

By Gabriel Olawale 

AS part of efforts to 

cushion the mental 

health impact of COVID- 

19 and curb the increasing 

rate of depression, 

Nigeria's caring 

telecommunication 

company, 9mobile, is 

holding the maiden edition 

of a health talk series 

themed "COVID-19 and 

the new normal: Staying 

mentally healthy in the face 

of the challenges". 

The session billed to hold 

25th March 2021 will be 

streamed live on the 

Instagram. The event 

which will hold 7pm will 

also feature Hauwa Ojeifo, 

rights advocate and 

Executive Director of She 

Writes Woman. 

Hauwa Ojeifo popularly 

tagged as the voice and face 

of mental health in Nigeria 

will discuss the concept and 

scope of mental health, 

signs, and symptoms, 

dealing with stigma and 

trauma associated with 

mental health and when 

and where to get help. 

Commenting on the 

initiative, Executive 

Director, Regulatory and 

Corporate Affairs, 9mobile, 

Abdulrahman Ado, 

remarked that mental health 

needs to be given top 

priority, especially in the 

face of the unprecedented 

loss, anxiety and disruption 

occasioned by the Covid-19 

pandemic. 

"As a business that cares 

about the wellbeing of its 

customers, it has become 

imperative for us to 

champion conversations 

around the issue of mental 

health, especially at a time 

when the world is going 

through one of the 

deadliest pandemics in 

history. 

Covid-19 has exacted 

such heavy toll and 

triggered a spike in stress 

and anxiety-induced 

depression in people". 

"It is in light of this that 

we have teamed up with 

the Executive Director of 

She Writes Woman, Hauwa 

Ojeifo, to facilitate frank 

conversations around 

mental, emotional, and 

psychological health. 

“With the session, we 

hope to empower 

Nigerians with the right 

information on how to 

respond effectively to 

issues surrounding mental 

health. 

?We also hope that this 

effort will play a significant 

role in cutting the number 

of suicide-related deaths 

resulting from depression, 

he added." 

While reiterating the 

company's continued 

commitment to initiatives 

that drive positive change, 

Ado added that the health 

talk series aligns with 

9mobile's focus on health as 

one of its strategic pillars for 

social intervention.

24 — Niger-Delta Voice, TUESDAY, MARCH 23, 2021 

VOL. 2: NO. 276 TUESDAY, MARCH 23, 2021 

By Ozioruva Aliu 

O GBALISE-OKPE- 

A B O U T 2 , 5 0 0 

inhabitants of Ogbalise-Okpe, a 

deserted sleepy and farming 

village near Ayegunle, Akoko- 

Edo Local Government Area of 

Edo State, shockingly fetch water 

to drink and cook their meals, 

wash and bathe in the same 

stream that herdsmen marshal 

their cows to drink and pollute. 

The Edo hamlet with homes 

built with mud and roofed with 

thatched leaves is completely 

lacking in basic amenities of life, 

including electricity, water and 

school. 

Farmers from bordering Ondo 

and Kogi states and far-flung 

Taraba State take advantage of 

the arable land to come to the 

village to farm both food and 

cash crops. 

NDV trekked to the only stream 

NASS/NDDC FROSTY RELATIONSHIP: How Akwa, interim 

administrator, caught opponents off-guard 

PORT 

HARCOURT— 

T H E I n t e r i m 

Administrator/Chief Executive 

Officer, CEO, Niger-Delta 

Development Commission, 

NDDC, Mr. Effiong Akwa, 

took opponents who supposed 

the hostilities between the 

National Assembly and 

interventionist agency would 

continue under his tenure, 

unawares by privately going 

to apologise to the lawmakers 

soon after his appointment, 

last year. 

NDV learnt that Akwa, who 

South-South leader, Senator 

Edwin Clark, described as 

brainy, devised the strategy 

and quietly executed it 

without the knowledge of 

faultfinders, who have been 

left wondering how the 

commission’s relationship 

with the National Assembly 

keeps blossoming under his 

leadership. 

Why we accepted his 

apology—Nwaoboshi 

Chairman of the Senate 

Committee on Niger-Delta, 

Senator Peter Nwaoboshi, first 

revealed the top-secret to NDV 

while dismissing the 

insinuation that lawmakers 

have entered an unholy 

Committee on Niger-Delta or 

House of Representatives 

Committee on Niger-Delta to 

make things difficult for 

NDDC, so the lawmakers 

accepted his apology. 

in the community and confirmed 

the claim by villagers that their 

major source of water for drinking 

and bathing is also frequently used 

by herdsmen, who usually take 

their cows there to drink and once 

cattle stop over, the entire stream 

is messed up. 

Our children have no 

school to attend- 

Usman, resident 

A resident, Jeremiah Usman, 

who appealed for government’s 

Residents drink, bath in same 

stream with cows in Edo community 

•No school to attend in Ogbalise-Okpe, our children play at home —Usman 

•Villagers reside in wobbly mud homes roofed with thatched leaves 

EDO 

…THE HEART BEAT 

OF THE NATION 

DELTA... By Chioma Onuegbu THE BIG 

HEART OF THE NATION 

By Emma Amaize, 

NDV Editor 

•The only river in Obalishe-Okpe 

alliance with the 

Minister of Niger- 

Delta, Senator 

Godswill Akpabio 

and NDDC. 

He said: “The 

i n t e r i m 

administrator came 

to apologise to the 

National Assembly 

and told us that he 

did not know and 

understand why 

what happened 

between NASS and 

previous leadership 

of NDDC 

happened, but 

under his watch, 

the commission will 

accord NASS all 

due respect in its 

oversight function.” 

S e n a t o r 

Nwaoboshi said it 

was not the 

intention of either 

the Senate 

•NDDC headquarters 

The government 

has not done 

anything for us, 

neither the state nor 

the local 

government; in this 

place, we do not 

have school, no 

light, no water, we 

are just 

abandoned. I call 

on the government 

of Edo State to help 

us so that we can 

access the needed 

amenities 

intervention said: “The 

government has not done anything 

for us, neither the state nor the 

local government. In this place, we 

It’s Akwa’s down-toearth 

governance 

style —Egbo 

•Effiong Akwa, 

NDDC interim 

administrator 

do not have school, no light, no 

water, we are just abandoned. I 

call on the government of Edo 

State to help us so that we can 

access the needed amenities. 

“A borehole can give us clean 

water, we have many children 

but we do not have school for 

them to attend, they just stay and 

play at home. We drink from 

same stream with cows,"he 

lamented. 

Another lady in the village 

said: “We need water because 

water is life. We have only one 

stream here, it is from there we 

fetch water to bathe, to wash our 

clothes, it is from there we fetch 

our drinking water and 

sometimes, herdsmen bring their 

cows to drink water from the same 

stream so we need government’s 

intervention.” 

Activist appeals to 

govt., others 

An activist, Festus Symperr Ray 

of Afemai Development and 

Transformation Initiative, ADTI, 

who also bemoaned the sufferings 

of the people, asserted: “We, in 

ADTI, wish to add our voice to that 

of the residents to our kindhearted 

member representing 

Akoko-Edo Federal Constituency 

and also deputy majority leader, 

House of Representatives, Hon. 

Peter Akpatason, leadership of 

Akoko-Edo Local Government 

Area, Edo State Government and 

other well-meaning Nigerians to 

come to the aid of this community. 

“They should remember that this 

community also have eligible 

voters who cast their votes during 

elections and, therefore, entitled 

to enjoy democratic dividends like 

others,” he added. 

Speaking to NDV on the act 

of contrition that has earned 

the Commission significant 

benefit, Media Adviser to 

NDDC Interim Administrator, 

Olorgoun Jaro Egbo, said: 

“The new cordial relationship 

between the Commission and 

National Assembly committees 

with oversight function over 

the commission all boil down 

to the unassuming leadership 

style of the interim 

administrator honed over the 

years in honest public service 

and patriotism. 

‘The apology is in line with 

the interim administrator’s 

recognition of the National 

Assembly’s constitutional 

oversight power over the 

commission and indeed, his 

desire to tow the path of 

peace and douse the 

c o m b u s t i b l e 

relationship between the past 

Prof. Daniel Pondei-led IMC 

and the National Assembly 

with the interest and 

development of the region as 

overriding interest. 

“The National Assembly 

committees saw all the 

paradigm shift and the honest 

approach to restore and 

reposition the commission. 

“The result of the newfound 

relationship is the steady 

passage of the commission’s 

2020 budget by the National 

Assembly,” he said. 

C 

M 

Y 

K

Niger-Delta Voice, TUESDAY, MARCH 23, 2021 — 25 

CROSS RIVER 

…THE PEOPLE’S 

PARADISE 

By By Ike Uchechukwu 

NKEBRE- OCCUPANTS of 

lower Nkebre in Ikot Nkebre 

- 8 Miles, Calabar, and Cross 

River State are baffled about the 

secrecy surrounding the ongoing 

execution of World Bank-assisted 

N3 billion erosion control project 

being carried out by Cross River 

State Nigeria Erosion and 

Watershed Management 

Projects, CRS-NEWMAP. 

Our grievances 

—Residents 

Disturbed by the refusal of 

CRS-NEWMAP/AKPAVEN 

(Contractor) to oblige them with 

the project design, they have 

written to the state governor, 

Prof. Ben Ayade, to come to their 

aid as some access roads were 

being blocked without any plan 

to reopen same, as was 

understood to be part of the 

project design. 

The letter from some concerned 

residents signed by Mr. Bassey 

E. Okon and John J. Egwu, 

dated March 8, 2021, indicated 

that the Community Project 

Inspection and Monitoring 

Committee has not functioned as 

expected. 

It read in part: “This 

committee was set up by the 

community as demanded by 

NEWMAP in line with the 

contract administration 

document to monitor and 

interface with the contractor on 

the work being done. 

Unfortunately, the contractor 

does not welcome it. The calls for 

both to meet and discuss the 

identified irregularities are often 

jettisoned with no concrete 

reason which is an unhealthy 

attitude. 

“Without the project design 

DELTA... THE BIG 

HEART OF THE NATION 

By Emma Amaize 

WARRI- A suspected fraud and 

phony marriage syndicate 

operated by jailbirds at the Federal 

Correctional Centre, Okere, Warri, 

Delta State, who use voodoo to cast 

spell on young women anxious for 

marriage in collaboration with 

some officials has been exposed. 

Right inside their prison cells, the 

inmates who have access to 

phones log on to Facebook and 

make 

friends 

with unsuspecting ladies, telling 

them all sorts of lies and duping 

them of their money in wellcrafted 

rip-offs. 

How my client fell prey - 

Ofotokum, lawyer 

A lawyer in her 30s, Mirabel 

Enor Ofotokun, contacted by a 

Facebook fan that fell victim, 

narrated her discovery: “I thought 

I have seen it all until I witnessed 

firsthand the massive fraud 

presently going on at Okere 

Prisons in Warri, Delta State. 

“Early this week (last week), 

one of my Facebook fans messaged 

me that she needed my legal 

advice, I gave her my number and 

she told me that she met a guy on 

Facebook and they have been 

getting along and he has even 

promised marriage. She said the 

guy was on his way to Asaba to see 

her from Port Harcourt when he 

had an accident and the other 

party died. 

“He told her he was immediately 

arraigned before a court and that 

he has gotten a lawyer to apply for 

his bail. The lawyer also called the 

lady and told her that his charges 

made available to the committee, 

the committee does not know 

whether the contract involves 

reclamation and erosion control 

works. 

"The committee needs to be 

abreast on what constitutes the 

contract to enable it monitor and 

follow up and report same to all 

stakeholders. The importance of 

this cannot be overemphasized, 

hence sharing of ideas and 

technical knowledge can play a 

significant role in getting good 

results. 

More damage if not 

properly handled 

Adjoining roads and 

drainages - The internal roads 

and drainages which empty their 

water into the main drainage 

channel are excluded in the 

ongoing execution. 

"We learnt that these drainages 

•Ongoing NEWMAP erosion control project Nkebre. 

N3BN NKEBRE EROSION CONTROL PROJECT: 

C’River community writes gov, alleges 

contractor hiding project design 

•Contractor said he had met with community— Asibong, state NEWMAP coordinator 

were not captured in the design, 

that is why they are not 

considered. Given the huge 

volume of rain water running 

through these drainages, they 

should be attended to and 

adequately directed into the main 

channel being constructed so that 

this huge investment would not 

be a waste." 

Water terminating 

structure: The terminating 

points of the drainage channels 

should be technically 

reconsidered to stop further 

erosion of the surrounding 

areas. The topography of the 

area is very fragile and if not 

properly handled, it would 

cause more devastation than 

the current situation. 

“From the above narratives, 

there is urgent need for all the 

stakeholders to meet. This will 

help us to address the issues 

highlighted herein and find 

solutions to them, with a view to 

ensuring that the project design/ 

specifications are strictly 

adhered to. It would be very 

unfair if as a benefiting 

community, we fail to bring these 

lapses to the notice of the 

stakeholders,” the worried 

residents said. 

Indebtedness 

They, however, expressed 

gratitude for the erosion control 

project being undertaken by the 

Federal Government, state and 

World Bank in the community, 

but reiterated that their 

complaint was bring to the notice 

of the major stakeholders in the 

execution of the contract, the 

irregularities observed and to 

meet to discuss same, with a view 

to finding possible solutions to 

them. 

Govt aware of 

complaint 

Fraud syndicate operated by 

jailbirds uncovered in Delta prisons 

•Convicts use talisman to charm, con marriage-frantic girls 

•Prison officials, outsiders part of gang 

•Collect N150, 000, N200, 000, N1.6m from victims 

•How I caught inmate defrauding my client — Ofototukun, lawyer 

•Inmates of Okere Correctional Centre. 

are N150, 000, which the lady sent. 

“She later went to Okere Prisons 

and saw the guy the next day, the 

lawyer called that he needed 

another N200, 000 to pay the 

sureties for the bail. It was then 

the lady contacted me and told me 

her instincts is telling her there was 

foul play. From her narration, I 

knew some things did not add up, 

as she begged me to help her get to 

the root of the matter. 

“Luckily for her, the next day, I 

was free so after court, I headed 

straight to Okere Prisons. I told her 

not to tell the guy that I was 

coming, as he claimed to have a 

small phone he was using to 

communicate inside the prisons. 

Visit to Okere Prisons 

“On getting to Okere Prisons, I 

saw a lot of very beautiful mature 

ladies all looking for their 

‘fiancé,’ some came with lots of 

goodies - food, clothes, can water, 

etc. When I approached the 

security, the officer in charge called 

me aside and asked me if I also 

came to see my fiancé, I told him 

I was already married and that I 

came to see a client’s fiancé. 

“Upon my inquisitiveness and 

snooping around, I got to unveil 

the huge fraud going on in Okere 

prisons. Inmates who are 

condemned criminals that have 

either been sentenced to life 

imprisonment, death by hanging, 

etc. have devised a means to extort 

desperate ladies who are desirous of 

getting married. 

“They have all forms of expensive 

phones and engage in social media, 

where they toast ladies, show them 

love and promise them marriage. On 

the week of the supposed 

introduction, they will call the ladies 

•Front view of Okere Correctional Centre) 

and give them a good story line, 

either that they had an accident or 

the police arrested them for one 

offence or the other. 

Tricks 

“They will use another inmate to 

pose as either a police officer, lawyer, 

doctor, judge, etc., and ask you, his 

‘fiancée’ to come and help them. The 

billing begins with money for bail, 

money for lawyer, money for sureties, 

money to bribe the judge, etc, until 

they suck you dry. 

“Or the lady finally discovers their 

trick. These inmates work in hand 

with the prison wardens who cover 

up their track and make the ladies 

believe that they were just brought 

into the prisons, not knowing they 

have been there for years. They give 

ladies different names and alias... 

They use these monies to live like 

kings inside the prisons. 

—Asibong, C’River 

NEWMAP 

coordinator 

Contacted, state Project 

Coordinator, NEWMAP, Cross 

River State, Dr. Inyang Asibong 

who is also the Commissioner for 

International Development 

Cooperation in the state, told our 

correspondent that she was 

aware of the concerns from the 

Ikot Nkebre community 

"I am also aware that the 

contractor said he has met with 

them earlier this year, that is all I 

can say for now,” she added. 

Face to face with swindler 

“Immediately my client called the 

guy and told him that her sister, who 

is a lawyer is outside the prison 

waiting to see him, he became angry 

and cut the phone on her. When I got 

in, I had to show the warders his 

pictures that he sent to my client, 

which they used in bringing him out. 

“When I saw this guy, he looks so 

fresh, he wore designers shredded 

jeans, gold necklace, gold wristwatch 

and gold bracelets... He was holding 

can water..... I had to use Warri style 

to warn him that if he ever calls my 

client again, I will post his pictures 

all over social media. He started 

begging me not to. This guy has been 

in prisons for over five years, but told 

my client that he was arrested last 

week Friday. 

“From what some of the warders 

who are not part of the plot told me 

in confidence, some of these inmates, 

who lie to these ladies that they are 

Shell, NNPC Staffs, contractors or 

offshore workers in Lagos, Abuja, 

Port Harcourt, etc have duped 

women over N1.6 million, the least 

is around N200,000. 

Inmates building houses whilst 

in prison 

“Some are even building houses 

whilst in prison, I even heard they 

duped a lady N2.5million two days 

ago, the guy told her that he needed 

that amount to ‘settle’ the family of 

the person that died during the 

accident. He asked the lady to collect 

the money from money lender and 

that he will pay with interest when 

he comes out the next day. 

“After everything, the lady later 

realised she was scammed by an 

inmate. They use voodoo to talk with 

these ladies and some of these 

women get hooked. After sending the 

first N150,000, these criminals will 

ask them to go and take loans, that 

once they come out they will pay 

with interest."


Green pandemic recovery essential to 

close climate action gap — UN report 

•Says right policies could cut up to 25% from 

predicted 2030 emissions 

By Kingsley Adegboye 

with Agency report 

A 

green pandemic 

recovery could cut 

up to 25 per cent off 

predicted 2030 

greenhouse gas emissions 

and bring the world closer 

to meeting the 2°C goal of 

the Paris Agreement on 

Climate Change, a new UN 

Environment Programme 

UNEP, report says. 

UNEP’s annual 

Emissions Gap Report 

2020 has disclosed that 

despite a dip in 2020 

carbon dioxide emissions 

caused by the COVID-19 

pandemic, the world is still 

heading for a temperature 

rise in excess of 3°C this 

century. 

The report pointed out 

however, that if 

governments invest in 

climate action as part of 

pandemic recovery and 

solidify emerging net-zero 

commitments with 

strengthened pledges at 

the next climate meeting 

taking place in Glasgow in 

November 2021, they can 

bring emissions to levels 

broadly consistent with 

the 2°C goal. 

“By combining a green 

pandemic recovery with 

swift moves to include new 

net-zero commitments in 

updated Nationally 

D e t e r m i n e d 

Contributions, NDCs, 

under the Paris 

Agreement, and following 

up with rapid, stronger 

action, governments could 

still attain the more 

ambitious 1.5°C goal. 

“The year 2020 is on 

course to be one of the 

warmest on record, while 

wildfires, storms and 

droughts continue to 

wreak havoc. However, 

UNEP’s Emissions Gap 

report shows that a green 

pandemic recovery can 

take a huge slice out of 

greenhouse gas emissions 

and help slow climate 

change. I urge 

governments to back a 

green recovery in the next 

stage of COVID-19 fiscal 

interventions and raise 

significantly their climate 

ambitions in 2021," said 

Inger Andersen, UNEP’s 

Executive Director. Each 

year, the Emissions Gap 

Report assesses the gap 

between anticipated 

emissions and levels 

consistent with the Paris 

Agreement goals of 

limiting global warming 

this century to well below 

2°C and pursuing 1.5°C. 

The report finds that in 

2019, total greenhouse gas 

emissions, including landuse 

change, reached a new 

high of 59.1 gigatonnes of 

CO 2 

equivalent (GtCO2e). 

Global greenhouse gas 

emissions have grown 1.4 

per cent per year since 

2010 on average, with a 

more rapid increase of 2.6 

per cent in 2019 due to a 

large increase in forest 

fires. 

As a result of reduced 

travel, lower industrial 

activity and lower 

electricity generation this 

year due to the pandemic, 

•Effect of climate change 

carbon dioxide emissions 

are predicted to fall up to 7 

per cent in 2020. 

However, this dip only 

translates to a 0.01°C 

reduction of global 

warming by 2050. 

Meanwhile, NDCs remain 

inadequate. 

Green recovery 

critical 

A green pandemic 

recovery, however, can 

cut up to 25 per cent off 

the emissions we would 

expect to see in 2030 based 

on policies in place before 

COVID-19. 

A green recovery would 

put emissions in 2030 at 

44 GtCO2e, instead of the 

predicted 59 GtCO2e 

which is far outstripping 

emission reductions 

foreseen in unconditional 

NDCs, which leave the 

world on track for a 3.2°C 

temperature rise. 

Such a green recovery 

would put emissions 

within the range that 

gives a 66 per cent chance 

of holding temperatures to 

below 2°C, but would still 

be insufficient to achieve 

the 1.5°C goal. 

Measures to prioritise in 

green fiscal recovery 

include direct support for 

zero-emissions 

technologies and 

infrastructure, reducing 

fossil fuel subsidies, no new 

coal plants, and promoting 

nature-based solutions 

including large-scale 

landscape restoration and 

reforestation. 

So far, the report finds, 

action on a green fiscal 

recovery has been limited. 

Around one-quarter of 

G20 members have 

dedicated shares of their 

spending, up to 3 per cent 

of GDP, to low carbon 

measures. 

There nonetheless 

remains a significant 

opportunity for countries 

to implement green 

policies and programmes. 

Governments must take 

this opportunity in the 

next stage of COVID-19 

fiscal interventions, the 

report finds. 

The report also finds that 

the growing number of 

countries committing to 

net-zero emissions goals by 

mid-century is a 

“significant and 

e n c o u r a g i n g 

development.” 

At the time of report 

completion, 126 countries 

covering 51 per cent of 

global greenhouse gas 

emissions had adopted, 

announced or were 

considering net-zero goals. 

To remain feasible and 

credible, however, these 

commitments must be 

urgently translated into 

strong near-term policies 

and action and reflected in 

NDCs. The levels of 

ambition in the Paris 

Agreement still must be 

roughly tripled for the 2°C 

pathway and increased at 

least five-fold for the 1.5°C 

pathway. 

Reforming 

consumption 

behaviour critical 

Each year, the report also 

looks at the potential of 

specific sectors. In 2020, it 

considers consumer 

behaviour and the 

shipping and aviation 

sectors. 

The shipping and 

aviation sectors, which 

account for 5 per cent of 

global emissions, also 

require attention. 

Improvements in 

technology and operations 

can increase fuel 

efficiency, but projected 

increases in demand mean 

this will not result in 

decarbonisation and 

absolute reductions of CO 2 

. 

Both sectors need to 

combine energy efficiency 

with a rapid transition 

away from fossil fuel, the 

report finds. 

The report further finds 

that stronger climate 

action must include 

changes in consumption 

behaviour by the private 

sector and individuals. 

Around two-thirds of global 

emissions are linked to 

private households, when 

using consumption-based 

accounting. 

The wealthy bear 

greatest responsibility: the 

emissions of the richest one 

per cent of the global 

population account for 

more than twice the 

combined share of the 

poorest 50 per cent. This 

group will need to reduce 

its footprint by a factor of 

30 to stay in line with the 

Paris Agreement targets. 

Possible actions to 

support and enable lower 

carbon consumption 

include replacing 

domestic short haul 

flights with rail, 

incentives and 

infrastructure to enable 

cycling and car-sharing, 

improving the energy 

efficiency of housing and 

policies to reduce food 

waste. 

US heads to Mexico for 

immigration talks 

US President Joe 

Biden will dispatch 

envoys to Mexico and Guatemala, 

his administration announced 

yesterday, for migration 

talks as he struggles to 

contain a surge of migrant 

arrivals at the US border with 

Mexico. 

White House border coordinator 

Roberta Jacobson 

will travel to Mexico for talks 

with Mexican officials aimed 

at developing “an effective 

and humane plan of action 

to manage migration”, White 

House spokeswoman Emily 

Horne said in a statement. 

The visit was also announced 

by Mexico’s foreign 

ministry, which said the 

talks would take place on 

Tuesday. 

Jacobson will be joined by 

Juan Gonzalez, the National 

Security Council’s senior director 

for the Western Hemisphere, 

and Ricardo Zuniga, 

just appointed by the State Department 

as the Northern Triangle 

special envoy. 

“Special Assistant to the 

President and Coordinator 

for the Southwest Border, 

Ambassador Roberta Jacobson 

will travel to Mexico on 

March 22 to engage with 

Mexican government officials 

to develop an effective 

and humane plan of action 

to manage migration,” according 

to the statement. 

Gonzalez will continue to 

Guatemala to meet Guatemalan 

officials, as well as 

representatives from civil society 

and non-government 

organisations. 

Gonzalez’s aim in Guatemala 

is to “address root causes 

of migration in the region and 

build a more hopeful future 

in the region”, Horne said. 

Zuniga is a Honduras-born 

US career diplomat, a Cuba 

specialist, and was a top Latin 

America adviser to then- 

President Barack Obama. 

Biden’s promise to end 

former President Donald 

Trump’s hard-line immigration 

policies has been complicated 

by a recent spike in 

the number of migrants crossing 

the border illegally. 

An uptick in the number of 

migrants fleeing violence, 

natural disasters and economic 

hardship in Central 

America is testing Biden’s 

commitment to a more humane 

immigration policy. 

Since Biden’s inauguration, 

the US has seen a spike in the 

number of people encountered 

by border officials. 

There were 18,945 family 

members and 9,297 unaccompanied 

children encountered 

in February – an increase 

of 168 percent and 63 

percent, respectively, from 

the month before, according 

to the Pew Research Center. 

Meanwhile, Mexico has 

reinforced its southern border 

with Guatemala immigration 

agents and National 

Guard troops after the 

country announced it would 

limit all non-essential travel 

between the two countries. 

Local media reported that 

the Suchiate River which separates 

Guatemala and Mexico 

was being lined with an 

enhanced security presence 

to contain a growing flow of 

immigrants heading to the 

United States. 

Last week, the US announced 

that it is facing the 

largest surge in migrants arrivals 

in 20 years. 

On Friday, the Mexican 

government announced that 

non-essential travel would 

be restricted between the two 

countries, and local media 

reported that officers from 

the country’s National Migration 

Institute began deploying 

on the banks of the 

river on Saturday. On Sunday, 

military troops began 

arriving. 

Saudi Arabia proposes ceasefire plan 

to Yemen’s rebels 

Saudi Arabia has an 

nounced a plan to 

offer its rivals in Yemen’s 

long-running war a nationwide 

ceasefire under 

the auspices of the United 

Nations, the kingdom’s 

foreign minister 

said. 

Speaking yesterday, 

the kingdom’s foreign 

minister, Prince Faisal 

bin Farhan Al Saud, said 

the ceasefire proposed to 

the Houthi rebels is envisioned 

“for the entire 

conflict”, including allowing 

for the main airport 

in Yemen’s rebelheld 

capital, Sanaa, to 

reopen. 

It would take effect “as 

soon as the Houthis 

agree to it”, he said in 

Saudi Arabia’s capital, 

Riyadh. 

“It is up to the Houthis 

now,” Prince Faisal added, 

stressing his country 

would continue to “protect” 

its borders, citizens 

and infrastructure and 

face the Houthi “aggression 

with the necessary 

response”. 

“The Houthis must decide 

whether to put their 

interests first or Iran’s 

interests first.” 

The proposal would 

also allow for fuel and 

food imports through the 

western port of Hodeidah 

– Yemen’s main 

port of entry – and restarting 

political negotiations 

between the Saudi 

Arabia-backed government 

of President 

Abd Rabbu Mansour 

Hadi and the Houthis. 

Whether such a plan 

will take hold remains 

another question. A unilaterally 

declared Saudi 

ceasefire collapsed last 

year. 

The offer was welcomed 

by Hadi’s government in 

a statement from the foreign 

ministry based in 

the southern port of 

Aden. 

But the Houthis said 

the initiative provided 

“nothing new”, as it still 

fell short of their demand 

for a complete lifting of 

the blockade on Sanaa 

airport and Hodeidah 

port. 

“Saudi Arabia must 

declare an end to the 

aggression and lift the 

blockade completely, but 

putting forward ideas 

that have been discussed 

for over a year is nothing 

new,” said spokesman 

Mohammed Abdulsalam, 

according to the 

rebels’ Al-Masirah television. 

“We expected that Saudi 

Arabia would announce 

an end to the 

blockade of ports and airports 

and an initiative to 

allow in 14 ships that are 

held by the coalition,” 

Abdulsalam said in separate 

comments to Reuters 

news agency. 

“Opening the airports 

and seaports is a humanitarian 

right and should 

not be used as a pressure 

tool.” 

Saudi Arabia has long 

accused Iran of supplying 

the Houthis with military 

aid. Iran denies the 

allegation, saying it only 

supports the rebels diplomatically 

and politically. 

Congo’s opposition candidate 

Kolelas dies a day after elections 

Leading opposition 

presidential candidate 

in the Republic of 

Congo’s election, Guy 

Brice Parfait Kolelas, 

died on Sunday, a day 

after the country went to 

the polls. 

Kolelas was hospitalised 

on the eve of the 

elections and died of 

COVID-19 as he was 

being taken to France for 

treatment, his campaign 

director Christian Cyr 

Rodrigue Mayanda told 

AFP news agency on 

Monday. 

Kolelas “died in the 

medical aircraft which 

came to get him from 

Brazzaville on Sunday 

afternoon”, added Mayanda. 

On Saturday, a family 

member told the Associated 

Press that Kolelas 

was receiving treatment 

at a private hospital in 

the capital Brazzaville 

after contracting the 

coronavirus. 

Kolelas skipped his final 

campaign event on 

Friday after telling some 

reporters a day earlier 

that he feared he had 

malaria. 

A video circulating on 

social media dated Friday 

showed Kolelas, 61, 

wearing an oxygen 

mask and with a blood 

pressure cuff on his arm 

as he lay in a hospital 

bed. 

“My dear compatriots, 

I am in trouble. I am 

fighting death,” the candidate 

said in a weak 

voice after removing his 

oxygen mask. “However, 

I ask you to stand up and 

vote for change. I would 

not have fought for nothing.”

vanguardnews @vanguardnews @vanguardnews 

Vanguard, TUESDAY, MARCH 23, 2021—27 

NEWS HOTLINES 

018773962, 

08052867058 

Nigeria in critical situation, 

says Defence minister 

Continues from Page 5 

information, l called the 

DPO and the vigilante but 

before they got there, the 

people were already dead. 

“Some policemen from 

the area brought the corpses 

to the mortuary in Obiaruku 

(headquarters of Ukwuani 

Local Government Area.) 

Noting that his 

administration is putting 

security measures in place 

to prevent herdsmen from 

encroaching on the area, 

Ajede said the herders had 

24 hours earlier, kidnapped 

two farmers in the area. 

“On Saturday, we got 

information that some 

herdsmen adopted two 

indigenes of Umutu who 

were going to their farm a 

few minutes to 7am. 

“I immediately deployed 

the vigilante and some 

volunteers along the River 

Ethiope to go on their trail. 

At a point before Eku, there 

was a shoot-out and the 

herdsmen abandoned their 

victims who were brought 

back to the community.” 

Contacted, Police Public 

Relations Officer of Delta 

State command, Mr. Bright 

Edafe, said he was not 

aware of the killings. 

“I don’t want to debunk it 

but l am not aware of it,” he 

said. 

MACBAN 

disowns attack 

on Gov Ortom 

In a similar development, 

the assassination attempt 

on Benue State governor, 

Samuel Ortom, by gunmen 

in his farm on the outskirts 

of Makurdi on Saturday as 

continued to generate 

reactions, as Miyetti Allah 

Cattle Breeders Association 

of Nigeria, MACBAN, 

distanced itself from it. 

The governor had alleged 

that MACBAN met in Yola, 

the Adamawa State capital, 

recently and came up with 

an agenda to eliminate 

him. 

“I was alarmed for 

singling me out as the only 

person who is creating 

problem for the entire 

Fulani race and behind the 

scenes, I also heard that in 

the meeting, I was targeted 

for elimination. 

“This was the information 

I got that they will go after 

me either in my home, farm 

or wherever they get me,” 

the governor had alleged 

in a statement after the 

attack. 

But the Secretary- 

General, MACBAN, 

Usman Baba-Ngelzerma, 

said yesterday that the 

group is not a criminal 

association. 

He attributed the attack to 

his campaign against killer 

herdsmen, who had been 

attacking farmers in the 

state and other parts of the 

country. 

He said: “First, we have 

to condemn the attack. 

Then, secondly, if there was 

an attack, that must be a 

criminal activity which must 

be directed to the security 

agencies for proper 

investigation. 

“As far as we are 

concerned, the Miyetti 

Allah Cattle Breeders 

Association has never had 

meeting anywhere in 

Adamawa State because I 

read on social media that 

there was a meeting in 

Adamawa State where that 

arrangement was made. 

My association did not 

have any meeting in 

Adamawa State. 

“Our association is not a 

criminal association, we 

don’t know anything about 

any attack anywhere. If 

there was an attack, let the 

security agencies find out 

who attacked him. That is 

the proper channel to be 

followed; you don’t 

politicise criminality. Crime 

is a crime by whomever. Let 

the security agencies fish 

out perpetrators of the act.” 

‘Track, bring 

perpetrators to 

book’ 

Aso reacting to the attack 

on the governor yesterday, 

the Minority Caucus of the 

House of Representatives 

called on security agencies 

to track and bring to justice 

those involved in the 


the governor. 

Leader of the caucus, 

Ndudi Godwin Elumelu, 

said in a statement that the 

caucus is alarmed by the 

brazen assassination 

attempt on the governor, 

describing it as another 

daring attempt by the 

criminal elements to 

destabilize Benue State. 

The legislators insisted on 

full-scale investigation into 

the unfortunate incident to 

bringing the assailants and 

their masterminds to 

justice, no matter how 

highly-placed. 

The statement read: “We 

are alarmed by this brazen 

attempt by outlaws to 

assassinate a 

democratically elected 

governor in our country. It 

is, indeed, disturbing that 

outlaws, bandits and 

terrorists have been so 

indulged that they now 

have the temerity to fire 

shots at, and attempt to 

assassinate a 

democratically elected 

governor. 

“Moreover, our caucus is 

distressed by the 

disposition of certain state 

actors, whose actions, 

utterances and body 

language appear to 

embolden acts of terrorism, 

to the extent that criminal 

elements can summon the 

audacity to trail and attempt 

to assassinate a state 

governor. 

“Furthermore, the attack 

on Governor Ortom has 

again brought to the fore 

apprehensions over alleged 

lapses in our security 

MEETING ON SECURITY CHALLENGES— Islamic cleric, Sheikh Ahmad Abubakar Gummi [2nd left] 

with Mallam Tukur Mamu[l] and the Founder/President,Foundation for Peace and Non-Violence in Nigeria, 

Chief Onengiya Erekosima and Malam Lawal Moh’d Gusau at the meeting on security challenges among 

Peace Advocates of Niger Delta and Northern Region at Arewa House, Kaduna, yesterday. Photo: Olu Ajayi. 

architecture, particularly 

given that the attack came 

on the heels of his 

continuous distress call on 

the Federal Government to 

take decisive steps to 

guarantee the security of 

life and property in his 

state. 

“As representatives of the 

people, our caucus charges 

the Inspector General of 

Police to widen 

investigation into the attack, 

fish out and bring the 

attackers to book, as our 

nation cannot, in any way, 

condone such affront to our 

sovereignty.” 

The caucus, however, 

commended “the security 

personnel attached to 

Governor Ortom for their 

gallantry in repelling the 

attackers, while also 

charging the Inspector- 

General of Police to beef up 

security and intelligence 

gathering around the 

governor at this critical 

time.” 

Unmask 

Ortom’s 

attackers 

— Akeredolu 

Attack on Ortom, In his 

reaction, Governor Rotimi 

Akeredolu Ondo State 

described the attack on the 

governor as an unfortunate 

incident. 

Akeredolu, who spoke at 

the swearing-in of the first 

female Secretary to the State 

Government, SSG, 

Princess Oladunni Odu 

and four special advisers in 

Akure, said: “I must pause 

to condemn, in the 

strongest terms possible, 

the most recent cowardly 

attack on the convoy of 

Benue State governor, Mr. 

Samuel Ortom. 

“I call on the security 

agencies to unmask the 

agents of darkness bent on 

throwing this country into 

a state of anarchy. 

“We note that the 

authorities have assured 

the people of Benue and 

Nigerians alike that the 

perpetrators will face 

justice. 

“May we, therefore, 

admonish those saddled 

with the responsibility of 

unravelling the mystery to 

ensure that, as it has been 

in other incidents, the 

investigation being 

conducted is thorough and 

not open-ended. 

“This will reassure 

Nigerians on the 

seriousness of our security 

agencies. This unfortunate 

incident underscores the 

importance of restructuring 

the security architecture in 

the country. We will not be 

tired of demanding that the 

right thing be done. I have 

spoken.” 

Governors 

worried over 

attack on 

Ortom 

— Ganduje 

Also reacting yesterday, 

Governor Abdulahi 

Ganduje of Kano State 

expressed worry over rising 

insecurity in the country 

and the recent attack on 

Governor Samuel Ortom of 

Benue state, describing the 

situation as unfortunate. 

Speaking to State House 

correspondents after 

meeting with President 

Muhammadu Buhari at the 

Presidential Villa Abuja, the 

Governor said with the 

appointment of new Service 

Chiefs, the situation would 

change. 

Commenting on the 

recent repeated cases of 

armed attacks on people in 

authority, especially state 

governors, the Governor 

said it became worrisome 

that criminals could lay 

siege on governors, 

wondering what the fate of 

the ordinary citizen, who 

does not enjoy the sort of 

security protection of 

governors. 

He said he was optimistic 

that the situation would get 

better soon with the new 

service chiefs, adding that 

President Buhari had 

shown seriousness in 

stamping out the menace. 

His words: “I think it’s 

unfortunate, but I believe 

with appointment of new 

service chiefs, new strategy 

will be developed and I 

think Mr. President has 

always been serious on this 

issue, but is rather 

unfortunate. 

“Not only governors 

being attacked, anybody 

who is attacked in Nigeria, 

one should be worried 

because life is life. 

Certainly we’re worried 

because a governor is 

supposed to have some 

security with him, let alone 

of an ordinary man who 

has no security. 

“So you can see how 

serious the situation is. It’s 

unfortunate, but we believe 

will come over it.” 

On his visit to Aso Rock, 

Governor Ganduje said the 

Kano State Government is 

constructing a world-class 

three-level road 

interchange, to be named 

after President Buhari, in 

appreciation of his 

commitment to Kano’s 

infrastructure 

development. 

He explained that the 

interchange, consisting of 

flyover, bridge and 

underpass, was sited 

within Metropolitan Kano, 

because of the fast growing 

population of the city, a 

situation brought about by 

the insecurity in the 

northern regions of the 

country. 

He said Kano had 

become the safest place in 

the north as a result of 

various investments of his 

administration into security. 

He said: “All what I know 

as of today Kano is the most 

peaceful state in the 

federation and this is not by 

chance, there must be some 

security measures that we 

have taken, like full 

cooperation among the 

security agencies in Kano 

State. 

“We introduced the 

command and control centre; 

the CCTV where we are 

viewing the whole 

Metropolitan Kano, we have 

the most powerful tracker 

vehicle, equipment in Kano. 

“Falgore Forest where 

bandits usually inhabit, we 

said no, not in Kano State. We 

established a military training 

ground in Falgore Forest and 

therefore bandits cannot 

inhabit it. 

“Our border with Kaduna, 

we have a forest and where 

we are establishing RUGA 

programme, we discussed 

with nomadic Fulani, they 

agreed to be settled there. In 

fact, other Fulani are even 

coming. 

“In conjunction with 

Islamic Bank, we’re building 

dam, artificial insemination 

centre, veterinary clinic, 

school for their children and 

all it takes to form a 

settlement." 

Don't politicize 

attempt on my 

life, Ortom 

pleads 

On his own part, Governor 

Samuel Ortom, yesterday 

warned against politicization 

of last Saturday’s attempt on 

his life by suspected armed 

herdsmen at Tyo-Mu 

community in the outskirts of 

Makurdi town along 

Makurdi-Gboko road. 

He stressed that the level of 

insecurity in the country is a 

clear indication that Nigeria 

is sitting on a keg of gunpowder 

and everyone must be 

conscious to avert an 

implosion. 

The governor who spoke at 

the end of an emergency State 

Security Council meeting 

held in Makurdi, appealed to 

Benue people to be calm and 

await the outcome of the 

investigation being carried 

out as directed by the 

Inspector-General of Police, 

IGP. 

The governor who said he is 

still in shock, lauded the 

Presidency, the Inspector - 

General of Police, IGP, as well 

as the array of groups 

including Nigeria Govenors’ 

Forum, PDP Governors’ 

Forum, APC Governors’ 

Forum, National leadership 

of PDP and APC, the media, 

the traditional institution and 

Christians as well as all 

Nigerians and people of 

goodwill for their show of 

concern and solidarity since 

the incident. 

He expressed optimism in 

the ability of the IGP’s team 

to do their job and fish out the 

perpetrators, adding that the 

State Security Council has 

also set up a panel to assist 

the state Commissioner of 

Police investigate the incident. 

“I urge Benue people to be 

calm because the matter is 

being investigated and we 

hope that those behind the 

attack would be apprehended 

and prosecuted. 

“I also plead with us not to 

politicize the incident because 

doing so would not be in the 

interest of anyone. I have 

nothing against anyone or 

any group, all I am after is 

fairness, justice and protection 

of the rights, wishes and 

aspirations of the people who 

voted me to power. 

“The Benue Grazing Law is 

not targeted at anyone, Benue 

people wanted it and they are 

happy with it. Moreover, it has 

brought relative peace to our 

state, so why would anyone 

kick against it?"


CHANGE OF NAME 

SALISU SAMUEL SUNDAY TUFO 

I, formerly known as Salisu I, formerly known as Kambai I, formerly known as Sunday I, formerly known as Sani Umar 

Danbaba, now wish to be known Samuel, now wish to be 

Ware, now wish to be known as Tufo, now wish to be known as 

as Garba Danbaba. All former known as Kambai Samuel 

Alanaso Ware. All former Sani Umar. All former documents 

documents remain valid. Zenith Makarau. All former 

Bank Plc and general public take 

note. 

SAMUEL 

I, formerly known as Samuel 

documents remain valid. 

General public take note. 

OMALE 

I, formerly known as Omale 

documents remain valid. General 

public take note. 

ATANKE 

I, formerly known as Shekoni 

remain valid. General public take 

note. 

BONIFACE 

I, formerly known as Boniface 

Alexandra, now wish to be known Gabriel Muhammed, now Fatimoh Atanke, now wish to 

as Egbunu Alexander Atah. Wrong 

Cletus, now wish to be known as 

wish to be known as Omale be known as Sekoni Atoke 

Date Of Birth 17/01/1990. Correct 

Boniface Zephaniah Cletus. All 

Muhammed. All former 

Date Of Birth Is 17/01/1996. All 

Fatimah. All former 

documents remain valid. former documents remain valid. 

former documents remain valid. documents remain valid. 


ONWUKA 

I, formerly known as Miss 

Onwuka Blessing, now wish 


EZUMA 

I, formerly known as Miss Ezuma 

Christiana Chinasa, now wish to 


WKAYI 

I, formerly known as Mary Wkayi, 

now wish to be known as Oluchi 


PETER 

I, formerly known as Peter 

Emmanuel Maisamari, now 

to be known as Mrs. Ottah be known as Mrs. Orji Christiana 

wish to be known as Peter 

Godiya Mary. All former 

Blessing. All former Chinasa. All former documents 

Emmanuel. All former 



remain valid. General public take 

note. 





UMAR 

MEMDAYAN 

MOHAMMAD 

BASHAR 

I, formerly known as Auwal I, formerly known as I, formerly known as I, formerly known as Bashar 

Memdayan Ndaggum Oniel, Abubakar Mohammad, now 

Aisha, now wish to be known 

Njabari now wish to be known now wish to be known as wish to be known and 

addressed as Abubakar and addressed as Bisir Aisha 

as Auwal Njabari Umar. All Memdayan Oniel. All former 

Muhammad Kaka Njiddawo 


Naomi. All former documents 

former documents remain. 

Tella. All former documents 

General public should take remain valid. General public 

remain valid. General public 

General public should take note note 

please take note. 


PAUL 

I, formerly known as 

ABUBAKAR 


BABAWO 

I, formerly known as Babawo 

KABIRU 

I, formerly known as Umar 

Sylvanus Sallah Paul, now Abubakar Ismaila Adebayo, Garba Danazumi, now wish to Kabiru, now wish to be known 

as Hussaini Umar Maude. 

wish to be known and now wish to be known and be known and addressed as 

Wrong date of birth 18/10/ 

addressed as Sylvanus Paul. addressed as Bakare Ismaila Bashir Shuaibu. All former 1998.Correct date of birth 10/3/ 

All former documents remain Adebayo.All former documents remain valid. 1997.All former documents 

valid. General public please 

take note. 

documents remain valid 

General public please take 


note. 

remain valid. General public 


OKOLO 

note. PETER 

JEROME 

ENIAFE 

My Name was wrongly arrange I, formerly known as Peter Mathew I, formerly known as Jerome I, formerly known as Miss 

written and capsure on my BVN Kwaghzer, now wish to be known Zachari, now wish to be known Eniafe Folake Dorathy, now 

account detail as Ayegbeni as Mathew Peter Kwaghzeremu. as Silas Zakari with my actual wish to be known as Mrs 

My date of birth was wrongly 

Ajiboye Folake Dorathy. All 

Okolo Philip, instead of Ayegbeni 

date of birth of 13th February, 

captured as 5th August 2000, 

former documents remain 

Philip Okolo. Former documents 

2001 All former documents 

instead of 5th January 2000. All 

valid. General public and 

remain valid. General Public take 

former documents remain valid. remain valid. Unity Bank and authority concerned please 

note. 

General public please take note. general public please take note. take note. 

EMMANUEL 

ECHEMBA 

SEIME 

IKWUO 

This is to confirm that Emmanuel I, formerly known as Innocent I, formerly known as Bot- I, formerly known as Miss 

Ifeoma, Agbai-Emmanuel lfeoma Onyemauchechukwu Echemba. Timothy Nina-Nadine Seime. Ogbuu Oyidiya Ikwuo, now 

Grace and Agbai Emmanuel Ifeoma Now wish to be known and Now wish to be known and 

wish to be known and 

refer to one and the same person, 

addressed as Innocent 

addressed as Mrs. Peter Joy 

now wish to be known as Agbai 

addressed as Bot-Timothy 

Onyemauchechukwu Echebima. 

Oyidiya. All former 

Ifeoma Emmanuel. Former 

Nina Seime. All former 

All former documents remain 

documents remain valid 




valid. General public take note. 


General public take note. note. 

DORGU 

I, formerly known as Dorgu 

NDAAYOR 

My name was wrongly written on 

IMOH 

This is to notify the general public 

KEFAS 

I, formerly known as Patience 

Jim Nimiworio, now wish to my (BVN) as Blessing Thankgod that during the BVN registration, my 

Kefas, now wish to be called and 

Ada Ndaayor, instead of Thankgod 

name was erroneously written as 

be known and addressed as 

Thompson, Emmanuel Imoh, addressed as Patience Adamu. My 

Blessing Ndaayor. My correct name 

Jim-Dorgu Nimiworio Robert. 

instead of Thompson Emmanuel correct DOB is 05/12/1987 not 05/ 

is Thankgod Blessing Ndaayor. All 

Imoh. My correct name is 


12/1988. All former documents 

documents bearing my former name Emmanuel Imoh Thompson. All 

valid General public please remain valid, general public should former documents remain valid. The 

remain valid.Sterling Bank Plc 

take note. 

take note. 

general public should take note. Authority and general public should 

UMAR 

ABDULKADIR 

OLAITAN 

take note 

AKUMA 

I, formerly known as Suleman I, formerly known as Abdulkadir I, formerly known as Ajiboye I, formerly known and 

Umar, now wish to be called and 

Azeez Oke Olaitan, now addressed as Akuma Nkem, 

Muhammadhujjatu, now wish to be 

addressed as Mohammed 

wish to be known and now wish to be known and 

known and addressed as Abdulkadir 

Abdullahi. All Former documents 

addressed as Ajiboye Azeez 

addressed as Mrs. Akuma 

remain valid Any Authority 

Muhammad Hujjatu. All former 

Nkemakolam Paulyne. All 

Oke. All former documents 

former documents remain 

concern and the General public documents remain valid. General remain valid. General public valid. General public to take 

take note. 

public please take note. 


note. 

SAMUEL 

OPATOLA 

TIMOTHY 

ADEMU 

This is to confirm that, Samuel Smart I, formerly known as Opatola I, Timothy Adankat Samuel and I, formerly known as Daniel 

Bruce, and Samuel Smart, refer to 

Timothy Adankat refer to one and 

Amaka Jacey, now wish to be 

one and same person and should be 

the same person, now wish to called Ademu, now wish to be known 

treated as one anywhere they known and addressed as Nweke and addressed as Timothy Adankat and addressed as Abel Amedu. 

appear. All documents bearing the 

Samuel to correspond with my 

Amaka Jacinta. All former 


above mentioned names remain 

documents my correct DOB is 14/ 


valid. General public should take 

2/1979 not 3/12/1979. Access,Uba 

valid. General public please take 

note. 


Bank Plc and the General Public to 

please take note 

note. 

ADEMU 

ZAKARI 

IBRAHIM 

MAIGARI 

I, formerly known as Fatimetu I, formerly known as Zekairi I, formerly known as Ibrahim I, formerly known as Ruth 

Ademu, now wish to be known and Ayishetu, now wish to be known 

Jeremiah and Ruth Hassan, now 

Aishat, now wish to be known wish to be known and addressed 

addressed as Adejoh Juweretu. My and addressed as Zakari Aisha. My 

and addressed as Shaibu as Ruth Maigari. Old date of 

Correct Date Of Birth Is 02/04/2003, Correct Date Of Birth Is 12/11/1983, 

birth is 28/2/1989, new date of 

Aishat. All former documents 

not 31/03/1976. All former not 10/11/1983. All former 

birth is 29/4/1992. All former 

documents remain valid. General documents remain valid. General remain valid. General public documents remain valid. General 






We'll do everything to protect 

our people, Abia dep gov 

assures Abiriba community 

ABIRIBA—THE Deputy 

Governor of Abia State, 

Rt Hon Ude Oko Chukwu has 

assured Abiriba Community 

in Ohafia LGA that the State 

Government will deploy all 

necessary resources available 

to it to ensure the protection 

of the people and all 

law abiding citizens. 

Sir Oko Chukwu gave the 

assurance after visiting the 

community following an attack 

on policemen on duty in 

the community by yet to be 

identified hoodlums which 

led to the death of three officers 

and palpable fear of possible 

reprisal by security 

agents. 

Speaking to the people at 

Orie Akwa square in the 

community, Sir Oko Chukwu 

who was accompanied on 

the visit by the state commissioner 

for Infornation, Chief 

John Okiyi Kalu, called for 

community vigilance and 

support to security agents to 

ensure that the perpetrators 

are quickly identified and 

IGSOS hold maiden AGM April 3 

I GBANKE—PREPARA 

TIONS for the maiden edition 

of the Annual General 

Meeting, AGM, of Igbanke 

Grammar School Old Students' 

Association, Igbanke in 

Orhionmwon Local Government 

Area of Edo State are 

already in top gear. 

The event billed to hold on 

Saturday, April 3, this year, 

according to the Chairman, 

Organising committee, Mr. 

Patrick Idahosa, will also 

IBRAHIM 


Ibrahim Aladi, now wish 

to be known and 

addressed as Friday Ladi. 

All former documents 

remain valid. General 


brought to justice. 

He said: “The government 

is saddened by the unfortunate 

attack of this morning which 

led to the loss of lives of police 

officers at Agu Eze check point 

and my boss, Governor Ikpeazu 

on receiving the news asked 

me to come here and assure 

you that we will do everything 

possible to apprehend the perpetrators 

of the dastardly act 

and protect Ndi Abiriba and 

all law abiding people in the 

state. We call on you to maintain 

vigilance in order to fish 

out criminals and hoodlums 

who may want to come here 

to attack innocent people as 

they go about their their legitimate 

businesses. 

"Government will give you 

all the necessary support and 

we have spoken to the security 

authorities to avoid indiscriminate 

arrests but ensure a 

painstaking investigation that 

will ensure that only those responsible 

for the dastardly act 

are brought to justice as quickly 

as possible", he concluded. 

double as the association's 

second reunion outing. 

Idahosa, in a statement 

made available to newsmen, 

enjoined all old students of the 

school both at home and in 

the Diaspora to attend the 

event ,as according to him, it 

will afford them the opportunity 

of reuniting with their old 

school mates, just as he added 

that issues relating to the development 

of the school 

would be addressed. 

In the statement, he also recalled 

that the second edition 

of the reunion programme is 

sequel to the success of the 

maiden edition of the Association's 

Reunion event held in 

April, 2019, 

This year's Reunion programme/AGM, 

Idahosa further 

explained would hold at 

the school's compound in Igbanke, 

beginning by 9:00 am.


30— Vanguard, TUESDAY, MARCH 23, 2021 

Chad disqualified from Africa 

Cup of Nations qualifiers 

Chad will not take part in 

the final matches of 

qualification for next year’s 

Africa Cup of Nations after 

being disqualified by African 

football’s governing body Caf. 

Chad - who were already 

bottom of Group A and with no 

chance of qualifying for the 

finals in Cameroon - will no 

longer play their upcoming 

matches against Namibia and 

Mali in Group A. Instead, 3-0 

victories will automatically be 

given to those opponents. 

The decision comes after 

Chad’s Football Federation 

was suspended by the 

country’s Ministry of Youth 

and Sports. 

Football’s governing bodies 

have strict rules in place which 

Benin coach emulates 

Rohr, names Sessegnon 

‘non-playing captain’ 

Captain Stephane 

Sessegnon, who has 

been without a club, has been 

named by Benin as a “nonplaying 

captain”, just as the 

Super Eagles have done with 

Ahmed Musa, coach Michel 

Dussuyer has disclosed. 

Dussuyer said the former 

West Bromwich Albion forward 

has been listed “to galvanise 

the team to victory” against 

Nigeria and Sierra Leone, but 

will not see action and was not 

listed on the 23-man squad. 

The Frenchman yesterday 

finally announced his squad 

for the decisive AFCON 

Messi considers 

U-turn due to improved 

Barcelona form’ 

punish political involvement in 

national football federations. 

“Following the suspension of 

the Chadian Football 

Federation by the Chadian 

Ministry of Youth and Sports, 

Caf has decided to disqualify 

the national team of Chad from 

the qualifiers for the Africa 

Cup of Nations 2021,” a Caf 

statement said. 

Already-qualified Mali now 

lead Group A with 13 points 

from five matches, with Guinea 

second on eight points from 

four games. 

Guinea host Mali on 

Wednesday and will qualify for 

the finals with a win, but any 

other result will see them travel 

to Namibia for a qualification 

decider on Sunday. 

qualifiers with not one 

player from the domestic 

league. Thanks to the travel 

restrictions caused by the 

Coronavirus Pandemic, 

Benin can now count on as 

many as 12 players from 

France to shock star-studded 

Nigeria and qualify for the 

AFCON to be hosted by 

Cameroon in January. 

The players include 

goalkeeper Saturnin Allagbe, 

defenders Youssouf Assogba, 

Cedric Hountondji, Emmanuel 

Imorou as well as forwards 

Josel Dossu and Steve 

Mounie. 

Lionel Messi is far more open to signing a new 

contract with Barcelona following the club’s 

improved form in recent months. 

The Argentina international announced last 

summer that he was looking to leave Camp 

Nou, only for Barca to question the 

validity of a release clause in his 

contract. 

Messi stayed at Barca for an 18th 

season, but he is due to be out of 

contract in June and can speak to 

foreign clubs regarding a free 

transfer. The six-time Ballon 

d’Or winner is considering 

making a U-turn, with his 

stance changing over the past 

few weeks. 

Barca may have been 

knocked out of the 

Champions League by Paris 

Saint-Germain, but they are 

unbeaten in 18 La Liga games 

- winning 15 of those - and are 

in the Copa del Rey final. 

•Messi 

AFCON 2022 Qualifiers: 

Babayaro lashes 

out at Rohr 

Former Super eagles 

defender Celestine 

Babayaro has tongue-lashed 

Super Eagles coach, Gernot 

Rohr saying he got it all 

wrong with his list of players 

for their upcoming AFCON 

2022 qualifiers. 

Rohr named only one 

home-based player in his list 

of players for the games 

against Benin Republic and 

Lesotho respectively, but 

following a spate of 

withdrawals he has now 

called up two more players. 

Babayaro while reacting to 

the game where Nigeria 

needs just a point out of a 

possible six points said the 

coach should have named 

•Iheanacho 

Nwankwo laments 

racial abuse in Serie A 

Super Eagles and Crotone of Italy 

striker Simeon Nwankwo, has 

decried the racial abuse he and others 

have suffered in the hands of Serie A 

fans on social media. 

The 28-year-old, who was with Super 

Eagles at the 2018 World Cup, shared 

screenshots of abusive messages sent to 

him on Instagram after scoring in 

Saturday’s 3-2 home defeat by 

Bologna. 

“It’s sadly become a regular 

occurrence on social media but these 

hateful words have no place anywhere 

in society,” Nwankwo told BBC Sport 

Africa. 

“I can’t believe how many of these 

unspeakable messages, from different 

users, send racist abuse at footballers. 

“We can only hope that more efforts 

will be put in to ensure the general 

public and not just footballers feel safe 

on social media platforms. 

This incident comes barely two weeks 

after his Algerian team-mate Adam 

Ounas - on loan from Napoli - received 

racist abuse on social media following 

Crotone’s 4-2 win over Torino. 

•Rohr 

more players playing in 

Nigeria’s domestic league and 

around African continent. 

He said in the past, previous 

managers of the senior 

national team of Nigeria have 

used opportunities like this to 

create competition in the team 

to keep the foreign based on 

their toes. 

“Maybe we have lost a thing 

or two about trusting players 

playing at home because they 

should dominate the team list 

per the nature of the games. 

The coach don’t need that 

high amount of foreign-based 

players particularly with the 

travel restrictions in some 

European countries”, he told 

Mowiz. 

Another ex-Super 

Eagles player dies 

Former Super Eagles 

player and Team 

Manager of Lobi Stars 

football club of Makurdi, 

Barnabas Imenger is dead. 

Imenger died yesterday at 

the National Hospital, 

Abuja after a protracted 

illness. 

His death was confirmed 

by the Media Officer of Lobi 

Stars Football Club of 

Makurdi, Austin Tyowua. 

Imenger was the Team 

Manager of Lobi Stars until 

his death yesterday. 

Sports Vanguard learnt 

that Imenger has been 

placed on life support at the 

Federal Medical Centre, 

Makurdi before being 

referred to the National 

Hospital in Abuja. 

He died barely a month 

after another former Super 

Eagles player, Yisa Sofoluwe 

died in Lagos. 

Imenger had a brief 

playing time with the Super 

Eagles but was a member of 

the team to the 1995 

Confederation Cup in Saudi 

Arabia. 

•Imenger 

Iheanacho relishes historic FA Cup 

win over Man United 

Leicester City striker, Kelechi 

Iheanacho said it was thrilling 

beating Manchester United 3-1 and 

qualifying the Foxes for the semifinal 

of the FA Cup for the first time 

in 39 years. 

The Super Eagles forward who is 

being expected to arrive last night 

for the African Cup of Nations 

qualifiers against Benin Republic 

and Lesotho, scored two goals and 

made the another in the victory, 

Leicester will now face 

Southampton on April 16. 

“It’s history, and it feels good. 

We’re happy and I know the fans 

are happy as well,” Iheanacho told 

LCFC TV. “We did it for them, and 

Obaseki adopts 

400m runner, 

Eraiyokan 

Nigeria’s preparations for 

the Tokyo 2020 

Olympics Games has been 

given a major boost by the Edo 

State Governor Godwin 

Obaseki following his 

adoption of Quarter miler 

Orukpe Eraiyokan. 

The Governor made a final 

financial commitment for the 

adoption of the UK -based 

athlete after a meeting with 

the Minister of Youth and 

sports Development Sunday 

Dare in Benin last Friday. 

Eraiyokan who specializes 

in the 400m and 4×400m 

relay is one of Nigeria’s 

current fastest quarter miler 

and could be the anchor for 

Nigeria’s Medal hope at the 

Olympics. 

The athlete expressed 

appreciation to the Minister 

and the Edo State Governor 

hopefully, we’ll look forward to the 

next game. We’ll get prepared and try 

to get to the final.” 

Iheanacho has now scored seven 

goals in four games. He stated that he 

was aiming to score more goals to help 

his club’s campaign for domestic and 

European titles. 

“I just need to focus and keep 

working hard every day. 

“Hopefully, they will keep coming. 

As a striker, that’s what you need, so 

hopefully I’ll keep going and 

hopefully we’ll get to the next round. 

Hopefully the best is yet to come. I just 

need to keep working hard every day 

in training and hopefully, everything 

will fall into place.” 

•Orukpe 

for the confidence on him, 

assuring that he would not let 

the country down. 

The athlete is expected to 

compete for Edo State at the 

National Sports Festival 

which holds from April 2nd- 

14th to fine-tune preparations 

for the Olympics. 

Several athletes were on the 

verge of being adopted last 

year before covid-19 

pandemic led to the shut 

down of businesses and 

sporting activities.


Vanguard, TUESDAY, MARCH 23, 2021 

QUICK CROSSWORD 

TODAY CROSSWORD 

YESTERDAY'S SOLUTION 

TODAY’S PUZZLE 

Sudoku 

YESTERDAY'S ANSWER 

ACROSS 

7 Clever (11) 

8 Playing a part (6) 

9 Burning (6) 

10 Movie theatre (6) 

12 Out of sorts (6) 

13 Tear (3) 

14 Be present (6) 

16 Ashore (anag) (6) 

18 Impart (6) 

20 Grown-ups (6) 

22 At once (11) 

Down 

1 Bluish-white metal (4) 

2 Walk with long steps (6) 

3 Lazy person (8) 

4 Leaning Tower city (4) 

5 Cowardly (6) 

6 Incentive (8) 

11 Brave (8) 

12 Disruption (8) 

15 Bury (6) 

17 Entertained (6) 

19 Walk through shallow water (4) 

21 Playthings (4) 

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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news@vanguardngr.com, letters@vanguardngr.com. Website: www.vanguardngr.com (ISSN 0794-652X) Editor: EZE ANABA. Phone: 01-4548355. All correspondence to P.M.B. 1007, Apapa Lagos.

23032021 - Insecurity: Nigeria in critical situation — DEFENCE MINISTER

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