18062021 - Gunmen on rampage in Enugu, Kebbi, Ogun, abduct 40

Buhari to military: 

Don’t give 

breathing space 

to terrorists, 

APC govs passes 

Boko Haram 

Ex-Zambian 

vote of confidence on President, 

confirms Buni’s committee 7 Kenneth 

7 

Shekau's 75 Northern groups Kaunda, 

place N100m bounty on dies 

criminals elements death 8 

8 

Nnamdi Kanu 

at 97 45 

IMF picks holes in Nigeria’s economic recovery reports 

19 

VOL. 27: NO. 64360 FRIDAY, JUNE 18, 2021 

<strong>Gunmen</strong> on rampage in Enugu, 

Kebbi, Ogun, abduct 40 

•How bandits used parent’s bus to evacuate abducted Kebbi students•Police 

confirm students’ kidnap•We’re engaging local hunters to secure schools 

—NAPTAN•It’s becoming a revolving chair—NUT•<strong>Gunmen</strong> abduct four, 

kill policeman in Ogun•We are yet to be informed about kidnap—POLICE 

AIR PEACE LANDS ANOTHER JET... 

Another brand new Embraer jet, the third of 13 ordered by Air Peace, on the tarmac at the Murtala Muhammed International 

Airport, after it landed from the factory, yesterday. 

Drop press regulation bill, allow 

free press, media bodies tell Reps 

45 

5 

Our govs 

not 

rumourmongers, 

PDP 

replies 

8 

Presidency 

Money 

laundering: 

EFCC beams 

searchlight on 

car, jewellery 

dealers, real 

estate 

developers 

7 

Mr & Mrs 

Suspected 

jihadists after me 

•Says man, who aided police 

avert bombing of Delta 

secretariat 

12 

Kidnap suspects 

accuse Police of 

demanding N35m 

to free them 

DONU 16 OWEI 17 AZU 33 

6 

Court stops 

10 

Akeredolu from 

probing Ondo CJ 

for misconduct 

•SEE 

INSIDE

2 — Vanguard, FRIDAY, JUNE 18, 2021

Vanguard, FRIDAY, JUNE 18, 2021 — 3


vanguardnews 

@vanguardnews 

Vanguard, FRIDAY, JUNE 18, 2021 — 5 

POCKET CARTOON 



By Adesina Wahab, 

James Ogunnaike & 

Ikechukwu Odu 

LAGOS — <strong>Gunmen</strong> on 

rampage have in the past 

two days, kidnapped no 

fewer than 40 persons in 

Kebbi, Ogun and Enugu 

states, killing two 

policemen in the process. 

While the kidnap of 30 

students and teachers of 

Federal 

Government 

College, Birni Yauri, Kebbi 

State, and four Chinese 

railway workers took place 

yesterday, six residents of 

Aguamade Village, Eha- 

Amufu, Isi-Uzo Local 

Government Area of Enugu 

State, were allegedly 

abducted on Wednesday. 

The two slain policemen 

were killed in the kidnap 

attacks in Kebbi and Ogun 

states. 

<strong>Gunmen</strong> storm 

Kebbi school 

On the Kebbi attack, 

Vanguard learned that the 

bandits stormed the school 

around 12:30pm, and 

engaged the mobile 

policemen guarding the 

school in a gun duel. 

In the process, one of the 

policemen was said to have 

been shot dead by some of 

the bandits, while others 

invaded the school 

premises from behind. 

While some of the 

students were reportedly 

wounded in the shootout, 

five teachers, including a 

female and the school’s 

vice-principal, were said to 

be among the students 

taken away in a bus 

belonging to a parent. 

A teacher in the school 

told Vanguard that they 

received information days 

before yesterday’s attack 

that there was a plan by 

bandits to invade Birnin 

Yauri community. 

According to the teacher 

who pleaded anonymity, 

the information informed 

the deployment of a 

detachment of mobile 

policemen to the school to 

ward off any attack. 

The teacher said the 

policemen were, however, 

overpowered in the shootout 

that ensued between 

them and the bandits. 

He said after abducting 

the victims, the bandits 

used a bus belonging to the 

parent of the student who 

came to the school to pick 

his son who was to write 

JAMB on Saturday, to 

evacuate them. 

He said in the confusion 

that ensued after the attack, 

the school authorities were 

unable to conduct a 

headcount to ascertain the 

number of the abducted 

students. 

But it was gathered that 

at least 30 students and 

three teachers were taken 

away by the bandits. 

"All I can tell you now is 

that one of the policemen 

guarding the school was 

killed. Many of our 

students, both male and 

female, were abducted by 

President Muhammadu Buhari with Governor Babagana Zulum and other 

officials at the Maiduguri Air Force Base, during President Muhammadu 

Buhari's one-day working visit to Borno State, yesterday. Photo: Ndahi Marama. 

the bandits. It is a coeducational 

school; you 

know, it is a Federal 

Government College. 

“Three or four teachers of 

the college were abducted. 

Out of the abductees, there 

is a vice-principal and a 

female teacher. Two 

students, a male and 

female, were shot by the 

bandits. The boy was shot 

in the buttocks, while the 

girl sustained a gunshot 

injury on her arm.” 

’Police after the 

bandits’ 

Confirming the attack, 

the state police command 

said a combined team of 

police operatives was in 

pursuit of the bandits. 

Police Public Relations 

Officer of the command, 

DSP Nafi’u Abubakar, who 

confirmed the attack and 

abduction, said: “The team, 

comprising operatives from 

the Police Mobile Force, 

Anti-kidnapping and 

Counter-terrorism units are 

currently combing nearby 

forests, routes and 

suspected hideouts of the 

criminals. 

“The Kebbi State 

Commissioner of Police, CP 

Adeleke Adeyinka, 

condemned the attack. The 

attack resulted in the death 

of one policeman and 

gunshot injury to one of the 

students. 

“The command is 

following credible leads 

and intensifying efforts to 

track the assailants and 

ensure the rescue of the 

missing students and 

teachers”. 

The commissioner of 

police also appealed to 

residents of Kebbi to assist 

the police with prompt 

information that would aid 

in apprehending the 

criminals. 

He assured the public 

that the command would 

do everything within its 

power to ensure that the 

abducted persons “are 

safely reunited with their 

families and perpetrators 

brought to book”. 

“The truth is that the 

attack took place and five 

teachers have been taken 

away, four male and one 

female, but the number of 

students abducted are not 

known yet. 

“The attack took place 

around noon and during 

the crossfire between police 

and the bandits, some 

students had been injured 

and one police officer was 

also injured and another 

was killed. These are the 

facts I can give to you,” he 

said. 

The police commissioner 

said the school principal 

who should provide details 

of the number of students 

abducted was still in shock. 

“The principal is not in 

the best state of mind as I 

am speaking to you now, 

because parents have 

trooped into the school 

searching for their children. 

So the principal cannot 

make proper head count 

call,” he added. 

NAPTAN to use 

local hunters 

Recall that no fewer than 

700 students have been 

abducted in the school 

attacks since December 

2020. 

Reacting to the abduction, 

National Parent Teachers 

Association of Nigeria, 

NAPTAN, which expressed 

frustration at the 

development, said it was 

already in talks with local 

hunters to help secure 

schools across the country, 

following the apparent 

failure of government and 

its agencies. 

The National President, 

Alhaji Haruna Danjuma, 

who was reaching to the 

abduction of some 

students of the Federal 

Government Girls 

College, Birnin Yauri, 

Kebbi State, noted that state 

apparatus to protect schools 

had failed. 

“Only yesterday, 

Wednesday, we sent a 

delegation to Abuja to meet 

some security experts and 

local hunter groups to 

discuss the way forward in 

securing our schools. As 

parents, we cannot just fold 

our arms and watch our 

schools shut down by the 

activities of those who are 

opposed to the growth of 

education in the country. 

“We hope to quickly 

conclude arrangements 

with the hunters and we will 

draw them to help secure 

schools in their localities. 

The public security 

apparatus seems unable to 

Continues on Page 41 

By Providence Adeyinka 

& Cynthia Alo 

On democracy under President Buhari's administration (5) 

A 

lot has happened that 

one can no longer say 

that we have a democratic 

government. The president 

has turned deaf ear to the 

cries of his people. It has 

become so hard for us to 

have access to the president 

we elected. Inflations, 

hardship and insecurity 

have become the order of 

the day. 

Jude Pondis, Brand Influencer 

This 

present 

administration of 

President Muhammadu 

Buhari has failed; he has 

not met our expectations. 

The government has 

totally failed Nigerians. 

They have not been able 

to fulfil any of their 

campaign promises. It’s 

so sad that they are yet 

to fulfill at least one of 

their manifestos. 

—Adebusuyi David, 

Clergy 

The president has 

thrown it open to all 

legal minds for their 

interpretation when he 

challenged them with his 

statement that the 

insecurity and pervasive 

corruption being 

experienced is as a result 

of him being handicapped 

through his adherence to 

democratic principles. So, 

rating him is relative, as 

lawyers haven’t negated 

his belief. 

—Ajose Sehindemi, 

PR expert 

The president clearly 

has performed below 

average. From his inception 

in office, democracy 

has suffered and 

sometimes we don’t even 

know if we are in a democratic 

or despotic government. 

Freedom of speech 

and expression is now a 

thing of the past. The recent 

ban on Twitter further 

rendered the Camel invertebrate. 

Felix Idise , 

Entrepreneur 

On a scale of 1-10, I'd 

rate PMB 1/10; his 

recent ban on Twitter and the 

police shooting tear gas at 

peaceful protesters during the 

recent June 12 Democracy Day, 

undermine the fundamental 

principles of true democracy and 

freedom of speech, which is one 

of the principles of true democracy. 

Overall, the President has 

performed poorly when it comes 

to democracy in Nigeria. 

—Eze Ezenwa, 

Teacher 

If you ask me, who will 

I ask? I can best 

describe this 

administration as an 

undemocratic 

administration. Nothing 

like democratic principles 

please, that word is even 

annoying; a ‘democratic’ 

government in which you 

cannot air your views? 

Where the rate of crime 

and killings are on the rise 

and injustice 

everywhere? 

—Ige Benjamin, 

Clergy

6—Vanguard, FRIDAY, JUNE 18, 2021 

:Vanguard News 

:@vanguardnews NEWS HOTLINES: 08052867023, 08052867058 

Kingmaker dies 

while selecting 

monarch in 

Ondo 

community 

By Dayo Johnson 

AKURE—A kingmaker in 

Akunu, Akoko North-East 

council area of Ondo State, Olorunda 

Agoyi, reportedly slumped and died 

at a meeting to choose a new king in 

the community. 

Agoyi was among the six 

kingmakers also known as Warrant 

Chiefs that were picked from six 

quarters in the community to select a 

new traditional ruler of the Akunu 

community. 

He was a retired staff of the Ondo 

State Universal Basic Education 

Board, SUBEB, and died on June 10 

this year in the community. 

Consequently, his sudden death had 

stalled the selection process of a new 

Oba. 

The traditional ruler of the town, 

the Oluwade of Akunu, died in 2019 

and all efforts to pick another 

monarch have been delayed because 

there were only two surviving 

kingmakers in the community instead 

of eight. 

Narrating how Agoyi died, a leader 

of the community, Babatunde 

Oluwaseun, dismissed reports that 

Agoyi was contesting to be an Oba 

and that he died during the 

consultation of Ifa Oracle. 

Oluwaseun stated Agoyi might 

have been killed through diabolical 

means because he refused to do the 

bidding of some persons in the 

community. 

He said Agoyi slumped at a meeting 

and all efforts to revive him failed. 

“Mr Agoyi was not a contestant to 

the Obaship stool of Oluwade of 

Akunu." 

2 injured, 

property 

destroyed, as 

NPDC gas 

pipeline explodes 

in Delta 

community 

UGHELLI —Two persons, Terry 

Okagbare and Matthew Idama, 

were reportedly injured and property 

worth millions of naira destroyed as 

a gas pipeline belonging to Nigeria 

Petroleum Development Company, 

NPDC, exploded at its facility, Well 

38, Okpare-Olomu Community, 

Ughelli South Local Government 

Area, Delta State. 

The incident, which was said to have 

occurred at about 8:45 am yesterday, 

caused a lot of damage that affected 

the community. 

Addressing journalists at the 

community secretariat, President of 

Okpare-Olomu Community, Mr 

Stephen Asheshe, and Secretary, 

Ochuko Omorere, said the explosion 

threw the community into serious 

panic. 

They said the gas facility, which is 

under the Utorogu Gas Station, 

erupted from the gas head, destroying 

the Vigilante Sienna, Motorcycle, 

perimeter fence of the facility, cassava 

farms, security post, with the security 

man injured. 

The community representative, 

who attributed the explosion to gross 

negligence and impunity on the part 

of NPDC, called on the operational 

manager of NPDC other authorities 

involved to come to their aid to avoid 

further explosions. 

Pastor allegedly kills wife, buries her in 

A-Ibom 

By Chioma Onuegbu 

UYO—A 49-year-old-pastor 

and General Overseer of 

Omega World Global Ministry, 

Fellowship Church, Ukachukwu 

Christopher, has been arrested by 

police operatives for allegedly 

murdering his 40-year-old wife, 

Patience Christopher, and burying 

her in a shallow grave. 

The pastor from Ebonyi State 

resides in Ikot Abia village in Eket 

Local Government Area of Akwa 

Ibom State. 

The Akwa Ibom State’s Police 

Public Relations Officer, Mr Odiko 

MacDon, stated this in a 

statement entitled “Arrest of a 

murder suspect, exhumation of a 

corpse,” yesterday, in Uyo. 

According to MacDon, the 49- 

year-old pastor was arrested 

Wednesday following a tip-off from 

youths of Ikot Abia village. 

He said residents of Ikot Abia 

village were thrown into a state of 

disbelief as the pastor beat his wife 

and mother of five to death after 

accusing her of infidelity and 

being the cause of his numerous 

woes. 

MacDon stated: “Akwa Ibom 

State Police Command has 

arrested one Ukachukwu Enoch 

Christopher, 49 years old, a 

resident of Eket Local Government 

Area, who hails from Ebonyi State, 

for murdering his wife and 

burying the corpse in a shallow 

grave in his compound. 

“On June 16, 2021, at 2:00 pm, 

relying on information from 

youths of the area, the Divisional 

Police Officer of Eket Divisional 

Police Headquarters, CSP Sunday 

Digha, and his team, arrested one 

Ukachukwu Enoch Christopher, 

founder of Omega World Global 

Ministry (Fellowship Church), 

who resides at Ikot Abia village in 

Eket LGA for murdering his wife, 

one Mrs Patience Christopher, 40, 

and a mother of five. 

“The suspect, who had domestic 

differences with his wife, accused 

her of being the source of his 

numerous woes in life and 

infidelity, confessed to having 

beaten her to death as a result of 

18-year-old girl arrested during EndSARS 

protest in Ondo gives birth in prison 

By Dayo Johnson 

AKURE—A pregnant 18-year old 

girl, Kemisola Oguniyi, who was 

arrested during the EndSARS protest 

in Akure, the Ondo State capital gave 

birth in Ondo prison custody, 

Wednesday. 

She has been in the prison custody 

since last October 24. 

She and three others arrested were 

accused of being among those who 

razed the state secretariat of the All 

Progressives Congress, APC, and 

have since been remanded in Ondo 

prison custody. 

Others remanded at Surulere 

prison in Ondo with Kemisola 

include Ayodele Bukunmi, Ojo 

Samuel and Ani Obinna 

They were charged for conspiracy 

to commit the following felonies, to 

wit: arson, riotous assembly, stealing 

and malicious damage. 

Her lawyer, Tope Tomekun, in a 

letter to the Ondo Chief Judge, 

Oluwatoyin Akeredolu, and made 

available to newsmen in Akure said 

Kemisola was innocent of the crime 

preferred against her. 

Tomekun said Kemisola was “on 

her way to the Federal University of 

Technology Akure, FUTA, to collect 

money for her mother’s treatment 

when she was apprehended by the 

Nigerian Army on random raiding 

and handed over to the Police for 

investigation. 

“She was later alleged to be part 

of those who set APC secretariat, 

Akure on fire during the EndSARS 

protest that took place in October 

2020. 

“I write to you sir, first as a lawyer 

and in furtherance of my conviction 

as a believer in the humanitarian 

cause of justice, to appeal to you sir, 

that for the sake of the sinless newborn 

Kemisola with the new baby boy. 

child and in the interest of justice, to 

give a directive that this matter be 

given an urgent hearing as this is one 

deserving case, in which the powers 

in this direction could be exercised.” 

The lawyer appealed to the state 

Attorney-General and Justice 

Commissioner, Titiloye Charles, to 

use his powers to discontinue the 

prosecution of Kemisola and others. 

Meanwhile, her family members 

have equally pleaded with the power 

that be, both in the judiciary and state 

government, to temper justice with 

mercy and set the new mother free. 

ATTACKED: Students of Federal Government College, Burnin-Yauri scampering 

for safety after it was reported that bandits attacked the school and adopted some 

female students in Yauri Emirate of Kebbi, yesterday. 

the unresolved differences on June 

9. 

“In other to cover his tracks, he 

dug a shallow grave in his 

compound and buried her. The 

deceased’s corpse has been 

exhumed by the Police and 

deposited in the mortuary for 

autopsy. 

“The Commissioner of Police, 

Akwa Ibom State, Andrew 

Amiengheme, has ordered the 

Deputy Commissioner of Police incharge 

of State Criminal 

Investigation and Intelligence 

Department, SCIID, to take over 

the matter for discreet investigation 

and assured that the suspect will 

be charged to court as soon as 

investigation is concluded.” 

Kidnap suspects 

accuse police of 

demanding 

N35m for 

freedom 

By David Odama 

LAFIA—THREE suspects held 

by Nasarawa State Police 

Command on allegation of 

kidnapping have accused the 

command of demanding N35 

million to secure their release and 

freedom 

This is even as the Nasarawa 

police command said it would not 

succumb to intimidation from any 

quarters as it has remained resolute 

to stamp out crimes and 

criminality in Nasarawa. 

The three suspects, Bawa Adamu, 

Abdullahi Adamu and Ibrahim 

Bawa, said they were arrested on 

April 15, 2021, by the police 

following information by two 

police informants, Kire Iki and 

Dere Dono, that they were involved 

in kidnapping activities. 

They alleged that the police have 

been forcing them to admit to the 

crime besides payment of N35 

million for their release. 

In a petition dated June 9, 2021, 

to President Muhammadu Buhari 

and the Inspector General of Police, 

Usman Alkali, the two brothers 

being detained by the state police 

command denied involvement in 

the crime just as they appealed for 

transfer of the case out of Nasarawa 

for a thorough investigation. 

According to the petition signed 

by their counsel, Oghenovo Otemu, 

the petitioners said of 17 persons 

arrested,12 were released upon 

payment for their bail while the 

police refused to release them and 

two others, insisting that N35 

million must be paid. 

Reacting to the allegations, 

Nasarawa State Police Command 

denied its involvement in the 

alleged bribery levelled against it. 

Commissioner of Police in the 

state, Bola Longe, while reacting to 

the petition, said as soon as the 

suspects were arrested, pressure has 

been mounting from different 

quarters for their release but added 

quickly that his command 

remained resolute in its 

determination to fight crimes to the 

barest minimum. 

While vowing that despite the 

pressure, there must be a thorough 

and unbiased investigation into the 

case involving the suspects, he said 

his insistence that the law must take 

its course “prompted the petitioners 

to go to the highest command to 

seek the release of the suspects.”




GOVS MEETING: From left; first row: Governors Dave Umahi (Ebonyi); Muhammad Inuwa Yahaya 

(Gombe); Abubakar Atiku Bagudu (Kebbi); Rotimi Akeredolu (Ondo); Kayode Fayemi (Ekiti). 

Second row; from left: Babajide Sanwo-Olu (Lagos) and other Progressives Governors during a 

briefing of newsmen after the Progressives Governors’ Forum meeting held in Abuja on Wednesday. 

Money laundering: EFCC beams searchlight on 

car, jewelry dealers, real estate developers 

•Uncovers newly looted N6bn from state govt •Says $37.5m real estate money 

laundering not by Buhari minister 

By Johnbosco 

Agbakwuru 

ABUJA—CHAIRMAN of 

the Economic and 

Financial Crimes Commission, 

EFCC, Abdulrasheed Bawa, said 

yesterday that the agency would 

beam the searchlight on car, 

jewelry dealers and real estate 

developers who may be serving 

as conduits for money 

laundering. 

Consequently, he said the 

agency was working to 

strengthen its Special Control 

Unit against Money Laundering, 

SCUML, in the belief that 

checkmating the activities of 

non-designated financial 

institutions would reduce cases 

of such crimes in the country. 

The EFCC boss also said the 

female Minister that purchased 

a property through a bank chief 

served under the previous 

administration. 

He also said the EFCC would 

soon commence fresh 

prosecution of the former 

governor of Abia State and the 

Senate Whip, Chief Orji Uzor- 

Kalu. 

Bawa equally said the agency 

was diligently prosecuting former 

Chief of Air Staff, Air Marshal 

Adesola Amosu, former governor 

of Imo State, Ikedi Ohakim, 

former governor of Katsina, 

Ibrahim Shema, former governor 

of Niger State, Dr. Babangida 

Aliyu and the former Secretary 

to the Government of the 

Federation, SGF, Babachir Lawal, 

among others. 

Speaking to State House 

correspondents during the 

ministerial briefing organized by 

the Presidential Communication 

Team at the Presidential Villa, 

Abuja, the anti-graft agency boss 

said: “SCUML that is being 

managed by the EFCC as well as 

the Ministry of Trade and 

Investment is expected to do a 

similar thing but, this time on the 

non-designated financial 

institutions. 

‘’We are talking about the car 

dealers, the jewelry dealers and 

real estate etc. If we can 

checkmate the problems 

associated with real estate 

laundering of proceeds of crimes 

in this country, it will reduce. 

“It is on that thinking that we 

are working on strengthening this 

special control unit against money 

laundering. We are working 

with the two houses of the National 

Assembly to strengthen the 

legal framework of this special 

control unit against money laundering.” 

He also clarified his statement 

concerning the involvement of a 

minister in the laundering of 

about $37 million into real estate, 

saying the person involved was 

former Minister of Petroleum Resources, 

Diezani Madueke. 

The EFCC boss had during a 

television interview with a television 

station early in the week, recounted 

how $20 million cash was 

conveyed from the minister’s 

house to pay for the real estate, 

working with the managing director 

of a bank. 

Asked when the former minister 

would be prosecuted, he said 

she would be charged when she 

becomes available. 

Bawa said EFCC’s intelligence 

unit had unearthed the movement 

of N6 billion from an unnamed 

state government coffers, 

saying the finding was made possible 

by the determination of the 

commission to restructure for more 

efficiency. 

He said: “Since I came on board, 

we have embarked on the restructuring 

of the agency. One of the 

key things I succeeded in doing is 

the creation of the department of 

intelligence. This is based on our 

resolve to Nigerians that going 

forward, our investigation is going 

to be intelligence-based. 

“Since the creation of the department, 

we have received meaningful 

intelligence. Just last week, 

they sent a report of a certain government 

that has taken money 

out of the treasury of its state in 

cash, over a period of time, 

amounting to over N6 billion 

which is a useful thing, that we 

are using to investigate that aspect.” 

He said the unit was assisting 

the agency in prosecuting cases 

by forwarding findings to other 

departments, including the operations 

department. 

He listed recent recoveries 

made by the EFCC to include N6 

billion; over $161 million; over 

£13,000; •1,730; 200 Canadian 

dollars; CFA 373,000, and ¥8,430. 

“Let me use this opportunity 

to clarify issues. There are a 

number of recoveries that the 

EFCC has made over the years 

but it is not all recoveries made 

that belongs to the Federal 

Government. 

“We have made recoveries for 

victims of criminals and they can 

be individuals, local government, 

state government, federal 

government, corporate entities 

whether in Nigeria or outside 

Nigeria. There are also recoveries 

that are indirect recoveries. 

“Just a couple of weeks back, 

we recovered $100 million for the 

Nigeria Ports Authority but the 

monies were paid into the 

account of NPA but through our 

efforts. Am I not going to record 

that we have recovered such an 

amount for NPA? Are you going 

to see it in the EFCC recovered 

account with the CBN? No. 

“There are recoveries that are 

made directly into the EFCC 

account. It is through systems 

and processes. There is 

Department of Asset Forfeiture 

and Recovery Management in 

EFCC responsible for collating all 

the data regarding recovered 

assets, assets on interest 

forfeiture and assets on final 

forfeiture as well as their location 

and of course their management. 

“From the time I took over, we 

have recovered over N6 billion, 

over $161 million, over £13,000, 

•1,730, 200 Canadian dollars, 

Buhari to military: Don’t give 

breathing space to terrorists, 

criminal elements 

APC govs passes vote of confidence on Buni’s c’ttee 

By Omeiza Ajayi 

A NORS BUJA—GOVER 

of the ruling All 

Progressives Congress, APC, 

have passed a vote of confidence 

on the National Chairman of the 

Caretaker Extra-Ordinary Convention 

Planning Committee, 

Governor Mai Mala-Buni of Yobe 

State. 

They also restated their commitment 

to implement legislative 

and judicial autonomy in their 

states, commending the efforts of 

the committee they had put in 

place for that purpose. 

The governors, who the made 

the pledge in a communique issued 

at the end of their meeting 

which held on Wednesday night 

at Kebbi State Governor’s Lodge 

in Abuja, said: “We commend the 

Caretaker Committee under his 

CFA 373,000, ¥8,430. 

“We have recovered 30 real 

estates, one carpet, 13 

electronics, one farm land, one 

factory, two motorcycles, one 

filling station and about 32 

automobiles.” 

The EFCC boss affirmed that 

the commission would prosecute 

former governor of Abia State, 

Senator Orji Uzor-Kalu, all over 

again, following his recent 

release from the correctional 

centre. 

“Yesterday (Wednesday), you 

have all reported it, we succeeded 

in securing the convictions of an 

ex-bank MD, Francis Atuche. He 

was sentenced to six years imprisonment 

on all 21 out of the 

27 count charges. Of course, it is 

to run con-concurrently, it involves 

about N27 billion. We 

have been prosecuting that matter 

from the 16th of October 2009, 

judgement was only given yesterday. 

“The cases of Amosun is on 

going, Ibrahim Shema, Adebayo 

Alao-Akala, Ikedi Ohakim, Muazu 

Aliyu, Orji Uzor Kalu, we are 

going to prosecute him again all 

over after 12 years. 

“Others are Olajide Omokore, 

former MD Intercontinental 

bank, Erasmus Akingbola, ex 

GMD NNPC Andrew Yakubu, 

ex-judge Rita Ofili-Ajumogobia, 

Femi Thomas ex-ED NHIS, Babachir 

Lawal, former SGF.’’ 

•Awaits Buhari’s approval for National Convention 

able leadership for all the successes 

recorded by the party, particularly 

that on daily basis, people 

are joining the party. 

‘’Even in the last few months, 

we had former Governor Gbenga 

Daniel of Ogun State, governors 

of Ebonyi State and Cross River 

states, former speaker of the 

House of Representatives, members 

of the National and State Assemblies, 

many illustrious Nigeria 

and we are still counting. 

“This is a testament to the fact 

that APC is Nigeria’s preferred 

party. It is the party Nigerians will 

continue to aspire and continue 

to be proud of. We also appreciate 

the successes recorded despite the 

constraints of limited economy. 

“We equally discussed the time 

table for our congresses and we 

By Ndahi Marama 

& Johnbosco Agbakwuru 

reviewed the security situation 

and acknowledged some of the 

challenges as well as the successes 

achieved. 

“We also acknowledged the 

constraints of the economy and 

the successes that are being 

achieved. We noted that Mr. President 

visited Lagos to commission 

the Lagos/Ibadan railway, the 

Deep Sea Project and other items 

provided by Lagos State governor 

to enhance the security of 

Lagos State. 

“Just yesterday, Mr President 

commissioned the backbone of 

the 7th Train of the NLNG. We 

believe these are among many 

other legacy projects that will 

continue to bring more income 

for the country.’’ 

On the National Convention 

M AIDUGURI—PRESI 

DENT Muhammadu 

Buhari yesterday charged the 

military and security agencies not 

to give breathing space to terrorists 

and criminals in various parts 

of the country. 

Buhari gave the charge when 

he visited personnel of the Armed 

Forces and security agencies in 

Operation HADIN KAI at the 

Maimalari Cantonment in Maiduguri, 

Borno State. 

The President, who was in the 

state on a one-day official visit, 

said the war against terrorism 

must be concluded with restoration 

of peace and reconstruction 

of all the affected areas. 

He told the soldiers that the 

nation owed a debt of gratitude 

to military men and women, and 

security agencies currently tackling 

security challenges in the 

country, particularly those who 

paid the supreme price, assuring 

family members that the government 

would continue to support 

all the loved ones. 

He said: “I am delighted to be 

with you this afternoon, to address 

you on this special occasion 

of my official visit to Borno 

State. I want to seize this opportunity 

to put it on record that our 

nation will forever be indebted to 

you, for your patriotic commitment 

to the defence of our fatherland 

against insurgency and 

criminality. 

“I, therefore, commend you and 

remember all the personnel who 

have paid the supreme sacrifice 

in ensuring that Nigeria remains 

an indivisible and secure entity. 

“As I send my heartfelt condolences 

to the families of our fallen 

heroes and pray for the souls of 

the departed, I want to assure 

you that my administration will 

spare no effort or resources to 

ensure that the widows and children 

of our fallen heroes who paid 

the supreme price in defence of 

our beloved country, are well 

cared for.” 

The President said the wounded 

comrades will get the best 

medical attention towards their 

full recovery. 

He said: “While acknowledging 

your collective efforts at decimating 

and degrading the terrorists 

and reaffirming the inviolable 

sovereignty of our nation, I 

also wish to extol your steadfastness 

and untiring efforts in the face 

of the difficulties you experience 

in the theatres of operation. 

“Your collective efforts have 

resulted in the relative peace 

being enjoyed in the region today. 

Under my watch, the 

Armed Forces of Nigeria have 

been provided a firm strategy and 

clear sense of direction to safeguard 

the sovereignty and territorial 

integrity of the country. 

“We should not allow our adversaries 

the opportunity or 

breathing space to challenge or 

undermine our national interests 

and core values. The defence and 

security agencies should be rest 

assured of the Federal Government’s 

unalloyed commitment to 

winning the battle against terror 

and criminality.” 

President Buhari commended 

the military and security agencies 

for the synergy that translated 

into successes in restoring 

peace and order. 

“I am particularly happy to note 

the increasing understanding 

and cooperation within the military, 

as well as the inter-agency 

cooperation in the fight against 

the terrorists and other criminal 

elements in the North East. 

“The outcome of this synergy 

is evidenced by the successes 

recorded in the ongoing Operation 

TURA TAKAIBANGO 

which has so far degraded the 

insurgents’ capabilities in the 

Timbuktu Triangle, Sambisa Forest 

and the Lake Chad Region. 

‘’I am, therefore, pleased to acknowledge 

that the military and 

other security agencies, including 

civilian stakeholders are adhering 

to the true spirit of Operation 

HADIN KAI which implies 

jointness, synergy and cooperation.” 

“By pooling together the collective 

resources and comparative 

advantages of the Armed 

Forces and other security agencies, 

we hope the enemy will now 

feel the ferocity of our firepower 

and the weight of our resolve,’’ 

he said. 

He also noted that repairs and 

maintenance of some of the vital 

weapons were now being carried 

out in the country, thus saving 

the nation a lot of foreign exchange 

and also creating jobs for 

the teeming unemployed population. 

Buhari stated further: “As personnel 

of our Armed Forces and 

security agencies, you must understand 

that these items of 

equipment must be put to good 

use against the terrorists and other 

criminal elements.'' 

of the party, Kebbi State governor, 

Atiku Bagudu, who signed the 

communique, said the governors 

have reviewed the timetable, waiting 

for President Muhammadu 

Buhari’s nod to a proposal put before 

him in that regard. 

He said: “We considered the 

timetable and we have made some 

inputs particularly to comply with 

the Electoral Law and the party’s 

constitution. 

“Remember we (governors) are 

just one organ of the party 

(though a very important organ) 

but we advised the Caretaker 

Committee to ensure that they 

consult with all, so that at the 

end of the day, the final output 

will be such that all party members 

will be happy with.''

8 — Vanguard, FRIDAY, JUNE 18, 2021 



Boko Haram confirms 

Shekau’s death 

By Henry Ojelu 

NIGERIA’S 

Boko 

Haram jihadist 

group has confirmed the 

death of its chief Abubakar 

Shekau, who sources say 

died during infighting with 

a rival Islamic State-allied 

faction, according to a 

video message from its 

presumed 

new 

commander. 

In the short video in 

Arabic, top Boko Haram 

commander Bakura 

Modu, also known as 

Sahaba, urged his faction’s 

commanders to remain 

loyal despite the loss of their 

historic commander. 

Shekau’s death was seen 

a major shift in Nigeria’s 

conflict, though Islamic 

State in West Africa 

Province or ISWAP has 

recently emerged as the 

dominant force in the more 

than decade-long Islamist 

insurgency in the 

country’s northeast. 

The video, provided to 

AFP by a source close to 

Boko Haram and confirmed 

to be Bakura Modu by 

another local source, 

illustrates that jihadist 

infighting is far from over 

in Africa’s most populous 

nation. 

Shekau, who gained 

notoriety after kidnapping 

nearly 300 schoolgirls in 

2014, killed himself last 

month rather than 

surrender after IS-allied 

rivals attacked his base 

Service disruptions: MTN 

plays down reports in 

Nigeria, as Group CEO visits 

By Prince 

Osuagwu, Hi-tech 

Editor 

MTN 

Nigeria 

yesterday said 

there was no need for panic 

over the news making the 

rounds that the network 

will soon experience 

disruption in Nigeria. 

This is even as the Group 

CEO of the company, 

Ralph Mupita, visits the 

country in company of 

retinue of officials. 

A reliable source at MTN 

Nigeria, told Vanguard 

the telco was as strong as 

ever and had made 

investments to ensure its 

customers in Nigeria 

enjoy a smooth telecom 

experience. 

The source said: 

“There’s nothing to worry 

about the report in some 

online platforms, saying 

our network may 

experience disruption 

here. It was a private 

letter sent to some of our 

enterprise customers like 

banks to manage their 

expectation when there is 

downtime” 

A report by Reuters said 

that MTN’s service in 

Nigeria could be 

disrupted as a result of 

rising insecurity in 

different parts of the 

country. 

The report quoted MTN 

to have said: “Sadly, we 

must inform you that 

with the rising insecurity 

in different parts of 

Nigeria, service delivery 

camp in Nigeria’s 

northeast Borno state, 

security sources said. 

In an audio, ISWAP 

commander Abu Musab 

Al-Barnawi had already 

claimed Shekau killed 

himself while on the run 

from ISWAP fighters. 

The undated Boko 

Haram video shows Bakura 

flanked by scores of armed 

fighters in formation as he 

addresses the camera, in 

what is traditionally a 

jihadist group’s way of 

presenting a new leader. 

“Commanders of 

Jama’atu Ahlu Sunna 

Lidda’awati Wal Jihad. Be 

steadfast and draw your 

swords, spreading your 

jihad, decapitating the 

enemy,” he said, using the 

official name of Shekau’s 

Boko Haram faction also 

known as JAS. 

“Don’t allow what befalls 

you these days to weaken 

your resolve on the jihad 

your are waging, because 

Allah has not forsaken 

your efforts.” 

He also urges Boko 

Haram commanders to 

reject ISWAP commander 

Barnawi. 

Soon after the initial 

reports of Shekau’s death 

last month, infighting 

between Nigeria’s two rival 

jihadist factions intensified. 

ISWAP fighters moved 

against Boko Haram 

commanders who refused 

to surrender and join their 

ranks, intelligence sources 

have said. 

to your organisation may 

be impacted in the coming 

days. 

“This means that in 

some cases, our technical 

support team may not be 

able to get to your site and 

achieve optimum 

turnaround time in fault 

management as quickly 

as possible.” 

Although the source 

who spoke to Vanguard 

did not deny the message, 

he however said it was 

sent to specific enterprise 

customers, particularly 

banks to manage their 

expectations in any case 

that services are disrupted 

in troubled areas. 

Our governors not rumour-mongers, PDP 

replies Presidency 

By Dirisu Yakubu 

ABUJA—THE Peoples 

Democratic Party, 

PDP, yesterday took strong 

exception to a statement 

credited to the Presidency, 

describing governors elected 

on its platform in unpleasant 

terms. 

The party in a statement 

signed by its spokesman, Kola 

Ologbondiyan, described as 

unpresidential and 

pedestrian, a statement by 

the Presidency which 

described PDP governors as 

peddlers of fake news, “just 

because they pointed to it's 

failures and proffered 

solutions to the challenges 

facing our nation.” 

While noting that its 

governors “are responsible 

and responsive leaders, who 

have always shown concerns 

towards the plight of 

Nigerians,” the PDP added “it 

is on record that they attend 

to the wishes of Nigerians in 

their respective states and do 

not by any whim, recourse 

to peddling of fake news and 

lies like the Buhari 

Presidency and his All 

Progressives Congress, APC. 

The statement read: 

“Nigerians will not forget how 

President Buhari and his 

party came to power by 

means of fake news, lies, 

falsehood, fake promises, 

deceit, beguilement and 

negative innuendos, a scope 

they have widened and 

deepened in the last six years. 

“In fact, it is equally on 

record that never in the 

history of Nigeria have we 

had a Presidency that so 

thrives on lies like that of 

President Buhari, to the 

extent that Nigerians have 

even given one of his 

ministers the appellation of a 

“liar”. 

“Even most recently, 

President Buhari openly 

resorted to false claims when 

he told Nigerians that his 

administration has pulled 

out 10.5 Nigerians out of 

poverty in the last two years, 

only for the World Bank to do 

a fact check and discovered 

that, to the contrary, 7.8 

million Nigerians have 

rather been dragged below 

the poverty line in the last 

12 months. 

“It would also be recalled 

that in fishing for lies to justify 

its unwarranted ban on 

Twitter, the Buhari-led 

Federal Government alleged 

that Twitter makes “billions 

of naira” in Nigeria, only for 

fact checks to reveal to the 

contrary. 

“Nigerians have not 

forgotten how the Buhari 

administration scammed 

Nigerians with a nonexistent 

national carrier for 

which billions of naira was 

funnelled out of the treasury, 

in one of the biggest lies a 

government ever told its 

citizens. 

“Since the Buhari 

Presidency has called itself 

out on its tradition of lies and 

falsehood, the PDP will not 

hesitate to publish the Buhari 

and APC compendium of lies, 

as told to Nigerians. 

“It is also ludicrous that 

President Buhari whose 

Presidency is a known 

sanctuary of corruption 

could attempt to point 

accusing fingers at 

governors elected on the 

platform of the PDP just 

because they pointed to the 

evident mismanagement of 

our petroleum and other 

national resources. 

“This is an administration 

which has not been able to 

account for over N15 trillion 

reportedly stolen from the 

Nigerian National Petroleum 

Corporation, NNPC coffers 

including the N9.6 trillion 

detailed in the leaked NNPC 

memo, the reported N1.1 

trillion worth of crude stolen 

with 18 unregistered vessels, 

the over N2 trillion siphoned 

through various subsidy 

scams and other reported 

frauds in agencies such as 

Federal Inland Revenue 

Service, FIRS, Nigerian Ports 

Authority, NPA, Niger Delta 

Development Commission, 

NDDC, among others. 

“It is on record that unlike 

the PDP administration that 

exposed and prosecuted any 

official accused of any 

misdemeanour bordering on 

corruption, President 

Buhari, in a very recent 

global interview admitted 

that his government and 

party are infested by corrupt 

people and that instead of 

exposing and prosecuting 

them, he devised a way of 

“easing them out”. 

“The Buhari Presidency 

and the APC must know that 

their unwarranted attacks 

on our governors cannot 

sway the public or divert 

attention from the atrocities 

of the Buhari 

administration.” 

75 Northern groups place N100m 

bounty on Nnamdi Kanu 

By Gabriel Ewepu 

& Luminous 

Jannamike 

ABUJA—A coalition of 

75 Northern groups 

under the aegis of Northern 

Consensus Movement has 

Fidelity GAIM Season 4 final draw 

holds July 22 

LAGOS—-Fidelity Bank 

Plc has announced 

plans to enrich the lives of 

fifteen Nigerians with a total 

of N39 million in the final 

draw of the Get Alert in 

Millions Campaign, GAIM, 

Season 4 savings promo, 

slated for July 22, 2021. 

The savings initiative, 

which is specifically aimed 

at promoting the culture of 

saving among Nigerians, is 

one of the bank’s many 

initiatives aimed at 

rewarding new and existing 

customers for their 

unwavering loyalty and 

patronage. 

Despite the fact that the 

promotion was halted in 

2020 due to the Coronavirus 

AGM—From left: Olubunmi Popoola-Mordi, Company Secretary; Stanislas Mittelman, Chairman; Imrane Barry, 

MD, and Rufai Sirajo, non-Executive Director, all of Total Nigeria Plc., during the 43rd Annual General Meeting 

of the company, in Lagos, yesterday. PHOTO: Akeem Salau 

•Bank to enrich 15 lucky customers with 

millions of Naira 

(Covid-19) Pandemic and the 

resulting global lockdown, 

hundreds of Nigerians have 

benefited from this unique 

reward scheme in which 

lucky customers are credited 

with millions of naira and 

consolation prizes via a draw 

system. 

The Chairman, Promo 

Committee, Fidelity Bank 

Plc, Mr. Richard Madiebo, 

expressed delight at the 

resumption of the savings 

promotion, stating that the 

campaign seeks to reward 

customers for their loyalty 

and patronage. 

According to Madiebo, for 

the past twelve years, the 

bank has empowered new 

and existing customers, 

providing an avenue for 

many to change their 

fortunes through its savings 

promo. 

He stated that the bank 

takes pride in keeping its 

promises, adding that the 

lender would continue to look 

out for innovative ways to 

satisfy and enrich its 

customers across the nation. 

“As we wind down on the 

4th season of the GAIM 

promo, we are elated at the 

prospect of not only driving 

financial inclusion across 

Nigeria, but also at the 

unique opportunity to enrich 

the lives of our customers 

especially in times of 

economic uncertainties,” 

noted Madiebo. 

announced a reward of 

N100 million to persons 

who can produce the 

supreme leader of the 

Indigenous People of Biafra, 

Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, for the 

continuation of his trial for 

alleged treason. 

The groups, which 

disclosed this at a press 

briefing in Abuja, the 

nation’s capital on 

Thursday evening, accused 

Kanu and the Eastern 

Security Network (IPOB’s 

militia wing) of 

masterminding the recent 

spate of attacks on Northern 

communities in the 

Southeast via what they 

called ‘hate speech’. 

According to Dr. Awwal 

Abdullahi Aliyu, who spoke 

on behalf of the Coalition, he 

urged the United States of 

America, the United 

Kingdom, and the European 

Union to facilitate Nnamdi 

Kanu’s repatriation to 

Nigeria to face the charges 

against him. 

Aliyu said, “The Northern 

Consensus Movement, an 

amalgamation of more than 

75 civil society groups of 

Northern extraction, has 

taken it upon ourselves, as 

active citizens of this 

country, Nigeria, to state in 

unequivocal terms that: 

“We are declaring Nnamdi 

Kanu wanted for crimes 

against humanity and for 

instigating the killing of 

innocent Northerners in the 

southeast via his hate 

speech. 

“We want him to answer 

for the killing and 

destruction of Northerners 

residing and undertaking 

lawful businesses in the 

southeastern part of Nigeria. 

“So, we are placing a 

bounty of N100m as an offer 

to anyone who can produce 

him alive, hale, hearty, and 

uninjured to us for onward 

delivery to the security 

agencies for the continuation 

of his prosecution. 

“We call on both the US, the 

UK, and the EU, a champions 

of democracy, rule of law, and 

freedoms of speech and 

expression to kindly and 

humble respect Nigeria’s 

sovereignty and facilitate the 

repatriation of Nnamdi Kanu 

to Nigeria so that he can face 

his treason, and possibly 

fresh terrorism and genocide 

charges against innocent 

citizens of Nigeria.”



By James 

Ogunnaike 

A FORMER 

BEOKUTA— 

Ogun 

State governor, Aremo 

Olusegun Osoba, 

yesterday, tasked 

Nigerians to cultivate the 

habit of giving back to their 

alma mater and provide the 

needed assistance where 

necessary. 

The former governor, in 

a statement, noted that the 

education sector must not 

be left in the hands of the 

government alone. 

He spoke at a double 

celebration held by his 

classmates at Methodist 

Boys High School, Lagos, 

on their 65 years of 

admission to the school and 

60 years of graduation in 

December 1960. 

The celebration, 

according to him, took 


Cultivate habit of giving back, 

Osoba tells Nigerians 

place at their alma mater in 

Lagos, last week. 

The veteran journalist 

said 66 of them were 

admitted in January 1956, 

out of which 38 are dead, 

leaving 28 of them “who are 

still bonding together 

regularly.” 

Osoba noted that the set 

has always given back to the 

school, and urged other 

Nigerians to emulate the 

gesture by contributing to 

the development of their 

alma mater. 

The set was named 

‘Liberation Set’ because 

they were admitted on the 

year of self-government in 

Nigeria and they 

graduated on the year of 

independence in 1960. 

President of the set, Apini 

Gbolahan Odeinde, said: “Out of 

66 of them admitted in January 

1956, 38 of them have answered 

the call of God.” 

Alaafin, Gani Adams task S-West 

govs on cultural tourism 

By Dapo Akinrefon 

IBADAN—THE Alaafin 

of Oyo, Oba Lamidi 

Adeyemi, and the Aare 

Oonakakanfo of 

Yorubaland, Iba Gani 

Adams, have charged other 

South-West governors to 

join Governor Seyi 

Makinde in promoting 

cultural tourism. 

Speaking at the 2021 Asa 

Day, held at the cultural 

Centre, Ibadan, Oyo State, 

the Alaafin , who was 

represented by the Basorun 

of Oyoland, Chief Akinade, 

hailed Makinde’s efforts in 

showcasing the cultural 

potentials of the Yoruba 

race. 

Oba Adeyemi, who 

described the Yoruba race 

as a blessed race with 

history, values and 

traditions expressed worry 

that the Yoruba culture and 

tradition are going into 

extinction. 

He said: “Asa day has 

brought to the fore 

memories of the past, 

including those values that 

have made our race a 

unique and distinct race 

among all races. So we 

must applaud the convener 

of Asa Day World Wide Inc. 

Prince Olaniyi Oyatoye for 

partnering with the Oyo 

state government under 

Governor Seyi Makinde to 

develop an annual 

template for cultural 

transformation and 

development.” 

Also, the Aare 

Onakakanfo of Yorubaland, 

Iba Adams said there is no 

doubt that Yoruba has lost 

its culture and tradition to foreign 

culture and this had taken a huge 

toll on the general values and 

impression of the race. 

He noted that with the new 

development, Prince Oyatoye 

and his team have done the entire 

Yoruba race, as well as those that 

are promoting the culture and 

tradition a big favour by using a 

platform such as Asa day to regain 

the lost glory and revive the 

southwest economy. 

The Yoruba generalissimo, 

however, urged all culture 

enthusiasts to support the cause 

that will enhance everything that 

has to do with Yoruba culture and 

tradition. 

In his remarks, President of Asa 

Day Worldwide Inc., in Canada, 

Mr. Oyatoye said: “After two 

successive editions of Asa Day, 

in Toronto and Manitoba, Canada 

in 2018 and 2019, we decided to 

come down to Oyo to showcase 

the best of Yoruba culture, and 

that is the reason for this event. 

So, I am using this opportunity 

to seek the support needed to 

take this programme to an 

enviable height as it is done all 

over the world.” 


AWARD—From left: Timipre Sylva, Minister of State for Petroleum Resources; Obi Uzu, MD/Chief 

Executive, Global Process and Pipeline Services Ltd., GPPSL; Representative of Ghana’s Minister 

for Energy, Benjamin Asante, and Chris Onyemaizu, ED, Engineering & Business Development, 

GPPSL, during the award of Oilfield Services Company of the Year 2020 to the pipeline firm, at the 

4th Edition of the Nigeria International Petroleum Summit, held in Abuja. 

We’ll bring perpetrators of Iwo Road 

violence to book —Makinde 

....As APC condemns attack on phone sellers, tackles gov 

By Adeola Badru 

ISeyi BADAN—GOVERNOR 

Makinde of Oyo 

State, yesterday, 

condemned Wednesday’s 

violence, in the Iwo Road 

axis of Ibadan, vowing to 

bring perpetrators of the act 

to book. 

Makinde, who toured the 

affected area, described the 

occurrence as unfortunate, 

adding that his government has 

ordered investigations into the 

violent act. 

A statement by the Chief Press 

Secretary to the governor, Mr. 

Taiwo Adisa, quoted the governor 

as saying that the government 

will sanitise Iwo Road and equally 

review the Park Management 

System. 

He said: “I visited the scene of 

INSECURITY: African nations‘ll continue to 

falter, until…—Ladi Thompson 

By Niyi Okiri 

LAGOS—THE General 

Overseer of Living Waters 

Unlimited Church, in Lagos, Rev. 

Oladimeji Thompson, has 

warned that African nations will 

continue to falter, until they 

understand the power of ideas, 

ideologies and ideals. 

Thompson, also the convener 

of YIGBA, the first non-violent 

line of defence, a response group 

to the insecurity situation in the 

country, in a presentation titled: 

‘The Birth of a New Nation’, said 

Nigeria has been programmed to 

the Iwo Road incident this 

morning. The loss of lives during 

the incident that occurred is 

unfortunate and should never 

have happened. 

“I give you my word that we 

will ensure that everyone 

involved in the dastardly act is 

brought to book. 

“I have ordered investigations. 

In the meantime, we will sanitise 

the area behind Iwo Road where 

cultists congregate and review 

the Park Management System. 

“We have also informed the 

phone sellers to choose 

representatives who will discuss 

how we can assist them.” 

APC condemns 

attack on phone 

sellers, tackles 

gov 

keep failing without falling. 

Speaking at a public 

presentation and the relaunch of 

the organisation, at the Muson 

Centre, in Lagos, the cleric said: 

“The intelligence destroying 

Nigeria is doing it deliberately, and 

the people who set the rules for 

us have the answers. They 

divided us intelligently, and they 

are aware that we can succeed, 

only if we can come together. But 

YIGBA will remake Nigeria 

through non-violent 

communication, NVC, strategy.” 

In his opening remarks, Pastor 

Yemi Akinsanya said: “Those 

Meanwhile, the All 

Progressives Congress, APC, in 

Oyo State, yesterday, condemned 

the violence unleashed on 

traders and passersby in Iwo Road 

axis of Ibadan, allegedly attributed 

to the boys of chairman of the 

Park Management System, Alhaji 

Mukaila Lamidi aka ‘Auxiliary’ 

which resulted in the death of one 

person named Rahman Azeez 

(Jago) on Wednesday night. 

APC, in a statement by its 

caretaker Publicity Secretary, Dr. 

Abdul-Azeez Olatunde, said: 

“The orgy of violence unleashed 

on the innocent traders and 

passersby in Iwo Road axis of 

Ibadan, on Wednesday 16th of 

June 2021 is not only 

condemnable but in all honesty 

reminds us all of the trademarks 

of PDP government of Seyi 

Makinde since assumption of 

office on the 29th of May 2019. 

“The people of Oyo State are 

again reminded of the promise of 

Makinde when he visited 

Igangan after the bloody mayhem 

of Sunday 6th June 2021, just ten 

days ago that, that would be the 

end of a security breach in Oyo 

State, after which he admitted 

that his government failed, which 

unfortunately somersaulted 

within ten days. 

“However, between the 

Igangan mayhem of 6th June 

2021 and the Iwo Road, Ibadan 

fatal hitch of 16th Jun 2021, there 

have been daily occurrences of 

violence upon violence within 

Ibadan metropolis, which is 

further confirming that Governor 

Makinde is not prepared for 

governance, the daily security 

challenges have exposed his 

unpreparedness.” 

Court stops Akeredolu from probing Ondo CJ for 

misconduct 

By Ikechukwu 

Nnochiri 

ABUJA—The Federal High 

Court, sitting in Abuja, 

yesterday, barred Governor Rotimi 

Akeredolu of Ondo State from 

investigating or removing the 

Chief Judge of the state from office 

over alleged professional 

misconduct. 

The court, in a judgement 

delivered by Justice Inyang 

Ekwo, held that only the National 

Judicial Council, NJC, has the 

statutory powers to investigate, 

suspend or sack a serving judicial 

officer from office for engaging in 

an act of judicial misconduct. 

Justice Ekwo held that neither 

the Ondo State Governor, the 

Attorney-General of the state 

nor the state’s House of Assembly 

could exercise such power. 

He, therefore, declared as 

unconstitutional, the decision of 

the Ondo State government to 

probe the CJ, Justice Oluwatoyin 

Akeredolu, over a viral video that 

was made by one Olupelumi 

Fagboyegun, who claimed to be 

her step-brother. 

Fagboyegun, in the video, had 

dividing Nigeria are doing it to 

keep us apart, and it is deliberate; 

and Project YIGBA is committed 

to doing things that will bring the 

nation together as one. 

“It is time to separate the truth 

from the lies; to separate the good 

from the evil. We must hand onto 

our children a banner without 

stain. We must apply the nonviolent 

communication strategy 

to change our national narrative 

and, in YIGBA, we are firmly 

persuaded that the erection of a 

‘non-violent line of defence’ is our 

most effective strategy in 

reversing the tidal wave of 

negativity towering over Nigeria. 

This country shall not fail; Nigeria 

shall not fall.” 

alleged that the Chief Judge 

influenced his detention for about 

three years for going to their 

father’s house. 

Following a wave of reactions 

that trailed Fagboyegun’s video 

on social media, the Ondo State 

government commenced 

investigation into the matter. 

However, the CJ, in her suit 

marked FHC/ABJ/CS/2016/2021, 

alleged that the governor and the 

state House of Assembly were 

plotting to remove her from office 

under the pretext of investigating 

allegations contained in the viral 

video by Fagboyegun. 

In his judgement, Justice Ekwo 

agreed with Plaintiff that only the 

NJC could investigate any 

allegation that was raised against 

her in the video and recommend 

her sack to the Ondo state 

government if found to have 

abused her judicial powers. 

Consequently, the court 

nullified any decision the 

Defendants reached against 

Plaintiff concerning the said viral 

video. 

It further restrained the 

Defendants from acting on, 

implementing or doing anything 

to the prejudice of the Plaintiff.


:Vanguard 

News 

:@vanguardnews 

NEWS HOTLINES: 

08052867023, 08052867058 

Social Media Conversation 

DONATION—From left: Programme & Evaluation Officer, Morenikeji Omotoso; Executive Assistant, 

Funmilola Idowu; MD/CEO, Bola Atta, all of UBA Foundation; Founder, Ignite Africa Leadership Foundation, 

Kolawole Oyeyemi; Filed Project Strategist, Adekunle Smith; Business Strategist, Gift Iyiaguegbor, 

and Customer Relations Strategist, Maureen Onyeachi, during donation of books by the foundation 

to Ignite Africa Leadership Foundation’s Library, in commemoration of the 2021 International Day of the 

African Child, in Lagos, Wednesday. 

127 suspected traffic robbers arrested 

in 3 months —Odumosu 

....As Lagos records 6,800 awaiting trial inmates 

By Esther Onyegbula 

L AGOS—COMMISSIONER 

of Police, Lagos Command, 

Mr. Hakeem Odumosu, 

yesterday, said that 127 suspected 

traffic robbers were arrested at 

various locations within the state 

from March 2021 till date. 

Odumosu noted that the 

command has been fighting 

robbery in traffic relentlessly, even 

before the recent donation of 

crime-fighting equipment and 

communication gadgets to the 

command by the state 

government. 

The commissioner, who addressed 

some officers at the command’s 

Why we’re developing 30yr devt plan —Lagos govt 

By Olasunkanmi Akoni 

L AGOS—GOVERNOR 

Babajide Sanwo-Olu of 

Lagos State, yesterday, disclosed 

that his administration is presently 

in the process of developing a 

framework for a 30-year 

Development Plan to replace the current 

Lagos State Development Plan, LSDP. 

Sanwo-Olu, represented by his 

Deputy, Dr. Obafemi Hamzat, at the 

headquarters, reassured residents of the 

state that robbery in traffic would soon 

fizzle out. 

He said: “The fight against the menace 

will be intensified with the new 

equipment from the Lagos State 

government. 

“Robbery in traffic has drastically 

reduced, based on the available empirical 

figure of the isolated cases of robbery, 

which is not unconnected with the 

command’s renewed anti-crime 

strategies put in place.” 

Lagos records 6,800 

awaiting trial 

inmates 

Meanwhile, the Comptroller of 

UBA Foundation donates books to 

schools, libraries, orphanages 

THE corporate social responsibility 

arm of United Bank for Africa, UBA 

Plc., UBA Foundation, Wednesday, 

celebrated the International Day of the 

African Child by donating books 

toschools, libraries and orphanages across 

Africa. 

The foundation has focused on 

education as one of its main areas of 

development for almost two decades. 

Through its Read Africa and National 

Essay Competition initiatives, the 

foundation has been impacting lives 

positively across the African continent. 

opening of a two-day Zonal Technical 

Session on the preparation of the 

Medium-Term National Development 

Plan, MTNDP (2021 - 2025), described 

planning as the basis for action, and 

provides direction for agencies of 

government to act. 

He said: “All these are aimed at 

achieving sustainable economic growth, 

creating a conducive environment for 

investment to thrive, maximizing the 

competitive and comparative advantage 

Corrections, Lagos State Command, Mr. 

Adewale Adebisi, yesterday, stated, while 

speaking at the Kirikiri Maximum 

Correctional Centre, Lagos State, during 

a plea bargain session, that there were 

6,800 inmates awaiting trial in the five 

correctional facilities in the state. 

The session was spearheaded by the 

Lagos State Ministry of Justice as part of 

efforts to decongest correctional facilities 

in the state. 

The five correctional facilities in Lagos 

are Ikoyi, Kirikiri (Female), Kirikiri 

(Medium), Kirikiri (Maximum) and 

Badagry correctional centres. 

He said: “In Lagos, we have a total of 

8,000 incarcerated inmates in the 

correctional facilities, out of which a total 

of 6,800 inmates are awaiting trial. 

“Some of these awaiting trial inmates 

have been standing trial in the courts for 

long. We have some who have been on 

trial for between 10 and 12 years.” 

of the state, harnessing opportunities and 

potentials in less optimized sectors like 

entertainment and tourism, achieving 

food security. 

“Towards achieving this goal, the 

planned total investment size which will 

be allocated to sectors programmes and 

project in the plan is estimated at N348.1 

trillion. 

“These goals are no doubt laudable as 

it seeks to address the critical challenges 

of poverty eradication and the growing 

unemployment rate among our youths.” 

Earlier, the Commissioner for Budget 

and Economic Planning, Mr. Samuel 

Egube, stated that the workshop will 

develop a framework through which 

stakeholders in all sectors of the economy 

public, private and civil society could 

synergize and contribute to the 

improvement of the quality of life of the 

people in the Southwest States and the 

country at large. 

Egube said: “Each participating State 

must have a defined vision it intends to 

achieve which will provoke increased 

productivity, through effective and 

efficient resource management that is 

driven by well-equipped human capital, 

with the ultimate goal of improving the 

standard of living of the people of 

Southwest region of Nigeria.” 

TB Joshua: Ondo has lost an ambassador, says Akeredolu 

LAGOS—GOVERNOR Rotimi 

Akeredolu of Ondo State has 

condoled with the church and family of 

the late founder of the Synagogue 

Church of All Nations, SCOAN, Prophet 

T.B. Joshua, on his demise, describing 

the cleric’s passage as a great loss to not 

only the state but to the nation and the 

entire world. 

Speaking on his behalf, Speaker of the 

Ondo State House of Assembly, Mr. 

The International Day of the African 

Child was another opportunity for UBA 

to demonstrate its commitment to the 

communities in which it operates across 

Africa, donating thousands of books to 

less priviledged children on the 

continent. 

In 1991, the Organisation of African 

Unity, now known as the AU, announced 

June 16th as the International Day of 

the African Child, to honour the 

students, who courageously marched for 

their rights to better education in Soweto, 

South Africa, during the Soweto Uprising 

of June 16, 1976. 

Oleyelogun David, who led a delegation 

sent by Akeredolu to the SCOAN, in 

Ikotun, Lagos, said the governor was 

shocked by the death of Prophet Joshua. 

“For you to know how Governor 

Akeredolu appreciates his brother that 

has just left, he decided to send this 

delegate, with the symbol of Ondo State, 

to come and commiserate with the family, 

children, and with the people of God, the 

church members, and the whole world 

entirely. Our brother that has just left is 

a dear and reliable citizen of Ondo State. 

He is a man that we believed in all that 

he had been doing. He was a God-fearing 

person and a man of God per excellence. 

“I am here on behalf of the Governor 

and good people of Ondo State. The 

Governor sent a very powerful delegate 

to come and commiserate with the family 

of our brother who has just passed to 

eternal life.” 

Your time is coming! 

....Land of herdsmen! 

Local going global!




NDDC has failed, not living up to its 

responsibilities —Obaseki 

•Inaugurate screened board members, Onokpite, JAN- 

DYF appeal to Buhari 

By Etop Ekanem 

& Gabriel 

Enogholase 

BENIN— 

Governor 

Godwin Obaseki of Edo 

State has insisted that Niger 

Delta Development 

Commission, NDDC, was not 

living up to its responsibility of 

ensuring infrastructural 

development in Niger Delta and 

raising the standard of living of 

the people. 

Obaseki stated this in Benin 

City, yesterday, when he received 

the Odiowere and elders of 

Ugha Quarters of Urhonigbe 

Town in Orhionmwon Local 

Government Area of the state, 

who visited him in his office. 

The governor, represented by 

his Chief of Staff, Mr 

Osaigbovo Iyoha, reassured 

that his government would 

sustain ongoing infrastructure 

projects across the state to boost 

economic activities and 

improve the lives of the people. 

He said: “We are aware and 

know that Urhonigbe road in 

Orhionmwon local council 

area contract has been awarded 

by NDDC. We made sure that 

we don’t duplicate efforts. 

NDDC has not been 

forthcoming with contracts that 

have been awarded at that level. 

“In a normal system, if the 

NDDC has lived up to their 

responsibility and done the right 

thing, the government will not 

need to do the same project. We 

don’t duplicate work, it amounts 

to waste of funds. 

“NDDC left the road in a worse 

shape than it was before the 

construction started. It is not an 

excuse to allow the people to 

suffer due to the failure of an 

agency to perform its statutory 

responsibility. 

“As soon as possible, we will 

send government agencies to 

check the state of the road and 

report back. We will do 

something quick for our people 

at Urhonigbe because we know 

that our people are 

predominantly farmers. 

“We will deploy officials from 

the Ministry of Infrastructure to 

examine the state of the road to 

enable us undertake palliative 

measures before providing a 

permanent solution to the road. 

As an administration, we will do 

our best to ensure that the people 

of the community feel the 

impact of the government.” 

Appreciating the people of 

Ugha Quarters, the governor 

noted: “I appreciate you for your 

support and prayers before, 

during and after the election, as 

well as your support throughout 

the time we were in the courts. 

“The last election proved to 

us that you trust this 

administration and I want to 

assure you that the confidence 

reposed in us will not be 

betrayed. We will deliver the 

dividends of democracy to the 

people of the state, including 

Ugha Quarters in Urhonigbe.” 

Inaugurate 

screened board 

members, 

Onokpite, JANDYF 

appeal to Buhari 

Meanwhile, All Progressives 

Congress, APC, Youth Leader, 

and President of Edafe 

Onokpite Foundation, EOF, 

Edafe Onokpite, has thrown his 

weight behind the calls on 


Buhari to inaugurate the Chief 

Benard Okumagba-led Niger 

Delta Development 

Commission, NDDC, board, 

which was screened and 

confirmed by the National 

Assembly. 

Also, Joint Association of 

Niger Delta Youths Forum, 

JANDYF, has demanded the 

inauguration of a substantive 

governing NDDC board, just as 

it commended former militant 

leader, Government 

Ekpemupolo, alias Tompolo, 

and other youth leaders and 

stakeholders in the region for 

their peaceful disposition and 

relaxation of a seven-day 

ultimatum to Buhari to 

constitute the governing board 

of the NDDC. 

Onokpite in an interview with 

newsmen in Warri, Delta State, 

said: “I want to let you know 

that we have passed the stage of 

petty and bad belly politics. 

Bernard’s father is from Okere- 

Urhobo, Warri South LGA and 

his mother is from Ukpiowin, 

Udu LGA. Both LGAs are oilproducing 

areas in Delta State.” 

JANDYF in a statement by its 

National President, Mr Mark 

Ikpuri and National Secretary, 

Mr Goodluck Edafe said though 

they understand that President 

Buhari meant well for Niger 

Delta, the people, particularly the 

youths, have been patient with 

the ongoing forensic audit 

They insisted that it was high 

time the President constituted a 

substantive board of the NDDC 

to reduce agitation by allowing 

the different states in the region 

to have their interest represented 

on the board. 

THANKSGIVING: Speaker of Delta State House of Assembly, 

Sheriff Oborevwori (left), welcoming Governor Ifeanyi Okowa of Delta 

State to Living Faith Church (aka Winners Chapel), Ibusa Road, 

Asaba for the 7th Assembly thanksgiving service of the House. Photo: 

Festus Ahon 

Okowa nominates Aniagwu, Oboro, 

Akpowowo, 15 others as commissioners 

•As DTHA approves appointment of 15 secretaries to LGs 

By Festus Ahon 

ASABA—Governor Ifeanyi 

Okowa of Delta State, 

yesterday, forwarded a list of 18 

persons, including, Mr Charles 

Aniagwu, Dr Barry Gbe, Chief 

Evelyn Oboro, Chief Arthur 

Akpowowo, Mr Chris Onogba, 

Chief Fidelis Tilije and Chief 

Festus Ochonogor as 

commissioners and members of 

the State Executive Council to 

the state House of Assembly for 

screening and confirmation. 

Okowa in the letter to the state 

House of Assembly, which was 

read by the Speaker, Chief 

Sheriff Oborevwori, said the 

nomination was in line with 

session I92 of the 1999 

Constitution (as amended). 

It was gathered that the 

nominees have been directed by 

the Assembly to submit their 

curriculum vitae to the Clerk of 

the House before June 21, 2021, 

and appear for screening on 

June 22, 2021. 

Others who made the list are 

Mr Ifeanyi Egwuyenga, Princess 

Shola Ogbemi-Daibo, Florence 

Alanta, Lawrence Ejiofor, Mr 

Churchill Amagada, Jonathan 

Igworiwoh, Noel Omordon, 

Mrs Rose Esenwu, Kate 

Oniawan, Mr Julius Egbedi and 

Mr John Onyema. 

Meanwhile, Delta State 

House of Assembly has screened 

and confirmed the appointment 

of 15 Secretaries to Local 

Governments, SLGs, out of the 

25 local government areas in 

the state. 

Those whose appointments 

were approved by the House 

include, Ben Chiejina, Aniocha 

North; Emordi Okonjo, 

AniochaSouth; Perekeme 

Sunday, Burutu; Aganbi Edesiri, 

Ethiope East; Sunday Amori, 

Ethiope West; Egbule Samuel, 

Ika North East; Aluge Obia, Ika 

South; and Francis Ogboghro, 

Isoko South. 

Others are Eju Leader, Okpe; 

Augustine Ajufo, Oshimili North; 

Felix Ayemidajor, Sapele; 

Samuel Udumebraye, Udu; 

Joseph Ubrure, Ughelli South; 

Margaret Obiku, Uvwie, and 

Joseph Uwale, Warri South. 

The motion for the 

confirmation of the 15 nominees 

was moved by the Deputy 

Majority Leader, Mr Oboro 

Preyor, seconded by Mr Jude 

Ogbimi, Isoko North and 

adopted by the House. 

Concerned Isoko indigenes 

move to set up interim EXCO 

By Festus Ahon 

ASABA— CONCERNED 

Isoko indigenes have 

concluded plans to inaugurate 

a five-man interim committee 

to pilot the affairs of the Isoko 

Development Union, IDU, the 

apex socio-cultural 

organisation of the Isoko nation. 

Former President General of 

Iyede community, Isoko North 

Local Government Area, Delta 

State, Derry Asugo, who made 

the disclosure, yesterday, said the 

move was necessitated by the 

discontentment of the Isoko 

people over the alleged role of 

the current leadership of IDU in 

the last week’s protest. 

Some Isoko youths under the 

auspices of IDU Youth Wing, 

had last week barricaded the 

Ughelli/Asaba expressway over 

the alleged social and security 

fund from the Delta State Oil 

Producing Areas Development 

Commission, DESOPADEC. 

Asugo said: “We the concerned 

indigenes of Isoko nation feel that 

the people who have been put as 

the executive of IDU are not 

capable. If we look at the 

constitution, they were not 

inaugurated. Based on these 

flaws, we have agreed that we 

should take over the 

administration and streamline 

how Isoko should be. 

“We are putting in place an 

interim committee to ensure that 

a real executive is elected by the 

Isoko people to take over the 

management of Isoko affairs." 

Suspected jihadists after me 

•Says man, who aided police avert 

bombing of Delta secretariat 

By Emma Amaize 

ASABA—An indigene of 

Delta State, Mr Major 

Obinobe, who assisted in 

foiling the attempt by criminals, 

suspected to be part of Fulani 

Jihadists in May to blow up the 

multi-billion naira Delta State 

Civil Service Secretariat 

Complex, Asaba, has cried out 

that his life and that of his family 

members were being 

threatened by the jihadists. 

It will be recalled that the 

same criminals had threatened 

to attack Asaba and Agbor in 

Delta State, last Sunday, over 

the ban on open grazing by 

Governor Ifeanyi Okowa and 

other Southern governors. 

Obinobe, who said he didn’t 

know how his name and house 

address got to the jihadists, has 

fled Asaba with his family, 

following multiple 

observations of strange faces 

mounting surveillance at his 

home and trailing his vehicle. 

The suspected jihadists had 

laid explosives at the secretariat 

awaiting to detonate them in 

the dark hours of the night when 

Obinobe, driving in his car after 

watching a football match, 

suspected their mission and 

alerted the police, who visited 

the scene and discovered the 

explosives. 

The jihadist group, which 

dropped the threat letter to 

Okowa in parts of the state 

capital, last Sunday, confirmed 

planting the explosives. 

Obinobe appealed to the 

Inspector General of Police, Mr 

Alkali Usman, Governor 

Okowa, and Delta State 

Commissioner of Police, 

yesterday, to help protect and 

save his life from yet to be known 

assailants, who have allegedly 

been trailing him for some 

weeks. 

Meanwhile, Delta State 

acting Police Public Relations 

Officer, Bright Edafe, when 

contacted said the matter had 

not been reported to any police 

station, as he was just hearing 

about it on social media. 

Commissioner of Police, 

Delta State Command, Ari Ali, 

did not pick calls to his line by 

this reporter, yesterday, 

afternoon. 

Don't take loan without state 

approval, Wike charges new 

LG chairmen 

By Egufe 

Yafugborhi 

PORT HARCOURT— 

GOVERNOR Nyesom 

Wike of Rivers State, yesterday, 

swore in new 23 local 

government chairmen, with a 

charge to them not to borrow 

money to run their 

administrations without the 

state government’s approval. 

The governor said the 

caution became necessary to 

stem the unguarded desire of 

some local government bosses 

to take loans without a 

meaningful development plan. 

He said: “Don’t go and 

borrow money without the state 

government's approval. Some 

of you tried it last time and 

started with your blackmail, 

saying help us, we are finished. 

“You have no authority to 

borrow money. Even as state 

government, before we go and 

borrow money, we get approval 

from the Debt Management 

Office and the House of 

Assembly. No bank will even 

give us. 

“Before you borrow money, 

the state must know what you 

want to use it for, and how you 

will repay it, so that others who 

are coming will not suffer 

because of your indebtedness. 

“Stay in your council, don’t 

stay in hotels and in Port 

Harcourt. If you’re not at home, 

how do you know about the 

security situation in your local 

government? Security is the key. 

“Relate with your DPOs. It 

does not cost you anything. Even 

if it costs you, governance is not 

easy. Governance is expensive. 

Security is expensive. Some of 

you cannot relate with the DPOs. 

“It’s only when you have a 

problem that you relate with 

your DPOs and some of them 

are intelligent and when you call 

them that time, they turn their 

face the other way. You must 

make effort to relate with your 

DPOs.” 

INC bemoans impact of oil 

exploration on Ijaw, N-Delta 

environment 

By Onozure 

Dania 

WARRI — Ijaw National 

Congress, INC, 

Worldwide, has raised concerns 

over the continued degradation 

of the Ijaw and Niger Delta 

environment, urging those 

complicit to desist forthwith 

and do everything possible to 

preserve it. 

INC President, Prof 

Benjamin Okaba, in a 

telephone chat on World 

Environment Day, said: “The 

environmental hazards in the 

region are so many, including 

“flooding, oil pollution, 

deforestation, plastic pollution, 

noise pollution, air pollution 


“Shell Petroleum 

Development Company, 

SPDC, started operations in 

1956 at Otuabagi/Oloibiri, 

present-day Bayelsa State, 

leaving a lot of environmental 

pollutions behind without 

solutions to them and without 

any benefit to the people by way 

of Corporate Social 

Responsibility. 

“All the multinational oil 

companies operating in the 

Niger Delta should operate 

within the confines of the law 

and clean up the environment 

to remediate the experiences of 

Ikarama and Biseni 

communities in Yenagoa LGA 

and Koluama, in Southern Ijaw 

LGA, all in Bayelsa, among other 

places. 

“Those who indulge in illegal 

refining, bunkering and 

pipeline vandalism, tree falling, 

chemical on fish, snail farming 

should stop, as their activities are 

negatively affecting the economy 

and the well-being of the 

people.”


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

I'm determined to restore Imo's former glory 

—Uzodimma 

By Chidi 

Nkwopara & 

Chinonso Alozie 

OWERRI—IMO State 

Government yesterday, 

reiterated its commitment 

towards restoring the state 

to its former glory . 

Governor Hope Uzodimma 

made the promise, when 

he played host to indigenes 

of Owerri municipality in 

Government House, Owerri 

Ḣis words: "It is clear to 

me that what happened in 

the past eight years, was a 

clear manifestation that the 

previous administration 

had a well laid out plan to 

destroy not just Owerri municipality, 

but also the entire 

state. 

"Owerri Municipality is a 

cosmopolitan city. It is sad 

to note that when I came into 

office, I noticed that all the 

things that were enviable, 

habitable and lovable were 

almost destroyed. 

"I must assure the citizenry 

that I have not come into 

office to behave like a mad 

man. I am very determined 

to restore all those things 

that were destroyed by the 

previous administration. I 

am interested in making 

Owerri and the entire state 

strong, virile, prosperous 

and reliable again." 

While urging the citizens 

to regard the present administration 

as theirs, the governor 

also pleaded that "you 

should realize that Owerri 

municipality is a heritage 

that must be preserved and 

improved on". 

Earlier in an address read 

by immediate past Federal 

Complaints Commissioner, 

Willie Amadi, the citizens 

commended the governor 

for restoring their pride, "by 

embarking on the reconstruction 

of the Eke Ukwu 

Owerri market", adding 

that he has elevated it to the 

enviable status of an international 

market. 

Continuing, the people 

said: "A few years ago, it was 

brazenly, scornfully and 

mischievously destroyed by 

an evil administration that 

neither believed nor supported 

the prosperity and 

happiness of our people. Today, 

you have made the difference. 

"You have shown that you 

share our pain. By these deliberate 

efforts, you have 

shown your resolve to make 

the Owerri man and woman 

smile again. 

"Another area of concern 

is land. Our people have for 

long, suffered from the pain 

of lack of habitable land to 

accommodate their legitimate 

expansion and living 

needs. 

"As we speak, many homes 

do not have suitable space 

in their homesteads to shelter 

their families. This is as 

a result of the pressure of urbanization, 

arising from the 

status of Owerri being the 

capital of the state." 

Special forces 

move into Imo 

rural areas 

Meantime,special security 

forces, yesterday, were 

deployed to rural communities 

in Imo State. 

•As special forces move into Imo rural areas 

•Security operatives eliminated IPOB/ESN criminals —DHQ 

COURTESY: Governor of Ebonyi State, David Umahi, being conveyed around some major facilities in 

Jamb office by the JAMB Registrar, Prof. Is-haq Olarewaju Oloyede after a courtesy call on the registrar 

in Abuja, yesterday. 

The state Commissioner 

of Police, Abutu Yaro, disclosed 

this to newsmen in 

Owerri, through the state 

Police Public Relations Officer, 

PPRO, Bala Elkana. 

The police said their reason 

was because the "unknown 

gunmen " have relocated 

their criminal activities 

to the rural areas. 

The command said: "The 

Commissioner of Police Imo 

State Command, CP Abutu 

Yaro, has ordered the immediate 

deployment of Police 

Special Forces to the hinterlands 

in order to reinforce 

the security forces patrolling 

those areas. This came 

as a result of the recent shift 

of criminal activities to 

some parts of the hinterlands 

following the major defeat 

suffered by the criminal elements 

in the last few days 

while attempting to attack 

Owerri, the state capital. 

"The recent attack happened 

in the early hours of 

yesterday, when some hoodlums 

attacked some houses 

at Amaebu community in 

Orsu Local Government 

Area, Imo State. Their efforts 

to destroy the entire 

community was swiftly resisted 

by the Police and other 

supporting security agencies 

and the vigilant members 

of the community. 

"Two persons were killed by 

the hoodlums during the attack 

and about four houses 

were set on fire and partially 

burnt. Four of the hoodlums 

were fatally injured 

during gun battle with security 

forces, while others escaped 

with bullet wounds. 

The area the fleeing hoodlums 

ran into is combed, 

cordoned off and search 

operation is ongoing to 

mop up the criminal elements." 

Security operatives 

eliminated IPOB/ 

ESN criminals 

—DHQ 

Also in Abuja,security operatives 

have eliminated 

scores of criminals linked to 

the outlawed Indigenous 

People of Biafra, IPOB, and 

their Eastern Security Network, 

ESN counterparts. 

The Defence Headquarters 

in Abuja, yesterday said 

the criminals were eliminated 

in the South East and 

parts of the South-South. 

Acting Director, Defence 

Media Operation, Brig.- 

Gen. Bernard Onyeuko told 

newsmen that the criminals 

were eliminated in different 

operations between June 

3 and June 16. 

Onyeuko said that the military 

and other security 

agencies had contained several 

IPOB/ESN activities 

such as attacks on police 

stations, killing of security 

operatives and civilians as 

well as destruction of properties 

in the zones. 

He said that the operatives 

raided the hoodlums’ hideouts 

at Ukpong in Obot Akara 

Local Government Area 

of Akwa-Ibom on June 4 and 

dislodged the criminals. 

He added that on same 

day, the troops engaged and 

repelled some IPOB/ESN 

hoodlums who attacked 

Okposi town in Ohaozara 

Local Government Area of 

Ebonyi and the Criminal 

Investigation Department, 

Abia Police Command. 

“Similarly, on June 5, 

troops repelled IPOB hoodlums’ 

attack on commuters 

along Igbo-Etiti – Nsukka 

Road in Enugu State. 

“In another development 

on same day, troops tracked 

and apprehended some 

hoodlums who vandalised 

and stole railroad sleepers 

at Nkwubor Road within 

Emene in Enugu East Local 

Government Area of the 

state,” he said. 

The spokesperson also 

said that the Federal Government 

had engaged in an 

extra-ordinary non-kinetic 

approach to the seemingly 

intractable security challenges 

in the southeast. 

He said that the Minister 

of Defence, retired Maj.- 

Gen. Bashir Magashi, on 

June 11, led a delegation to 

Enugu for a security meeting 

with stakeholders in the 

geo-political zone. 

According to him, the 

minister was accompanied 

by the Minister of Interior, 

Rauf Aregbeshola and the 

Chief of Defence Staff, Gen. 

Lucky Irabor, as well as representatives 

of the service 

chiefs. 

“During the summit, a 

whole range of security challenges 

were discussed with 

governors of the southeast 

states, religious leaders, traditional 

rulers, opinion leaders 

and other stakeholders 

in attendance. 

“The discussions and decisions 

reached at the end of 

the security summit were 

far reaching and would go 

a long way in bringing peace 

to the region,’’ he said. 

Onyeuko said that in the 

southwest zone, troops of 

Operation AWATSE had 

sustained their operations 

against criminal elements 

to restore law and order to 

troubled areas. 

He said that the troops 

repelled armed herdsmen 

attack at Igangan community 

in Ibarapa North Local 

Government Area of Oyo 

State on June 5. 

According to him, troops 

mobilised to the scene and 

engaged the herdsmen during 

which some of them 

were neutralised while others 

fled with gunshot 

wounds. 

He said that the troops 

raided some criminals’ hideouts 

at Ona-Ara Local Government 

Area of the state 

and arrested suspects on 

June 7. 

Onyeuko said the suspects 

had been handed over to appropriate 

prosecuting agencies 

for further action. 

2023 guber: It’s our turn, Enugu Speaker, Nwobodo, APC 

Chairman, others tell Ugwuanyi 

ENUGU—THE people of 

Enugu East Senatorial 

District of Enugu State, comprising 

leaders of political, religious 

and traditional institutions, 

yesterday, converged 

at the popular Michael Okpara 

Square, Enugu, for a 

mega rally, requesting Governor 

Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi to uphold 

the long established rotational 

template with regards 

to the Office of the Governor 

of the state by lending 

his support for the district to 

produce his successor in 2023. 

Speaking at the well-attended 

rally, themed 'Oganiru 

Enugu East Senatorial District', 

the Convener and 

Speaker of the Enugu State 

House of Assembly, Edward 

Ubosi said that the only agenda 

of the gathering was to demand 

for the governorship 

seat of the state in 2023 in the 

spirit of equity, fairness and 

justice, stressing that it is the 

turn of Enugu East Senatorial 

District going by the long 

established rotational template 

in the state. 

The Speaker who applauded 

Gov. Ugwuanyi for attending 

the rally stated that it was 

the unanimous stance of the 

people of Enugu East Senatorial 

District and beyond that 

the governor has a major role 

to play in the choice of his successor 

since his predecessors 

enjoyed such privilege during 

their tenures as governors of 

the state. 

"Your Excellency, your own 

will not be different. We are 

waiting for you to take a decision 

on the choice of your successor 

from any of the six local 

government areas of Enugu 

East Senatorial District 

and we will support the person 

overwhelmingly." Ubosi 

said. 

Aligning with the Speaker's 

speech, the Chairman of the 

All Progressives Congress 

(APC) in Enugu State, Dr. Ben 

Nwoye announced that the 

party has zoned its governorship 

position in 2023 to Enugu 

East Senatorial District. 

Dr. Nwoye eulogized Gov. 

Ugwuanyi for his uncommon 

leadership qualities as a 

peaceful, humble and development-oriented 

governor, 

saying: •"When you have 

peace, you have order; when 

you have peace you have development, 

you (Ugwuanyi) 

are a peaceful governor and 

you have brought peace to 

our people". 

The APC State Chairman 

emphasized that the governor's 

presence at the rally was 

a prayer answered towards the 

quest for his successor to 

come from Enugu East Senatorial 

District. 

"Your Excellency, the fact 

that you are here, means that 

you have answered our 

prayers in our midst. It means 

that you have agreed to endorse 

someone from Enugu 

East Senatorial District come 

2023. 

"We (APC) have zoned the 

governorship candidate to 

Enugu East Senatorial District. 

We are following the PDP 

people to beg you to also nominate 

and zone their governorship 

candidate to Enugu East 

Senatorial District. 

"So, Your Excellency, you 

will do the right thing. You will 

anoint someone from Enugu 

East Senatorial District; if it 

goes to APC, you anoint someone 

from APC; if it goes to PDP, 

you anoint someone from 

PDP", Nwoye said. 

In his speech, the former 

governor of old Anambra 

State and the former Senator 

who represented Enugu East 

Senatorial District in the National 

Assembly, Senator Jim 

Nwobodo, expressed optimism 

that Gov. Ugwuanyi 

will endorse his successor 

from the zone, pointing out 

that "Gburugburu is a peacemaker; 

Gburugburu entrusted 

Enugu State to the hand of 

God; Gburugburu will give 

Ndi Enugu East Senatorial 

District governor in 2023; we 

are only waiting for the time 

to come to know who will be 

the next governor from our 

zone". 

Expressing his confidence in 

Gov. Ugwuanyi, Senator 

Nwododo maintained that it 

is the turn of Enugu East Senatorial 

District to produce the 

next governor of Enugu State 

in 2023, appealing to other 

senatorial districts to support 

the choice candidate of the 

governor from the zone when 

the time comes. 

Nwobodo added that the 

candidate should be someone 

•gwho will be as humble and 

peaceful like you (Ugwuanyi) 

and also a governor of the 

entire Enugu State not governor 

of Enugu East Senatorial 

Zone, as Ugwuanyi is today 

the governor of Enugu State, 

not governor of Nsukka". 

Lending his support, the 

former President of the Senate, 

Senator Ken Nnamani 

endorsed the stance of the 

people of Enugu East Senatorial 

District at the rally and 

commended the organizers of 

the event for galvanizing the 

people of the zone to come 

and appraise the existing rotational 

principle of zoning in 

Enugu State. 

Represented by the Ambassador-designate 

to the Republic 

of Poland, Major General 

Christian Ugwu (Rtd.), Sen. 

Nnamani lauded Gov. Ugwuanyi 

for the peace being 

enjoyed in Enugu State, expressing 

confidence that the 

governor's disposition to 

peace and good governance 

will guarantee a peaceful transition 

in 2023, where a candidate 

from Enugu East Senatorial 

District will be elected 

governor of the state.





AIR PEACE 3RD EMBRAER 195-E2 LANDS IN ABUJA: From left; Mrs Nneka Onyeali-Ikpe, MD/CEO, Fidelity 

Bank PLC; Eng Hassan Musa, Perm Sec, Ministry of Aviation representing Aviation Minister, Hadi Sirika; 

Senator Ifeanyi Ubah, member, Senate Committee on Aviation; Barr Allen Onyema, Chairman, Air Peace Airline 

and Mrs Alice Onyema, Vice Chairman during the ribbon-cutting in celebration of the arrival of Air Peace 3rd 

Embraer 195-E2 aircraft at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja yesterday. Photo: Lamidi Bamidele. 

Air Peace takes delivery of third brand new 

Embraer 195-E2 aircraft 

By Lawani Mikairu 

AIR Peace airline yesterday 

took delivery of its third 

brand new Embraer 195-E2 aircraft. 

This is coming as the airline 

revealed that it will take delivery 

of all the 13 Embraer 195-E2 aircraft 

it placed firm order for from 

Embraer Aircraft Manufacturing 

Company in Brazil by the end of 

2022. 

The airline also said it will activate 

payment for additional 10 

aircraft type immediately the delivery 

is completed, which will 

bring total arrivals to 23 aircraft. 

Making the disclosure yesterday 

during the delivery ceremony 

of the third E195-E2 aircraft 

at the Nnamidi Azikiwe International 

Airport,Abuja, the chairman 

of Air Peace, Barrister Allen 

Onyema said additional two aircraft 

would join the airline fleet 

by August, adding that eight more 

of the aircraft type would join the 

fleet before the end of the year. 

Onyema said: “By next year, 

we hope to receive all the 13 airplanes 

we already made firm orders 

for and by the end of 2023, 

we intend to activate payment 

for another 10 of the aircraft brand, 

which will bring it to 223.” 

“We have new routes that we 

want to deploy the aircraft to. We 

have new routes that we have 

just opened and more routes will 

still come in the coming months. 

We are opening Gombe very soon 

and our intention is to open up 

this country. We will also connect 

North East with North West and 

other routes. Owerri-Kaduna and 

other routes will be connected.” 

“We have been designated to 

so many destinations by the government. 

We have over 20 destinations, 

which is very commendable.” 

He also revealed that the airline 

was planning to commence 

Lagos-London route, adding that 

the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority 

(NCAA) was assisting the 

airline to fast-track the process. 

The Air Peace boss used the 

event to commend the Minister 

of Aviation, Senator Hadi Sirika 

for driving the change in the sector, 

stressing that “the minister 

had ensured deep changes in the 

industry since his appointment 

•To get delivery of all 13 Embraer 

195-E2 aircraft by the end of 2022 

By Alemma Aliu 

BENIN CITY—TO 

boost productivity and 

efficiency in staff 

output, the management of 

the Federal Polytechnic, 

Auchi in Edo state said it has 

approved the promotion of 283 

Staff from both the academic 

and non academic sectors just 

as it said 63 have also got approval 

to go for further studies 

within and outside the country. 

Acting Rector of the polytechnic, 

Engr. Mustaphar 

Zubair while speaking with 

journalists in Auchi yesterday 

said the welfare of staff of the 

institution remain sacrosanct 

and key in encouraging and 

achieving maximum output 

adding that the training would 

be sponsored by th Tertiary 

Education Trust Fund 

(TERTFUND) under its Academic 

Training Development 

scheme. 

He said: “Staff welfare has 

remained one of our priorities; 

by creating comfort for staff 

through renovation of their 

buildings, making water available 

through boreholes in quarters. 

We have just carried out a 

promotion exercise this year; 

we have a total of about 283 

staff promoted. 

“Out of which 141 are senior 

academic staff promoted to dif- 

about six years ago”. 

Also speaking at the delivery 

ceremony, Director General of 

the Nigerian civil Aviation Authority, 

NCAA, Captain Musa 

Nuhu described the arrival of the 

brand new aircraft as a milestone, 

adding that what was happening 

in Nigeria’s air transport industry 

“was a paradigm shift.” 

Captain Nuhu said: “Today is 

another milestone and a paradigm 

shift and this is something 

that I have not seen since my 

days at Nigerian Airways when 

they were purchasing the right 

aircraft for the right routes. Air 

Peace is not only buying aircraft 

but buying the right size aircraft 

for the Nigerian market. 

“The Embraer aircraft is the 

right aircraft, it breaks even with 

low passenger figures, your maintenance 

cost is low, your operational 

cost is low. 

“Another factor is that the new 

aircraft is absolutely great for the 

environment, it does less pollution. 

I am really proud that I am 

Director General of NCAA when 

this paradigm shift is happening. 

We have to give kudos to the 

entrepreneur, Allen Onyema, as 

without such people all this will 

not be possible.” 

The Managing Director of Fidelity 

Bank, Mrs Nneka Onyeali-Ikpe 

,who was also present at 

the event commended Barr 

Onyema for “being faithful with 

the agreement signed with the 

bank. He has been very meticulous 

in repayment agreement 

reached. We are prepared to assist 

the airline bring in any 

number of aircraft they want .“ 

Auchi poly promotes staff, 

approves training for others 

to boost productivity 

ferent ranks just about two 

weeks ago and many of them 

have received their letters to 

that effect. We also have 142 

non- academic staff making a 

total of 283 staff promoted this 

year. 

“We also have 59 junior staff 

promoted to different cadres because 

we believed that it is 

when you allow progression 

and you appreciate what 

your staffs is doing you will 

now bring out the best in that 

staff and we take it very seriously” 

Zubair further disclosed that 

the council of the polytechnic 

met and approved 63 staff for 

training in Nigeria and abroad 

under TETFUND academic 

training development. 

The inauguration of the 

Academy of Medicine 

Specialties of Nigeria will hold at 

the Radisson Blu Hotel, Isaac 

John Street, Ikeja GRA on 

Thursday, July 29, 2021 by 10am. 

In a statement signed by Prof 

Ogunniyi Adesola, the 

inauguration will have as guests 

of honour the Ministers of Health 

and Education, while the chief 

host will the governor of Lagos 

State, Mr Babajide Sanwo-Olu. 

Talking about the academy, 

Current revenue sharing formula 

unjust — DIRI 

By Samuel Oyadongha 

Y 

E N A G O A — 

GOVERNOR Douye 

Diri of Bayelsa State, has criticised 

the revenue sharing formula 

in the country, saying it was 

unjust, inadequate and unacceptable. 

Diri also faulted the 13 per cent 

derivation paid to oil producing 

states by the Federal Government. 

Speaking at the Chief DSP 

Alamieyeseigha Banquet Hall, 

yesterday, in Yenagoa during the 

launch of "The Riddle of The Oil 

Thief," a book authored by the 

Ibenanaowei of Ekpetiama Kingdom, 

King Bubaraye Dakolo, the 

governor lamented the injustice 

in the sharing formula of proceeds 

from oil. 

He said: "The current revenue 

sharing formula is totally unacceptable 

to us as a people. We 

cannot have 100 per cent of our 

own resources and 13 per cent of 

what we don't even know is being 

given to us while 87 per cent 

is taken away by the Federal 

Government. That is not fair. 

That is injustice and we would 

continue to preach against that. 

"I am happy today that with all 

of our struggles, you have been 

able to put pen to paper. A phi- 

Uroye informs Delta Assembly 

of Olu of Warri's transition 

A 

SABA— 

THE 

member Representing 

Warri South Constituency 1 in 

Delta State House of Assembly, 

Hon. Augustine Uroye on 

Wednesday formally informed the 

Delta State House of Assembly 

of the transition of His Majesty, 

Ogiame Ikenwoli, The Olu of 

Warri. 

The lawmaker announced the 

passage of the late monarch at 

the hallowed chamber during 

plenary of the House, presided 

over by the Speaker, Rt. Hon. 

Sheriff Oborevwori. 

According to Uroye; “Mr 

Speaker and fellow honorable 

members, I want to, on behalf of 

…Faults local govt 

as federating unit 

losopher once said, write your 

story before your ink dries up. 

Today, you have written our story, 

the story of Bayelsa and Niger 

Delta. 

"This book will bridge the existing 

gaps of our story as a state 

and as an ethnic nationality in 

Nigeria. It is on this note that I 

direct all senior secondary classes 

in post-primary schools to 

adopt this book in their curriculum. 

The reason being that our 

children should know the history 

of oil politics as it affects us 

and the larger Nigerian state." 

He also decried the recognition 

of local governments as federating 

units against the dictates 

of the Nigerian Constitution, a 

situation which he said has 

equally denied Bayelsa of its resources 

given the fact that the 

state had only eight local government 

areas. 

Diri advocated the creation of 

more local governments for the 

state as a way of resolving some 

of the imbalances in the sharing 

formula. 

He noted with sadness that 

despite the enormous oil wealth 

in Bayelsa and the Niger Delta, 

very few sons of the region have 

oil blocs or have benefited from 

the oil wealth. 

the Deputy Majority Whip and 

member representing Warri North 

Constituency, Hon. Fred 

Martins, officially inform this 

honorable House of the demise 

of His Majesty, Ogiame Ikenwoli, 

The Olu of Warri.” 

The lawmaker, who expressed 

sadness over the demise of the 

late Olu also informed the 

lawmakers of the emergence of 

the Olu-designate, Prince Tsola 

Emiko, in line with the Itsekiri 

custom and tradition. 

He disclosed that the process 

of the crowning of the Oludesignate, 

has already 

commenced, “in accordance with 

the tradition of the people.” 

NDDC BOARD: IIG warns against 

Okumagba’s nomination 

By Dave Oso 

THE Itsekiri Interest Group 

(IIG) has reiterated its demand 

for someone of Itsekiri extraction 

to be appointed as the 

chairman of the Niger Delta Development 

Commission (NDDC) 

board, saying the Itsekiri produce 

over 28 percent of the nation’s 

oil and gas. 

IIG, in a recent open letter to 

President Muhammadu Buhari 

signed by its president and secretary, 

Mr. Gbubemi Awala and 

Mr. Alvin Yalaju, noted that “Our 

Academy of Medicine Specialties 

of Nigeria for inauguration July 29 

Professor Adesola said: ‘’The 

objectives, among others, are to 

promote excellence in medical 

research and education, the 

application of research in 

medicine and the enhancement 

of human health and welfare. 

He said the Board of Trustees 

(BOT) of the academy include; 

Olor’ogun Sonny Folorunso 

Kuku who is the Chairman of the 

Board; Emeritus Prof Osato Frank 

Giwa-Osagie, Vice Chairman, 

and others. 

attention has been drawn to several 

reports regarding the composition 

of the substantive board for 

the NDDC. Sadly, some of the 

persons being considered by the 

Presidency for appointment to the 

board from Delta State do not 

meet the statutory requirements 

of the NDDC Act. 

“Mr. President, it is in calmness 

and truth that we wish to register 

our displeasure at the reports we 

have received about persons reportedly 

being considered for the 

Chairmanship of the Commission. 

“We believe that the NDDC Act 

is an attempt by the government 

to compensate for the neglect that 

the people of the Niger Delta has 

suffered (particularly the indigenes 

of the oil-producing communities 

who directly Suffer every 

side effect of oil prospecting) 

despite the huge benefits the 

nation has enjoyed from its 

resources over the years. 

''The touted report of the appointment 

of Mr. Bernard Okumagba 

as Chairman of the Commission 

will be a monumental injustice 

because Okumagba is not 

an indigene of the oil-producing 

community who directly suffers 

side effect of oil pollution and environmental 

degradation.''

16— Vanguard, FRIDAY, JUNE 18, 2021 

PSYCHOLOGICAL IMPACTS 

LAST month on 

this page, I bitterly 

complained about the way 

in which disdainful and illmannered 

Buhari Government 

officials sadistically 

take delight in crushing the 

nation’s collective spirit…, 

as in a) insulting our intelligence 

by gaslighting us 

(refusing to acknowledge 

their broken promises and 

multiple failures), and b) 

exacerbating the misery 

that they’ve inflicted on us 

by berating us if we dare 

complain about the misery 

that they’ve inflicted on us. 

Many Vanguard readers 

got in touch to agree with 

me. One, a friend called 

Samson, said that the predicament 

of the average Nigerian 

reminded him of an 

experiment that scientists 

once conducted. 

Apparently, if you put a 

frog in cold water and gradually 

heat the water up, bit 

by bit over time, the frog will 

keep quietly adjusting to the 

increased temperature 

without realising that it is 

Many Nigerians 

are even eager to 

slavishly kiss the 

rings and feet of 

selfish, thieving, 

inept fat cat oppressors 

in the 

corridors of power 

being gradually murdered. 

Then, one day, the frog will 

suddenly burst. 

Whereas, if you heat water 

first before immersing 

the frog, it will instantly 

understand that it is in danger 

and jump out immediately. 

Successive Nigerian governments 

have been training 

us, small-by-small since 

Independence, to bovinely 

accept the unacceptable. 

We are stoically managing 

the water as it gets hotter 

and hotter. 

One day, the water will finally 

reach boiling point 

and we will burst into 

smithereens, too mentally 

and physically weakened to 

escape from the heat or to 

even be aware that destruction 

is imminent. 

Until then, we are doing 

our best to obediently acclimatize 

our personal ecosystems 

to each new heightened 

phase of discomfort. 

A few brave activists regularly 

go public to protest 

about the way in which the 

temperature is being 

cranked up and to loudly say 

“hell, no!” to corruption, incompetence, 

etc. But the 

majority remains silent or 

restricts expressions of dissatisfaction 

to private fora. 

Many Nigerians are even 

eager to slavishly kiss the 

rings and feet of selfish, 

thieving, inept fat cat oppressors 

in the corridors of 

power, which indicates that 

many Nigerians are deluded 

and suffering from Stockholm 

Syndrome (emotionally 

identifying with abusive 

captors). 

Samson and I are activists 

of sorts because we at least 

openly rage against toxic 

authorities from time to 

time; but we are still victims 

in the sense that appalling 

leaders who are too 

forceful to be ditched have 

ground us down, psychologically, 

to the point where we 

are so exhausted and demoralised 

that though 

things are getting worse and 

Six Geopolitical 

Zones in Nigeria 

worse with each passing 

day, we complain less and 

less. 

Often, nowadays, Samson 

and I feel as if we and all citizens 

who yearn for change 

and justice have been completely 

defeated. 

RESPONSES TO donzol2002@yahoo.co.uk or to 0805 

404 6887. PLEASE KINDLY NOTE THAT UNLESS YOU 

REQUEST ANONYMITY, YOUR EMAIL OR TEXT MAY 

BE PUBLISHED WITH YOUR NAME AND CONTACT 

DETAILS ATTACHED. 

READER RESPONSE 

I 

recently quoted Mike 

Williams, a friend who 

used to be a pilot…and said 

that a country is like an aircraft 

and it doesn’t make 

sense to nitpick about the 

ethnic origins of presidents 

and governors because all 

that matters is the skill of the 

person who is flying a plane. 

Maazi Chinedu Nzeribe 

(i.chinedunzeribe@gmail.com), 

a Vanguard fan from Anambra, 

begged to differ and 

sent me the following email: 

I just finished going 

through your write up on 

“the aircraft of state” and I 

just couldn’t help laughing. 

Yeah, of course it’s a 

beautiful write up, as usual 

coming from you. 

Of course, Mike Williams, 

who happens to be a patriotic 

Nigerian like myself, 

is/was right when he told 

you that he didn’t care less 

who took over from Barrister 

Nyesom Wike, the incumbent 

Rivers State Governor, 

as long as the individual 

in question was 

competent and principled. 

Williams went further 

to tell you how leadership 

in Nigeria is like boarding 

a plane, that “if you are 

boarding a plane, do you 

care where the pilot come 

from? Must he be a pilot 

from your village or ethnic 

group? Or will you be 

more interested in the pilot’s 

credentials?” 

Donu my senior sister, ordinarily 

Captain Mike’s position 

should be ideal and 

generally acceptable; but 

you and I know that things 

are not ideal in Nigeria. Of 

course the decision to 

board or not to board a 

plane should not be governed 

by the religion or 

ethnicity of the pilot; but 

Donu oooo, if you hear that 

a plane crashed last 2 

weeks and that the pilot 

came from Adada State, 2 

days later another plane 

crashed and you heard the 

pilot came from the same 

Adada state and that three 

days ago yet another plane 

crashed and the pilot, you 

discovered, came from 

Adada state and you are 

to travel tomorrow by air, 

Donu, I bet you , you will 

want to know where the 

pilot came from before deciding 

whether to board or 

not, no matter the level of 

competence or experience 

of the pilot. 

That is where we are in 

Nigeria today. 

On reflection, as you said, 

“every single ethnic group 

in Nigeria contains smart 

and decent people who fit 

the bill, which means that 

a fair rotation from one 

zone to another is still possible.” 

But has the unwritten 

zoning arrangement 

been fair since 

1999? 

Let’s look at this our current 

democracy from 1999 

to 2023 as it relates to zoning. 

South West did eight 

years with Obasanjo as 

President. South West will 

soon complete another 

eight years with Prof Osinbajo 

as Vice President. Total 

=16 years for South 

West. 

North did eight years 

with Atiku as Vice president, 

six years with Namadi 

Sambo as Vice president, 

eight years (God wiling) 

with Gen Buhari as President. 

Total =21 years for 

the North. 

South South did three 

years with Jonathan as 

Vice President and five 

years with Jonathan as 

President. Total= 8 years. 

South East. Total =0. 

Sorry I had to lump the 

whole of North as one. 

Feelers we are getting is 

that the South West wants 

to occupy Aso rock come 

2023 and uncle ‘69’ year 

old Jagaban is the one 

championing this course 

without minding the fact 

that the South East has 

not tasted Aso rock since 

1999. 

All the South East have 

gained from these arrangements 

are consistent 

and persistent marginalization 

in addition to 

the worst form of insecurity 

and preventable killings; 

and that is why we 

insist on asking for the 

credentials of the pilot or 

pilots before deciding to 

board or not to board any 

political aircraft in Nigeria. 

The impression that 

only one single ethnic 

group contains very 

smart and decent people 

who fit the bill, as being 

promoted by Mr PRESI- 

DENT Buhari, is the more 

reason we want to know 

the credentials of our pilots 

before boarding any 

aircraft in Nigeria. 

Captain Mike Williams is 

technically right but in reality, 

he is wrong. 

We have learned a lot 

since 1999.

Chinese Communist Party 

Centenary: Remoulding the 

world in its image 

IT was Monday, November 

5, 2018. I was engaged in 

my favourite past time 

whenever I visit China; 

climbing the Great Wall. Below 

it, the country sprawled and 

you could have a bird’s eye 

view. As I write, I have the 

feeling that as the compass 

Communist Party of China, 

CPC clocks a hundred years this 

July 1, 2021, China is standing 

on an elevation like the Great 

Wall, viewing the world and 

thinking how to remould it, 

possibly, in its own image. 

The country is one of the most 

battered in history. When it 

resisted being force-fed on 

opium by the colonialists, the 

British in 1839,battered it to 

submission and in 1841, took 

Hong Kong as a war booty which 

it kept for 156 years. Unlike 

other territories directly 

colonised by single powers or 

countries, China was too large 

to be colonised by a single 

country, so a concert of eight 

powers; Britain, France, 

Germany, Italy, Russia, 

Austria-Hungary, Japan and 

United States chopped it up for 

exploitation. When in 1899- 

1900, the Chinese rose to throw 

the foreigners out of their 

country in what came to be 

known as the Boxer Revolution, 


Send Opinions & Letters to: 

opinions1234@yahoo.com 

Borrowing a leaf from Sanwo-Olu in tackling insecurity 

BY FEMI ADENIYI 

THE high spate of insecurity in 

Nigeria is one which no doubt 

is clearly visible even to the blind; 

the deaf will hear in resounding tunes 

the unending wailings of the daily 

victims of these insecure challenges 

bemoaning their various unfortunate 

tragedies. 

Right from the seat of power across 

the various states of the Nigerian 

federation, an air of unease 

traverses everywhere; it is a situation 

where the elders will say “ the birds 

have failed to speak in the language 

of the birds, humans have failed to 

speak in human voices”. 

In the history of the nation as a 

sovereign state, the national security 

architecture has never been this 

embarrassed: from kidnappings to 

killings, amongst other vices which 

have instilled fear into the minds of 

the populace. 

The futile and vain efforts of the 

Federal Government has led many to 

fashion ways through which they can 

keep themselves and their loved ones 

safe. However, in the midst of all 

these efforts, insecurity has 

continued to prevail as it is fast 

becoming a million dollar industry 

where kidnappers and bandits rake 

in millions from their victims and 

governments. 

those eight powers sent a 

combined 51,755 soldiers to 

suppress the revolt. The 

defeat of the Boxer Revolution 

rather than dampen the 

enthusiasm of the Chinese to 

take control of their country, 

inspired in them a feeling of 

patriotism and pride. 

A group rejected the 

Western political system and 

sought for alternatives. It 

found that in the writings of 

two Germans, Karl Marx and 

Frederick Engels who taught 

that humanity at its cradle ran 

a communal system before the 

rise of a new system which had 

the Lords of the land on one 

hand, and the landless. They 

wrote that a revolution took 

place where those who own 

capital, propelled by the 

industrial revolution, 

overthrew the feudal system 

and established capitalism 

which is a system based on the 

exploitation of the mass by the 

few who own capital. They 

concluded that the former 

would in turn, overthrow the 

capitalists and establish a 

humane, non-exploitative 

system called communism. 

Messrs Marx and Engels had 

then encapsulated their ideas 

and programmes into a 

While the Presidency has failed to 

provide a lasting solution to curbing 

this menace, and in the absence of 

the anticipated law from the NASS 

approving the creation of state police, 

elected chief executives of states 

must of necessity brace up and rise 

to the occasion and defend and 

protect their citizens. 

This becomes more realistic against 

the back drop of the cynical statement 

made by President Muhammadu 

Buhari during his recent interview 

on ARISE TV, when he admonished 

the state governors, being the elected 

trustees and chief executives of their 

states, to take responsibility for the 

security of lives and properties of 

their people. 

Other governors across the 

36 states of Nigeria must 

ensure that they borrow a 

leaf from the Lagos State 

Governor in curbing the 

growing menace of 

insecurity in their respective 

states 

declaration they called the 

‘Communist Manifesto.’ 

What had seemed mere theory 

to many became praxis when 

in November, 1917, the Russian 

followers of Marx and Engels led 

by a local lawyer called Vladimir 

Illiych Lenin carried out a 

successful revolt which became 

known as the Bolshevik or 

Russian Revolution. 

A Chinese educationist, Chen 

Duxiu, then 42, and an 

intellectual, Li Dazhao, who was 

ten years younger, decided to 

carry out a similar revolt of the 

poor, the disposed and the 

oppressed in their country. 

They co -founded the CPC and 

called its first congress in July, 

1921. 

At the time the congress held 

on July 23, 1921 in a sitting 

room on the ground floor of a 

residential apartment on 76- 

78 Xingye Lu in, intiandi in 

Shanghai, the CPC had only 

53 members in the country. 

The 13 delegates at the 

I do not hold out 

China as an angel 

sent to the world; 

the truth is that 

every country 

primarily works 

for its own 

interests; however, 

humanity should 

have a common 

commitment to 

social justice 

congress had security concerns 

and had to move the meeting to 

a boat in Jiaxing, East China in 

the Zhejiang Province. Those in 

attendance included Chen 

Duxiu who became the party’s 

founding General Secretary 

(1921-27) Li Dazhao who was 

to be executed in the struggle for 

the revolution, and Mao Tse 

Tung (Zedong) one of the two 

delegates of Hunan who was 

to take over the leadership of the 

CPC on March 20, 1943. 

He proved to be a great 

mobiliser, teacher and military 

commander. He taught his 

comrades that: “A revolution is 

not a dinner party, or writing an 

essay, or painting a picture, or 

doing embroidery; it cannot be 

so refined, so leisurely and gentle, 

so temperate, kind, courteous, 

restrained and magnanimous. A 

revolution is an insurrection, an 

act of violence by which one class 

overthrows another.” 

In practical warfare he taught 

the revolutionaries: “When the 

enemy advances, withdraw; 

when he stops, harass; when he 

tires, strike; when he retreats, 

pursue.” 

He argued that: “War can only 

be abolished through war, and in 

order to get rid of the gun it is 

necessary to take up the gun.” 

On power relations, he argued 

that: All political power comes 

from the barrel of a gun. The 

communist party must 

command all the guns, that way, 

no guns can ever be used to 

command the party. 

In situating slavery and 

racialism in historical context, 

Mao argued that: “The struggle 

of the Black people in the United 

States for emancipation is a 

component part of the general 

struggle of all the people of the 

world against U.S. imperialism, 

a component part of the 

contemporary world 

revolution.” 

He famously said women are 

essential for any change to take 

place in society because: 

“Women hold up half the sky.” 

Tse Tung, famously known as 

Chairman Mao, led the CPC to 

victory over the nationalists on 

October 1, 1949 and declared the 

establishment of the Peoples’ 

Republic of China, PRC. 

The phenomenal economic rise 

The statement as a matter of fact now 

gives some veiled directives to our 

respective states regarding what to 

do rather than keep waiting on the 

Federal Government to always come 

to their aid. 

While we must acknowledge the 

limitations imposed on the governors 

as a result of the failure of our system 

to create the state police which would 

have empowered them to function as 

the chief executives of their states, 

we must emphasize that governors 

need not despair or throw their arms in 

the air as helpless administrators. 

It is the hope and aspiration of many 

that these governors will go back to their 

driving seats and frontally confront 

insecurity in their states. 

It is in this regard that the sense of 

responsibility, leadership and 

foresight shown by Governor 

Babajide Sanwoolu of Lagos needs 

to be highly commended and 

publicly applauded and appreciated. 

Governor Sanwoolu proactively 

blazed the trail when he recently 

announced steps his government has 

taken by procuring several items to 

boost the arsenal of offence and rejig 

the security apparatus of the state. 

Governor Sanwo-olu purchased 

and donated 150 vehicles, four high 

capacity troop carriers, 30 patrol cars 

and two anti riots water cannon 

carriers for the use of the police as 

of China, challenges the belief 

that only capitalism can grow a 

modern economy. It also defeats 

the argument that the private 

sector is the engine of economic 

development. So while having a 

strong private sector, the Chinese 

economy is public sector- driven 

with component states 

conducting independent foreign 

trade with other countries. China 

does not allow the so-called 

market forces to determine its 

economy or exchange rate. 

Part of China’s contribution to 

the world is its ability to feed, 

clothe, shelter, educate and 

provide healthcare and social 

security for 1.412 billion human 

beings or 18.48 per-cent of world 

population. In 25 years from 

1990, it lifted 746 million persons 

out of poverty and at the end of 

2020, China eradicated poverty 

in the entire country. 

The Chinese strongly 

discourage corruption by 

executing those found guilty. 

While the controversy about the 

origins of Covid-19 rage, China 

has given the world two Covid-19 

vaccines from Sinopharm and 

Sinovac. Also, while powerful 

countries like Britain have been 

hoarding Covid-19 vaccines, 

China has been distributing its 

vaccines especially in Africa and 

Asia, in some cases, free. 

I do not hold out China as an 

angel sent to the world; the truth 

is that every country primarily 

works for its own interests. 

However, humanity should 

have a common commitment to 

social justice. 

Since its revolution, China has 

had challenges like breakaway 

Taiwan, the Cultural Revolution, 

the Gang of Four issue, pro- 

Western Democracy Tiananmen 

Square protests and the twostate 

experiment in Hong Kong. 

But none of these have weakened 

the CPC in any significant way. 

If anything, the party seems 

stronger and more confident 

today than it has ever been. But 

then, nobody knows what 

in the bowel of tomorrow. 

part of efforts to strengthen security 

responses across the state. 

Considering the status of Lagos 

which is the economic capital of the 

nation,it is too important that it must 

be kept safe by all means possible in 

order not to cripple our national 

economy. It is heart-warming and 

reassuring that the man saddled with 

that responsibility fully understands 

the burden he carries and clearly 

demonstrates unquestionable 

character, strength and capacity to 

discharge these important duties. We 

must, therefore, give kudos to 

Governor Sanwo-Olu for doing the 

needful to secure Lagos State. 

Other governors across the 36 

states of Nigeria must ensure that 

they borrow a leaf from the Lagos 

State Governor in curbing the 

growing menace of insecurity in 

their respective states. Manna will 

not come from heaven; it is obvious 

the Federal Government is greatly 

overwhelmed with growing cases of 

insecurity across Nigeria, hence the 

need for states to stand up for 

themselves. Governor Sanwo-Olu is 

already showing the way, blazing the 

trail. He is worthy of our accolades 

and unreserved commendations. 

*Adeniyi, a socio-political analyst, 

wrote from Lagos. 

is


It should not come as a surprise 

that many Nigerians are not paying 

much attention to the ongoing 

zonal public hearings for the 

amendment of the 1999 Constitution. 

Nigerians are severely distracted 

by the security challenges that 

threaten to capsize our ship of state. 

All the killings and kidnappings 

that are making it difficult for people 

to move freely and live their 

normal lives make the talks of yet 

another constitution review seem 

irrelevant. 

This exercise is widely seen as a 

jamboree and laughable. Jamboree 

in that, over the years, billions of 

naira to carry out amendments that 

have done little to make life better 

for Nigerians. Laughable in that 

the man implicated for the daylight 

seizure of the Mace, Senator Ovie 

Omo-Agege in April 2018, is now 

riding on the Mace’s sanctity to 

head yet another constitution 

Revisiting the 1963 Constitution 

amendment. 

Above all, what proof do we have 

that the age-old clamour for restructuring 

of the federation to 

wean it of its military legacies 

will be respected by the president 

and guardians of special interests 

in the National Assembly who insist 

that we maintain a failed system 

simply because it benefits 

them? 

We are strong believers that the 

1999 Constitution is a sham. It is 

a military Decree imposed on Nigerians 

without their input. This 

means that we are not only operating 

a false federalism, but we 

also live with a false democracy. 

The powers of the centre remain 

overweening. The federating 

units, having been crippled to perform 

their functions as the economic 

workshops of the nation, 

Nigeria’s over 200 million people 

are forced to survive mainly on the 

dwindling oil rents shared monthly 

in Abuja. 

The only redeeming factor in this 

round of constitution amendment 

public hearings is that it offers perhaps 

the final opportunity for our 

leaders to rescue this country by 

taking urgent steps to create a 

new, people-based constitution for 

the federation of Nigeria. 

One of the options for us is to take 

a fresh look at the 1963 Republican 

Constitution which created a 

very strong regional base and gave 

a newly independent nation the 

fuel of productivity and competition 

among the defunct regions. 

This was the period that this country 

recorded the fastest growth in 

its history. 

If we adopt the 1963 Constitutional 

model with a six, eight or 

12-state/regional structure and a 

heavily devolved Federal Exclusive 

List, we will automatically reduce 

the cost of governance to at 

least a third of what it is today. 

With healthy competition among 

the regions and equitable access 

to power at the centre, the current 

separatist agitations might wither 

away, and Nigeria will resume 

its military-interrupted march to 

greatness. Bring back the 1963 

Constitution. 

PENULTIMATE Thursday, 

June 10 to be precise, 


Buhari granted an interview which 

was broadcast on Arise TV. Since 

then, various aspects of the 

President’s conversation with the 

Arise TV/ThisDay interview team 

have been the subject of debates and 

comments both in the traditional 

and new/social media. 

The President fielded questions on 

many burning issues, some of which 

border on insecurity, border closure, 

state police, open grazing and cattle 

routes, the issue of IPOB, which he 

called a dot in a circle, and others. 

One question that interested me 

was about how taxation worked in 

the First Republic, and why people 

are now talking of restructuring and 

devolution of powers. I quote from 

the transcript: 

“Taxation worked during the first 

republic but they are no longer 

working now and that is why 

people are talking about 

restructuring the federation to 

make it work. And devolution of 

powers and restructuring was part 

of the campaign promises of the 

APC in 2015. What is your position 

on devolution of powers? 

You have to define what devolution 

of power means. It is about taking 

some things in the legislative list to 

the residual and keeping a few at the 

concurrency, while we have a strong 

defence in the centre. If the federal, 

state and local system were being 

followed properly we would not have 

all these problems. But the problem is 

that the local government has been 

virtually killed. And that is not good 

for this country because those that 

became local chairmen are being 

compromised. You as a local 

government are supposed to receive 

300 million. A document is given to 

you to sign that you have received 

300m but you are given only 100m.” 

Local governments: Buhari’s 

guided missile 

Some people must have inwardly 

screamed at the President. Now, this 

is really interesting, and captures 

how the local governments, as the 

third tier in our presidential system, 

has progressively nose-dived in terms 

of service delivery since 1999 when 

the nation returned to democratic 

governance. The President of a 

country like ours is the highest 

authority in the land. He also has 

the highest security clearance in the 

country, meaning that all kinds of 

security and intelligence reports are 

generated for his attention. If our 

President is saying these about how 

the local government system’s 

finances are handled, he MUST 

know. He must be speaking the truth. 

Local governments weren’t like this 

before. In the colonial era, grassroot 

administration was carried out 

through the district councils, headed 

by a civil servant called the District 

Officer, or DO as our people referred 

to them. I remember a few of them 

in my neck of the woods — Ogun 

State — Abeokuta Urban District 

Council, where my late father 

worked, and Ilugun-Alaro District 

Council, where I hail from. That is 

today’s Ijebu North-East Local 

Government, in Atan. The district 

councils built schools, water works, 

dispensaries, etc. In a bid to make 

them more effective, the Murtala/ 

Obasanjo administration 

empanelled a commission to reform 

them, headed by the Baraden Sokoto 

who would later become the 18th 

One negative result of 

how local government 

affairs have been handled 

since 1999 is that it has 

robbed the nation of a 

structured leadership 

development avenue. If 

local governments are 

allowed to live and 

thrive, competition for 

excellence in service 

delivery will come into 

play, such that the 

electorate themselves will 

be pushing which of 

them should aspire to the 

governorship 

Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Ibrahim 

Dasuki. That commission is known 

in government and academic circles 

as the Dasuki Commission. 

The recommendations of that 

commission heralded today’s local 

government structure — a chairman, 

and supervisory councillors in 

charge of key areas like health, 

education, works, etc, all of whom 

were elected. Local governments 

(LGs) had their own civil servants 

that executed the policies of the 

elected people. The administration 

is headed by the SLG (Secretary to 

Local Government), with specialist 

civil servants like the Treasurer (who 

managed the LG’s finances), 

Technical Officer (in charge of public 

works), Health Officer, etc. Some of 

the civil servants that worked in the 

local government system were some 

of the nation’s finest, with the Local 

Government Service Commission in 

each state managing them. As the 

nation got ready for elections to 

herald the Second Republic, things 

were running smoothly at the local 

government level. Between 1976 and 

1979, the local governments in Ogun 

State were strong enough to construct 

culverts, build water works, embark 

on vaccination programmes, 

renovate and build classroom 

blocks. They also bought earth 

moving equipment like graders, 

bulldozers, payloaders which they 

used to regularly open new roads and 

maintain existing ones. Don’t forget; 

local governments were in charge of 

“Trunk C”roads. Don’t know what 

that is? They also built staff quarters. 

I lived at the Local Government staff 

quarters in Obafemi/Owode Local 

Government, at Abeokuta Local 

Government, and at Odeda Local 

Government. 

Given the way things are now, 

which local government can still do 

all these? 

One very negative result of how 

local government affairs have 

been handled since 1999 is that 

it has robbed the nation of a 

structured leadership 

development avenue. If local 

governments are allowed to live and 

thrive, competition for excellence in 

service delivery will come into play, 

such that the electorate themselves 

will be pushing which of them should 

aspire to the governorship. That 

should have been the ideal. Instead, 

what has happened is complete 

emasculation of the third tier. 

Hopeful but frustrated, local 

government chairmen bunched 

together in an association called 

ALGON, which, to the best of my 

knowledge is a body that has not 

achieved the strategic purpose of its 

formation, unlike the all-powerful 

Governors’ Forum. 

Back to the President’s allegation, 

which I consider a very weighty one. 

Though he didn’t mention any 

official, the innuendo was clear. Do 

the local governments get their 

allocations, lock, stock, and barrel? 

The President must know, and after 

the President, others also know what 

is going on. Just what is happening? 

I have not heard anyone say Mr 

President was being economical with 

the truth regarding local 

governments. 

The point is, if we clamour for 

fiscal federalism, devolution of 

powers, and all the other issues that 

make us call for restructuring, it must 

be done with equity. At the state level, 

power must also devolve to the local 

governments. 

Further, we’re in a federation, 

meaning we have a constitution that 

says we’re in a federal republic. If 

the states are federating units, the 

local governments are also 

federating units at the state level. We 

should let the local governments live 

and thrive.

IMF picks holes in Nigeria’s economic recovery reports 

*Forecasts 2.5 growth in 2021 

*Rues resurfacing of fuel subsidies 

*Applauds recent CBN’s forex measures 

By Emma Ujah, Abuja 

Bureau Chief 

ECONOMY 

Despite some positive de 

velopments in the 

Nigeria’s economy in recent 

months the International Monetary 

Fund (IMF) has said that 

the economy has sunk deeper 

than was the case before the 

COVID-19 pandemic. 

A statement from the IMF 

headquarters in Washington 

DC, United States of America, 

which was forwarded by the 

Country Office to the media, 

yesterday, indicated that the 

staff of the global body arrived 

at this verdict following virtual 

meetings with Nigerian authorities 

earlier this month. 

The IMF team at the meetings 

which was led by Ms. 

Jesmin Rahman, however, acknowledged 

that the economy 

has started to gradually recover 

from the negative effects 

of the COVID-19 global pandemic. 

The verdict stated: “Following 

sharp output contractions 

in the second and third quarters, 

GDP growth turned positive 

in Q4 2020 and growth 

reached 0.5 percent (y/y) in Q1 

2021, supported by agriculture 

and services sectors. “Nevertheless, 

the employment level 

continues to fall dramatically 

and, together with other socioeconomic 

indicators, is far below 

pre-pandemic levels. Inflation 

slightly decelerated in 

May but remained elevated at 

17.9 percent, owing to high 

food price inflation. 

“With the recovery in oil 

prices and remittance flows, 

the strong pressures on the 

balance of payments have 

somewhat abated, although 

imports are rebounding faster 

than exports and foreign investor 

appetite remains subdued 

resulting in continued 

FX shortage. 

“The incipient recovery in 

economic activity is projected 

to take root and broaden 

CURRENCY BUYING SELLING 

US 

DOLLAR 

POUNDS 

EURO 

FRANC 

YEN 

CFA 

WAUA 

RENMINBI 

RIYAL 

RAND 

Danish 

151.65 -3.80 

2,379.00 -43.00 

16.73 -0.47 

72.19 -2.20 

69.93 -2.22 

409.21 409.71 410.21 

571.0116 571.7093 572.407 

495.3625 495.9679 496.5733 

446.931 447.4771 448.0232 

3.7323 3.7368 3.7414 

0.7408 0.7508 0.7608 

588.2941 589.013 589.732 

63.4947 63.5727 63.6508 

109.1139 109.2473 109.3806 

29.0053 29.0408 29.0762 

65.6711 65.7514 65.8316 

CBN Exchange rate as at 17/06/2021 

RETREAT - From left: Member, Nigeria Deposit Insurance Corporation (NDIC) Board, Adewale 

Adeleke; MD/CEO, NDIC, Bello Hassan; Chairman, House Committee on Insurance and Actuarial 

Matters, Hon. Darlington Nwokocha; Deputy Chairman, Hon. Ahmadu Jahar; Executive Director, 

Corporate Services, NDIC, Hon. Omolola Abiola Edewor, and Executive Director, Operations, 

Mustapha M. Ibrahim at the 2021 Retreat for House of Representatives Committee on Insurance 

and Actuarial Matters in Lagos yesterday. 

among sectors, with GDP 

growth expected to reach 2.5 

percent in 2021. 

“Inflation is expected to remain 

elevated in 2021, but 

likely to decelerate in the second 

half of the year to reach 

about 15.5 percent, following 

the removal of border controls 

and the elimination of 

base effects from elevated 

food price levels. 

“Tax revenue collections 

are gradually recovering but, 

with fuel subsidies resurfacing, 

additional spending for 

Covid-19 vaccines, and to 

address security challenges, 

the fiscal deficit of the consolidated 

government is expected 

to remain elevated at 

5.5 percent of GDP. 

“Downside risks to the 

near-term arise from further 

deterioration of security conditions 

and the still uncertain 

course of the pandemic 

both globally and in Nigeria.” 

IMF further raised concerns 

on the resurfacing of fuel subsidies 

in the country. 

Rahman stated: “The mission 

expressed its concern 

with the resurgence of fuel 

subsidies. It reiterated the importance 

of introducing market-based 

fuel pricing mechanism 

and the need to deploy 

well-targeted social support to 

cushion any impact on the 

poor. The mission recommended 

stepping up efforts to 

strengthen tax administration 

to mobilize additional revenues 

and help address priority 

spending pressures. 

“The mission urged the authorities 

to keep reliance on 

CBN overdrafts for deficit financing 

within legal limits, 

while the government continues 

to make efforts to 

Vanguard, FRIDAY, JUNE 18, 2021 —19 

strengthen budget planning 

and public finance management 

practices to allow for flexible financing 

from domestic markets 

and better integration of cash 

and debt management. 

“The recent removal of the official 

exchange rate from the 

CBN website and measures to 

enhance transparency in the 

setting of the NAFEX exchange 

rate are encouraging. The mission 

recommended maintaining 

the momentum toward fully unifying 

all exchange rate windows 

and establishing a market-clearing 

exchange rate.” 

On monetary policy, to 

strengthen the monetary targeting 

regime, IMF recommended 

integrating the interbank and 

debt markets and using central 

bank or government bills of 

short maturity as the main liquidity 

management tool, instead 

of the cash reserve requirements. 

E-Payplus partners 

American Express 

for smart card 

production 

By Cynthia Alo 

ECONOMY 

Nigeria’s smart card manufac 

turer and payment solution 

company, Electronic Payplus (Epay 

Plus) Limited, has announced a partnership 

with American Express to 

produce its range of smart cards. 

This is following the company’s 

recent admission into the International 

Cards Manufacturers Association 

(ICMA). 

American Express said Electronic 

Payplus had complied with the security 

requirements as stipulated by the 

Payment Card Industry. 

A statement from the company 

says, According to the company, 

“American Express hereby confirms 

that the vendor (Electronic Payplus 

Limited) has provided evidence of 

completion of a security review by a 

PCI accredited security assessor 

demonstrating compliance with the 

Payment Card Industry (PCI) Card 

Production Physical and Logical 

Security requirements. 

“Therefore, it is confirmed that 

authorization is granted to the vendor 

to perform the checked services 

for GNS Licensees whom are licensed 

by Amex to issue American 

Express branded cards,” the company 

said in the license issued to Electronic 

Payplus Limited.” 

Commenting on the development, 

Managing Director and Chief Executive 

Officer of Electronic Payplus 

Limited, Bayo Adeokun noted that 

the American Express partnership is 

another first by his company. 

He said: “Electronic Payplus is the 

second Company to be certified in 

Sub-Saharan Africa by American 

Express International, outside South 

Africa. The two South African Companies 

are International Companies 

from Europe with outlets in 

Johannesburg. 

“The implication of the above is 

that Electronic Payplus Limited has 

increased its suite of service offering, 

apart from the Verve, VISA and 

MasterCard certifications that we 

presently have. We are now well positioned 

to help any issuer in Nigeria 

or from any other country in Africa 

with their American Express 

card issuing project.” 

Consumers paid more for petrol, others in May — NBS 

By Elizabeth Adegbesan 

The prices consumers 

paid for purchase of 

Premium Motor Spirit (PMS), 

commonly called petrol, National 

Household Kerosene 

ECONOMY 

and Automotive Gas Oil 

(diesel) increased in 

May, while the prices 

paid for Liquefied Petroleum 

Gas (Cooking 

Gas) were mixed, depending 

on the volume 

of the cylinders. 

The National Bureau 

of Statistics (NBS) disclosed 

these in its 

Petrol, Cooking Gas, 

Kerosene and Diesel 

Watch Reports for May 

2021. 

According to the bureau, 

the price paid by 

consumers for premium 

motor spirit (petrol) increased 

MoM by1.01 

per cent to N168 in May 

from N166 in April. 

The price consumers 

paid for refilling 5kg 

cylinder of Cooking 

Gas increased by 0.12 

percent month-onmonth, 

MoM, to N2,071 in May 

from N2,069 in April. However, 

the price consumers paid for refilling 

a 12.5kg cylinder for 

Cooking Gas decreased by 0.66 

percent MoM to N4,288 in May 

from N4,317 in April 2021. 

The report stated 

further:”States with the highest 

average price of premium motor 

spirit (petrol) were Lagos 

(N186.26), Benue (N180.83) 

and Ebonyi (N177.40). 

“States with the lowest average 

price of premium motor spirit 

(petrol) were Gombe (N161.33), 

Borno (N162.27) and Zamfara 

(N162.31).” 

The price per litre paid by consumers 

for Kerosene increased 

by 0.23 per cent MoM to N363 

in May from N362 in April. 

Similarly, the price per gallon 

paid by consumers for Kerosene 

increased by 3.34 percent 

MoM to N1,266 in May from 

N1,226 in April. 

The report noted that states 

with the highest average price 

per litre of kerosene were 

Ebonyi (N477.08), Enugu 

(N464.44) and Taraba 

(N437.04). While states with the 

lowest average price per litre of 

kerosene were Bayelsa 

(N251.11), Yobe (N298.15) and 

Abuja (N305.33). 

The bureau also said that the 

price paid by consumers for diesel 

increased by 0.69 per cent 

MoM to N238in May from 

N237 in April. 

It stated:”States with the 

highest average price of diesel 

were Sokoto (N259.29), Bauchi 

(N258.00) and Benue 

(N256.17). States with the lowest 

average price of diesel were 

Nasarawa (N213.89), Delta 

(N215.52) and Rivers 

(N223.24).” 

Price of Nigeria’s Bonny Light hits $74.68 per barrel 

By Udeme Akpan 

For the first time in 2021, 

the price of Nigeria’s 

Bonny Light, Wednesday, rose 

to $74.68 from $72.60 per barrel 

on rising demand and efforts of 

the Organisation of Petroleum 

Exporting Countries, OPEC, to 

achieve market stability. 

This indicates an excess of 

$34.68 per barrel on the nation’s 

2021 budget benchmark of $40 

per barrel and 1.86 million barrels 

per day, mb/d, including 

Condensate. 

However, the prices of other 

crudes, including Brent and OPEC 

Basket, also rose to $73.64 and 

$71.99 from $72.80 and 

$70.50 per barrel recorded the 

previous day respectively. 

In its June Oil Market report, 

obtained by Vanguard, OPEC, 

stated that the country produced 

1.344 mb/d, excluding Condensate, 

based on information obtained 

from direct sources. 

It also stated: “Total global oil 

demand is expected to average 

90.6 mb/d. For 2021, world oil 

demand growth is kept unchanged 

at 6.0 mb/d, with total 

oil demand standing at 96.58 

mb/d. OECD demand is revised 

slightly lower on an annualized 

basis, mainly reflecting lowerthan-expected 

data from OECD 

Americas and Europe in 1Q21.”






Vanguard, FRIDAY, JUNE 18, 2021—25 

Troops sustain onslaught against 

bandits in N/West, N/Central — DHQ 

Jos erupts in celebration as cleric returns 

from 8-month captivity in kidnappers’ den 

•Overjoyed wife delivered of baby boy hours after husband’s 

release •Gov Lalong excited over release of Zongo 

By Marie- 

ThereseNanlong, Jos 

THEIR joy was spontaneous and 

knew no bound! They danced, 

sang and praised God in many ways 

all because of the miracle man of the 

moment-Reverend Polycarp Zongo. 

Zongo, a fiery pastor with the Church 

of Christ in Nations, COCIN, was 

forcefully taken away on his way to 

Gombe for a conference on October 

19, 2020. In fact, all hope had been lost 

that he would even return alive, having 

spent over eight months in the captors’ 

den without any word from him, leaving 

his pregnant wife and family members 

in distress. 

But on Monday this week, and 

against all expectations, ISWAP 

terrorists, who seized the reverend 

gentleman, voluntarily returned him to 

his family, leading to an eruption of 

unceasing joy and celebration in Jos, 

the Plateau State capital for days. 

Many did not believe that he was the 

one when he sauntered into his 

compound. Others received the news 

of his return as one of the big jokes of 

the century. But it was true: He had 

been freed by his captors. 

VIEWS FROM THE NORTH: What we want in 

Nigeria’s new constitution —Northern states 

By Umar Yusuf (Yola), 

Marie-therese Nanlong 

(Jos), Charles Agwam 

(Bauchi), Femi Bolaji 

(Jalingo), 

Ibrahim Hassanwuyo 

(Kaduna), Musa Annabi 

(Sokoto), Peter Duru 

(Makurdi) & Haruna Aliyu 

Usman (Bernin-kebbi) 

The first part of this report published 

last week highlighted the 

different views of various states in 

the North during the on-going 

stakeholders consultations on what 

to change or included in a proposed 

new Constitution for Nigeria. The 

report continues with Governor 

Nasir el-Rufai articulating the position 

of Kaduna State 

The governor proposed 10 items 

that should be shared between the 

state and federal, saying “the reality 

of our security situation today requires 

that Nigeria must strengthen 

its military and security agencies. 

This includes decentralizing the police 

to enable the states to exercise 

effective control in securing their residents 

and communities.” 

‘’ We need to have federal, state and 

community police, with each granted 

sufficient powers to make them 

effective in securing the areas assigned 

to them and cooperating 

closely with each other”, he further 

said. 

“Those expressing concerns 

about the ability of the states to 

bear the cost of policing should realize 

that apart from the payment of 

salaries by the federal government, 

*Reverend Polycarp Zongo before 

his abduction 

Not unexpectedly, Christian faithful 

were overjoyed over the release of Rev. 

Zongo. 

But looking frail and dazed, but full 

of thanks and gratitude to God for his 

divine escape from his evil captors, 

Zongo, beaming with smiles, described 

*Gov. Fintiri of Adamawa State 

most of the operational and capital 

costs of the Nigeria Police are borne 

by state and local governments.” 

The governor argued that fear of 

abuse of State Police by sub-national 

governments is misplaced because 

a constitutional or statutory 

framework can be enacted to ensure 

federal intervention in cases 

of such abuses. 

El Rufai also said that the constitution 

should be altered to remove 

the Police Service Commission because 

it is an unnecessary hindrance 

to effective policing in Nigeria. 

The power to hire and fire police 

officers should revert fully and totally 

to the Inspector General of Police, 

under the supervision of the National 

Police Council, as envisaged by 

the Constitution,” he advocated. 

The governor recommended that 

all ‘’mineral resources, including oil 

*.... After his release by his captors 

his freedom as ‘another opportunity’ 

given to him by God to positively affect 

the world for Him. 

He said he could have been killed 

and his memory wiped off if God had 

not touched the hearts of his captors to 

spare his life and to release him after 

*Gov. Tambuwal of Sokoto State 

and gas and solid minerals in the 

states, which will in turn pay royalties 

and taxes to the Federation Account.” 

‘’States already control land within 

their territories, courtesy of the 

Land Use Act, which is incorporated 

into the Constitution by reference,” 

he argued. 

“One of the reasons why mining 

has not quite taken off in our country 

is because of the dichotomy and 

total disconnect between the federal 

institution that issues licenses 

for mining and the state agencies that 

ultimately control not only the land 

and title thereto, but any approval to 

undertake any development on the 

land. ‘’ 

The governor also argued that 

states should be empowered to establish 

staff and run their own judiciary 

up to appellate level. 

‘’It is an anomaly to have a National 

Judicial Council appointing 

By Kingsley Omonobi 

Abuja—The Defence Headquarters 

has said that the military has sustained 

onslaught against bandits, kidnappers 

and other criminals by denying them 

freedom of action in the North West 

and North Central zones of the country. 

being kept away in the dungeon for eight 

months. 

To add to the divine blessing 

attending his release, his wife, Kaneng, 

was delivered of a baby boy just hours 

after he arrived home to tell the story of 

his captivity. For Rev Zongo, it was a 

kind of double victory with his release 

coinciding with the delivery of his son. 

He said: “The delivery of my wife of a 

baby boy is a great victory for our family. 

It is a double blessing and calls for 

celebration”. 

Zongo, who spoke with Arewa Voice 

on the phone on Tuesday evening in 

company of one of his allies, John Pofi, 

expressed joy over his release and 

appreciated everyone who prayed for 

him while in captivity and supported 

his family in any way possible. 

Reacting to the release, Pastor Pofi 

disclosed that a non-governmental 

organisation known as Kalthum 

Foundation went in for his rescue and 

brought him out from the dungeon. 

“We give God the glory,” Pofi, the 

National Coordinator, Prayer Force 

Network, said. 

Pofi, however, urged Zongo to 

rededicate his life for greater service as 

he got another chance in life to live and 

tell his story. 

“Today’s event is one in a million, to 

receive one of our own whom like what 

Continues on page 26 

high court judges for states. This 

should be the responsibility of State 

Judicial Councils. 

‘’The remit of the National Judicial 

Council should be limited to the 

federal high and appellate courts. 

The constitutional amendment 

should clarify that the states can establish 

courts to exercise jurisdiction 

at first instance, or on appeal on 

matters for which the states can make 

laws. 

‘’ In essence, I am suggesting that 

judges of State High Courts, Sharia 

Courts of Appeal and Customary 

Courts of Appeal should be 

nominated by the State Judicial 

Council, subject to confirmation by 

the House of Assembly,” he said. 

El Rufai further said that states 

should also be enabled to establish 

State Courts of Appeal, similar to 

what we used to have at the regional 

level under the 1963 Republican 

Constitution. 

‘’The State Court of Appeal will 

entertain appeals from State High 

Courts, Customary and Sharia 

Courts of Appeal, on matters on 

which the State House of Assembly 

is empowered by the Constitution 

to make laws. 

Taraba State: with views from 

Gombe, Adamawa 

Wukari Native Authority Indigenes 

Demand Kwararrafa State 

... Wants Amendment to Section 

8 of 1999 Constitution on Creation 

of New States, LGs 

Key players from Taraba State 

converged at the venue of the North- 

East Zonal Constitution review stakeholders 

meeting and made their feel- 

Brigadier General Bernard 

Onyeuko, Acting Director, Defence 

Media Operation, disclosed this 

yesterday in Abuja while briefing 

newsmen on the military operations 

across the country between June 3 and 

June 16. 

Onyeuko said that troops had 

continued to carry out ambushes, 

aggressive fighting patrols, air raids, 

sustained air Intelligence Surveillance 

Reconnaissance patrols as well as 

cordon and search operations. 

He said that troops had on June 3, 

intercepted and neutralised some 

gunrunners who were in possession of 

assorted arms and ammunition 

between Naimaimai Village and 

Sabon Birni in Sokoto State. 

He also disclosed that the Air 

Component conducted air raids on 

bandits’ enclaves at Jibia area of 

Katsina State on June 6, killing scores 

of bandits. 

“In same vein, troops while on 

aggressive fighting patrol arrested 

some kidnappers and rescued some 

of their victims at Bena Market in 

Danko Wasagu Local Government 

Area of Kebbi. 

“During the operation, large caches 

of arms and ammunition and 

equipment as well as vehicles were 

captured from the criminal elements. 

“Troops have continued to dominate 

the theatre of operation with 

aggressive patrols and sustained air 

intelligence surveillance to deny 

bandits freedom of operation,” he said. 

In the North Central, Onyeuko said 

the troops of Operation Safe Haven, 

have continued to record successes in 

kinetic and non-kinetic operations in 

Plateau. 

He said the troops had on June 5, 

ambushed and arrested some cultists 

who reportedly belong to a criminal 

gang that attacks and robs commuters 

and dispossess’ them of their 

Continues on page 26 

ings known regarding what they want 

in the new constitution of Nigeria. 

But one of the memos that stood 

out, is the resolve of the entire 

people of the former Wukari Federation 

Native Authority, which is today 

broken into Wukari, Takum, 

Donga, Ibi, Ussa, Kurmi Local Government 

Areas and Yangtu Development 

Area in present-day Taraba 

State. 

Their prayers which were presented 

in a memo at the public 

hearing on the proposed alteration 

on the provisions of the 1999 constitution 

of the federal republic of 

Nigeria, sought for the creation of 

Kwararrafa State out of presentday 

Taraba with Wukari as its capital. 

They also sought an amendment 

of Section 8 of the 1999 constitution 

for flexibility to allow the creation 

of more states and local government 

areas. 

Dr. David Agbu, who spoke for 

the group, advanced various reasons 

why their proposal should be 

considered based on current realities. 

In the memo presented, he said, 

“The desire for a new state of our 

own is informed by our historical 

background and the need for rapid 

development. Ancient KWARAR- 

RAFA Empire was on the same pedestal 

with Borno Empire and Sokoto 

caliphate in the North; Oyo and 

Benin Empire in the South caliphate 

in the accorded the status of two 

or more states except KWARAR- 

RAFA Empire, which is still part of 

another state. 

“We the peaceful people of the proposed 

KWARARRAFA state are asking 

for the restoration of our past status 

(our earlier rejection of the proposal 

to include us in Katsina-Ala 

state in 1996 still stands).” 

Some of the arguments advanced 

by the group and why their pro- 

Continues on page 26


Troops sustain onslaught 

against bandits 

Contiued from page 25 

belongings at Terminus general area 

of Jos. 

He said that the feat was achieved 

following credible intelligence. 

According to him, troops on patrol 

on same day arrested a notorious 

kidnapper, who has been on the 

wanted list of security agents, by 

name Halilu Umaru, around 

Mangu Market of the state. 

He said that Umaru was in 

possession of assorted arms and 

ammunition and other dangerous 

weapons at the time of arrest. 

The defence spokesperson said that 

all arrested criminals and recovered 

items were handed over to 

appropriate agencies for further 

necessary actions. 

He further said that the troops held 

stakeholders’ meetings at different 

locations as part of non-kinetic 

operation of Operation SAFE 

HAVEN. 

He noted that the meetings were 

aimed at building peace, trust and 

confidence amongst the locals, Fulani 

leaders and herders to discuss 

measures at tackling insecurity in 

their area of responsibility during the 

period. 

Onyeuko also stated that troops of 

Operation WHIRL STROKE had on 

June 3, arrested some criminal gang 

members at Ayiin town in Logo Local 

Government Area of Benue. 

He said that the criminals were 

among others involved in kidnapping 

and other related criminal activities 

in the area. 

He added that the arrested 

criminals and weapons recovered 

have been handed over to 

appropriate agencies for further 

action. 

AREWA VOICE TEAM 

Editor: Soni Daniel 

Correspondents: 

Wole Mosadomi, Minna 

Demola Akinyemi, Ilorin 

Bashir Bello, Kano 

Aliyu Dangida, Dutse 

Umar Yusuf, Yola 

Ibrahim HassnWuyo, Kaduna 

Peter Duru, Makurdi 

Marie-Therese Nanlong, Jos 

Abdul Murtala, Kano 

Femi Bolaji, Jalingo 

David Odama, Lafia 

Charly Agwam, Bauchi 

Boluwaji Obahopo, Lokoja 

What we want in Nigeria’s new constitution — Northern states 

continued from page 25 

posal should be considered include 

its population, landmass, 

economic viability, natural resources, 

and industrial development 

potentials among others. 

Having outlined their request 

and observed possible pitfalls to 

achieving their dream State, 

the group further requested 

that Section 8 of the 1999 constitution 

be altered to allow the 

process of additional states and 

local government areas creation 

to be made less rigid. 

“We submit a request for the 

creation of KWARARRAFA 

STATE out of the present-day 

Taraba State with its capital 

city at Wukari and/or at least 

13 more local governments 

should be created from the 

present Wukari, Takum, Donga, 

Ibi, Ussa, Kurmi Local Government 

Areas and Yangtu Development 

Area of Taraba State 

herein again as before requested. 

“Given the provisions of the 

1999 Constitution, particularly 

Section 8 which gives the National 

Assembly the powers to 

create more States and Local 

Governments in Nigeria; this 

position paper is agreeing for the 

amendment of the said Section 

8 of the 1999 Constitution to 

Jos erupts in celebration as cleric returns from 

8-month captivity in kidnappers’ den 

continued from page 25 

the Holy Bible says was lost and now is 

found, and I said, he was dead but God 

raised him back to life. 

From left: Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, Mr Femi Adesina; 

Executive Chairman, Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, Abdulrasheed Bawa and 

the Chief of Staff to EFCC Chairman, Hadiza Zubairu during the weekly State House Briefing at the 

Presidential Villa in Abuja yesterday 

By Victor Ahiuma-Young 

Abuja: The Nigeria Social Insurance 

Trust Fund, NSITF, Thursday the 

dismissed insinuation that its new 

management was under the searchlight 

of the Senate, informing that contrary 

to views in a section of the media, the 

new management of the fund was not 

under probe by the Public Accounts 

Committee of the Senate of the Federal 

Republic of Nigeria for N62billion 

fraud. 

NSITF in a statement by its Deputy 

General Manager, Corporate Affairs, 

Alexandra Mede, said “What the 

Senate Public Accounts Committee is 

currently probing is the cumulative 

actions and inactions, financial 

malfeasance and infractions by two 

past management teams of the agency 

between 2013 and 2020 over which 

the Office of the Auditor General of the 

Federation had earlier raised audit 

alarm. This is purely in the 

exercise of the statutory oversight 

function of the National Assembly. 

“The new management of the 

NSITF which came into office on 

June 1, 2020 has of course submitted 

itself and all documents requested by 

the Senate to assist in this oversight, 

NSITF not under 

Senate’s probe- 

Management 

knowing full well that government 

is a continuum. 

“However, we wish to note that 

these financial infractions and 

malfeasance has also 

appropriately and variously been 

dealt with by the Economic and 

Financial Crimes Commission, 

EFCC and the supervising Ministry 

of Labour and Employment. 

“In 2015 for instance, the EFCC 

arraigned the former Chairman of 

the Board of the NSITF, Ngozi 

Olejeme alongside five other 

senior officials including the 

Managing Director and three 

Directors. The EFCC later made 

public it recovered 48 property worth 

billions of naira from Olejeme . The 

matter is still in court even with the 

forfeiture secured by the EFCC. 

“The Ministry on its part, set up 

an Administrative Panel of 

Inquiry led by its then Director of 

Finance and Accounts K.C Awotu 

on February 15, 2017, to further 

simplify the procedure of the 

creation of more states and local 

governments due to the 

yearning and aspirations of Nigerians 

more particularly the 

former Wukari Federation.” 

Adamawa: Give us Gongola 

State out of Adamawastakeholders 

Of all the issues tabled in 25 

memos submitted by stakeholders 

in Adamawa, the call 

for the creation of a new Gongola 

State topped the list of demands. 

The Chamba Cultural Development 

Association, CCDA, 

which tabled the request for the 

new state, also asked for three 

additional local government 

areas to be created for them. 

The protagonists of the new 

state said it should encompass 

the Southern Senatorial District 

of Adamawa State made 

up of: Ganye, Toungo, Jada, 

Mayo-Belwa, Demsa, Numan, 

Lamurde, Guyuk and Shelleng 

Local Government Areas. 

He said if created three additional 

local governments need 

to be created; Gangdu from 

Ganye, Yelli from Jada, Nasarawo-Jereng 

from Mayo-Belwa, 

Barrong from Demsa. 

According to him, they have 

over two million people in the 

areas based on the projection of 

“It may interest you to know that on 

the second of March, 2021, at the risk 

of being arrested by agents of the state, 

I wrote a strong worded open letter to 

the President for intervention and 

subsequent release of Rev Zango and 

Pastor Balud Yakuru of the EYN who 

were kidnapped in December, 2020. 

“The struggle was quite frustrating 

as people who were supposed to assist 

were running away from engaging in 

the struggle to free this gentleman. I 

must sincerely appreciate the Kalthum 

Foundation for Peace for its 

doggedness, courage, resilience and 

patriotism by standing in the gap to 

ensure that Rev Zongo is freed from his 

dangerous captors. 

“Kalthum Foundation for Peace and 

the John Pofi Foundation have done 

their best and to the glory of God, no 

ransom was paid for the release of Rev 

Zongo but his release was made 

possible through the strong, 

diplomatic persuading and 

convincing power of negotiations.” 

He chided the government 

saying, “The federal and state 

governments have failed in this 

regard leaving their citizens to their 

fate. There is urgent need for the 

federal government to declare a state 

of emergency in some parts of the 

country to be able to tackle rising spate 

of insecurity in the country. 

2006 population census. 

“Creation of state with accompanying 

new local government 

councils has the potential of accelerating 

development of the 

affected communities especially 

in agriculture and mining” 

he said 

Sokoto: No to state police so 

that governors don’t use it 

against opponents during 

polls 

...140 memos received with 

LG creation, autonomy, revenue-sharing 

formula and state 

police top agenda in Northwest 

of Kebbi, Sokoto and Zamfara 

The memorandum received 

here centred on the demand for 

local governments autonomy, 

judicial independence, local 

government creation, review of 

federal revenue sharing formula 

among the three tiers of Government 

and creation of state 

police. 

Most of the speakers in their 

presentations described the current 

state of insecurity in the country 

as the product of non-availability 

of administrative mechanism 

at the grassroots level. 

According to the speakers, some 

council areas in Sokoto , Kebbi 

and Zamfara are large enough to 

be states rather than local governments. 

They named some of 

those LGAs to include: Bagudo, 

“I’m speaking today with great joy 

not only because the clergyman has 

regained sanity but because it gives 

me endless hope that despite the 

despairing nature of the security 

situation in the country, there is a 

little hope at the corner.” 

For other captives, he stated, “It 

therefore means there is hope for Leah 

Sharibu, there is hope for the 150 kids 

that were abducted two weeks ago 

from the Salihu Tanko Islamiya 

School in Tegina, Rafi Local 

Government Area of Niger State some 

of whom are as young as three years, 

there is hope for Alice Ngaddah, there 

is hope for Grace Tuka, there is hope 

for Lilian Gyang, 

“There is hope for Jummai Saleh, 

there is hope so many others who are 

still languishing in captivity. There 

is hope, and there is hope for you and 

me whose daily safety is not assured, 

there is hope for everyone.” 

Plateau State Governor, Simon 

Lalong, also expressed excitement 

over the release of Rev Zongo and 

praised all those who played a part in 

his freedom and those who supported 

his family while he was in captivity. 

He urged him to remain strong and 

use his ordeals to encourage and 

motivate the people towards trust in 

God and respect for humanity. 

One month after attack, Taraba 

IDPs set to return home 

By Femi Bolaji 

J Displaced ALINGO—Internally 

Persons in Bali 

Local Government Area of 

Taraba State who were victims 

of an escalation of hostilities 

between herders and farmers in 

Benue state, are set to return to 

their communities to continue 

their farming activities. 

Vanguard learned Thursday 

that the victims whose villages 

have been deserted for over a 

month have started leaving Bali 

town where they ran for refuge. 

Taraba State Chairman of the 

Tiv Traditional Leaders Council 

and Ter Tiv Bali, Zaki David 

Gbaa disclosed this to 

newsmen. 

He said a letter has been sent 

to chiefdoms within Bali local 

government area to assist the 

displaced persons get back on 

their feet. 

He noted that the 

intervention would enable his 

subjects engage in their 

farming activities this rainy 

season. 

Confirming 

this 

development, the Chairman of 

Bali LGA, Musa Mahmud In a 

telephone chat with Vanguard 

said the letter he wrote to 

traditional rulers in Bali was to 

urge them to assist the 

returning IDPs. 

He listed the Monarchs of 

Bakundi Chiefdom, Kaigama- 

Kam Chiefdom, Suntai 

Chiefdom, Jibu Chiefdom 

among others as some of those 

issued the letters. 

Koko/Besse , Tureta, Tambuwal 

and Kebbi local governments. 

They strongly supported granting 

autonomy to the local government 

to make way for even development 

at the grassroots. 

“How can you say you have 

three tiers of government when 

the third one is being controlled 

by another, determining its future 

and fate when it comes to 

executions of development 

projects?” 

State governments operate joint 

accounts system whereby resources 

of local governments are 

teleguided by governors of individual 

states to the detriment of 

elected local governments executives 

and their people. 

On the creation of state police, 

some presenters vehemently 

opposed the idea of creation of 

state police, saying it would be 

used against opponents during 

elections. 

A serving senator, Ibrahim Abdullahi 

Gobir, argued that the 

establishment of state police 

would lead to the breakdown of 

law and order as most of the governors 

would deploy state police 

against their opponents and use 

same to humiliate citizens generally.


Traders at a market in Makurdi 

Herdsmen attacks: Food shortage 

hits Benue as prices soar 

By Peter Duru 

M INCESSANT 

AKURDI— 

attacks on farmer and 

their farmlands in Benue 

State, which have claimed 

hundreds of lives and the 

destruction of property 

worth hundreds of millions 

of Naira, have resulted in 

food shortage with a sharp 

rise in prices across the 

state and its environs, 

findings by Arewa Voice 

have indicated. 

The sustained attacks on 

the farming community 

of the state, according to 

findings, have also 

seriously disrupted allseason 

farming activities 

in the state and adversely 

affected food production 

and the economy of the 

state, hitherto dubbed 

“The Food Basket of 

Nigeria”. 

As a result of these 

onslaughts, the swathes of 

bustling farmlands that 

normally produce a 

variety of cash and food 

crops have been deserted 

as the herdsmen, who 

attack, destroy and kill, 

have not been sparing in 

their assaults in recent 

years. 

Consequently upon the 

attacks and desertion of 

farmlands by farmers, most 

food markets have become 

scanty and the bustling fresh 

farm foods have also dried up, 

leaving buyers and 

consumers with little or no 

alternatives. 

This has resulted in the 

emergence of people with 

empty stomachs even as the 

state, which hitherto 

produced large quantity of 

food for Nigerians, has now 

become home to over one 

million internally displaced 

persons, IDPs. 

The consequence of these 

violent attacks is the spike in 

the prices of the little 

available food in the state 

which expectedly have gone 

beyond the reach of the 

ordinary man. Also the 

Internally Generated 

Revenue, IGR profile of the 

government has been 

adversely affected given the 

loss of revenue accruals from 

farm produce across the 

state. 

This troubling situation in 

Benue has become a source 

of serious concern to women 

in the state under the aegis 

of “Concerned Benue 

Mothers”, who decry the 

spate of killings in the state 

and the failure of the federal 

government to stem the tide, 

warning that the seeming 

failure of the government to 

address the herdsmen 

menace could trigger the 

worst food crisis in the state. 

Spokesperson of the 

mothers, and former federal 

lawmaker, Mrs. Rebecca 

Apedzan, noted that the 

unchecked attacks on 

farmers in Benue State had 

resulted in food crisis and 

might escalate to a more 

dangerous dimension if not 

stopped. 

The same fear has also been 

expressed by a former acting 

Director General of 

Standards Organisation of 

Nigeria, SON, and Benue 

state governorship aspirant, 

Dr. Paul Angya, who decried 

the spate of attacks on 

communities in the state. 

Dr. Angya noted: “It is now 

obvious to everyone that these 

attacks by armed herders on 

Benue communities have led 

to sharp drop in food 

production in the state by 

over 50 percent. And we all 

know what that means to the 

food security of the state and 

indeed the country because 

Benue contributes in no small 

measure to the food security 

of this country,” he added. 

But the account of the food 

producers and traders in 

some markets visited by 

Arewa Voice speak of a serious 

disaster about to be unleashed 

unless urgent steps are taken 

to make food available to 

consumers at affordable 

prices. 

According to Judith Ger 

who trades in yam, grains 

and other farm produce at 

the North Bank market, if 

something is not done 

urgently Benue may be 

seeking food supply from 

outside the state to feed its 

populace. 

“It is disturbing that we are 

not getting enough yam to 

buy from farmers anymore 

because most of the farmers 

have run away from their 

homes and most of the yam 

that are usually stocked up 

for sale at this time of the year 

have been destroyed and in 

some cases looted by armed 

herdsmen who have been 

killing and destroying in our 

communities. 

“That is why the price of a 

heap of ten sizable tubers of 

yam that was usually sold 

for N1,500 is now going for 

as much as N4,000. Do you 

know that a ‘mudu‘ of corn is 

being sold for N500 as against 

N150 it was sold within this 

period last year?,” the trader 

asked rhetorically. 

“The situation is not 

different from the prices of 

cassava chips that we 

usually sell for N50 per 

‘mudu’ which is now going 

for as high as N300. Then 

the question is how many of 

that ‘mudu’ would an 

individual buy to be able to 

put food on the table”? 

“A basin of cassava chips 

used to sell for N1, 000 but 

now it is being sold for up to 

N10, 000 in Benue state 

where we produce cassava in 

very large quantity. 

Another trader, Margaret 

Num, also recounted how 

her brother was killed a few 

days back in his farm in 

Gwer West LGA by armed 

herders when he made 

efforts to access the farm in 

order to plant his grains. 

“Two of my brothers went 

to Bunaka our village in 

Gwer West LGA to plant 

millet only for them to be 

confronted by armed 

herdsmen who shot and 

killed one of them while the 

other escaped. 

“As I speak we have not 

been able to recover his 

corpse and all our farmlands 

have been occupied by these 

killer herdsmen so nobody is 

farming anymore in our 

communities. That is the 

reason why we do not have 

anything to sell to the people 

because we cannot engage in 

farming actives in our 

communities until the 

herdsmen are removed from 

our villages. 

On her part, Grace Anule 

who said she lost her father 

to herdsmen attacks in 

Yelwata, Guma LGA said, 

lamented that he 

community has been 

deserted due to the 

continuous attacks by 

herdsmen, leading to acute 

food shortage and high prices 

for local cash crops like 

millet, corn, guinea corn, 

maize, yam, soya beans, 

melon, pepper and tomato 

and a host of others. 

“It is sad that the federal 

government has failed us. 

They have refused to protect 

us from our killers and left 

us to die in hunger when 

everyone knows that our 

preoccupation here in Benue 

is farming which cannot 

coexist with herders and their 

herds.

28 —Vanguard 

Vanguard, , FRIDAY, JUNE 18, , 2021 

Dhul Qadah 08, 1442 A.H. 

Be patient, surely, Allah is with those who are 

patient! 

By Imam Murtadha Gusau 

DEAR brothers and sis 

ters! Patience is to hold 

one’s soul from being impatient 

and displeased, holding the 

tongue from complaining and 

the body parts from harming 

himself or others. The patience 

is mentioned at many places in 

Qur’an and Sunnah of the beloved 

Prophet (Peace be upon him), 

which shows the virtues and 

greatness of Patience. In the Arabic 

language, (Sabr) Patience 

means to confine or contain. 

Respected servants of Allah! 

Patience has great status in the 

sight of Allah Almighty and in 

Islam. Patience is of best of 

deeds actions, and has the great 

reward with no limit. Allah Almighty 

said in Noble Qur’an: 

“Only those who are patient 

shall receive their rewards in full, 

without Hisab (without limit, 

calculation, and estimation).” 

[Qur’an, 39:10] 

There is great reward only for 

those among us who are patient 

with the Decree of their Lord. In 

this world, we face many challenges, 

difficulties or trials and 

sufferings but we have to be patient 

because Allah Almighty 

loves those who did patience in 

a difficult time. 

As Islam is a complete code of 

life and it guides and teach us in 

every sphere of life. So it teaches 

us we have to do patience in 

our difficult situation in this way 

we have the strong belief on Almighty 

Allah that He will never 

leave us alone. In Qur’an, Allah 

the Most High said: 

“And be Patient. Surely, Allah 

is with those who are patient.” 

Allah said to those who are facing 

challenges, difficulties or tri- 

als that He is with them by guiding 

and supporting them and 

granting them a clear victory. 

Allah Almighty said: 

“Surely, Allah is with those who 

are As Sabirun (the patient).” 

[Qur’an, 8:46] 

From this verse of Noble 

Qur’an, we can say that no matter 

what’s the situation we are 

facing we should be faithful and 

patient as Allah is with us, He will 

never leave us alone. 

A person who loves Almighty 

Allah finds it much easier to be 

patient and to persevere. This is 

because he sees everything as 

coming from Allah, and if it 

comes from Allah, there must be 

a reason for it. A person who 

loves wants the Beloved to see 

him in the best of states, and so 

he proves the best of patience. 

Patience is a virtue, which enables 

the individual to proceed towards 

worthy goals. 

So many times in our lives 

something happens to us and we 

feel that this is the worst thing 

that can happen to us. But then 

after the trial, when relief and 

ease come, we realise that the 

difficult times had happened for 

good to come. So, it is important 

that believers have to be patient 

and know that Allah Almighty is 

sufficient for us and is the best 

arranger of all our affairs. He will 

guide us to that which is good 

for us in this life and Hereafter 

too. 

If we don’t get the reward of 

Patience in this world then it will 

surely be saved by Almighty Allah 

for the Hereafter that will 

never end. Our beloved Prophet 

Muhammad (Peace be upon 

him) said: 

“Whoever persists in being patient, 

Allah will make him patient. 

Nobody can be given a 

blessing better and greater than 

patience.” [Bukhari] 

Respected brothers and sisters! 

Patience is the great virtue 

and significance of patience that 

we will recover with great rewards 

and benefits. Some of 

these rewards and benefits are 

immediate and others are longer-term. 

Among the many benefits 

of patience in Qur’an and 

Sunnah are the following: 

There are more than hundred 

verses in the Noble Qur’an about 

the virtues and benefits of patience. 

Some of are given below: 

• Those People who have patience 

are the rightful people to 

lead, so we can say leadership 

comes with patience as Allah 

Almighty said in Qur’an: 

“And We made from among 

them leaders guiding by Our 

command when they were patient 

and [when] they were certain 

of Our signs.” [Qur’an, 32:24] 

• With patience you will get all 

good things as Almighty Allah 

says in Qur’an: 

“But if you endure patiently, 

verily, it is better for As-Sabirin.” 

[Qur’an, 16:126] 

• If you are patient in all your 

sufferings then the patient ones 

will receive plenty of rewards for 

their good deeds. Allah the Most 

High said in the Noble Qur’an: 

“Only those who are patient 

shall receive their rewards in full, 

without reckoning.” [Qur’an, 

39:10] 

• Allah is with those who are 

patient. He said in the Noble 

Qur’an: 

“And be patient. Surely, Allah 

is with those who are As-Sabirin.” 

[Qur’an,8:46] 

• Patience is something that is 

recommended by Almighty Allah 

which means it requires determination. 

Allah said in the 

Noble Qur’an: 

Director of Administration & Human Resources, National Hajj Commission of 

Nigeria (NAHCON) Dr. I. M. Sodangi (FCIA), Handed over Sokoto House’ key to 

the Government of Sokoto state ably represented by the Sokoto State Ag. Liason 

Officer, Hajiya Hussaina Abdurrazak, recently. 

BARKA JUMAH 

Heal your weak heart 

Do not allow weakness of faith (eeman) to destroy 

your little act of worship and ruin your hereafter. Seek 

knowledge about your Lord, Ar-Rahman and Ar- 

Raheem and free your heart from the burden of 

ignorance. Faith is directly connected with the heart 

and Allah (SWT) has warned us against the heart that 

is hardened, sick and sealed. The spiritual status of our 

hearts determines the strength of our faith. When our 

faith is weak, our actions toward the divine matters 

will be weak. Happy jumat. 

— Haroon Ishola Balogun 

Alhaji Isiaka Salami, Coordinator,National Council 

of Muslim Youth Organisations,NACOMYO, (Middle) 

and other members of the Executives during a press 

conference held at the multipurpose hall of the Lagos 

State Secretariat Central Mosque, Alausa-Ikeja, 

Lagos to mark the Democracy day. 

NACOMY 

COMYO O urges Nigerians to be 

hopeful, condemns call for secession 

•Calls for establishment of Sharia 

Court in Lagos 

THE National Council of Muslim Youth Organisations 

(NACOMYO) Lagos State Chapter has advised that the 

lesson learnt from June 12 should not be allowed to go in 

vain, urging Nigerians to persever and be hopeful despite the 

deteriorating security situation in the country. 

The Muslim youths condemned the call for secession, advising 

states to emulate Lagos infrastructure through the State 

Security Trust Fund. 

The council, led by its Coordinator, Alhaji Isiaka Salami, at 

a press conference held at the multipurpose hall of the Lagos 

State Secretariat Central Mosque, Alausa-Ikeja, Lagos to mark 

the Democracy day, also called for the establishment of 

Shari’a Court of Appeal in Lagos State, disclosing that the 

clamour was contained in the Memorandum it submitted to 

the current House Committee on the Review of the Constitution. 

“Permit me to reiterate the position of NACOMYO National 

Secretariat on this issue (as contained in the Council’s Memorandum 

to the House Committee on the Review of the Constitution): 

“Though Section 275 of the Constitution provides for the 

establishment of a Shari’a Court of Appeal for any State that 

requires it. This provision has over the years placed a sort of 

hardship on Muslims living in States that has refused and neglected 

to establish Shari’a Court, in the sense that the administration 

of a Muslim’s personal law (relating to marriage, 

divorce, bequests and the likes) that are within the exclusive 

knowledge of Islamic scholars are been taken to the regular 

customary courts manned (in most cases) by those not knowledgeable 

in Islamic personal law. 

“It has never occurred in man’s history that he can give 

what he does not have. No matter how sincere the efforts of 

those who are manning the Customary Courts without basic 

knowledge in Islamic law, they cannot effectively adjudicate 

on Islamic law. Simply put, they are bereft of the position of 

Islam on matters pertaining to Islamic personal law. 

In the light of the foregoing, NACOMYO proposes that establishment 

of the Shari’a Court of Appeal should be made 

mandatory for any State in the Federation that have at least 

One Hundred (100) Muslims living within the State. Accordingly, 

Section 275 of the Constitution should be amended to 

reflect this proposal. 

“We are not unmindful of the position of antagonists of the 

call for the establishment of Shari’a Court with their persistent 

reference to Nigeria as a secular State. Section 10 of the 

Constitution has been over-flogged by the antagonists of 

Shari’a. 

“But it is our position that the application of Christian family 

and personal law fit into the present Nigerian Judicial system. 

We ask rhetorically, where do Muslims go to if there is 

any dispute arising from marriages conducted in the mosque 

or relating to the administration of estate of a deceased Muslim? 

We answer in unambiguous terms that the present customary 

courts in Lagos State as presently manned by Non- 

Muslims and Muslims who are not Islamic Scholars cannot 

adequately adjudicate on Islamic personal law.

Dhul Qadah 08, 1442 A.H. 

2021 Hajj ban: 

Let’s take it in good faith — Qasim Alabi 

•Intending pilgrims have reward of Hajj already 

•Private tour operators grossly affected 

THE Managing Director 

of Habdat Xpress, Alhaji 

Qasim Alabi, has urged Hajj 

2021 intending pilgrims to 

take the cancellation in good 

faith, adding that they already 

have the reward of hajj on account 

of their intention. 

Alhaji Alabi advised them to 

be patient and have trust in 

Allah, adding that their rewards 

will multiply when they 

eventually go on hajj next 

year, insha Allah. 

In a chart with Facing the 

Kaaba, Alabi said Saudi’s silence 

for a long period of time 

was an indication that 2021 

hajj may not involve foreign 

pilgrims, noting that host 

country should not be blamed 

as they were probably trying 

to avoid turning the holy land 

to epicenter of Covid-19. 

“As Muslims, we must take 

it in good fate. Allah knows 

what is best for us. I am optimistic 

that the door will open 

next year. The only issue is 

that it will be based on first 

come first serve basis. The 

number of allocation will 

determine a lot of things. 

“For those who have prepared, 

they should know 

that they already have the 

reward of hajj on account of 

their intention. Their rewards 

will multiply when 

they eventually go on hajj. 

They should be patient and 

have trust in Allah. 

Responding to question on 

how the development has 

affected the Hajj and Umrah 

business, Alabi stated that 

most of the private tour operators 

were grossly affected 

but had to submit to the 

will of Allah and hope for another 

opportunity next 

year. 

He advised the National 

Hajj Commission of Nigeria, 

NAHCON, to continue to 

provide adequate information 

about hajj. 

“I am aware they have had 

several meetings with hajj 

stakeholders and that have 

made it known to us that our 

case is like someone living in 

hope and fear. They have given 

proper communication on 

this before Saudi made pronouncement. 

They can however 

douse the tension by 

making a press release on the 

current situation using the 

print and electronic media,” 

Alhaji Alabi stated. 

•Alhaji Qasim Alabi, 

MD, Habdat Xpress 

NAHCON urges States to grant refund request without delay 

•Describes cancellation as Allah’s divine design 

NATIONAL Hajj Com 

mission of Nigeria (NAH- 

CON), has described the cancellation 

of Hajj 2021 for all 

foreign pilgrims as act of God, 

what Allah had decreed being 

played by Saudi Arabia. 

The commission also urged 

states to grant refund request 

to any intending pilgrim without 

delay, while those who desire 

to roll over should wait for 

further decision by the board. 

The statement signed by the 

Head, Public Affairs Hajia Fatima 

Sanda Usara on behalf of 

the commission said no matter 

how painful the cancellation 

was, the commission respects 

the decision of Saudi 

Arabia and have accepted it as 

Allah’s divine design. 

“The National Hajj Commission 

of Nigeria (NAHCON) has 

received news of the cancellation 

of Hajj for international 

pilgrims for the 2021 season. 

The Commission’s officials in 

Saudi Arabia have confirmed 

that state television and radio 

stations in the Kingdom have 

announced the news. 

“NAHCON respects the decision 

of Saudi Arabia in this regard 

no matter how painful 

that decision may be to us and 

to intending pilgrims worldwide. 

We have accepted that it 

is Allah’s divine design that 

multitudes will again this year 

not perform the Hajj: the Kingdom 

of Saudi Arabia is only 

playing out a script ordained 

by our Maker long before creation 

of the universe. Our 

prayer is that we collectively 

turn to Him in repentance so 

that He admits us for Hajj in 

the coming years. 

“One of the lessons from 

these two years’ cancellations 

of Hajj for foreign pilgrims’ 

is in the Prophet’s hadith 

urging Muslims to perform 

Hajj while they can before 

they are prevented from 

doing so. Again, it impresses 

on us that it is only Allah that 

selects those who will be His 

guests for Hajj. May we not 

be deprived of Allah’s mercy. 

May we be among those 

who will be chosen to perform 

Allah’s worship in future. 

“At this juncture, the NAH- 

CON Chairman, Alhaji 

Zikrullah Kunle Hassan commends 

the resilience of Nigerian 

intending pilgrims and 

the support they have 

shown in this long and tortuous 

wait. The Chairman is 

particularly impressed and 

humbled by the level of support 

and respect displayed 

by, evidenced by their adherence 

to each instruction 

given by the Commission. An 

example is the total compliance 

in receiving Covid-19 

jab with the hope of performing 

the 2021 Hajj. Equally, 

the Commission appreciates 

cooperation of States’ Pilgrims’ 

Welfare Boards in its 

decision-making processes. 

“As in the previous year, 

those pilgrims who request 

for refund of their Hajj deposits 

will be granted such without 

unnecessary delay. 

As for those who would still 

wish to roll-over their funds, 

the Commission strongly 

urges them to wait for further 

advice and decisions by the 

board. 

Finally the Chairman assures 

stakeholders of NAH- 

CON’s open door policy and 

cooperation. Consultations 

will be held with all Hajj managers 

on the way forward in 

the nearest future. This will be 

communicated to them in due 

course. 

"Vanguard, 

FRIDAY, JUNE 18, , 2021 — 29 

MAN directs members in Nigeria, UK 

to pray for peace 

•Urges govt to be responsive to duties 

MUSLIM Association 

of Nigeria (MAN) has 

directed its members in Nigeria 

and the United Kingdom 

to pray fervently for 

Nigeria to overcome the insecurity 

issues confronting 

her. 

MAN in a statement jointly 

signed by the President, 

Alhaji Tajudeen Ojikutu and 

National Publicity Officer, 

Hon Mudirakat Ajibona also 

advised the security agencies 

and all relevant stakeholders 

to stp-up their game 

and bring all forms of insecurity 

to a stop, adding that 

“every other thing is meaningful 

only when security is 

•Alhaji Tajudeen Ojikutu, 

National President, MAN 

not threatened.” 

The association charged all Nigerians to pray for the leaders 

and security agencies, urging citizens to be vigilant and 

to report suspicious activities and any security breach to the 

appropriate authorities on time. 

The group implored government to be responsive to its 

duties and look at various issues agitating the minds of people 

dispassionately, while also calling on all citizens to exercise 

restraints and channel their demands in a legitimate way 

that will not constitute danger to the well being of other law 

abiding citizens. 

Elegushi to address intending 

pilgrims on Hajj cancellation 

tomorrow 

FOLLOWING the cancellation of the 2021 Hajj for In 

ternational Pilgrims including Nigeria by the Saudi Arabian 

government, the Lagos State Commissioner for Home 

Affairs, Prince Anofiu Olanrewaju Elegushi will formally address 

the State’s Intending Pilgrims on the issue and way forward. 

According to a statement signed by the Executive Secretary, 

Lagos State Muslim Pilgrims Welfare Board, Mr. Rahman 

Ishola, the Hon. Commissioner will address the intending 

pilgrims at the Multi-Purpose Hall of Shamsi Adisa Thomas 

(SAT) Mosque, Old Secretariat, GRA, Ikeja, tomorrow, 

Saturday, June 19, 2021. 

While appealing to the intending pilgrims not to be apprehensive 

about the development, the Board Secretary urged 

them to be punctual at the meeting, saying they would have 

the opportunity of hearing directly from the Hon. Commissioner 

who will be speaking on behalf of the State Government 

and also express their views on the way forward for the 

2022 Hajj operation. 

Meanwhile, the Board Secretary has confirmed that arrangements 

have been concluded for the administration of the second 

dose of the COVID-19 vaccine to all intending pilgrims. 

The vaccination, according to Ishola, has been fixed for 

Saturday and Sunday, June 19 and 20, 2021 at the Mosque, 

Old Secretariat, GRA, Ikeja by 8.00am daily and would be 

administered by officials of the National Primary Health Care 

Development Agency (NPHCDA) in collaboration with the 

State Ministry of Health. 

•Some of the Umrah pilgrims at the Masjid Al Haram, Makkah recently.




The Minister’s Code 

THERE is a growing 

feeling in high 

political circles that the 

media is too free for its own 

good, and maybe also, for 

the good of the country. As a 

result, there are attempts on 

multiple fronts to save the 

media from what, for lack 

of a better description, may 

be called diarrhea of 

freedom. 

Those worried about this 

“excessive” media freedom 

make no distinction between 

the media as an institution 

and citizens vigorously – 

and yes, sometimes, 

despicably – expressing 

themselves on social 

media. 

They are also not 

concerned about the 

constitutional provision that 

requires the press to hold the 

government to account. 

They’re simply consumed 

by an obsession to wield the 

axe. 

In spite of all the 

rigmarole, the Twitter ban, 

the prescription by the 

government to register and 

regulate over-the-top 

services and criminalise 

social media are depictions 

of the current official mood 

of intolerance. 

But it doesn’t end there. 

There’s much else 

happening, under the radar, 

apart from the Twitter 

tantrums, the obsession to 

control social media, and 

the rash of fines imposed by 

government on private 

broadcasters. 

This week, at the behest of 

the Executive branch, the 

House of Representatives 

commenced hearings on a 

number of media bills, 

among them a bill to amend 

the National Broadcasting 

Commission Act; and 

another one to amend the 

Nigerian Press Council 

law. 

It is being done so quietly 

not a sheet of paper has so 

far rustled among the pile 

of satanic scrolls sneaked 

into the House of 

Representatives meeting 

room 024 where the 

hearing has been taking 

place. The exercise is a 

cynical ambush in the night 

from which even thieves 

might learn a few lessons. 

Worst example 

To press home the message 

that this government was not 

playing when it banned 

Twitter, the Executive is 

piling on the National 

Assembly to amend the 

powers of the NBC to 

include licensing, 

registration and regulation 

of social media and OTT. 

Government is borrowing 

the worst example from 

India, a country that has its 

own social media tools 

and, on the whole, sails by 

its wind. 

It is a move designed to 

cure government’s recent 

embarrassing decision to 

put the cart before the 

horse when it announced 

that violators of the Twitter 

ban would be prosecuted 

without an existing law; a 

classic case of improvising 

the law to fit the offence. 

The push to amend the 

Press Council Act is even 

curiouser. While the world 

was asleep, on Tuesday 

night, the Executive 

exhumed a bill that was 

interred 12 years ago, 

cleaned it up and rushed it 

to the House of 

Representatives apparently 

with the sole aim of 

cornering the mainstream 

print media. 

The bill was listed with 

three other media bills for 

hearing on Wednesday, but 

was later stepped down for 

hearing the next day. An 

earlier version of the law 

required, among other 

things, registration and 

licensing of journalists, 

prescriptions under which 

anyone who works in a 

media organisation might 

qualify as an editor. 

Even in its current form, 

five of the nine Board 

members of the Council are 

government appointees; the 

President and the minister 

have exclusive prerogative 

on the composition of the 

Board and the Code that is 

supposed to govern 

journalistic practice is a 

handout from the Ministry 

of Information. 

The bill is not all bad. For 

example, it also provides a 

framework for research and 

training, both of which the 

profession could use. 

But this bright spot can 

hardly redeem the bill from 

the evil and malicious intent 

of its sponsors. In what 

amounts to shaving a man’s 

head behind his back, none 

of the major stakeholders 

knew that the bill had been 

exhumed, much less being 

discussed for amendment. 

Like a thief 

Media owners were 

neither informed nor 

invited by the House of 

Representatives. The 

Nigerian Guild of Editors 

knew nothing about the bill 

that is supposed to regulate 

their practice nor did the 

Nigeria Union of 

Journalists. 

It was as a matter of 

“happenstance”, as Kabiru 

Yusuf, president of the 

Newspaper Proprietors 

Association of Nigeria, 

NPAN, said in a press 

statement. The association 

got to know, after the fact, 

that the House of 

Representatives was 

loading the gun of a media 

bill aimed at the head of 

the profession and all 

practitioners were 

supposed to do, was just to 

pull the trigger. 

The 8th National 

Assembly toyed with the 

idea, but common sense 

prevailed when the 

attention of the principal 

officers was called to the fact 

that the travesty of a bill was 

already being challenged in 

court. 

The matter is still in the 

Supreme Court. But it seems 

that this 9th National 

Assembly which obviously 

loves journalists more than 

they love themselves cannot 

wait for the court to dispose 

of the matter. 

Under the radar, another 

media-business-related 

travesty is stirring. It’s the 

review of the Advertising 

Code of the Advertising 

Practitioners Council of 

Nigeria, APCON. It’s not a 

code in the sense of a 

coherent body of ethical 

guide. The plain name for 

this law, regardless of its 

elegant title, is the Minister’s 

Code. 

That may seem harsh, but 

that’s what it is. No review, 

no matter the window 

dressing or circumlocution, 

The Code, like 

the other bills 

currently under 

the consideration 

of the House of 

Representatives, is 

fatally flawed by 

the malicious 

intent of a 

government that 

thinks that less, 

not more freedom 

of expression, is 

the solution to the 

country’s 

problems 

can re-make the essential 

character of this code: It’s 

the Minister’s Code. And 

by the Minister, I do not 

necessarily refer to the 

current Minister of 

Information and Culture, 

Lai Mohammed, who is 

doing an extraordinary job 

of hosting this renewed 

assault. 

The point is that the Code 

predates Mohammed and 

has been amended twice - 

in 1992 and 1993 - under 

the parochial watch of the 

military. But like most 

things done under the 

military, the preservation 

of tight-fisted control 

rather than robust civic 

engagement, was the 

overriding consideration. 

Long battle 

Every executive of the 

newspaper owners’ 

association in the past 

three decades has clashed 

with government over the 

obtuseness of the 

Advertising Code. 

The most remarkable 

fallout has been the NPAN 

under the Chairman 

Emeritus of PUNCH, Chief 

AjibolaOgunshola, whose 

executive dragged APCON 

to court over the combined 

tyranny of government and 

big business against the 

newspaper industry. 

Unfortunately, a number 

of media owners at the time 

were their own worst 

enemies! 

The stalemate has 

remained, even mutated, 

and the current review of 

the Code - and indeed all 

the media laws - instigated 

under Mohammed will, at 

best, be just another layer 

of window dressing and at 

worst, another capricious 

attempt to muzzle the press. 

The reason is simple. No 

media law, including the 

Code - that subordinates 

freedom of the press or the 

ease of doing business to 

the discretion of a minister 

or his agents will work. 

Other than inseminating 

the minister’s ego, it’s a 

waste of time. 

The Code, like the other 

bills currently under the 

consideration of the House 

of Representatives, is 

fatally flawed by the 

malicious intent of a 

government that thinks 

that less, not more freedom 

of expression, is the 

solution to the country’s 

problems. No minister 

should bring the country to 

his level. 

What is more, best 

practices from the UK and 

even South Africa, which 

share a lot in common with 

Nigeria’s jurisprudence, 

show that independent, selfregulation 

by journalists, 

advertisers and 

practitioners, is the gold 

standard of professional 

practice. 

The Independent Press 

Standards Organisation 

and the Committee of 

Advertising Practice in the 

UK; the Press Council of 

South Africa and that 

country’s Advertising 

Regulatory Board, are 

models worth emulating. 

Not our Minister’s Code. 

Softly, softly 

In case we forget, official 

positions are temporary. 

The same laws we make 

today could be the rope we 

lend our successors to hang 

us tomorrow. General Sani 

Abacha did not invent the 

decree under which he tried 

former President Olusegun 

Obasanjo in 1995; he tried 

and jailed Obasanjo for 30 

years under the same law 

which the latter made as 

military head of state. 

As he wrestles with the 

temptation to use iron fist 

in the government’s 

dealings with the media, 

nothing recommends 

caution more to Minister 

Lai Mohammed than the 

mythology of the King of 

Otolu. 

It’s a Yoruba proverb 

about the king’s missing 

trumpet. After ordering the 

beheading of 17 palace 

workers at the Ogun shrine 

on the suspicion that they 

were responsible for his 

missing trumpet, the king 

later found that the 

trumpet had, in fact, been 

stolen by his younger son 

who wanted to supplant the 

heir apparent. 

Muzzling the media, 

under any guise, is playing 

with fire. 


:Vanguard 

News 

Jowe Asidi launches Orphans Trail 

to Happiness 

ASABA—A junior student of 

Marble Hill International 

Secondary School, Okpanam in 

Oshimili North Local Government 

Area of Delta State, Miss 

Jowe Asidi, has launched a novel 

titled ‘The Orphan's Trail to Happiness' 

to commemorate her 13th 

birthday. 

Speaking at the event, held at 

the school's premisses, Permanent 

Secretary, Government 

House and Protocol, Edwin Ogidi-Gbegbaje, 

who was represented 

by Anthony Osenu, said it was 

applauding and commendable to 

see a child of 13 launching a book, 

"at a time when Nigerians were 

being encouraged to embrace 

reading." 

Gbegbaje advised parents to 

allow every child explore their own 

uniqueness, as it was the duty of 

parents to understand the gift 

deposited in their children, and 

encourage the child to walk the 

path. 

He assured that he would 

present the book to the Ministry 

of Basic and Secondary Education 

to encourage other students 

to read a piece written by one of 

them. 

In expressing his contentment, 

the Father of the author, Dr. Kenneth 

Asidi, said it was a thing of 

joy to see his daughter's achievement 

at this young age. "It all 

started like a joke, when we discovered 

she has been writing stories. 

We then decided to put it together," 

he explained. 

Asidi advised other parents to 

always encourage their children, 

because they are full of wonderful 

gifts that they might not be 

aware of.” 

Meanwhile, reading excerpts 

from the book, ‘The Orphans Trail 

to Happiness, Mr. Joseph Nwamana 

said the author had not just 

written a book, but prefaced a 

novel. 

"A girl of 13, at this age and time, 

launching a book, when children 

of her age are busy browsing 

phones, is highly commendable." 

Ethiope East LG boss charges 

Nigeria on unity, lauds Okowa 

By Niyi Okiri 

EEthiope THIOPE—CHAIRMAN, 

East Local Government 

Area of Delta State, Mr. 

Victor Ofobrukueta, has charged 

Nigeria on unity of purpose and 

commended Governor Ifeanyi 

Okowa on his steadfastness to 

the commitment of the state. 

“The council chairman, who 

made this statement on the occasion 

of the nation's Democracy 

Day, said: “At this critical time 

of this nation, only unity of purpose 

can bring the people together 

as one entity, even in the face 

of insecurity across all boarders.” 

“He said there is reason to celebrate 

this year's Democracy 

Day but that “the gift of life, as a 

result of the love God has for us 

and to fulfill his plans in the 

course of existence, gives much 

hope for us to celebrate, even 

when the economy is unfriendly 


and prices of commodities have 

sky-rocketed.” 

“He also commended members 

of his executive and that of 

the legislative arm, headed by 

Emmanuel Emojeya, for not 

working at cross purposes, urging 

them to use this period to 

show love to each other, work in 

harmony, so as to deliver on their 

electoral promises. 

“Ofobrukueta commended 

Governor Okowa for his steadfastness 

and commitment towards 

the development of the 

state, and his prompt attention 

and cordial relationship between 

him, the state and the 25 local 

government areas. 

“He said: “Okowa, through the 

Smart Agenda, has brought development 

to so many communities 

and towns across the entire 

state, both in infrastructure 

and human capital development.”




Lagos: Reddington Zainlab opens Covid-19 

testing centres at Balogun stadium, Rowe Park 

LAGOS—As part of efforts to 

support the Government in 

curtailing community transmission 

of the Covid -19 virus in 

Lagos State, Reddington Zaine 

Laboratory (Zainelab) is happy 

to announce the opening of two 

additional COVID-19 PCR Testing 

Centres at the Teslim Balogun 

Stadium, Surulere and 

the Rowe Park, Yaba to serve 

the residents of these communities 

and others, including international 

travelers who are required 

to undertake the mandatory 

Covid test before traveling 

out and on arrival in Nigeria. 

In a statement released by the 

Medical Director of Reddington 

Zaine Laboratory, Dr. Olusola 

Oluwole, he said the new 

Covid-19 testing centres will 

complement the ones in Lekki, 

Victoria Island and Ikeja GRA 

which are already offering testing, 

counseling and treatment to 

a wide range of clientele including 

international travelers. Dr 

Oluwole said all our COVID-19 

Testing Centres including the 

two new centres at Surulere 

and Yaba are Government / 

NCDC approved, they are well 

equipped to provide walk-in and 

drive through services with results 

reaching the client within 

24 hours. Most of our Testing 

Centres are open 24-hours/day 

while we offer home sample collection 

service free of charge. 

Reddington ZaineLab is 

equipped with state-of-the-art 

Class-3 Biosecurity Safety Technology 

which delivers COVID 

Test results within 24 hours. In 

cases of positive test result, we 

also offer treatment solution at 

the Armoured Shield COVID- 

19 Medical Centre in Victoria 

Island. 

According to Dr Oluwole, Reddington 

is the only independent 

facility in Lagos currently accredited 

both for Testing and/ 

Treatment of COVID-19. This 

allows us a seamless management 

of all Covid-19 confirmed 

cases. We urge residents of Lagos 

State not to drop their 

guards but continue to observe 

all Covid-19 non pharmaceutical 

protocols such regular washing 

of hands with soap and running 

water, social distancing, consistent 

wearing of face mask 

while in the public space and use 

of alcohol based hand sanitizers. 

GWR: Lagos, firms partner to recycle 400 metric 

tons of plastic waste 

LAGOS—In line with the Unit 

ed Nations Sustainable Development 

Goals, which promote 

a healthy world and sustainable 

future for all, Recyclan 

Global Services Limited and 

Humanity Nigeria, in partnership 

with the Lagos State Ministry 

of Environment, are embarking 

on a 30-Day exercise that 

will see to the recovery and recycling 

of 400 metric tons of plastic 

bottle waste across Lagos State. 

This exercise attempts to set a 

new Guinness World Record for 

the ‘Largest Volume of Plastic 

bottles collected for recycling by 

a team.’ 

Recyclan was founded in 2018, 

with the primary objective of repossessing 

PET plastic products 

discarded as waste and turning 

them into the highest-grade recycled 

PET. Recyclan has grown 

to become a force to reckon with 

within the African Recycling industry 

through the years. Having 

a presence in 14 countries 

worldwide, Recyclan has solidified 

its position as an industry 

leader. This attempt at the Guinness 

World Record is true-to-form 

for Recyclan as they are known 

to take on audacious feats towards 

combating environmental 

issues. 

From June 1 to 30, 2021, Nigeria's 

"Green Lagos" program will 

commemorate plastic recycling 

month and highlight Lagos 

State's milestone achievements 

in advancing a clean environment 

for all under the theme "Officially 

amazing." 

The project directors for the 

Guinness World Record Attempt, 

Somi Oguah, Head of Marketing, 

Recyclan Global, and 

Olafemi George, Humanity Nigeria, 

will lead 'Team Lagos,' a 

group of young volunteers from 

various community-based organizations, 

in a 30-day PET recovery 

attempt in Lagos State.



TRIBUTE 

Professor Felicia Adebola 

Adeyoyin: A tribute 

BY DAMILOLA 

BODUNDE 

PROFESSOR 

Felicia 

Adebola Adeyoyin was 

born at the Baptist Hospital 

Ogbomoso on November 6, 

1938, to the family of Prince 

Robert ‘Labisi and Deaconess 

Julianah Adebisi Awujoola of 

Saki. She attended several 

Baptist schools, including Idi 

Aba Baptist Girls School and 

Baptist Women’s Teachers College, 

Abeokuta. 

She obtained her B.A. Honours 

in Geography in 1968 

from Birkbeck College of London 

University. She then went 

on to complete a Diploma in 

Education in 1976; a Master 

of Arts Degree Cum Laude in 

Social Studies at Columbia 

University, New York, in 1977, 

and Doctor of Philosophy, Curriculum 

in Population and Social 

Studies Education, University 

of Lagos, 1981. She obtained 

a Post Doctoral Certificate 

from the Multinational Institute 

of American Studies, 

New York University, New York 

in 1986. 

She always had fond memories 

of Idi Aba Baptist School. 

She said: “Idi Aba taught me 

to focus on God through Jesus 

Aged 38, she wrote an 

article titled: “Loyalty to 

the Nation, I Pledge” 

which was featured in 

the Daily Times of July 

15, 1976; Gen. Obasanjo, 

the then Head of State, 

accepted her work, modified 

it; he announced that 

the National Pledge of 

Loyalty would be recited 

by pupils at the beginning 

and end of every school 

day as well at every major 

assembly or congregation 

Christ, my Saviour and imparted 

to me the joy of studying 

the Bible, praying and 

rendering service to others. It 

impacted in me dedication to 

duty, respect for constituted 

authority, a dogged determination 

to study with God’s 

help and excel in all that I do.” 

Her working life began at 

her dear Alma Mater, Idi Aba, 

where she taught from 1958 to 

1961; then at the Lagos City 

College, 1968 to 1974; and 

Lagos State College of Education, 

Onitolo, Surulere, Lagos, 

1974 to 1975. She was a 

university lecturer at the University 

of Lagos from 1978 to 

1994 and a UN Administrator 

as a Regional Population Education 

Training Adviser for 

Anglophone Africa from 1994 

to 1999. She was always 

thankful to God for everyone 

that touched her life and for 

her numerous students, whose 

*The late Prof Felicia 

Adedoyin 

BY GBENGA OLAWEPO-HASHIM 

AS a businessman and one with a passion 

for Economics, I have always believed 

that price could be a signal of the best economic 

policy choices. In my secondary school, some 

of my classmates called me ‘Baba Econs’. For 

the fun of it, I took the O’ level WAEC examination 

in Economics as an external student in my 

Junior class, and I was glad with the result; I 

had A1 .When I attended University of Buckingham 

in United Kingdom for my Masters’ 

Degree, I was grateful to God that I obtained 

Distinctions in International Economics and 

International Finance to be sure that the Secondary 

School performance was not a fluke. 

Sounds boastful and immodest but it has become 

necessary in the Nigeria heavily self-opinionated 

atmosphere to make such introduction 

on this emotive subject matter. After all, I am 

just another politician; one of those expected 

‘not to know anything’. 

Back to the real question; what are the things 

that Nigerian herders do that has kept the beef 

price in Nigeria one of the lowest in the world, 

precisely $4.85 per kilogram, compared to 

higher prices obtainable in countries where 

most western oriented commentators want us 

to switch our livestock production pattern to; 

such as the United States where the price of 

beef is 5 times the Nigerian cost, a whopping 

$24.18 per kilogram, Netherlands $24.19 per 

kilogram, Israel $21.49 per kilo. 

What will be the consequence when we 

change the method of raising cattle? Pretty simple 

stuff. The first is that, he takes his cattle to 

the grass, he does not pay for the price of bringing 

the grass to his cattle. The second is almost 

similar, he takes his cattle to water, and he does 

not bring water to his cattle through a complex 

irrigation system that needs to be paid for in 

hard currency and needs to be maintained by 

experts from overseas. 

The third and most important, most times he 

is the pharmacist, nurse and doctor of his cattle 

through a deep understanding of plants in 

the forest, passed to him by his ancestors from 

generation to generation, now lost to most sedentary 

people. This may not be an exactly preferred 

veterinary medical practice, but it helps 

him keep his cost low. 

He’s also the social worker and the security 

personnel to his cattle like David in the Bible 

that would puts his life at risk to save one of his 

sheep, fighting physically with bare hands 

against the Lion. 

Most of us today ridicule that commitment 

to a work culture that has endured for generations. 

We say in derision that some people prefer 

cows to life. The truth of the matter is that 

for any enterprise to succeed and endure, there 

must be passion even before money. Perhaps 

that is why the herder is reluctant to embrace a 

system that would put his cattle in the hands of 

civil servants that have been designed to manage 

the national livestock transformation plan. 

I am not a Fulani, but I grew up in New-Bussa 

Niger State and in Kwara, surrounded by 

Fulani settlements. I did not grow up with the 

consciousness of seeing Fulanis’ as oppressors 

seeking to grab anyone’s land, as is now the 

narrative, because of the almost abject poverty 

of most of them I know while growing up. As a 

matter of fact, we had a lot of them as our helps, 

we respected them and learnt a lot from their 

wisdom and simplicity. 

We all agree that the open grazing must go 

for it sundry limitations even though sometimes 

exaggerated through a general stereotyping 

that confuses the criminal activities of some 

foreign nomads who have infiltrated our forest 

with the generally peaceful and lawful activities 

of local herders that have done their business 

peacefully for ages. 

Some of these well adumbrated ‘sins’ of open 

grazing include; destruction of farm lands, violence 

against sedentary farmers and sometimes 

resulting in death, trespass on private 

properties, land grabbing, ambition of the Fulani 

ethnic group even though unsubstantiated. 

My economic instinct tells me that we may 

have ignored very important lessons from the 

best local expert in cattle rearing and management 

– the Fulani Herder in our emotionally 

driven path to create a new livestock management 

system. 

Agro-Economic policies should not be a function 

of sentiments and politics but sound economics. 

Ranching which some governor’s favor 

will deliver beef to the market at a higher 

cost than that of U.S. if finally adopted, belives 

God impacted through her. 

She was appointed as a Professor 

of Education in 1996. 

She had over 80 published 

books, journal articles, monographs 

and research reports, 

and over 100 papers read at 

national and international conferences 

and papers. 

She married her sweetheart, 

Solomon Adedeji Adeyoyin, 

on her 27th birthday, November 

6, 1965. The marriage was 

blessed with four children and 

many grandchildren. 

Aged 38, she wrote an article 

titled: “Loyalty to the Nation, 

I Pledge” which was featured 

in the Daily Times of July 

15, 1976. The late Barrister, 

Emmanuel A. Adewusi, a mutual 

friend of the Adeyoyins 

and Gen. Olusegun Obasanjo, 

read the article and presented 

it to Gen. Obasanjo in 

August 1976. 

Gen. Obasanjo, the then Head 

of State, accepted her work, modified 

it, and on September 6, 1976, 

presented it to the nation on the 

occasion of the formal launch of 

the Universal Free Primary Education, 

UPE. There, he announced 

that the National 

Pledge of Loyalty would be recited 

by pupils at the beginning and 

end of every school day as well 

at every major assembly or congregation. 

According to him: “…One 

way of preparing the young for 

the future responsibilities as 

citizens of this country is by 

inculcating in them early in 

their lives positive values of 

patriotism, loyalty, and selfless 

services to their fatherland.” 

The National Honour of the 

Officer of the Order of the Niger, 

OON, was conferred on 

her in 2005 for her contribution 

to her fatherland. 

She was in the care of her 

children when she passed 

peacefully on Saturday, May 

1, 2021, aged 82 years old. 

What do Fulani herders do to get meat 

to the market at the cheapest cost? 

cause the landing cost of equipment and services will 

make the price of beef completely unreachable for most 

households. 

The last time I checked the cost of fairly used 18,000 

acres ranch in Argentina was a whopping $10M (5billion 

Naira). Hundreds of such ranches would be needed, 

plus landing cost, cost of corruption, cost of delayed 

delivery, ports congestion, etc. 

I understand that some people don’t mind higher cost 

of beef as long as we ‘deal with the Fulanis’. 

I discussed this with a couple who replied me in Yoruba 

‘Aani tori pe a je eran, ka pe malu ni boda’ (meaning 

literarily - we won’t pass the respect normally reserved 

for humans to a cow on account of our desire to eat 

beef). That may be true and maybe in sync with prevailing 

sentiment, but an enduring National Agricultural 

Policy cannot be determined by base sentiments 

but on the numbers. 

I am persuaded, a policy that confines the herders to 

a grazing reserve where they will still be in control of 

their cattle but will not be in a position to trespass on 

other people’s land would be superior choice to a plan 

that hopes to put experienced pastoralists under the 

management of civil servants who lack any experience 

in cattle breeding and who are advised by imported 

specialist with zero knowledge of the local environment. 

The policy of developing grazing reserve must however 

not be imposed on any state that does not want it; 

after all, ‘Land-Use’ under the Nigerian constitution is 

under the jurisdiction of state government. Those who 

want to breed their cattle at 5 times present cost have 

the fundamental human right to choose that, and those 

who want to breed their cattle at low cost also have 

rights to do so; that is what true federalism means. 

A word of caution for Federal Government official. 

No matter how correct their positions are, they must 

learn the art of communication. they must not give the 

impression that the Fulani Herders are especially favored 

people by them, and unwittingly, setting the Fulani 

up as an endangered ethnic group. 

Both Herder and Farmers are Nigerians, and our 

ability to improve on the local experiences of these two 

strata in the agricultural sector, modernizing their experience, 

improving on their techniques and not completely 

abolishing them will be the direction to go for 

sustainability, peace and security. 

I know this option would be controversial, anyone 

with a better argument should bring it up and let’s debate 

this subject. 

* OLAWEPO-HASHIM, a human rights activist and business 

man, wrote from Lagos


EMMANUEL 

I EMMANUEL EMMANUEL DANIEL 

of Aganjuwa Village of YARKASUWA, 

LERE LGEA, KADUNA STATE would 

like to be known and called DANIEL 

EMMANUEL SULE. All documents 

remain valid. The public to take note 

please. 

ONU OB 

EIGBE DEDE 

I, formerly known as Onu I, formerly known as Miss I, formerly known as Miss 

Emmanuel Ifechukwu, now Beauty Itohan Eigbe, now wish Dede Lawritta, now wish to be 

wish to be known as Onuzuluike to be known as Mrs Beauty known as Mrs Asabiru 

Emmanuel Ifechukwu. All Itohan Ugochukwu. All former Lawritta. All former 

former documents remain documents remain valid. documents remain valid. 

valid. General public please General public please take General public please take 

take note. 

note. 

note. 

AGBOMA 

AGHAOWA 

OPHAN 

I, formerly known as AGBOMA 

BLESSING, now wish to be known 

as ONYEATOR BLESSING 

henceforth. Former documents remain 

valid. General Public, MTN, to 

whom it may concern should please 

take note. 

ASOGU MADUDU AKASI 

UZOKPO OD 

I, formerly known as ASOGU I, formerly known as ESE JOY I, formerly known as Miss I, formerly known as Miss 

IJEOMA EVANGELYN, now wish MADUDU, now wish to be Akasi Vivian, now wish to be Uzokpo Nkemdilim Dorcas, 

to be known as AGALA IJEOMA known as ESE JOY 

known as Mrs Eghebi Celestine 

now wish to be known as Mrs 

EWANSUBHOR. All former 

EVANGELYN. All former 

Dike Nkemdilim Dorcas. All 

Vivian. All former documents 

documents remain valid. 

former documents remain 

documents remain valid. General 

General public please take remain valid. General public 

valid. General public please 

public please take note. 

note. 

please take note. 

take note. 

EJIOFOR 

OMOSUGHE 

AKPOTU 

JENAKUMO 

I, formerly known as Ejiofor In some of my documents my name was I, formerly known as Miss I, formerly known as Miss 

written as OMOSUGHE GODBLESS.E. 

Maryrose Chikaodili, now wish 

while others bear my name as ONOTU Akpotu Fegor, now wish to be Ebiakpo Naomi Jenakumo, 

to be known as Awiaka GODBLESS ETAOGHENE. that all these known and addressed as Mrs. now wish to be known and 

Maryrose Chikaodili. All names belongs to one and same person, 

addressed as Mrs. Adams 

Fregene Fegor. All former 

but I now wish to be known and addressed 

Ebiakpo Naomi. All former 



as ONOTU GODBLESS ETAOGHENE. 


valid. Banks and general public All documents remain valid, general public, General public please take General public please take 

take note. 

banks, and all authorities concern take note. note. 

note. 

JATAU 

AKPOMEDAYE UCHE OBIRIKI 

I, formerly known as John Jatau in I, formerly known and addressed as I, formerly known and I, OBIRIKI DORIS EFE wish to state that 

my BVN, now wish to be known as Mcintosh Oghenekioja addressed as Anele Uche now my BVN account name was wrongly 

Akpomedaye, now wish to be known wish to be known and addressed written as EROMOSELE EFE DORIS, 

Godfrey John. All former documents 

and addressed as Odjighere as Anele Nkemdirim. All instead of OBIRIKI DORIS EFE. All 

remain valid. The authorities to 

Mcintosh Oghenekioja. All former former documents remain documents bearing my former name 

whom it may concern and the general 

documents remain valid. General invalid. General public take remain valid. The relevant authorities and 

public to please take note. 

public take note. 

note. 

to whom it may concern please take note. 

AMEH 

KUNDE 

ISIEKWE 

OSEGBUE 

I, formerly known as Miss I, formerly known as Miss I, formerly known as Miss I, formerly known and addressed as 

Miracle Abeje Ameh, now wish Kunde Peace, now wish to be 

Isiekwe Maryann Onuwa, now Miss Osegbue Elizabeth 

to be known as Mrs. Benson 

wish to be known as Mrs. Afeh Ifeanyichukwu, now wish to be 

known as Mrs. Agbarah Peace. 

Miracle Rekpene. All former 

Maryann Onuwa. All former known and addressed as Mrs. 

All former documents remain 


documents remain valid. Elizabeth Ifeanyichukwu Mbanefo. 

General public please take valid. General public please General public please take All former documents remain valid. 

note. 

take note. 

note. 

General public please take note. 

OKOTIE 

EGWONO 

NDUKUBA 

OKONKWO 

I, formerly known and addressed as 

Miss Okotie Christy, now wish to 

be known and addressed as Mrs. 

Omodio Christy. All former 



IGBOKWE 


Igbokwe Chiamaka Promise, now 

wish to be known and addressed as 

Maduakolam Chiamaka Promise. All 

former documents remain valid. 


ATEGWU 


ATEGWU ULIMMUKA 

OGHENEVWARE, now wish to be 

known and addressed as 

IKEDIASHI ULIMMUKA. All 



KOKO 

I, formerly known as Enewarikpemi 

Osuobeni T. and Enewarikpemi 

Tariwaribakumo O., now wish to be 

known as Enewarikpemi 

Tariwaribakumo Koko. All former 



I, formerly known as AGHAOWA 

BLESSING ONYINYE, now wish 

to be known as AMUKA 

KINGSLEY AGHAOWA 

henceforth. Former documents remain 

valid. General Public, to whom it may 

concern should please take note. 


Miss Emoghene Perpetual Egwono, 

now wish to be known and 

addressed as Mrs. Omovike 

Perpetual Egwono. All former 



AHATOR 


Iserameiya Ahator Joel, now wish to 

be known and addressed as 

Iserameiya Oseghale Joel. All former 



CLIFFORD 

I, Formerly known and addressed as 

TRACY CLIFFORD. Now wish to 

be known and addressed as OKEKE 

FAVOUR CHINAZOR. All former 

documents remain valid general 


AKPOS 

I, formerly known as MISS HELEN 

ONORIODE AKPOS, now wish to 

be addressed as MRS HELEN 

ONORIODE UNU, all formal 

documents remains valid, general 

public whom it may concern take 

note. 


MISS OPHAN, ANTHONIA, now 


MRS. OKOSIJE, ANTHONIA. All 




Miss Chioma Ndukuba, now wish to 

be known and addressed as Mrs. 

Chioma Igbolekwu. All former 



AWELE 

This is to confirm that the names 

Nwaise Lucky Awele and Nwaise 

Lucky Chekwume refer to one and 

same person. I now wish to be known 

and addressed as Nwaise Lucky 

Chekwume. All former documents 

remain valid. General public please 

take note. 

ATOUT 


MRS ATOUT EVI STELLA. Now 

MISS AKPOROBARO EVI 

STELLA. All former documents 

remain valid general public please 

take note. 

OLOKU 

I, formerly known as OLOKU 

NKECHI, now wish to be 

addressed as OLISE NKECHI 

LOVETH, all formal 

documents remain valid, 

general public whom it may 

concern take note. 

OGBONNA 


OGBONNA RUTH CHINYERE 


addressed as MRS AKUBUIRO 

RUTH CHINYERE. All former 


Public to take note. 

OSSAI OD 


MISS OSSAI, EDNA NWAKEGO, 


addressed as MRS. AFITUWO, 

EDNA NWAKEGO. All former 




Okonkwo Anulika Getrude Chioma, 


addressed as Onweluzo Anulika 

Getrude Chioma. All former 



AGUBE 

This is to confirm that my correct 

name is Agube Raphael Martins. 

However, it was wrongly written in 

my Current Account with First Bank 

Nigeria Plc as Agube Raphel 

Martins instead of Agube Raphael 

Martins. All former documents 


take note. 

EMOKPAIRE 


MISS EMOKPAIRE DANIE LLA 

TAREIRE . Now wish to be known 

and addressed as MRS. 

EMOSEGBE DANIELLA 

TAREIRE. All former documents 

remain valid general public please 

take note. 

OSSAI 

I, formerly known as MISS OSSAI 

OGOCHUKWU HOPE, now wish 

to be addressed as MRS KELIKUME 

IFECHUKWUDENI HOPE, all 

formal documents remain valid, 

general public whom it may concern 

take note. 

OPUTE NWOSU EG 

I, formerly known as Opute 

Felix Akpoghene, now wish to 

be known as Owhoaridowho 

Akpoghene Felix. All former 


General public please take 

note. 

CHIDI 


Uche Chidi, now wish to be known 

and addressed as Uche Chidi 

Destiny. All former documents 


take note. 

OMOROGIE 

I, formerly known as Miss 

Omorogie Sarah Chigozie, now 

wish to be known as Mrs 

Destiny Sarah Chigozie. All 



take note. 

EKPO 


Linda Ekpo, now wish to be 

known and addressed as Mrs 

Linda Enerijofi. All former 



note. 

AKPAROBORE 

I, formerly known as MISS 

AKPAROBORE OGHENEKEVWE, now 

wish to be known as MRS 

A N N O M U O G H A R A N 

OGHENEKEVWE. All documents 

bearing my former name remain valid. 

The relevant authorities and to whom it 

may concern please take note. 

NWABURUOKE 


Miss Nwaburuoke Patience, now 


Mrs. Ikojo Patience. All former 



ONYEKACHUKWU 


Kemeyechim 

Clinton 

Onyekachukwu, now wish to be 


Onyekachukwu Clinton 

Kemeyechim Ogechi. All former 



ODALONU 

This is to confirm that the names 

Chukwuma Justina Nkechi and 

Odalonu Justina Nkechiyere refer to 

one and same person. I now wish to 


Chukwuma Justina Nkechi. All 



OLISE 


MISS PROMISE NWAMAKA 

OLISE. Now wish to be known and 

addressed as UWANOGHOR 

NWAMAKA PROMISE. All former 

documents remain valid, general 


DAVID 

This is to confirm that DAVID 

NELLY ISHIOMA & OLISE 

ISIOMA NELLY refer to same and 

one person, but now wish to be 

addressed as OLISE ISIOMA 

NELLY, all formal documents remain 

valid banks whom it may concern take 

note. 

UHUREBOR 

I, formerly known as MISS. UHUREBOR 

OZIOMA REJOICE Now wish to be known 

as MRS. IBEGBULEM OZIOMA 

REJOICE. All former documents remain 

valid. WAEC, Nnamdi Azikiwe University, 

Awka, NYSC and General public please 

take note. 

AJAH 

I, formerly known as Ajah Onyinyechi 

Rita of Ihie Ishiagu in Ivo LGA, 

Ebonyi State now wish to be known 

as Stephen Onyinyechi Rita. All 

documents bearing former names 

remain valid. General public should 

take note. 

ORJIAKOR 

I, formerly known as Orjiakor 

Henry Izuchukwu, now wish to 

be known as Marks Henry 

Izuchukwu. All former 


Banks and general public take 

note. 

OGAGA 

I, formerly known as AKPOMRETA 

JULIUS OGAGA, now wish to be 

known as AKPOMRETA 

OGAGAOGHENE JULIUS. All 


Banks general public take note. 

EZEJIMOFOR 

I, formerly known as 

Ezejimofor William M., now 

wish to be known and addressed 

as Ezejimofor William 

Ochiogu. All former 



note. 

OSASONA 


Miss Osasona Anuoluwapo 

Olaotan, now wish to be known and 

addressed as Mrs. Aniagwu 

Anuoluwapo Olaotan. All former 



OMAYE 


Omaye Dadakpoye, now wish to be 

known and addressed as Ekwale 

Abdul-Razak Dadakpoye. All former 



OSUJI 

My name was wrongly captured in 

my BVN as OSUJI LAMBERT 

AMAECHI, instead of my new name 

as OSUJI LAMBERT AMECHI. All 



EWENKINEYANE 

EZEDOM 


Miss Ewenkineyane Dora 

Omamuyowi now wish to be known 

and addressed as Mrs Ideh Dora 

Omamuyowi, former documents 

remain valid, authorities concerned 

and general public please take note.


ASIAFA 

My name was wrongly written as 

Asiafa Gloria Uloma instead of 

Asiafa Glory Uloma henceforth l 


Asiafa Glory Uloma, former 

documents remain valid, authorities 

concerned and general public please 

take note. 

SARUMI FESTUS 

I, formerly known as SARUMI 

ABIODUN IYABODE. Now wish 

to be known as EZULU ABIODUN 

IYABODE. All documents bearing 

my former names remain valid. 

General public take note. 

MINAH 

I, formerly known as MISS. MINAH 

BOMA HALIMA and MRS. 

OSAYAMEN BOMA MINAH. Now 

wish to be known as MRS. MINAH- 

OSAYAMEN BOMA HALIMA. All 

documents bearing my former names 

remain valid. General public take 

note. 

OKOSUN 


Rev. Okosun Omonojo Jonathan now 


Rev. Okosi Omonojo Jonathan. All 

former documents remain vaild. And 

any authority it may concern and the 

general public take note. 

OYOVWIKIGHO 


Miss Oyovwikigho Favour now 


Mrs Favour Moses. All former 

documents remain vaild. And any 

authority it may concern and the 


ADAMS 


Adams Esther Mojisola as well as 

Oludare Esther Mojisola, now wish 

to be known and addressed as 

Komolafe Esther Mojisola. Former 



take note. 

OKUKU 

I, formerly known as Francis 

Efe Okuku, now wish to be 

known as Francis Efe David. 


valid. All relevant authorities 

and the general public please 

take note. 

FESTUS TOBI 


Miss. TOBI Enid Justin, now wish 

to be known and addressed as Mrs. 

FAWEI Enid Justin. All former 

documents remain valid. The general 

public should please take note. 

ODIGIE 


Miss. Sandra Omoriyekemwen 

Odigie, now wish to be known and 

addressed as Mrs. Sandra 

Omoriyekemwen Suleiman. All 

former documents remain valid. The 

general public should please take 

note. 

IBRAHIM 

I, formerly known as KHALIL 

IBRAHIM, now wish to be known 

and addressed as KHALIL 

SAMUEL. All former documents 

remain valid and general public 


OKONKWOR 

I, formerly known as Okonkwor 

Blessing, now wish to be known 

and addressed as Odianosen 

Blessing. All former documents 

remain valid and general public 


OROVWOHWOTITE 

I formerly known and addressed as 

Miss Cynthia Temabor 

Orovwohwotite, now wish to be 


Cynthia Temabor Orogho, former 

documents remain valid authorities 


take note. 

EDIRIN 

I, formerly known as MISS EDIRIN 

EVIDENCE OGHENEMINE, now 


MRS OJEVWE JENNIFER 

OGHENEMINE. All former 

documents remain valid, any 

authority it may concern and general 

public to take note. 

OMOLUWABI 


Omoluwabi Omeyiza Esther, now 


Balogun-Omoluwabi Omeyiza 

Esther. Former documents remain 

valid, authorities concerned and 

general public please take note. 

EGUNKUMOR 

I, EGUNKUMOR KEMELA-EMI wish to 

notify the general public that in opening 

my account with Zenith Bank my name 

was wrongly captured as EGUNKUMOR 

FABULOUS instead of EGUNKUMOR 

KEMELA-EMI which is my correct 

name. All former documents remain vaild. 

And any authority it may concern and the 


ERNEST 


Tisa Enifome Ernest now wish to be 

known and addressed as Emuobor 

Enifome Ernest. All former 




OYETADE 

I, Oyetade Alexander Komolafe by 

this Notice to the Public confirm that 

I am the same person previously 

known and addressed as Komolafe 

Oyetade Alex, Tade Alex Komolafe 

and Komolafe O. Alex. Former 



take note. 

OGUNNIRAN 


Miss. OGUNNIRAN Oluwakemi 

Deborah, now wish to be known 

and addressed as Mrs. 

EKUNDAYO Oluwakemi 

Deborah. All former documents 

remain valid. The general public 

should please take note. 

EGWUDA 


Miss. Egwuda Mercy Ojochide, now 


Mrs. Joshua-Fanaiye Mercy 

Ojochide. All former documents 



EBHODAGHE 


Ebhodaghe Grandson Ezra, now 


Ebhodaghe Grandson Eseigbe. All 



note. 

ONOCHA 

I, formerly known as Miss Ejecha 

Ogheneroborue Onocha, now wish 

to be known as Mrs Ejecha 

Ogheneroborue Omamogho. All 

former documents remain valid and 


FAVOUR 


Aronunkemakonam Favour, now 


Achunkemakonam Favour. All former 

documents remain valid and general 


CHANGE OF NAME 

AKPEVWE 


AKPEVWE 

FAVOUR 

UGHELLITANURE Now wish to be 

known and addressed as FEMI 

AKPEVWE FAVOUR. All former 



OJEVWE 

These names Ojevwe Onisuru, 

Ojevwe. O. Endurance and Ojevwe 

Eddy Maverick belongs to the same 

person but now wish to be known 

and addressed as Ojevwe Eddy 

Maverick. All former documents 

remain valid any authority it may 

concern and general public to take 

note. 

OLATUNJI 


Olatunji Tracy Motunrayo, now wish 

to be known and addressed as Owolabi 

Tracy Motunrayo. Former documents 

remain valid, authorities concerned and 


OGBEMUDIARE 

I, OGBEMUDIARE EJIROGHENE 

PURITY wish to notify the general public 

that in my BVN details my name was 

wrongly wrtten as OGBEMUDIARE EJIRO 

PURITY instead of OGBEMUDIARE 

EJIROGHENE PURITY which is my 

correct name. All former documents 

remain vaild. And any authority it may 

concern and the general public take note. 

EZUGWU 


Miss Ezugwu Monica Tochi and 

Ezugwu Monic Tochi respectively 

now wish to be known and addressed 

as Mrs Emmanuel Monic Tochi. All 




UKACHUKWU 


Miss Ukachukwu Mary- Jane 

Chiamaka, now wish to be known and 

addressed as Mrs Izuawuba Mary- 

Jane Chiamaka. Former documents 

remain valid, authorities concerned 

and general public please take note. 

ABDULKARIM 


Miss. ABDULKARIM Rasheedat 

Adebanke, now wish to be known 

and addressed as Mrs. OLOWU 

Rasheedat Adebanke. All former 



OKORIE 


Miss. OKORIE Kelechi Benita, now 


Mrs. EKETE Kelechi Benita. All 



note. 

EGBUCHUNEM 


Miss Egbuchunem Akudo Euphemia, 

now wish to be known and addressed 

as Mrs. Anosike Akudo Euphemia. All 



note. 

OLUSHOGA 

I, formerly known as Alfred David 

Olushoga, now wish to be known as 

Alfred Olusoga David. All former 



IGHAGBON 

I, formerly known as Ighagbon 

Hope, now wish to be known 

and addressed as Erhire Hope. 


valid and general public please 

take note. 

OGBUOKIRI 


Ogbuokiri Happiness Onyekachi, 


addressed as Uba Happiness 

Onyekachi. All former documents 

remain valid, general public please 

take note. 

SALAMI 


SALAMI 

RAMOTA 

MOTUNRAYO, now wish to be 

known and addressed as BUSARI 

RAMOTA MOTUNRAYO. All 

former documents remain valid 


ODAFE 


Odafe Augustina Eseoghene, now 


Ehwegbako Augustina Eseoghene. 

Former documents remain valid, 

authorities concerned and general 


OWOLO 


Owolo Victoria now wish to be known 

and addressed as Ugboduma 

Ogheneruemu Grace. All former 



general public tale note. 

SHAYEGBEMI 

I wish to confirm that OMAMOFE-JOSEPH 

SHAYEGBEMI, OMAMOFE-JOSEPH 

ORITSESHAYEGBEMI and OMAMOFE- 

JOSEPH SHAYE. Is one and same person, 

now wish to be known call and addressed as 

OMAMOFE-JOSEPH SHAYEGBEMI. All 

documents bearing former names remain 

valid.general public please take note. 

AGWOR 


Agwor Uloma Sylvester, now wish to 


Onyeozomeni Chukwudi Sylvester. 

Former documents remain valid, 

authorities concerned and general 


ABDULKABIR 


Miss. ABDULKABIR Monsurat 

Tinuke. now wish to be known and 

addressed as Mrs. OLANIPEKUN 

Monsurat Tinuke. All former 



ODOWU 


Miss Odowu Faith Samuel, now 


Mrs Odowu Faith Ajayi. All former 

documents remain valid, public 


AKPETI 


Mrs Akpeti Touns Regina Ndidi, 


addressed as Mrs. Touns Regina. All 



note. 

take note. 

ULINKHIFUN 


Evngeline Enagbomhen 

Ulinkhifun, now wish to be 


Umeh .E. Evangeline. All 



take note. 

ANIFOWOSHE 

I, Formerly known and 

addressed as Anifowoshe Tosin, 


addressed as Anifowose Tosin 

John. All former documents 

remain valid general public 


ODION 


SUNDAY ROSE ODION now wish 

to be known and addressed as AJAYI 

OMOTOLA ROSE. All former 



TEMIKPESAN 

My correct name is TEMIKPESAN 

OBATARE NANCY. But was 

wrongly written as TEMIKPESAN 

DAVID NANCY. All documents 

bearing the former name remain valid. 

First Bank Plc and General public 


ROLAND 


Miss Roland Oghenevwegba Glory 


addressed as Mrs Glory 

Oghenevwegba Godwin. All former 




OFONMBUK 


OFONMBUK EFFIONG 

ESSENOWO, now wish to be 

known and addressed as MRS. 

OFONMBUK UDEME IME. All 

former documents remain valid. General 

public please take note 

ADOGA 


Miss Roseline Adoga, now wish to 

be known and addressed as Mrs 

Otokpa, Roseline Innocent. Former 



take note. 

ADEFISAN 


Miss. ADEFISAN Adedoyin 

Omobolanle, now wish to be known 

and addressed as Mrs. ADEOYE 

Adedoyin Omobolanle. All former 



SAMUEL 


Miss Samuel Onono Ruth, now wish 

to be known and addressed as Mrs 

Ruth Onono Ehize. All former 

documents remain valid. Public 


TIMOTHY 

My name was wrongly written as 

Timothy Oluwatosin Abigeal on 

some of my documents. I now wish 

to be known as Folorunsho 

Oluwatosin Abigeal. All former 

documents remain valid. NIN, JAMB 

and the general public should please 

take note. 

ORONSAYE 

OLIKA 

OKON 

OJOBOR 

OGBONNA 

ABIODUN 

OKOYE OT 

ANACHUNA 

We, formerly known and addressed as Anachuna Okechukwu Mohay, Mbadiwe-Anachuna Kanayo 

Joan, Anachuna Zikora Lucy, Anachuna Utodinachi Isabel, Anachuna Afoma Rosario and Anachuna 

Ifechukwu Mariae, now wish to be known and addressed as Ifeacho Okechukwu Mohay, Mbadiwe- 

Ifeacho Kanayo Joan, Ifeacho Zikora Lucy, Ifeacho Utodinachi Isabel, Ifeacho Afoma Rosario and 

Ifeacho Ifechukwu Mariae. All former documents remain valid. The general public should please 

ORJI 

I, formerly known as Rhema 

Chinedu Orji, now wish to be 

known and addressed as Rhema 

Eberechi Orji. All former 

documents remain valid and 


I, Formerly known and addressed as Miss 

ORONSAYE ABIEMWENSE TRACY, 

now wish to be known and addressed as 

MRS ODUWARE-ORONSAYE 

ABIEMWENSE TRACY. All former 

documents remain valid general public 


I, formerly known as MISS. 

CHINENYENWA ESTHER 

OLIKA. Now wish to be known as 

MRS. CHINENYENWA ESTHER 

ONYEBUASHI. All documents 

bearing my former name remain valid. 



Miss Okon Blessing Godwin now 


Mrs Joseph Blessing Ekpono. All 





Miss Ojobor Eloho Janet now wish 


Okpan Eloho Janet. All former 





OGBONNA CHINWENDU 

DECHIO, now wish to be known 

and addressed as MRS 

CHINWENDU NNAMDI IJEOMA. 

All former documents remain valid. 


My name was written as Adebisi 

Adebiodun, instead of Adebisi 

Abiodun Mohammed. Former 



take note. 

NEEMANA 


Mr EMMANUEL BARILEDUM 

NEEMANA, now wish to be known 

and addressed as Mr EMMANUEL 

BARILEDUM. All former 



EGBON 


Miss Osayamen Loveth Egbon now 


Mrs Osayamen Loveth Agho. All 

former documents remain valid, public 



Okoye Ngozi Chioma, now wish to 


Ezenyeaku Ngozi Chioma. All former 



ORHOKUKU 

I, formerly known as Miss Orhokuku 

Oghenekome, now wish to be known 

and addressed as Mrs Ohakor 

Oghenekome Laura. All former 


public please take note.

SULEIMAN 


Rahimatu Suleiman 

Surajudeen, now wish to be 


Rahimatu Surajudeen. All 



take note. 

NNODIM FESTUS 

I, formerly known as Nnodim 

Chioma Joy, now wish to be 

known as Ofoma Chioma Joy. 



take note. 

DOMINIC 

I, formerly known and addressed 

as MR. JOSHUA UBEKU, and 

MR. JOSHUA DOMINIC 

UBEKU now wishes to be known 

and addressed as MR. JOSHUA 

EMUMENA UBEKU. All former 

documents remains valid. The 

general public, please take note. 

JOSEPH 


Joseph Adinoyi Now wish to be 

known and addressed as Bello 

Adinoye. All former documents 

remain valid General public and 

authority concerned please take 

note. 

ABDULLAHI 

I WAS FORMERLY KNOWN & 

ADDRESSED AS ABDULLAHI 

JEREMIAH & DOB 12/12/1988 

NOW WISH TO BE KNOWN & 

CALLED OBAJE JEREMIAH & 

DOB 03/04/1990 GENERAL 

PUBLIC TO TAKE NOTE 

OPARA 


MISS OPARA IMMACULATE 

CHINWENDU, Now wish to be 

known and addressed as MRS 

UBOCHI IMMACULATE 

CHINWENDU.All former 

documents remain valid General 

public and authority concerned 


MONDAY 

I, formerly known and 

addressed as UBOKUDOM 

ETIMA MONDAY, now wish 


IBOK ETIMA UNYIMEABSI. 


valid. General public take note 

OKOJI 

I Formerly Known and Addressed 

as MISS. OKOJI IFEYINWA 

MARY Now Wish to be known 

and addressed as Mrs BARIGBOR 

IFEYINWA ANTHONY All 

Former documents remain Valid. 

General public take note 

CHIKA 

I, formerly known as SGT. 

OKAFOR CHIKA IKENNA. Now 

wish to be known as SGT. 

OKAFOR 

LUCKY 

NWANNEKA. All documents 

bearing my former name remain 

valid. The general public take note. 

EZEH 

I, formerly known as MISS. EZEH 

ASCENTA OBINSO CHIZOBA 

. Now wish to be known as MRS. 

IHEANACHO ASCENTA 

OBINSO CHIZOBA . All 

documents bearing my former name 


take note. 

OKWUAZU 


OKWUAZU Elohor Ndidi, now 


as Mrs ABIONA Elohor Ndidi. All 

former documents remain valid, 


EGWU 

I, formerly known as Egwu 

Blessing Oluchi, now wish to 


Amuji Blessing Oluchi. All 



take note. 

ODA 

I, formerly known, called and 

addressed as MISS BASSEY 

ATIM ODA, now wish to be 


SARAH BASSEY RIMAN. All 


Banks and general public should 

take note. 

OKON 

I formerly known and addressed 

as MISS OKON ELSIE 

OLUWAFUNMILAYO now 


as MRS OYEKAN ELSIE 

OLUWAFUNMILAYO. All 



GAFAR 


Miss Gafar Nimotallahi Kofoworola 

Now wish to be known and 

addressed as Mrs Junaid 

Nimotallahi Gafar. All former 



please take note 

YAHAYA 

I WAS FORMERLY KNOWN & 

ADDRESSED AS YAHAYA 

ELEOJO NOW WISH TO BE 

KNOWN & ADDRESSED AS 

YUNUSA JOY ELE GENERAL 

PUBLIC TO TAKE NOTE 

REUBEN 

I formerly known and called as 

REUBEN AREWEREDEME 

OMONIA TEDE. Now wish to be 

known and called as OMONIA 

TEDE 

REUBEN 

AREWEREDEME. Former 


Authority concern and general 


OKOLIKO 

I WAS FORMALLY KNOWN & 

CALLED OKOLIKO 

ROSEMARY & DOB 06/07/ 

1984 NOW WISH TO BE 

KNOWN & ADDRESS AS 

AMELOKO MARY & DOB 10/ 

05/1974 GENERAL PUBLIC TO 

TAKE NOTE 

ILOANYA 


as Miss ILOANYA AMALA 

ANITA Now Wish to be known 

and addressed as Mrs 

UDOCHUKWU AMALA ANITA 

All Former documents remain 

Valid. General public take note 

ALIOGO OT 


UDOCHUKWU ALIOGO & 

UDOCHUKWU EBERE 

NWAGBA . Now wish to be 

known as UDOCHUKWU 

NWAGBA. All documents bearing 

my former name remain valid. The 


CHIKWE 


CHIKWE OGECHI CYNTHIA. 

Now wish to be known as MRS. 

CHRISTOPHER OGECHI 

CYNTHIA. All documents bearing 

my former name remain valid. The 


ELOHOR 


Emamezi Mary Elohor, now wish 


Emamezi Mary Adekanye. All 

former documents remain valid, 


ASIPITA 

I Formerly known and adressed as 

ATIMAH HABIBAT 

ASIPITA, now wish to be 

addressed as ATIMAH 

HABIBAT RUTH, All former 

documents remain Valid. General 


BABA 


TARABA B. BELLO, now 


as BABA BELLO 

TARABA. All former 

documents remain valid and 


NWOSU 


as NWOSU CHIDINMA , I now 


as ISAAC JENNIFER 

CHIDINMA. All former 

documents remain valid. The 

general public should take note. 

EZEOKEKE 


EZEOKEKE MAURREN 

ONYINYE, Now wish to be known 

and addressed as CHIKWENDU 

MAURREN ONYINYE. All former 




AGBAJE 

CHANGE OF NAME 

DENEOR 

I, formerly known as Deneor 

Dennis Atoza, now wish to be 


Demeor Dennis Atoza. All 



take note. 

THEOPHILUS 

I formerly known and 

addressed as ATOROUGH 

WAIOR THEOPHILUS now 


as ATOROUGH WAIOR. All 


valid. FIRST BANK and 


ANYAEZE 

I FORMERLY KNOWN AND 

ADDRESSED AS MISS 

ANYAEZE 

BASILIA 

OSITADIMMA NOW WISH TO 

BE KNOWN AND ADDRESSED 

AS MRS UBA BASILIA 

OSITADIMMA. FORMER 

DOCUMENTS REMAIN 

VALID. GENERAL PUBLIC 

TAKE NOTE. 


as MISS. EUCHARIA 

MACDONALD AGBAJE Now 

Wish to be known and addressed 

as MRS. EUCHARIA 

MACJONES OLIKA All 

Former documents remain Valid. 


EZE 


EZE, LISA NGWANMA . 

Now wish to be known as 

MRS. ABRAHAM, LISA 

NGWANMA . All documents 

bearing my former name 

remain valid. The general 


NWAORGU 


BARTHELOMEW SUCCESS 

IKEM. Now wish to be known 

as NWAORGU, SUCCESS 

IKEM . All documents bearing 

my former name remain valid. 

The general public take note. 

OJABECHA 

I, formerly known as MARGARET 

OJABECHA , now wish to be 


MARGARET ODILI. All former 



MTOMGA 


as MTOMGA AONDOASEER 

MARK now wish to be known 

and addressed as BUTU 

AONDOASEER MARK. All 



take note. 

NGOZI 

I, formerly known as Ngozi 

Joy Chinwekele now to be 

known as Ugwuzor Joy 

Chinwekele. All former 



OBIEKEA 

I formerly known as Obiekea 

Victoria Dumebi Now wish to 

be known as Obasa Victoria 

Dumebi. Former documents 

remain valid. Public note. 

EVANGELINE 

That my name on my National Identity 

Management System was wrongly 

captured as Agbonifo Evangeline 

Blessing instead of Agbonifo 

Evangeline Blessing Destiny. 

Henceforth, I wish to be known and 

addressed as Agbonifo Evangeline 

Blessing Destiny. All former 



SMITH 

During BVN enrollment at first bank 

plc, my name appeared as ISRAEL 

ONWUCHEKWA SMITH and my 

D.O.B wrongly written as 10th may, 

1996. That my correct name is 

ONWUCHEKWA ISRAEL SMITH 

and my correct D.O.B is 10th April, 

1996. All former documents remain 

valid. Banks and general public 

should take note. 

FELIX 

I, formerly known and 

addressed as MISS JOYCE 

NYOMANGYA FELIX now 


as MISS VERA FARIDAT 

MBAUME. All former 



JUSTICE 

THIS TO CONFIRM THAT 

OGINI OBINNA JUSTICE AND 

OGINI OBINNA REFERS TO 

ONE AND SAME PERSON, 

NOW WISH TO BE KNOWN 

AND ADDRESSED AS OGINI 

OBINNA JUSTICE. ALL 

FORMER DOCUMENTS 

REMAIN VALID. GENERAL 

PUBLIC TAKE NOTE. 

OKOYE 


OKOYE, CHIGOZIE MARYANN 

. Now wish to be known as MRS. 

ILOCHONWU, CHIGOZIE 

MARYANN. All documents 



ADENIJI 


SUCCESS TEMITOPE 

ADENIJI . Now wish to be 

known as SUCCESS 

SORUCHI FELIX . All 

documents bearing my former 

name remain valid. The 


ADAGU 

I formerly known and called as 

HASSAN SALAMATU. Now wish 

to be known and called as ADAGU 

SALAMATU HASSAN. My date 

of birth is 27/9/1978 not 26/6/1978. 

Former documents remain valid. 

GT bank / Zenith bank PLC and 

general public to take note. 

ROSEMARY 


Efenwongbe Rosemary, now wish 

to be known and addressed as Mrs. 

Samuel-Gbalubi Roseary 

Nkemdilim. All former documents 

remain valid, general public please 

take note. 


JIBUNOH 

I formerly known as ANTHONY 

CHINYEM JIBUNOH now wish 


ANTHONY CHINYEM EJIME 

CHUKWUEMEKA. all former 


public and to whom it may concern 


JULIANA 


Okpalanozie Ndidiamaka 

Juliana, now wish to be known 

as Mrs Amaka Ernest 

Nkemka. All former 



note. 

ASADA 

I formerly known as Asada Pius 

Clara Osi Now wish to be 

known, Called and addressed as 

Pius Clara Oshikhotse. Former 

documents remain valid. Public 

note 

ABANONU 

I, formerly known as Abanonu 

Paschaline Chidinma, now wish to 

be known and addressed as Obi 

Paschaline Chidinma. All former 



CHIGOZIRIM 

I, formerly known as ANOZIE 

VICTOR CHIGOZIRIM, now 

wish to be known as ANOZIE 

VICTOR CHIDERA.All 



take note. 

OLUWADAHUNSI 


Miss Esther Oluwafunmilayo 

Oluwadahunsi now wish to be 

known and addressed as Mrs Esther 

Oluwafunmilayo Caleb- 

Mefolere.All former documents 

remain valid.General public take 

note. 

MOSES 

This is to notify the general public 

that my name was written as AGU 

IFEANYI MOSES instead of 

NATHANIEL, AGU NDIDI. That 

my correct name is NATHANIEL, 

AGU NDIDI. And my correct date 

of birth is 10 December, 1994. All 


general public should take note. 

AJA 

I, formerly known as AJA 

OGBONNA AJA . Now wish to 

be known as OGBONNA 

FRIDAY OKWUTE . All 

documents bearing my former 

name remain valid. The general 


OBIOLA 


as TOCHUKWU STELLA 

OBIOLA now wish to be known 

and addressed as OKEKE 

TOCHUKWU STELLA. Former 



AYUBA 

I, formerly known as AYUBA 

IDRIS. Now wish to be known as 

AYUBA IDRISU.. All 



take note. 

EMILY 


YEKOVIE EMILY and MISS 

ABALA EMILY, now wish to be 


OBAR EMILY. All former 



DIBIE 

I formerly known as Dibie 

Sandra Nko Now wish to be 


Moseri Sandra Nko. that all 

formal documents remain 

valid, that zenith bank, union 

bank & others relevant 

authorities should take note. 

UKABIALA 


as ANYANWU BONIFACE 

UKABIALA, now wish to be 


ANYANWU BONIFACE 

UWABUNKEONYE. All former 



FASHOLA 

I formerly known and 

addressed as Otesanya Sunday 

Fashola Now wish to be 


Otesanya Sunday Adeoye. All 


valid General public and 

authority concerned please 

take note. 

AKOH 

I WAS FORMALLY KNOWN & 

ADDRESSED AS AKOH 

RACHAEL OJIMA & DOB 27/ 

03/1987 NOW WISH TO BE 

KNOWN & CALLED AKOH 

RACHEL OJIMA & DOB 27/03/ 

1990 GENERAL PUBLIC TO 

TAKE NOTE. 

NWAOKIKE 


Miss Nwaokike Sandra Ifunanya, 

Now wish to be known and 

addressed as Mrs Ofodu Sandra 

Ifunanya (nee nwaokike). All former 




EGWUATU 


EGWUATU UCHENNA 

BLESSING, now wish to be known 

and addressed as MRS. 

VALENTINE UCHENNA 

BLESSING. All former documents 


should take note. 

WAYII 

I Formerly known as Miss 

WAYII GLORY LEZINA, now 

wish to be known as Mrs 

GBIMUE GLORY LEZINA. 


Valid General Public take note 

OKOYE 


NNEKA PATIENCE OKOYE . 

Now wish to be known as MRS. 

NNEKA PATIENCE 

AGBANAJELU. All documents 



OMONYI 

I, formerly known as ADETOMI 

MUTIU OMONYI . Now wish to 

be known as ABUBAKA 

ADETOMI MUTIU. All 



take note. 

MUSA 

I FORMERY KNOWN AS 

ABDULKADIR MUSA . D.O.B., 

1987 NOW WISH TO BE 

KNOWN ADDRESSED AND 

MUSA ABDULQADIR ., D.O.B. 

1993 ALL FORMER 

DOCUMENTS REMAIN 

VALID,The general public take 

note. 

IJEI 

I, formerly known as IJEI 

YADILI, now wish to be 


YADILI DESMOND SIRAKA 


valid, general public please 

take note.

40—FRIDAY Vanguard, JUNE 18, 2021 

By BENJAMIN NJOKU 

Charly Boy at 70: His 

unconventional lifestyle, 

activism and beliefs ... 

“I have spent over 40 years of my life 

leading protest for a better society.” These 

were the undeniable words that set 

Charly Boy apart from other contemporary Nigerian 

musicians and ultimately pitched him 

against the political establishment in the country. 

Without mincing words, the maverick musician’s 

life revolves around protest and controversy. 

In fact, since he came into the limelight 

after releasing his 1984 highlife single 

“Obodo GiriGiri,” the maverick musician has 

never ceased to attract either negative or positive 

attention to himself for any reason. 

Like the late Afro-beat legend Fela, the maverick 

singer is known for using his music and 

brand to express his solidarity with people 

fighting for their rights. He may have patronized 

unconventional lifestyle that once pitched 

him against his late parents, his ideological 

convictions and values on human nature are 

such that cannot be ignored. 

For more than four decades, the Area Fada 

as he's fondly called by his fans has been an 

advocate for challenging bad governance and 

has encouraged defiance against the political 

establishment. 

Unlike most of his contemporaries, Charly 

Boy has spent the better part of his years fighting 

for the rights of ordinary Nigerians. His 

civil rights activism dated back to the late 80s, 

after he released his most popular album, 

‘1990’, a reference to Nigeria’s corrupt military 

government, which was expected to hand over 

power to civilians in that year. 

The song aptly set the stage for Charly Boy's 

life of protest, even as it also earned him mixed 

reviews due to its political nature and caused 

national controversy, with a number of radio 

stations then refusing to play the title track. 

But this unwelcome development never really 

discouraged the septuagenarian singer from 

fighting for the rights of the people. 

Despite this, '1990' was rated as one of Nigeria’s 

best-selling albums of 1988, and Charly 

Boy was credited with using his music to 

stand up to his government. 

Life of protest 

Perhaps, in the past 70 years of his life, the 

Oguta, Imo State- born musician has seen it 

all. Yet, he has remained consistent and relevant 

amid huge misconception by fans and 

the political class. He’s constantly on the 

streets demanding for political changes and 

accountability in governance in the country. 

Explaining his love for civil disobedience, 

Oputa reportedly said, “I have spent over 40 

years of my life leading protest for a better 

society, and I can tell you that street protest 

will not change our leaders.” 

“My father always told me back then that 

whenever I see injustice, I should fight it because 

it may come to affect me someday too, 

*Charly Boy on the move... 

and that is my motivation for fighting injustice 

over these years. 

“On several occasions, I have been tortured 

by the Nigerian police and the military for 

standing up to authorities to ask questions. 

“However, on some occasions, I have been 

regarded as their friends, depending on the 

sensibility of those in power. I am not a 

professional protester, so now I have decided 

to use other means to hold leaders 

accountable.’’ 

Definitely, Charly Boy's name is synonymous 

with protest. During the bloody 

#ENDSARS protests last year, the 

maverick was in the forefront 

of the struggle to 

end the police brutality 


Expressing his 

satisfaction with 

the protest, the 

septuagenarian 

singer said: “ I 

am very proud 

that young 

people are finally 

finding 

their voice 

and standing 

up for 

themselves.” 

“I’m happy 

with what’s 

playing out.” 

“ T h a t 

means my 

work for 45 

years… is all amounting to something. 

People’s anger and frustration- that is what 

we’re beginning to see because there’s nothing 

right with this system anymore.” 

“I’m encouraged by the enthusiasm of 

young people to take their destiny in their 

own hands because that’s the only 

way… So the youths have to take 

their destiny in their own hands.” 

“The youth are beginning to 

show me that their mumu don 

do (enough is enough). 

Enough of their non-engagement. 

Enough of their 

docility.” 

However, the #End- 

SARS campaign was one 

out of many protests linked to the maverick 

musician to demand good governance and 

transparency from our leaders. 

Recall when he began the movement 

coined “Our Mumu Don Do” to fight against 

corruption and injustice in public offices in 

the country. Despite the scandal that later 

trailed the movement, which he co-founded 

with Mr. Deji Adeyanju, Charly Boy was resolute 

in pursuing the major goal of the movement, 

which was to awaken the consciousness 

of Nigerians 

to reject the two 

big political 

parties”the All 

Progressives 

Congress,APC, 

and the Peoples 

Democratic 

Party,PDP, in the 

2019 national elections. 

Whether he 

achieved his desired 

goal or not, is 

a story for another 

day. But following 

his stance against 

bad governance 

and injustice, 

Charly Boy has 

stepped on many 

toes and crossed 

the line. His 'Our 

Mumu Don Do' 

movement joined 

other activist 

groups, in February 

2018, to protest 

over fuel shortages in Abuja at a time. 

He was also in the forefront of the OccupytheNationalAssembly 

protest as well as 

OneVoiceNigeria protest. Leading Resume- 

OrResign protest he was wounded by the 

police in the process, for which he sued the 

police in the Federal Capital Territory for N500 

million. The court reportedly awarded him 

N50 million in compensation. 

In 2012, the social crusader was out on the 

streets to lead the Fuel Subsidy protest. 

Though he was put out of circulation for 

some time by the authorities. 

At another time, he led a protest to pressurize 

the Federal Government to prosecute 

a former Petroleum Minister, Mrs Deziani Allison-Madueke 

for alleged corruption. 

In 2019, the maverick singer and his group 

marched against the head of the Redeemed 

Christian Church of God,RCCG, insisting 

that he must air his views on the rising insecurity 


It's still fresh in our minds, when the selfacclaimed 

president of commercial motorcyclists, 

popularly called Okada, alongside over 

fifty commercial motorcyclists years back were 

arrested and detained by officials of National 

Drug Law Enforcement Agency,NDLEA, for 

forcefully breaking into their premises in Ikoyi. 

The Area Fada and the okada riders reportedly 

broke into NDLEA headquarters and invaded 

the premises with placards shouting 

slogans against Lagos State government. 

The story, however, changed after security 

officials of the agency who were heavily 

armed re-grouped and halted the invaders 

who had already broken into the office of one 

their Directors. 

For anything, Charly Boy remains one of 

the formidable forces that have helped to keep 

the government in check. His undying 

passion for leading a protest 

cannot be mistaken and many 

times he's said to have suffered 

personal discomfort in the process. 

He grabs a placard and gets in 

the front of a protesting crowd, 

wherever his conviction 

takes him. It takes a 

lot of guts to march 

with military pensioners 

to defence 

headquarters to 

ask for their entitlements. 

He 

has also championed 

the 

fight for widows. 

To his critics, 

the Area 

Fada is 'a 

rebel and a 

dare-devil' 

who carries 

out his intentions 

without caring 

whose 

ox was gored. 

But to others, 

especially the 

youth, Charly 

Boy is a role 

model as his lifestyle 

has not only 

influenced new 

generation in 

their style but 

also an inspiration 

to many who 

appreciate the alternative 

lifestyle. 

But despite being 

an activist, Charly 

Boy has also excelled 

in other fields of endeavour. He’s a 

producer, entertainer, songwriter, model and 

TV show host. 

Slowing down at 70 

Meanwhile, at 70, one wonders if the maverick 

musician will ever slow down on his civil 

rights activism stance. It’s yet to be seen. 

But like an African proverb says: “A woman 

is never old when it comes to the dance she 

knows.” 

Blessed with nine children and 16 grandchildren, 

the septuagenarian singer has 

made his indelible mark as a nononsense 

social crusader and a musician. He once revealed 

that his staying power was the strong 

support and understanding he enjoyed from 

his family over the years. 

“My wife and I designed a brand that will 

remain youthful, a brand that is meant to 

shock conventional Nigerians out of their 

ways of thinking. 

“The brand started way back in 1983 and 

since then it has been tenacious, consistent 

and audacious in challenging what is wrong 

in our society. 

“At the beginning, my children were getting 

a little bit confused because the father 

they know in the house is different from the 

father people are talking about outside,” Charly 

Boy was quoted as saying. 

As he marks his 70th birthday, on Friday, 

June 19, it behooves on the ‘ septuagenarian 

singer ', to learn to drop the ‘skin of a lion and 

assume that of a lamb’, knowing that age is 

no longer a number but a reality.


Continues from Page 5 

cope. We have been hearing 

of security agencies saying 

they don’t have enough 

manpower. 

“Also, we want to 

challenge our state 

governors to justify the 

security votes they are 

given. The President said 

it recently that state 

governors and even local 

government chairmen get 

security votes monthly. 

What are they using the 

money for? The security of 

lives and properties of the 

citizen is very important, “ 

he said. 

‘Abductionsow 

like revolving 

chair’ 

Also reacting, the General 

Secretary of the Nigeria 

Union of Teachers, NUT, 

Dr Mike Ene, said the 

manner abduction of 

students was going could 

be likened to a revolving 

barber’s chair. 

“Today it is Niger, 

tomorrow it is Kaduna, 

where are we heading? It 

is like when one attends a 

funeral service and the 

preacher says nobody 

knows who will die next. 

Our schools have become 

soft targets for these 

criminal elements. My 

sympathy goes to NUT 

National President who is 

from Kebbi State and the 

state governor who is 

teacher friendly. 

“If a unity school owned 

by the Federal Government 

is attacked, what becomes 

of other schools? Unity 

schools have students from 

across the country and even 

from outside the country. 

The schools are supposed 

to be protected and see 

what has happened. 

“However, all 

stakeholders in the sector, 

— government, teachers, 

parents and even students 

should not cave in to 

threats. Our schools would 

not be shut down. 

Everybody will rise up to 

tackle the menace, “ he said 

4 Chinese 

abducted in 

Ogun 

In Ogun State, gunmen, 

suspected to be kidnappers 

yesterday abducted four 

workers of a Chinese 

company handling the 

Lagos-Ibadan standard 

gauge railway project and 

killed a policeman in the 

process. 

The eight gunmen, 

according to an eyewitness 

account, who were dressed 

in black caftan, stormed the 

site of the rail project at 

Adeaga/Alaagba village in 

Odeda Local Government 

Area, killed one of the 

policemen guarding the 

victims before taking away 

the four Chinese workers. 

It was learned that the 

fierce-looking gunmen, 

suspected to be herdsmen, 

had laid ambush in the 

surrounding forest for the 

expatriates in the sleepy 

village located along Oyo - 

Ogun states border. 

Confirming the kidnap 

yesterday, the Police Public 

Relations Officer, PPRO, in 

the state, Abimbola 

Oyeyemi, said the 

command has deployed 

tactical teams on the trail of 

the kidnappers. 

Oyeyemi, however, said 

the police could not 

ascertain whether the 

gunmen were herdsmen. 

“It is true, the incident 

happened yesterday, the 

victims are Chinese 

expatriates working at the 

construction site at the 

terminus of the railway 

around Alaagba area, not 

far from Kila. 

“The gunmen laid 

ambush for the victims on 

their way and they were 

attacked. A police officer 

escorting them was killed.” 

“We have started the 

investigation; we are on the 

trail of those people and 

hopefully, we are going to 

get them. 

“All our tactical teams 

have been deployed to that 

direction and we are trying 

to locate them and we 

believe that by the grace of 

God, we are going to get 

them. 

“We cannot say for now if 

the abductors are herdsmen 

until we are able to get 

them,” the PPRO said. 

6 kidnapped in 

Enugu 

In Enugu State, no fewer 

than six persons were 

allegedly kidnapped at 

Aguamade village, Eha- 

Amufu, in Isi-Uzo Local 

Government Area by 

suspected herdsmen on 

Wednesday. 

A motorcyclist, identified 

as Chukwuma Egwu, was 

By Elizabeth Adegbesan 

vanguardnews 



Naira appreciates to N411.50/$ in 

I&E window 

The naira yesterday appreciated to N411.50 per dollar 

in the Investors and Exporters (I&E) window. 

Data from FMDQ showed that the indicative exchange 

rate for the window fell to N411.50 per dollar from N412 

per dollar on Wednesday, translating to 50 kobo 

appreciation of the naira. 

The volume of dollars traded (turnover) in the window 

rose by five per cent to $138.20 million from $131.86 

million on Wednesday. 

also reportedly killed by the 

assailants, as Vanguard 

gathered that the 

kidnappers are demanding 

N10 million ransom to 

release the abductors. 

Community sources 

identified those kidnapped 

as Mercy Olinye, Joseph 

Ede, Joachin Odo, Odanyu 

Ala, Chidubem Nwokocha, 

and Chukwuma Odo. 

But the state police 

command said in a 

statement yesterday that it 

was yet to receive any report 

about the abduction, 

The statement, signed by 

spokesman of the 

command, Daniel Ndukwe, 

read: “Be informed that the 

command has not received 

any formal complaint from 

any person or group of 

persons, alleging the 

kidnap of six persons at 

Aguamade Village in Eha- 

Amufu Community of Isi- 

Uzo LGA, neither has 

credible information at the 

disposal of the Police 

proved that such incident 

occurred in the area. 

“To set the record straight, 

Isi-Uzo Division of the 

Command on 07/06/2021 at 

about 0645hrs, only 

received an information that 

the lifeless body of a 

commercial motorcyclist, 

identified as one 

Chukwuma Egwu (m), of 

Ihenyi-Agarama village in 

the same Eha-Amufu 

community, was found at 

Pipeline, along Eha-Amufu 

Road; causing the DPO to 

immediately lead a team of 

Police operatives of the 

Division to the scene. 

“Unfortunately, the team 

April 14, 2014: Girls Secondary School, 

Chibok 

On April 14, 2014, 276 mostly Christian female students 

aged from 16 to 18 were kidnapped by the Islamic terrorist 

group, Boko Haram from the Government Girls Secondary 

School at the town of Chibok in Borno State. Prior to the 

raid the school had been closed for four weeks due to 

deteriorating security conditions, but the girls were in 

attendance in order to take final exams in physics. 57 of 

the schoolgirls escaped immediately following the incident 

by jumping from the trucks on which they were being 

transported, and others have been rescued by the Nigerian 

Armed Forces on various occasions. 

Hopes have been raised that the 219 remaining girls 

might be released; however some girls are believed to be 

dead. Amina Ali, one of the missing girls, was found in 

May 2016. As of 14 April 2021, seven years after the initial 

kidnapping, over 100 of the girls remain missing 

Feb. 19, 2018: Dapchi School Girls, Yobe 

Barely four years after the attack on Chibok, the 

insurgents took their onslaught to Yobe, another state in 

the troubled northwest region. The Minister of Information 

and Culture, Lai Mohammed confirmed that 110 students 

were kidnapped after Boko Haram invaded the 

Government Girls Science Technical College (GGSTC) 

in Dapchi, on Monday, February 19, 2018. 

When the gunmen attacked the all-girls boarding school, 

many residents of the town had thought they were security 

forces as they came in camouflaged vehicles. Although 

most of the students have reunited with their families 

after they were released on March 21, 2018 by their 

abductors, Leah Sharibu, is yet to be freed by the gunmen. 

Reports suggest the 14-year-old, a Christian, wasn’t freed 

with the others because she refused to convert to Islam. 

Dec. 11, 2020: Kankara Boys, Katsina 

On Friday, December 11, 2020 bandits took 303 students 

of Government Science Secondary School, Kankara, 

Katsina into captivity. 

A week after the students were taken into captivity, their 

abductors released them. The government denied paying 

a ransom to secure the students from the all-boys 

educational institution. 

Dec. 19, 2020: Dandume foiled kidnapping 

attack 

Less than two days after the kidnapped Kankara students’ 

release, some gunmen abducted more than 80 Islamic 

school students in the same Katsina State. This time, the 

pupils were quickly rescued by security forces after a fierce 

gun battle, according to the police. The attempted 

kidnapping took place in Dandume, about 64 kilometres 

from Kankara, the town where the earlier kidnapping of 

schoolboys occurred. 

@vanguardnews 

was prevented by residents, 

especially youths, from 

evacuating the said lifeless 

body to the hospital for 

preservation and conduct of 

autopsy that will facilitate 

thorough investigation and 

unravelling of the 

circumstances surrounding 

his death. The said 

residents further 

threatened to attack the 

Police if they attempt to do 

otherwise. 

“Sadly too, no person or 

group of persons has, till 

Timeline of school abductions 

By Henry Ojelu 

NEWS HOTLINES 

018773962, 

08052867058 

Anambra youths protesting the menace of cultism in Awka, yesterday. 

date, volunteered to 

formally report and/or avail 

the Police of credible 

information regarding the 

alleged publicized criminal 

acts of murder and kidnap 

in the community. 

‘’Therefore, the affected 

or interested persons are 

hereby urged to formally 

report these incidents as 

alleged and accord the 

Police all the necessary 

assistance required to get 

to the root of the 

allegations.” 

Feb. 17, 2021: Bandits abduct another 41 in 

Kagara, Niger State 

<strong>Gunmen</strong> invaded a school in Niger State on Wednesday, 

February 17, 2021 kidnapping 41 persons. The gunmen 

raided the Government Science College Kagara, Shiroro 

Local Government Area of Niger State, capturing 

students, teachers, and their family members from the 

school. 27 students were among the abductees. 

Feb. 26, 2021: 317 Female students abducted 

in Zamfara State 

Less than ten days after the bandits raided Kagara, 

gunmen kidnapped 317 schoolgirls from the Government 

Girls Science Secondary School Jangebe in Jangebe, 

Zamfara State. The incident happened on Friday, 

February 26th, 2021. 

March 11, 2021: College of Forestry, Afaka, 

Kaduna 

The Afaka kidnapping took place on 11 March 2021, 

when armed <strong>Gunmen</strong> attacked Federal College of 

Forestry Mechanization, Afaka, Igabi LGA, in Kaduna 

State and kidnapped 39 students just weeks after a similar 

attack in Jangebe, Zamfara State. The abducted comprised 

23 females along with 16 males. Security forces were able 

to rescue 180 staff and students the next day. 

On April 5, 2021, the government of Kaduna State 

announced that 5 of the 39 people abducted from the 

Afaka School have been released. On April 8, 2021, the 

state further announced that another 5 more students have 

been released, leaving 29 still in captivity. On May 5, 

2021, the state government announced that the remaining 

29 students have been released after spending 55 days 

in captivity. 

April 20, 2021: Greenfield University Kidnap 

The Greenfield University kidnapping took place on 20 

April 2021, when at least 20 students and 2 staff were 

kidnapped in Kasarami village, Chikun LGA, Kaduna 

State, Nigeria, during an attack by suspected armed 

bandits at Greenfield University. The kidnappers 

demanded N800 million ransom. On April 23, 2021, the 

kidnappers killed three students in their captivity. On 

May 29, 2021, after 40 days in captivity the remaining 14 

students were freed. Their parents also said they paid a 

ransom of N150 million and eight brand new motorcycles 

to the bandits. 

May 30, 2021: Niger Muslim school kidnap 

On May 30, 2021, an armed gang abducted dozens of 

students from an Islamic school in Niger State. One of 

the school’s officials disclosed that the attackers initially 

took more than 100 children “but later sent back those 

they considered too small for them, those between four 

and 12 years old”. The state government, in a series of 

tweets, said the attackers had released 11 of the pupils 

who were “too small and couldn’t walk” very far.




Hyundai 

Motors 

Nigeria has 

launched the second 

generation Hyundai Creta 

sub-compact sport utility 

vehicle into the market. 

The all-new Creta, which 

won the Nigeria car of the 

year award few years ago, 

has been redesigned to 

look more powerful with 

more features as it gets set 

to continue its dominance 

of the compact sports 

utility vehicle market in 

Nigeria. The Creta is the 

only Hyundai vehicle that 

has won the prestigious 

award. 

Presenting the all-new 

Creta to the Motoring 

Press at its showroom in 

Victoria Island, Lagos, 

Hyundai Nigeria Head, 

Sales and Marketing, Mr 

Gaurav Vashisht, noted 

that the Creta has been 

transformed into the 

ultimate sub-compact 

SUV for any terrain. 


world renowned 

automaker has given the 

Creta a fresh look, more 

spacious interior with 

improved features and 

state-of-the-art 

technologies to meet the 

complete needs of 

working professionals, 

young peer groups and 

families. 

Vashisht said: 

“Developing high quality 

vehicles are at the core of 

our vision and this is 

reflected in the all-new 

Hyundai Creta model.” 

He added: “Since the 

first model was launched, 

the Creta has become one 

of the most popular 

vehicles and the latest 

version is set to be a gamechanger 

in the subcompact 

SUV segment. 

From top to bottom, we 

have crafted the car 

carefully, pushing the 

boundaries to ensure that 

it stands out on the road 

and is equipped with a 

wide range of improved 

features that will deliver 

even more fun-loving 

driving experiences. 

The all-new Creta comes 

with a choice of three 

engines. The smart stream 

G1.5 powerplant with 

maximum power of 115ps/ 

6,300rpm and maximum 

torque of 14.7kgf.m/ 

4,500rpm) and the Kappa 

1.4T-GDI (140ps/6,000rpm 

and 24.7kgf.m/1,500- 

3,200rpm) are both 

gasoline engines, 

providing better fuel 

economy on the roads. 

Offering more choice is 

the diesel U2 1.5 VGT 

(DSL) engine, which has a 

maximum power of 115ps/ 

4,000rpm and a maximum 

torque of 25.5kgf.m/1,500- 

2,750rpm. 

To match the 

performance, Hyundai 

has made significant 

improvements to both the 

interior and exterior 

including the size. At 

4,300mm (length) and 

1,790mm (width), the 

outside of the Creta is 

20mm and 10mm bigger 

respectively than the first 

model. 

The masculine 

personality on the front is 

reflected through the 

By Theodore Opara 

theodooropara@yahoo.com 

09090096561 

Hyundai unveils bigger, roomier, more powerful 2nd 

generation Creta 

grille’s bold and 

rectangular latticework, 

holding a bigger and more 

striking H-logo as well as 

The 

Federal 

Government has been 

advised to give special 

attention to the nation’s 

automobile sector, which 

can be used to salvage the 

economy. 

Chairman of BKG 

Exhibitions, Mr Ifeanyi 

Agwu gave this advice 

while announcing the date 

for this year’s annual Lagos 

International Motor Fair 

scheduled to hold from 

distinctive two-tier 

headlamps. The addition 

of sinewy character lines 

over the clamshell-type 

June 28 to July 3, 2021 at 

Federal Palace Hotel, 

Lagos. 

According to Agwu, the 

Federal Government should 

focus on how to ensure that 

the auto industry is given the 

special attention it requires 

so as to use it in driving the 

government’s economic 

diversification policy, given 

the enormous multiplier 

effects the sector has on 

economies where it thrives. 

According to him, 

Hyundai Creta 

bonnet also reinforces the 

masculine identity. 

The quality of the 

exterior is replicated 

“Government should no 

longer delay in having a law 

to back the Automotive 

Industry Development Policy 

that would be strictly 

implemented.'" 

He explained that such 

would fast-track the country's 

push to become an 

automotive manufacturer 

and a hub of its businesses 

in Africa, bearing in mind 

''the natural endowment and 

other comparative 

advantages the nation has in 

inside with the increase in 

size providing more space, 

comfort and convenience. 

Fitted with an fourspeaker 

system, 

passengers can benefit 

from crisp and exceptional 

audio quality when 

listening to music on the 

go. 

The premium interior is 

completed with a multifunctional 

3.5-inch TFT 

LCD cluster and the 

optional fully digital 7- 

inch supervision version, 

delivering information in 

rich details with 

unprecedented speed and 

precision. 

With the passengers’ 

safety the utmost priority 

for Hyundai, the Creta is 

safer than before. The 

body structure is made of 

advanced ultra-high 

tensile-strength steel, 

giving it exceptional crash 

resistance. 

How auto sector can salvage the economy 

—BKG boss 

•Set for Lagos fair 

By Willie Samson 

GIG Logistics moves to reduce operational cost, save environment with EV. 

Africa’s fastest-growing 

e–commerce 

logistics company, GIG 

Logistics is planning to 

reduce its operational cost 

and make service more 

affordable to its customers 

as it launches four Electric 

Vans, EV, into its operations. 

The company is carrying 

out this initiative with Jet 

Motor Company, an 

indigenous vehicle 

assembling company which 

is saddled with the 

responsibility of producing 

the electric vehicles. 

Ocholi Etu, GIG Logistics 

director of operations 

disclosed this while 

presenting the four brand 

new Electric Vans to the 

press at the signing of MoU 

between the two companies 

in Lagos. 

He explained: “Studies 

have revealed that Electric 

Vans have 70 per cent lower 

maintenance costs 

compared to the internal 

combustion engine vehicles. 

“This means that in the 

immediate and long run, our 

service will become more 

affordable, and will in turn 

enable us to render costfriendly 

excellent service to 

our teeming customers 

while taking e-commerce 

in Nigeria and beyond to 

greater heights. 

Describing the initiative 

as the first of its kind in 

Nigeria and African 

continent, Etu said it is 

another significant step 

forward for Africa’s fastestgrowing 

e-commerce 

logistic company. 


company is committed to a 

sustainable future for the 

environment, people and 

businesses they support, 

adding that the Electric 

Vans are the first practical 

step in their journey 

towards carbon neutrality 

which is a core strategy for 

the company. 

Calling on the 

government to support the 

electric vehicle technology 

by investing in 

sustainable energy 

infrastructure, the 

Operations Director said: 

“The entire global logistics 

industry is presently 

focused on issues and 

environmental 

sustainability, as reports 

have shown that logistics as 

an industry contributes the 

largest share of carbon 

emission.” 

To this end he said: “We 

are a technology-driven 

company that has 

embraced electric vehicles 

because they are ecofriendly, 

have zero 

emissions, zero noise 

pollution and lower 

maintenance costs among 

others. 

Also speaking at the 

occasion, Jet Motor 

Company Head of Strategy, 

Mr. Wemimo Joseph further 

highlighted the benefits of 

Electric Vehicles and the 

need to join the rest of the 

world in embracing the 

earth-saving technology. 

"Like the top Electric 

Vehicle- promoting 

countries of Germany, 

France, United Kingdom, 

South Korea, United States, 

Sweden, the Netherlands, 

Norway and China, we must 

have a deliberate policy 

backed by far reaching 

Vice-President Prof. Yemi 

Osinbajo has thumbed 

up for the Hyundai Kona 

Electric Car assembled in 

Nigeria, describing it as a 

fantastic machine. 

The Nigerian Vicepresident 

made the remark 

after test-driving the car, 

during his tour of made-in- 

Nigeria products at the 

opening ceremony of a fiveday 

Nigeria @ 60 Expo held 

at the Eagle Square, Abuja. 

The event was organised 

by the Inter-ministerial 

Committee on Nigeria @ 60 

in collaboration with 

Business Visa and Training 

Co Ltd. 

Speaking with newsmen 

afterwards, Osinbajo 

expressed excitement at the 

innovation and said he was 

hopeful of a bright future for 

Nigeria. 

He said: “A very good drive; 

fantastic; it just shows what 

is possible,” adding, “I am 

concrete actions on 

mainstreaming the 

production, deployment 

and use of EVs in Nigeria,” 

he said. “Today, we 

showcase a significant 

example of our strategic 

investment in innovation 

that meets today’s needs 

and rises to the demands of 

the future. 

"JET is so proud to be 

delivering these EVs to GIG 

Logistics. We consider them 

a worthy partner in logistics 

mobility innovation. We 

strongly believe that with 

their track record in the 

industry, they will best 

represent this much needed 

shift towards the future." 

forward strategy that 

includes building an 

ecosystem that will help 

with the production and 

deployment of electric 

vehicles (EVs). 

the sector.” 

Agwu added: ''The sector is 

very important as it shows 

physically the state of the 

economy and generates 

much revenue and creates 

enormous employment. No 

serious government toys with 

its auto sector given its 

importance.'' 

According to him; “Auto 

sector was one of the key 

sectors that received bailout 

from the diverse 

developed economies 

during the economic crisis 

brought about by the 

COVID-19 pandemic which 

in no small measure, 

helped to resuscitate their 

economies. 

''It is a sector that drives 

the economy if it is badly 

affected, other sectors 

suffer. It is the artery of the 

economy, so government 

should parley seriously 

with the stakeholders to see 

how it could be made 

better.'' 

Osinbajo thumbs up for Hyundai Kona Electric Vehicle, Stallion 

glad to see that this is an 

assembled-in-Nigeria 

Electric Car. 

“You can literally charge it 

anywhere; I think it is a very 

fantastic innovation; fantastic 

product, and I can tell because 

I drove it.” 

Not being discouraged by 

the infrastructural challenges 

in the country, Stallion 

Group, Nigeria’s exclusive 

assembler and distributors of 

Hyundai brand, rolled out 

Hyundai Kona, the nation’s 

first ever Electric Vehicle, EV 

in conjugation with Hyundai 

Motors Nigeria, purposely to 

embark on attitudinal 

change for a clean 

environment. 

Hyundai Motors Nigeria 

recognised this paradigm shift 

in the transportation sector by 

bringing in electric mobility 

that is a step towards the same 

goal. 

Assembled in Stallion 

Group’s VON Assembly 

plant at Ojo, Lagos and 

launched into the Nigerian 

market late 2020, Nigeria’s 

first ever electric car has since 

attracted kudos from various 

government functionaries, 

including the National 

Assembly. 

100% electric with zero 

carbon emission, the Kona 

can go up to a range of 482 

km with an acceleration of (0- 

100kms) in 9.7 seconds on a 

single battery cycle of a 

capacity of 64 KWH. The ease 

of charging is unmatched 

and can be plugged in at 

home or work for 9.35 hours 

for a full battery. 

Vice President having a feel of the Kona EV in Abuja




Agriculture, key to Africa’s quest for 

continued growth, sustainability — Olam 

THE 

MANAGING 

Director and Chief 

Executive Officer of Olam 

Africa, the Middle East 

and North America 

regions, Venkataramani 

Srivathsan, has said that 

Africa cannot achieve selfsufficiency 

in agriculture 

without engaging and 

building the capacity of its 

smallholder farmers. 

Speaking during a 

panel discussion on a 

BBC agro webinar event 

tagged ‘Agriculture – 

Africa’s Future’, recently, 

Srivathsan said providing 

training and financing 

opportunities for the 80 

million small-scale 

farmers on the continent 

would boost food security, 

food safety and job 

creation in the agro value 

chain. 

He said, “The COVID- 

19 outbreak was a setback 

for the African continent. 

The global health crisis 

took its toll on the 

continent’s food supply 

value chain thereby 

disrupting vital agro 

activities which led to the 

escalated level of food 

insecurity.” 

He added that effective 

capacity-building efforts, 

access to revenueboosting 

agro-technology, 

the assembly of robust 

irrigation infrastructure 

and the implementation 

of an effective microfinancing 

framework were 

necessary to help African 

smallholder farmers scale 

By Nimat Otori 

THE PARTNERSHIP 

created between the 

Central Bank of Nigeria 

with private and public 

sectors to boost farming 

activities through the 

Anchor Borrowers’ 

Programme, ABP, has 

continued to enjoy 

commendation. 

The ABP focuses on the 

provision of farm inputs 

in kind and cash, for farm 

labour, to smallholder 

farmers to boost 

production of the targeted 

commodities. 

At harvest time, the 

smallholder farmers 

supply their produce to 

the Agro-processor 

(referred to as the anchor) 

who pays the cash 

equivalent into the 

farmer’s bank account. 

The ABP was launched 

by 

President 

Muhammadu Buhari in 

Kebbi State to create a 

linkage between anchor 

companies and 

smallholder farmers 

involved in the processing 

of the required key 

agricultural commodities. 

Specifically, the 

objective was the 

provision of inputs to 

boost the production of 

rice, maize, poultry, 

sorghum, cassava, 

tomatoes and cotton, 

their operations, 

encourage massive youth 

participation in 

Agriculture and drive 

food security on the 


“Olam works with 2.5 

million smallholder 

farmers in Africa and is 

investing to assist them in 

creating wealth for their 

communities and 

respective economies at 

large. 

“We invest in research to 

make high yielding seed 

available to the farmers. 

We are also tapping our 

global expertise in the 

agro value-chain to help 

the farmers adopt modern 

agro practices while 

extending loans to them 

through our participation 

in various anchor 

borrowers and outgrowers 

initiatives across 

the continent.” 

Olam is a leading 

a g r i b u s i n e s s 

conglomerate which 

supplies crops, 

ingredients and 

packaged foods to the 

global market. It is 

actively involved in 

supporting the African 

continent build selfsufficiency 

in food 

production by investing 

extensively in various 

wheat, rice, dairy, maize, 

tomato, hatchery and 

poultry, and animal feed 

production development 

programmes on the 


The BBC regional 

agriculture development 

webinar, therefore, 

engaged the agribusiness 

firm as one of several key 

players on the continent’s 

agro value chain, to 

discuss how to stimulate 

growth and ensure 

sustainability in food 

production in Africa. 

This engagement aims 

to guarantee food 

security, employment 

generation and foster 

agro-based economies on 

the continent. 

Anchor-Borrowers: CBN gets commendation over 

partnership with public, private sectors 


Speaking during the 

launch of the programme 

and flag-off of the 2015 

dry season farming in 

Birnin-Kebbi, Buhari 

frowned at the huge sums 

spent by Nigeria on the 

importation of food items 

that could be produced 

locally, stressing that the 

N1 trillion importation bill 

is no longer sustainable. 

He observed that ABP 

will close the gap between 

the levels of local rice 

production and domestic 

consumption, as well as 

complement the Growth 

Enhancement Support, 

GES Scheme of the 

Federal Ministry of 

Agriculture by graduating 

GES farmers from 

subsistence farming to 

commercial production. 

So far, over two million 

farmers have participated 

in the production of 17 

different agricultural 

products under the 

Anchor Borrowers 

Programme, ABP. 

Kebbi being the take-off 

state disclosed recently 

that the scheme has 

transformed the lives of 

over 70,000 farmers in the 

state. 

Malam Yahaya Sarki, 

the Special Adviser to 

Gov. Atiku Bagudu of 

Kebbi State on Media 

said: “The scheme has 

received the total backing 

of Gov. Abubakar 

Bagudu, even though a 

Federal Government 

scheme. 

“Gov. Bagudu’s 

administration supported 

the programme by also 

providing logistics 

support to the Anchor 

Borrowers Programme 

Committee to go out to all 

the 21 local government 

areas to capture the biodata 

of farmers to ensure 

that only genuine 

smallholder farmers get 

the loan. 

“The programme 

revolutionised rice 

farming in Kebbi to the 

extent that within one and 

a half years of the launch, 

Kebbi recorded the 

production of almost two 

million tonnes of rice,” he 

said. 

Sarki said the state 

became the darling of 

many states in the 

country, who became 

fascinated by Bagudu’s 

feat in rice production. 

“The programme has 

also made many youths 

and civil servants who 

were hitherto not farmers 

to go back to the farms. 

“From 2016 to 2017, 

most of the pilgrims that 

registered to go for 

pilgrimage in Mecca were 

farmers who got their 

money through rice 

cultivation. 

Drop press regulation bill, allow free speech, 

media bodies tell Reps 

MEDIA 

ORGANISA 

TIONS and groups yesterday 

asked the House of 

Representatives to drop all 

press regulations bills before 

it, arguing that clauses contained 

in them discourage 

freedom of speech and press 


The House Committee on 

Information, National Orientation, 

Ethics and Values, 

which organised the hearing 

on the bill, however, insisted 

on going ahead with the exercise. 

The committee had organised 

the hearing on five bills 

including the ‘Bill for an Act 

to Amend the Nigerian Press 

Council Act, CAP N128, Laws 

of the Federation of Nigeria, 

2004, to Remove Bottlenecks 

Affecting Its Performance and 

Make the Council in Tune 

with Current Realities in Regulating 

the Press and for Related 

Matters (HB 330).’ 

At the opening of the event, 

Chairman of the committee, 

Olusegun Odebunmi, apologised 

to the media bodies, especially 

NPAN which protested 

on Wednesday over exclusion 

from the exercise, noting 

that an open invitation to the 

event was extended to stakeholders. 

The Editor-in-Chief of Leadership 

Newspapers, Azubuike 

Ishiekwene, who represented 

the NPO, stated that contrary 

to the claim of an “open invitation” 

by the committee, the 

organisation did not receive 

any notification that would 

have enabled it to engage the 

lawmakers and Nigerians 

robustly on the bill. 

He said: “There is a matter 

and I am sure that as stewards 

of the people and the law, 

you are aware that there is a 

pending matter between the 

NPO and some parties involved 

in this legislation. 

''That is why a negotiated 

conversation seems to us to be 

a way to deal with it because 

there is a matter pending before 

the Supreme Court: between 

the NPAN and some 

parties involved in this bill 

that is being amended. And 

as stewards of the law, 

''I am sure you are constrained 

just as I am to make 

any further conversations on 

this matter because it is a pending 

matter before the Supreme 

Court. 

“The last time it came up in 

2010 – it is a matter that has 

actually been pending since 

1999 – 17 of the 39 clauses 

contained in the bill that you 

are considering were ruled 

Ex-Zambian President Kenneth Kaunda dies 

at 97 

KENNETH KAUNDA, 

Zambia’s first president 

and one of the last of the generation 

of African leaders who 

fought colonialism, has died 

aged 97. 

Kaunda was admitted to a 

military hospital in the capital, 

Lusaka, on Monday suffering 

from pneumonia. His 

aides said he did not have 

Covid-19. 

In the 1950s, Kaunda was a 

key figure in what was then 

Northern Rhodesia’s independence 

movement from Britain. 

He became president following 

independence in 1964. 

As head of the left-leaning 

United National Independence 

Party (UNIP), Kaunda 

unconstitutional by the court 

at that time. Of course, the 

Federal Government appealed 

the ruling. We won the 

appeal and the matter is currently 

before the Supreme 

Court. 

“I will rest my case by appealing 

to members of this 

committee; I crave your indulgence 

to refer to a conversation 

that was had on a similar 

matter in 2018 when this matter 

came up before the Senate 

and the pendency of this matter 

before the court was canvassed. 

And the Senate – the 

8th National Assembly – at 

that time agreed that the prudent 

thing to do was to step it 

down. I urge this House to also 

consider a similar step.” 

Odebunmi, however, argued 

that the House was doing 

its constitutional job. 

He said: “I am very sure 

(that) no court will restrain us 

from doing the job.” 

He noted that while the lawmakers 

would not stop anybody 

from going ahead with 

the judicial process, the lawmakers 

had the mandate of 

Nigerians to amend laws. 

“It is not about the matter 

in court, it is an Act of the 

National Assembly and we 

deemed it fit to amend it and 

we are doing that. It does not 

stop you from what you are 

doing but this is the position 

of the National Assembly,” he 

stated. 

Also, the International Press 

Centre, Media Rights Agenda, 

Centre for Media Law and 

Advocacy and the Premium 

Times Centre for Investigative 

Journalism, in a joint 

memorandum, titled ''For a 

Truly Independent and Media 

Freedom Friendly Nigeria 

Press Council'', called on the 

National Assembly to expunge 

all laws intended to 

criminalise free speech and 

press. 

The memo was signed by 

the Executive Director, IPC, 

Lanre Arogundade; Executive 

Director, MRA, Edetaen Ojo; 

Executive Director, CMLA, 

Richard Akinnola; and Executive 

Director, PTCIJ, Dapo 

Olorunyomi. 

Arogundade, who read from 

the memo, said: “First, we 

like to say that the international 

behaviour towards media 

regulation is peer regulation, 

constitutionally guaranteed 

freedom of the press, and the 

expunging from statute all 

laws that criminalises freedom 

of expression. ''This is the 

line the committee should tow 

like Ghana has done and like 

South Africa has done; and 

then led the country through 

decades of one-party rule. 

He stepped down after losing 

multi-party elections in 

1991. “I am sad to inform we 

have lost Mzee,” Kaunda’s 

son, Kambarage, wrote on his 

late father’s Facebook page, 

using a term of respect. “Let’s 

pray for him.” 

Zambian President Edgar 

Lungu said the country was 

mourning “a true African 

icon”. 

“I learnt of your passing this 

afternoon with great sadness,” 

he wrote on Facebook. 

“On behalf of the entire nation 

and on my own behalf I 

pray that the entire Kaunda 

family is comforted as we 

mourn our First President and 

true African icon.” 

with regards to throwing out 

defamation statute from the 

books, the way Sierra Leone 

has done. 

“A consideration is that the 

amendment seeks an unabashed 

focus to restrict freedom 

of expression while pretending 

to be something else. 

It attempts to do what other 

laws have done like the Cybercrimes 

Acts which Sections 

24 and 38, which in no 

fewer than ten instances have 

been used to clampdown on 

bloggers or journalists for expressing 

opinion antagonistic 

to politically or economically 

powerful elites. 

“Bodies like the Amnesty International 

have documented 

50 cases where the law had 

targeted, not cybercrime suspects, 

but bloggers and journalists 

for writing on what 

they ‘know to be false, for the 

purpose of causing annoyance, 

inconvenience danger, 

obstruction, insult, injury, 

criminal intimidation, enmity, 

hatred, ill will or needless 

anxiety to another. 

“The ethical code that 

should be operationalised by 

the council is the Code of Ethics 

of Journalists in Nigeria 

as adopted by the Nigerian 

Press Organisation, comprising 

the Nigeria Union of Journalists, 

the Nigerian Guild of 

Editors and the Newspapers 

Proprietors Association of Nigeria 

in Ilorin in 1998 and as 

may be regularly updated. 

''This has been the practice. 

A political and non-journalism 

office like that of the Minister 

of Information should 

not be given the power of approval 

over the code of conduct 

of journalists. 

“The power to determine 

sanctions relating to hefty 

fines should be vested in the 

courts and not the council. The 

Court of Appeal has clearly 

established this legal principle 

in NOSDRA v Mobil Producing 

Nigeria Unlimited 

(2018) LPELR-44210 (CA) 

where it held that ‘the imposition 

of fines by NOSDRA was 

contrary to its powers on the 

basis that penalties or fines 

are imposed as punishment 

for an offence or violation of 

the law and the power as well 

as competence to establish 

that an offence has been committed 

belongs to the courts 

and not a regulatory agency.’ 

“The provision relating to 

revocation of license for alleged 

publication of fake news 

should be removed from the 

Act. Decisions for appropriate 

sanctions in relation to such 

offences should be vested in 

the law courts.” 

Another tribute came from 

Kalusha Bwalya, former captain 

of the national football 

team, who said Kaunda had 

made “an immense impact”. 

Kaunda - popularly known 

as KK - was a strong supporter 

of efforts to end apartheid 

in South Africa. He was also 

a leading supporter of liberation 

movements in Mozambique 

and what is now Zimbabwe. 

In later life Kaunda turned 

his attention to the fight 

against HIV after one of his 

sons, Masuzyo, died from an 

Aids-related disease. 

“We fought colonialism. We 

must now use the same zeal 

to fight Aids, which threatens 

to wipe out Africa,” he told Reuters 

in 2002.

46 —Vanguard, FRIDAY, JUNE 18, 2021 

RECEPTION— 

Chairman/CEO, 

Nigerians in Diaspora 

Commission, 

Mrs. Abike 

Dabiri-Erewa, receives 

in audience 

the UFC Welterweight 

Champion, 

Kamaru Usman, 

a.k.a 'The Nigerian 

Nightmare', at her 

office, in Abuja. 

CAMPAIGN—From left: Ayotunde Omitogun, ED; Cardiac Community; Thompson 

Asuquo Tom, Promotions/Events Manager, Tejuosho Ultra-Modern Shopping Centre; 

Mrs. Adesola Akanbi, a vendor at the centre, and Mariam Olarenwaju, Project Coordinator, 

Cardiac Community, during the ‘Wetin be your number’ screening campaign, 

held in Tejuosho, Yaba, in commemoration of World Hypertension day. 

CAREER EVENT—From left: Dr. Ngozi Anad, HOD, Criminology and Security 

Studies; Prof. Ahmed Arabaci, HOD, Political Science and International Relations; 

Prof. Benedict Akanegbu, Dean, Faculty of Management Sciences, Nile University, 

and Uche Ogbonnaya, Head, Human Resources at Development Bank of Nigeria 

Plc., during the Career Day Event, held at the Nile University of Nigeria, in 

Abuja. 

LAUNCHING—From left: Bishop and Rev (Mrs) Dave Eyowel; Miss Jowe-Asidi 

Edhereveno Victory (author); Mrs. Henrietta Odume, Proprietress, Marble Hill 

School, Asaba, and Dr. & Mrs. Kenneth Jowe-Asidi, author's parents, during the 

launch of the book ‘The Orphan's Trail to Happinness' at Marble Hill School, Asaba. 

Denmark, Belgium pay tribute to 

Eriksen 

DENMARK 

and 

Belgium stopped play 

ten minutes into their 

Euros clash on Thursday 

in tribute to Christian 

Eriksen. 

Both sets of players 

paused to pay tribute to 

Eriksen in emotional 

scenes in Copenhagen - 

five days after he 

collapsed. 

The tenth minute was 

chosen as it’s the shirt 

number Inter Milan 

playmaker Eriksen wears 

for his nation. 

A giant Eriksen shirt 

was also placed on the 

pitch before kick-off of 

Thursday’s game at 

Parken Stadium. 

And Belgium captain 

Jan Vertonghen presented 

Denmark leader Simon 

Kjaer with a framed shirt 

BAYERN 

MUNICH 

superstar Kingsley 

Coman is leaving France’s 

Euro 2020 squad to be with 

wife Sabrina Duvad when 

she gives birth. 

French football chiefs 

spoke with Uefa before 

allowing the £60millionrated 

winger to depart the 

team’s Covid-19 bubble. 

Coman, 25, who has 

been linked with 

Manchester United, was 

an unused substitute as 

France beat Germany 1-0 

in their group opener on 

Tuesday. 

And two days later the 

French football Federation 

said in a statement: “After 

consultation with UEFA 

and the UEFA COVID cell, 

Didier Deschamps and the 

Federation authorised 

Kingsley Coman to join 

his partner and attend the 

birth of his child. 

Coman has been heavily 

tipped for a move away 

from Bayern after claims 

he rejected a contract 

extension. 

eckitt, Sub-Saharan Africa, 

Rmakers of popular hygiene 

brand, Dettol, announced its 

partnership with the Nigerian 

Football Federation (NFF) 

yesterday, at an unveiling 

ceremony in Lagos. This is 

coming ahead of the Super 

Eagles’ preparations for the 

African Cup of Nations 

(AFCON) and the Qatar 

World Cup tournament in 

2022. 

With this partnership deal, 

before kick-off. 

Yussuf Poulsen gave 

Denmark an early lead on 

Thursday and looked to 

the heavens in celebration 

as a tribute to his teammate. 

Belgium striker Romelu 

Lukaku - who plays with 

Eriksen at Inter Milan - 

looked tearful as he 

stopped to applaud. 

There were around 

Nigeria’s 

first 

participation at the 

Billie Jean King (BJK) 

Cup also known as the Fed 

Cup finally yields result as 

the team won her second 

game after beating Kosovo 

on Wednesday, 

BSNSports.com.ng can 

report. 

Coman leaves France’s Euro 2020 

camp as wife is about to give birth 

The former Juventus 

starlet reportedly felt he 

was underpaid and hoped 

to match the wages of 

£14.5million-a-year Leroy 

Sane. 

And it was even claimed 

United saw Coman as a 

cheaper alternative to 

Borussia Dortmund’s 

England frontman 

forward Jadon Sancho. 

25,000 fans inside the 

stadium, which was the 

same venue where 

Eriksen’s scary collapse 

happened. 

The 29-year-old suffered 

a cardiac arrest during 

Denmark’s Group B game 

against Finland on 

Saturday. 

Tributes and messages 

of support have flooded in 

for the former Tottenham 

midfielder after his scare. 

NFF partners Dettol as sponsors 

the health giant has been 

named the ‘Official Hygiene 

Partner of the Super Eagles’. 

Dettol will ensure the 

protection and well-being of 

the Super Eagles’ to enable 

some of the country’s finest 

football players to put their 

best foot forward during both 

tournaments. The brand will 

also work closely with NFF to 

provide hygiene support for 

the audience and football fans 

of Nigeria. 

NFF Detol, Caption: L-R: GM, Reckitt, Sub Saharan 

Africa, Akbar Ali Shah; MD Diamante, Nabila Fash; 

President, NFF, Amaju Pinnick and Marketing Director, 

Reckitt, Sub Saharan Africa, Tanzim Rezwan at the 

unveiling ceremony announcing Dettol as the Official 

Hygiene Partner of the Super Eagles, at Oregun, Lagos, 

on Thursday, June 17, 2021. 

BJK Cup: Nigeria gets first win 

against Kosovo 

The team made up of 

Nigeria number one, 

Barakat Oyinlomo 

Quadre, Adesuwa 

Osabuohien, Sarah 

Adegoke and captain 

Ifedayo Akindoju won by 

3-0 in the individual ties 

and the double tie of the 

tennis tournament 

holding at the SEB Arena 

in Vilnius, Lithuania. 

Nigeria got the first 

victory of their history 

after Adesuwa 

Osabuohien defeated 

Donika Bashota from 

Kosovo in straight set 6-1 

6-4 in the first game. 

Before Barakat Quadre 

defeated Adrijana Lekaj 6- 

2 4-6 6-0 to seal the win for 

Nigeria. 

The team completed the 

rout in the doubles as 

Osabuohien and Quadre 

only needed 54 minutes to 

win against Bashota and 

Lekaj 6-2 6-1. 

Etebo visits players of Remo Stars 

•Gives them N1m 

uper Eagles midfielder 

SOghenekaro Etebo on 

Wednesday afternoon, visited 

Nigerian club Remo Stars 

where he interacted with the 

players, coaching crew and 

staff of the side. 

Leagues in Europe are on 

break and many Nigerian 

players playing abroad are 

currently in the country 

chilling with their families, 

friends and associates. 

According to the report, 

Etebo who has a superb 

relationship with owner of 

Remo Stars Kunle Solami gave 

the players N1m for 

refreshment when leaving. 

The former Warri Wolves star 

then charged the players to be 

good ambassadors of the club 

and see the National League 

side as stepping stone to 

move to greater heights. 

“On behalf of me and my 

family, I want to just give you 

guys this ‘pure water’ money 

to have fun and serve as a 

motivation to you to always 

dream big.” 

Before leaving the Nigerian 

League, Etebo scored the 

fastest hat-trick in the NPFL 

when he netted for Warri 

Wolves inside 22 minutes 

against Wikki Tourists. 

“Every year, the Super 

Eagles fly Nigeria’s flag high 

on the continental and global 

football stage. Behind every 

kick of the ball, every goal, 

every celebration is the spirit 

of over 200 million people 

willing on their team,” said 

Akbar Ali Shah, the General 

Manager of Reckitt, Sub- 

Saharan Africa at the 

ceremony. “We understand the 

need to prioritize hygiene and 

health with the same fervour. 

A vital part of healthy living 

is good hygiene, and no other 

brand in Nigeria epitomizes 

this like Dettol. For over 50 

years, Dettol has helped to 

protect Nigerian lives and 

reduce the burden of 

illnesses.” 

Akbar Ali Shah continued, 

“Dettol will provide hygienic 

protection for the Super 

Eagles during their pre and 

post-match activities as it 

already does in several 

Nigerian homes. It will keep 

the players in good health, 

powering them on their quest 

to entertain Nigerians and 

bring home the 2021 African 

Cup of Nations and the 2022 

FIFA World Cup. Not only 

that, Dettol will also work 

hand in hand with NFF to 

provide hygiene support for 

the football fans of Nigeria.”

Vanguard, FRIDAY, JUNE 18, 2021— 47 

Denmark 1 Belgium 2 

Police move to rescue 

abducted Rivers 

United coach, Eguma 

Enugu Police command has 

begun an operation to rescue 

the abducted manager of Rivers 

United Football Club, Stanley 

Eguma. 

Eguma was reported to have 

been kidnapped by gunmen on 

Tuesday in Enugu on his way from 

Gombe State where his team lost 

to Adamawa United on Sunday. 

Enugu police spokesman ASP 

Daniel Ndukwe said the 

Commissioner of Police, Mr 

Mohammed Aliyu, has ordered the 

immediate rescue of Eguma. 

The CP ordered that no stone 

should be left unturned in the 

already launched full-scale 

investigation to rescue the coach. 

Fury: Wilder would 

knock out Joshua in 

first round 

TYSON Fury on Anthony 

Joshua and promoter Eddie 

Hearn: “I’ve got to get past Wilder 

then those guys will get their five 

minutes of fame. I’ll give them the 

biggest beatdown they have had in 

their lives.” 

Tyson Fury has criticised 

Anthony Joshua and his promoter 

Eddie Hearn by saying “they are 

businessmen and I am a Spartan”. 

Fury will defend his WBC 

heavyweight championship 

against Deontay Wilder in Las 

Vegas on July 24 after a mega-fight 

with Joshua fell apart. 

Joshua is instead expected to put 

his IBF, WBA and WBO belts on 

the line against Oleksandr Usyk 

in September, but Fury has lashed 

out at his British rival. 

“I’ll deal with these guys later - 

the most important thing to me is 

Wilder, the most dangerous 

heavyweight in the world who 

would knock out Joshua in the first 

round,” he exclusively told Sky 

Sports. 

“I’ve got to get past Wilder then 

those guys will get their five 

minutes of fame. I’ll give them the 

biggest beatdown they have had in 

THE Nigeria Footbaal 

Federation, NFF yesterday 

celebrated Super Falcons’ loss to 

the United States women’s team 

claiming that the “African 

champions, Nigeria. showed they 

are no pushovers despite losing by 

two goals to four –time world 

champions and four –time 

Olympic champions USA in the 

last game of the 2021 Summer 

Series”. 

The matche was played 

at the Q2 Stadium in 

Austin, Texas, USA. The 

Super Falcons lost their 

opening game of the Series 

to the Jamaicans by a lone 

goal on 10th June and had 

to come from behind to 

muscle a 3-3 draw against 

Portugal in the second 

match three days 

later. Both games took 

place in Houston, also in 

He also ordered the arrest of 

the yet-to-be identified gunmen, 

alleged to have abducted him on 

15/06/2021 at about 1600hrs, 

along Enugu/Port-Harcourt 

Expressway. 

He said: “ The order was sequel 

to a complaint made at Anti- 

Kidnapping Unit of the 

command same date of the 

incident at about 1705hrs, 

by two other persons traveling with 

the victim, who alleged that the 

unidentifed gunmen, operating in 

a white-coloured Hilux Van, 

trailed and forced the blackcoloured 

Hilux Van conveying 

them from Gombe State to Port- 

Harcourt, to stop. 

•Anthony Joshua and Wilder 

their lives. 

“As I’ve told Eddie Hearn, the 

difference between me and them 

is they are businessmen and I’m a 

Spartan. 

“This talk of undisputed means 

the State of Texas. 

The Falcons were up against a 

US Women National Team that 

had not lost in dozens of matches 

and could not readily remember 

the last time they conceded a goal. 

Nigeria’s Head Coach, Randy 

Waldrum, made only one change 

from the pulsating draw with 

Portugal on Sunday, with Esther 

Okoronkwo taking the place of 

new discovery Ifeoma Onomonwu. 

Christian Press scored the 

Americans’ first 

goal in time addedon 

in first half with 

an assist from Carli 

Loyd. The goal 

came after several 

brilliant saves by 

Super Falcons’ 

number one 

Tochukwu Oluehi, 

who was kept very 

busy in the opening 

half. 

•Eguma 

“The complainants further 

alleged that the assailants pushed 

the two of them out and made 

away with the vehicle, abducting 

the victim in the process”. 

nothing to me. I’m not Eddie 

Hearn or Anthony Joshua. I fight 

because this is what I do - it’s what 

I was born to do. 

“I’ve got nothing personal 

against Wilder. 

Nadal pulls out of Wimbledon, 

Tokyo Olympics Games 

WORLD number three Rafael 

Nadal has pulled out of 

this month’s Wimbledon and the 

Tokyo Olympic Games. 

The 20-time Grand Slam 

champion, who won the 

Wimbledon titles in 2008 and 

Summer Series 2021: Super Falcons 

fall 2-0 to USA 

2010, says he needs to “recuperate 

after a long clay-court season”. 

“It’s never an easy decision but 

after listening to my body and 

discussing it with my team I 

understand that it is the right 

decision,” said the Spaniard. 

“The goal is to prolong my 

career and continue to do what 

makes me happy.” 

The 35-year-old added: “That is 

to compete at the highest level and 

keep fighting for those 

professional and personal goals at 

the maximum level of 

competition.” 

Nadal hinted at the decision 

after his defeat by Serbia’s world 

number one Novak Djokovic in the 

French Open semi-finals last 

week. 

•Nadal 

Hazard, De Bruyne show class as Belgium 

survive Denmark scare 

BELGIUM yesterday survived a first half scare from a stubborn 

Denmark team which took only two minutes to stun the starstudded 

Romelu Lukaku-inspired side through Yussuf Poulsen’s strike. 

Eden Hazard and Kevin de Bruyne became the first pair of substitutes 

to both assist in a European Championship match for the same side 

since Robin van Persie and Arjen Robben for the Netherlands against 

France in 2008. 

Kevin de Bruyne became also the first player to score and assist as a 

second half substitute at the European Championship since the 2012 

final, when Fernando Torres did so for Spain against Italy. 

Belgium now lead group B with six points from two victories while 

Russia are second with three points after their win against Finland who 

alo have three points from their 1-0 defeat of Denmark. 

Ramos rules out Sevilla, Barca after 

Real Madrid exit 

Sergio Ramos has ruled out a return 

to Sevilla following the 

confirmation of his exit from Real 

Madrid. 

Ramos is to walk away from the 

Santiago Bernabeu after 16 years when 

his contract expires at the end of this 

month after failing to agree a new deal. 

The veteran centre-back has said he did 

try to accept Real Madrid‘s offer of a oneyear 

deal on reduced terms, but he was 

told it was ‘too late’. 

*Ramos 

And so a new chapter awaits, but while Ramos‘ next club remains 

unknown for now, he has confirmed he will not be heading back to 

Sevilla, nor will he join Real Madrid’s eternal rivals Barcelona. 

“I’m not joining Sevilla, this is not even an option,” he said during his 

departure press conference, as transcribed by Fabrizio Romano. 

“Barcelona? Impossible. You’ll never see me at Barça. I don’t know 

which club I’m joining yet. When I’ll know, I’ll be the first to announce it. 

“It’s not time to talk about my future.” 

Ramos is available for free this summer, but his large salary means he 

will not come cheap. 

2021 US Open to have capacity 

crowds, says USTA 

The US Open is set to be the first Grand Slam to be played entirely 

in front of capacity crowds since the start of the coronavirus 

pandemic. Wimbledon aims to have capacity crowds for the men’s and 

women’s finals - but will be at 50% capacity for 

the rest of the tournament. 

The US Open takes place in August at 

Flushing Meadows in New York. 

New York state has lifted most lockdown 

restrictions as over 70% of adults have received 

at least one does of vaccine. 

United States Tennis Association chief 

executive Mike Dowse said: “While we were 

proud that we were able to hold the event in 

2020, we missed having our fans on-site, 

because we know that they are a large part of 

what makes the US Open experience unlike any 

other.” 

•Dowse 

Buffon rejoins Parma 20 years 

after leaving 

Veteran Italian goalkeeper Gianluigi 

Buffon has rejoined his first club 

Parma - 20 years after leaving. 

The 43-year-old has signed a two-year deal 

with the Italian side who were relegated from 

Serie A last season. 

Buffon left Juventus at the end of last 

season after his second spell at club. 

The 2006 World Cup winner has 176 

international caps for Italy and holds the 

record for most Serie A appearances with 

656 games. 

•Buffon 

He made 14 appearances for Juventus last season. 

“We are thrilled to welcome Gigi Buffon home, it’s a really special 

moment for all of us.” said Parma president Kyle Krause. 

Buffon made his debut for Parma in 1995 as a 17-year-old.

Vanguard, FRIDAY, JUNE 18, 2021 

TODAY’S CROSSWORD 

QUICK CROSSWORD 

YESTERDAY’S SOLUTION 

Sudoku 

TODAY’S PUZZLE 

YESTERDAY’S ANSWER 

ACROSS 

1 Riches (6) 

4 French channel port (6) 

8 Eulogise (5) 

9 Thawed out (7) 

10 Restricted (7) 

11 Crest (5) 

12 Triple (9) 

17 Listened to (5) 

19 Proficient (7) 

21 Large mug-like vessel (7) 

22 Female relatives (5) 

23 Covering for curtain rod (6) 

24 Shellifish (6) 

DOWN 

1 Every seven days (6) 

2 Try (7) 

3 Available for renting (5) 

5 Conflagration (7) 

6 Haughty (5) 

7 Hole for a lace or cord (6) 

9 Disrobed (9) 

13 Bureaucratic procedure1 (3,4) 

14 Extinct (7) 

15 Stop speaking (4,2) 

16 Nearer (6) 

18 Cancel (5) 

20 European country (5) 

How to Play Sudoku 

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

two of the same number). 

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

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

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

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

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

multiplication, just plain logic and your imagination. 

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18062021 - Gunmen on rampage in Enugu, Kebbi, Ogun, abduct 40

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