The Pacesetter Frontier Magazine

Category: News

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  • IPOB in a bid to enforce the anti open grazing law in south east geo political zone

     

     

     

    THE Indigenous People of Biafra on Monday said its security arm, the Eastern Security Network, would soon commence the enforcement of the Anti-Grazing law in the South-East geo-political zone.

     

    This was as the Igbo National Council expressed its support for IPOB’s call on the South-East governors to halt open grazing by Fulani herdsmen in the South-East.

     

    Kanu in the statement specifically said IPOB’s security outfit would commence enforcement of anti-grazing law in two weeks.

     

    The proscribed group noted that it would no longer tolerate any form of killings by Fulani herdsmen in the zone, adding that such will never happen again in the land of, “The Rising Sun.”

     

    The secessionist group stated this in a statement personally signed by its Leader, Nnamdi Kanu, a copy of which was made available to our correspondent by its Director of Media and Publicity, Emma Powerful.

     

    According to the statement, “If you are one of the #Zoo animals suffering from an advanced form of Stockholm syndrome, may it kill you there. We in the East are not, have never been and can never be slaves to any bunch of retards. Ask the British.

     

    “We won’t tolerate any iota of killer Fulani herdsmen menace in the East. You may be comfortable with your wretched Fulanised existence where you are but we won’t live with that rubbish in the land of the Rising Sun. Where were you when our people were being slaughtered, raped and kidnapped in Isiukwuato?

     

    “In less than two weeks, #ESN will commence the full enforcement of Nigeria’s Anti-Grazing Law in the East. Turn into a cow then and see what shall become of you. You are about to understand how determined we are. You have the temerity to talk about monopoly of violence?

     

    “The era of Biafrans crying and lamenting to EU and UN has come and gone. The Dragon Flag has been raised! If you don’t know what it means, go and ask.

     

    “Yap all you like, there is no going back. You #Zoo animals are about to witness the type of madness you never knew existed. Aisha Yusuf.”

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    Speaking, Emma Powerful, said Aisha Yusuf, an activist from the North, entered into IPOB’s bad book for saying the group has no monopoly of violence.

     

    Igbo group back IPOB

    Meanwhile, a group, Igbo National Council, has said that it was backing the call by IPOB on South-East governors to end open grazing by Fulani herdsmen in the South-East zone.

     

     

    The INC’s National President, Chilos Godsent, urged the South-East governors to emulate their South-West counterparts, who opposed the activities of the Fulani herdsmen said that the herdsmen should not be  allowed any field in the region.

     

     

     

    Source: www.punchng.com

  • FG pledges its commitment to increase revenue generation and enhance the economy

     

     

    The Federal Government has pledged its commitment to improving revenue generation and enhancing economic competitiveness in the country.

     

    The Minister of Finance, Zainab Ahmed, made the pledge on a virtual platform on Monday during the Executive Roundtable on the Finance Act 2020 and Economic Outlook for 2021 organised by PricewaterhouseCoopers.

     

     

    In her opening remarks, she said, “The Federal Government of Nigeria will continue to champion economic policies aimed at improving revenue generation, enhancing economy competitiveness, encouraging domestic investors and enhancing macroeconomic stability despite the significant challenges posed by COVID-19.

     

    “This administration is committed to stimulating economic growth by fostering economic resilience in our business communities and broader economy in line with the thematic thrust of the 2021 budget.

     

    “I want to also add that the Federal Government is forging stronger collaboration with the subnational government, state government as well as the local government.”

     

    PwC Partner and Chief Economist, Dr Andrew Nevin, asked Nigeria to leverage on exporting services to the world.

     

    He said Nigeria had a populace of intellectuals earning foreign exchange which should be leveraged on.

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    He said, “Nigeria exports brains and we are earning significantly from it around the world and that is the asset we need to optimise.

     

    “The interesting thing is that we can export brains from Nigeria without people leaving Nigeria. In fact, if you think about Nigeria’s unique conditions, our ability to export is not manufactured goods.”

     

    PwC Tax Leader, Mr Taiwo Oyedele, who spoke on the import levy on cars said that the total tariff to be paid on imported cars was 40 per cent as against five per cent that has been in the public domain.

     

    He said, “This is really important to clarify. For new cars, it is only the levy that has been reduced from 35 to five per cent. The import duty of 35 per cent is still available on new and used cars which means for a new car, the total tariff you pay on import is 40 per cent.”

     

    Oyedele explained that 40 per cent levy was still high enough to en courage people to buy locally.

     

     

     

    Source: www.punchng. com

  • Makinde gives measures on how to handle insecurity

     

    Seyi Makinde

     

    Governor Seyi Makinde of Oyo State has rolled out measures to tackle insecurity in seven towns of Ibarapa following the crisis between local farmers and Fulani herdsmen.

    The governor, on Sunday, met with selected stakeholders, local government chairpersons and political office holders from Ibarapa zone, where he declared the problems of the people are his problems.

    The destruction of farmlands by cattle, kidnapping for ransom, rape, armed robbery as well as killings by people suspected to be Fulani herdsmen had culminated in a seven-day quit notice issued by a Yoruba activist, Sunday Adeyemo, also known as Sunday Igboho, to the herdsmen to leave Ibarapa land.

    On the expiration of the ultimatum last week, it is alleged that youths of Ibarapa forcefully evicted the Sarkin Fulani of Igangan and Oyo State, Abdulkadir Saliu, who had since relocated his family to Ilorin in Kwara State.

    The governor, yesterday, announced his administration’s plans to set up peace and security committees at local government levels as well as the commencement of identity management programme, towards strengthening the security architecture of the state.

    Chief Press Secretary to the governor, Taiwo Adisa, in a statement, yesterday, quoted Makinde as saying: “The take-home from the interaction for me is that it is a collective problem and I can see the commitment from everybody to find a solution to this. And, at least, I am quite glad that some of the initiatives that the government is trying to put in place to stem insecurity are coming to fruition.

    “We will ensure our identity management programme takes off as quickly as possible. We will also ensure the setting up of peace and security committee that is all-encompassing in the councils.

    “The 200 Amotekun corps have been deployed. They are here and we are also supporting them with logistics by bringing four additional operational vehicles for them.”

    The governor also urged political office holders to always call government’s attention to happenings within their localities, saying he decided to sleep over in Ibarapa to feel the pulse of the  people.

     

     

     

    Source: www.sunnewsonline.com

  • Herdsmen wreaking havoc, leaving a trail of destruction on their way out of Ondo

     

     

    Ayede Ogbese is one of the communities in Ondo State , where Fulani herdsmen are wreaking havoc.  In this interview with PETER DADA,  Chief Oladimeji Abitogun,  the Odopetu of Ayede Ogbese   in the Akure North Local Government Area, speaks about the spate of insecurity in the state and Nigeria as a whole

     

    In recent times, the kidnappings that have occurred along Akure-Owo Expressway between Ayede Ogbese and Uso communities are alarming. As a traditional chief, why do you think this is happening in your domain?

     

    The fact of the matter is that at a point between the Ogbese River; which is our patrimony and very important to the people of Ayede-Ogbese; between that point and the community of Uso, you would understand that there are linguistic, geographical and cultural affinities between the people of Ayede-Ogbese and Uso. That certain area known as Oke-Odo, Kajola in Uso is where you would find these activities of Fulani militias who are armed to the teeth and ready to kill. They come to the highway,  a major highway linking South-West with the northern part of the country and the South-South as well as the eastern part of Nigeria. So, they use that strategic location to stage their dastardly often murderous kidnappings. Until recently, we didn’t even know that some of them had taken refuge in our community.

     

    So, the description that our community has become a place of refuge to these people may not be totally correct. The political correctness and the constitution of this county would say all of us can live together, but you’ll find the Fulani from their historical antecedent often displaying this tendency to f invade different tribes of Nigeria, if need be, take over the leadership, kill and ultimately install themselves as a kind of caliphate and seize the instrument of governance. The most visible will be the case of Ilorin.

     

    Even as I’m talking to you, in Southern Kaduna, these people have sacked indigenes and installed themselves as overlords in more than 147 towns and villages. That is not going to happen here.

    You said what they were trying to do is not going to happen here. What are those things they are trying to do?

     

    I’m not just the third ranking chief in Ayede-Ogbese kingdom, professionally, I’m a journalist. Words matters to us. Beyond that, I have a degree in English, Literary and Curriculum Studies. What they are trying to do is so clear to everybody. You know that from the intelligence available to the leadership of our kingdom. These people will come, pretend they have a genuine agenda of integrating with the people in the community and they are armless. But if I start to count on the tip of my fingers, you’ll understand that even when they say they are coming for simple things like basic health facilities, you’ll see under their clothes dagger and swords sheathed. For what purpose is that? Sometimes, we get so proactive. We begin to collect those swords from them. You can’t be bringing things like that into medical facilities.

     

    Sometimes they enter our markets with swords under their clothes. Of course, we have a very big cosmopolitan market in our community. The market is patronized from the entire West Africa sub-region, and then somebody comes into that market carrying  a sword. To do what? That is the one that is so visible. The one we also know is that under the animals they rear, they wrap AK-47 . You would think it’s their personal wears and foodstuff .

     

    We are aware from what some of the freed hostages told us that when they collect that ransom, they don’t even know the denomination. That means they are illiterate. Some of them do not even speak the Nigerian variant of Fulfude, which is the language of the Fulani people. If you want to start a conversation with them in simple English, they don’t even understand because they speak French.

     

    They believe in the unity of the Fulani nation across wherever they exist in Africa. So, they think they’re coming here to give consolidation to interest that are not clear, to struggles that are not known to anybody and to individuals not completely loyal to the Nigeria nation.

     

    In your submission, you believe that they are not Nigerians. How did you say they were consolidating an interest in Nigeria?

     

    It’s not difficult to know. For example, the people and the government of Ondo State took a fundamental position; something that is backed by the constitution; that these people cannot continue to illegally occupy Government Forest Reserves. The herders themselves did not speak. A voice echoed from the seat of power in Abuja. Isn’t that enough indication that they think you’re hurting one of their own out there. Peace loving Nigerians actually voted whoever that is leading this country today. These people that they are defending;  I’m sure they never even voted. While the rest of us were in the queue exercising our franchise as free citizens of Nigeria, remember that these people were plotting how to kill the majority of us, how to prevent us from exercising our voting rights. And then, we defied  all of these to put the government in power. Only for the certain operatives of the  government to start using the instrument of state to defend lawlessness.

     

    Few days ago, there was a meeting where everybody agreed with what Governor Akeredolu has done by giving that four-point order. Even the representatives of the MACBAN supported it. Do you see sincerity in their purported support?

     

    Honestly, I don’t. The preliminary comments made by the Chairman of the Nigeria Governors’ Forum, Governor Kayode Fayemi of Ekiti, was almost going to scape-goat the media, saying the intent and purpose of what Governor Akeredolu said was misconstrued in the media. Which media? You don’t know that when you take on the media as a major institution like that anywhere in the world, you’re really trying to bring the nation itself down. Honestly, people tend to see governance and democracy as event. Governor Fayemi is in a position to know better. He was a practising journalist at a time as well as an agitator and a pro-democracy activist. I give that to him.

     

    From the look of things and with what Miyetti Allah said, the position of Governor Akeredolu is unassailable.  The bad eggs should be fished out and their members in the forest should get government permission. What they are not telling the world which we now know is that the Bororo, the cattle Fulanis,  do not even interact.

     

    They don’t have respect for the liberated Fulanis. So, for all we can care, everything that transpired at the meeting, the Fulani ethnic militia operate by an agenda that is uttered and directed and anchored by the devil. The other people, decent as they are, may not be able to speak to the minds, agenda and actions of the violent Fulani.

     

    And guess what, since the expiration of the seven days ultimatum given by the government of Ondo State, what have they been doing in the forests? Yes, they are leaving the forest reserves, but on their paths, they’re leaving on their trail blood, destruction, sorrow, tears.

     

    Coming out in a huge exodus and destroying everything they see on the way. They are not just using AK-47.

     

    As a traditional chief who is close to the people, what do you think can be done to flush the criminal herders out of your domain?

     

    Honestly, I’ve a confession, if you ask me about what can be done, I look at  a the solution that was applied in a place like Ijare Community ( where lightening killed 36 cows)  No matter how crazy the Fulani ethnic militias today, he will not venture into Ijare. Secondly, I look at the Sunday Igboho , maybe it’s a matter of boldness and courage but it takes the extraordinary for somebody to disarm a Fulani militia firing AK-47. That kind of boldness in Sunday Igboho is something that has to be replicated.

     

    You are commending Igboho for the steps he took, but some people are crucifying him for doing that. What is your take?

     

    Who are the ones saying that? I’ve not heard that. On the contrary, people are misinterpreting the initial silence of a section of the leadership of the South-West. For example, they said Iba Gani Adams did not speak so early as the Aare Ona Kakanfo but as a traditional generalisimo, he said he was studying the situation and looking at the intelligence behind it all. And fundamentally, he has no disagreement with Sunday Igboho.

     

    You said you are close to some victims of herdsmen attacks in your axis and some of them narrated that their abductors took them to the bush and they were hearing people talking,  but people of the community are the owners of the land, can’t the obas do something against all trespassers?

     

    My brother, do you know one thing, do not let us deceive ourselves. What the indigenous individuals who have run this nation in succession after the exit of British colonialists, what they have done is to pursue extreme radical agenda against the traditional royalty in this country. They’ve emasculated our traditional institutions.

     

    From the revelations of victims, they said these bandits have links with some people in the town who act as spies?

     

    That may not be completely false. There must be people who tell them that their targets have big pockets.

     

    Can’t the community investigate  and take the necessary action?

     

    Community do investigate but we don’t have the power to arrest. So, what do we do? We provided reasonable intelligence to the police or the NSCDC command and again you are at their mercy.  Let me give you this narrative, it will interest you, the late Alayede of Ayede-Ogbese, Oba Isaac Oluyele decided to install someone as the Seriki Hausawa. While that ceremony was on, Chief Olu Falae, a prominent Nigerian politician was in attendance to honour that occasion. A loser in the contest, one individual called Mustapha who happened to be a so- called organizer and youth leader in the Hausa community for the ruling APC, decided to bring almajiris. They invaded the palace ground where the ceremony was going on. They started pulling down canopies, throwing chairs. So, in the wisdom of Alayede-in-Council, a decision was reached that, that kind of impunity could not be allowed.

     

    Going back to the issues of the freed victims, I will cite the example  for example, Olatubosun Johnson, the son of Aro of Uso. His father is the third in royal hierarchy of Uso land. When he was kidnapped, they took him for two days just because he was blindfolded, they were taking him around the same locality, beating and torturing him. When eventually they released the hood on his face, he was able to recognised one community in the locality. That’s was how, he knew he was around, Ayede-Ogbese.

     

    Look at the case of Boniface, an employee of Petroleum Training Institute, Effurun, Delta State who was kidnapped on Sunday and released on Thursday. He was taken around the same spot Olatubosun Johnson was kidnapped and he was released around Bolohunduro and Eleyowo. What are they doing all this kind of stupid stuff for.

     

    What do you think can be done about this issue?

     

    Somebody must be held accountable for the broken chain; the link that is broken in the hierarchy of command, whether in the military or the police. Whoever is weakening that strong link that must be effective in terms of law enforcement,  whoever that is sending that wrong signal that these people enjoy the protection of the Presidency or in the police command;  that person must be identified.

     

     

     

    Source: www.punchng.com

     

  • ORLU: Eastern Union Congress condemns Orlu killings gives, Government one month to set up judicial panel

     

    Eastern Union Congress (EUC), a think-tank for the peoples of the old Eastern Region, now South East and South South, has condemned the handling of a recent mayhem in Orlu by Imo State Government and security agencies.

    EUC regretted the death toll and burning of property in Orlu attributed to members of security agencies in their alleged search for members of the Eastern Security Network (ESN) of the Indigenous Peoples of Biafra (IPOB).

    The group demanded the Federal Government constitute an independent judicial panel to examine the causes of the crisis and recommend punishment for those found culpable within a month from now or risked being dragged to the international community.

    “The EUC sees the continuing massacre of innocent citizens in the South East, at the least provocation, as part of a wider subjugation agenda and subtle continuation of the Nigerian-Biafran War of 1967 to 1970, which was waged by the Nigerian Federal Government and its allies against the predominantly Christian eastern region.

    “The EUC is concerned that the security agencies, which are maintained with tax payers’ money, have mastered the art of attacking innocent civilians in the streets. Indeed, EUC is alarmed by anathema of the regular resort to scorched-earth strategy, collateral damage and fear-mongering in every civil unrest internal security operations in the South East. The EUC notes that there is no other part of Nigeria where this type of operational rule book is applied other than the South East, not even the insurgency affected North East. The South East is not at war with Nigeria. This approach must stop.”

     

     

     

    Source: www.sunnewsonline.com

  • Labour calls for a reduction in electricity bill by 40 percent

     

     

     

    There is a stalemate in the push for electricity tariffs reversal championed by Organised Labour.

     

    Labour is pushing for a 40 per cent reduction following September’s increase by the Federal Government.

     

    Labour’s argument is based on findings that gas, a major component of the Distribution Companies (Discos), should not be sold in dollars.

     

    According to Organised Labour, the product should be sold to Discos at $1.50, as against $2.50, even if it is to be sold in foreign currency.

     

    Organised Labour found that the Discos consume 70 per cent of the gas generated in the country, wondering why the government has to always increase tariff.

     

    A source close to the seven-man committee set up by the Federal Government faulted the continuous sale of gas to Discos in dollars.

     

    After an increase in electricity tariff in September last year, President of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Ayubba Wabba and that of the Trade Union Congress, Quadri Olaleye, threatened to embark on strike.

    After several hours of horse-trading, the proposed strike was suspended, with Labour and the Federal Government agreeing to set up a committee to review the increase.

    The committee submitted an interim report, which recommended a temporary suspension of the tariff.

     

    In January, the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) issued an order to DisCos – signalling an increase in electricity tariff, but the move was suspended.

     

    However, a source close to the committee, who pleaded anonymity, said NERC has not stopped in its plans to push for an increase in tariff.

     

    The source, who is a Labour chieftain, accused the regulator of being in bed with both the DisCos and Generating Companies in the push for an increase in electricity tariff.

     

    The source said: “These guys are unanimous in the increase in tariff. NERC is supporting them (Discos and Gencos) but we are after NERC because the indices for the review are actually faulty and you can’t get a perfect tariff review based on a faulty premium.

     

    “By the time you dollarise gas, you are giving them (discos and gencos) gas at one dollar fifty cents and then electricity that consumes 70 per cent of gas generated in the country, instead of theirs to be down, they are giving them at two dollars fifty cents. That is what we discovered.

     

    “Even if you are to insist on giving it in dollars; which is wrong since our currency is naira, it should be brought down to industry standard – which is one dollar fifty cents. We are taking one dollar from it and that will constitute over 40 per cent reduction in tariff.

     

    “Even at that, for using 70 per cent (of the gas produced in the country), theirs should be lower because they consume the bulk of the gas we produce.”

    The source added: “Our position is that tariff should reduce. Labour is insisting on a minimum of one dollar fifty cents for gas; that is what we are selling to other gas users in the country.

    “Labour presented a minimum of one dollar fifty cents to the Federal Government team from our findings. If you do that you will have a further reduction of electricity by over 40 per cent.

     

    “We equally insisted that inflation and foreign exchange should be reviewed. Because if you don’t do that, all these things will change next month; there will be inflation next month (February) because they would want to equally increase.”

     

    Minister of State for Labour and Employment, Festus Keyamo, who is the Chairman of the committee, said the committee was still working and its outcome will be made public when it is ready.

     

     

     

     

    Source: www.thenationonlineng.net

  • Ohanaeze, middle belt and the nation supports kano state governor’s call to FG to ban Open grazing

    Abdullahi Umar Ganduje

     

    Nigerians have hailed the call by Kano State Governor, Abdullai Ganduje, for the Federal Government to ban the movement of cattle from the North to South, in order to end the frequent clashes between the Fulani herdsmen and farmers across the country and curb cattle rustling.

    Governor Ganduje made the call when he and other governors elected on the platform of the ruling Alł Progressives Congress (APC) had a special lunch with President Muhammadu Buhari in his private residence, at the weekend, in Daura, Katsina state.

    The Kano governor, who made the disclosure while addressing newsmen called on the federal government to enact a law banning the movement of cattle from the north to other parts of the country.

    While responding to questions on how far he had gone with RUGA project in his state, Ganduje said: “We are building a RUGA settlement in Samsosua forest, our border with Katsina, and we have succeeded in curtailing the effect of banditry in that area. So, we are building many houses, we are constructing a dam, establishing a cattle artificial insemination centre, a veterinary clinic and, already, we have started building houses for herdsmen.

    “My advocacy is that we should abolish the transportation or trekking of herdsmen from the northern part of Nigeria to the middle belt and to the southern part of Nigeria. There should be a law that will ban cattle movement, otherwise, we cannot control the conflicts between herdsmen and farmers and the cattle rustling which is affecting us greatly.”

    Former presidential candidate, Dr Yunusa Tanko and Chairman of the Arewa Youth Consultative Assembly, Mallam Yerima Shettima, who spoke to Daily Sun hailed governor Ganduje’s suggestion as a welcome idea, stressing that the frequent clashes between the cattle herders and farmers not only portrays the North in a bad light, but also threatening the peaceful coexistence of the country.

    They both called on cattle owners and their herders to embrace modern ranching as the best option of grazing their cattle.

    Tanko said: “The idea of cattle straying into farms and destroying people’s crops is not acceptable, that has brought for us in the North wrongly or rightly, a level of unacceptable accolade from our brothers in the South. The North has enough land mass that can take care of the cattle if only we can build ranches and take care of the cattle. Most of the cattle are owned by the elite, not the herders you see on the road. If the elite have invested that much in the cattle business, they should be able to build ranches for their cattle.”

    For Shettima, the continued movement of herders and destruction of farmlands and crops has continued to threaten the peace of the country.

    “The fact of the matter is that we can’t continue over and over to gloss over the surface of an injury without addressing the source of the injury. If there is to be a solution, let us go back to modern ranches, the world is a global village, we can rear cattle without causing harm to anybody or encroaching into anybody’s territory and without these attacks and counter-attacks. I agree with governor Ganduje that such law should be passed, so that we put an end to the incessant farmers and herders clashes.”

     

    Ganduje’s call vindicates our push for anti-open grazing law-ADF

    For the Alaigbo Development Foundation (ADF), the call by governor Ganduje has vindicated its persistent push for states in the South East to make laws on anti-open grazing of cattle.

    ADF’s spokesman, Abia Onyike, yesterday, declared that continued open grazing of cattle is a recipe for crisis in Nigeria.

    “The Federal Government should listen to governor Ganduje’s advice to reduce the growing tension generated by Fulani herdsmen in southern Nigeria. If the tension is not checked, a civil war may become inevitable in Nigeria,” ADF warned.

     

     

     

    Herdsmen must respect laws of Southern states –Afenifere

    Spokesman of Pan Yoruba Cultural Organisation, Afenifere, Yinka Odumakin, said that cattle rearing is private business and any herder who wants to rear cattle in any southern state must obey the laws governing that state.

    “If Ganduje thinks that not bringing cows to the South would unsettle us, he is making a mistake. They are not giving the cows free of charge, they are doing business and he should know that many people in the South are already raising cows. They should not think that because they are bringing their cows, they should be killing our people; we are beyond that,” Odumakin said.

     

    They should buy land for ranches –Middle Belt Forum

    In his own reaction, President of the Middle Belt Forum, Dr. Bitrus Pogu, said: “The statement that Ganduje made is neither here nor there, and when the policy of ranching, which we have been suggesting as the best practice of animal husbandry around the world, is implemented, the movement would not be there.

    “When you find people armed in their numbers coming to sack communities, then after that, cattle rearers will come and occupy the land. So it goes beyond the narrative they have been deceiving us with. The killers have to be flushed out of the country.

    “What the governor said is based on sentiments rather than solution. He is trying to divide the country by that statement. He is saying Fulani should be in the north; which part of the north?” Pogu asked.

     

    Ganduje’s position confirms southeast govs betrayed their people-ASETU

    Association of South East Town Unions (ASETU) said governor Ganduje’s call for nomadic herding was somewhat belated though commendable.

    National President of ASETU, Chief Emeka Diwe, said that “It is a “good morning” at afternoon.”

    “But the shame, however, is that the South East governors who we have severally written on this matter have remained adamant. What the Fulani herdsmen have done to our farmers in the bushes is second only to the genocide of the civil war. Yet our governors are silent. This is an act of betrayal!”

     

     

     

    Source: www.sunnewsonline.com

  • Amnesty accuses FG of cover-up in lekki tollgate shootings

     

    Amnesty International (AI) on Thursday accused the Federal Government of cover-up in the shooting of #EndSARS protesters at the Lekki Tollgate and Alausa, Ikeja, in Lagos on October 20, 2020.

     

    The global human right watchdog stated this on the 100 days of the incident.

     

    But the Federal Government accused AI of disinformation and double standard in its reports on alleged rights abuses in the country.

     

    Since the assault by security forces, which killed at least 12 people, Nigerian authorities have targeted supporters of the protests against police brutality by the disbanded Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS), AI said.

    The organisation said some of the movement’s supporters have had their bank accounts frozen.

     

    Amnesty International Nigeria Director Osai Ojigho said: “The bloody events of October 20, 2020, when Nigerian security forces killed at least 12 people during the violent dispersal of peaceful #EndSARS protesters at Lekki and Alausa, have cast a shadow over Nigerian society that lingers to this day.

     

    “Instead of bringing suspected perpetrators to justice and prioritising genuine police reforms, Nigerian authorities have been abusing their powers by subjecting those who supported the protests to intimidation, harassment and smear campaigns,” he added.

     

    Speaking with the News Agency of Nigeria Thursday in Abuja, Information and Culture Minister Lai Mohammed said: “If Amnesty International has any proof, it should come out with it or shut up.

     

    “After a lot of dillydallying, Amnesty International said 12 people were shot at the Lekki Tollgate.

     

    “They should take advantage of the Judicial Panel of Enquiry set up by Lagos State to tell the names and addresses of the 12 people they claim were shot at the toll gate,” he said.

     

     

     

    Source: www.punchng.com

  • Sharia council urges Governors to create ranches before banning open grazing

     

    The Supreme Council for Sharia in Nigeria on Thursday urged the South-West governors to consider the creation of ranches before banning open grazing.

     

    The group also said asking Fulani herdsmen to stop grazing their animal without providing alternative in ranches would be disastrous.

     

    Addressing newsmen in Osogbo, the Vice President of the group, Sheikh Abdur’rasheed Hadiyatullahi, also said profiling all Fulani as criminals would be unfair to the decent ones among the tribe.

     

    He said, “If you ban open grazing and you don’t create ranch, it is going to be disastrous. You can say animals should not be moving around and destroying crops, but give then ranches.

     

    “Let them settle down and do their business. Ban open grazing and provide ranches. Akeredolu has not told Fulani herdsmen to leave. He only asked them to vacate forest reserve. But let the governors create ranch for the herders.”

     

    On eviction of some Fulani herders from Igangan, Oyo state, Hadiyatullahi said, “To a find way out of these herdsmen, host community conflicts, we call for dialogue and wider consultation. The Igangan incident must be condemned by all lovers of peace. But at the same time, we cannot close our eyes to the pain and suffering of farmers and indigenes of the area who criminals see as soft targets for kidnapping, armed robbery.”

     

    ‘Cattle rearing’s private business’

    Meanwhile, the Ekiti State Commissioner for Information, Mr Akin Omole, said on Thursday that those in the business of cattle rearing in the state were at liberty to create their cattle ranches.

     

    Omole, who said cattle rearing was the private business of individuals, said, “If government wants to support farming, be it crop production or those in the field of animal production, the government will determine the way and manner it wants to go about it.

     

     

     

    Source: www.punchng.com

  • Farmers in Ondo state cries out over alleged invasion of their farms by some herdsmen

     

     

    Some farmers in Obasooto community in the Idanre Local Government Area of Ondo State on Thursday cried out over the alleged invasion of their farms by some herdsmen.

     

    The incident happened three days after the national leadership of  Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association of Nigeria  agreed to the terms of the Ondo State Government to stop night grazing,   open grazing ,as well as movement of cattle within cities and highways in the state.

     

     

    The affected farmers said they arrived at their farms and saw the havoc wreaked on their farms by the herders during the night.

     

    They lamented that millions of naira invested on the farms had gone in one night due to the attack of the herdsmen.

     

    One of the farmers, Mr Friday Ayaghi, alleged that his cassava plantation were eaten up and destroyed by the cows of the herders.

     

    Ayaghi lamented that feeding his family would become a challenge following the destruction of the farm. He said he planned to use the proceeds of the destroyed cassava to pay his children’s school fees.

     

     

    Another victim, Pa Olatuja Idowu, said the herders allegedly destroyed his cassava, pineapples and cocoyam plantations which belonged to him and his wife.

     

    The physically challenged octogenarian said, “The herdsmen first attacked my wife’s farm about 10 days ago and came back again to destroy my own farm and the rest of my wife’s farm.”

     

    Another farmer in the village, Mrs Sarah Akingbesote, lamented that over 600 heaps of cocoyam were eaten up by the cows which were led into her farm by the herdsmen.

     

     

     

     

    In a reaction,  the Commander of Amotekun in the state, Adetunji Adeleye, who confirmed the incident said operatives of the corps had been deployed in the affected farms to ascertain the level of the destruction as well as quantify the damage done.

     

    Adeleye also stated that the state chairman of MACBAN had been invited towards identifying and arresting the herders that perpetrated the act.

     

    The state chairman of MACBAN Alhaji Garba Bello, said those herders that destroyed the farms would pay for whatever they destroyed.

     

     

     

     

    Source: www.punchng.com

  • Crude Oil: NNPC sales of petroleum products increases by 92% in October 2020

     

    The Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) has announced that its downstream subsidiary, the Petroleum Products Marketing Company (PPMC), recorded a total of ₦158.04 billion from the sales of white products in the month of October 2020.

    The Corporation disclosed this on its October Monthly and Financial Operation Report (MFOR) in Abuja, on Thursday.

     

    It said the amount represented 92 per cent increase over the ₦80.15 billion sales in September 2020.

     

    The report indicated that total revenues generated from the sales of white products for the period October 2019 to October 2020 stood at ₦1.95 trillion, with Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) accounting for about 99.07 per cent of the total sales with a value of over ₦1. 9trillion.

     

    In terms of volume, the October 2020 sales figure translates to a total of 1.224.54 billion litres of white products sold and distributed by PPMC within the period compared with 603.39 million litres in the month of September 2020.

     

    This, it said, comprised 1.224.20 billion litres of PMS, 0.31 million litres of Automotive Gas Oil (AGO) also known as diesel and 0.033 million litres of Dual Purpose Kerosene (DPK).

     

    “Total sales of white products for the period October 2019 to October 2020 stood at 16.462.50 billion litres and PMS accounted for 16.344.36 billion litres or 99.28 per cent,’’ it said.

     

    On pipeline vandalism, it noted that 23 pipeline points were vandalised in the month under review, representing about 10 per cent increase from the 21 points recorded in September 2020.

     

    “ Of this figure, Mosimi area accounted for 83% of the vandalised points, while Port Harcourt Area accounted for the remaining 17 per cent,’’ it said.

     

    In the Gas Sector, the report revealed that a total of 214.07 billion Cubic Feet (bcf) of natural gas was produced in the month October 2020, translating to an average daily production of 6,908.34 Million Standard Cubic Feet per Day (mmscfd).

     

    It noted that the daily average natural gas supply to power plants increased by 8.60 per cent to 745mmscfd, equivalent to power generation of 2,801 Megawatts.

     

    “For the period of October 2019 to October 2020, a total of 3,018 BCF of gas was produced, representing an average daily production of 7,658.88 mmscfd during the period,’’ it said .

     

    The MFOR also indicates that period-to-date gas production from Joint Ventures (JVs), Production Sharing Contracts (PSCs) and NPDC contributed about 68.18 per cent , 20.12 per cent and 11.70 per cent respectively to the total national gas production.

     

    It adds that in terms of natural gas off take, commercialisation and utilisation, out of the 208.96 BCF of gas supplied in October 2020, a total of 118.40 BCF of gas was commercialised, consisting of 38.07 BCF and 88.90 BCF for the domestic and export market respectively.

     

    This, it said, translated to a total supply of 1,269.03mmscfd of gas to the domestic market and 2,870.57mmscfd of gas supplied to the export market for the month.

     

     

     

    Source: www.vanguardngr.com

  • Nigeria records her worst global rating on corruption, scores 149 out of 183 countries surveyed

     

    Nigeria has recorded her worst global rating on Corruption Perception Index since 2015.

    In the 2020 index released yesterday by the Civil Society Legislative Advocacy Centre (CISLAC), the country’s chapter of TI, Nigeria scored 25 out of 100 points, dropping to 149 out of the 183 countries surveyed, taking the nation three steps down from the 146 scored in 2019.

    In the report, Transparency International said the reason behind Nigeria’s worst ranking stemmed from an absence of transparency, nepotism, lack of adequate anti-corruption legal frameworks, the prevalence of bribery and extortion in the Nigerian Police and corruption in the security sector, among others

    Reacting, the presidency faulted TI’s report, saying Buhari’s administration deserves credit for diminishing corruption in the public service and will continue to vigorously support prevention, enforcement, public education and enlightenment activities of anti-corruption agencies.

    In a statement, yesterday, the presidency said TI’s report is not an accurate portrayal of the facts on ground.

    “In the coming days, the Government’s Technical Unit on Governance Research (TUGAR) will be providing more detailed information on the sources of the TI data.

    While this is being awaited, the examination carried out on their 2019 report showed that 60 percent of their data was collected from businesses and other entities with issues bordering on transparency and the ease of doing business at the ports.

    “Although this is a government ready to learn from mistakes and make corrections, the economy of this country, in its fullness, is bigger than the sea ports we have.

    We are also not unaware of the characters behind the TI in Nigeria whose opposition to the Buhari administration is not hidden.

    “We have repeatedly challenged TI to provide indices and statistics of its own to justify its sensational and baseless rating on Nigeria and the fight against corruption. We expect them to come clean and desist from further rehashing of old tales.

    “A naira denominated review that excludes recoveries in dollars, pounds, euro shows that a sum of N1.2trillionn was recovered by EFCC between 2009 — 2019. N939billion of that total was recovered between 2015 – 2019 with less than N300billion recovered in the first six years.

    “Additionally, preventative instruments deployed by this administration such as Treasury Single Account (TSA), Integrated Personnel and Payroll Information System (IPPIS) coverage expansion and the removal of 54,000 ghost workers from federal civil service saving us N200bn annually serve as evidence that perception is not reality.

    “Organisations should be factual in their analysis and be prepared to rely on inputs outside of sensational media reports and age-old narratives which have not been updated to reflect today’s reality in Nigeria concerning its globally-respected war on corruption…”

    Meanwhile, anti-corruption crusaders in Nigeria have reacted to the 2020 Corruption Perception Index (CPI) report of the Transparency International (TI), which suggests that corruption is becoming more endemic in the country.

    Former Chairman, (TI), Nigeria chapter, Gen Ishola Williams (retd), said: “At all levels of government in Nigeria, from the president to the governors, we all know what the TI is saying is true. Check throughout the world, how many countries do you know that has made it a habit to gather every month to share money to the states and local government areas and no body asks what happened to all the money that is shared?

    “President Buhari has given up on his promise to fight fraud, embezzlement, corruption or whatever he calls it. He just admitted less than 48 hours ago that the APC finds it difficult to deliver on some of their programmes, and one of their major promises is to fight corruption. Go through the national dailies or check online any day, you see stories that will make you very sad. We don’t need the TI to tell us that corruption is still endemic in Nigeria. In fact, if TI knows the true reflection of things in Nigeria, we should be at the very bottom.”

    Executive Director, Centre for Anti Corruption and Open Leadership (CACOL), Debo Adeniran, argued that the TI’s report is based on perceptions by the CPI, which may not necessarily reflect the truth.

    “The perception may not necessarily be the true reflection of the reality. From all indications, corruption crimes are no longer committed with brazenness as before. But, if the perception says corruption is on the rise, then where is the data and the facts and figures behind the perception? At our own level, we don’t have that data, what we suspect is that because more corruption cases are exposed and taken to court; there are now more information on how corruption is committed by who, when and how, that makes it easier for data hounds to easily get information from just anybody and make it seem as if there is more prevalence of corruption. Until the perception meets reality, we believe that the fight against corruption has taken a new dimension and that corruption crimes are more difficult to commit. We don’t have any data from TI to suggest that corruption is getting worse than before,” he said.

    Former President of Nigeria Bar Association (NBA), Dr. Olisa Agbakoba, SAN, noted that the federal government has a strategy on corruption, but said it needs more coordination in three important areas, namely, investigation, prosecution and assets recovery. He said that, crucially, the anti corruption strategy must be concerned with speed of justice, otherwise, its impact will be affected.

     

    Buhari administration, APC title holders in corruption- PDP

    The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), yesterday, said Nigeria’s rating in the 2020 corruption index report by Transparency International (TI) has confirmed that the All Progressives Congress (APC) led federal government is the most corrupt administration in the history of the country.

    The PDP, in a statement by its National Publicity Secretary, Kola Ologbondiyan, said: ”This descent into the abyss of corruption only goes to show that President Buhari’s anti-corruption stance is a mere swindle used to delude Nigerians, while the vaults were laid open for APC leaders and officials of the Buhari administration to plunder.

    “Indeed, the record of unbroken decline from 136th in 2016 to 144th in 2018, 146th in 2019 and now 149th in 2020, under President Buhari, the African Union (AU) Anti-Corruption Champion’, settles the now notorious fact that the Buhari administration and the APC are title holders in corruption.

    “Nigerians can now see that what the APC and the Buhari Presidency did, upon assumption of office, was to simulate a holier than thou attitude, deploy the instrument of propaganda to deliberately castigate the PDP with false corruption allegations, just to divert public attention and create a safe atmosphere for APC leaders to loot our nation to her knees.

    “The fact remains that no matter how lies and falsehood try to prevail, the truth will always come to light at the end of the day.

    “From the oil and inland revenue sectors to security, health, agriculture, food security, healthcare, transportation, road infrastructure, power, education, environment, among other critical sectors, none was spared from the kleptomaniac fingers of corrupt APC leaders and the cabal in the Presidency.”

    The opposition party added: “Nigerians can now see that our alert on the allegation of the stealing of over N15 trillion by APC leaders and political cronies in the Presidency was not just an opposition propaganda, but a patriotic stance which the APC and its administration has not been able to counter.

    “The Buhari administration has failed to go after APC leaders and cronies allegedly involved in the stealing of over N9.6 trillion as detailed in the leaked NNPC memo, the over N3trillion in fraudulent oil subsidy regime as well as trillions stolen from agencies including, the Federal Inland Revenue Services (FIRS) the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), the National Health Insurance Scheme, the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), the Social Investment Programme as revealed by First Lady, Aisha Buhari, the COVID-19 funds among a litany of frauds.

    “The financial rot in the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) under the Buhari administration, including stealing of recovered funds, underscores the level of corruption under the APC.

    “It is equally appalling that the decay has reached a frightening situation where, under Mr. President’s watch, employment opportunities are sold to young boys and girls at alarming costs ranging between N1.5 and N5million.

    “Moreover, the Buhari Presidency has failed to open up on its yearly budget for Nigerians.

    “Now that the Buhari-led APC administration has been further exposed, our party charges Nigerians to join in the demand for the APC, as a party, to commence the processes of refunding the N15 trillion stolen by its leaders before exiting our political firmament in 2023.”

     

     

     

    President lacks competence to fight corruption –Yakassai

    Elder statesman, Tanko Yakassai, said TI’s ranking is an accurate reflection of the situation of the country and didn’t come as a surprise to him, but insisted that there isn’t likely to be any improvement because, according to him, President Buhari lacks the competence to fight corruption.

    “Most of what is happening now is what I had said in the past. Since the inception of this administration, how many people have been arrested and successfully prosecuted? I am not talking about cases that preceded the administration. The president campaigned saying that he would fight insecurity and corruption, but can we say that this government is actually fighting corruption? The ranking of Transparency International is a reflection of the situation in this country and it is unfortunate. The fact, however, remains that no matter what the Presidency says, Buhari has never had the competence or the capacity to fight corruption,” Yakassai said.

    Also reacting, the founder and former national chairman of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), Chekwas Okorie, said: “I don’t think what the president is doing is enough because, if it is, we would not have this type of testimonial from Transparency International. Whether anyone likes to give credit to the opinion of TI or not, it is a wakeup call for the government. Even before this report came out, most Nigerians have been feeling the impact of widespread corruption, especially in areas that tend to hurt our economy like Customs, Immigration and the Police. In the issue of Immigration, many who are not supposed to be in the country are now being credited with insecurity. Anytime you hear of herdsmen killing, we are told that the Fulani herdsmen causing the problems are from neighbouring African countries like Niger; that is the failure of immigration.

    “When you go to Customs, it is the cesspool of corruption in Nigeria and that has affected our economy so badly. Even in the civil service, there is hardly anything you can do, without encountering one maleficence or the other. In the police, the situation is also the same. What caused the EndSARS protests which nearly shut down the country is a result of the corruption in the police and it hasn’t even stopped. It’s almost like no agency of government can stand out as being exemplary as being corrupt free.

    “I won’t put all the blame on the president because he has done well in ensuring that the economy didn’t collapse because he came in during extreme scarcity even though the situation hasn’t improved. But I want to go straight to the institutions that are not doing well, so that those who are heading them should be shown the way out just like the service chiefs we re sacked after much outcry,”Okorie said.

     

     

     

    Source: www.sunnewsonline.com