Nigerian govt reassures citizens on safety of covid-19 vaccines

The National Primary Health Care Development Agency (NPHCDA) on Thursday, reassured Nigerians of the safety and efficacy of COVID-19 vaccines in the country.

Executive Director, NPHCDA, Dr Faisal Shuaibu, gave the assurance when Mr David Anyaele, Executive Director, Centre for Citizens with Disabilities, a Non-Governmental Organisation (NGO), visited the agency in Abuja.

Shuaibu urged Nigerians to erase misconceptions about COVID-19 vaccines and ensure they were vaccinated against the virus.

While pledging the agency’s commitment to ensure inclusive healthcare for People with Disabilities (PWDs) in the country, Bassey tasked Nigerians to have confidence in the system and take advantage of the available doses of the vaccines.

According to him, the vaccination helps people to develop immunity that can fight the COVID-19 virus.

Shuaibu reiterated the agency’s commitment to give priority attention to persons living with disabilities in efforts to ensure that all Nigerians have equal access to the COVID-19 vaccine.

According to him, the agency has directed all its vaccination centres to give priority to disabled persons, saying “If they are on the line, we can’t keep them waiting”.

“I encourage every Nigerian to have confidence in the COVID-19 vaccines, it’s critical in tackling the virus.

“We encourage you to have confidence in the system.

“Nigeria is the only African country that the first phase of vaccine to Africa did not expire.

“There is no other African country, the least of them was 90, 000 doses, some 92, 900 doses that expired, some up to 600,000 and some 800,000 doses.

“But in Nigeria on July 8, the last dose of vaccine was used at Lagos island maternity because we can track and know on daily basis when it was remaining 5000 doses to 3000 doses to 160 and to the last dose that was used.

We can track the vaccines to be sure that what goes to Nigerians are genuine vaccines and if you watch, it is the only vaccine that we have not given access to people to bring into the country so that they won’t bring what is fake.

“And anything that comes into this country stays about five to seven days in National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) and they do their special final analysis to be sure that this is what we are expecting.

“So, you can be proud of your country that at least for once we are getting it right doing something.

“The second phase of vaccination that is ongoing now, we have assured the world that none of the vaccines we have received will expire on us as a country.

And it is because of the performance in the first phase that we are even having the privileges of receiving the vaccines we are receiving at this moment.

“Let Nigerians know that COVID is real.”

Falana urges Buhari to pardon convicted soldiers

The Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Femi Falana, on Wednesday urged President Muhammadu Buhari to grant pardon to 70 soldiers convicted for mutiny during ex-President Goodluck Jonathan’s administration.

In a letter dated August 25, 2021, and addressed to the President, Falana said the soldiers deserved to be pardoned just like the Boko Haram insurgents.

He recalled that the Federal Government deployed thousands of ill-equipped and ill-motivated soldiers to the North-East to tackle the Boko Haram insurgents from 2013 to 2014.

The letter read: “Instead of attending to such legitimate demand, the military authorities accused scores of the soldiers of sabotaging the counter-insurgency operations of the Federal Government and proceeded to set up courts-martial to try them for mutiny.

We defended 58 soldiers while the remaining 12 were defended by other colleagues before the Courts-Martial which sat in Abuja. At the end of the trials in August and December 2014, the Courts-Martial jailed some of the soldiers and sentenced 70 others to death for mutiny.

The courts martial failed to appreciate that the demand for weapons by the soldiers was justified under section 179 of the Armed Forces Act, (Cap A20) Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004.

Notwithstanding the pendency of the appeal at the apex court we urge Your Excellency to exercise your prerogative of mercy in favour of the entire 70 convicted soldiers.

“It is public knowledge that the Federal Government and some state governments have recently granted pardon and rehabilitated hundreds of terrorists who had waged war against Nigeria and subjected unarmed citizens to egregious human rights abuse.

“The soldiers who were convicted of mutiny for demanding for weapons to fight such terrorists deserve to be granted pardon and rehabilitated by the Federal Government.”

I inherited empty treasury in Zambia, says President Hichilema

Zambia’s new President, Hakainde Hichilema, claimed he inherited an empty treasury from his predecessor, Edgar Lungu.

Hichelima told the BBC in an interview on Wednesday that the ex-president completely looted the East African country’s economy.

He defeated Lungu in last month’s election in Zambia.

The President said: “People are still trying to make last-minute movements of funds, which are unauthorised, which are not theirs.

“The hole is much bigger than we expected. The debt situation had not been fully disclosed by the former government.

“There’s a lot of damage, unfortunately.”

APC approves inauguration of ward executives, holds local govt congresses September 4

The All Progress Congress (APC) Caretaker/Extraordinary National Convention Planning Committee (CECPC) has approved the immediate inauguration of ward executives elected during the party’s recent ward congresses.

The Secretary of the CECPC, John Akpanudoedehe, who disclosed this in a statement in Abuja, said the decision was taken during the committee’s 16th meeting held on Wednesday at the APC National Secretariat in Abuja.

The statement read: “The All Progressives Congress Caretaker/Extraordinary Convention Planning Committee ratifies and adopts the results of the party’s nationwide Ward Congresses held on Saturday, July 31, 2021.

Accordingly, the CECPC approves the immediate inauguration of Ward Executives by state caretaker committees.”

The party also announced that the local government congresses would hold across the country on September 4.

“The CECPC hereby directs that the conduct of nationwide Local Government Congresses proceeds accordingly by Saturday, September 4th, 2021, as contained in the official timetable/schedule of activities released by the party,” it added.

Only PDP NEC can suspend me – Secondus

The embattled National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Prince Uche Secondus, said on Wednesday only the party’s National Executive Committee (NEC) has the power to suspend him.

He was reacting to his recent suspension by the PDP Executive Committee in ward 5 in Ikuru, Andoni Local Government Area of Rivers State.

In a statement issued on Wednesday night by his media aide, Ike Abonyi, the chairman said those behind the reported suspension were bent on destroying the party.

The statement read: “The media office of Prince Uche Secondus ordinarily should not be responding to every ‘noise’ in the media being engineered by those who set out to distract and destroy the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). but it’s our responsibility to guide those who are easily persuaded by news in the media hence this response.

Such action is a mere wish as Article 59(3) of the Peoples Democratic Party’s constitution states clearly that only the party’s National Executive Committee (NEC) can discipline the National Chairman or any other National officer of the party.

“Members of the public and the media should therefore be wary of agents out to distract PDP from the focus of retrieving our beloved country from the irreparable damage already done to it by the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).”

Lai Mohammed cautions prominent Nigerians against divisive utterances

The Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, has admonished political, religious leaders, and opinion moulders to stop spewing incendiary rhetoric capable of setting the country ablaze.

Muhammed gave the admonition during a conference on Wednesday in Sal Island, Cape Verde.

The minister was in Cape Verde to attend the 64th Conference of the UN World Tourism Organisation (UNWTO) Commission for Africa and the Second Edition of the UNWTO Global Tourism Investment Forum.

Speaking on the responsibilities of the media, the minister warned broadcast stations, which are the purveyors of incendiary rhetoric, to abide by broadcast codes and other regulations guiding them.

In the last few weeks, the country has been awash, especially from the broadcast media, with very incendiary rhetoric which has created a sort of panic in Nigeria.

The incendiary rhetoric that comes from political, religious leaders and some opinions have the capacity to set the country on fire.

“This is because the rhetoric is pitting one ethnic group and religion against the other and overheating the polity.

“Our serious counsel to stakeholders is that they should understand and remember that leadership comes with a lot of responsibilities, tone down the hateful rhetoric because they are harmful to the country

“They should remember that every war is preceded by these kinds of mindless rhetoric, especially when it comes from otherwise responsible people who the people have the tendency to take seriously,’’ he said.

2023: Like PDP, APC zones governorship ticket to Niger South

The All Progressives Congress (APC) in Niger State has zoned the party’s 2023 governorship ticket to the southern part of the state.

The Special Adviser on Politics and Strategy to the Governor, Alhaji Mohammed Kolo, disclosed this to journalists on Tuesday in Minna.

Kolo said that the deputy governorship ticket was zoned to Niger East.

He dismissed claims that Governor Sani Bello had anointed a candidate to succeed him in 2023.

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) had also zoned its governorship ticket to Niger South.

The governor’s aide said: “On the zoning arrangement, the APC caucus on July 3, unanimously agreed to allow Zone A (Niger South), to produce the next gubernatorial candidate of our party.”

Kolo also revealed that all positions in the APC executive council in the state would be reshuffled during the state’s party congress in a bid to achieve the objective of the zoning arrangement.

He added: “All the party positions currently held by Niger East will go to Niger North and those occupied by Niger North will be reversed to Niger-South.”

Kolo said the state government had mapped out strategies for smooth and robust transition programme in two years’ time.

“This will afford all the members of the party a level playing field as the countdown to 2023 begins.

“This administration wants to ensure that everybody is given a level playing field without victimising any party faithful.

We want to give power back to the people, let them decide who they want to preside over their affairs. This is what we have decided to do as true democrats,” he concluded.

Niger govt bans cattle market, sale of fuel in jerry cans

The Niger State government has suspended the weekly cattle markets across the state.

The state’s Governor, Abubakar Sani Bello, disclosed this in a statement on Tuesday in Minna.

He also banned the sale of petroleum products in jerry cans or any other containers at filling stations in the state.

He said: “All weekly cattle markets across the state are hereby suspended and any vehicle carrying cattle into the State must show Way-bill and evidence of the origin where the cattle were purchased and their destination.

“All filling stations should not sell petrol of more than N10,000 to each vehicle at a time and should be wary of vehicles or motorcycles coming for repeat purchases.

Government suspends the operation of trucks carrying firewood/timber across the State. All motorcycles are only allowed to operate from 6:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. across the state.”

Bello directed security agencies to ensure strict compliance with the measures.

The development came just four days after the Zamfara State Governor, Bello Matawalle, banned weekly markets and the sale of petroleum products in jerry cans in the state

NBA decries conflicting court orders, threatens to punish senior lawyers

The Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) has decried the recurring conflicting court orders on political matters in the country, saying they evoke memories of the dark days.

The association also called on politicians in the country to stop using lawyers to ridicule the judiciary under the guise of seeking justice.

The NBA President, Olumide Akpata, in a statement on Monday, said the conflicting court orders bring the judiciary and the entire system of administration of justice to ridicule.

It would he recalled that the Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN), Justice Ibrahim Muhammad, had summoned six Chief Judges over conflicting orders emanating from their courts of co-ordinate jurisdictions.

The media aide to the CJN, Ahuraka Yusuf Isah, who confirmed the summons in a statement, said Muhammad wanted the judges to explain their court orders.

Isah disclosed that the judges summoned were the Chief Judges of Rivers, Kebbi, Cross River, Anambra, Jigawa and Imo States.

Following the development, Akpata said the association would punish senior lawyers who continue to yield themselves to be used as willing tools by politicians to wantonly abuse the judicial process.

Also, he said the executives if the association would seek an audience with the CJN to address the issue “holistically”.

The statement read: “It is in this regard that we view with concern the recurring contradictory decisions by our courts, based on the apparently indiscriminate grant of orders and counter-orders, in a way that evokes memories of those unwanted dark days.

We must of necessity reference the orders relating to the nomination of candidates by political parties for the forthcoming gubernatorial elections in Anambra State and the equally embarrassing situation playing out in respect of the PDP leadership crisis that has seen three different contradictory rulings by courts of coordinate jurisdiction, in circumstances that leave a lot to be desired.

“These developments in our courts are antithetical to the actualisation of the just society and independent judiciary that we all aspire to, and they run contrary to everything we teach and hold dear as a profession.

“Before blaming the judges, we must first look inwards and call out our members, most of whom are senior members of the Bar, who continue to yield themselves to be used as willing tools by politicians to wantonly abuse the judicial process.

In our view, these actions contravene the Rules of Professional Conduct for Legal Practitioners 2007 (“RPC”) especially the cardinal Rule 1 of the RPC which requires a lawyer to uphold and observe the rule of law, promote and foster the cause of justice, maintain a high standard of professional conduct, and not engage in any conduct which is unbecoming of a legal practitioner.”

Amnesty Int’l accuses Nigerian govt of being responsible for disappearance of citizens

International human rights organisation, Amnesty International (AI) has accused the Nigerian government over the incessant disappearance of citizens.

The body also called on the President Muhammadu Buhari-led administration to stop the enforced disappearance of defenceless citizens across the country.

In a statement on Tuesday, AI revealed that many Nigerians whose whereabouts are unknown to their families are critics of the government, making it difficult to accept such fate with its clampdown on its ‘so-called’ enemies.

In the press statement from the organisation titled ‘NIGERIA: Authorities Must End Enforced Disappearance’, to mark the International Day of Support for Victims of Enforced Disappearance which was celebrated on Monday, AI cited some instances of the Nigerian government critics that cannot be found.

The Nigerian government must urgently address the heinous crimes of enforced disappearances, to comply with Nigeria’s international law obligations,” AI said in the statement.

“Families affected by enforced disappearance live through unimaginable torment. When people vanish without a trace, with the acquiescence of the state who then denies all knowledge, it’s impossible to move on.

“Each year, this symbolic day marks families’ daily wait for the truth of the fate of their disappeared relatives.

“The Nigerian authorities must bring them hope for justice, stop their delaying tactics and fulfil their promise to make an end of enforced disappearance.

Nigerian security forces’ attempts to clamp down on Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) militants have led to arbitrary arrests, detentions, enforced disappearances and extrajudicial executions in the South-East and Niger Delta area of Nigeria.

The whereabouts of at least 50 suspected members of IPOB arrested in Oyigbo, Rivers state are still unknown since their arrest in October and November 2020.

The cases of at least 200 people, including former militants from Niger Delta, members of IPOB, #EndSARS protesters and security suspects believed to have been subjected to unresolved enforced disappearances in Nigeria, have been documented by Amnesty International. The real number is believed to be higher.

“Nigerian security forces often sight the anti-terror law introduced in that it allows the authorities to hold people without charge or trial in unofficial places of detention, often without contact to the outside world in practice, clearly increase the risk of people disappearing after being detained.”

Nigeria is bound by international legal obligations under the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR) and the International Convention for the Protection of All Persons from Enforced Disappearance both of which it has acceded to – to investigate, prosecute, punish and provide remedies and reparation for the crimes of enforced disappearance.

“The authorities must demonstrate zero tolerance for such crimes. They must take immediate action to end enforced disappearances and other serious violations, carry out independent, impartial and effective investigations, and prosecute those in the security forces suspected of responsibility in fair trials,” AI added.oo

Amaechi’s confession, indictment on Buhari govt —PDP

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has slammed the President Muhammadu Buhari administration, accusing it of shielding corrupt officials.

This response by the opposition came in the wake of a comment credited to Rotimi Amaechi, minister of transportation, who said anyone stealing public funds under the administration of President Muhammadu Buhari is doing so “quietly”.

In its statement, the PDP spokesman, Kola Ologbondiyan stated that Amaechi’s statement was an indictment on the President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration famed for its anti-corruption stance.

The PDP said, “The confession by the Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi, that stealing is going on quietly under the President Muhammadu Buhari-led All Progressives Congress (APC) vindicates its stand that the APC is a haven of thieves and treasury looters,” the statement reads.

The party asserts that the confession also further confirms that the Buhari-led APC administration has been providing official cover for corrupt officials, who have turned government agencies to cash cows and Automated Teller Machines (ATM) for themselves, their cronies, family members, and mistresses.

“The situation as presented by Amaechi shows that ‘quiet stealing’ is a policy of the APC administration. This explains why the administration is heavy on propaganda and has failed to prosecute its officials and APC leaders openly indicted for corruption, but only resort to “easing out” such thieves with a pat on the wrist.”

Lawan begs Borno residents to embrace repentant Boko Haram insurgents

In a bid to ensure the eradication of insurgency, the Senate President Ahmad Lawan has implored residents of communities in Borno State to embrace repentant Boko Haram insurgents whilst ensuring their reintegration into the society.

Lawan made this call on Monday when he paid a courtesy visit to the palace of Shehu of Borno, Abubakar El-Kanemi.

He noted that this is important for the entrenchment of peace in the state and across the country, while also saying that the surrender of the terrorists “is a good development for the security of this country.”

The Senate President said, “I want to take this opportunity to mention that the federal government of Nigeria will continue to work with the Borno state government to ensure that there is a restoration of peace and stability.

The recent surrender by Boko Haram elements is a good development for the security of this country.

Those that have no issues to answer are sanitised and taken back to their communities. Those that may have issues to answer should be taken through the legal processes.

“But we must ensure that we encourage Boko Haram elements and those they have taken by force to come out to surrender so that this unnecessary insurgency placed on us comes to an end.”

He further stated that the government should do everything possible to encourage the terrorists to surrender.

“I believe there is no need for any controversy over what we need to do with people who surrendered. In any war, in every war, surrender is the ultimate. If we can achieve it, we should do everything and anything possible to encourage more and more to come out so that we are able to come to the end of this unnecessary insurgency that has taken our States back for so many years in terms of development,” Lawan said.

APC is no different from a terrorist organization –Deji Adeyanju

Popular activist and staunch government critic, Deji Adeyanju, has described the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) as a terrorist organization as it has continued to pamper and show empathy to known terrorists.

Adeyanju took to his Twitter on Monday to criticize the President Muhammadu Buhari-led government and the ruling party over its management of the country’s numerous problems, especially in the area of security.

“To those saying APC & PDP are the same, why not let us try another #BringBackOurGirls under Buhari if soldiers will not kill everyone at Unity Fountain like they did at Lekki Tollgate.

Yes, PDP is beyond useless but APC is a terrorist organization. PDP are saints compared to APC.

After all, we have witnessed more than 60 abductions like Chibok under Buhari, why is everyone afraid to give him the kind of treatment we all gave GEJ?

“All of a sudden, everyone love their lives under Buhari. Nobody is patriotic anymore, including journalists.

“Was this how we were pampering GEJ? No Govt since 1999 has been this useless and evil, yet everyone is afraid to oppose the Govt.”, he tweeted.

Military cautions Plateau residents against self-defence

The Military under the aegis of Special Task Force, Operation Safe Haven (OPSH) on Monday warned residents against taking the law into their hands in the guise of self-defence.

This warning came in the wake of the increasing insecurity in Plateau and was contained in a statement issued by Maj. Ishaku Takwa, the Media Officer of the task force in Jos.

Takwa faulted the consistent call on residents of the state to defend themselves, saying such calls would escalate the security challenges bedevilling the state.

“We have noted several reports in the media by some highly placed individuals calling on law-abiding citizens of Plateau to resort to defending themselves in the face of the security challenges experienced in the state.

We wish to assure the good people of the state that OPSH is committed to protecting the lives and property of all.

We have improved on our responses to distress calls and several attacks were prevented from happening lately.

“These successes were possible due to the trust and provision of timely and credible information from the good people of the state.

“We, therefore, urge law-abiding citizens of the state not to take laws into their hands but to continue to provide us with such information to enable us to protect communities from attacks,’’ he stated.

The media officer also urged citizens of the state to continue to give support to security agencies toward restoring lasting peace and security in the state.

Why I Allowed Lagos Police Arrest Me At Yoruba Action Rally When I Could Have Disappeared—Ogboni Fraternity Leader.

He said should there be another Yoruba Nation rally, he would be actively involved.
The leader of Ogboni fraternity, Tajudeen Bakare who was arrested in July at the Yoruba Nation rally in Ojota, Lagos, has said he chose not to disappear when men of the Lagos Police Command seized him.
According to him, he considered it inappropriate to disappear because he was arrested alongside some other persons.

Bakare, who spoke in Yoruba, said there were six other people in the vehicle with him when they were arrested and he was concerned about their fate should he escape and leave them behind.
He said he allowed himself to be arrested with the others “to protect them because they are not members of Ogboni fraternity”.

Bakare revealed this during his recent interview with BBC News Yoruba.
He also disclosed that he was shocked at the murder allegations levelled against him by the state’s authorities, saying he had no gun with him when he was arrested.

“We were not arrested at the Yoruba Nation rally ground. And I did not kill anybody. Or how is it possible for someone who does not have a gun on him to shoot another person to death?” he said.
Bakare submitted that still, he was not perturbed.

He said should there be another Yoruba Nation rally, he would be actively involved.
Policemen had besieged the venue of the Yoruba Nation rally in Ojota on July 3, 2021 and in an attempt to disperse protesters, allegedly shot one Jumoke Oyeleke.

Multiple Rockets Fired Near Kabul Airport Monday After US Drone Strikes.

As many as five rockets were fired at the Hamid Karzai International Airport in Kabul, Afghanistan on Monday local time, a US official told CNN.

The C-RAM defence system installed at the airport engaged with the rockets, the official added.
There are, however, no reports of any casualties yet.
C-RAM is an automated system that detects incoming attacks and uses a machine gun to destroy the incoming fire before it can hit its target.
The system has been used in Iraq and Afghanistan to intercept and destroy incoming projectiles targeting US forces.

The US official said the rockets aimed at the airport were likely launched by ISIS-K, but cautioned it was too early to know for sure.
A civilian vehicle was apparently used as an improvised platform in the rocket attack. Video obtained by CNN showed the vehicle in flames on a street in Kabul’s Khair Khana neighbourhood after the rockets were fired.

The incinerated remnants of the car are covered with debris, the glass missing from all windows and rubber melted from the tires. The car appears to have been modified, with six large tubes visible inside the charred skeleton
Zia ud Din, a potato-chip seller whose house was next to where the car was parked, heard the bang of the rockets launching.
“There were a few big bangs, we all were inside the house — the whole family — when we heard the loud bangs, we ran into the garden, everything caught fire,” he said. “Fortunately, no one is killed or injured.”

Taliban fighters had initially cordoned off the street, telling bystanders the situation remained dangerous, though they later allowed journalists on the street.
Eyewitnesses said one of the rockets hit a nearby building. A rocket impact was visible on a nearby high-rise tower, though Taliban fighters and eyewitnesses said there were no casualties in the building.

The rocket strike comes just days after two suicide bomb attacks at the airport killed more than 170 people, including 13 American service members. At least 200 people were wounded in the attack on Thursday.
ISIS in Khorasan, known as ISIS-K, has claimed that an ISIS militant carried out the suicide attack, but provided no evidence to support the claim.

On Saturday, US President Joe Biden warned that another terrorist attack on the airport was “highly likely in the next 24-36 hours,” citing US military commanders.
On Sunday, US forces launched a drone strike targeting suspected ISIS-K militants, the second of such strikes in three days. Though the US initially said there were no indications of civilian casualties, the military acknowledged reports of casualties later on Sunday.
Nine members of one family — including six children, the youngest only 2 years old — were killed in a drone strike targeting a vehicle in Kabul, a relative of the family told CNN.

US forces have been racing to complete their evacuation operation from Afghanistan before Tuesday’s deadline to withdraw all US troops and under the threat of a new terror attack on the airport.
Although the government has faced calls both internationally and internally to extend the deadline, Biden has insisted they will finish operations by the end of the month.

Since August 13, the US has evacuated and facilitated the evacuation of about 114,400 people from Afghanistan, a White House official said on Sunday.
Earlier Monday, Kabul residents said they had heard a blast in the early hours of the morning, though there was no clear indication of the kind of explosion or any official confirmation of the source of the blast.
US President Joe Biden has been briefed on the rocket attack, said White House press secretary Jen Psaki in a state.

Zamfara new security measures not politically-motivated – Police

The Zamfara Police Command has dismissed insinuations that recent security measures taken by the state government were politically motivated.

The state’s Commissioner of Police, Ayuba Elkana, made the clarification in a statement issued on Sunday in Gusau.

Governor Bello Matawalle had on Friday announced seven drastic security measures in a bid to check the worsening security situation in the state.

These measures include the ban of weekly markets across the state, the sale of fuel in jerry cans, and the restriction on the operations of commercial motorcycles and tricycles in Gusau and other parts of the state, among others.

Elkana said: “The new security measures are not politically motivated. Rather, they are in the best interest of the state of the people of the state.”

The police commissioner directed police personnel to ensure full enforcement of the security measures.

He noted that the police, in collaboration with other security agencies, would begin the enforcement of the security measures on August 30.

He added: “It will be recalled that on August 27, Governor Matawalle, in his determination to stem the activities of criminal elements in the state, had announced about seven proactive security measures.

“We are going to constitute a joint task force which will be responsible for the full enforcement of the directives.

“We will not tolerate attempt by any person or group of persons to contravene any of these measures, as we are fully committed to ensuring that the full wrath of the law is applied to offenders.”

He also urged residents to remain law-abiding and collaborate with security agencies in the efforts at restoring peace and security in the state.

Buhari vows to crush perpetrators of Plateau unrest, preaches peace in communities

President Muhammadu Buhari on Sunday night assured Nigerians his government would leave no stone unturned in the efforts to bring all persons found culpable in recent attacks in Plateau State to justice.

The President, who stated this in a statement issued by his Senior Special Assistant on Media and Publicity, Garba Shehu, however, appealed to Nigerians to embrace peace, and unite against violence.

Buhari was reacting to recent attacks in several communities in Jos, the state capital, and other parts of the country.

He cautioned religious and community leaders against inciting residents to violence in whatever form.

The statement read: “The Presidency wishes to assure all citizens that as a government, the administration is on top of events and is moving ahead with force to crush the perpetrators of the recent incidents of unrest in Plateau State.

But to achieve success, our communities must unite against these horrific attacks. Retributive violence is not the answer.

“While these troubled communities are being reinforced with security personnel, our religious, traditional, and other community leaders must not allow the use of their spaces for the propagation of violence and incitement to violence.

“Attempts to simplify the reasons into a basic narrative may help raise donor-dollars for international NGOs, fill pages of overseas newspapers, and burnish foreign politicians’ faith credentials; but this does not increase understanding, nor offer solutions. If anything, simplistic theorising and finger-pointing make the situation worse.

“It is important both for Nigerians and the international community to appreciate that there are a multitude of factors attendant to these troubles.

There is the Boko Haram and ISWAP terrorism, as well as the spate of kidnappings for ransom, transformed by some misinformed global media into a Muslim-on-Christian threat. Yet, in reality, there are no religious connotations at all when the primary purpose of these acts is to extract money.

“Then the herder-farmer clashes. While international voices and some Nigerian politicians who seek personal gain from division declare this a matter of religion, for those involved, it is almost entirely a matter of access to water and land. Herders have moved their cattle into contact with farmers for millennia. But, increasingly, due to population pressure, escalating aridity of northern states, and climate change, they are forced to travel further south to find grazing lands.

Then, further afield in the South-East, IPOB are not struggling for freedom when they attack police stations and property, but rather committing acts of terrorism in order to steal money.

“IPOB is not defending Christians – as their highly-paid foreign lobbyists claim – when almost every citizen of those states they terrorise is uniformly Christian. Yet mistakenly, and because the lobbyists for IPOB have duped them, some misguided foreign media and politicians believe so.

“As for Nigerians, what we need is to come together. And we must do this firstly and for the most part by our own hands, by casting asunder those who seek to divide us for their own nefarious financial and political gain.”

Nigerian govt. gets Tuesday ultimatum from ASUU; fresh strike looms.

THE Academic Staff Union of Universities has given the Federal Government of Nigeria till 31st of August (Tuesday) to reach out or it will activate the procedure of embarking on strike.

The union’s President, Prof. Emmanuel Osodeke, disclosed this in an interview on Sunday.
He revealed that the government officials have stopped talking with ASUU.
He added that ASUU is ready to embark on another round of industrial action if the Federal Government fails to implement the agreement signed with the union.

He said, “The government has refused to reach out to us. Government officials have stopped. In fact, they don’t take our calls again. Nigerians should tell the government to do what they agreed to do.

“We signed an agreement and even in May, we reached a final agreement; this is August and nothing has been implemented. Does it make any sense? We are giving them till the end of August and after that, we start the procedures.”

ASUU said the strike came as a result of its disagreement with the FG over the funding of the universities and the ineffectiveness and discrepancies around the Integrated Payroll and Personnel Information System and others.

ASUU, however, developed the University Transparency and Accountability Solution to replace IPPIS and had several meetings with the government officials before it was approved but yet to be implemented.

Likewise, the FG and ASUU signed an agreement aimed at resolving some of the demands of ASUU, a development that led to the suspension of the strike on December 24, 2020. However, ASUU is now saying nothing has been implemented.

Biafra, Yoruba Nation: Cost of splitting Nigeria more than cost of keeping it together – Obasanjo

Former president Olusegun Obasanjo has said that it is in the best interest of Nigerians for the country to remain as one

According to Obasanjo, citizens will pay dearly if the country succumbs to agitators clamour for secession.

He made the assertion on Friday at a book lunch in honour of Sunday Mbang, Prelate Emeritus of the Methodist Church Nigeria.

“The cost of disintegration is higher than the cost of being together. We have everything to gain by being united rather than disunited,” Obasanjo said.

The former president, who was the convener of the book launch titled, “My Life and Times”, to celebrate Mbang on his 85th birthday, said those fanning the embers of disunity are the enemies of Nigeria and will be disgraced.

Obasanjo said, “We are here to honour somebody we should honour, and learn from him (Mbang), to show that we genuinely love and appreciate him for the service he has rendered to the Christian community in this country and world over. And to assure him that whatever happens, we will continue to work for unity, peace, security and progress of this country.

“I know that these are things that are dear to his heart. We want to assure you that Nigeria will continue to exist because the cost for Nigeria not to continue to exist is much more than the cost for us to make Nigeria to continue to exist.

“There are many people – high and low – who can be described as enemies of Nigeria but they will not win over those who are friends of Nigeria.”

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