Politics

We have to make a choice; Do we remain tools, risk our lives or settle for long term benefits?

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If we say Better Days Ahead , Better Days is not unconnected with Better People. People who fit into this dispensation; dispensation of relevant technology and mind blowing innovations.

We still have people in this dispensation who think about short term benefits and not long term benefits, we need to think as smart as those leading us. Truth be told, our leaders are quite clever but the citizens ought to be smarter already.


During my basic education, we were taught elementary things we needed to know about Human Rights and Basic Amenities we are to enjoy as citizens. Basic amenities which are; electricity, pipe borne water, good infrastructures, free education and good standard of living. However today in Nigeria what do we have?

We have high level of unemployment, poor health facilities , dystopian educational standard , high cost of living, poor infrastructures and a lagging development of the economy as a whole.


Now education provided by the government isn’t free anymore. At the primary and secondary school levels, they still pay some thousands , yet most of these children still learn in the most inconducive environment you can imagine. The levy paid isn’t used to accomplish an improved environment to aid teaching and good assimilation. This is as a result of the corruption that is deeply rooted in this system.

Youths graduate from the tertiary institutions every year and in the course of searching for jobs, they are expected to have certain years of experience in order to be absorbed. Where exactly do they get these experience from if they have never been offered employment after successfully completing the compulsory service year?


We face many challenges as a nation, most roads are bad, it is so difficult for most people to have good meals, people who have little money or none can’t enjoy good health facility, the economy is bad.

Talking about politicIal sycophants and supporters , for how long will they keep giving support to leaders who treat civil servants like beggars, leaders who have no prepared plan for the youths and have used their policies to wreck the Nigerian currency.

ASUU (Academic Staff Union Of Universities) is currently on strike and despite elections being near, the government does not seem bothered. This level of confidence on the government part is alarming. Despite all these ,our politicians have been engaged in campaigns and making futile promises to the citizens as they have always been doing in the past.

Despite all these, sycophants and poverty stricken citizens still turn out to support these politicians because of the short term benefit. They get paid for a day, spend the money the same day or following day and then, suffer for the following years. I understand they have a lot to deal with, poverty and depression is real. Campaigns aren’t done everyday but during periods of elections.

So the question is, how have these people been surviving? We have to make a choice, do we keep making ourselves tools in the hands of these politicians , risking our lives while campaigning for them or refuse to be used by them and settle for long term benefits?

Why can’t they offer our children scholarships , provide shelter with little interest, provide incentives and secure a better future for us? They only make these promises during campaigns but never fufill them. Shouldn’t they do these things while in power? No, they won’t . They refuse to do these things and while poverty keeps plunging into our society, they come back as saviour, pretending to be doing us a favour and taking advantage of the poor by giving them stipends.

The poor need to be wise already because when a bad government is elected, they are the first set of people to feel the heat of the difficulty in the nation. How do they survive when the economy is bad and the cost of living is high? Yet, they haven’t understood.

Politics

BREAKING: Lagos Government Reopens Public, Private Schools

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The Lagos State Government has reopened private and public schools.

Folashade Adefisayo, Commissioner for Education in the state, in a statement on Thursday said schools can reopen from Monday, November 2, 2020.

The statement reads in part, “The Lagos State Government has approved the reopening of schools for all classes in public and private schools across the state beginning from Monday, 2nd of November, 2020 while boarders in public schools are to resume on Sunday, 1st of the same month.”

Politics

Senate rejects budget proposal as agency sites 20 projects in minister’s LGA

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The budget defence of the Senate Committee on Power and Rural Electrification Agency (REA) deadlocked on Wednesday, as the Committee uncovered that the Minister of Power, Alhaji Mamman Saleh has cited 20 projects in Lau Local Government Area of Taraba State, where he hails from.

The projects, which were in the range of N52 million each in the proposed 2021 budget, were uncovered while being scrutinized by the Committee members.

Expressing their dissatisfaction with the budget proposals of the Rural Electrification Agency, the Committee insisted that the REA budget proposal would not be approved, particularly on notice that the entire South-South geopolitical zone has only one power project to be constructed in 2021.

The Managing Director of the Rural Electrification Agency, Ahmad Salijo after explaining the 2020 budget performance, sought Senate’s approval of 2021 budget proposals.

Meanwhile, Senator Yusuf Yusuf drew attention of his colleagues to the lopsidedness in the distribution of projects, insisting that the proposal shouldn’t be approved.

Yusuf, who represents Taraba Central Senatorial district, maintained that the lopsidedness showed that all the mini-grid projects were lumped in the local government of the Minister in Taraba State.

“It is not just the N52m, but if you look at from number 85, N30m, N20m, N40m and they are all concentrated in one Local Government Area.

“That is the minister’s LGA. Twenty projects are in the Lau Local Government Area. I am not challenging him, but I am sure,” he said.

A member of the Committee, Senator Bala Ibn’Nallah accused the Minister of Power of violating his oath of office.

He added that the minister was making Buhari look like he is a president of one geopolitical zone.

He said: “Those who elected us to these offices expected us to ensure that the constitution which they have made for themselves and given to us will be executed to the letter.

“The President wants to be the president of every citizen of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

“Therefore, he would want loyalty and cooperation from every citizen of the country. If we sit down here and agree that a budget that pleases a minister, can come, the Minister is not doing himself good because he has sworn to do justice to all manner of the people and not to allow his personal interest to affect his official conduct and decision.

“He has by this clearly shown that he has allowed his personal interest to affect his official conduct and decision, and that is a very serious matter.

“Governance is a very serious issue. I think you (MD) must take this observation seriously and convey it to the minister. Tell him that the committee is not in agreement with him.”

Chairman of the Committee, Senator Gabriel Suswam, after his remark, adjourned till Monday next week.

Politics, World News

Nobody should believe the military because it has a history of lies, fraud and deception- Femi Falana

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Human rights lawyer, Femi Falana (SAN), says the families of #EndSARS protesters killed by soldiers at the Lekki toll gate are afraid to speak out because they “understand the environment under which we operate”.

Falana spoke on Wednesday at an ‘#EndSARS Zoom Meeting Global’ hosted by Sahara Reporters publisher, Omoyele Sowore.

At the virtual meeting , Falana urged Nigerians and the international community not to believe the explanations offered by the Nigerian Army on the Lekki shootings.

The Nigerian Army, after an initial denial, yesterday, admitted that its operatives were at the Lekki toll gate on Tuesday, October 20, 2020.

The military authorities also claimed they were invited by the Lagos State Government, noting that they acted within the rules of engagement.

The Senior Advocate of Nigeria, however, said the army has “a history of lies, fraud and deception” while making reference to the Shiites incident of December 2015.

Falana said, “Nobody should believe the military because it has a history of lies, fraud and deception.

Femi Falana (SAN)

“Just in December 2015, the same Chief of Army Staff, General (Tukur) Buratai claimed that there was a traffic jam in Zaria and the big man wanted to move and because of that traffic, he got soldiers from the first division in Kaduna to mow down Shiites.

“And what was the explanation? That the Shiites wanted to assassinate the Chief of Army Staff…and about six or seven persons died.

“But in the Commission of Inquiry set up by the Kaduna State Government, we were told that indeed 347 Nigerians were killed by the military. No autopsy, no postmortem, nothing was done. Their bodies were taken away in the dead of the night and given a mass burial.

“And people will ask you, if anybody lost his child in Lekki, why have they not come up? Who has come up in the case of Zaria? Because you must understand the environment under which we operate.

“By the way, some of those injured in Lekki had to forcefully discharge themselves because they were told in the hospital that they were going to be held liable for the riot in town. And so, everybody had to move.

“But as of today, the governor of Lagos State has admitted that two people lost their lives. The circumstances would have to be explained later but those two were among those shot by the soldiers.”

Falana also stressed that the military has no business enforcing curfew under the Nigerian laws.

“We are involved in the investigation and we are going to unravel the entire mystery surrounding the attack in Lagos,” he insisted.

The Lekki attack has been condemned by both local and global civil rights personalities and organisations including Amnesty International which claimed at least 10 protesters were killed by the Nigerian forces at the Lekki toll gate.

Politics

Eid-el-Maulud: President Buhari preaches love, honesty

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President Muhammadu Buhari has urged all Nigerians to seize the opportunity of this year’s Eid-el-Maulud to reflect on the virtues of the Holy Prophet by showing love and understanding for fellow citizens.

He also urged Nigerians to avert second wave of COVID-19 in Nigeria, saying the nation’s economy cannot bear another round of lockdown.

Buhari’s position was contained in a statement by his Senior Special Assistant on Media and Publicity, Garba Shehu, titled “President Buhari welcomes Maulud, urges love and understanding among citizens.”

The statement read, “As Muslims in Nigeria join others all over the world to mark the Eid-el-Maulud, President Muhammadu Buhari has urged all citizens to use the occasion to reflect on the virtues of the Holy Prophet by showing love and understanding for fellow citizens while exhibiting patience, honesty, sincerity, kindness, and generosity in all their undertakings.

“In a message to Muslims commemorating the birthday of Prophet Mohammed (SAW) which is being marked as public holiday, the President urged all citizens, and the youths in particular, to shun all negative tendencies as manifested in the recent hijacking of peaceful protests to loot and destroy public and private property.

“He also reiterated his earlier promise to bring police officers responsible for misconduct as well as the looters to justice.”

Shehu also said on the COVID-19 pandemic, Buhari noted that the country has so far managed the problem successfully by keeping the numbers as low as possible.

He said the President however cautioned that Nigerians must not stretch their luck too far.

“Looking at the trends in the other countries, we must do all we can to avert the second wave of the pandemic. We must make sure that our cases, which have gone down, do not rise again. Our economy is too fragile to bear another round of lockdown,” he quoted the President as saying.

He said Buhari, therefore, advised all citizens to continue to observe the COVID-19 protocols of social distancing, wearing of face masks and washing of hands.

Politics

Osun #Endsars protesters accuse government of hijacking judicial panel.

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#Endsars protesters in Osun State have accused the Osun state government of influencing and manipulating members of the judicial panel of enquiry to listen to cases of extrajudicial activities of security personnel in the state.

The protesters also accused the government of sponsoring an unknown body to impersonate the protesters and pledge allegiance to the state government.

The protesters in a statement released by its spokesperson, Olawale Bakare (Mandate); Mobilisation Secretary, Olushayo Ogunleye; and Chairperson, Finance/Welfare Committee, Queen Fisayo; said it received with huge shock the announcement of the suspension of the protest.

Describing the judicial panel as “unpopular and controversial egression”, the youth said the panel is vested to defend the government’s interest against the people.

The #ENDSARS protesters therefore demanded that the membership of the panel be reviewed.

They said, “We demand that the membership of this panel be immediately reviewed. Many of the characters being appointed have never been part of the demonstrations so far and their antecedent is loud enough to stand them out of any pro-masses activity.

“The members of the panel such as the members of the ignoble and shady Nigeria Police Force that we are still battling with are present in the panel. The reprobatory and unsavoury member of the Bench is also in that panel; meanwhile none of the active protesters are neither in the panel nor satisfactorily represented.

“These people, we believe, don’t understand the plight of the masses because they have never been on the part of the masses.

“They say he who pays the piper dictates the tune. The fact that the government of Osun pays each panelist N100,000 per sitting is nothing but an attempt to buy their voices and further buttress the heinous agenda to promote the government’s interest against the people.”

The group stated that the impersonators were never part of the protesters neither were they part of the decision makers of the #ENDSARS protest in Osun State.

The group added, “In fact, they were brought from nowhere to misrepresent we the genuine protesters.

“This set of persons were handpicked by the government so they could do their illicit bidding, cause confusion and mislead the public.

“We will like to put this in clear terms, that these set of characters should desist from impersonation as the Movement won’t hesitate to engage in legal actions to prosecute these potential criminals.

“Let it be known that the revolutionary train of EndSARS, Osun State is no respecter of anybody, we are loyal to nothing or nobody but justice and humanity.”

The youth, however, urged the state government to desist from using cheap blackmail and the misrepresentation of the protesters’ position to mislead the public, cause confusion and bury their political misdemeanour.

It advised the government to address the matter raised by the protest rather than resorting to contracting some persons, who parade themselves as #EndSARS protesters to dish out government-sponsored press statements.

Politics

Nigeria: attempt to cover up killing of #EndSars protesters exposed

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Detailed timeline of events leading up to Lekki Toll Gate massacre released

Bodies reportedly removed in apparent attempt to dispose of evidence

 ‘What happened at Lekki Toll Gate has all the traits … of a cover-up’ – Osai Ojigho

 The Nigerian authorities must end their attempts to cover up last week’s Lekki Toll Gate massacre, Amnesty International said, as it released powerful new findings from a fresh investigation into the atrocity a week on.

 In a detailed timeline – available here – Amnesty’s Crisis Response experts have investigated and verified social media videos and photographs that confirm the Nigerian security forces were present at the Lekki Toll Gate when the shootings occurred.

 The evidence confirms that Nigerian Army vehicles left Bonny Camp, a military base approximately a seven-minute drive from the toll gate, at 6.29pm local Lagos time on 20 October. 

 Footage then tracks the vehicles to the toll gate – with four vehicles apparently belonging to the Nigerian military and police seen with flashing lights heading in a convoy heading east along Ozumba Mbadiwe Avenue – which changes its name to the Lekki-Epe Expressway – in the direction of the

toll gate. En route, the vehicles passed several international buildings, including the Japanese Embassy and the Australian High Commission.

 Further photographs and footage capture the vehicles arriving at the toll gate, before the peaceful protest is disrupted by men in military uniform, and gunfire is heard at approximately 6.45pm as the soldiers opened fire on #EndSars protesters who were peacefully calling for an end to police brutality.

As night time descended, protesters continued to film and share videos of the shootings. Later in the evening, videos of the victims were also shared on social media

Amnesty is again calling on the Nigerian authorities to bring to justice those behind the shooting and to protect those who are exercising their right to freedom of assembly.

Amnesty is meanwhile still investigating the shooting and the reported removal of bodies of those killed by the military in an attempt to cover up the incident.

Osai Ojigho, Country Director of Amnesty International Nigeria, said:

“What happened at Lekki Toll Gate has all the traits of the Nigerian authorities’ pattern of a cover-up whenever their defence and security forces commit unlawful killings.

“One week on, the Nigerian authorities still have many questions to answer: who ordered the use of lethal force on peaceful protesters? Why were CCTV cameras on the scene dismantled in advance? And who ordered electricity to be turned off minutes before the military opened fire on protesters?

“The initial denials of the involvement of soldiers in the shooting was followed by the shameful denial of the loss of lives as a result of the military’s attack against the protests.

“Many people are still missing since the day of the incident, and credible evidence shows that the military prevented ambulances from reaching the severely injured in the aftermath.”

#EndSars protests

Amnesty has been monitoring developments across Nigeria since the #EndSars protest began on 8 October.

Nigerians have been taking to the streets peacefully demanding an end to brutality, extortion and extrajudicial executions by the Special Anti-Robbery

Squad (SARS), a unit of the Nigerian police tasked with fighting violent crimes. 

 At least 56 people have died across the country since the protests began. In multiple cases, the security forces have used excessive force in an attempt to control or stop the protests. 

Politics

Alleged N2bn fraud: Babangida, Nasko face fresh trial

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Former Niger State Governor, Babangida Aliyu and his former Chief of Staff, Umar Gado Nasko are to face a fresh trial.

On Tuesday, Justice A. B. Aliyu of the Federal High Court, Minna, relisted the fraud case involving the duo.

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) is prosecuting Aliyu and Nasko (first and second defendants) on three-count amended charge of breach of trust and money laundering to the tune of N2billion.

The case was struck out on June 19, 2020.

On October 13, prosecution counsel, Faruk Abdalla, filed a motion to set aside the ruling, as well as an order for the relisting of the charge.

The lawyer supported the application with 21-paragraph affidavit, deposed to by Samuel Chime.

“We rely on all the paragraphs; we also file a written address in support, we adopt the written address as our oral submission and we pray the court to grant our prayers in the motion papers”, it read.

Mamman Mike Osman (SAN), counsel to Nasko represented by Iloh Bekeme Asuelemeh, prayed the court to overrule the application.

Asuelemeh noted that the defence had filed a 33 paragraph counter-affidavit, deposed to by John Kyrian Etuk, and documented as exhibit QJ1-QJ6.

He said the references had been adopted as the written address of the defence.

Justice Aliyu reinstated the bail granted to the defendants and adjourned the matter until November 23 and 24, 2020.

Politics

Presidency expresses worry over Police absence on Nigerian roads

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The Presidency has expressed worry over the absence of policemen on the streets despite violence taking over most parts of the country.

POLITICS NIGERIA reports that the Inspector-General of Police, Mohammed Adamu, had on Saturday ordered policemen to immediately stop the violence, killings, looting and destruction of public and private property in the country.

Adamu, in a statement, also directed police commanders to reclaim the public space from hoodlums and miscreants masquerading as protesters in some parts of the country.

However, days after the IGP’s order, some police officers have failed to comply with the directive. This has allowed hoodlums to take advantage of the lack of security to extort and rob members of the public of their valuables.

In some parts of the country, hoodlums took to the streets, brandishing weapons and attacking people. They were also seen barricading roads, and disturbing the peace of the area.

But a Presidency source expressed concern over the continuous looting of warehouses, public and private properties, NYSC Camp in Abuja, and in different parts of the country. He said the Inspector-General of Police was the right person to explain why there is still escalating insecurity in the country.

The source said the police boss should tell Nigerians the reason his men failed to comply with his order and why they have not been carrying out their duty of protecting lives and properties.

Politics

Buhari told to take full responsibility for Lekki toll gate shooting

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The Pan Niger Delta Forum has told President Muhammadu Buhari to take full responsibility for the shootings of peaceful #EndSARS protesters at the Lekki toll gate on October 20.

The forum, in a statement by its spokesman, Mr. Ken Robinson, on Tuesday called on Buhari to order an immediate commencement of actions that would bring the perpetrators of the dastardly act to book.

PANDEF backed the calls made by the Catholic Bishops Conference of Nigeria for a thorough investigation into the tragic incident.

“PANDEF calls on President Muhammadu Buhari to, as Commander-In-Chief of the Armed Forces of the Federation, take full responsibility for the horrible occurrence at the Lekki Tollgate on Tuesday, 20th October 2020 and direct the immediate commencement of actions to bring to book those behind that incident.

“The ramifications of the Lekki Tollgate incident go beyond portraying Nigeria to the world in a bad light; it is a threat to the nation’s democracy if it is true that Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu had no foreknowledge of the incident.

“It raises further questions on the viability of the nation’s security architecture and its configuration vis-a-vis the need for a holistic overhaul.

“PANDEF has backed the call by the Catholic Bishops Conference of Nigeria for a thorough investigation into the shooting of peaceful #EndSARS protesters at the Lekki Tollgate, Lagos, on Tuesday, last week.

“We are supporting the Catholic Bishops’ resolution, and similar expressions by patriotic individuals and groups in the country, as well as, the International Community, for an immediate and transparent probe of the incident, whereby persons in Army uniform indiscriminately shot at young Nigerians that were peacefully protesting against police brutality.

“Whoever ordered the barbaric action, and those who carried it out, should be identified and made to face the consequences. The government must ensure that justice is served. While the Federal Government had said it would investigate the incident, the seemingly delay is unbecoming,” the statement read in part.

Politics

Lawyer sues President Buhari, General Buratai, others over Lekki toll gate shootings.

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A lawyer, Olukoya Ogungbeje, has filed a N10bn fundamental rights suit against President Muhammadu Buhari, the Chief of Army Staff, Lt. Gen. Tukur Buratai, and 10 others over last Tuesday night shootings at #EndSARS protesters at the Lekki toll gate in Lagos.

In the suit before the Federal High Court in Lagos, Ogungbeje is urging the court to declare that “the brutal shooting and killing and use of brute force against unarmed, defenceless and peaceful protesters/Nigerian citizens engaging in the #ENDSARS peaceful protest on October 20, 2020, at the Lekki tollgate was illegal, unlawful, undemocratic, oppressive, wicked and unconstitutional.”

Ogungbeje wants the court to compel the defendants to “immediately pay N10bn compensation to all the victims of the mindless shooting and brutal killing at Lekki tollgate.”

According to him, the unleashing of brutal force and shooting at the peaceful protesters were a violation of the protesters’ constitutional “right to life, fair hearing, right to peaceful assembly and association guaranteed under sections 33, 36, 38, 39 and 40 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999.”

Ogungbeje is urging the court to make an order “compelling the immediate prosecution of all the culpable security agents, soldiers and persons directly or indirectly or remotely involved in the dastardly shooting and killing of unarmed, defenceless and peaceful protesters/victims of the #ENDSARS peaceful protests at the Lekki Tollgate on the 20th of October 2020.”

Apart from Buhari and Buratai, also joined as defendants in the suit are the Federal Government, the Nigerian Army, Chief of Defence Staff, Inspector-General of Police; Nigeria Police Force; State Security Service; Director-General, SSS; Lagos State Government; Attorney General of Lagos State; and the Attorney General of the Federation.

Politics

Lagos governor approves full reopening of markets.

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The Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, has approved the full reopening of markets in the state.The Lagos Commissioner for Local Government and Community Affairs, Dr Wale Ahmed, made this known in a statement on Tuesday.

The statement made available by the governor’s Senior Special Assistant on New Media, Gawat Jubril, noted that both food markets and non-food markets can reopen every day of the week.

The statement read in part;

“The Lagos State Governor, Mr Babajide Sanwo-Olu, has approved the full resumption of operations of both food markets and non-food markets.”

“They are now to open daily. Mr Governor took the decision to further enhance trade and commerce and mitigate the hardship of recent times and ensure that Lagosians can recover fast.”

“Mr Governor also advised the continued observance of all safety protocols. He noted that traders and their customers must adhere strictly to the covid 19 protocols for their safety and the citizenry at large.”

Politics, World News

BON: NBC sanctions on TV stations did not follow due process.

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The Broadcasting Organisations of Nigeria (BON) has asked the National Broadcasting Commission (NBC) to withdraw its sanctions against three TV stations for their coverage of the #EndSARS crisis, saying the regulator took action

BON is the main association of public and private broadcasters in the country.The chairman of the association, Sa’a Ibrahim says in a statement published today that the organisation believes NBC must follow due process before taking action.

“BON wishes to call on the NBC to issue a formal query to each of the stations involved and give [them a] stipulated period to formally respond before taking the application of sanction laws,” the statement says.

“Therefore, we kindly request that the sanctions on AIT, Channels TV and Arise TV be withdrawn immediately pending formal responses by stations.”

NBC fined AIT, Channels TV and Arise TV N3 million each yesterday. The regulator said the TV stations contravened the Nigeria Broadcasting Code pertaining to ‘editorial responsibility’.

“Channels TV, Arise TV and AIT especially continued to transmit [footage] from unverified and unauthenticated social media sources,” said NBC.

The regulator said the footage shown by the three stations ‘stimulated anger’ and ‘heightened the violence’ but activists point to the freedom of the press and say the regulator’s descriptions threaten that freedom.

Activists at SERAP yesterday told NBC to cancel the sanctions or the nonprofit will challenge the sanctions in court.

Ariyo-Dare Atoye of the Coalition in Defence of Nigerian Democracy also told newsmen that the public “must see the latest action of the NBC, done at the command of the Minister for Information and the federal government, as a threat to free press, free speech and democratic governance.”

Politics

Police prevent youths from looting covid19 palliatives in Abuja.

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Security operatives on Tuesday dispersed youths who attempted to break into a warehouse in the Kuje Area Council Secretariat of the FCT in search of Covid-19 palliative.

Mr Harrison Ororua, the Kuje Divisional Police Officer (DPO) who tried to calm the protesting youths warned them of the dangers and implications of any breakdown of law and order in the area.

Ororua told the youths that there were no palliatives inside the area council secretariat, adding that all palliatives were distributed during the COVID-19 lockdown.

Newsmen who were at the scene, reports that the youths burnt tyres and tried to gain entrance into the council secretariat but met strong resistance.

Newsmen also report that the youths broke into the council’s mini store, beside the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) office and found the store empty.

The number of people continued to increase as information reached other residents about what was happening at the council’s secretariat.

The situation led to serious gridlock as motorists and other road users tried to run for safety, as the security operatives used teargas to disperse the crowd.

Politics

Hoodlums have taken over the streets due to the absence of SARS-Yahaya Bello

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Yahaya Bello, governor of Kogi State, has said that the disbanding of the Special Anti-Robbery Squad unit of the Nigeria Police Force notorious for rights violations in the country has dampened the morale of police officers. Yahaya said hoodlums have taken over the streets due to the absence of SARS.

Kogi State Governor, Yahaya Bello while speaking on Channels Television on Tuesday said, “Now SARS has ended, police morale has been dampened, they have gone off the streets, and the hoodlums have taken to the streets. Who do we report to?”

Earlier in October, the Inspector-General of Police, Mohammed Adamu, announced the disbandment of SARS after young Nigerians took to the streets for days to demand its scrapping.

However, the formation of the Special Weapons and Tactics team almost immediately by the IGP caused outrage among citizens, who continued to occupy major roads across the country before thugs hijacked the peaceful demonstrations and started causing destruction of all kinds.

Politics

Senate probes N848m, $1.5m scandal in Foreign Affairs Ministry

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The Senate Committee on Public Account chaired by Senator Mathew Urhoghide is investigating alleged financial scandal of N848 million and $1.5 million respectively by officials of Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Tel-Aviv, Israel.

The Senate investigation was a sequel to the report of the Auditor General of Federation, Anthony Ayine which indicted the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Chairman of Senate Committee on Public Account has since directed that the former permanent secretary in the Ministry must be compelled to account for the mismanaged funds in the Ministry.

A representative of Secretary of Ministry of Affairs, Salawu Zubair was unable to give satisfactory answers to posers raised by the
Senator Urhoghide led Committee.

The Auditor-General Report revealed several irregularities. It read in part: “The sum of $858,704,50 was generated as revenue in respect of visa and administrative charges for the period 2013- 2015. The following irregularities were observed.

” Treasury book 6A and Treasury Book 6 revenue booklets were not kept, and consequently not made available.

“Revenue collector’s registers with details of TR6A and relevant amount were not maintained.

“Revenue cash books were not updated with relevant entries throughout 2014.

“The permanent secretary has been requested to explain these irregularities in revenue collection, account for the sum of $858,704.50 collected as well as carry out the surcharge of officers involved, otherwise, the full weight of financial regulations 3112 (1) should be applied, forwarding evidence of action taken for audit verification.

” The sum of $187,554.49 was transferred from revenue to overhead accounts as revealed in the revenue cash books of 2013 and 2015.

“The amount was claimed to have been borrowed from the Internally Generated Revenue Account for the period but was never paid back. This action contravenes financial regulations 236.

“The Permanent Secretary has been requested to recover the entire amount and forward evidence of recovery and remittance to government chest for audit verification.

“Audit examination revealed that out of the sum $305,577 was unaccounted for.

“It was also observed that between 2013 and 2015 the sum of N517,247,500.8 was remitted to the embassy.

“The sum for capital, personnel and overhead cost. These remittances were all paid into one account.

“This is a violation of financial regulations 701 which requires separate bank accounts to be maintained for capital and overhead to enable transparent rendition of expenditure return in accordance with budgetary provisions.

“The expenditure return rendered by the embassy cannot be admissible as a true reflection of the transaction of the lumping of expenditure remittances (personnel, overhead and capital) into a bank account.

“The Permanent Secretary has been requested to explain these banking irregularities and revert to the separation of bank accounts in accordance with statutory regulations, forwarding evidence of action taken for audit verification.

“During the audit examination of payment voucher, the total sum of $158, 000 was paid as estacode allowance to home-based staff to accompany Christians pilgrims from Nigeria to various religious sites.

“However, it was revealed while going through the supporting documents attached to the payment voucher that these pilgrims were usually accompanied by the Nigerian Pilgrims Commission, hence there is no need for embassy staff to escort them, the Permanent Secretary has been requested to stop further wastage of statutory allocations on meaningless pilgrimage tours that will aid the embassy on accomplishing its mandate and in informing me accordingly on action taken.

“During the verification of the AIEs extracted from the ministry into the AIEs files maintained at the Nigerian embassy in Tel-Aviv. It was observed that AIEs totalling N331m extracted from the ministry of foreign affairs did not reflect at the embassy.

“The Permanent Secretary ha been requested to explain why these AIEs totalling N331m were not recorded and accounted for n the embassy files or recover the total amount and forward the recovery particulars to me for verification.”


Politics

Nnamdi Kanu To Pay Nigerian Soldiers, Police Officers Salary, he gives Condition.

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The leader of the outlawed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Nnamdi Kanu, has offered to pay Nigerian soldiers and police officers salary amid the outcry by Nigerians on the ongoing police brutality in the country.

There are reports that Kanu’s statement is coming at a time protesting youths in Nigeria are agitating for the end to police brutalization and extrajudicial killings of Nigerians. The protesters have been on the streets for more than a week now, protesting the brutalities, humiliation, and extortion of Nigerians, especially the youths.

The protesters demanded an end to the Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS), a police unit under the Force Criminal Investigation and Intelligence Department headed by the Deputy Inspector General of Police Anthony Ogbizi, using a hashtag: #EndSARS.

On Sunday, October 11, 2020, the Inspector General of Police (IGP) Mohammed Adamu disbanded SARS following a widespread protest from Nigerians worldwide.

However, since the announcement that SARS has been scrapped, the protesters refused to leave the streets, which a Presidential Advisory Committee said  might force the Federal Government to take drastic measures against the protesting youths.

Nnamdi Kanu

On Tuesday, October 20, men suspected to soldiers of the Nigerian Army invaded a peaceful protest at Lekki toll gate on Tuesday evening, October 20, killing #EndSARS protesters in the process.

Apparently displeased with the attacks on peaceful protesters at the Lekki toll gate, some Nigerians believed to be thugs, went on rampage as they were seen vandalizing several properties across the nation including the burning of police stations and killing of police officers.

Speaking after the unrest in Nigeria, Kanu stressed that as a Nigerian soldier or police officer if the person should “resign from Nigeria Police/Army Irrespective of your tribe, IPOB will pay you two months salary in advance”, adding that his pro-Biafra group will “furthermore pay your monthly salary while you work for your people.”

“If you resign from Nigeria Police/Army Irrespective of your tribe, #IPOB will pay you 2 months salary in advance and furthermore pay your monthly salary while you work for your people,” Kanu said.

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We will employ 5000 youths in the government agency schemes- Governor Seyi Makinde

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The Oyo state governor, Engr Seyi Makinde has met with traditional rulers, caretaker chairmen of local government and others to discuss the way forward in the state. Below are the statements he released via his Twitter page earlier today;

“This afternoon, we met with traditional rulers, caretaker chairmen of local government and local council development areas and clerics, to discuss the way forward for our dear state following the End SARS protests and subsequent events.”

“I outlined the steps we are taking to address the issue of ending police brutality and other injustices. We have set up an initial N500M Compensation Fund for victims of injustice. Also, a judicial panel will be inaugurated within a week to consider cases of injustice.”

“I also stated that we are addressing the underlying socio-economic issues. We have set up a N500M fund for MSMEs, and we will employ 5,000 youths in government agency schemes in the next few months. We are also distributing the fifth phase of palliatives by the end of this week.”

“We will continue to protect the rights of every resident of Oyo State as contained in the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 as amended”.

“Full speech https://t.co/wGk2T9NS7g https://t.co/uGvt6ypEjA”

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Nigerian army vows to take action as violence, looting spread

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As attacks and looting of property continues, the top hierarchy of the Nigerian army emerged from an emergency meeting on Monday pledging to remain loyal to the government as well as the unity and indivisibility of the country. 

The meeting, which was attended general officers commanding (GOCs) and field commanders on October 26, 2020 at the army headquarters in Abuja, was presided over by the chief of army staff Lt Gen Tukur Buratai.

The army’s pledge of loyalty was apparently designed to give the assurance that the government of President Muhammadu Buhari was not threatened by the uprising against police brutality which started on October 8. 

Although the protests have been put on hold, violence and looting continues all over the country without any challenge as the police have withdrawn from the streets having suffered serious damage to their image.

The army also denied shooting any protester at the Lekki tollgate on October 20, 2020 which has caused a stir within and outside Nigeria. Initial reports said scores of protesters were killed. 

The army now says it has resolved to assist the government to bring an end to insecurity across the country and to “prevent miscreants and criminals from hijacking the ENDSARS protest”. 

According to Col Sagir Musa, the acting director of army public relations, it remains focused and will not to be deterred by any local or international threats. 

“All Commanders have been directed to intensify joint training with the Nigerian Police and other sister security agencies to enhance inter-agency collaboration and cooperation.”

He reported that at the meeting, Buratai made it unambiguously clear that there will be no room for disloyalty amongst all officers and soldiers of the army.  

He directed that field commanders tell all their subordinates that the army was determined to ensure democratic stability in Nigeria.

“The best system of governance is democracy and we must all ensure that Nigeria’s democracy remains stable and steady. We will not allow any force, elements or destabilizing agents in or outside our country to set our beloved country on fire,’’ he quoted Buratai as saying. 

Buratai said that events of the past few days have shown the determination of some unscrupulous individuals and groups to destabilize Nigeria by all means. 

“These individuals, groups and other undesirable elements have hijacked the peaceful #ENDSARS protest marches resulting to widespread violence, acts of wanton destruction and looting of public and private properties in many parts of the country. These acts led to the imposition of curfew in several states of the federation,” he stated. 

He also said that right from the onset of the protests, the army has been aware of the grand design by the sponsors of the protests to draw it into the crisis.  

“The plan was to embark on massive propaganda to discredit the military and the government so as to set the people against the army once it is called out to aid the civil authorities…Now the detractors alongside their local and international collaborators have mischievously and deliberately misrepresented troops’ efforts to ensure compliance with the curfew imposed by legitimate civil authorities in Lagos and other states.’’  

He claimed that these agitators were falsely accusing the army of being responsible for the activities of the miscreants despite glaring evidence to the contrary.  

“They have continually threatened to report the army to the International Criminal Court (ICC) and also threatened various forms of sanctions against personnel and their families. Thankfully, however, a large percentage of Nigerians and the international community have started seeing through the smokescreen of falsehood and deliberate misrepresentation of facts being orchestrated by enemies of Nigeria and have retracted their earlier false publications,’’ he added.

Politics

Lekki Shooting: We’ve identified barracks where soldiers came from – Femi Falana

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A Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Femi Falana, has said that his group has located the barracks where soldiers who shot protesters at the Lekki Toll Gate, came from.

Falana, in an interview on Monday, said that his group, Alliance on Surviving COVID-19 And Beyond (ASCAB), located the barracks from the investigation conducted so far. He added that the investigation revealed that security forces were actually deployed to the scene of the protest last week Tuesday.

The Human rights lawyer noted that facts available to the group show that soldiers actually fired shots at the tollgate and young protesters have died from those shots.

Falana said that the group has set up an independent National Citizens Panel of Inquiry to investigate the shooting of protesters at Lekki Toll Plaza on October 20. He said the panel would consist of organizations of the youth, civil society organizations that took part in the #Endsars protest movement,

He said the President was likely to have been told that soldiers were ordered so that was the reason he failed to address the shooting in his national broadcast to the nation.

He, however, condemned the Federal Government for lacking respect for the rule of law and citizens’ rights to protest. Falana said that constant denials from the federal government and its agencies clearly show the government does not value the lives of its citizens.

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