Politics

Sack Aregbesola now over repeated jailbreaks, HURIWA urges Buhari

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Civil rights advocacy group, Human Rights Writers Association of Nigeria, has said the Minister of Interior, Rauf Aregbesola, must be sacked with immediate effect over his failure to put an end to the incessant attacks on prisons in the country.

HURIWA’s position was contained in a statement on Thursday signed by its National Coordinator, Emmanuel Onwubiko, where it condemned the jailbreaks under Aregbesola’s watch.

The group stated that, in the last five years, there have been over 15 jailbreaks under the former Osun State governor while over 3,000 inmates have escaped from custody.

The PUNCH had reported that terrorists attacked the Kuje Correctional Centre on Tuesday night, heavily armed with explosives, which led to the loss of lives.

During the attack, the terrorists reportedly freed over 600 inmates, including 64 suspected Boko Haram members who were held in custody.

HURIWA also urged the President, Major General Muhammadu Buhari (retd.), to quit asking rhetorical questions on how the intelligence system of the country failed to detect Tuesday’s attack at Kuje prison in Abuja on social media.

The group demanded the President immediately set up a judicial panel of inquiry on prison attacks in the country and ensure that such assaults on the entire security apparatus of Nigeria do not recur.

The statement reads in part, “The spate of jailbreaks under President Muhammadu Buhari and Minister of Interior, Rauf Aregbesola, is alarming and condemnable. Even under then-President Goodluck Jonathan, who had no military experience or background, jailbreaks weren’t as rampant as what Nigerians see these days.

“The frequent and recurring jailbreaks show the inefficiency of all those President Buhari appointed into office and his unwillingness to sack them show also that the President tacitly want the situation to continue to fester.

“HURIWA demands the sacking of the Minister of Interior, Rauf Aregbesola; and his Defence counterpart, Bashir Magashi; for perpetual incompetence. We also call for a broad-based judicial panel of inquiry on prison breaks in Nigeria to be constituted.”

Lifestyle

Aregbesola launches e-passport in Edo, warns against extortion

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The Minister of Interior, Rauf Aregbesola, on Tuesday, warned men of the Nigeria Immigration Service, Edo State Command, to shun acts capable of working against the Federal Government’s efforts to ensuring that Nigerians could procure international passports with ease.

He said the ministry under his watch would not hesitate to deal with officials of the service engaged in any illegal dealings, noting that the President, Major General Muhammadu Buhari (retd.), was desirous of improving service delivery in the country.

Aregbesola, who stated these on Tuesday at the official roll-out of the Enhanced e-Passport in Benin, Asaba and Warri as well as the commissioning of the Passport Office, said 10,000 e-passports were available on the platform for applicants and noted that the ministry was committed to changing the perception of service delivery for the better.

“For our men who are quick to tell people that there are no passports just to exploit them, those who give unkind and harsh treatment to passport seekers will be dealt with henceforth.

“President Buhari’s desire is to ensure that Nigerians get their international passport both home and abroad. So, what we are doing now is to remove all the obstacles,” the minister said.

He added that the enhanced e-passport carries 25 additional security features and is rated to be among the best in the world in terms of durability and quality.

The Acting Comptroller-General, Nigeria Immigration Service, Idris Jere, said with the unveiling in Edo, other states in the South-South have migrated to the enhanced e-passport.

Edo State Governor, Godwin Obaseki, who accompanied the minister to the commissioning, said the unveiling will bring relief to passport seekers and ease the application process.

He said the state government would join the ministry in fighting touting in passport applications.

Politics

Hoodlums attack Aregbesola’s campaign office in Osun

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Hoodlums suspected to be political thugs attacked the campaign office of the Minister of Interior, Rauf Aregbesola, in Osogbo, Osun State.

The gunmen stormed the building shortly after a meeting by All Progressive Congress (APC) in the state, shot sporadically and forced those at the premises to scamper for safety.

A section of the building was severely damaged during the attack.

The former governor’s campaign office had previously come under attack from criminals in the state.

The building, popularly referred to as Oranmiyan House, was attacked by thugs during a meeting of The Osun Progressives (TOP), a group loyal to Aregbesola in November last year.

The state has witnessed violent clashes between loyalists of Governor Gboyega Oyetola and the minister in recent times.

The spokesperson for the Osun State police command, Yemisi Opalola, who confirmed the incident, said police operatives had been deployed to the scene to access the situation.

Politics

Aregbesola’s loyalists kick as APC adopts consensus option in Osun

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Some members of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Osun State on Saturday rejected the adoption of consensus leaders across the 332 wards in the state.

The members, who are loyalists of the Minister of Interior, Rauf Aregbesola, alleged that they were excluded from the process.

The exercise went smoothly in the 35 wards of the Osun West Senatorial District as APC members who were led by one Barr. Gbadegesin Adedeji adopted the consensus option in the election of ward executives.

However, the former Speaker of Osun State House of Assembly, Najeem Salam, insisted that the executives were imposed on party members.

Salam, who is one of Aregbesola’s loyalists in Osun State, alleged that there was a political crisis in the state.

He said: “The national caretaker committee does not set up the ward congress committee. The government in power has been cajoling people, harassing party members that are not in support of what they are doing within the party.

Unfortunately, those that came to the state for sales of form are incommunicado. We only saw it online that they came for stakeholders’ meetings. People like me and some other eminent persons in the party were not involved.

“How would you know the stakeholders? Why would people that want to go to an election against another party in 2022 be afraid of the election within the party?

“With what the present administration is doing with the issue of ward congress, it seems they are not ready for the election in 2022.”

However, the Chairman of the APC National Congress Committee, Gbenga Elegbeleye, said the exercise went well.

“Members conducted themselves in a very free and fair atmosphere; officers were elected in our presence. We saw pure consensus. They all agreed that these are the officers we want to handle the affairs of the party in our wards. There is no crisis about that,” he said.

Also, the state Governor, Gboyega Oyetola, said the congresses were very peaceful across the state.

Politics

Aregbesola admits restructuring needed to move country forward

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The Minister of Interior, Rauf Aregbesola, has revealed that the current national arrangement is unworkable while hinting at restructuring as the panacea to the challenges bedeviling the country.

Aregbesola made this call on Friday, March 26, in Ibadan, after his investiture as the grand patron of the Nigerian Union of Journalists, South-West zone.

The minister stated that the current structure needed to be adjusted to enable its constituent parts have access to more resources for development.

Aregbesola said, “The argument that the current political configuration holds down the country may be admissible to a large extent and we need to adjust our structure, both politically and economically.

“Nigeria needs to ensure maximum exploration and use of the resources by the constituent parts of the Federation with a view to encouraging healthy competition and broadening the space for mass participation in wealth creation.

Nigerians need to create a Nigeria where individuals can find fulfillment in life, even as they tread the narrow path of honesty, hard work, and sincerity.

“They need to create a nation where justice reigns and no man is oppressed, where merit can elevate to the top and the content of a man’s or woman’s character is enough to guarantee of enjoying the benefits of a prosperous federal society.”

The minister said secession was not the solution to the current challenges facing the country, adding that war would also not solve the problem but rather compound the woes.

He added, “Besides, those who take the precipitate action of resorting to armed conflict often plunge their land and people to ruin from which there may not be an exit option. Nations are often locked in civil wars of mutually assured destruction in which, peradventure one side wins, the victory will turn to ashes because the cost of victory is the loss of everything that was fought for.”

Politics

FG worried about porous borders, undocumented migrants –Aregbesola

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The Federal Government of Nigeria has expressed concern over the country’s porous borders which have led to a deluge of undocumented migrants.

The concerns were raised on Tuesday by the Minister of Interior, Rauf Aregbesola who said that Nigeria was seeking stronger collaboration with relevant stakeholders to check the problem.

Aregbesola who was speaking at a meeting with an European Union delegation led by Ambassador to Nigeria and ECOWAS, Ketil Karlsen added that Illegal migration creates room for unplanned human presence.

He said; “Illegal migration is a thing of concern as it not only depletes a region of viable and reliable labour, talent and human resource, but also makes room for unplanned human presence.

“I also want to commend the EU and others for their support on the Migrants Information Data Analysis System (MIDAS) as the system had enhanced the documentation of immigrants entering Nigeria,” the minister added.

He also revealed that Nigeria would be collaborating with the EU on other projects soon to be unveiled.

Politics

Nigerians Facing Hardship Caused By #EndSARS Protest, COVID19- Rauf Aregbesola.

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According to the minister, the just concluded #The EndSARS protest, which gripped the whole country, has caused a lot of suffering to the people.

The Minister of Interior, Rauf Aregbesola, has said President Muhammadu Buhari is aware of the current hardship Nigerians are facing.

According to the minister, the just concluded #EndSARS protest, which gripped the whole country, has caused a lot of suffering to the people.

Recall that thousands of Nigerians held the #EndSARS campaign in October, taking to the streets to protest police brutality.

The protests resulted in the disbandment of the Special Anti-Robbery Squad unit of the police.

Speaking at the commissioning of a central mosque built by Ta’Awunu Islamic group in Iwo, Osun State, on Saturday, Aregbesola said, “The President is aware of the hardship facing the citizens of the country. This was caused by the pandemic and the #EndSARS protests which erupted in many states of the federation. The president is doing all his best, and I can assure you that very soon, all will be well and we will be happy again.

“My reasons for coming to the state is in two folds; #EndSARS and to remind us that Coronavirus is still very much with us. We can’t afford to return to when the virus was at its peak in the country. That is why we must observe social distancing and use our face masks always. Cases are still being recorded every day.

“During this festive period, we must be cautious. We should obey the holy prophet’s teachings that say, ‘When there is an epidemic somewhere, we should not live there, and those outside should not join until the epidemic is over.’ We must take responsibilities for our lives.”

 

Lifestyle

Nigerians Facing Hardship Caused By #EndSARS Protest, COVID-19, Says Aregbesola

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According to the minister, the just concluded #The EndSARS protest, which gripped the whole country, has caused a lot of suffering to the people.

The Minister of Interior, Rauf Aregbesola, has said President Muhammadu Buhari is aware of the current hardship Nigerians are facing.

According to the minister, the just concluded #The EndSARS protest, which gripped the whole country, has caused a lot of suffering to the people.

Recall that thousands of Nigerians held the #EndSARS campaign in October, taking to the streets to protest police brutality.

The protests resulted in the disbandment of the Special Anti-Robbery Squad unit of the police.

Speaking at the commissioning of a central mosque built by Ta’Awunu Islamic group in Iwo, Osun State, on Saturday, Aregbesola said, “The President is aware of the hardship facing the citizens of the country. This was caused by the pandemic and the #EndSARS protests which erupted in many states of the federation. The president is doing all his best, and I can assure you that very soon, all will be well and we will be happy again.

“My reasons for coming to the state is in two folds; #EndSARS and to remind us that Coronavirus is still very much with us. We can’t afford to return to when the virus was at its peak in the country. That is why we must observe social distancing and use our face masks always. Cases are still being recorded every day.

“During this festive period, we must be cautious. We should obey the holy prophet’s teachings that say, ‘When there is an epidemic somewhere, we should not live there, and those outside should not join until the epidemic is over.’ We must take responsibilities for our lives.”

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