June 12 is a historic day and deserves to be celebrated, says ex-Governor Peter Obi.
He, however, condemned the lack of credibility of Nigeria’s electoral system.
According to Mr Obi, Nigeria’s democracy is undermined by impunity and violent bloodshed.
Commemorating Nigeria’s Democracy Day in a statement shared on his Twitter page, Mr Obi said;
“June 12 is a historic day that deserves to be celebrated” as it “underpins our long collective journey to nationhood as a true democracy.”
The Labour Party presidential candidate added, “Regrettably, we are now in an era where these foundational pillars of democracy are undermined by prevalent impunity and pervasive violence and bloodletting.”
The Anambra ex-governor lamented the “trust deficit between the leaders and Nigerians” and “search for a credible electoral system that would command the trust, confidence and belief of all Nigerians just like June 12 did.”
Outgoing Speaker of the House of Representatives, Femi Gbajabiamila had urged lawmakers to act quickly as youths in the country have lost faith in Nigeria and are securing their futures in other countries of the world.
He spoke on Wednesday, June 7 at a valedictory session organized for the 9th National Assembly in Abuja.
Gbajabiamila, who would start work next week as the Chief of Staff to President Bola Tinubu, said the executive and legislative arms of the government must act fast or there will be continuous exodus of bright youths to Europe.
Addressing his colleagues, Gbajabiamila said;
“Honourable colleagues, despite the considerable investments we have made to improve our public infrastructure and the numerous reforms we have enacted to change how we administer the government, our country faces many significant challenges.
“These challenges have caused many of our fellow citizens to wonder if the promise of democracy will ever become real in their lives. Too many of our young people have lost faith entirely and are choosing in droves to seek their fortunes and their futures in other lands.
“We are losing some of our best and brightest, and if we don’t act now, the consequences of this loss will shortly become painfully evident.
“How do we ensure a healthy, vigorous, growing economy that provides opportunities for all who work hard to succeed through their labour and ingenuity?
“How do we protect our people from the marauders and insurgents, the petty criminals and assorted villains who wish to harm them, whether for profit or in service of other agendas?
“How do we restore faith in our young people so that so many of them no longer feel like the only way to achieve their best aspirations is to chase their fortunes in far away, often hostile lands?
“These are the critical questions all of us in government must answer or risk the unforgiving judgment of history. With each new day, we have an opportunity to make the hard choices and take the necessary actions to guarantee our nation’s future. With each new day, we have less time to act and a more outstanding obligation to act quickly.”
Human Rights Lawyer and Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Femi Falana has said that the decision of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) to increase the pump price of PMS is illegal.
Speaking on the sideline of an emergency meeting of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) National Executive Council in Abuja, Falana said NNPCL as a limited liability company does not have any legal power to jack up the price of petroleum.
He further urged the federal government to go back to the drawing board with a view to finding alternative solution to the problem, one of which he says includes the need to address the dollarization of Nigeria’s economy.
With less than 48 hours to his regime expiration, President Muhammadu Buhari has urged Nigerians to look at the investments done by his regime and not focus on the debt accumulated.
“In eight years, I am proud to say that we have doubled Nigeria’s stock of infrastructure to GDP from about 20% to over 40%, and that is no small undertaking,” Mr Buhari said in a series of tweets on Saturday.
“So, as we look at Nigeria’s debt profile, I urge us to also look at the assets and investment profiles, some of which was paid for by debt and some by investment income.”
Nigeria’s total debt profile stood at N12,118, 849.45 with the official exchange rate of $1 to N196, according to Debt Management Office (DMO).
With reckless borrowings of the Buhari regime in eight years, Nigeria’s debt profile hit N46 trillion and is estimated to hit N77 trillion, according to DMO.
Speaking on Mr Buhari’s borrowing spree, former president, Olusegun Obasanjo, whose administration got Nigeria’s debt cleared, wondered what the Buhari-led regime is borrowing for.
Mr Obasanjo condemned the continuous borrowing by the Mr Buhari regime, saying accumulating debt for future generations is “foolish” and “criminal.”
Amid recent wanton killings in various states, including his home state Anambra, Peter Obi, a candidate in the last presidential poll, has warned about Nigeria’s “frightening gradual descent into anarchy.”
The opposition politician and former Anambra governor condemned the recent killings in Mangu LGA in Plateau, noting that “different reports of violent and criminal acts across the country have remained a source of serious worry to Nigerians.”
“The reports of violent attacks by gunmen in the Mangu council area of Plateau State, where many lives, including women and children, have been lost, come with grave concern,” he added.
While urging security agencies to tackle “incessant acts of killing, kidnapping, maiming and other acts of terrorism,” Mr Obi said, “I most sincerely urge the security agencies and the government to rise to the occasion of arresting this frightening gradual descent into anarchy.”
Peoples Gazette reported how gunmen on Tuesday laid an ambush on the diplomatic convoy conveying staff of the U.S. Embassy to Anambra on a humanitarian mission.
The Anambra police command revealed Thursday the gunmen killed nine people in the convoy.
In Plateau, a violent clash between Fungzai and Kubat in the newly created district of Bwai in the Mangu council left at least 60 people, including women and children, dead.
The Federation Account Allocation Committee (FAAC) has given N655.932 billion in revenue for April to the federal, state and local governments.
According to a statement by Bawa Mokwa, a spokesman for the office of the accountant of the federation (OAGF), this is contained in a communiqué issued at the end of the FAAC meeting for May 2023.
The communique states that the N655.932 billion total distributable revenue comprised distributable statutory revenue of N364.654 billion.
It said it also contained distributable Value Added Tax (VAT) revenue of N202.762 billion, Electronic Money Transfer Levy (EMTL) of N14.516 billion, N50.000 billion augmentation from Forex Equalization revenue and N24.000 billion augmentation from the Non-mineral revenue.
“In April 2023, the total deductions for the cost of collection were N28.108 billion, and total deductions for transfers and refunds was N120.287 billion,” the statement explained.
“The balance in the Excess Crude Account (ECA) was $473.754 million.”
The communiqué said from the total distributable revenue of N655.932 billion.
The federal government received N248.809 billion, the state governments received N218.307 billion, and the LGAs received N160.600 billion.
“A total sum of N28.216 billion was shared to the relevant states as 13 per cent derivation revenue. Gross statutory revenue of N497.463 billion was received for the month of April,” it added.
“This was lower than the sum of N638.673 billion received in the previous month by N141.210 billion.”
It said from the N364.654 billion distributable statutory revenue, the federal government received N180.659 billion, the state governments received N91.632 billion, and the LGAs received N70.647 billion.
“The sum of N21.716 billion was shared to the relevant states as 13 per cent derivation revenue. For the month of April 2023, the gross revenue available from VAT was N217.743 billion,” stated FAAC.
“This was lower than the N218.786 billion available in the month of March 2023 by N1.043 billion.”
According to the communique, the federal government received N30.414 billion, the state governments received N101.381 billion, and the LGAs received N70.967 billion from the N202.762 billion distributable VAT revenue.
The federal government received N2.177 billion, the state governments N7.258 billion, and the LGAs N5.081 billion from the N14.516 billion EMTL.
The three tiers of government also shared total revenue of N50 billion from forex equalisation, with the federal government receiving N22.916 billion, the state governments receiving N11.623 billion, and the LGAs receiving N8.961 billion.
Some governments shared N6.5 billion as 13 per cent of mineral revenue.From the N24 billion non-mineral revenue, the federal government received N12.643 billion, the state governments received N6.413 billion, and the LGAs received N4.944 billion.
In April 2023, petroleum profit tax (PPT), companies income tax (CIT), oil and gas royalties, import and excise duties, and VAT decreased considerably.
Former Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Babachir Lawal, has lashed out at the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, over the recent supplementary elections conducted in Adamawa State and other parts of Nigeria.
Lawal who appeared in an interview on Arise TV, alleged that the electoral commission has lost sense of normal decorum and has chosen to “throw the country into anarchy or even possibly into civil war.”
He said;
“They [INEC] have lost sense of normal consciences, normal decorum. They have thrown due process, law and order out of the door. So I don’t know what else is remaining for INEC to redeem its image.
“I am sorry to say this because I was one of those who, over the years, canvassed the view that INEC should be trusted on account of my previous experiences and knowledge of the working of INEC, but in this election season, they have chosen to throw all caution to the winds.
“Whatever it is that is driving them, I don’t know, but something I know is an image they will leave for their children to pay because it is completely disgraceful. It is like they have chosen to be enemies of the country.
“They have chosen to throw the country into anarchy or even possibly into civil war by what they have done by the palaver manner in which they go about their duties to the citizens of the country. So that is my new opinion of INEC.”
Nigeria’s total public debt stock as of Dec.31, 2022, stands at N46.25 trillion (103.11 billion dollars).
This is according to a statement issued by the Debt Management Office (DMO) in Abuja on Thursday.The DMO said the total public debt stock of the country consisted of the domestic and external debts of the Federal Government of Nigeria (FGN) and the sub-national governments.
The sub-national are the 36 state governments and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) with comparative debt stock for Dec. 31, 2021 is N39.59 trillion (95.77 billion dollars)DMO said in terms of composition, total domestic debt stock stood at N27.55 trillion (61.42 billion dollars), while total external debt stock was N18.70 trillion (41.69 billion dollars).
“Among the reasons for the increase in total public debt stock were new borrowings by the Federal Government and sub-national governments, primarily to finance budget deficits and execute projects.
“The issuance of promissory notes by the Federal Government to settle some liabilities also contributed to growth in the debt stock,’ “the office said.
It, however, said that ongoing efforts by the Federal Government to increase revenue from oil and non-oil sources through initiatives like the Finance Acts and the Strategic Revenue Mobilisation Initiative are expected to support debt sustainability.
“Meanwhile, the total debt-to- Gross Domestic Product (GDP) ratio for Dec. 31, 2022, was 23.20 per cent. It indicates a slight increase from the figure of Dec. 31, 2021, at 22.47 per cent.
“The ratio of 23.20 per cent is within the 40 per cent limit self-imposed by Nigeria and the 55 per cent limit recommended by World Bank/International Monetary Fund (IMF).
“It is also within the 70 per cent limit recommended by the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS),’’ it said.
The total public debt stock as released by DMO excludes the N22 trillion Federal Government’s indebtedness to the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), through Ways and Means advances.
The Ways and Means advances are presently awaiting securitisation by the National Assembly, and can only be added to the country’s public debt after such securitisation.
Northern leaders, under the aegis of Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF), have cautioned President Muhammadu Buhari over the Central Bank of Nigeria’s (CBN) naira redesign policy.
According to the group, the Federal Government’s refusal to abide by Supreme Court judgment on continued use of old naira notes has brought severe hardship on Nigerians and can lead to social unrest.
“Whatever the CBN or anyone else may say about the benefits of the policy, which evidently are many, it is of little comfort as soon as the highest court in the country has deemed that it is, or, at least, the manner of its implementation, breaches the law,” the ACF said.
Secretary General of the ACF, Murtala Aliyu, speaking on Sunday, said the FG should have complied with the apex court’s ruling and also circulated new naira notes to assuage the sufferings of Nigerians.
“10 days is long enough time for the government to find its way towards complying with a court order, which import is central to the achievement of peace, order and good governance in the country.”
“President Buhari is under oath to defend the Constitution of Nigeria. As his long-term supporters, it will be remiss of us if we fail to warn that the much-touted benefits of the naira redesign can never justify the damage to his credentials as a democrat and a stickler for the rule of law.
“This is quite apart from real possibility of the crisis morphing into serious social disorder, leading to possible breakdown of law and order throughout Nigeria. We do not believe or can we advise him to pay such a heavy price on account of a policy, which immediate goals are not entirely clear to majority of Nigerians.”
“Some 10 days ago, the Supreme Court of Nigeria held that the President breached the Constitution of Nigeria in the way he issued a directive to the CBN for redesign of the naira without consulting the National Council of States and the Federal Executive Council. It went further to rule that the unconstitutional use of powers by the President on the naira redesign has breached the fundamental rights of Nigerian citizens in various ways.
“The state governors have persistently argued that the policy, which permitted the CBN to place an embargo on the circulation of old N500 and N1,000 notes, while not providing their replacement in sufficient amounts, triggered severe cash shortage and chaos in the economy.
“It has led to runaway inflation in food and other commodities. Huge crowds and long queues form around bank offices and ATM points across the country, as people struggle to get the new cash which has remained extremely scarce. It has triggered riots and other forms of civil unrest.
“The current approach of the CBN raises concerns about respect for civil liberties and rights of Nigerians as it relates to their freedom to use legitimately earned income as they so wish. They believe that the CBN is, in truth, pursuing a policy of naira confiscation, which would possibly set off crippling depression.”
Nigerian singer, Simi has lashed out at African leaders over the disrespect their countrymen get outside the continent.
In tweets she shared, Simi noted that Black Africans have to fight for space, respect and survival everywhere they go because the one place that is their birth right is hard on their lives.
The singer also averred that while this should make African leaders wake up, they’ve always shown they only love their bellies and only their children.
She tweeted;
Black Africans have to fight and fight for space and respect and survival everywhere they go because the one place that is their birth right is hard on their lives. One would think this would make African leaders wake tf up and help us fight for our dignity.
Who really wants to go a land of strangers, away from everyone and thing they love? People that want to survive. Nobody chooses that life because it’s good or easy. They just don’t want to die feeling that helpless.
But these leaders don’t love their country. They don’t love their people. They only love their greedy bellies. They only care about their own children. They only care about their families. As long as their wickedness is not happening to them, why stop?
The Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NiDCOM) says few Nigerians agreed to return home from Tunisia following the president’s remarks on February 21.
Tunisian President Kais Saied, at the meeting of Tunisia’s National Security Council, called for urgent measures against sub-Saharan migrants.
Mr Saied urged Tunisian security forces to halt illegal immigration and described the migrant influx as a conspiracy to change the country’s democratic makeup.
On her Twitter page on Monday, the chairman of NiDCOM, Abike Dabiri-Erewa, said Amb. Asari Allotey, Nigeria’s Ambassador to Tunisia, was in consultation with the Nigerian Community.
“Those that have agreed to return to Nigeria are very few, and the mission is working with the IOM to arrange tickets for them.
“The many others want to wait it out, praying it will soon pass, following the intervention of the AU and the African Group of Ambassadors.
“Though we don’t really have a large community of Nigerians in Tunisia as many of them are those rescued from the Mediterranean after a failed attempt to cross from Libya, the mission will update if they do request to return.”
Meanwhile, it was gathered that the Tunisian president denounced making racist comments.
As the effects of the current cash crunch bite harder, Nigerians have called on the Central Bank of Nigeria to prevail on commercial banks to dispense N100 and N50 notes to Nigerians.
They made the call in separate interviews on Thursday in Lagos.
Benedict Chukwuweike, an accountant, said dispensing the N100 and N50 notes would help solve the immediate challenge of access to the new naira notes.
Mr Chukwuweike noted that in countries like the United States, the highest denomination in circulation is $100 and that Nigeria could imitate the U.S. as issuing more N500, N1,000 banknotes becomes a problem.
According to him, the development will help to curb inflation and attract more value to the nation’s currency.
Eniola Gbadamosi, a teacher, said dispensing the N100 and N50 notes should have been the alternative until issues surrounding the new naira notes were resolved.
According to her, the N100 and N50 banknotes have become valuable to her.
“I started gathering the N100 and N50 notes since January when the heat of the January 31 deadline enveloped the nation,” stated Ms Gbadamosi.
“Little did I know then that the crunch would degenerate into what it is now. Today, my N100 and N50 notes have been very useful.”
Catherine Lawson, an unemployed youth, said she boarded a bus on Wednesday using N100 and N50 notes.
Judith Chukwukadibia, a lawyer, said that since the crisis started and those in the urban areas were crying for cash, she knew it would be worse in the rural areas.
“So, what I quickly did was to change my money into N50 notes which I sent to my parents in the village. The aim was to avoid (the) pressure my parents would go through. I didn’t want them to be stranded,” Ms Chukwukadibia explained.
“I am happy that the step has proved very helpful. I even did (the) same to myself and have been very comfortable since the naira crunch started.”
Meanwhile, President Muhammadu Buhari has said old N200 notes remain legal tender until April 10.
In a nationwide broadcast on Thursday, he said the old and new N200 bills would exist side by side to ease the cash scarcity.
Some Nigerians on Saturday expressed optimism about a peaceful 2023 election and smooth power transfer to another administration.
A cross-section of Nigerians in Lagos said the electioneering campaign bar had been raised for people to vote for the best candidate in all elective positions.
Despite the constraining variables like the subsisting cashless policy and the artificial fuel scarcity, people are optimistic about a good transition in May.
Wale Adewale, a political scientist and a lecturer at the Lagos State University (LASU), said Nigerians have become more politically conscious and enthused by fierce competition in the polity.
According to him, the campaigns across parties have been encouraging but lacked desirable agreement between the people, political parties, and candidates.
“Nigerians are patiently discarding those disturbing variables in the system with high hopes of attaining a better society after the election,” he said.
Gab Ireaku, director, Social Re-engineering Network, said hard times had awoken people from slumber to begin to pursue an improved system through the forthcoming election.
The social justice crusader described people’s participation in voting as one that confers legitimacy to the process.
Mr Ireaku dismissed any possibility of an election-induced fracas in the society, noting that Nigerians are tired of hard times and ready to overturn the nation’s misfortunes through the election.
Anglia Orji, a businesswoman at the Lagos International Trade Fair Complex, said everyone who wished to vote must have their voters’ card by now.She said the masses were ready to change the system that has held them disadvantaged.
She said, unlike previous elections, the coming polls would be devoid of violence; instead, there would be mass turnout.
The Lagos chairman of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), Stephen Adegbite, called on the faithful to present Nigeria’s election as a supplication to God for a smooth process.
Meanwhile, the electoral body has indicated its readiness to conduct the polls to ensure that Nigerians decide who leads them.
In the same vein, President Muhammadu Buhari inaugurated the Presidential Transition Council to oversee a smooth transition after the polls.
Peter Obi, the presidential flag bearer on the platform of the Labour Party, says he wishes Nigeria well but expresses concern about what will happen next to Nigeria if he loses the February 25 presidential election.
A large turnout of voters at the poll would pave the way for Mr Obi’s victory, said a poll conducted by Nigeria’s data intelligence provider, Stears, describing the Labour Party standard-bearer as “Nigeria’s most popular presidential candidate.”
New Nextier, an Africa-focused consulting firm, also predicted that the ex-Anambra governor would win in February.
According to the Labour Party standard-bearer, the presidential poll is an existential election, and he urged everyone to be involved.
“If we get it wrong, nobody can tell what next will happen. In all I am doing, I will always wish Nigeria the best,” Mr Obi stressed.
“I know you will, too and in doing that, I urge you to be part of the new Nigeria Datti, and I are fighting for.”
Mr Obi stated this at a public presentation of the book, ‘Peter Obi: Many Voices, One Perspective’ in Abuja.
He thanked the organisers of the book launch for believing in him and for choosing to be part of his efforts to see that a new Nigeria is possible and appealed to Nigerians to support him in turning Nigeria around by voting for him in the February 25 presidential election.
“We are committed to it; as I told all the supporters, we need people. We need all of you to support us, especially in these final days to reach the end of this phase. Nigeria has suffered a lot. This is a great country that can be turned around,” the former Anambra governor explained.
Mr Obi added,
“We cannot succeed without your intervention, so as you launch this book, please be part of what we are doing to change Nigeria.”
Residents of Jakande Estate, Oke-Afa, Isolo in Lagos, on Monday bemoaned the state government’s neglect of infrastructure within the community.
Adeyemi Yusuf, President, Estate Youth Parliament (EYP), said that residents of the estate had for over three years been demanding for two things from the government.
“The government has failed to yield to our demands and we are very sad that all these requests could linger for so long despite seeing and hearing of their actions over same issues in other areas of Lagos.
“We have written a combined letter of nothing less than 250 to the Governor’s Office, Ministry of Education, Lagos SUBEB and Lagos State Electricity Board (LSEB).
“On the renovation of the only public primary school in our Estate and the lighting of the community of which the LSEB has been around since October 2019 for survey, unfortunately, up till today, nothing has been done to address these demands.
“And after several follow ups to the LSEB office, we have been told many times that it is the governor’s assent that is delaying the lighting project.
“As it was always a part of their yearly budget and it had been promised to be included in this year’s 2023 budget for the governor’s approval,” he said.
The EYP President said that lighting was very necessary in the community to curb crime because there are lots of issues with insecurity.
“People get robbed on daily basis due to the situation of the environment.
“The Low Cost Housing Estate Primary School too has been visited for the requested renovation.
“But unfortunately again, the workers stopped work after just two weeks without any notice of why they stopped.
“As at now, the school remains in a sorry state as the roofings, toilets, classes among infrastructural defects are being experienced in the school, making the place non conducive for pupils and teachers.”
Mr Yusuf added that;
“The roads have never been touched. The ones there are still the ones the former governor, Alhaji Lateef Jakande, did in the 80s.
“The Council Chairman did a bit on 1st Junction to NEPA junction but there are more to be done by the government as over five roads are in very bad state.
“This incumbent government is not doing anything for us here at all despite making demands and the governor will want us to vote for him.
“We, however, appeal to him, if he will listen, to please approve the lighting of our Estate by the agency in charge as they said they have all the requirements to do so.
“But his consent is all they need to begin the project. Likewise, he should please see to the school and road matter,” he pleaded.
The Nigeria Financial Intelligence Unit (NFIU) has banned all banks from executing demands for cash withdrawals from all public accounts.
Addressing newsmen on Thursday, December 5, NFIU CEO, Moddibo Haman Tukur, said the decision became necessary to stop the rate at which cash was being taken out of public accounts.
Tukur also said that the decision is in line with the full transition of Nigeria into a cashless economy which the Central Bank of Nigeria has been leading.
According to the NFIU CEO, from 2015 to date, state governments alone have withdrawn N701 billion from their various accounts.
He added that federal bodies withdrew N225 billion while Local Government Council Authorities have withdrawn over N156 billion cash within the same period.
Tukur further disclosed that all financial institutions have been instructed to stop cash withdrawals from government accounts from March 1, 2023, adding that any government official who flout the order will be prosecuted alongside his or her accomplices.
The statement read;
“The rate of withdrawals above the threshold from public accounts has been alarming, over N701billion has been withdrawn in cash from 2015 till date.
“The NFIU had told banks and government agencies at all levels to go fully digital by moving online, as all transactions involving public money must be routed through the banks for the purpose of accountability and transparency.
“This is not reversible as we are only enforcing the law. As far as we are concerned, Nigeria will become a full non-cash economy by March 1, 2023 this year. As a consequence, any government official that withdraws even one naira cash from any public account from March 1 will be investigated and prosecuted in collaboration with relevant agencies like EFCC, ICPC and the NPF.”
The NFIU boss also said only the President is in the position to grant waivers to government officials based on considerations.
Tukur added;
“For government exigencies, only the President has the power to grant any waiver to any government official considering the importance of the situation; either for national security, health, or other important reasons.”
Lagos State Deputy Governor, Dr Obafemi Hamzat has said that Nigerian leaders have so many questions to answer when they appear before God.
Hamzat who spoke at the closing of the 113th Islamic Vacation Course (IVC), organised by Muslim Students’ Society of Nigeria (MSSN), Lagos State Area Unit, in Epe, noted that failure of Nigerians to vote will be detrimental to good governance.
The Lagos Deputy Governor further stated that Nigeria needs good leaders to develop, while also adding that many leaders have questions to answer before God on their performance.
A mass burial has been held for 40 victims killed in last Sunday’s attack by suspected terrorists in Malagum 1 and Sokwong communities in Kagoro chiefdom, Kaura Local Government Area of Kaduna State.
The Inter-denomination burial service of the victims was held on Thursday, December 22, 2022.
The Catholic Diocese of Kafanchan posted photos from the burial on its official Facebook page.
“The Inter- denomination burial Mass/ service of the victims of Fulani herders attack at Mallagum, Kagoro, Kaura Local Government Area, Kaduna State, Nigeria, on this day Thursday, 22nd December, 2022. May their Souls Rest in Peace with the Lord.” the post read.
Meanwhile, the people of Southern Kaduna have cried out against the government’s inability to arrest and bring to book the perpetrators of several attacks on the area since 2014.
A statement issued by the spokesman of Southern Kaduna Peoples Union (SOKAPU), Mr Luka Binniyat, said,
“Let it be put on record that in the hundreds of attacks that have put many parts of Southern Kaduna into ruins and thousands killed since 2014, we have not seen anyone arrested and brought to book over these heinous crimes against humanity.”
The union lamented what it called “the gruesome mass murder of not less than 38 harmless, armless villagers in Malagum 1 and Abun (Broni Prono) villages, Kaura Local Government Area (LGA) in Southern Kaduna”.
The statement regretted that the killings, which lasted for long, started around 11pm Sunday night simultaneously in the two villages.
“Not only were these poor innocent citizens killed, not less than 100 houses were razed, with some victims burnt alive,” the forum explained.
According to the statement, volunteers are still combing surrounding bushes in search of missing persons and more corpses following the attacks by the gunmen on the two communities.
He disclosed that the villagers had noticed the gathering of strange herdsmen coming from different directions on motorbikes to set camp in a nearby bush some days back.
He further lamented that the security forces deployed in the area did nothing when the villagers noticed the gathering, adding that the dastardly act is coming five days after armed herdsmen herded their cattle into a farm owned by Cletus Dunia, 45, in Kpak village, a sub-unit of Kagoro, in Kaura LGA and shot him dead at close range before mutilating his corpse and fleeing with their cows.
The statement stated that the rampaging herdsmen also shot and killed Levi Zakaria, 19, as he was harvesting yams on a farm that was by the fleeing path of the killer herdsmen, saying that on the same day, the same herdsmen killed Ezra Sunday 16, about 2km from where Zakaria was killed.
It explained that the same herdsmen caused the death of Gaje Habila, 31, when he fell and died of exhaustion while escaping, leaving behind a widow and a six-month-old baby, his only child, pointing out that between Tuesday and Wednesday last week, armed men described as herdsmen, invaded some homes in Kamuru village, Ikulu Ward in Zangon Kataf LGA in Southern Kaduna and killed four (4) persons.
The statement explained that forty-six (46) persons were killed in the attacks in Southern Kaduna in the past five days.
“We believe that the aim is to further destabilise Southern Kaduna and give excuse to the Federal Government to stop election in the area.
Already there are thousands who have been chased out from their ancestral homes as a result of similar violence unleashed on them, between 2019 and this year as the attacks are coming close to the 2023 general elections,” he added.
A new whistleblower draft bill has been approved by the federal government as confirmed by the Minister of Finance, Zainab Ahmed.
Addressing reporters after the Federal Executive Council meeting yesterday, December 14, Ahmed noted that the existing whistle-blowing policy launched on December 21, 2016, which provides legal cover for individuals who voluntarily expose acts of fraud, bribery, looted government funds and assets, financial misconduct and other forms of corruption and also rewards them with 2.5 – 5 per cent of the funds recovered by the Nigerian government, was losing momentum.
Ahmed told reporters that the Council approved the draft bill to strengthen the fight against corruption and protect whistleblowers that provide helpful information to the FG.
She said;
“The Ministry of Finance, Budget and National Planning presented several memos today. The first is the draft whistleblower bill for 2022. This memo has been reviewed by the Council and approved with a provision to ensure alignment with the Evidence Act.
“The purpose of operationalising and putting in place a whistleblower bill is to strengthen the fight against corruption and to enable protection for whistleblowers that provide information for use by the government.
“As you know, since 2016, the Council has approved the setting up the Presidential Initiative of Continuous Audit. PICA has been working in partnership with EFCC, ICPC, DSS, and NFIU and the Office of the Attorney-General of the Federation.
“We noticed that the whistleblower policy response has lost momentum. We embarked on engagement in the six geo-political zones, and one of the main outcomes we found is that people are concerned about their safety due to providing information. So, this bill is critical to ensure the effectiveness of the retention of the whistle policy.”
The National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) has announced that it received 105 stranded Nigerians from Chad (N’djamena) who arrived at the Malam Aminu Kano International Airport in Kano on Monday, December 12.
Kano State territorial coordinator of the agency, Dr Nuradeen Abdullahi who made the announcement, said the stranded Nigerians arrived at the international wing of the Malam Aminu Kano International Airport at about 10pm onboard a Boeing 737-7k9 ASKY Airlines plane operated by Ethiopian Airlines KP9401 with registration number ET-ANH.
They were brought back to Kano under the care of the International Organisation for Migration (IOM) through a voluntary repatriation programme.
He said;
“The programme was meant for the distressed Nigerians who had left the country to seek greener pastures in various European countries but could not afford to return when their journey became frustrating.
“Those received included 24 male adults, 23 female adults and 58 children (33 females and 25 males). They are from Katsina, Kano, Adamawa, Borno, Yobe and Taraba states among others.”
Abdullahi further disclosed that the returnees would be trained for four days on vocational skills and would be given the grant to become self-reliant.
He urged them to join in the advocacy and sensitisation against irregular migration. The NEMA chief further revealed that the agency, between May and October 2022, received 560 Nigerians stranded from Niger Republic and Sudan.
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