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Borno: Boko Haram On Killing Rampage

June 23, 2023

By Akinwale Kasali

It was a sad Thursday for residents of Mafa and Jere Local Government Areas of Borno State as Boko Haram insurgents were alleged to have killed eight youths in the Community.

It was gathered that four of the slain Youths had gone out to fetch firewood in Tamsu-Ngamdu, two in Baram-Karuwa and one in Shuwari, all in Mafa LGA while one was killed in Muna, Jere LGA.

An eyewitness who was with the slain Youths was spared by the killers to go and report the story, said those killed all had their hands tied at the back and shot.

Commiserating with the families of the deceased and the Communities where the unfortunate incident took place, Governor Babagana Zulum, on Friday assured people of the Communities and State that the Government would not be deterred in its efforts to end insecurity in the state.

“Government is refining strategies at combating insecurity to facilitate the undertaking of farming and other economic activities.

“Farmers should, however, also augment the government’s efforts and design their respective community strategies for fighting insecurity,” Zulum said.

He urged security agents to be undeterred by the resurgence of terror activities, and asked all farmers go to the farms by 6 am and close by 5 pm.

It would be recalled that Suspected insurgents had on June 15 killed about 15 farmers in Molai and adjacent communities in Konduga LGA of the State.

Protest In Ambrose Alli University Over 300 Percent Tuition Fee Hike; NANS Knocks Institution

Akinwale Kasali

June 23, 2023

By Akinwale Kasali

Tension has gripped the Ambrose Alli University, Ekpoma, Edo State, over alleged 300 per cent hike in tuition fee. The students have lined-up in protest.

Backing the protest, the National Association of Nigerian Students, NANS, on Friday, June 23rd, 2023, condemned the University’s action.

NANS, in a statement by its Chairman, Caleb Ediale, described the hike as “outrageous” and called on the State Government to reverse the new fee regime.

“NANS condemns, in totality, the outrageous over 300% increment in tuition fees by Edo State Government in Ambrose Alli University Ekpoma. We condemn the attitude of the State Governor towards tertiary education in the state and his ambition of wanting to take education beyond the reach of the poor and average citizens of Edo and Nigeria in general. That this current state government has not laid a single building foundation in the foremost State owned university is shocking.

“The last three years in the University have been about victimisation of staff and students, intimidation and threats to who ever dares to speak up against the non-conforming and anti-educational policies of Edo State Government aimed at full indirect commercialisation of State owned tertiary institutions.

“NANS is aware of the draconian style of the management in wanting to impose the outrageous school fees on the newly admitted students and we want to use this medium to tell all the prospective students and their parents not to subject themselves and children to the deadline threat by the management of the university. We urge parents not to be excited by the admission offers to the point of hurriedly paying the outrageous cost that they may not be able to sustain till the end. Parents should remember that accommodation, feeding and other expenses are also there for them to pay alongside.

“To this extent, we are passionately appealing to parents and prospective students who are financially enabled enough not to encourage the new fee regime by hurriedly paying in line with the heartless deadline by the university management. In solidarity, as we plan an all out engagement with the school management, we are appealing to parents and prospective parents to show solidarity by staying away from paying the outrageous fees.”

Lagos Blue Rail Line To Commence Operations 8 Months After Commission

James Orji

June 23, 2023

The Lagos Metropolitan Area Transport Authority, LAMATA. Will commence passenger operations in August, 2023 according to Abimbola Akinajo.

Akinajo, the agency’s managing director, disclosed this at the LAMATA business/investor forum, according to a statement on Thursday by Kolawole Ojelabi, the authority’s corporate communication consultant.

On January 24, 2023, Nigeria’s immediate past President Muhammadu Buhari inaugurated the first phase of the blue line rail project in Lagos.

Prior to the inauguration, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, governor of Lagos, launched a test run of the project which is designed to run from Mile 2 (on the mainland) to Marina (on the island).

According to the statement, Akinajo said the test run activities would soon close, allowing for passenger operations to commence.

“I am happy to inform you that we are rounding off all testing processes for the commencement of full passenger operation in August this year. Details of the operations will be announced soon,” Akinajo said.

“The first phase of LRMT red line (Agbado to Oyingbo) is also nearing completion and we intend to commence testing and passenger operations about August 2023.”

The LAMATA boss said a wide range of transport infrastructure has been offered to investors for branding and out-of-

homes advertising.

This, she said, was in a move to shore up revenue for the sustainability of the state’s transport network.

Akinajo said opportunities exist for investors in bus and rail advertising as well as in infrastructure such as pedestrian bridges, bus shelters, bus terminals, interchanges, and megacity bus terminals.

The managing director explained that the forum was held to call the attention of the business community to the need for a “sustainable partnership on the use of transport infrastructure for the prosperity of their businesses and for the government to earn income to strengthen transport infrastructure and provide more”.

On his part, Osa Konyeha, technical adviser on corporate and investment planning at LAMATA, said the state government was seeking investors in the development of the Abule Egba-Sango tollgate BRT corridor, a 7.6 kilometre bus route with a daily projected ridership of over 63,000 passengers.

“Also available is the Oworonsoki-Apapa BRT, a 28 kilometre route with a projected daily ridership of about 430,000 passengers,” he added.

Konyeha said the government was ready to partner with investors in the refurbishment of 300 buses that are currently non-operational and the decarbonisation of the existing fleet and transition to cleaner energy.

“In rail transportation, the government is seeking partnerships in the management of advertising and out of homes (OOH) concessions within the stations, construction, and management of multi-level car parks, skywalk bridges at Ikeja and Marina while also looking forward to concessionaires for the green and purple lines which have a combined distance of 133 kilometres,” he added.

“Investors would also have the opportunity to bid for the upgrade of bus shelters, rehabilitation and construction of the Oyingbo bus terminal, construction of Ikorodu and Maryland terminals and transport interchange facilities at Iju, Mushin, Ajah, Agege, LASU-Iba as well as Megabus terminals at Ojodu Berger, Odogunyan, Sango-Ota, Epe and Agbara.”

Lagosians have been expecting the rail service to commence after President Buhari, officially, commissioned the first phase of the Lagos Blue Line Rail system from Marina to Mile-2 axis of the state.

Ondo: Kinsman Alleges Plan To Frustrate Acting Governor

Ayodele Oni

June 23, 2023

Lucky Aiyedatiwa - Deputy Governor of Ondo State

By Ayodele Oni

A legal practitioner, Allen Sowore, has alleged that there are moves to frustrate the Acting Governor of Ondo State, Lucky Aiyedatiwa by some people within the State Cabinet.

Aiyedatiwa became the Acting Governor early this month following Governor Rotimi Akeredolu’s request to proceed on medical leave to enable him attend to his health challenges.

Aiyedatiwa’s status as Acting Governor came barely three weeks during which the whereabout of the Governor was unknown and opposition parties were condemning the unnecessary vacuum.

Sowore, a kinsman of the Acting Governor, in a statement entitled, “Akeredolu’s Medical Leave: Before Ondo State Skids Into Full Anarchy And Mobocracy,” said that the activities of the cabals have been frustrating the Acting Governor’s smooth running of Government since the governor, Rotimi Akeredolu, transmitted power to him.

According to Sowore ”Section 190 of the Constitution of Federal Republic of Nigeria (as amended) is apposite:’Whenever the Governor transmits to the Speaker of the House of Assembly a written declaration that he is proceeding on vacation or that he is otherwise unable to discharge the functions of his office until he transmits to the Speaker of the House of Assembly a written declaration to the contrary such functions shall be discharged by the Deputy Governor as Acting Governor.”

“Therefore, it is instructive and behoves all the State Government officials – political and civil servants – to report and take orders from the Acting Governor the manner and way they would have done to Mr Governor. Anything to the contrary is tantamount to an act of insubordination.

“This surreptitious sponsored blackmails to smear and besmirch the reputation of the Acting Governor in some sections of the media should not be allowed a breath in a sane society.

“Not even a State prided as the intellectual plinth of South Western Nigeria.

”Its a sharp contradiction, to accuse an Acting Governor of “undermining the authority of the governor’s office”. How can the Acting Governor undermine the authority he is exercising?

“Ridiculously, as expected though, the Cabal complained bitterly in their infamous write up about the functions of the Acting Governor.

”They don’t want the Acting Governor to feature, attend or even appear at any serious State function outside the State. They want to cage him so that he will not have national connection and recognition as the Acting Governor.

“Truly, I will not advise or counsel the Acting Governor to sack or terminate the appointment of any public office holder in the state like the then Acting President, Yemi Osinbajo did to the former Director General of State Security Service, Lawal Daura. He will be playing at the gallery.

“Appropriately, a cabinet reshuffle and rejig of the state cabinet may be desirable to ensure the requisite unity of command in the instant circumstance.

“As critical stakeholders, we simply can not afford to look away while the state skid into full anarchy and mobocracy.”

Commissioner-Nominees Must Face Thorough Screening; Ekiti Gov Oyebanji Charges Assembly

Ayodele Oni

June 23, 2023

By Ayodele Oni

Ekiti State Governor, Mr Biodun Oyebanji, has charged the State House of Assembly to screen and access Commissioner- nominees whose list is expected to be forwarded before the end of next week.

Oyebanji gave the charge in Ado Ekiti when he received members of the Seventh Assembly.

The meeting is coming against the back drop of rumour that since majority of the legislators are nominees of former Governor Kayode Fayemi, they may not be loyal to the incumbent Governor.

He told the Lawmakers that the list of his Commissioners would be forwarded to the Assembly next week for screening and confirmation.

He, however, urged the Lawmakers to ensure a thorough screening of the Commissioner designates, stressing that asking them to “ take a bow and go” would not bring out the best from the exercise.

Governor Oyebanji also noted that legislature is critical to the ability of any government to deliver on its promises and enjoined members to be above board and discharge their duties without fear, favour or interference and avoid unnecessary disputes that could affect their legislative assignments.

“I have listened to Mr Speaker and I agree with you that this is one government and I share your legislative agenda of responsive and responsible legislature and that speaks to our own mantra of shared prosperity.

“And I keep telling people this is one government and graciously we are all Ekiti and our people brought us here for a purpose and for that purpose to be realized we just have to work together in the interest of the people”.

“I am not unmindful of the fact that there could be moment of strains and stresses and that is the beauty of democracy.

“It is not every time that we are going to agree like this and the beauty of democracy is in the period of strains and stresses, if it offers a platform for discussion, we will still come back like this, we will argue, we will shout and we will resolve.

“The assurance I can give to you from the Executive Council that I lead, I can assure you of our readiness to partner with you, to give you necessary support without impinging in your freedom.

“We will give absolute respect to the legislature as a different arm of government.”

Oyebanji charged the newly inaugurated Ekiti State House of Assembly members to always prioritize the interest of the people of the state while discharging their duties as lawmakers.

Earlier in his remark, the Speaker, Adeoye Aribasoye said the purpose of the meeting was to familiarize themselves with the Governor and members of the State Executive Council and to inform the Governor of their readiness to collaborate with the Executive arm of Government.

Aribasoye assured the Governor that the 7th assembly is fully prepared to have a responsive and responsible legislature in order to keep Ekiti working towards shared prosperity.

Presidential Election Petition: Atiku Says Tinubu Gained Admission To Chicago University As Female Student

Ayodele Oni

June 23, 2023

By Ayodele Oni

A document indicating that President Bola Tinubu gained admission to Chicago State University as a female student, was on Friday admitted by the Presidential Election Petition Court (PEPC) in Abuja.

The Presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Atiku Abubakar and his party tendered the document along with others to prove the allegations in their joint petition challenging Tinubu’s declaration as the winner of the February 25 presidential election.

Other documents tendered and in evidence by the petitioners and admitted as exhibits by the Court are a certified true copy of a certificate supposedly issued to Tinubu by the Chicago State University, a certificate of service by the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) issued in the name of Tinubu Bola Adekunle, Party membership card and certificate of service from Mobile Oil Nigeria Plc.

Other documents tendered by the petitioners, in urging the Court to nullify Tinubu’s election are, a notarized judgment of the USA Court for criminal forfeiture of asset of Tinubu, as well as a print out of the Guinea passport belonging to Tinubu.

PEPC also admitted a certificate of compliance, a witness statement on oath, along with other documents to prove the allegations contained in their petition.

The lead counsel to the petitioners, Chief Chris Uche (SAN), while leading the 27th witness of the petitioners, Mr. Mike Enahoro-Eba, subpoenaed to come and testify in court, tendered the documents through the witness, who is an Abuja based human rights activist and public interest lawyer.

In a surprised. move, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu vehemently objected against the admission of his Chicago State University Degree as exhibit by the Presidential Election Petition Court in Abuja.

He also kicked against tendering and admission as exhibit, his Republic of Guinea International passport.

Similarly, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and the All Progressives Congress (APC) joined in kicking against admission of the documents.

However, inspite of the stiff opposition, the Chairman of the Court, Justice Haruna Simon Tsammani admitted all the documents as exhibits.

IGP EGBETOKUN: Tiger, Lion, Super-cop

The Source

June 23, 2023

By Steve Osuji

ON THE SPUR OF THE MOMENT: The new super-cop was exhilarated no doubt. Very much so. He spoke on the spur of the moment and he jived. He would be tiger and lion to criminals and bad boys, he enthused as he was being donned with his new epaulets as the acting Inspector-General of Police.

Apparently, Kayode Egbetokun never dreamed he would make it to the pinnacle of his noble profession, but here he is hoisted at the very peak. It’s ok, anyone would indeed babble if confronted with such good fortune.

When IGP Egbetokun came to, he began to make the right sound bites and with due respect, the usual baloney this column has heard from fresh IGPs for over three decades.

Hear him: “We will work with the rank and file. Together, we will build a police force the nation will be proud of.

Accountability will be the hallmark of my administration. I will work to regain the confidence of Nigerians in our internal investigative system and ensure the highest standards of professionalism.”

If you be a journalist or a keen watcher of the goings and comings in our blighted police institution, you would have heard versions of this same jazz so many times that you would only laugh at Egbetokun and his blah, blah. One is particularly pissed at the new helmsman’s talk because of close encounters with his men on the highways recently.

PROBABLY THE WORST POLICE IN THE WORLD:

Travelling from Owerri towards Okigwe a few days ago, a police roadblock generated a long traffic snarl. The scruffy cop in half mufty and disagreeable footwear was casually picking N100.00 each from commercial buses. He just stretched out his hand a note was shoved into it, he stuffed it into his already bulging side pocket. He didn’t care who was watching, it didn’t seem to matter to him. I watched him extort about three bus drivers ahead of me. I could have filmed this obscenity. I could have been a CNN correspondent or even the new IGP for all he cared.

This ugly spectacle was again replicated on Mbaise-Umuahia road last Wednesday afternoon. This perfidious policing had been a long time practise for sure but they used to be coy about it. They tried to cover their crime a bit but not anymore. It’s now in your, this is what Nigeria police is, they seem to say. This is why it’s more annoying!

ROAD TO HELL: But this is child’s play compared to the bizarre spectacle on the major roads. This column would recommend that IGP Egbetokun do a road trip incognito from Lagos to Port Harcourt.

The journey must be so coded and surreptitious that even his orderly must not know his destination. This singular trip, should he take it, would give Mr. Egbetokun the best, first hand picture of the nature, status and the crass and perhaps, irredeemable state of the Nigeria Police Force.

Littered all through this over 600 kilometres stretch are police ‘checkpoints’, read tollgates. The police Egbetokun has just taken over spreads its ugliest face on this highway with unabashed impunity. The IGP will count no fewer that 200 ‘checkpoints’ on this road. These barricades are eyesores made of logs of wood, used tyres, sandbags and all sorts of unsightly bric-a-brac that deface the road architecture and eventually degrade our highways.

These checkpoints cause undue traffic jam making road travel in Nigeria prolonged and wearisome. But most distressing is that the police are not checking anything. All this hundreds of ‘checkpoints’ are mere EXTORTION POINTS where innocent motorist and commuters are dispossessed of their hard earned money and perhaps other valuables – at gunpoint. It’s worse, indeed a nightmare for commercial drivers on this highway. Drivers are stopped practically at every pole of the way, delayed and fleeced.

This horrific policing has been on for long and this column has written about this over half a dozen times. Yet the situation gets worse especially with coming of each new IGP.

LUCRATIVE POSTING:

The story is that these are ‘special’ (lucrative) postings that officers and men pay huge amounts to secure. Nigerians say that the huge daily collection on this highway go all the way up to the IGP’s office that’s why the evil continues to exacerbate. The posting now seem more like a franchise purchased from the police headquarters in Abuja whereby franchise holders are allotted a section of the highway to go and occupy and recoup their ‘investment’.

POLICE AT WAR WITH NIGERIANS:

Travelling disguised, (assuming he is not aware of the madness) Egbetokun will not only experience the torture his so-called police force put Nigerians through, he will notice that there are probably more policemen, rifles and Hilux trucks on this stretch of road than in actively violent terror zones of Borno and Niger States put together. A foreigner traveling by road from Lagos to Port Harcourt would conclude Nigeria is at war. But the truth is that the Nigeria Police is at war with the Nigerian people on the highway.

And the most crucial point is that Egbetokun’s police is doing everything else but securing Nigerians. In fact, these policemen on this highway seem to have forgotten everything they learnt about policing and security. Their head is overflowing with bribery, corruption and extortion.

The situation out there is better experienced. This is why this column recommends a secret trip by the IGP as a first course if he is truly serious about the reform of the force.

But this column wagers that Egbetokun is just jiving, or catching cruise, as they say it today. We know he knows all the ills of the police; he’s probably part of the problem so he won’t do jack. In any case, he has a short time to be IGP so we already see him parking his (Ghana must go bags) for his retirement.

Egbetokun has less than two years to go – either by year of service or age.

AN OFFICER AND AN ACADEMIC:

He is a well read officer with degrees in diverse areas such as Mathematics, Engineering and Economics; earning a doctorate degree in Peace and Security Studies. He has an MBA as well. He is a core operations officer having headed the Mobile Police (Mopol) and the Rapid Response Squad (RRS).

It is remarkable that he is also a politically exposed cop having served as Chief Security Officer (CSO) in 1999 to then Governor Bola Tinubu of Lagos State, now President of Nigeria.

This must explain his initial tiger and lion metaphor. However knowing the force deeply as he seems, he just might be the man to clean the augean stable, especially if he phases the reform, kick-start and do his bit so the man after him would continue where he stops.

If he is serious about change, he doesn’t need this column to teach him what to do or how to go about it. Improved recruitment standards, reorientation and reacculturation, improved training and professionalism, improved welfare, more discipline and most of all, curb systemic corruption, (most IGPs are seen to be crassly corrupt by Nigerians). These are some of the things Nigerians talk about and the changes they expect.

It is not about tiger and lions.

Osuji, an accomplished Journalist, Columnist, was Media Adviser to former Imo State Governor, Emeka Ihedioha.

Edo Moves To Utilize Forest Resources, Signs Pact With FAO

Ayodele Oni

June 23, 2023

By Ayodele Oni

As part of measures to tackle deforestation, Edo State Governor, Mr. Godwin Obaseki, has said the government is partnering with the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) and three other States in the Country on biodiversity and forest conservation.

Obaseki, who said this while briefing journalists in Benin City, said the project is worth $3million.

The governor disclosed that government is taking deliberate steps to tackle deforestation and forest degradation and enhance the conservation and development of the State’s forest assets.

According to Obaseki, “The forestry sector is attracting a lot of Investors both locally and internationally, and development partners have been quite kind to us by opening their doors and we are working with them especially in the areas of plantation establishment.

“The Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) wrote to us a couple of months ago to be part of a project for the conservation of biodiversity and sustainable use of lowland forests.

“The project is between Edo State and three other States and is worth slightly over $3million.”

While urging for increased collaboration among stakeholders to safeguard the environment, ensuring sustainable practices to preserve the ecosystem and prevent the loss of biodiversity, Obaseki said the State’s forest resources can boost its economy if properly harnessed and conserved.

“We were exporting timbers in the time past before the advent of crude oil resulted in the loss of the culture of sustainability. So, if we are to progress, develop, and diversify our economy, then we must go back to those things that made us great before.

“We will intensify actions at conserving our forests. We are working with our security forces and other stakeholders to smoke out all those people who are not supposed to be in our forest.”

Edo shares boundaries with Ondo, Delta and Kogi states. Vast areas of the forest have been turned to kidnappers den as a result of under exploitation.

Ag IGP Names Tunde Disu As PSO

Ayodele Oni

June 23, 2023

By Ayodele Oni

As the new Acting Inspector General of Police, (IGP) Kayode Egbetokun, settles down, he has appointed Commissioner of Police, Tunji Disu, as his Principal Staff Officer, (PSO).

A police bulletin released on Friday, confirmed the new appointment.

Before this appointment, Disu had been the Commander of the IGP Intelligence Response Team (IRT) where he distinguished himself and performed exceptionally.

Before that, he was the Commander of the Rapid Response Squad (RRS), an anti-crime outfit set up by the Lagos State Government.The appointment is with immediate effect.

Born on April 13, 1966, Disu is a graduate of English Education from Lagos State University (LASU) and the holder of two master’s degrees: one in Administration from Adekunle Ajasin University, Ondo State; and the other in Criminology, Security, and Legal Psychology from Lagos State University.

Skit Maker, Trinity Guy, Honours Police Invitation Over His Productions

Ayodele Oni

June 23, 2023

By Ayodele Oni

Skit Maker, Abdullahi Adisa, popularly known as Trinity Guy, has honoured the invitation of the Oyo State Police Command.

Oyo State Police Command disclosed this in a post on its Twitter page on Friday.

The Command had invited the prankster after Civil Society Organisations, (CSO) and social media users slammed him for sexualizing a female minor in a trending video clip.

The Command tweeted, “Good Morning Fans! Abdullahi Maruf Adisa AKA Trinity reported at the Oyo State Police Command at exactly 1000hrs today.

“Recall he was invited on Thursday, over a video depicting the sexualization of a female minor. Updates would follow in sequence, please.”

Sharing a photo of the skit maker, the command added, “Trinity would be meeting with the Deputy Commissioner of Police, State Criminal Investigation Department for his invitation.”

Muyiwa Adejobi, the Nigeria Police Public Relations Officer, has reacted to a prank video of a popular skit maker, Abdullahi Maruf, also known as Trinity Guy.

The PRO, who had previously warned skit makers who use pranks for a living, to regulate them because they endanger the lives of Nigerians, posted the video on his Instagram account on Monday, calling for Trinity Guy’s arrest.

In the video, Trinity Guy, was kneeling down on the road and was praying when he suddenly fell, two men walking on the same route, where the skit maker fainted took to their heels. One had to jump a high fence out of fear of the unknown.

The prankster also pranked some women in the video.

Stating further about the video, Adejobi urged people who have been affected by the skitmakers’ pranks to report them to the authorities.

“This doesn’t make any sense. I think the guy should have been arrested. Those individuals who feel the heat and fear of the pranks should be reporting the pranksters.

“Many of their pranks are criminals, immoral, and evil. These women have a good case against him.”

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