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Kidnappers Have Taken Over Ondo Forests – Amotekun Commander Cries Out

By
Ayodele Oni
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By Ayodele Oni

Commander of Amotekun Corps in Ondo state, Adetunji Adeleye disclosed on Monday that forest reserves in the state have become abode of criminals, especially kidnappers.

The Commander, while parading some suspects, disclosed that 20 out of 29 persons currently being held by the security outfit are suspected kidnappers.

“The resurgence of kidnapping within the state made us to go deep into forests to fish out these kidnappers. We have a total number of 29 criminals, and about 20 of them are suspected kidnappers.

“We also invited all those that came to complaint that they were kidnapped in the last three to four months in the state and they were able to identify majority of them.

“As a matter of fact, we have to cross the river before we were able to arrest them, and we were equally attacked by them.

“We also found out that these criminals live in our forests along Ala-Dada, Jugbere, up to Ijagba and we were able to comb the forests.

“Some of these criminals engage in feedings victims, charging their phones, and a lot of other things that they do.

While narrating her ordeal while in the kidnappers den, a 23-year-old young lady, Odey  Olayemi, stated that she spent seven days in the bush with her abductors.

Olayemi was kidnapped at a farm located at Ago-Oyinbo village in Akure North Local Government Area of Ondo state by four armed kidnappers.

The victim, who described her ordeal as horrific, however, revealed that the sum of N350,000 was paid for her ransom and she spent seven days in the kidnappers’ den.

According to Olayemi, “My mum and dad were in the town, I now went to the village to go and help my sisters before our resumption in order to get money to take to school.

“On that faithful day, we were at the farm and suddenly we saw these three kidnappers coming towards where we are, I now told my sisters that these Fulani people are coming to our side that I’m going to run, but they said that I should not go anywhere that they are not going to do anything to us.

“When they got to us, they asked us to kneel down and we knelt down. At that moment we started begging them. Two of them were with guns while the third person was with cutlass.

“They later asked me to standup and told me that I should be following them, they took cassava stick and started beating me as we were going.

“I spent seven days with them, they asked for my dad’s number but I told them that I did not know it off-hand because I have already lost my memory.

“I later told them I did not have parents again, that they have died, that I just came to the village to help my sisters so that I will get money to take care of myself when I get back to school.

“But they said it was a lie, that they knew everything about my family and I later gave them my number because I was not with my phone on that day.

“Immediately I gave them my number, they started calling the phone but nobody picked it. Later one of my sister that came from Akure to our village picked the call and they informed her that they have kidnapped me.

“It was that my sister who now went to the Amotekun office to report before Amotekun swung into action to rescue me and I thank God that they rescued me.”

OPINION: President Tinubu: Set Kanu, Elzakzaky, Igboho free!

By
Tosin Olatokunbo
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By Owei Lakemfa

Violence was expected last Friday, July 28, 2023 when the Shia population in the country marked the Ashura Festival held worldwide by the Shiites. The prediction almost did not come to pass but for a last minute duel near the Wuse Market, Abuja when as usual, armed security men engaged the Shiites, and bullets flew.

No, it is not as if the Shiites are bounded to violence, but the security services, including the armed forces, seem to have locked it in their brains that the Shiites will always be violent, so a counter-force must be on ground. It is like a cat and mouse game and the mouse cannot plead innocence even if the facts on ground supports its claim. Even if the Shiite processions are peaceful, the security services assume they have a duty to disperse them because the latter would not have taken permission from the police.

Yet, the Constitution grants every Nigerian the right to peaceful assembly and movement. Some may ask: why do the Shiites not give peace a chance by not holding street processions? The answer is simple: it is part of their religious tradition, especially Ashura, a day of mourning which commemorates the beheading of Imam Hussain bin Ali in Karbala, in today’s Iraq in 680 CE. So long as the Shiites do not endanger public peace nor infringe on the constitutional rights of other Nigerians, they should have the right to practise their religion.

A primary problem we are faced with today emanates from our cumulative 29-year military rule during which public processions must be licensed by the state, otherwise, it would be seen as a challenge to the government in power. Maximum force is then used to subdue or subjugate the marchers or protesters.

Tragically, the shootings during such encounters are indiscriminate and passers-by sometimes fall victim. For example, on January 21, 2020, a journalist, Alex Ogbu of Regent Africa Times who was covering a Shiite procession at the Berger Roundabout in Abuja, was killed when a police officer shot him in the head.

It is difficult to give an accurate statistics of how much Shiite blood has been shed in our streets. But Senior Advocate of Nigeria Femi Falana had on Monday, November 5, 2018 petitioned the National Human Rights Commission to investigate the extra-judicial killing of 492 members of the Islamic Movement of Nigeria, IMN, the main Shiite group within four years by the Nigerian Army and the Nigeria Police Force.

In one encounter on December 12, 2015, 348 Shiites were killed by the army in Zaria for allegedly blocking the convoy of the Chief of Army Staff. Two days later, the army shot Shiite leader, Sheik Ibraheem Elzakzaky and captured him and his wife, Zeenat. The couple have remained in detention for eight years now despite at least four court orders, including that by the international ECOWAS Court setting them free.

The Shiites of course are not angels; they commit infractions. But whenever they do, they should be charged to court rather than government resorting to illegalities and extra judicial massacres.

The two-month-old Tinubu administration need not inherit the alleged enemies of past administrations; it should set Zakzaky and other Shiite detainees free in accordance with the lawful orders of the courts. This will send a clear message to the police, security forces and the military that the Shiites are not the enemies of Nigeria.

In any case, if the leaders of Saudi Arabia and Iran who lead the two main Islamic tendencies, the Sunni and the Shia, have closed ranks and signed peace agreements, there is no reason why the Nigerian state should be seen perpetuating a war against the Shiites.

Nnamdi Okwu Kanu, the 55-year-old leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB is another political prisoner that should be set free. He was illegally abducted in Nairobi, Kenya on June 18, 2021 and has since been detained by the SSS. He had previously been arrested on October 14, 2015 and granted bail on April 28, 2017. After his home was raided in September 2017 by the military, during which 28 IPOB members were allegedly killed, he fled the country.

It is true that Kanu is a separatist leader who advocates for the secession of Eastern Nigeria, if necessary, by force of arms, and he is uncouth. But the fact remains that he is a political prisoner who should be protected under our laws and international conventions. Cases such as Kanu’s are better handled politically, especially when we have millions of Nigerians who as Igbos, believe rightly or wrongly, that they are marginalised and treated as second class citizens in the land of their birth.

Holding on to Kanu indefinitely or jailing him would not resolve our National Question. Rather, it can further complicate matters. I reiterate that the Tinubu administration does not need to inherit the enemies of the Buhari administration. Also, the issue is to address the question of marginalisation raised and how to drastically reduce or curb the serious insecurity, social and economic crises this has engendered especially in Eastern Nigeria.

We should also learn from how we handle separatist agitators. For example, after the country returned to civil rule, the Movement for the Actualisation of the Sovereign State of Biafra, MASSOB led by Ralph Uwazuruike emerged in 1999. When it was repressed, a more intemperate breakaway faction, the Biafra Zionist Movement , BZM, led by Benjamin Onwuka emerged in 2010.

After the BNM attacked the Government House, Enugu on March 7, 2014, and later, the Enugu State Broadcasting Service, it was repressed and Onwuka was imprisoned for three years. That same year, a more virulent strain, the IPOB emerged; and with Kanu’s abduction, the most violent separatist, Simon Ekpa has emerged. Unlike Uwazurike, Onwuka and Kanu who operated in Nigeria, Ekpa is operating from Europe with Finland as base.

The case of Yoruba separatist agitator, Sunday Adeyemo, a.k.a. Sunday Igboho, is the most straight forward. The Buhari administration could not check banditry in the country and Igboho decided to lead a self-defence movement in Western Nigeria. The SSS in the early hours of July 1, 2022 invaded his home in Soka, Ibadan. The SSS claimed there was a “hot gun duel” Igboho fled to Benin Republic where that country’s authorities arrested him and his wife while trying to board a flight to Germany.

The Benin government eventually gave him a conditional release from prison, but have kept him in the country. A simple amnesty is required for Igboho so he can be free to return home.

The simple advice to the Tinubu administration is: set all political prisoners free while also addressing the grievances of the Nigerian people

Reps Committee Chair On Labour Urges Organized Labour To Shelve Strike, Assures Of Prompt Response By House

By
Ayodele Oni
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By Ayodele Oni

Chairman of the House of Representatives Committee on Labour, Employment and Productivity, Adegboyega Adefarati, has appealed to Organized Labour 8to reconsider and tarry over the decision to embark on a nationwide strike on August 2, 2023.

Adefarati, who is representing Akoko South West/South East federal constituency, Ondo state in the green chamber, expressed concern over the potential severity of negative impacts the industrial action could have on ordinary Nigerians, particularly those who are already grappling with the economic situation.

The lawmaker, who spoke in Akure on Monday, emphasized that the President National Association of Resident Doctors (NARD) whose members are already on strike should  take into consideration the plight of Nigerians while pressing forward with their demands.

He pointed out that there was the need for a balanced approach that considers both the welfare of doctors and the well-being of the populace.

The lawmaker stressed that President Bola Tinubu and the Speaker, Tajudeen Abass, are fully aware of the prevailing circumstances.

The House Committee Chairman assured the public that the government is actively engaged in addressing the pertinent issues in a comprehensive manner.

“My appeal to organized labour is for them to shelve the planned protest slated for August 2nd. This is a new administration and I can assure you that my president belongs to the progressive group.

“He has set up a committee headed by the Chief of Staff, and they have been meeting and interacting with the workers.

“Workers should look into the option of negotiation and dialogue rather than protest. A stable industrial and harmonious relationship is sine quo non to development.

“So, we are appealing to them to shelve the idea and wait for the outcome of the meeting. I believe that it will be a win-win situation for the country, even for the workers.

“I can assure them that any input they need from the House of Representatives, we are ready. Any agreement reached will be given swift and prompt action by the House.

“Like the issue of palliative bill. When the bill of N500 billion was brought to the House, it was given speedy approval because we are there to serve our people.

“This government will look critically to their demands. Asiwaju is known to everybody in Nigeria; when he was governor of Lagos State, we knew what he did, even concerning workers welfare. I can assure you that at the end of the day, everyone will laugh.

“There are so many initiatives they are planning that will give succour to the effect of the subsidy. In all honesty, subsidy is like cancer we must do away with it.

“Like last month, about N1.9 trillion was shared among the three tiers of government, which has never happened before.  Subsidy has been a scam, and the only way to curb it was to remove it in the interest of our people. If there is no pain, there is no gain.

“On the issue of the National Association of Resident Doctors, I want to appreciate my Rt. Hon. Speaker, Tajudeen Abass. He interacted with them and went to the President concerning their issue.

“It is better to dialogue and negotiate than protest because, at the end of the day, it won’t do anybody any good. By going on strike, it means the problems being faced by the people are further compounded.

“What we all should be concerned about is the way forward with the necessary solutions and not condemnation all the way.

“I think the direction we ought to be looking is at how social services in the areas of education, transportation, and health can be improved.”

Tinubu’s Motorpark Diplomacy In Niger Republic  …In Moments Of Unenlightenment

By
The Source
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By Steve Osuji

ALAKE’S LACKEYS ON RAMPAGE: One  of the popular maxims you pick up from journalism school is that truth offends the most. It’s particularly so with wanton government officials. They are perpetually at loggerheads with truth that they loose sight of governance issues.

Such was the plight of this column last week (8) when we interrogated the current presidency that had quickly shrunken and become puny. Of course the subject of the piece, Mr Dele Alake,  President Bola Tinubu’s man Friday, obviously took umbrage. In a moment of unenlightenment, he unleashed his lackeys who responded with about half a dozen write-ups, mainly attacks on my person and a verbose defence of their boss. They accused me of being poor, mendicant and ungrateful. Thank goodness they didn’t say I was mendacious. But let it be known that I don’t envy their stupendous wealth without a legitimate source. Besides,  poverty is a thing of the mind and using my definition, I think I am among the most blessed persons I know.

Speaking about ungratefulness, I never saw my appointment as a member of the editorial board of The Nation newspaper (obviously owned by the incumbent President Tinubu never admitted) as a favour. After practising at the highest levels in The Guardian,  African Guardian,  Thisday and New Age (as foundling editor) as well as managing a state governor’s media for four years, joining an editorial board couldn’t be a favour by any means. I  was the one doing The Nation a favour with my wealth of experience and enormous value I imbued the newspaper.

I spent nine years and I never got the car I was promised at inception. Over this nine years, I flogged my personal car to scrap working for the Nation. Yet I am supposed to be grateful. I never mentioned this in public. This and numerous other unspeakable discriminatory practices going on in that stable I endured yet here I am being denigrated in public for holding an opinion.

But the rather mediocre attacks on my person by hooded hack writers is emblematic of the lack of enlightenment in today’s presidency we broached last week. A presidency cannot operate on Alake’s 2G broadband against a possible 4 or 5G. The result would be inertia and flip-flops as we have seen in the last 8 weeks.

It also amounts to a most unpresidential response when you try to hack down a critic. Though the incumbent may be perching on the seat (fidihe), he remains the president of Nigeria by law today. We have right and duty to show interest about the running of our country. Today, Nigeria is the only country we have; we all have equal stakes and we have a responsibility to ensure it is well run by our leaders, especially at the pinnacle if power.

If the gail of attacks was to circumscribe my right to free speech and commentary, it won’t work. Over the past 35 years, one had interrogated the leadership of Ibrahim Babangida,  Sani Abacha, Abdulsalam Abubakar, Olusegun Obasanjo, Umaru Yar’Adua, Goodluck Jonathan, Muhammadu Buhari and now Bola Tinubu. No presidential aide called me names till now. My last word to Dele Alake is that if he can’t stand criticism, he has no business in our Aso Rock. If you don’t like the smoke,  you leave the kitchen!

MORE CRUDITY AS POLICE ABDUCT A JOURNALIST ON THE STREET: When we speak of moments of unenlightenment, there were so many this past week. If you expected the Tinubu presidency to usher in some fresh breath and new light on the polity, that hope fades fast now. What we see creeping in is much vendetta, witch-hunt and official brigandage from every quarter.

Last Friday, a popular radio presenter and commentator, Chinonso Uba, better known as Nonso Nkwa was abducted on the street of Owerri,  capital of Imo State by hooded men after his morning radio show. For many tense hours,  no one could tell his whereabouts.

His family, friends and co-workers feared the worst. There was silent agitation, a latent upheaval brewed in the city as Imo people were sure state government would be complicit in any harm to Nonso Nkwa. It took enormous media pressure to extract a release from the State Police Command. Nonso was picked by Force CID and flown to Abuja, the official statement read. It took about 24 hours for the Imo State government to announce that Nonso was picked up for “criminal libel”, allegedly against the state governor,  Hope Uzodinma.

A video was subsequently released showing Nonso saying Governor Uzodinma collaborates with militant kingpin, Asari Dokubo to infest Imo with vicious unknown gunmen.

Assuming without conceding there was such an allegedly libellous video,  would that warrant such level of crudity and impunity by the police.

When the new IGP Kayode Egbetokun was appointed recently, we had expected a new dawn at NPF. Now a police under the watch of supposedly scholarly IGP would don hoods and scruffy jeans like bandits and abduct a citizen, a critic of government on the street, not for armed robbery or terrorism, but for alleged criminal libel. What a shame, what a let-down.

How much did the Imo state governor pay to suborn the office of the IGP and cause him to commit gross illegality of abducting a citizen in the manner Nonso was abducted last Friday and has been kept incommunicado since – his lawyers,  his wife, children and family were not contacted as to his whereabouts.

Finally on this,  how come Asari Dokubo, the die-hard militant who has challenged Nigeria’s sovereignty and ridiculed the military and police; who boasts that he can’t be arrested, is still roaming free, raising more army?

MORE MOMENTS OF UNENLIGHTENMENT was the DSS almost having a shoot-out with officials of the Correctional Service over who keeps custody of a defendant, GodwinEmefiele,  suspended CBN governor. This is a clear sign of insouciance among the military, security and intelligence corps. Nothing is changing for the better,  rather, thing get worse.

The nonchalant state of affairs was evident in the Senate last week when the upper chamber made an open mockery of the long-suffering poor people of Nigeria. The legislature was recently placated with N79 billion bazaar upon inauguration while the people were forcibly yanked from eating the fruit of the land. The senate obviously are far removed from the reality of the Nigerian poor.

AND THE BODIES OF EVIDENCE FROM THE LEKKI TOLLGATE further tars President Tinubu. It emerged last week that over 100 bodies suspected to be victims of the October 20, 2020 mass killings at Lekki during the ENDSARS protest were found in a morgue in Lagos. However official denials continue. But the people have long made up their minds having handed President Tinubu a locus in the scheme of that dark affair. And it’s not a fine place the president is if truth must be told.

TINUBU’S MOTOR PARK DIPLOMACY IN NIGER REPUBLIC can only spell doom for Nigeria and for Tinubu’s presidency. Lack of enlightenment can be very harmful. The only time one heard or read that a group of sovereigns ganged up to attack another sovereign in a short notice was in the bible. Chronicles 18: 3 tells us how the contumacious King Ahab of Israel had casually asked the respectable King Jehoshaphat of Judah, “Will you go (to war) with me against Ramoth Gilead?

Wise Jehoshaphat seeing that Ahab surrounds himself with simpletons and fake prophets more versed in propaganda, says to Ahab, I will go with you but “Is there not a prophet of the Lord here whom we can inquire of?”

When the Niger Republic military putsch broke early last week, it turned out the perfect litmus test for Tinubu and his presidency. Being head of ECOWAS, he summoned his colleagues to Abuja to a meeting which was ok. But the outcome of the meeting and the communique therefrom will be recorded in history as the ultimate diplomatic faux pas. And we ask, is there no diplomat left in Nigeria to have guided our president?

How could President Tinubu levy a slew of sanctions and a threat to deploy military force in one week on a sovereign under the rule of a junta that has possible support of foreign powers?

For want of a better description, let’s call it “MOTOR PARK DIPLOMACY”! In Lagos motor garages, of yore motor boys would rip their shirt and invite you to a duel with the slightest provocation. General Omar Tchiani had a successful coup in Niger Republic last week and he proclaimed himself head of state. He is the sixth successful coupist in the sahel region. ECOWAS didn’t raise an army against Mali, Chad, Bukina Faso, etc so why would Niger’s be different. That’s bias. No General would accept  that.

Who gives a successful coupist an ultimatum on the first contact? Where has diplomacy gone? What about the Nigerien people? It’s obvious they prefer the junta to the criminal civilian regime that was booted out. Is Nigeria in a position to execute a war? The country has been at ‘war’ with ragtag Boko Haram for about 15 years without success. Nigeria is an overflowing refugees camp. Millions of Nigerians are already in IDP camps with the one in Benue recently adjudged to be the worst human camp  in the world. Nigerian youths are fleeing the country in droves, seeking any shores but Nigeria’s. Nigeria is in her worst socio-economic state since the civil war of the 60s with over 130 citizens dirt-poor. Yet our president who is on a wonky mandate is hungry for war. Does Tinubu seek war to legitimise his presidency?

Now  that he has boxed himself into a diplomatic cul de sac, what will happen next when Gen. Tchiani calls President Tinubu’s bluff as has been indicated already. Well my friends,  we have one week to prepare for a war… are you thinking?

Osuji, renowned Journalist, Columnist, was Special Adviser, Media, to the Rt. Hon. Emeka Ihedioha, former Governor of Imo State

FIFA Women World Cup: Super Falcons In Knockout Phase, May Face England In Round Of 16

By
Akinwale Kasali
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By Akinwale Kasali

The Super Falcons of Nigeria played a goalless draw against World Cup debutants, Republic of Ireland at the ongoing 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup co-hosted by New Zealand and Australia.

The girls were shambolic in the match. They were unable to create scoring chances. Their best chance in the game came from an Uchenna Kanu header but the Irish Goalkeeper, Courtney Brosnan, parried it and it hit the cross bar.

Nigerian Goalkeeper, Chiamaka Nnadozie was called into action on two occasions. The Paris Saint Germain Football Club of France shot stopper put her team in the game.

Many had expected that the Super Falcons will come all out and record a convincing win against the Ireland team, but the Nigerians failed to make strings of passes as they held on to the ball for too long and were easily dispossessed.

Asisat Oshoala who returned to the starting line- up of the team had two shot off target, with the first which could have been an opener going wide.

Coach Randy Waldrum started the game with Nnadozie in goal, maintaining his back four that consists of Michelle Alozie, Blessing Demehin, Osinachi Ohale and Ashleigh Plumptre.

In the midfield, Toni Payne, Rasheedat Ajibade, Uchenna Kanu, Halimatu Ayinde and Christy Ucheibe retained their position, while Oshoala player as the lone striker.

Ifeoma Onumonu was the only exclusion from the team that started the game against Australia.

With the goalless draw, the Super Falcons progress to the Round of 16 Knockout Phase as runners up in Group B following the 4-0 thrashing of Canada by Australia.

Hayley Raso scored a brace for the Matildas of Australia, while Mary Fowler and Stephanie Catley scored a goal apiece to send the Coach Beverly Priestman Canadian team out of the tournament.

The Super Falcons is likely to play England in the Round of 16 as the England Female Team tops Group D with Six Points and would play China which is on three points in the last Group match.

Denmark would play Haiti in their last Group. A win would guarantee them a place in the knockout stages of the tournament. They recorded a victory in their opening match against China.

Justice Nweze, Dissenting Voice In Imo Governorship Election Judgement at SC, Dies At 64; NBA Mourns

By
The Source
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0
Justice Centus Nweze

By Gideon Njoku

He was called by many names, including the lone voice in the wilderness by virtue of his dissenting voice in the 2019 Imo Governorship case at the Supreme Court.

While six other Supreme Court Justices, including the then Chief Justice of Nigeria, declared Senator Hope Uzodinma Governor of Imo State, and sacked the Rt Hon. Emeka Ihedioha as Governor in January 2020, after seven months in office, the Honourable Justice Centus Nweze dissented and wrote a minority judgement.

On Sunday, July 30, 2023, that lone voice at the time died at the age of 64.

By his death, the South-east Zone of Nigeria, has no  Justice at the Supreme Court. One of the Zone’s  representatives, the Honourable Justice Mary Peter-Odili, retired at 70, the other, Justice Sylvester Ngwuta passed in 2021 at the age of 69.

A native of Enugu State, Nweze was  appointed to the Supreme Court in 2014 by former President Goodluck Jonathan.

Nweze, before he went to the Bench was legal adviser to Dr Okwesilieze Nwodo, a former Governor of Enugu State.

Born on September 25, 1958, he acquired all his degrees, including his PhD from the University of Nigeria Nsukka (UNN).

Reacting to the death of Justice Nweze, the President of the Nigeria Bar Association, Yakubu Maikyau, SAN, described him as a courageous Judge.

In a statement signed by Akorede Habeeb Lawal, Publicity Secretary, NBA, on behalf of the President, the NBA said in part: “His Lordship’s numerous decisions have shaped, impacted and developed our law and jurisprudence. He was a disciplined, hardworking and courageous judicial officer.”

Foreign: Niger Coup: Prof. Akinterinwa Warns Tinubu Against Use Of Force

By
Tosin Olatokunbo
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A renowned scholar and expert in international relations, Prof. Bola Akinterinwa has cautioned President Bola Tinubu in the manner he intervenes in the political crisis in Niger Republic.

The West African country was thrown into crisis last week following a military coup de’tat that has now thrown up General Abdourahamane Tchiani as its military leader.

The Economic Community of West Africa, ECOWAS, has rejected the forceful change of power, calling on the coup plotters to return power to President Bassoum within one week. Tinubu is the president of ECOWAS.

The bloc after a meeting in Abuja, Nigeria’s capital on Sunday announced a slew of economic measures against the new regime, including land, air, and Sea blockade.

ECOWAS has also warned that force may be used if the soldiers failed to reinstate democratic government within the stipulated time.

Reacting to the crisis, Prof. Akintehinwa said Nigeria as ECOWAS leader should adopt diplomacy to bring all the parties together with the aim of restoring lasting peace to the restive poor country, saying Nigeria lacks the resources to fight any war at the moment.

Citing ongoing efforts by the West and Russia to control Niger, the renowned diplomat warned that Nigeria is “likely to have a war we are not prepared for” in case we decided to send troops to remove the current military leader.

He blamed the wets for making lives in the country difficult for its people, saying the coup plotters have received massive support since they came to power last week.

“Russia and Wagner group are capitalising on the manner Western powers are making lives difficult in the country to advance their own interest,” he stated.

West African leaders on Sunday gave the military junta in Niger one week to cede power, warning they did not rule out the “use of force”, and imposed immediate financial sanctions.

In its demand for the immediate reinstatement of President Mohammed Bazoum, the 15-nation ECOWAS bloc said it may be forced to use force to restore constitutional democracy.

ECOWAS said, “In the event the authorities’ demands are not met within one week (ECOWAS will) take all measures necessary to restore constitutional order in the Republic of Niger. Such measures may include the use of force.

“For this effect, the chiefs of defence staff of ECOWAS are to meet immediately.”

The bloc also announced the “suspension of all commercial and financial transactions between ECOWAS member states and Niger”, apart from imposing a “travel ban and asset freeze for the military officials involved in the coup attempt”.

“The same applies to their family members and the civilians who accept to participate in any institutions or government established by these military officials,” said the statement, which was read out at the end of the crisis meeting yesterday by President Tinubu.

Recall that General Abdourahamane Tchiani, the new military leader had warned ECOWAS against using military force, saying they will be violently resisted.

Zenith Bank Retains World Finance Banking Awards As Nigeria’s Best Bank

By
Tosin Olatokunbo
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For a third year running, Zenith Bank Plc has been named the Best Commercial Bank in Nigeria at the World Finance Banking Awards 2023. The bank also emerged as the Best Corporate Governance Bank, Nigeria, in the World Finance Corporate Governance Awards 2023, retaining the award for a second consecutive year.

The awards were presented to Dr. Ebenezer Onyeagwu, the Group Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer of Zenith Bank Plc, at the London Stock Exchange recently. The recognitions celebrate the bank’s tremendous feats and milestones in financial performance, financial inclusion, corporate governance, and sustainability.

Commenting on the awards, Dr Onyeagwu said that: “these awards are a testament to our resilience and ability to adapt to the vagaries of the market as well as our innate capability to engender very stellar business performances through our innovative products and solutions. It also affirms our continued commitment to global best practices in corporate governance, sustainability and corporate social responsibility.”

Dr Onyeagwu dedicated the awards to the Founder and Group Chairman, Jim Ovia, CFR, thanking him for his mentorship and for establishing the basis for a resilient and highly successful institution. He also expressed gratitude to the board for their exceptional leadership, vision, and insight; to the staff for their unwavering commitment and dedication; and to the bank’s customers for making Zenith their preferred bank.

World Finance is a foremost international magazine providing extensive coverage and analysis of the financial industry, international business, and the global economy. Its editorial combines award-winning journalism, covering a vast array of topics from banking and insurance to wealth management and infrastructure investment, with contributions from some of the world’s most esteemed economists and theorists and consultants from government think tanks and the World Economic Forum.

Zenith Bank’s track record of excellent performance has continued to earn the brand numerous awards, with these latest honours coming on the heels of several recognitions, including being recognised as the Number One Bank in Nigeria by Tier-1 Capital, for the 14th consecutive year, in the 2023 Top 1000 World Banks Ranking published by The Banker Magazine; Bank of the Year (Nigeria) in The Banker’s Bank of the Year Awards 2020 and 2022; Best Bank in Nigeria, for three consecutive years from 2020 to 2022, in the Global Finance World’s Best Banks Awards; Best in Corporate Governance’ Financial Services’ Africa, for four successive years from 2020 to 2023, by the Ethical Boardroom; Most Sustainable Bank, Nigeria in the International Banker 2023 Banking Awards; Best Commercial Bank, Nigeria and Best Innovation In Retail Banking, Nigeria in the International Banker 2022 Banking Awards.

Also, the bank emerged as the Most Valuable Banking Brand in Nigeria in the Banker Magazine Top 500 Banking Brands 2020 and 2021 and Retail Bank of the Year, for three consecutive years from 2020 to 2022, at the BusinessDay Banks and Other Financial Institutions (BAFI) Awards. Similarly, Zenith Bank was named Bank of the Decade (People’s Choice) at the ThisDay Awards 2020, Bank of the Year 2021 by Champion Newspaper, Bank of the Year 2022 by New Telegraph Newspaper, and Most Responsible Organisation in Africa 2021 by SERAS Awards.

Subsidy Removal: Catholic Bishops Say Palliative Not Cure For Economic Problems

By
James Orji
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Catholic Bishops Conference of Nigeria, CBCN, has dismissed the government’s plan to embark on palliative measures as a way of cushioning the effects of fuel subsidy removal on Nigerians.

The bishops made their position known through the president of CBCN, Most Rev. Lucius Iwejuru during a homily delivered at the Maria Assumpta Cathedral in Abuja on Sunday.

Speaking at the conference, Iwejuru said the country is on the brink of collapse due to the present economic challenges in the country, following the recent removal of petrol subsidy by the federal government.

Recall that President Bola Tinubu ended the multi-billion fuel subsidy regime on May 29 during his inauguration as president in Abuja, the nation’s capital.

His government later promised to give palliatives as a way to reduce the effect of the removal on Nigerians.

The bishop, however, said such measures are not enough to end the current economic quagmire in the country, describing the ‘fabled palliatives’ as too small to redeem the country from the years of bad leadership in the country.

The bishops said the government has decided to punish Nigerians by removing fuel subsidy instead of arresting those that benefitted from the corrupt regime.

Warning that despite the fact that the country is on the verge of total collapse, Ugorji said, “Government has not ceased to inundate citizens with it’s fabled palliative measures to cushion the effects of the subsidy removal. I am sure those running the nation’s affairs at all levels know that palliative measures can never be a cure for any economic or health challenge.”

According to him, “If Nigerians are given food items as palliatives, we will definitely go hungry again, after consuming the food. So, I ask: Why waste resources on palliative measures, instead of attacking the problems frontally?

“Provision of a constant source of energy remains the driving force in all developing and developed economies. Why is ours different? Why should we not subsidize fuel?

“We have severally been told that some people have been enriching themselves from our commonwealth through petrol subsidy. For many patriotic citizens, this argument does not hold water.

“Why has the government failed, is unwilling or incapable of identifying the supposed culprits and bringing them to account for their sordid act?

“There is a lot of deceit and corruption in the land. How can anybody explain why and how the former administration hurriedly commissioned the Dangote refinery, which is yet to start production? So, why the haste in commissioning an unfinished project?

“There is also the fabled story of the supposed Nigerian airline and how an aeroplane was hired or borrowed to flag off its operation. Where is the airline today? Has anyone been asked to account for the act? This is not a good national testimonial.

“The root of Nigeria’s problem is massive corruption. For Nigeria to survive, we must collectively fight corruption, whichever way it rears its ugly head.

“Government must be told that we cannot afford the luxury of punishing the entire populace, because of the corrupt tendencies of a few. This is not fair to all concerned.”

Adamawa: Calm Returns After Curfew

By
James Orji
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Adamu Fintiri

A Few hours after the Adamawa state governor, Ahmadu Fintiri imposed a 24-hour curfew in the state normalcy has returned to the troubled Northeast state.

The state government was forced to impose the stay I door order following a spree of looting by some criminals in the state, who did not spare private or government warehouses.

One of their major targets is the state’s Ministry of Agriculture where they carted away food and other valuables.

While imposing the curfew, Governor Fintiri had warned that violators will be severely punished.

According to a statement by the governor’s spokesman, Humwashi Wonosikou, government took the steps to prevent further breakdown of law and order.

The statement said, “The Governor of Adamawa State, the Rt Hon Ahmadu Umaru Fintiri has declared a 24-hour curfew on the state, effective immediately Sunday 30th July 2023,” the statement read.

“Governor Fintiri said the curfew followed the dangerous dimension the activities of hoodlums had assumed across the state capital as they attack people with matches and break into business premises and homes carting away property.

“With the curfew imposed, there will be no movement throughout the state.

Rt. Hon. Fintiri said only those on essential duties with valid identification would be permitted to move around during the period of the curfew.

“The Governor is appealing to citizens and residents of the state to comply with the directive, adding that any person found contravening the order would be arrested and made to face the wrath of the law.”

Meanwhile, some residents of the state have blamed the economic situation in the country for the recent development in the state. They advise the government to take concrete steps to ameliorate the suffering of the people.

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