Home Blog Page 2012

Ondo: Police Repel Gunmen Attack On Station, Inspector Killed

By
Ayodele Oni
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Nigeria Police Force

By Ayodele Oni

An early morning attack launched by unknown Gunmen on a police station in Akure, Ondo state capital has claimed the life of a police inspector.

The station, located at a densly populated area of the state capital, had once served as the headquarters of the state police command until it was relocated to Alagbaka, Government Reserved Area, (GRA).

The incident, which caught officers on duty unaware, happened around 1.00 am on Monday.

Confirming the incident, the state police command spokesperson, Funmilayo Odunlami, in a statement explained that “On the 25th July, 2022 around 0100 am, hoodlums attacked  Okuta Elerinla division in Akure.

“Policemen who were at alert and alive to their duty, repelled them accordingly and the miscreants were unable to gain entrance into the station.

‘During the cross fire, one of our gallant station guards AP.207538 0INSPR. TEMENU BOLUWAJI was hit by a bullet, he later died on his way to the hospital.

“The Commissioner of Police CP Oyeyemi Adesoye Oyediran psc,fsi, has ordered  the State Criminal Investigation Department to take over the case and ensure the perpetrators are arrested.

‘He is also using this medium to encourage the people of the state to go about their lawful duty without fear, as the days of these criminals are numbered.”

The mission of the attackers is yet known, but the station, which now houses one of the Area Commander’s office has a spacious detention facility, next to the headquarters of the state command.

Some suspects currently on trial for kidnapping, cultism and armed robbery are usually being detained at the station.

FGC, Kwali, Abuja Closed, Students Sent Home Over Fear Of Terrorist Attack

By
The Source
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Federal Government College Abuja

By Gideon Njoku

Students of the Federal Girls College, Khali, Abuja have been sent home from school.

The Management of the school took the preemptive step over fears of terrorist attack.

It, therefore, asked parents to urgently come and evacuate their children from  the school.

According to the Chairman, Parents Teachers Association, PTA, Suleiman Idajili, the decision was taken following an attack by  terrorists on Sheda, a village very close to the school Sunday morning.

Terrorists had, on a number of occasions, targeted schools, especially, in the North, and abducted hundreds of students, some of whom are still in captivity.

Oregon 2022: The World Hails Nigeria As Superlative Amusan Wins Gold, Smashes World Record

By
Akinwale Kasali
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By Akinwale Kasali

Nigeria’s sprint sensation, Oluwatobiloba Amusan has made history by smashing the 100 Meter Hurdles World record, making Nigeria proud in the highly competitive competition.

And as she, and the Athletics World stood for Nigeria’s National Anthem,  Amosun  was overcome with emotion. She sang along, as tears streamed down her cheeks.

She had earlier broken the world record in the semi-finals where she ran 12.12 Seconds, and again in the final when she broke her own record to set a new world record of 12.06, winning the gold medal at the just concluded World Athletics Championship in Oregon, USA.

With the victory, Amusan went home with the sum of $100,000 prize money.

She also became the first Nigerian, ever,  to win a Gold Medal at any World Athletics Championship.

Also, Nigeria’s  Long Jumper,  Ese Brume, won Silver Medal behind Germany’s Malaika Mihambo, who leaped 7.12m as against Brume’s 7.02m to win the gold medal.

Celebrating the achievements of the duo, the President of the Athletics Federation of Nigeria AFN, Tonobok Okowa, congratulated Amusan, the newly crowned world record holder and gold medalist in the Women 100 meters hurdles event, who broke the record twice in one night as she ran 12.12 seconds in the semi-final and 12. 06 second in the finals to claim gold.

Governor Ifeanyi Okowa of Delta state has also congratulated Commonwealth Games defending champion Brume on her silver medal feat in the Female Long Jump event after leaping 7.02 meters to place second in the event.

The AFN President described the successes of the duo as unprecedented in the annals of Nigeria’s participation at the World Athletics Championship as it was the first time Nigeria was winning gold at the Championship.

He asserted that Amusan and Brume had further given the AFN the fillip to sustain its developmental programs aimed at discovering, grooming and exposing talented young Nigerian athletes to the international sports community.

Okowa opined that Amusan and Brume had also inspired young Nigerian athletes to believe that they can become world champions, stressing that they had brought glory to Nigeria at a time the nation was in need of something to cheer. He enjoined the duo not to relent but sustain the tempo ahead of the Commonwealth Games in Birmingham which commences on Friday.

The AFN President  commended Team Nigeria Athletes for their performances saying they showed that they had what it took to become champions.

He however enjoined them to put the disappoint of the World Athletics Championship behind and focus on the forthcoming Commonwealth Games in Birmingham, adding that they have another opportunity to show that they can be champions, assuring them of the AFN’s commitment to providing adequate welfare and the platform to enable them excel.

Zenith Bank Retains Position As Nigeria’s No 1 Bank

By
Tosin Olatokunbo
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Zenith Bank Plc has been ranked as the Number One Bank in Nigeria by Tier-1 Capital in the 2022 Top 1000 World Banks Ranking published by The Banker Magazine. For the 13th consecutive year, the Bank retained its position as the number one Tier-1 bank in Nigeria with a Tier-1 Capital of $2.75 billion, emerging as the 460th Bank globally.

The ranking, which was published in the July 2022 edition of The Banker Magazine of the Financial Times Group, United Kingdom, was based on the 2021 year-end Tier-1 capital of banks globally. Zenith Bank’s financial performance for the year was underpinned by double-digit growth of 10% in gross earnings, with an improved market share in both retail and corporate sectors despite a very challenging macroeconomic environment aggravated by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Commenting on the 2022 Top 1000 World Banks Ranking, the Group Managing Director/CEO of Zenith Bank Plc, Mr. Ebenezer Onyeagwu, said: “This ranking is a testament to our resilience and doggedness as an institution despite economic headwinds and a persistent challenging macroeconomic environment. Indeed, being ranked as the Number One Bank in Nigeria by Tier-1 Capital for the thirteenth year in a row underscores our commitment to sustaining the superior performance we are renowned for and creating value for our highly esteemed customers.”

He expressed his appreciation to the Founder and Chairman of Zenith Bank Plc, Jim Ovia, CON, for his guidance and for laying the foundation and building the structures of an enduring and very successful institution; the Board for the outstanding leadership they provide; the staff, whose drive and commitment sustains the exceptional performance; and the Bank’s customers for their unflinching loyalty to the Zenith brand.

Tier 1 Capital describes capital adequacy, which is the core measure of a bank’s financial strength from a regulator’s point of view. According to the ranking, Tier 1 Capital, as defined by the latest Bank for International Settlements (BIS) guidelines, includes loss-absorbing capital, i.e. common stock, disclosed reserves, retained earnings and minority interests in the equity of subsidiaries that are less than wholly owned.

Zenith Bank’s track record of excellent performance has continued to earn the brand numerous awards, with this latest accolade coming on the heels of several recognitions, including being recognised as the Best Bank in Nigeria for three consecutive years from 2020 to 2022, in the Global Finance World’s Best Banks Awards; Best Commercial Bank, Nigeria 2021 and 2022 in the World Finance Banking Awards; Best Corporate Governance Bank, Nigeria in the World Finance Corporate Governance Awards 2022; Best in Corporate Governance ‘Financial Services’ Africa, for three consecutive years from 2020 to 2022, by the Ethical Boardroom; Best Commercial Bank, Nigeria and Best Innovation In Retail Banking, Nigeria in the International Banker 2022 Banking Awards; and Bank of the Year (Nigeria) in The Banker’s Bank of the Year Awards 2020. Also, the Bank emerged as the Most Valuable Banking Brand in Nigeria in the Banker Magazine Top 500 Banking Brands 2020 and 2021, and the Retail Bank of the year at the BusinessDay Banks and Other Financial Institutions (BOFI) Awards 2020 and 2021.

Similarly, Zenith Bank was honoured as Bank of the Decade (People’s Choice) at the ThisDay Awards 2020 and emerged winner in four categories at the Sustainability, Enterprise, and Responsibility (SERAS) Awards 2021, carting home the awards for “Best Company in Reporting and Transparency”, “Best Company in Infrastructure Development”, “Best Company in Gender Equality and Women Empowerment”, and the coveted “Most Responsible Organisation in Africa.

National Economy: Nigeria Not Broke-Fashola

By
Tosin Olatokunbo
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Babatunde Raji Fashola, Minister of Works and Housing has debunked reports that Nigeria is broke. The minister spoke as fear gripped many Nigerians following a comment by the Minister of Finance, Zainab Ahmed last week that what’s used in servicing the nation’s humungous debt has exceeded revenue accruing to the coffers of the federal government.

Many Nigerians who listened to the minister have expressed concerns that the nation is gradually moving towards a serious economic problem similar to that of Venezuela, and recently Sri Lanka where angry protesters penultimate week sacked the government of President Gotabaya Rajapaksa who has now fled the country.

Zainab last week sounded the alarm bells after she revealed that the country’s debt service cost in the first quarter (Q1) 2022 was N1.94 trillion, N310 billion higher than the actual revenue received during the period.

According to the minister, “The aggregate expenditure for 2022 is estimated at N17.32 trillion, with a pro rata spending target of N5.77 trillion at the end of April.

“The actual spending as of April 30th was N4.72 trillion. Of this amount, N1.94 trillion was for debt service, and N1.26 trillion was for personnel costs, including pensions.

“As at April, N773.63 billion had been spent on capital expenditure. As of April 2022, FGN’s retained revenue was only N1.63 trillion, 49 per cent of the pro rata target of N3.32 trillion.”

The Minister of Finance disclosed these when she unveiled the Medium Expenditure and Fiscal Strategy Paper (MTEF-FSP) in Abuja.

With debt service cost outstripping the country’s revenue, it is a clear indication of dangers ahead and policymakers must be more than willing to implement the much-needed reforms to save the economy, Zainab said.

She affirmed that the federal government’s share of oil revenue was N285.38 billion, representing 39 per cent performance while non-oil tax revenues totalled N632.56 billion — a performance of 84 per cent.

Ahmed also projected that should subsidy end in June 2023, based on the federal government’s earlier timeline, the sum of N3.36 trillion would be required to meet the financial obligations associated with subsidising the product.

Speaking Fashola said, “To the best of my knowledge, Nigeria is not broke. Being indebted and being able to service your debt in conventional finance is not being broke.

“In any event you have to understand that the business of lending itself is a profitable business. So if nobody contracted debts where will all the banks and other financial institutions be? Where will they throw all the people they employ?

“So this is a matter of credit rating and credit reputation. It is this home economics mentality that I cannot take debts that led us to take 12billion dollars cash to go and payoff a debt we could have rescheduled, renegotiated when our infrastructure was dying.  That mentality must leave our table.

“All the big nations we want to compete with are contracting debts to build their infrastructure and stand in competition.  As long as you can service your debts, you are good.

“I can conveniently tell you that I am not the Nigeria’s minister of Finance; my job is to spend the money not to earn it.

“I am concerned and every responsible Nigerian should have his eyes on the debts and should be concerned,” the minister said.

Total Shutdown Looms; NLC, Electricity Workers Begin Strike Tomorrow

By
Tosin Olatokunbo
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0
NLC Protest

Nigeria’s electricity workers on Sunday placed the Nigerian government on notice of its planned solidarity protest with the Nigeria Labour Congress/Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU).

ASUU has been on strike for more than five months over unpaid salaries and emolument. The strike by the universities teachers has grounded academic activities in the nation’s ivory towers to a halt.

President Muhammadu Buhari, had last week directed the ministers of Education and Labour/ Employment, Adamu Adamu and Chris Ngige to meet with ASUU with the aim of ending the strike.

Not a few think that the president’s intervention should have come long time ago, when the labour dispute was still at the teething stage.

Keen watchers of the dispute say there are more complications now that other unions have decided to join their counterparts in the university in their protest against the government.

Recall that the NLC, the umbrella body has warned that its members will join the strike this week if ASUU’s issue is not resolved by the Buhari’s administration.

The power sector workers in a letter issued by the General Secretary, NUEE, Joe Ajaero, to the vice presidents of states and administrative councils chapter secretaries of the union, said they are prepared to join the strike.

The letter with reference, NUEE/NS/2022/008, titled, “Nigeria Labour Congress/ASUU Solidarity Protest,” is dated July 22, 2022.

“In line with the NLC’s directive and our position which was made known at the Central Working Committee and National Executive Council meeting of Congress,” the letter read in part.

“All members of the union are enjoined to massively mobilise and actively participate in the NLC/ASUU solidarity protest against the continued closure of the nation’s tertiary institutions, schedule for July 26/27, 2022.

“You are encouraged to work with the leadership of State Executi Councils of the congress in your various states with a view having a successful outing. Aluta Continua!”

If the electricity workers make good their threat, Nigerians may yet witness another round of blackouts beginning from Tuesday.

The development may further worsen the electricity situation in the country which has been recently hampered by recurrent national grid collapse.

The Transmission Company of Nigeria, TCN has just restored power after many days of national blackout due to the recent collapse of the national grid. The grid had collapsed for a record six times this year, with businesses being seriously hit.

Meanwhile, the Non-Academic Staff Union of Educational and Associated Institutions (NASU) and the Senior Staff Union of Nigerian Universities (SSANU) under the aegis of the Joint Action Committee (JAC), has warned the federal government that salary adjustment for only university lecturers is a recipe for crisis in the nation’s higher institution

NASU and SSANU vowed to reject any salary increment in the university system that would further widen the gulf between teaching and non-teaching staff.

“Let it be stated clearly, that SSANU and NASU reject any salary recommendation that would cause a further disparity in the university system.

“There is an already existing disparity in the system, which we had always closed our eyes to. To further expand that disparity would be an invitation to the greatest level of anarchy and industrial unrest ever witnessed in the university system,” Peters Adeyemi who spoke on behalf of the unions said in Abuja.

Our  Problem With Rescuing Train Hostages – Buhari

By
The Source
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0
Muhammadu Buhari

By Gideon Njoku

Less than 24 hours after the terrorists who abducted passengers on an Abuja-Kaduna Train Service about five months ago released a heartbreaking video where they were whipping  their hostages like slaves of old and/or animals, the Presidency  has explained its difficulties in rescuing them.

The very traumatic video emerged on Sunday. It showed the hapless and helpless hostages, being flogged as they wept. Children were amongst them.

The terrorists did more than that. They threatened and boasted that they would abduct President Muhammadu Buhari and the Governor of Kaduna State, Nasir El-Rufai, take them to the forest and slaughter them.

For the records, terrorists, during the recent Sallah, when President Buhari went to his home town, Daura, Katsina State, to spend the Sallah holidays, ambushed the President’s advance team in Katsina. During an exchange of gunfire, two Security personnel on the President’s team were injured.

Nigerians have been outraged over the ordeal of the Train Hostages for five months and counting. Only a few of them have been released in batches.

Apparently reacting to the outrage over the video, the Presidency, in a statement signed by Garba Shehu, Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity, said Mr President has done everything, even more than expected of a Commander-in-Chief for the Military to do its job.

The statement expressed the Government’s difficulties in rescuing the Hostages. It said far from being clueless, the Military is capable of wiping the abductors out by bombing the location, but is conscious of the collateral damages. The lives of the hostages are of paramount importance as they committed no crime other than boarding a train, it  said.

The statement titled, “Latest version of terror propaganda and military readiness,” reads:

“Terrorist activity using propaganda and the use of violence to force Government to accept, or submit to political demands is not new all over world.

“The country’s security and defense forces are not clueless or helpless. They have their plans and ways of doing things which they will not display in the media.

“The dilemmas in dealing with the specific case of train terrorists are manifold: punitive action like the popular call for carpet bombing of the known locations may assuage the desire of an angry public for revenge, but what about the hostages?

“They have committed no offense. All they did was to board a train.

“It suffices to say that the security forces are not relenting. They are acutely aware of their duties, responsibilities and what the nation expects of them. Whenever they embark upon those actions, they expect that the public should provide them with the needed support.

“Terrorism is a global scourge that must be fought by all actors – the military, the civilian population and the communication service providers. This is the only way safe havens of terrorists are eliminated in every part of the world.

“To help the nation against ongoing situation, the media must increase their support for the fight against the exploitation of the internet and social media for terrorist purposes.

“The Presidency, in the meantime wishes to reassure the public that the President has done all, and even more than what is expected of him as Commander-in-Chief by way of morale, material and equipment support to the military and expects nothing short of good results in the immediate.”

The terrorists had ringed the Railway line, close to Kaduna with explosives. As the attacked train screeched to a sudden halt, they boarded it, killed  eight people and abducted a good number of the passengers.

Be Careful With Social Media Reports, Uzodinma Urges The Church; Shocked At Imo Leaders’ Conspiracy Of Silence

By
The Source
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Hope Uzodimma

Governor Hope Uzodinma of Imo State has appealed to the Church, in particular, and members of the public at large, not to swallow hook, line and sinker any information on social media without taking the pains to crosscheck their authenticity.

Governor Uzodimma spoke at the St. John  Beloved Catholic Church at Umuna Ahu Uratta, Owerri on Sunday during a Thanksgiving Service to mark one year of the death of Chief (Sir) Patrick Chukwuemeka Chikeka, husband of the Chief Judge of Imo State, Justice Theresa Chikeka.

The Governor specifically charged the leadership of the Church not to be deceived by misinformation flying around over the recent incident at Awo Omamma involving security operatives and some bad boys.

Governor Uzodimma who said that the Church must partner with the  Government to restore confidence in our larger society, further challenged the Church leadership to take seriously the activities of some desperate politicians in Imo State who work  to destabilise the government, using false information on social media as tool of blackmail.

“When you see any story on the social media, please try and investigate it properly. Go further to do more investigation before criticising the security agencies so that they do not abandon us in the hands of non state actors.”

Throwing more light on the Awo Omamma incident, the Governor said those who died were victims of a shootout with security operatives (DSS) who acted on intelligence that the deceased were heading for a meeting at their Camp in Awo Omamma where they usually plan on how to enforce the Monday sit-at-home order in that part of Imo State.

His words: “My administration will never be part of the killing of my people.”

Governor Uzodimma who told the audience that he loaths blood letting as a true Catholic, said he had had to drop all strategies that would have made insecurity a thing of the past in Imo State, but for the “collateral damage” and consequently, blood shed that would follow the implementation.

He regretted that leaders in Imo State, among them – former Governors, Deputy Governors, Senators, Secretary to Government, et al – have continued to keep mum over the insecurity challenge in Imo, leaving no one in doubt that either they are enjoying  or sponsoring it.

He said, for instance,  that he expected them to condemn the attack on his country home, the attack on the country home of the President General of Ohanaeze Ndigbo Worldwide, Prof. George Obiozor, as well as the attacks on the homes of other Government officials but they never did.

Besides, he said while such so-called leaders in Imo State have not seen the need to speak up on generous kidnapping activities, beheading of Imo citizens, killing of Traditional Rulers and the act of cannibalism associated with most of our youths involved in banditry, they are quick to embark on condolence visit at Awo Omamma without even making efforts to ascertain the true position of things.

The Governor regretfully recalled the harrowing experience the Auxiliary Bishop Chikwe went through in the hands of the bandits when they kidnapped him last year and took him to Oguta before he was released,  noting that what happened to the Bishop  is not what one ought to experience.

Governor Uzodinma reiterated that the primary reason government exists is the protection of lives and property of the citizenry, and that the worse thing that can happen to a society is if government abandons her responsibility to non state actors.

He explained: “There is no responsible Government that would want to take life because the reason for Government is to protect lives and property. There is also no responsible Government that would encourage any act that would take human life, particularly innocent lives.”

The Governor who urged the Church leadership to be painstaking in finding out the true position of things before taking a position said that through his actions and performance in the past two and half years, it is not in doubt that he has come to serve Imo people.

He challenged his opponents to point to what, where and how he has taken anything belonging to Imo people since assuming office, noting that “it is because they don’t have anything against me that they have decided to focus on my wrist watch as if they didn’t know who Hope Uzodimma was before he came into office.”

He also explained that it is to the credit of his regime that property belonging to Imo people which previous administration forcefully collected from them had been returned just as roads which a particular government that spent seven months and never bothered to deal with,  are today wearing new looks.

Governor Uzodimma said though he is Chief Security Officer of Imo, he does not have total control of the security agencies working in the State to help government contain insecurity and restore peace in Imo.

Hear him: “I am not completely in charge of the security agencies in the State. I am only the Chief Security Officer by mouth, without a barrack.”

He then urged the Church leadership and all those relying on reports on social media to antagonize and blackmail security agencies working in Imo State to be wary of their actions because the people and the State may not be better off with non state actors if the conventional security operatives are withdrawn.

Earlier in his homily, the Auxiliary Bishop of Owerri Catholic Ecclesiastical Province, Most Rev Dr Moses Chikwe urged the congregation to be prayerful and to devote their time to praying for the Governor and his government so that God will use them for the good of the society.

Bishop Chikwe thanked Governor Uzodinma for honouring the Chikekas and St. John Beloved Catholic Church with his presence and that of his top government officials.

St. John Beloved Catholic Church used the opportunity to solicit financial assistance from the guests for the completion of their Church building with Governor Uzodimma making a personal donation of N10 million while the Secretary to the State Government, Chief Cosmas Iwu gave N3 million on behalf of the Imo State Government.

The Deputy Governor, Prof Placid Njoku, the Speaker of Imo State  House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Kennedy Ibe, the Secretary to the State Government, Chief Cosmas Iwu, the Chief of Staff to the Governor, Barr Nnamdi Anyaehie, among other top officials from the federal and state governments attended the event.

When Tinubu Was After Me

By
The Source
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Val Obienyem and Bola Tinubu

By Val Obienyem

My first remote encounter with BAT was in the 90s. As a student of Lagos State University, LASU, I wrote an article entitled “Lest LASU be Forgotten.” At that time,  Dr. Okey Ikechukwu was the Chairman of the Editorial Board of Comet newspaper (now The Nation). It was Dr. Ikechukwu,  a dutiful mentor,  that requested I write on the topic as part of his painstaking mentorship.

If there is one person I would ever remain grateful to, he is Dr. Okey Ikechukwu.  In spite of protests from the Editorial Board, he insisted I would be published every week even when I was not a columnist. He did almost the same thing for Mr. Sola Fasure when other members of the Editorial Board had questioned his qualification for membership, being too young, and according to some of them, inexperienced. Ikechukwu settled the argument by pointing to the quality of our contributions which always enhanced national discourse. In the case of Sola, he reminded them that part of doing the job well was also grooming successors. Indeed, Sola later became the boss.

Not ready to see Tinubu play ping pong with his mentee, Ikechukwu said to me: “Finally, Tinubu is after you”, he told me in his usual calm voice always mirroring the mellow metaphysics of personified wisdom. After telling me the details and the drama that played out at “Comet“ over the article, I asked, like a young Oriental seeking wisdom from his Yogi teacher: What do I do?

Flowing from the interaction, I wrote another article entitled “Still on LASU.” Thereafter, I returned to LASU comforted by Ikechukwu’s words: “Should your school try to be funny with you, just let me know.”

At LASU, my name was on the notice board all over the Faculty of Law, directing me to see the Faculty Dean immediately. Students flocked around me trying to figure out what the problem was. They guessed one of my weekly, probing articles usually published on the notice board must have irked the Dean.

The fatherly Prof. Olusegun Yerokun received me affectionately and tried to stifle me with his embrace: I was re-assured that I was safe. Seated, the Dean brought out the two articles and said, smiling: “Do you know the problem you have caused for the VC? Even when the dust raised by the first article was yet to settle, you wrote another one.”

The Dean was surprisingly happy with me. Now relaxing over a bottle of malt drink which he insisted I must take, he started reading the article again and made further observations: “Val, you write so lucidly and so serenely. However, get your peace of mind, avoid writing about LASU and about Tinubu.” I suspect he was enamoured by the fact that the subject of the write-ups were about lecturers strike at LASU, where I castigated Gov. Tinubu and supported the lecturers.

Seriously interested in my progress, the Dean took time to ask about my grades, my other involvements in LASU. When I told him I was the editor of the Faculty’s Magazine, he said he would make sure I handled that till I left LASU.

The Dean told me how the then Gov. Tinubu  requested the VC to warn me over the article under reference because I always signed off my articles thus: “ Mr. Obienyem is of the Faculty of Law, Lagos State University.” The perplexed Tinubu thought I was a lecturer.

When the VC reached the Dean, he told him there was no such lecturer. He mandated him to find out and send whoever it would turn out to be to come and see him.  “I am very close to the VC, I shall meet him on your behalf and tell him that you need encouragement and not harassment. I am sure he would know how to dribble the Governor,” were the comforting words of the Dean to me. This was the origin of my friendship with Prof. Yerokun, such that when he wrote a book on Insurance Law, I reviewed it in the newspaper.

From the encounter as recalled, would you say that Tinubu is a tolerant man?

Imo: APC Accuses Opposition Of Supporting Non-State Actors To Destabilize State

By
The Source
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0
APC Secretariat in Imo State

By Charles Igbo

The All Progressives Congress, APC. Imo State Chapter, has accused the opposition in the State of supporting non State actors in a bid to destabilize the State.

The APC, particularly, accused the main opposition Party, the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, of not only supporting non-state actors, but alleged that it was sponsoring the violence and blood shed in Imo, and knew  more than it is giving out.

These allegations were contained in a Press statement issued by Cajetan Duke, the Party’s State Publicity Secretary. It is a consequence of the controversy and uproar which have  dogged the killing of  some youths in Otulu in the Awommama area of the State penultimate Sunday.

While the Directorate of State Services, DSS,  say the youths were killed during an operation in a bandits’ camp in the area where they had assembled to plan an attack and enforcement of sit-at-home the next day, the popular version in the opposition camp in the State is that they were innocent youths, killed on their way back from a traditional wedding of one of them.

This version was given wings by the alleged groom and alleged eye witnesses who insist that there was no operation by the DSS. Instead, they allege, the youths were killed by operatives of Ebubeagu, a State-backed security outfit which, also, operates in other States in the South-east, it’s establishment having been approved by the South-east Governors, and operates just like the Amotekun in the South-west.

Since then, nothing has remained the same in Imo State. The opposition is riding on the incident, and has accused the State Governor, Senator Hope Uzodinma, of sending Ebubeagu operatives to kill innocent youths. They have dubbed the Governor a murderer, and described him in all sorts of unflattering colors, including blood-dripping emojis.

Not a few people are worried over the dimension the incident hS taken. Some Youths have taken to blocking the Awommama-Owerri road, they have banned Ebubeagu   from operating in the area, and declared the Head of the outfit wanted. Not a few people also worry that the incident has been politicized, and think it’s politicization is deliberate to  destroy the Governor’s image and destabilize the State. The APC agrees, and is asking questions.

In the statement the APC said: ” It is rather ridiculous that the PDP, unfortunately, portrays itself as number one sponsors of insecurity in Imo State by their overt and covert support and sympathy for bandits terrorizing Communities in Imo State.”

The party wondered why the PDP has discarded the statement by the DSS, and instead, remain hell bent on putting the rope on Governor Uzodinma’s neck.

Said the statement: “The PDP has not only refused to believe the DSS report, it has continued to manufacture and spread its own report. And, we ask: What does the PDP know that we don’t know? What does the PDP know that the DSS does not know? Does the PDP mean that it is privy to the activities of bandits in the State, and know them one by one? Is it true that the PDP houses many people who are either members of the outlawed IPOB or, that it is in league with the bandits? Could PDP have raised a militia arm of its youth wing under the cover of Unknown Gun Men?”

Following is the full text of the statement by the APC.

POLITICAL BANDITRY IN IMO AHEAD OF 2023 ELECTIONS BY OPPOSITION PARTIES SHALL FAIL

“The attention of the Hon. McDonald Ebere-led All Progressives Congress, APC, in Imo State has been drawn to a troubling discovery that opposition political parties in the State have adopted political banditry ahead of the 2023 general elections. This is betrayed by their renewed,  sponsored media hostilities against the people oriented administration of His Excellency, Distinguished Senator Hope Uzodimma, targeted at undermining the unprecedented, historical milestones of the Government, and by lending support to non state actors against the wishes of the generality of Imo people.

“It is regrettable that in spite of concerted and appreciable efforts of the Uzodimma led APC Government to rid our State of criminality and insecurity occasioned by the unfortunate politics of banditry adopted by opposition political parties, particularly the People’s Democratic Party, PDP, the deliberate attempt by the opposition PDP, to institutionalize terror and insecurity as instruments for the advancement of their selfish, diabolic political ambitions, is not only despicable but also ungodly.

“It is rather ridiculous that the PDP unfortunately portrays itself as number one sponsors of insecurity in Imo State by their overt and covert support and sympathy for bandits terrorizing communities in Imo State. We find it disturbing that a reputable security agency of the Federal Republic of Nigeria like the Department of State Security, DSS, issued a statement that it carried out a security operation last Sunday leading to the arrest and death of the bandits, yet the PDP does not believe the credible report of the DSS. The PDP has not only refused to believe the DSS report, it has continued to manufacture and spread its own report. And we ask, what does the PDP know that the we don’t know? What does the PDP know that the DSS does not know? Does the PDP mean that it is privy to the activities of bandits in the state and know them one by one? Is it true that the PDP houses many people who are either members of the outlawed IPOB or that it is in league with the bandits? Could PDP have raised a militia arm of its youth wing under the cover of Unknown Gun Men?

“The position of the PDP on the Otulu incident leaves much to be desired. And it should be telling the DSS and Nigerians at large what it knows that others don’t know.

“The Imo State PDP has outlived its usefulness and that is why Imo people rejected it since 2011, but the party wants to return to power riding on banditry. Imo people are intelligent people and they cannot allow this to happen. The PDP remains rejected and no amount of support to or  allegiance with non state actors will bring them back to Douglas House.

“The PDP is now a stinking stench to the Imo public.  It is now an enemy of the people. Its present stand on the Otulu killings is laughable and has exposed their underbelly.

“Igbo people have value for human lives and playing politics with insecurity and people’s lives is not only blasphemous, it is an act Igbo people cannot condone. The PDP knows this for a fact. The party knows the position in the  state that it cannot win elections anymore. No amount of banditry will change the people’s verdict.

“Therefore, we are surprised that  PDP is using a character like Hon. Uche Onyeagucha as its lynchpin to whitewash it’s rotten name. For those  who may not know, Onyeagucha was the man that in the processes of the March 9, 2019 governorship election, rushed to the INEC table, grabbed the result sheets and tore them to shreds. He was arrested, detained and prosecuted. He was also the man that PDP used to stage illegal and violent protests against the judgement of the Supreme Court court of Nigeria. No wonder he was compensated with a dead on arrival senatorial ticket of PDP. Today, the same man is the one leading the campaign of calumny against the State Government, but he too, like his party, shall fail.

“While we are confident that the  blackmail and propaganda against the APC led government in Imo State by the uninspiring, disorganized and disoriented opposition, PDP, we are also confident that no amount of falsehood can eclipse the monumental infrastructural strides of the shared prosperity administration of governor Uzodimma.

“Furthermore, as the Government continues in its primary responsibility to make the state safe for our people, devoid of intimidation and harassment of any sort, Imo APC, reiteartes its commitment to a peaceful, harmonious and economic prosperous state.”

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