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NANS Kicks Against Postponement Of Schools Resumption |The Source

By
Ayodele Oni
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By Ayodele Oni

The National Association of Nigerian Students, (NANS), has called on the Federal Government to reconsider its decision to postpone, indefinitely, resumption of schools.

Students and parents had been warming up, and looking forward to resume academic activities as from Monday, 18th January as earlier announced.

However, social media was awash on, Tuesday, that resumption of schools had been postponed indefinitely due to continued rise in cases of Covid 19 in the country.

NANS, in a statement released by its President, Sunday Ashefon,  on Tuesday  stated: “We commend the consistent efforts of the federal government in galvanizing the entire country to respond to the coronavirus pandemic and in doing everything to access vaccines for Nigerians.

“Rather than postpone schools’ resumption, it has become imperative to address the alarming spread of COVID-19 and rising cases of deaths from a position of environmental strategy and human coordination since the lockdown mechanism can no longer be a mitigating option in the face of our economic reality.

“Therefore, and at this juncture, the federal government must quickly come to a place of understanding that the majority of Nigerians are living in unorganized environments and structures that are not helping to curb the spread of the virus.

“Accordingly, the Federal Government is immediately urged to rethink its approach and take only actions that can get more Nigerians into coordinated and regulated systems, like schools and offices, where hours of wearing face masks and complying with COVID Safety protocols can be guaranteed to curb the spread.

“As student representatives and stakeholders, we make bold to state that having students and lecturers on campuses and in schools that are regimented and regulated environment, will help to raise consciousness and the bar of compliance with COVID rules.

“Consequently, the National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) is undertaking to prevail on students union bodies to set up Students Task Force Against COVID-19 in every school, while asking the Federal Government to rejig its basic COVID Guide for school resumptions.

“School resumption will also help the students, teachers, and lecturers to avoid social gatherings, regular travels while concentrating on the task of teaching and researching, which can also help to trigger the need to have a new alternative and approach to fighting the pandemic

“While COVID-19 is a global pandemic being addressed across different climes, the time has come for us in Nigeria to address this virus based on our peculiarities and limitations.

“We are open to a dialogue with the federal government should there be a need for cross-fertilization of our ideas and logical arguments.”

Macron names Adesina Champion of African “Green Wall” Initiative |The Source

By
Uche Mbah
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By Uche Mbah

The President of African Development Bank, AfDB, Akinwumi Adesina, has been named by the French Prime Minister, Emmanuel Macron, as the champion of the African “Green Wall” initiative, The Source gathered.

In a tweet by Adesina on his verified Twitter handle,

“I am greatly honored to be named a Champion of Africa’s “Great Green Wall” initiative, by President

@EmmanuelMacron

. It is a wall worth building to save the Sahel of Africa from climate change & desertification.

@CyrilRamaphosa

@IssoufouMhm

@MBuhari

@PaulKagame

@AUC_MoussaFaki”, he tweeted.

The African Union is leading Africa’s flagship initiative to combat the increasing desertification aiming to effectively transform millions of African lives by creating a wide green landscape across North Africa, according to Wikipedia. The initial idea was to create a line of trees from east to the west bordering the Saharan Desert. Later it evolved into that of a mosaic of interventions addressing the challenges facing the people in the Sahel region and the Sahara.

Discos Made Over N360bn in 9 Months, Despite Power Outages

By
Bayo Bernard
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By Tosin Olatokunbo

Nigeria’s electricity Distribution companies, DISCOS made a whopping N362 billion from electricity consumers in the first nine months of last year, despite constant power outages in the country, according to a recent figures released by the companies.

Many Nigerians have decried the power situation in the country, unacceptable urging the distribution companies to improve on their services.

A report by The Guardian, last December, said the nation experienced 84 grid failures within seven years, between November 1, 2013, and December 2020. Each time this happened, discos had blamed the power situation on the obsolete, analog system being used by the TCN.

In spite of this, distribution companies under the aegis of the Association of Nigerian Electricity Distributors, the umbrella body for the 10 private Discos in the country, said they achieved 70 per cent revenue.

According to ANED, the breakdown shows that the companies collected N130 billion in the third quarter of 2020 from N105bn in Q2 and N125bn in Q1. The revenue rose to over 76 per cent in the Q3 the power firms said.

ANED said the development has encouraged them to work more to provide improve electricity for consumers, despite the corona virus pandemic.

The power firms said “The Discos are back on track on their performance improvement after the fall due to the pandemic. Indeed, in September 2020, Discos collection reached a new record of N44.5bn,” it said.

“Due to the severe impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, in particular during the Q2 2020, the ATC&C (Aggregate Technical, Commercial and Collection loss KPI (moving average) keeps increasing and is now at 46.1 per cent.

“Paradoxically, the MYTO financial model that determines the tariff has not been adjusted and still considers average ATC&C losses of about 20 per cent for this year.

“The huge gap between the reality and the fiction of the MYTO model is creating a huge shortfall and the real revenue collection is far from the minimum remittance obligations.”

Their major problem the companies said, are generation and transmission companies, which have failed to generate and transmit more power into the grid.

“Since 2015, there has been no significant improvement in the energy generated and wheeled by TCN (Transmission Company of Nigeria), that is finally received by the Discos. It continues to be flat and is only affected by seasonal effect between the dry and rainy seasons.

“The Disco’s uncertainty on the energy to be received from TCN has become a major threat and it will hurt the core of their Performance Improvement Plans as many of them are based on the projections done by NERC at June’s minor review,” ANED said.

 

Effiong Akwa and the NDDC |The Source

By
The Source
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Reuben Abati

By Reuben Abati, Ph.D

The Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) was in the news for all the wrong reasons in the year 2020. The agency that was established 20 years ago to bring development to the nine oil-bearing communities of the Niger Delta became an embarrassment to the Nigerian government. In 2019, President Buhari had ordered a forensic audit of the agency’s accounts, a move that was hailed as long overdue by many Nigerians.

This was also said to be consistent with the administration’s anti-corruption campaign. What should be a smooth administrative process however, became a battle for the soul of the agency itself.

The conflict was in the shape of controversies over the appointment of a Board for the NDDC. A Board was constituted only to be suspended and replaced with an Interim Management Committee. While the President opted for Interim Management Committee and urged the team of auditors looking into the books of the NDDC to do a thorough job, the National Assembly also launched an inquiry into the affairs of the NDDC.  It was like opening a can of worms.

The drama that unfolded was the stuff of box office hits: from the Minister of Delta State Affairs accusing former NDDC Interim Administrator, Joi Nunieh of being a serial monogamist (four husbands, one woman, he boldly stated on Television).  By the time Nunieh hit back, it was as if someone had used a coconut to break the Minister’s head (“He tried to touch me!, Nunieh declared!).

This drama had many episodes including an attempt to abduct Nunieh and Governor Wike of Rivers stepping in chivalrously to protect a daughter of Rivers who was being harassed by powerful forces. Niger Delta Stakeholders and particularly Non-Governmental Organization (NGO) activists took over every available airwave and media space to expose the extent of corruption and abuse of due process in the NDDC.

Many Nigerians were so shocked they called for the scrapping of the NDDC or at best an immediate reform of the agency to realign it with its original objectives. Anyone and everyone ever associated with the NDDC became a suspect, because the details were eye-blinding. Those who made the allegations were often armed with tons of documents with confident public affirmation that they had duplicates.

Accusations and counter accusations flew all over the place. Opposition parties heaped the blame on the Buhari administration. Which was wrong and unfair because the NDDC had been enmeshed in institutional failures long before President Buhari won election at the fourth attempt in 2015.

The more disturbing part of the drama unfolded at the National Assembly where NDDC IMC members openly accused Chairmen of NDDC Committees in the National Assembly of being the main culprits behind the award of emergency contracts, which were all abandoned after more than half of the contract fees had been collected as mobilization fee.

Out of all the projects earmarked for the Niger Delta in the last five years, lawmakers simply used their positions of influence to collect rent, and do nothing. Dr. Cairo Ojougboh, speaking on behalf of the IMC on several occasions, provided the names of lawmakers and the companies that they used to cover up their tracks. The lawmakers fought back of course. On one occasion, the House of Representatives had tough questions for Professor Daniel Pondei, the then Head of the IMC and right there on live television, the man fainted.

On another occasion, the Minister of Niger Delta Affairs, Godswill Akpabio whose name had featured prominently in the entire circus made some very hard revelations before the House Committee. He was told “Hon. Minister, off your mic. It’s okay. Off your mic.” Fainting in the face of serious interrogation and the phrase “Off your Mic” became part of Nigeria’s popular lexicon.

Both Chambers of the National Assembly wrote their reports, but as these things go, nobody is sure of the true copy of the reports as there are many versions in circulation.

What we are sure of is that in August 2020, the Federal Government named a group of auditors led by Ernst and Young to do a thorough forensic audit of the NDDC. The expectation was that they would complete the assignment by December 2020. The public was skeptical.

Many thought no forensic audit would go well, with the Pondei-led IMC still in office. In April 2020, the tenure of that committee had been extended. On December 12, 2020, President Buhari dissolved the Daniel Pondei IMC, in response to a Federal High Court Abuja ruling which declared the Interim Management Committee illegal.

He named as sole administrator, Effiong Akwa, a lawyer and accountant, former Special Assistant, Finance at the NDDC, and former Acting Executive Director, Finance.

His mandate is to fast-track and facilitate the conclusion of the audit process. Anything NDDC attracts controversy like bees to nectar.  In just about 3 weeks in office,  Akwa’s appointment has generated a huge volume of smear campaign, name-calling, objections, protests, sponsored content, a series of articles in the newspapers, for and against. President Buhari’s decision must have been borne out of a determination to re-invigorate the NDDC audit. Nigeria has invested so much money in the NDDC over the last 20 years.

Nearly all the projects remain abandoned, including the abandoned city roads that are a perennial source of conflict with state governors. Perhaps the only project that the NDDC can point to, with very small fingers, are the roads leading to  the Nigeria Maritime University in Okerenkoko. Oil spillage remains an unresolved problem. The people are poor. The objections to Akwa show just how complex the politics of the Niger Delta and the NDDC is, and why a far-reaching reform is required.

Akwa enjoys the support of an umbrella group called Niger Delta Change Ambassadors – a coalition of over 50 civil society groups, and especially, the Oron Union  who vowed that they would resist any attempt to ridicule Akwa.

The Oron people have a long history of nationalism, dating back to the determined struggles of the early 80s led by Professor Okon Edet Uya with the slogan: “Oro-n-phobia! The Oron Union argues that the attack on their kinsman smacks of “Oronphobia”. His main attackers operate under the banner of the Niger Delta Renaissance Coalition, Ijaw Youth Council (IYC) and Mothers of Oil Producing Communities of  Niger Delta (MOPROCOND),  who have promised a “grand nude protest” in front of the NDDC headquarters in Port Harcourt. I will leave out the name-calling and deal with their substantial points.

The first argument is that by appointing a sole administrator, the President has acted in an illegal and unconstitutional manner. They insist that the NDDC Establishment Act (2000) as amended, does not provide for a sole administrator. It provides instead for an interim management committee whose tenure is defined in law. One of the protesters also  claims that the President has broken the law.

I don’t see how the President has broken any law in this instance. The President is sworn to defend the Constitution which is superior to any subsidiary legislation. Section 5 of the 1999 Constitution grants the President executive powers that are personal to him and his office. He may also delegate authority to Ministers, aides and any person of his choice as he de ems fit. He cannot however exercise powers that are not granted to him under the Constitution. It is as simple as that. Whoever is not pleased has every right to challenge the President’s decision in court, rather than engaging in disruptive manoeuvres with a hidden agenda. Already one K.C. Okpo has filed a suit at a Federal High Court citing breaches of Sections 2, 3, 4 and 12 of the NDDC Establishment Act. No date has been fixed for hearing.

The second argument is that Effiong Akwa is a stooge of the Minister of the Niger Delta. How does anyone determine that? It is strange that since Senator Godswill Akpabio assumed office as Minister of Niger Delta Affairs, he has been fingered as the man calling all the shots at the NDDC, with the sub-text of projecting him as a man who is so powerful that he can dictate to the President of Nigeria.

There are too many people who are described as great and powerful Ministers in the media, but who in the corridors of power kneel down like schoolboys in order to keep their jobs.  It is delusional to think that an aide of the President can impose on him. Presidents can delegate powers but they do not share it. Akpabio may be the supervising Minister but he cannot, must not and should not be allowed to become a one-man Board of the NDDC.

The Federal Government has made it clear that immediately after the completion of the audit, a new NDDC Board will be constituted. But even then, the NDDC forensic audit cannot continue forever. Akwa’s tenure must be properly defined and the team of auditors must be given strict deadlines. Senator Akpabio should be given clear Presidential directives to steer clear of the audit to build trust and confidence in the process.

The third argument pushed by the Ijaw Youth Congress, which I find ridiculous, is the view that Ijaws are the only true Niger Delta people so they should be allowed to lead NDDC. How can an Akwa from Akwa Ibom be less Niger Delta than an Ijaw person? What determines true Niger Deltan-ness? It is precisely this kind of ethnic in-fighting that makes other Nigerians worry about the politics of the Niger Delta. Has anybody heard any similar stories since the North East Development Commission was established? Never. But our brothers and sisters in the Niger Delta are busy fighting over appointments, money and contracts. Ijaw Youth cannot claim any extra-ordinary privilege in the Niger Delta.

It is true that oil was discovered in commercial quantities in Oloibiri, Bayelsa state. Ijaws also gave us the hero of the struggle, Isaac Adaka Boro. But so have other parts of the Niger Delta through the years. Akwa Ibom can boast of the likes of Obong Victor Attah, who fell out of favour with the Obasanjo administration because of his insistence on an upward review of derivation and the likes of Udom Inoyo, Air Commodore Idongesit Nkanga, Senator Anietie Okon and many others who fought for justice in the Niger Delta. In terms of crude oil output, Akwa Ibom accounts for over 40% of the total crude oil output in the Niger Delta with 80% of that from Oron, where Akwa hails from. Akwa Ibom is followed by Delta State, Rivers, while Bayelsa is No. 4 on the list.

Ijaws have benefitted more than any other group in the Niger Delta. And yet, I have not seen any record  of Akwa Ibom people bombing oil pipelines or kidnapping expatriates for ransom.

The objections are disruptive and distractive. IYC and other stakeholders should unite with others to confront the major problems of the region instead of fighting over appointments.

There are big problems: pollution, Ogoni clean up, gas flaring, amendment of the NDDC Act, reform of the NDDC itself etc. Those former officials of the NDDC who are having battle with their conscience and are looking for every means possible to cover up their tracks or discredit the audit should be reminded that “catching the thieves” is only an expected derivative of the audit, the bigger picture is how to transform the NDDC from a sinkhole, a leaky bucket, a vehicle of rent distribution into a true development agency with measurable benefits for the people.

Within 3 weeks of assuming office, Effiong Akwa has engaged with the National Assembly to get approval, finally, for NDDC Budget 2020 which will run till June. But he must remain focused and refuse to be dragged into the politics of the job. His assignment is simple: facilitate the completion of the forensic audit. By now, he should know that all eyes are on him. All the paid agents within the NDDC will monitor everything he does or says, looking for loopholes and omissions with which to nail him when the opportunity arises. He must be firm but sensible.

He has already been called Godfrey Akpabio’s stooge. It is important that he does not behave like one. NDDC is not a revenue generating agency. It is a development agency with budgeted outlines. He must put an end to the trend of rent-distribution. Ninety percent of contracts awarded by the NDDC are emergency contracts. These contracts are a conduit for fraud. Every procurement in the public sector is governed by the Public Procurement Act (2007).

The Act requires that every contract to be awarded must be backed by Appropriation and “a Certificate of No Objection” from the Bureau of Public Procurement, the violations of which amount to a criminal offence. Effiong Akwa should get a copy of the Procurement Act and commit it to memory. He will be glad he did…

When will the Niger Delta rise above atomistic politics?

Okorocha’s Meeting With Wike Unsettles APC |The Source

By
The Source
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Rochas Okorocha and Nyesom Wike

By Charles Igbo

Investigations carried out by this magazine indicate that the visit to Governor Nyesom Wike of Rivers State by APC Chieftain, and former Governor of Imo State, Senator Rochas Okorocha, has ruffled  some feathers within both the National and Imo state APC.

Okorocha was the surprise guest, on Monday,  to Wike. The Rivers State Governor had invited him to the state to commission the Rumuche/Rumuakunde/Ohna Awuse Link Road, constructed by his administration.

When the news of the invitation became public, the first question by a number of people was: Why Okorocha?

The second was: What are both men planning?

Yet, others decided to have a wait and see attitude.

The visit on Monday lived upto its political expectations.  It was full of drama. Given the volcanic reputation of both men, it was not surprising. They jokingly spared against each other, with Wike making the point that Okorocha was a PDP member. He said Okorocha left for the APC,  ostensibly, to make Nigeria great. But Wike noted: Nigeria has not been better since then.

But, perhaps, an inkling into what could be at stake came from Okorocha who, in recent times, has not had the best of times in the APC in the recent past.

The breather he thought he could get with the removal of PDP’s  Emeka Ihedioha, and the coming of APC’s Hope Uzodinma, did not come. It is far from coming.

His problem in the APC began in the run-up to the 2019 Governirship election when the party denied him the opportunity to have his son-in-law, Uche Nwosu, succeed him. Led by former National Chairman, Adams  Oshiomhole, the ticket was given to Uzodinma, who went ahead to become the Governor after the Supreme Court, removed Ihedioha and declared him winner.

In spite of the bitterness that  accompanied the APC Governorship primaries, and saw Uche Nwosu leaving the  party for the AA, under which he contested for the Governorship, Ihedioha’s ouster was well received by Okorocha and his group.

On being sworn-in as Governor, and given the state of the State, Ihedioha had set up a number of Judicial Commissions of Inquiry and Panels to look into several areas in the state under Okorocha. The people of the state celebrated the idea, to the discomfort of Okorocha.

When Uzodinma came, therefore, Okorocha had lobbied, and pleaded for the disbandment of the Commissions and Panels. But Uzodinma refused, insisting the people of the state would lose hope in him if he did. He said he was interested in knowing what happened in the state during  the Okorocha era.

That, and a couple of other requests which Uzodinma turned down, came between them, with both men throwing political daggers at each other.

From all indications, Uzodinma has the upper hand, and Okorocha has become like an outsider in the Imo APC. Okorocha has, in the recent past too, been throwing stones at the APC leadership, once declaring the party as heading to the rocks.

Uzodinma had, since, taken note, and recently accused Okorocha  of trying to destroy the APC before leaving. Which is why Okorocha’s friendly visit to Wike, unarguably, the most powerful man in the PDP today, is raising eyebrows.

The question is: What’s cooking?

While Wike gave no inkling, Okorocha did. He extended a hand of friendship to Wike.

He said both the PDP and his PDP parade very bad people, but acknowledged that there are also good people in both parties.

Okorocha counts himself as a good man. But people say given the state of affairs in the state while he was Governor, the claim is debatable. He, also, counts Wike as one. Given the positive revolution in Rivers State, not a few people agree with that.

So, what does Okorocha want? He says it would be a good thing if all the good men in both parties come together, and work for Nigeria’s progress. Then, he added:

“Can you imagine what it will be if Wike and I work together? Something will happen.”

Okorocha’s statement is being interpreted in two ways. While some people say he is planning to do what he knows better –  decamp to the PDP, others say he was hinting at the formation of a new party.

In Okorocha’s chequered political life, he has criss-crossed a number of political parties – AD, ANPP, PDP,  APGA, APC, and also, funded AA, under which canopy his son-in-law ran for  Governorship.

Whatever, the Imo PDP, is not laughing over a possible  defection of Okorocha to the PDP. An official of the Party who pleads anonymity says, “God forbid.” He said never. “He wants to scatter our party”, he emphasised.

For the Imo APC, it is a mixed bag. While some say it will be good riddance to bad rubbish, others say if he leaves, it would spell doom for the APC in the state.

“A combination of Ihedioha and Okorocha, in same party, is a combination that the APC cannot afford to ignore”, they posit.

Time will tell. Very soon.

Love Gone Awry: How Corps Member Stabbed Boyfriend to Death in Akwa Ibom |The Source

By
The Source
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Pascaline Odume

By Stanley Ekpenyong,  Calabar

Pascaline Princess Odume, a Corps member serving in Abak, Akwa Ibom state, may soon be facing murder charges except she is able to prove she was not the one who stabbed her boyfriend to death.

Pascaline who was, almost, lynched by angry mobs over her alleged complicity in the gruesome murder of the said boyfriend is, however, for now, cooling her heels in a police cell until investigation into the matter is concluded.

The gory incident happened in the early hours of Sunday, January 9, 2021.

Pascaline was apprehended after she tried jumping the fence of the compound where she, allegedly, committed the crime.

Nobody knows yet what led to the murder, or what transpired between the two former lovers, but those who know her allege she must have done it under the influence of “weeds.”

Some motor cyclists around the area claim that the suspect is in the habit of sending them to go and buy weeds for her around the neighbourhood.

An eyewitness when the corps member was apprehended, and mercilessly beaten by some residents narrated:

“She was found this morning around 9.30am trying to jump the fence of a young guy she went for hook-up with.

“Blood stains were all over her, so she was caught and beaten to stupor and, also, stripped naked.

“She macheted a young guy to death this morning whom she went out with. She killed the young guy instantly after several cuts on his stomach and face. On trying to jump out from the fence, she was caught.

“Some bike men there said that she was always sending them  to buy weed for her ever since she was deployed to Akwa Ibom for her NYSC.”

Isa Kontagora, Former Military Administrator, Dies Of COVID-19 |The Source

By
Adesina Soyooye
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Col. Aminu Isa Kontagora

By Adesina Soyooye

Col. Aminu Isa Kontagora, a former Military Administrator of Kano and Benue States, is dead.

Reports say the retired Army Officer died in Abuja, Sunday night, of complications from COVID-19.

Kontagora was born in 1956.

Under the regime of Sani Abacha, he was the Military Administrator of Benue State between August 1996 and August 1998.

And during the Transitional Government of General Abdulsalami Abubarkar, he was the Military Administrator of Kano State between September 1998 and May 1999.

He, it was, who handed over power to former Kano State  Governor, now Senator Rabiu kwankwaso on May 29, 1999.

His remains will be buried in Kano on Monday.

LASG Announces Traffic Diversion, Begins Repair On Airport Bridge |The Source

By
Akinwale Kasali
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0

By Akinwale Kasali

The Lagos State Government has implored Lagosians to cooperate with the Government as it embarks on major repairs on roads which would lead to closure, and traffic snarls of some major roads in the State.

The repairs on some of  the said roads became  necessary following the inferno that recently occurred on the Apapa Oshodi Expressway as a result of a PMS loaded tanker exploding in a fireball from collision with another truck.  The structure of the Airport Bridge at Toyota on Oshodi/Isolo Expressway has to be temporarily closed to vehicular traffic movement to enable the State Government conduct integrity tests on the bridge.

The Commissioner for Transportation, Frederic Oladeinde, who disclosed this in a statement Sunday also  announced alternative routes for use by motorists pending the outcome of the tests and the reopening of the bridge.

According to him, Motorists from Mile 2 to Cele on Apapa-Oshodi Expressway, approaching Iyana-Isolo through Daleko Bridge, will need to make use of Aiye and Osolo Way to Asa Afariogun through 7&8 to access International Airport Road.

Motorists from Toyota will make use of the service lanes by Armed Forces Resettlement Centre to BOC Gases on old NAFDAC Headquarters, through a U-turn at Cappa on Agege Motor Road to Bolade/ Oyetayo Street (Oshodi-Isolo Local Govt Secretariat) through Bolade on Apapa-Oshodi Expressway via Charity in order to reach International Airport Road.

Motorists from Bus Terminal 2 Transport Interchange inwards Charity on Apapa -Oshodi Expressway can connect International Airport Road from Toyota through Anthony Oke to Ikorodu Road on the service lanes and return via Anthony Oke inwards Oshodi Oke to Charity and connect International Airport Road.

Oladeinde said the State traffic management officials (LASTMA) shall be deployed to the aforementioned corridors to control and manage traffic flow along the axis during the course of the diversions.

“The LASG is assuring the motoring public that the Airport Bridge shall be opened for use as soon as the tests or requisite intervention makes it safe and secure to do so.

“Meanwhile, the Lagos State Government through this statement appeals to all road users along these corridors to drive safely and patiently by following the traffic advice whilst assuring them that any inconveniences this may cause are temporary,” Oladeinde further stated

Oyo: Amotekun Debunks Clash With Fulani That Invaded Ibarapa, Oke Ogun |The Source

By
Akinwale Kasali
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Amotekun

By Akinwale Kasali

Contrary to rumours and speculations on Social Media that the South West Security Outfit, Amotekun, in Oyo State, clashed with Fulani Militias who invaded the State to wreck Havoc, leading to deaths of about six people. The wild speculation has been  debunked by the Commandant of the Oyo State Security Network Agency, Operation Amotekun, Col. Olayinka Olayanju(rtd).

Olayanju said that there were no clashes between his men and Fulani herdsmen in Ibarapa land and Oke Ogun axis  of Oyo State as being speculated.

Addressing Newsmen  in Ibadan, Oyo State Capital, the Commandant said that his men launched six operations in four Local  Government  Areas, but that the team in Aiyete was attacked inside the forest by suspected bandits, three of whom were killed by his men.

According to him, the operations were fully supported by Fulani leaders living in the areas, adding that a number of Miyetti Allah members were part of the operations.

A statement by the Commandant, which was made available to this news medium after the media briefing further indicated that its operatives raided the forests of Ibarapa and Oke Ogun areas of the state in the early hours of Saturday to rid the areas of kidnappers and criminal elements.

Col. Olayanju, who equally paraded one of the suspected kidnap kingpins, Sanni Bello, said he was arrested in the forest around Aiyegun axis, in Iwajowa Lical Government Area, adding that the Amotekun worked closely with officials of Miyetti Allah, whose family members have equally suffered kidnapping in recent times.

The Commandant also indicated that the operation around the forests was embarked upon following incessant reports of killings and kidnapping in the area.

He said “Contrary to any report you might have come across, there was no clash whatsoever between Fulani herdsmen and Amotekun in Ibarapa or Oke Ogun axes of Oyo State.

What happened was that we launched clearance operations in different locations around the thick forests of the four local governments that have suffered kidnapping and wanton killings in recent times.”

He said further “When our men entered the forests at Aiyede, they were attacked, leading to a gun battle where three of the attackers died. One of our men sustained injuries.

“It is not a clash with the Fulani because the Fulani were part of the planning of the operation and we raided the forests together. We are in touch with Seriki who is the leader of the Fulani in the area.

“Even after our men were withdrawn Saturday afternoon, we got reports that some Fulani were kidnapped in one location close to the area of operation. So they are working with us because they are also victims of the dastardly acts of kidnapping in the area.”

He argued that the incessant kidnapping and wanton destruction of lives necessitated the planning of a clearance operation from Lanlate, Igbo Ora, Igangan, Iganna and Aiyegun general areas in Ibarapa East, Ibarapa Central and Ibarapa North as well as Iwajowa Local Givernment Areas.

“There were six teams in all comprising members of Amotekun, Vigilantes, Hunters and Maiyetti Allah Vigilante. All the six teams had elements of these groups. However, at Igbo Ora, one of teams had an encounter with two armed men, effected their arrest and recovered one double barrel rifle. All suspects and weapon were handed over to the Divisional Police Officer, DPO Magoro Police Station, Igbo Ora at about 9am on Saturday.

“In a related development, another team was attacked at about 9.30am in Igangan forest, Ibarapa North while on the clearance operations at a settlement, ” he said

He argued that the attack was repelled resulting to serious injury on one member of Vigilante Group of Nigeria (VGN) and three other suspects. Two dane guns were recovered at the scene.

“In Iwajowa LGA, one of the teams also arrested a kidnap kingpin operating around Aiyegun axis. He was arrested with a locally made pistol and cartridges.”

However, the operation was suspended at about 12 noon on Saturday to allow for further stock taking.

MURIC Urges Buhari To Place Travel Ban On Trump |The Source

By
Akinwale Kasali
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0

By Akinwale Kasali

Outgoing United States of America President, Donald Trump, who is  battling impeachment process in the USA, with less than nine days of handing over to the Incoming President, Joe Biden, has  some organizations outside the US calling for a travel ban against him.

One of them is the Islamic Human Rights Group, the Muslim Rights Concern, MURIC, which has urged the President Muhammadu Buhari’s led Federal Government of Nigeria to, with immediate effect, place a travel ban on Trump.

While it is not known of what effect MURIC’s call will be since Trump has  never reckoned with Nigeria, nor has any plans of coming to Nigeria, but the call is significant, and part of a world-wide outrage to completely rubbish Trump, a consequence of the invasion of the Capitol a few days ago, by Trump supporters, instigated by him. While the Capitol was vandalised, five deaths, including a Police Officer. Already, an Iranian court has ordered for Trump’s arrest murder.

In addition, MURIC, also, wants Trump’s “key allies” to be sanctioned with him for their “ignoble roles in the US 2020 Presidential  elections, particularly, the storming of the Capitol.”

This advice was given in a press statement signed by the Group’s Director , Professor Ishaq Akintola.

The Group  said: “We strongly denounce the role played by President Donald Trump in the last US general elections. Trump’s refusal to acknowledge defeat shows acute desertification of the spirit of sportsmanship. His insistence on electoral fraud despite several court declarations to the contrary is a manifestation of selfishness, overambition and inordinate lust for power.

“Above all, his incitement which led to the storming of the Capitol is despicable, repulsive and preposterous. Trump has stained America’s reputation as a great democracy.

“MURIC calls on the Federal Government (FG) to speak up on the American debacle. America’s condemnation of African and other third world countries has been deafening enough to attract a tornado of backlashes at this moment. We are not happy that FG has remained silent. China, Turkey and Iran have spoken up. The voice of Africa must also be heard and the continent is looking unto Nigeria to lead the way.

“We must tell America to its face that tyranny is colour blind and dictators can emerge from the least expected places on earth. There is no country which is occupied by angels only, least of all America. We call on FG to place travel ban on outgoing President Donald Trump and his key allies. It is hoped that other African countries will key into the idea. It just has to be on record that once upon a time, America produced a tyrant, a bully and an insurrectionist.

“The American tragedy has exposed the weakness in all man-made political and economic theories. Trumpism is the Archile’s heel of Western democracy just as perestroika and glastnost spelled doom for communism. In the same vein, socialism isnot different from a fake drug administered by a quack doctor.

“The only enduring system is the one made by Allah, the Supreme Creator, who knows the nature of man and how best he should be governed. This is why Islamic political thought posits at-taohiid, al-khilafah, ash-shurah and al-akhirah. At-Taohiid is the principle of oneness of all existence: all are a miniature representation of a whole and a microcosm in a macro, which is Islam, a complete way of life.

“Al-khilafah affirms the representative nature of man. The leader holds his position in lieu of the divine physical presence. He is a shadow of Allah on earth. Just as the shadow cannot afford to live in isolation of its substance, a leader must always be conscious of Allah.

“Ash-shurah is consultation with the people. It is a reflection of Islamic democracy. But whereas Western democracy (government of the people, by the people, for the people) lays emphasis on people only, the focus of Shurah is Allah, the Creator of the people. Islamic democracy is therefore government of Allah, by the people created by Allah, for Allah’s own creatures. The leader in Islam must relate both vertically (with Allah) and horizontally (with the people). Whereas the leader only relates horizontally with the people in Western democracy, he interfaces both vertically and horizontally in Islamic political thought.

“The concept of al-akhirah evokes the fear of Allah in the heart of politicians as they weigh the consequences of their actions on the Last Day before taking them. Al-akhirah is about leaders being held accountable on the Day of Judgement.

“This is what is lacking in Western democracy, including communism and socialism. This is why Donald Trump made a mess of the American written constitution which is based on George Washington’s Boston Tea Party, and Mikhail Gorbachev swept the rug off the feet of Lenin, man of steel and Stalin in a single sweep”, the Statement said.

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