Uwa, Rape In God’s House: God, Where Were You?

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June 7, 2020

By Comfort Obi

Let me start by telling a story I read about six years ago. I forget in which of the national newspapers, but it happened in Edo state.

A young man, notorious for his criminal activities, was caught for the umpteenth time. He was a nightmare to the community. He graduated from being a petty thief, to worse. Each time he was caught, he was beaten up, then forgiven once he promised he would change his ways. Atimes, he was given the Holy Bible to swear on. He usually did. But that did not stop him from going back to his evil acts.

So, on this day when he was caught again, the villagers decided to finally deal with him. They went for petrol and used discarded tyres. He went on his knees, and begged the elders to give him one final chance. There is a solution to his criminal life he, emphatically, told them. “Take me to the village shrine to swear. God is too forgiving. He is a patient God. He does not kill like that. Each time I swear, using the Bible, I kneel down and ask God for forgiveness. He forgives. But the village deity is very wicked. It does not forgive. If you take me there, and I steal again, it will kill me immediately. It has no mercy.

I remember this story now because of the sacrilegious rape and murder of Miss Uwaila Omozuwa on a Church premises. You know her story. But for the purpose of this write-up, please, bear a brief re-cap.

A 100 level student of the University of Benin, Uwa, 22, had, on the fateful day, gone to the Church to read. It has not been disclosed why she chose to go to the Church to read. But, perhaps, she wanted somewhere quiet so as to concentrate on her studies. More important, somewhere she felt safe. Perhaps, she wanted to be close to God while reading.

So she headed for her own parish of the Church, the Redeemed Christian Church of God, RCCG. While reading in the Church hall, some hoodlums attacked her, knocked her unconscious with a can of fire extinguisher, took turns to rape her, abandoned her in the pool of her own blood, and escaped.

She died three days later at the University of Benin Teaching Hospital where she was rushed to.

Since Uwa’s gruesome murder, reactions have been coming like claps of thunder from all corners of the country. Even our President, Muhammadu Buhari, a man not given to quick reactions to such things, reacted. Many other high profile Nigerians and Organizations have done the same. The National Leader, of the APC, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, put aside 2023, and the sore thumb in the Edo APC, threatening to demystify his political son, APC National Chairman, Adams Oshiomhole, and carried a placard, protesting the rape and subsequent death of Uwa, and two others.

Uwa’s is not the only case of rape in Nigeria which ended in tragedy. In fact, since hers, at least, two other rape cases in Ibadan have also ended in tragedy.

There is the 18 year-old Miss Barakat Bello, a student of the Science Laboratory Technology, Ibadan, who was raped to death in her father’s house. There is Miss Azeezat, a Masters Degree student who was also raped to death in Ibadan. And if you were in doubt of how deep into the gutter Nigeria has sunk, you only need to take a look at the front page of the Saturday Punch of June the 6th.

A few of the headlines which stared at us:

*Four masked men gang-rape 12-year-old-girl in Lagos.

*Man, 25, rapes 85-year-old grandma in Niger State.

*Police arrest LASU undergrad kissing three-year-old in viral video.

*How rapists choked, nearly killed us, yet no justice.

*My attacker barged into my room, covered my mouth while I was asleep – 70-year-old Ogun woman raped by truck driver.

* I hated sex after I was raped – Oshonaike table tennis star.

And according to The Guardian On Saturday, quoting Coalition of Civil Society Groups sources, 80 Women and Girls were raped in Nigeria in Six Months.

And, there is no borderline for those who are capable of rape. Trust nobody. Actress Funke Daramola-Saloko, founder of Passion Against Rape And Abuse Africa, PARAA, says 75 per cent of those who come to her for help, were raped Religious people – the Clergy.

I am not sure anybody has added the horrifying story, made public a few days ago, of the demented father who has been sexually abusing his seven-month-old baby girl since she was three months! One is tempted to ask: Where has the baby’s mother been? She needs to be given 24 strokes of the cain, publicly, every morning, for not protecting her daughter from a demented man.

So, one then asks: Why has Uwa’s case shaken everybody like an earthquake? Why has it made us all sick to the stomach?

Here is why.

It happened in a Church premises, the RCCG, a Church pastored by the revered Pastor Enoch Adeboye. As you know, dear readers, there are too many of these Churches. Scores of them on every street. They go by all sorts of names, many of the names weird. There are all kinds of Pastors, Apostles, Prophets, General Overseers, Bishops, Archbishops, parading the corridors of Pentecostal Churches, claiming all kinds of things, with all kinds of powers. All kinds of things, too, happen in their Churches. We read a lot of strange things going on, including human and animal sacrifices.

But some of these Churches are not the RCCG, and their promoters are not Pastor Adeboye. This Pastor gives one a sense of protection when he talks to, or prays for one. No shouting, no screaming, as if God was dead, or asleep, and needed to be woken up to hear our supplications to him.

I bet you, if this atrocity had taken place on the premises of some of these other Churches, it won’t have attracted this much outrage. But this was Adeboye’s RCCG – one of the respected Churches, with plenty of clout. And, that is the irony.

The 22-year-old Uwa went to her Heavenly Father’s house to read. She went there to take refuge. She felt she was safe. In God’s house. Yet, the devil located her. She was brutally and gruesomely raped by dogs.

Her traumatised mother said she was gagged, and her hands tied behind her, then clubbed unconscious, and brutally raped.

Her devastated father said blood filled the scene like where a cow was killed. And to emphasize what Uwa went through, he revealed that even in her state of unconsciousness, for the three days she battled death before she gave up, tears continuously ran down her cheeks.

The location of the Church must be lonely. The premises itself must have been lonely. No soul, except a guard at the gate. Given the level of insecurity in the country, it is difficult to understand why the young lady chose the Church as the best place to read. According to her mother, she had been doing that for, at least, two years. Big mistake. Somebody must have been monitoring her.

Lonely places, even when they are God’s own House, are not advisable for anybody, especially kids, girls, and women. They are vulnerable species

What happened to Uwa shakes the faith. And makes one wonder about God’s patience and tolerance. It is also legitimate to wonder where God was when the devil brutally attacked His daughter in His own House this fateful day. The only consolation here is: God will deal with the devils at his own time.

There is a rape pandemic in Nigeria. It is difficult to understand what the attraction is. I can only put it down to “man’s inhumanity to woman.”

And this happens because the Nigerian Government does not take the case of rape seriously. Those who should take action, either do not think that a woman has a right to her body, or they think it is her fault.

This other day, in the heat of the atrocious Uwa rape, and other rapes, a Member of the House of Representatives from Borno State, Ahmed Jaha, told the world it is the fault of women. It is because of their indecent dressing. They attract rape to themselves.

And this man is still in the House. He has not resigned for his insult against women, which, by the way, in case he was forgetting, include his mother, wife and/or wives, sisters and daughters. Jaha has just offered a lame belated apology. But what does it matter? 0ut of the abundance of the heart, the mouth speaketh, a saying goes.

The questions to ask Jaha and those who think like him are:

Is it likely that Uwa dressed indecently when she went to read at the RCCG? What about the 70 year old woman who was sleeping in her house when she was pounced upon? And the 12-year-old who was gang-raped? And many others, including Muslim women in his Borno State who cover themselves from head to toe? What about Rev’d Sisters?

Truth is, most Nigerian men think women are play things, just objects, sex objects, sidekicks – to toy with, to play with, to kick about and around. Something to be conquered and subjugated to submission. The lives, freedom and well-being of women don’t matter. The girl-child neither have a right to education, not to good life.

That is why most rape victims are ridiculed by the Police when they report their ordeal? That is why, even in court, rape victims are deliberately subjected to probing, embarrassing, and humiliating questions, so much so that many choose not to report, or when they do, abandon such cases mid-way. Isn’t that why some husbands think they have the right to rape their wives?

Isn’t that why, even some of the most educated people would refer to an object, any, and every object, and even associations, as “her”, instead of “it”? They equate women with, and to objects.

Isn’t that why children, as young as 10 years, are married off to men old enough to be their grandfathers?

Isn’t it why this other day, an Islamic Cleric, already parading a harem (of eight wives), would, forcefully, want to add a-14-year-old as his 10th wife?

Isn’t it why an obscene number of men are still not happy when their wives give birth to female babies? Isn’t it why many of them either kick their wives out, or marry a second woman, for giving birth to female babies, even when it is entirely their fault? Isn’t it why Nigerian cartoonists make women “sooooooo” ugly, and out of shape in their cartoons – obscenely big bottomed and obscenely big breasted?

Even in Nollywood, women are presented as pitiable, cheap, sex objects who would go to any lengths, to get a man.

Isn’t it why one idiot, the other day, posted the battered face and body of his wife on Facebook after he had beaten her silly? It is like: Nothing will happen, afterall, she is a common woman.

It is endless, as endless as the humiliation of, and the discrimination against women.

The brazen raping of women thrive, and has become a pandemic because the law and those who implement it don’t care. When one reports, nothing much is heard about such cases. Except for the initial noise, unless I missed it, I have not heard much again on the case of the man who, after battering his wife, posted it on Facebook. Why would it take this long to bring such a demented man to book?

Why is it so frustrating to bring rapists and wife batterers to book?

Why is it difficult to slam men who rape their daughters and minors, with life sentences? Why does the investigation of rape cases take so long? Why do rape cases take so long to decide when taken to court?

Perhaps I missed it, but since the Uwa ugly incident, except the Ekiti State Government, I have not seen any other state Government, or Government organ, take any serious step, or willingness to put rapists to shame.

Before now, the Ekiti state Government, led by Governor Kayode Fayemi, supported by his lovely wife, Bisi, an avowed feminist and Gender Specialist, had started to name and shame rapists, including, I am sad to say, a God-cursed Anglican Priest.

And this last Saturday, in the aftermath of the fate which befell Uwa and others, Fayemi, with his wife, standing by his side, signed a law to the effect that no alleged rapist would be granted bail, until the case is disposed of, and if convicted, would enjoy no prerogative of mercy.

Incidentally, the forum of Governors wives, either at the national level, zonal level, or party level, has made no statements. Nor has anything been heard from the Minister of Women Affairs, Mrs Paulin Tallen. The other stringent voice I have heard is that of the First Lady of Ondo State, Mrs Betty Anyanwu-Akeredolu, a woman fully dedicated to the causes of women and the girl-child.

Last week, the House of Representatives turned down a motion to castrate rapists. That would have served them right. When their weapons of mass destruction and murder are taken away from them, others would desist from such abominable acts.

Finally, back to the Uwa case. It is heart-warming that President Buhari and the Inspector General of Police have taken interest in the case. Pastor Adeboye, whose Church-member Uwa was, will back them with prayers. When the beasts are arrested, they should be publicly paraded and made to go through the pains and agony Uwa went through. It is hoped that the Uwa case, and the others following it, and those before it, will be given accelerated hearing. Hopefully, they will get justice. And hopefully, this will, finally, restore the dignity and self esteem of Nigerian women.

#Justice For Uwa and other rape victims!

*Obi is the Editor-in-Chief/CEO of The Source (Magazine), https://thesourceng.com. Email: [email protected], [email protected]

Uwaila Omozuwa: Rape And Murder So Gruesome!

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June 7, 2020

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By Ugochukwu Ejinkeonye

“One life taken in cold blood is as gruesome as millions lost in a pogrom.”—Dele Giwa (Nigerian Journalist assassinated in 1986)

After three whole years of seeking admission into the institution of higher learning, Miss Vera Uwaila Omozuwa was eventually admitted to read Microbiology at the University of Benin.

Obviously a very serious student, she was in no mood to joke with her studies, probably, after considering how long it took her to secure the admission. So, she would always go to the serene environment of her Church when worshippers were not around to read her books. The Church environment should be both safe and devoid of distractions.

But on this particular day, May 27, 2020, some wicked, callous and barbarous assailants gained access to the Church auditorium where she was immersed in her books, brutally raped her and ended her life by hitting her on the head with a fire extinguisher which gave her a very deep cut. They then fled leaving her in the pool of her own blood. She was only 22 and in her first year at the university.

No one knew how long she lay there bleeding until the security man arrived and saw her. She was already unconscious, probably due to the effect of the brutal violation she had experienced, the cruel blow she had received, and the amount of blood she had lost. At the hospital where she was rushed to, the doctors tried their best but were unable to revive her. She eventually died without being able to utter a single word to anyone about what had happened to her or whether she was able to recognize her savage rapists and murderers.

The gory picture of her body is the most horrible image I have tried to look at in recent times. I had to remove my eyes immediately! A once beautiful girl had suddenly been turned into a horrific and scary image because of the primeval exploits of some brutish creatures.

Now, what exactly could so badly provoke human beings to descend so low to the level of wild beasts to give free rein to their basest instincts to unleash such a barbaric violence on another human being?

Lust, anger, hatred, envy, sadism, desire to conquer and dominate, revenge, or what? Are more and more people losing their humanity? Has the world gone irrecoverably berserk?

Daily, dizzying reports of grown men raping grandmothers, mothers, single women and even underage girls are roughly slapped on our faces. I have even read bloodcurdling accounts of ten or even eight month-old babies raped, not by confirmed mentally challenged people, but by otherwise sane human beings! What exactly is happening? I think this should be a very rich research subject for our scholars in the fields of psychology and behavioural studies. We need to urgently understand what has gone wrong with our world.

The parents of Uwaila are badly heartbroken as outrage engulfs the country over their daughter’s barbaric murder. In a video that surfaced on twitter early this week, Uwaila’s father lamented:

“It was not a mistake; it was not a fault; it was not stubbornness for her to go to the church to study. She had been going there for several years. She struggled for five years before she gained admission into UNIBEN. I was waiting to celebrate her admission before she died.”

When has it become an offence for a serious and focused student to find a conducive place to read, more so, a worship centre which should be considered sacred and inviolable? Who could be so godless, wanton and profane as to trail a girl to a church building to unleash this kind of cruel and deadly violence on her? Such a person or persons should have no place within the bounds of civilized society.

Narrating the horrific incident, Uwaila’s mother mournfully recounted:

“I saw a friend, who came to visit me, off and before I came back, someone had called my telephone thrice. When I got back, my children told me that a church member, Mummy Osunla, had called me and when I called her back, she asked where I was and told me that I should come and that she did not know what had happened to my daughter.

“I ran to the place but before I got there, they [had] already [taken] her to a private hospital and when I saw my daughter, I cried. They raped her; the dress she was wearing that morning was white, but it had turned to red; all her body was full of blood. Her mouth and eyes were tied; the hoodlums used a fire extinguisher to hit her head, which left a deep cut.

“We were asked to take her for an X-ray on her head; I did not have money but my church members tried and money was raised and we bought all the drugs that we were asked to buy, but Uwa could not make it. She was unable to say anything till she died; it was just tears that were coming out from her eyes.”

The national outrage this grisly incident has provoked is quite reassuring, but the security agencies need to be more creative and proactive about how to ensure that people that commit these hideous crimes are apprehended and punished. It should now be made compulsory that CCTVs must be installed in all public buildings including worship centres. This will go a long way to deter potential rapists and other criminals who will be tormented by the awareness that their criminal activities are being observed and recorded by some sharp, hidden eyes.

The installation of these cameras should equally be extended to the streets and even highways. No amount of money spent to enhance the security of lives and property should be considered too much. The police must equally be empowered to acquire more, modern crime-unravelling equipment, so as to be able to track criminals no matter how they try to evade justice

It is however encouraging that the Edo State Police Command has announced the arrest of one of the suspected killers of Uwaila. Its spokesperson, Chidi Nwabuzor, said that fingerprints on the fire extinguisher used in killing the hapless girl has led to the arrest of the suspect. We can only hope that the fingerprints reading is accurate and that this first arrest will lead to the arrest of the remaining criminals who are now on the run. We don’t want to hear tomorrow that the suspect was wrongly arrested due to a malfunctioning machine. When perpetrators of crimes are punished, prospective criminals are dissuaded and society is made safer for everyone.

When the news of Uwaila’s murder broke, Edo State Governor, Mr. Godwin Obaseki tweeted: “I have ordered the Nigeria Police Force (@PoliceNG) to thoroughly investigate the circumstances that led to the death of Miss Vera Uwaila Omozuwa, a 100-level student of the University of Benin (UNIBEN).

Later, on Tuesday, June 2, President Muhammadu Buhari added his voice to the high profile orders handed down to the police to their job. “I expect the Nigeria Police Force to speedily and diligently investigate this case and ensure that all the culprits responsible for this barbaric act are brought to justice,” the president reportedly said.

Good! Heartwarming response! But I would always cherish a country where the police and other security agencies can always do their jobs without being ordered to do so by the governor or president. Each time there is an attack by terrorists or bandits in which the casualty figures are high enough to attract national outrage, we will be served with the news that President Buhari has ordered the security agents to apprehend the perpetrators. I always recoil with shame each time I stumble on such strange reports.

It has even been reported in this country that the president had ordered the Air Force to bomb terrorist strongholds! This one is even more sickening and preposterous because it is like informing the terrorists to relocate because bombs will soon start raining on their locations. Who does that in any other country except our badly run and chaotic Nigeria?

I would like to see Nigerian security institutions grow and be truly independent. They should be able to do their jobs conscientiously whether the crime attracted widespread uproar or not, whether they got instructions from the president, governor or nobody. Unraveling crimes and arresting the people behind them should be normal, routine work for them. They do not need to be prodded or ordered to go after criminals to apprehend and bring them to justice.

There is also this little but very injurious matter that deserves mention here since it keeps reoccurring. When crimes like rape or any kind of violence are committed against women, there are usually some outspoken ladies who are quick to not just condemn the crime and call for justice for the victim, but readily turn the incident into an opportunity to initiate an anti-men campaign. They would stretch their power of oratory and emotional outbursts to brand ALL men rapists and women-killers in order to widen the valley of animosity between the male and the female and swell the tribe of men-hating amazons.

This might earn them the very lucrative identity they are craving but would not make our world any better. When the records of rape cases are a thoroughly examined, it might even be discovered that male rapists may not even constitute up to one percent of the male population.

Both genders are needed in the fight against this hideous crime – which is even committed against both women and men. Demonizing all men each time gender-based crimes occur may help those who insist on doing so to achieve some self-serving credentials, but it will eventually inject a serious setback in the larger campaign by depleting the support from men which is highly required to lend the war some beneficial balance and eventually win it.

All men are not rapists or supporters of rape, that should be very clear. Since the Uwaila incident, many men have gone all out condemning the crime and calling for justice for the victim. It will NOT help to seek to discourage them by going into overdrive with a fallacious generalization that aims to tar all men with the egregious brush of women-haters and violators.

As I tried to tidy up this piece, another ugly news broke that an 18-year old female student of the Institute of Agriculture, Research and Training, Ibadan, Miss Barakat Bello, has been raped and stabbed to death in her own father’s house in Ibadan. Narrating the incident, the obviously shattered father said: “Somebody called me on the phone that I should come home but he refused to tell me what happened. When I got home, I saw that my daughter had been raped and stabbed to death.”

I hope the Oyo State Police Command will not wait for any “orders” from the governor or a national outcry to thoroughly investigate this heinous crime and bring the perpetrators to book. Rape is ugly and ungodly and leaves a lasting injury on the victim. Let’s all help to discourage it by ensuring that its perpetrators are always smoked out and punished according to the law.

*Ugochukwu Ejinkeonye is a Nigerian Journalist and Writer ([email protected];@ugowrite)

Police Service Commission Loses Commissioner

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June 7, 2020

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A Commissioner on the Police Service Commission, PSC, Dr. Nkemka Osimiri Jombo- Ofor, has passed on. Until his death, Dr. Jombo-Ofor was representing the Organized Private Sector on the Commission.

He died last Wednesday in Enugu at the age of 70 after a brief illness. He was a Medical Doctor, who trained at the Enugu Campus of the University of Nigeria, Nsukka.

Dr. Jombo-Ofor, hailed from Arochukwu in Arochukwu Local Government Area of Abia State. He was former President, Enugu Chamber of Commerce, Industry, Mines and Agriculture from 1997 to 2001; Chairman Advisory Council of the Institute of Entrepreneurial Studies, Enugu State University of Science and Technology. Until his death, he was the Chairman Board of Trustees, Enugu Chamber of Commerce, Industry, Mines and Agriculture.

He once served as the National President and Council Member of the Institute of Management Consultants and also President, Rotary Club of Enugu South.

Announcing his passing, the Head Press and Public Relations of the PSC, Ikechukwu Ani, said Chairman of the Commission, Alhaji Musiliu Smith who expressed shock at the sudden death of the Commissioner said the Commission will miss his robust contributions during Meetings and his far reaching efforts to move the Commission and the Nigeria Police forward.

Dr. Jombo-Ofor was married to Hon. Justice Ifeoma Jombo-Ofor of the Court of Appeal, Port Harcourt Division, and the couple is blessed with three children.

Racism: Ighalo Vows To Walk Out Of Pitch If Racially Abused

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June 7, 2020

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By Akinwale Kasali

Former Nigerian international, Odion Jude Ighalo, who currently plays for English Premier League giant, Manchester United, has vowed to leave the pitch if he is racially abused again.

The striker who is on loan from Chinese club Shanghai Shenhua, revealed he was once called ‘all sorts of names’ by an opposition player during a match in China.

The former Granada Football Club of Spain striker said he reported the incident to the Chinese FA, but claimed no action was taken and he decided to ‘let it go.’

According to Ighalo, he is now prepared to walk off the pitch if he is subjected to racist abuse in Manchester United shirt.

‘If it happens to me, I would report it to the referee and see what they do, but if they don’t take action about it then I’m going to walk off because it should not be done to any player or anyone in the world,’ he told Sky Sports.

‘In one game in China I got called all sorts of names and after the game, I didn’t shake his hand. I walked straight into the dressing room, I was angry, I reported it to the FA.

‘I didn’t press forward with it, I just let it go because I’m just this kind of guy. I don’t like to drag issues out. But I don’t think it should be condoned in any country.’

The 30-year-old also backed the Black Lives Matter campaign, following the killing of George Floyd, the black American who was murdered by a white cop in Minnesota.

‘Nobody should condone racism,’ he added. ‘We are all human. Despite the colour of our skin, we are all the same, we live in the same world, the same life. I don’t condone racism, but at the same time, I don’t condone riots.

‘We have to start from the younger generation, educate them, let them see that all humans are the same. We should fight for humanity not colours.’

COVID-19: Group Warns FG Against Sack Of Workers, Lists Roadmap To Economic Revival

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June 7, 2020

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By Akinwale Kasali

The Alliance for Surviving Covid-19 and Beyond, ASCAB, has urged Governments at all levels and the Nigerian private sector not to use budget cuts as an excuse to sack workers.

The Group, a labour and civil society coalition, led by prominent human rights lawyer, Mr Femi Falana said sacking workers at this moment may spur social crisis that may affect the country’s socio-political fabric. The group also provided a roadmap that can bring the economy back to life amidst growing fears of a meltdown in Africa’s largest country.

“The government and the private sector must resist an easy recourse to job cuts and reduction of public spending on social services especially healthcare services” ASCAB said in a Friday statement signed by its Secretary for Publicity, Adewale Adeoye.

The coalition of labour and over 70 civil society organisations also listed steps the government should take to ensure the economy and worker’s interests are protected. The suggestions range from short term protection of jobs and a complete overhaul of the Nigerian economy which involves a paradigm shift from dependence on oil to diversification and investment in production rather than consumption.

ASCAB said Nigeria’s historic dependence on crude oil is at wits end. The group noted that “unlike other oil producing nations of the world, Nigeria has little to show for six decades of oil exploration, production and exports, other than facilitating crude accumulation by state actors through massive looting of state resources.

It said the six decades of crude oil exports have not translated into any significant development of the nation’s productive forces while the country remains consumers of goods including items are little as tooth pick.

It observed that one of the immediate impacts of Covid-19 is the drop in volumes of sales of crude oil as well as reduced pricing in the international market resulting in lowly foreign exchange earnings.

“The COVID-19 crisis has worsened the vulnerability of all working people and the least protected in society. It is highlighting deep economic and social inequalities and inadequate health and social protection systems that require urgent attention as part of the public health response. The impact of lock-downs on jobs, livelihoods, access to services, including health care, food, water, education and social services, safety at home, adequate standards of living and family life has been severe,” ASCAB said.

ASCAB said COVID-19 has proved that the future of every country rests on production of goods and services and not a cosmetic programme that is solely dependent on foreign products.

It said the ruling class has failed to diversify the productive base of the economy, but has funded budgets that oils corrupt bureaucracy and waste.

The group said the challenge that the Nigerian government must decisively confront at this time is how to significantly increase, at least doubling public spending not only on healthcare services but also on public sanitation, water supply, and public education.

“Increased spending on public education would allow decongesting overcrowded classrooms by employing more teachers and urgently building more class rooms before children will resume school. Doubling public expenditure in these areas will bridge huge gaps in service provision in these critical areas which are important for the early containment of Covid-19”ASCAB said.

Due to the devastating impact of lock-down measures which resulted in massive hunger among people working in the informal economy, ASCAB called for urgent payment of emergency cash grants to those working in the informal economy adding that it will boost local consumption and assist local industry to quickly recover from long closures occasioned by the lock-down.

ASCAB listed steps the Federal Government needed to take in the next six months to reshape the country’s economy in the face of the coronavirus pandemic. They include doubling of the budgets for healthcare, public sanitation, water supply, and public education, funding for PPEs and adequate compensation for healthcare professionals in the frontline of caring and treatment of Covid-19 patients; intensified massive testing and building more well – equipped isolation centers with adequate provision for the care of those in isolation; a separate stimulus package for the informal sector through their cooperatives and organizations to boost local economies having been excluded from the CBN 50B grant due to conditionalities.

The group also called for rapid provision of water and sanitation services, adding that states can be directly supported to provide both temporary and more permanent water supply technologies in communities and public places. It called for the provision and rehabilitation of collapsing healthcare infrastructures in the communities, rapid expansion of classrooms to decongest public schools both at primary and secondary school levels, support for development of local technologies for Covid-19 containment.

It observed that several universities and individuals have come up with designs for ventilators, respirators, medical face masks as well as claims on Covid-19 management and curative drugs. It asked the Federal Government to strengthen the framework to verify existing claims. Others are the immediate halt to all evictions in informal settlements and work clusters.

ASCAB calls on the trade union movement to join forces with the progressive civil society to mount vigilance on the political class to achieve stated objectives.

Breaking: Former Governor Ajimobi Is Coronavirus Positive

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June 6, 2020

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By Adesina Soyooye

For former two-time Governor of Oyo state, Abiola Ajimobi, these are not sunny days.

He has just tested positive for Coronavirus. And, his family and associates are worried sick.

This magazine gathered that he chose not to be treated at a public Isolation Centre.

Instead, he chose to get treatment for the disease at the high profile First Cardiology and Cardiovascular Consultants, Ikoyi, one of the few private hospitals approved by the Lagos State Government to manage the Virus.

It was the same hospital where the former Chief of Staff to President Muhammadu Buhari, Malam Abba Kyari, sought treatment. Unfortunately, Kyari passed on, mainly because, he had other underlying health issues.

Ajimobi, 70, is the National Deputy Chairman, South-west, of the APC, and the first governor to enjoy a second term in Oyo state. But he was unable to install a successor.

The PDP took back the state from the APC, on Ajimobi’s watch.

A former Senator, Ajimobi, also, failed in his bid to go back to the Senate as he was roundly defeated by the PDP candidate.

He is on record to have declared that COVID-19 is not a death sentence when he sent a message of goodwill to his successor, PDP’s Seyi Makinde, who was down with the Virus. Makings has since recovered.

He had said: “COVID-19 is not a death sentence.

People have recovered from it. We will get over this too, but we must continue to ensure that we follow all safety measures like washing of hands, social distancing, and other safety standards as recommended by our health professionals. As for all our health workers, we appreciate them for their frontline role in the fight against the disease.”

Corruption Allegations: Obasa Says Enemies, Conspirators, Behind His Ordeals

By

The Source

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June 6, 2020

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By Akinwale Kasali

Lagos State House of Assembly Speaker, Rt. Hon. Mudashiru Obasa, who was recently cleared by Ecobank, Wema Bank and Polaris Bank of having 64 accounts as reported by Sahara Reporters an online medium has come out to say that his enemies, conspirators and people planning his downfall are behind the corruption allegations levelled against him.

Obasa made this statement on June 6th, 2020 before the panel of enquiry raised by the Assembly on corruption allegations leveled against him by Sahara Reporters.

The Second term Speaker of the Lagos Assembly appeared before a Nine-man Fact Finding Panel of the House chaired by Hon. Victor Akande, representing Ojo Constituency 1.

Obasa, while fielding answers to questions explained that all the allegations made by Sahara Reporters in its series of reports were unfounded.

He stressed that the vehicles bought for the members of the House and other expenses made by the House were done with the approval of the House and that of the Fund Management Committee (FMU) of the House headed by him.

“We bought Land Cruisers for Principal Officers of the House. The cars we buy for Principal Officers are always higher than those of other members and we followed the due process in the purchase.

“We went through the Public Procurement Agency (PPA) and others and the vehicles were distributed appropriately.

“It was agreed at the parliamentary meetings on about four occasions and the Clerk of the House is the Secretary.

“Also, it is not true that my wife collects N10 million monthly from the House. Anyone who says she does should come with proof and evidences.

“My approval limit as the Speaker of the House is N100 million. Anything above that would have to be approved by the Fund Management Committee. On Prado Jeep that we bought for the members, we followed the due process like we did in that of the Principal Officers,” he explained.

Obasa also debunked an allegation that N258 million was spent for the printing of invitation cards for the inauguration of the 9th Assembly adding that the whole event cost N61 million while N1.1 million was spent to print the invitation cards.

“It is not possible to spend N258 Million to print invitation cards. We are not involved in such a frivolous expenditure,” he added.

Concerning the alleged N80 million expended as estacode for the training of women in Dubai, the Speaker said that wives of 20 lawmakers attended the event and that he was there to declare the event open.

“We gave N4 million to each of the participants for air ticket, hotels, feedings and local travel. Air ticket to Dubai alone is about N2 million. Some of these allegations were raised for a crusade to get the Speaker out of office.

“The House of Assembly is above common standard of excellence and we have to train people, and this comes with a cost. Learning is not cheap and I have never collected N80 Million for estacode at a go before,” he said.

The Speaker defended the purchase of eight Hiace buses for committee works in the Assembly as he explained that it was discovered that the House was spending a lot of money to repair vehicles, which he said was why the House decided to buy the buses and that the buses were there for everybody to see with documents to defend the purchases.

He denied the allegation that he spent N53 million for a trip to the United States of America with his mistress.

“We were invited by the Consular General for a programme in the United States. Later, the programme was postponed, but I had gone ahead. I had to return home and I told others not to bother to come until the postponed dates,” he said.

The Speaker told the committee that it was not possible for him to spend N17 million for cleaning of his guest house as against the allegation made by Sahara Reporters .

“They only remove documents and fly them around to please themselves. All our payments go through certain procedures.

“The expenditure had been there before I became the Speaker. There was no way I could have spent N17 million on cleaning my guest house.

“On the issue of awarding contracts to companies belonging to me, they should come and show evidence of where I awarded contracts to myself,” he said.

Concerning the report that he tricked former governor Akinwunmi Ambode of the state to spend N350 million for hosting a meeting of Conference of Speakers, Obasa told the committee that this was not possible.

He maintained that such was not possible since Ambode is an accountant, who rose to be the Chief Accountant of the State.

“There was no way I could have tricked Ambode to release such money anyhow. We had a meeting of the Conference of Speakers, who came with three members each and we had subcommittees who were given N2 million each.

“We paid for the tickets of each Speaker, we pay for their hotel accommodation, feeding and souvenirs.

“We also provided local transportation for them. All these allegations are deliberate actions of my enemies to achieve their aims that they could not achieve in the House to remove me as the Speaker of the House, which was why they came up with such reports.

“On N60 Million spent for social influencers, I did not sign such money. I don’t even know the companies they are talking about. The BVN they are flying about is not correct.

“Whatever I have done as a Speaker, all the approvals I gave as Speaker were given based on collective approval of the members of the House,” he said.

The Deputy Speaker of the House, Rt. Hon. Wasiu Eshinlokun-Sanni, who also appeared before the panel denied attending any meeting in Dubai as against the report of SaharaReporters.

Also speaking, Chairman of the House Committee on Information and Strategy, Hon. Tunde Braimoh, said that while a media parley was held by the House, he didn’t know how much was spent on the event since different people handled different aspects of the event.

“We provided hospitality for the few the people that came. The event involved other things, there were catering and others that were given to other people to handle.

“It is most uncharitable to say we spent N47.5 Million for social media influencers. We spend money on publicity and public relations.

“We have programmes that we pay for on TVC and LTV 8. We have a magazine that we produce and we print 40,000 copies quarterly and distribute to schools and other places and we pay for the content, design and production,” he said.

The Clerk of the House, Mr. Azeez Sanni also defended the estacode for the trip to the United States of America, saying that it followed the standard procedure, and that the programme was budgeted for under conferences and seminars.

“We did not buy 11 buses; we bought eight Hiace buses for committee assignments.

“The cost exceeded N100 million and it was approved by the Management Committee of the House. It was also approved by the Public Procurement Agency and the Ministerial Tenders Board and we got a Certificate of Compliance for the purchase.

“The buses are in place at the car park. We have budgetary provision for the vehicles.

“The women trip to Dubai was also approved for in the budget. The Speaker was there, the wife of the Deputy Speaker was there and wives of 17 other lawmakers. Each participant got money for air fare, local transportation and others,” he said.

Sanni also cleared the air on N258 million for printing of invitation card, saying that the money for the whole event was N61 Million and that only N1.1 million was spent for the printing of the programme for the event.

He confirmed that 80 cars were bought in 11 months for the 8th and 9th assemblies.

“We bought 40 Corolla Cars back-up vehicles for the 8th Assembly.

“The purchase was approved by the Management Committee led by the Speaker with Hon. Olumuyiwa Jimoh, Saka Fafunmi, Hon. David Setonji and others as members.

“In the 9th Assembly, we bought Toyota Prado for members and this was approved by the Funds Management Committee headed by the Speaker.

“The issue of the vehicle was discussed at the various parliamentary meetings and it was unanimously agreed by the members.

“We bought 36 Prado Jeeps for members and it went through the PPA and we have Compliance Certificate for the purchase.

“We also bought six Land Cruisers for the Principal Officers approved by the FMC and PPA with Certificate of Compliance.

“On women empowerment programmes. We raised a submission for the programme and it was recognised by the Assembly budget. It was not paid into the account of the wife of the Speaker. The facility manager has no relationship with the Speaker of the House,” he said.

The Clerk of the House, however, said that some documents might have been released to SaharaReporters “through some disgruntled staffers of the House.

“We have been taking steps on that and we have transferred some staff.

“The files go through many tables and there is no doubt that some devilish staffers take pictures of some of these documents and send to these people.

“The staff have taken oaths and this attracts dismissal. Unofficial disclosure of information attracts dismissal in the civil service,” he stated.

Two officials of Zenith Bank; Mr. John Olorundare, Chief Compliance Officer, Mr. John Olorundare, Zonal Head of Alausa, Mr. Sanni Idowu Awe also appeared before the panel.

The bank officials stated that an individual could only have one BVN.

They confirmed that different account names could not be used for one BVN and that Speaker Obasa had only six accounts with Zenith Bank.

According to them, only two of the accounts are operational; one savings and current, while the rest are dormant.

Present at the meeting were other members of the committee including Hon. Yinka Ogundimu (Agege 2), Hon. Gbolahan Yishawu (Eti Osa 2), Hon. Lukmon Olumoh (Ajeromi Ifelodun 1) and Hon. Ajani Owolabi (Lagos Mainland 1).

Others are Hon. Mojisola Alli-Macaulay (Amuwo Odofin 1), Hon. Rotimi Olowo (Shomolu 1) and Hon. Akeem Shokunle (Oshodi/Isolo 1).

Edo Guber: At Last Obaseki, Ize-Iyamu Set To Clash

By

Bayo Bernard

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June 6, 2020

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By Fola James

On June 22, the embattled Governor of Edo state, Godwin Obaseki will square it up with other aspirants who are bent on denying him a second term ticket.

Leading the packs is Osagie Ize-Iyamu, a pastor in the Redeem Christian Church of God, RCCG and former Peoples’ Democratic Party, PDP.

Ize Iyamu had earlier been picked by a faction of the party led by Adams Oshiomhole, the National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress, APC who has vowed to stop Obaseki, from re-election.

Former allies, Oshiomhole and Governor Obaseki have fallen out over the control of the soul of the party in the state.

The two factions have also disagreed over the mode to be adopted to pick the party’s candidate for the governorship election slated for September.

But on Thursday, the APC said it was now prepared to screen six governorship aspirants in preparation for the June 22, 2020 Primary Election to decide the party’s Edo State governorship candidate.

Apart from Governor Obaseki, other aspirants that have collected the nomination forms, according to the party are Dr. Pius Odubu, Engr. Chris Ogiemwonyi, Hon. Osaro Obazee and Hon. Matthew Aigbuhuenze Iduoriyekemwen..

The party said the screening will be done without favor to any of the aspirants.

APC said in a statement that “In our bid to ensure due diligence and transparency in the screening exercise and learning from our recent shocking experiences, we are determined to avoid any lapses in the process.

Therefore, we are making the submitted information and documents of the governorship aspirants available to our party members and the public for verification of claims and to support the screening panel with information or any objection to the claims contained in the submission by the aspirants”

The statement by the APC National Publicity Secretary, Lanre Issa Onilu said “Consequently, the various submissions will be displayed at the party’s National Secretariat in Abuja and in Benin City, the Edo State capital from Monday 8th to Tuesday 9th June, 2020 for claims and objections.

We are inviting party members and indeed members of the public to assist the screening committee by scrutinising the information, credentials and documents provided by the governorship aspirants and availing the Screening Committee of counter and correct information, if applicable.”

The party stated that its action is line with the provisions of the Electoral Act 2010 (as amended) and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) guidelines.

APC had earlier released its time table and schedule of activities for the conduct of the 2020 Governorship Primary Elections in Edo States.

The party said the sales of expression of interest forms which began on May 20 has now ended.

Amotekun: Miyetti Allah To Set Up A Counter Force

By

Bayo Bernard

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June 6, 2020

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By Tosin Olatokunbo

Miyetti Allah, a social political Fulani group has decided to set up a counterforce to Amotekun, a security body set up in the south west to contain crime in the region.

The six states in the south west have recently enacted laws to back the security outfit which the magazine learnt would have started operation if not for the corona virus pandemic.

But the National President of Miyetti Allah Kautal Hore, Bello Abdullahi Bodejo, in an interview with the Sun Newspaper said his group is planning to establish a parallel security outfit.

“We are considering starting with 5000 personnel. While their own is Amotekun, our own name shall be unveiled soon. We have not decided on its name, maybe, it may be called, Miyetti Allah Vigilante,” Bodejo said.

The body, a 100,000 strong force, he stated will not bear arms, and its major task is to defend the interests of Fulani across the country, adding that the Fulani own Nigeria and will rule the country forever.

Bodejo stated that “stick is enough to use for their defence,” against any danger to their personal and business interests.

The vigilante force, he said will be deployed across the country to protect the livestock and other businesses owned by Fulani against cattle rustlers and bandits.

According to him, the group does not need the permission of anyone to set up the protective force, in response to Southern leaders warning that they will not allow any Fulani vigilante in their areas.

He stated that the vigilante does not require the legal backing of the state houses of Assembly because wherever the Fulani are settled” that is their own Assembly.”

The Fulani leader further stated that “We are meeting, anytime from now, we make our plans public. We will first start with 5,000 personnel,” he said, adding that, “It is going to be across the country because there is no any angle you cannot find the Fulani in this country.”

On the legality of the vigilante outfit, Bodejo stated that “It is not against the law in this country. Who would they go to take permission from, is it the animals in the bush?”

Meanwhile, the Miyetti Allah leader while speaking on the leadership crisis in the country said his people has the power to determine who ruled the Nigeria, reiterating the claim that they owned the country.

Bodejo said Fulani “produced the first prime minister. If they produced the first president, another president, another president and so on, are they not the owner of the country?

Fulani are ruling Nigeria and they must continue to rule the country forever. That is the truth,” he said.

Imo: Awuzie Heads Panel for Take-off of Imo State University of Agriculture and Environmental Sciences

By

The Source

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June 6, 2020

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Gov. Uzodinma with Chairman and Members of Implementation Committee of the University of Agriculture and Environmental Sciences after inauguration

Former Vice Chancellor of Imo State University and Chairman of Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), Prof. Ukachukwu Awuzie, has been appointed as Chairman of the Committee for the establishment of the University of Agriculture and Environmental Sciences, Umuagwo.

Prof. Awuzie heads other members drawn from the academia who are expected to submit their report in six weeks.

Other members of the Committee are Prof. Victor C. Kogah, Prof. Basil O. Nwosu, Prof. Vitalis C. Nwulu, Barr. T. I. Igwe (Secretary), Dr. Aloy Ojilere, Engr. Prof. K. B. Oyoh, Prof. Chiedozie C. Eze, and Mr. Uwandu Uzoma (Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Education).

Uzodimma inaugurated the Committee on Friday at the Sam Mbakwe Executive Council Chambers, and urged them to work towards ensuring that the University takes off with others during the next academic session.

Governor Uzodimma told the Committee that when the University takes off, it will provide the educational and employment needs of the people of Imo State.

Prior to the inauguration, Uzodimma had played host to traditional rulers and leaders from Ohaji/Egbema who came to thank him for the decision to have Imo State Polytechnic, Umuagwo changed to University of Agriculture and Environmental Sciences.

Led by Chief Charles Orie, the traditional rulers and leaders told Governor Uzodimma that he has demonstrated love for their communities and pleaded that the new arrangement will take into consideration the educational and employment needs of the communities hosting the University.

The stakeholders also pledged their total support to the government of Governor Uzodimma on behalf of the Umuagwo Communities.

While responding after their inauguration, Prof. Awuzie promised that the Panel will submit its report in six weeks just as the Governor assured of government’s support to enable them do a thorough job.

On Thursday when Governor Uzodimma went on a tour of the facilities at the proposed site of the University of Agriculture and Environmental Sciences, he expressed the preparedness of the state for a take-off of the University in the next Academic Session.

Rounding-off the inspection tour at the Imo State Polytechnic, Umuagwo, the Governor told the media that the facilities on ground are more than enough for any University to start.

Governor Uzodimma noted that Imo State has already got the National Universities Commission’s (NUC) license for the Imo State Polytechnic, Umuagwo, to operate as a University. Hence, he visited to access the available facilities.

He emphasized that there may be initial challenges of appropriate Staff in terms of qualification, standards of academic and non-academic staff, yet the need for a second University owned by the state has become necessary as that will go a long way in reducing the burden on the present Imo State University and foray of Imo children seeking admission into the University.

The Governor also announced that soon an implementation Committee will be inaugurated to consider and implement the reports submitted by the Visitation Panel to Imo Polytechnic, Umuagwo. He explained that the Committee will scrutinize the staff nominal roll of the polytechnic, recommend those qualified to migrate to the University while leaving others to continue as staff and management of the Polytechnic.

Governor Uzodimma reassured all that the arrangement will be a “win-win” situation where no one will lose out as those who will upgrade their qualification in future will as well have the opportunity to migrate to the University as staff.

Governor Uzodimma, who inspected the main workshop, male and female hostel, the Oil Palm Nursery value chain, the four ICT centres, the College Auditorium, Laboratory and Library, the Fishery, Poultry and Cassava processing plant as well as class room blocks, warned that the entire land of the Polytechnic in Ohaji Egbema LGA of Imo State belongs to the State Government.

He, therefore, warned against encroachments to the land from any quarters and promised to revoke and return back to government any of such lands. “Government will not tolerate any of such acts no matter whose ox is gored,” Governor Uzodimma assured.

The Governor used the opportunity to acknowledge and commend the presence of the Federal Government through the Tetfund projects visibly present in the Polytechnic. He said the projects will go a long way in facilitating the take-off of the proposed University.

He urged the Polytechnic Management and Staff to continue with their normal duties as government will surely pay them their salaries and entitlements. He thanked the host Community for their peaceful co-existence with the Polytechnic, noting that better days are ahead for them and the entire Imo State.

Earlier, the Rector of the Polytechnic, Sir John Ikechukwu Mbadike, while welcoming the Governor, described him as a distinguished Imo son and Senator who has a lot of passion and goodwill for the Polytechnic. He lauded Governor Uzodimma for attracting a lot of ICT and technological equipment and other facilities to the school that made the Institution to be one of the first accredited CBT centres in Nigeria.

The Visitation Panel set up by former Governor of Imo State, the Rt Hon. Emeka Ihedioha, and retained by Uzodinma had, while submitting their report, decried the sad situation in the Polytechnic said that there were more lecturers than were students.