Soroptimist International, a global volunteer advocacy group with affiliation in Nigeria, have taken the war on child and adult rape to Nigerian primary schools. Recently, the Apapa chapter of the organization took their campaign to Ire Akari primary school, Iganmu, where they took out time to educate the children on the issue of rape and sexual violence. But incidentally they were busy educating the kids on rape but the parents were absent. But according to the president Apapa chapter, Magdaleen Obiano, they have been organizing seminars and enlightenment for parents and women under pressure even from their spouses. “You know a husband can ape his wife”; she said, with a wry smile on her face.
Child molestation and rape has been in the front burner of National discuss, with so many gory tales coming out of the media of girl-children and under age children being molested even by their parents and relatives.
But Obiano insisted their efforts are yielding fruits. Though she did not say whether there has been any litigation involving child molestation and rape, she admitted that there are cases of widows being maltreated by her late husbands relatives whose cases have been taken over by the organization. “We took over her case and resettled her, seeing about her children’s education”, she said, emphasizing that they basically cater for the women, children and underprivileged.
Currently, there about twelve clubs in Lagos alone, which includes Apapa, Surulere, and Ikeja.
According to Obiano, the organization has been in existence for a long time. It is represented in Europe and the Americas. “We just came back from Maracas where we attended an international conference” she said.
Although there is no direct affiliation with other non governmental organizations, they collaborate when needed. For example, the Lagos state ministry of women affairs, which happens to be one of the emergency contact groups for victims. In fact, Olaolu roberts, a staff of the local council, was on hand to monitor the issue for the local government.
In attendance were Chinyere Udeagabala, slated t take over Apapa chapter; Magdalene Obiano, the current president Apapa Chapter; Joes Nwokedi, a member of board of trustees; and Bona Oluigbo, the immediate past President of the Chapter.
No doubt, real estate is presently in a recession period. This is not only in Nigeria, Africa, but also in the western world. Recently in the UK It was a buyer’s market in March as a record number of homes were sold for less than the asking price, new research from estate agents shows.
Some 86 per cent of properties, almost nine in 10, sold for less than the asking price, according to the data from the National Association of Estate Agents, the highest level seen since records began in 2013.
Propertywire.com reports that this is an increase of 12 per cent from the previous month when 74 per cent of sellers accepted offers below their original asking price and the figures also show that only one in 10 properties, 10 per cent, sold for the original asking price in March, also the lowest since records began.
At the same time demand has dipped slightly with the number of house hunters on estate agents’ down marginally from 309 registered per branch in February, to 308 in March.
The NAEA report also shows that year on year demand for housing is down by 22 per cent as agents registered 397 house hunters per branch in March 2017 compared with 417 in 2016.
The number of properties available to buy rose to the highest level since October 2017 with 40 available per branch in March compared with 35 in February.
Despite sales to first time byers rising at the beginning of the year following the abolition of stamp duty for most first time buyers the number in this group fell to 26 per cent in March, down from 29 per cent in February and 27 per cent in January.
The number of sales agreed stayed the same in March with an average of eight recorded per branch.
According to Mark Hayward, chief executive of the NAEA, the fact that the market is moving in the favour of buyers may trigger an upward swing in the number of sales agreed as they’re in a position to negotiate lower prices.
But he believes this is a short term situation. “Although demand has cooled off over the last few months and created these market conditions, it’s likely to increase again as those holding off on making purchases move to take advantage of these lower prices,” he explained.
“Ultimately, this means the number of offers accepted below asking price will fall again and the market will swing back in the favour of home owners. The only thing which will offer a long term solution is more homes to balance the issue of supply and demand,” he added.
The Federal High Court in Abuja on Monday ordered an interim forfeiture of two properties linked to the wife of former President Goodluck Jonathan, Mrs. Patience Jonathan.
The properties of jonathan are at Plot No. 1960, Cadastral Zone A05, Maitama District; and Plot No. 1350, Cadastral Zone A00, both in Abuja.
The properties were said to be held in the name of Ariwabai Aruera Reachout Foundation, which Mrs. Jonathan was said to be one of its “trustees.”
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission had, in an ex parte application filed in September last year, asked for an interim forfeiture of the properties, which it claimed were subjects of an ongoing criminal investigation.
Ruling on the commission’s ex parte application on Monday, Justice Nnamdi Dimgba dismissed Mrs. Jonathan’s objection to the application for lacking in merit.
The court then ordered the interim forfeiture, which he, however, ruled must only last for 45 days.
He ruled that within the 45 days, EFCC must conclude its investigations and charge the suspects being investigated in respect of the alleged crimes linked to properties.
He however added that the EFCC was at liberty to file an application for the extension of the life span of the order before the expiration of the initial 45 days.
He also ordered that if for any reason EFCC’s officials needed to access the properties within the period of interim forfeiture, they must do so with the respondents in attendance.
He ordered that the inventory of the fixtures in the properties and a report to that effect be submitted to the court.
When Theophilus Danjuma, a retired Lt. General and a former Chief of Army Staff and minister of Defense , lampooned the Army on March 24, 2018, of colluding with armed herdsmen to kill innocent citizens in parts of the country he Amy did not find it funny.
in apparent response to the General’s accusation, the Army exonerated itself from blame over the herdsmen killings in parts of the country, stressing that ”it has sacrificed much life in dealing with the situation while absolutely remaining neutral”.
Many beieves that the former Chief of Army’s claim may have struck the right chord in security circles as the security Chiefs went back to work to bring the situation under control. The recent killings of scores of Worshippers and two priests at a Catholic Church at Ukpor village in Gwer East Local government Area of Benue state may have forced forced President Muhammadu Buhari to give a matching order to Abdulrahaman Dambazu, and Brig. Mansur Dan Ali Ministers of Internal Affairs and Defense respectively , Tukur Buratai, Chief of Army Staff, Ibrahim Idris, Inspector General of Police, IGPto crack down on the armed herdsmen causing the havoc in parts of the country.
Buratai: Chief of Army Staff
The Presidential directive to the security Chiefs to stop the killings may have given ammunition to Mamman Lawal Daura and Mohammed Dauda, Director Generals, Department of State Security,DSS, and Defense Intelligence Agency, DIA, an to step up their intelligence gathering with the Coordination of Mohammed Babagana Munguno, the National Security Adviser, the NSA.
With barely one moth that Danjuma, a former Chief of Army Staff lambasted the Army over the herdsmen killings and Buhari’s intervention to save the situation from degenerating, on Saturday, April, 28, 2018, there were screaming headlines in all the major Newspapers in the country, ” Troops arrest Boko Haram suspects linked with the recent attacks and killings in Benue state”. The on-line media also feasted on the story .
Olabisi Ayeni, a Major and the Assistant Director, Army Public Relations officer said a combined team of the Army, police, and the DSS, had made the arrest of the Boko Haram fighters based on” credible intelligence after a fierce fighting in Guma Local government area of the state”.
He disclosed that the troops of the 707 Special Force who were on patrol of the Guma local government on getting to the suspected militia Camp were sighted by the armed herdsmen who fired at the troops , forcing the soldiers to tep up their counter attack. The armed herdsmen were said to have been over powered by the superior fire power of the soldiers in the gun battle on Thursday, April 26, 2018 as they took to their heals leaving some of their weapons and ammunitions including handsets. Ayeni confirmed the arrest of three of the militia herdsmen in their camp located near Tormatar village in Guma.
the soldiers may have been thrilled with the arrest of the notorious Aminu Yaminu , alias Tashaku, who was their Commander. The Army Assistant Director, Public Relations, said the captured armed herdsmen militia was instrumental to all the attacks and killings in Benue state.
The notorious Armed herdsmen may have fallen into the waiting hands of the Army when information filtered out that he has concluded plans with his men in Borno, Yobe and Nasarawa states to launch another major attack in Benue state. The information may have provided ammunition for troops of the Special Forces 707 Brigade and 72 Battalion based in Makurdi to prepare to invade the milita camp.
The Army spokesman also confirmed the arrest of three other members of the herdsmen militia. They are Abubakar Umaru, Adam Likita and Yusufu Alhaji Yaro. The arrest of the four principal armed herdsmen in the camp may have put them in disarray as they could no longer come together to plan to launch attacks on innocent citizens.
Prior to the raid on the militia camp in Benue state, Ayeni, a Major, disclosed that on Wednesday, April 25, 2018,one AK.47 rifles and five rounds of 7.6mm special ammunition were recovered in the bush by troops of the 707 Brigade who were patrolling the general area of Naku village in the volatile Gwer West Local government area of the state .
The arrest of the four armed militia herdsmen who were linked to Boko Haram fighters in the north eastern states of Adamawa, Borno and Yobe states confirms people’s fear that the suspected herdsmen killers in Benue, Plateau Adamawa, Niger, Nasarawa and Zanfara, were Boko Haram fighters masquerading as Herdsmen .
An elated Suleiman Mohammed, a Lt.Colonel and Commandant of 72 Battalion, Makurdi, was said to have t paraded the arrested armed herdsmen on Saturday, April 27, 2018, in Guma Local government Area of the state . The Commandant was also said to have showcased the AK47, ammunitions, charms and handsets ” recovered from the bush and the militia Camp.
Umaru and Yusuf, the two armed herdsmen who are still in the Army custody were said to have volunteered informations on interrogation that they usually hold their meetings near a river under a mango tree in Awe Local government Area of Nasarawa state to decide on where to launch their attacks.
A security analysts told the Magazine that the Security Chiefs may have taken the battle to the armed the herdsmen militia Camp in Benue state to pre-empt the mass protest planned by members of the Christian Association of Nigeria, CAN, slated on Sunday, April, 29, 2018. The planned protest by CAN could have been a big embarrassment to the All Progressive Congress , APC, led government of Buhari as the International were waiting to see how he would handle the crisis.
Prof. Yemi Osinbajo: Vice President
The analysts disclosed that the Army raid on the armed herdsmen militia Camp, clearly confirms what Danjuma, a former Chief of Army Staff said that the Army were colluding with the armed herdsmen to kill innocent citizens. This is because of the speed in which they raided the militia Camp within hours of a Presidential directive to the security Chiefs on Thursday, April26, 2018, to stop the killings in parts of the country, fueling speculation that the soldiers knew such a Camp exists in Benue state. there are fears in both official and unofficial circles that there may be other armed herdsmen militia Camps in Nasarawa and Taraba states.
Worried by the public outcry of people over the killings in Benue, Plateau, Nasarawa, Taraba, Adamawa and Zamfara by alleged armed herdsmen, Buhari had inaugurated a three-man Sub- Committee to unravel the causes of the incessant clashes between herdsmen and farmers and make recommendation on a way out of the crisis. on February 2018. The Sub-Committee was headed by Dave Umahi, an opposition Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, governor of Eboyi state.
The Umahi Committee was said to have submitted its report to the government which was received by Yemi Osibanjo, the Vice President on last Wednesday. Snippets of the report shows that there were three main categories of herdsmen criscrossing the country with their cattles , thus stepping the toe of farmers with the destruction of their crops.
According to the Committee, they are the nomadic herdsmen, foreign herdsmen and migrant herdsmen. The Committee members, who were said to have visited the flash point states confirmed that the continued activities of the armed herdsmen in the agrarian dominated Communities in these states was responsible for the for the frequent clashes with the farmers.
The Committee attributed the major causes of the conflict between the herdsmen and farmers a to perception and escalation of reports on the killings in these flash point states linked to the armed herdsmen in the media and competition for scarce resources. This is in addition” armed banditry through cattle rustlings and kidnapping”, the Committee remarked.
Osinbajo, however, believes that the frequent clashes between the armed herdsman and farmers in the flash point states was as a result of the proliferation of weapons in the country and the nation’s porous borders as criminal network took advantage of it to kill innocent citizens.
The Vice President was said to have told the gathering of the ministers of security and Agriculture/Natural Resources in Abuja recently that Nigeria intends to” follow the regional Cooperation model as applied to the threat posed by Boko Haram insurgents in the north in tackling the security threat posed by the escalating violence between herdsmen and farmers”.
Perhaps, to put an to the escalating tension, he was said to have called for a regional Cooperation, proper border management, Law Enforcement and identity management in the West African sub-region.
Jean Claude Kassi Brou, President, Economic Community of West Africa States, ECOWAS, Commission, who was said to have shared the same views with Osibanjo, the Nigeria Vice President, regretted that ”deaths and displacement of persons and the needless conflicts remain a major headache in the region in recent years which had resulted in” stigmatization of ethno-linguistic and cultural groups”.
In spite of the fact that Buhari has risen up to the challenge to face the herdsmen issue squarely, he may have played into the hands of the opposition PDP and other critics for failing to show up at the last FEC meeting to receive the Umahi Sub- Committee report forcing people to doubt every of his genuine moves to tackle the crisis.
The Committee had recommended a ”ban on open grazing across the country” and the establishment of ”ranches in the states affected by herdsmen onslaught ‘, which was endorsed by the Council’. The question on the lips of most people is: Will Buhari go along with the decision of the Council to adopt the recommendation of the Umahi Sub -Committee report on herdsmen and farmers incessant clashes? There are fears in both official and unofficial quarters that the report may gather dust in the Presidency like other good reports that had been prepared and presented to the government which had not seen the light of the day as he may not muster the political muscle to act on it.
Six years ago, little or nothing was known about Junior Oluwafemi Ajayi, Super Eagles striker, who made his debut for the national team in the friendly match against Serbia in London last month. The attacking prowess of Ajayi for his Egyptian club side, Al Ahly, caught the eyes of Super Eagles coach, Gernot Rohr, who invited the young lad to be part of last month’s friendlies against Poland and Serbia.
Junior Ajayi in action for Al Ahly of Egypt
For most soccer enthusiasts, Ajayi’s name became an household name following his impressive performance at the 2015 Under-23 African Championship held in Senegal, in which Nigeria qualified for the 2016 Rio Olympics game. Prior to that competition, Ajayi shone like a star at the 2015 All African Games hosted in Brazzaville, Congo, where the Under-23 team coached by Samson Siasia came third. As at this time, Ajayi dorned the jersey of Shooting Stars Football Club of Ibadan, after parting ways with Union Bank Football Club.
Stan Football Academy: The Under 13 team in a group photograph
Though, Ajayi has become the ‘beautiful bride’ in the Egyptian league and also in the Tunisian league where he made his first appearance in northern Africa. But, Ajayi’s name wouldn’t have been heard if not for the tutelage, fatherly care, interest and belief of Stanley Ngorube, the founder of Stan Football Academy in Lagos, who gave Ajayi the platform to showcase his skills after his father’s demise years back.
Ngorube started the football academy 13 years ago single handedly without any financial or moral support from any company or individual, in which over 30 of his players have signed deals with clubs around the world and at the nation’s domestic league.
According to Ngorube, the journey started back then when he was in the university, he had passion and flair for football, and been a footballer also, he felt that discovering young talents and moulding them into future stars was necessary.
“Aside the business angle of it, i decided to go for coaching courses to sharpen my skills and also to be able to impact young talents. This were the reasons i started the soccer academy, and have not regretted this action, because seeing young talents excelling in this profession gives me joy. We have the have the Under-10, 13, 15 and 17”.
The Imo state born Ngorube says the academy has been a able to synergise with clubs both locally and internationally, in which the players go for trials, but the academy has been quiet about this because there was a time it fell prey to fraudulent scouts who deceived them and went away with the academy’s money.
The aspiration of Ngorube is high. He believes that with the support of certain companies who believe in the dream of the academy can key in into the dream to make it a reality.
Ngorube dishing out instruction for his players
“I am open to sponsorship from any companies, NGOs that will partner with the academy for our dreams and aspiration to come into fulfilment in earnest. The prospect i have for this team is big, and i am optimistic in the near future that we will get there”.
Kemi Adeosun, minister of Finance appears to have put a close tab on statutory agencies to improve on government revenue generation as the amount shared by the Federal, states and Local governments in the month of April drops.
There are fears in both official and unofficial circles that the situation may not change for the better in subsequent months despite the increase in the price of a barrel of Crude Oil in the International Oil market unless the statutory agencies remit the operating surplus to the Federation account as expected without waiting for the ministry of Finance officials to run after them with caps in hand begging as was the case in the past.
The government had set a revenue target of N886 billion for the statutory agencies this year. The amount excludes the remittance of the Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation, NNPC, Nigeria Customs Service, NCS, and the Federal Inland Revenue Services and FIRS, known in official circles as the traditional government revenue generating agencies .
The revenue target may have put much pressures on these agencies including the traditional revenue generating agencies as they struggle to block areas of revenue leakages to meet the its monthly revenue expectation to lubricate the economy and meet the growing financial needs of the three tiers of government: Federal, states and local governments.
The Magazine learnt that since Adeosun, the minister of Finance stepped up the government revenue drive, there had been an intense competition among the government statutory agencies to remit revenue into the Federation Account to be in the good book of the minister as a performing agency. This is evident going by the amount that was said to had been remitted by the Nigeria Communications Commission, NCC, to the Federation Account between January and April 2018.
The remittance into the government coffers may have emboldened the agency to speak out . ”In compliance with the fiscal Responsibility Act of 2007, FRA 2007, the NCC, had remitted about N49.8 billion into the Federation Account, thus joining the league of government statutory revenue generating agencies.
President Muhammadu Buhari: Gave Adeosun the nod
Many believe that the NCC may have turned from a revenue defaulting agency to a revenue generating agency with the appointment of Umar Garba Danbata, as the Executive Vice Chairman by President Buhari in August 2015. to replace Eugene Juwa, whose tenure expired on July 29, 2015. Danbata was said to have started well by blocking areas of revenue leakage in the agency, thus making it possible for the Organization to remit its operating surpluses to the government monthly as required by law.
Danbata may have given a good signal to the ministry of Finance within his first year in office when the Commission made a remittance of N32.35 billion into government that it was ranked among the agencies that had turned a new leaf like the Nigeria Securities and Exchange Commission, SEC, Nigeria Tourism and Development Corporation, NTDC, National Maritime Administration and Safety Agency, NIMASA and Nigeria Ports Authority.
The government revenue drive may have forced NPA, which over the years had been collaborating with officials of Integrated Logistics Services, INTELS , to deny the government the revenue it was supposed to remit into its coffers to pay $28.1 million debt owed the government. That much was confirmed by Hadiza Usman, Managing Director of the Authority, stressing that an additional $14.5 million is awaiting official confirmation. The NPA boss confirmed that the total amount that had so far been paid by the Company to the government through the agency was $42..6 million.
There is no gain saying the fact that rush by government statutory agencies to meet their financial obligation to the government has made more money available to be shared by the Federal, states and local governments.
This is evident going by the money that had continued to be shared by the three tiers of government since last year and now. In April, 2018, alone, the three tiers of government was said to have shared N626.8 billion.
Ahmed Idris, the Accountant General of the Federation, AGF, disclosed that the sharing of the amount was a fallout of the meeting of the Federal Account Allocation Committee, FAAC . Given an insider information, the AGF, confirmed that N480.59 billion was received as gross statutory revenue from NNPC, NCS, Central Bank of Nigeria and other revenue remitting agencies.
Last march, the total amount that was said to have been approved for the three tiers of government to be shared was said to be N557.94 billion by Idris, the AGF, showing a drop of N77.34. He attributed the drop in revenue shared in the month of April to the decrease in Crude oil export sales to trading partners in the Asian country of China, Europe and the United States of America, USA. The AGF, confirmed that the country’s Crude Oil export sales dropped by 13 percent when compared to the 5.42 million barrels exported in the month of March.
The revenue realized within the period from Oil exports was said to have dropped by $33. 58 million. According to him, the drop in Oil exports was not unexpected because of the ”Shuts- ins and Shut- downs at various terminals across the Niger Delta for repairs and maintenance”.
The revenue from the Oil sector could not have fared worse as the price of a barrel of Oil, Nigeria Bonny Light . in the international Oil market increased from $63.08 to $65.72 .
He said the three tiers government even had good revenue to share in the month of April because there was ”considerable rise in oil royalty payment by the Oil Producing Companies. This is in addition to the marginal increases recorded in Companies Income Tax, CIT, Value Added Tax, VAT, and Import Duty.
A good source of revenue that that the government had banked on to give a boost the amount that was shared in the month of April was the payment of Petroleum Profit Tax by the Oil Companies but the PPT payment was said to be a disappointment. ”There was a significant drop in income from PPT”, the AGF said.
There are fears that there may not be any improvement in revenue generation and amount shared by the three tiers of government for now because of the slow growth of the economy. Udoma Udo Udoma, the minister of National Planning painted the gloomy picture of the economy when he confirmed at a recent World Bank meeting that the ”rate of Nigeria’s economic growth is still very slow”.
Udoma Udo Udoma: Minister For National Planning
The minister lamented that the country’s problem for now is not ” debt settlement or rescheduling with Creditor nations but a revenue problem. It is not surprising why Adeosun, the Finance mister, is focused on generating more revenue for the government.
As part of the government efforts to improve on its revenue generation and put more money in FG, states and Local governments coffers, it was learnt that the government is trying the tax amnesty option and increase the tax revenue being generated as well as well as reviewing the list of Companies paying excise duties . This is evident with the review of the rates and bases for excise duties on alcoholic and beverages.
A source in ministry of Finance informed the Magazine that it was communicated to Hameed Ali, a rtd Colonel and Comptroller General, Nigeria Customs Service, NCS, on March 6, 2018. The Law, according is to become effective from June, 2018.
The new excisable duty regime for alcoholic, beverages and tobacco products currently the only excisable items in the country is an indication of a shift from advalorem specific rate taxation on for beer, stout, wines and spirits.
Insiders told the Magazine that new excise regime was informed by the decline in non oil revenues, revenue leakages and to control consumption of foreign goods.
The government had set the country’s economic growth rate at seven percent by the year 2020 to be Comfortable in running the country without borrowing from both local and foreign Creditors. Udoma, the National Planning minister disclosed that the government is working hard to ensure that the ”economy pick up”. He maintained that they are ”poised to continue focus on the various measures to accelerate growth and generate more revenues.
When two Professors are Pilot and Co-Pilot respectively, and are at the helm of affairs in the cockpit, there must be a difference. This is true of Cross River state under the innovative leadership of Professor Ben Ayade and his Deputy, Professor Ivara Esu.
The last three years of the Ayade administration has clearly defined him as a governor with a difference in terms of the tenor of his achievements in office: Ayade has now and again demonstrated his focus is industrialization of the state hence under his watch, avalanche of multi-billion Naira, jobs creating industries now dot Cross Rivers state.
Some of the Ayade signature industries include a massive rice seeds and seedling factory, garment industry-the first of its kind in Africa with over 2,000 sewing machines, Calabar Pharmaceutical Company, the Bakassi deep seaport, Cosmetics factory, a 30000 tonnes per anum cocoa processing plant, and the ultramodern rice milk in Ogoja among other.
Speaking on Thursday amid cheers from farmers at the Cross River state Rice city situated at the Ayade Industrial Park in Calabar, venue for the Rice Farmers Association of Nigeria (RIFAN)/ CBN/Cross River inauguration program said, the idea was to create jobs., the governor advised Cross Riverians to embrace agriculture, describing that sector an untapped goldmine: Anybody who has never believed in farming, this is the time to believe. It’s the future; it takes the federal government #460 billion and additional #60 billion in the month of December to import Rice”
The governor stated that the state was ready to harvest a whole chunk of the money because “we are producing seedlings in this big (Rice) factory”. He expressed the hope that a minimum of #100 billion will come from the Rice factory to help fund the state’s #1.3 trillion budget.
On the federal government’s decision to support about 25 thousand rice farmers in the state with N10.8 billion, the governor said: “We appreciate the gesture but what we will appreciate more is when our farmers don’t have to till or toil under the sun. Let them have the opportunity to use the latest technology in farming and not put them through the mercy of rainfall to be able to have their yield and harvest. Let them not toil in vain because by the time they harvest, there will be nobody to buy off the crops from them.”
The National deputy President of Rice Farmers Association of Nigeria (RIFAN), Segun Atoh applauded Ayade for embarking on agricultural ventures that will boost food sufficiency for self reliance.
Ayade’s performance has won him accolades and effusive praises.For example, on a visit to the state last year, former Deputy Senate President, Ibrahim Mantu hailed him as an achiever saying: “You have turned this state to into a role model; getting the least allocation yet paying salaries on or before the 25th of every month, a feat only good governors and prudent managers of resources can guarantee”. And in recoginition of his giant strides in Cross Rivers, Vanguard Newspaper in 2016 awarded him Vanguard Man of the year 2016.
Essentially, governor Ayade has at every fora explained and justified his industrialization drive.In his words: “I know what I am doing when I made a choice to go into industrialization. I can build a road from here to Ougaduogu, it would not create jobs, but when you build a factory it creates jobs…why are you a governor when your people go to bed hungry?” “These factories have been built in just under three years in a state where we get near zero allocation from the federation account, a state that is the first to pay salaries ever since I came into office in spite of the fact that I have brought thousands of people into the pay roll through appointments.”
President Muhammadu Buhari has ramp up his effort to fully take control of the political machinery of the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC since he came back from the CHOGM meeting in London, the United Kingdom on Monday, April 23.
The development the magazine learned may not be unconnected with his dwindling political fortunes locally and internationally. The president is trying to rally home support for his ambition for a second term in office, considering the feelers he’s getting from international community, sources told the magazine.
For instance, critics believe that the United States of America, USA is one of the countries allies where President Buhari is expecting to get endorsement for his re-election bid.
President Buhari is expected to meet President Donald Trump next month in Washinton DC. But ahead of the bilateral talks with the world most powerful leader, the United States government has released damning report condemning the Buhari administration.
The report may be an indication that the US has turned his back on Buhari, some analysts say.
The report released few days ago carpeted the President Buhari led government human rights record. Apart from this, the report said the fight against corruption has become a lip service under the administration.
Part of the report stated that “Impunity remained widespread at all levels of government. The government did not adequately investigate or prosecute most of the major outstanding allegations of human rights violations by the security forces or the majority of cases of police or military extortion or other abuse of power.”
“Most significant human rights issues included extrajudicial and arbitrary killings; disappearances and arbitrary detentions; torture, particularly in detention facilities, including sexual exploitation and abuse; use of children by some security elements, looting, and destruction of property.
“There were also civilian detentions in military facilities, often based on flimsy evidence; denial of fair public trial; executive influence on the judiciary; infringement on citizens’ privacy rights; restrictions on freedoms of speech, press, assembly, and movement.”
Claiming that the fight against graft under President Buhari has failed the report stated that “official corruption; lack of accountability in cases involving violence against women and children, including female genital mutilation/cutting and sexual exploitation of children; trafficking in persons; early and forced marriages; criminalization of status and same-sex sexual conduct based on sexual orientation and gender identity; and forced and bonded labor.”
The report also gave a damning verdict on the security situation in the country citing killing by Boko Haram, which the government, the report said has failed to address. It says “Boko Haram terror group” has “committed a myriad of human rights violations, killing and torturing and imprisoning women and children and bombing entire villages.
“The groups conducted numerous attacks on government and civilian targets that resulted in thousands of deaths and injuries, widespread destruction, the internal displacement of approximately 1.8 million persons, and external displacement of an estimated 205,000 Nigerian refugees to neighboring countries, principally Cameroon, Chad, and Niger,” the report said.
”Boko Haram’s numerous attacks often targeted civilians. The group, which recruited and forcefully conscripted child soldiers, carried out scores of suicide bombings–many by young women and girls forced into doing so–and other attacks on population centers in the Northeast and in Cameroon, Chad, and Niger.
“Abductions by Boko Haram continued. The group subjected many abducted women and girls to sexual and gender-based violence, including forced marriages and rape. The government investigated attacks by Boko Haram and ISIS-WA and took some steps to prosecute their members, although the majority of suspected insurgent group supporters were held in military custody without charge,
“In its response to Boko Haram and ISIS-WA attacks, and at times in response to crime and insecurity in general, security service personnel perpetrated extrajudicial killings and engaged in torture, sexual exploitation and abuse, arbitrary detention, mistreatment of detainees, use of children by some security elements, looting, and destruction of property. The country also suffered from ethnic, regional, and religious violence,” the report added.
Apart from the US which has seemingly gave an indication that it’s not likely to support the second term bid of the president, feelers from another major ally, United Kingdom seems to point in the same direction.
United Kingdom Prime Minister, Teressa May had also told President Buhari’s government to review the Anti Gay law passed by the National Assembly in 2014. critics say this is part of the plans to stop Buhari, knowing that this is almost impossible considering a back lash that is likely to follow such action from Nigerians.
Also, the private visit by President Buhari to the Archbishop of Canterbury, Justin Welby, some say is an indication that the West is worried about the capability of President Buhari to solve the many social, economic problems facing the country.
Welby, a major supporter of the president had told him that he’s unhappy with the security situation in the country, particularly the unresolved killings of farmers by Fulani herdsmen in Nigeria’s North Central region.
Bishop Welby had “expressed deep concern about the suffering resulting from raids on Christian communities and villages as far south as Delta State. He said the killings “have led to very many deaths and threaten an escalation of violence,” urging President Buhari to take ”measures to restore confidence in the neutrality of the state.”
He also urged the president to take urgent steps to free Leah Sharibu – the 14-year old Dapchi Christian school girl still held captive by Boko Haram for refusing to convert to Islam – and urged the President to do everything possible to secure her release.”
Buhari who came to office in 2015 has watched his popularity nosedived in the last few months so much so that notable Nigerians are also calling on him not to seek election to the exalted office next year.
Notable Nigerians who have warned Buhari not to run are former Presidents Olusegun Obasanjo and Ibrahim Babangida. Others include Dr Judaid Muhammed , Tanko Yakassai and former Governor of Kaduna state, Balarabe Musa.
From all indications President Buhari seems to have taken the advice, not to run for granted. The Katsina born Army General has recently declared his intension to seek re-election for a fresh four years term.
He disclosed this to National Working Committee, NWC of APC on April 8, barely few hours before traveling to the United Kingdom for the CHOGM meeting.
Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar is silently working underground to grab the Presidential ticket of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP to the chagrin and discomfort of some other presidential aspirants of the party and APC leadership. Atiku who rejoined the PDP last year after a sojourn in the All Progressives Congress, APC, early this year declared his ambition to replace President Muhammadu Buhari next year as President.
His return to the PDP had aroused tremendous interest and passion within and outside the party with many predicting he would effortlessly grab the party’s presidential ticket.
With Gombe state governor, Ibrahim Dankwanbo and former Jigawa state governor, Sule Lamido indicating interest in the PDP presidential ticket too, Atiku’s critics say his own presidential ambition has not only weaned but has lost the initial momentum. However, credible sources close to the former number two citizen informed this magazine he has in the last two months been reaching out quietly to PDP bigwigs across the country including state and ward chairmen of the party.
The source gathered that Atiku’s interface with the party leaders at state levels will be periodic. This is with the view of keeping close tab on them ahead the PDP presidential primaries. “Atiku will spring surprises at the PDP primaries. You know the Waziri Adamawa is a great mobiliser and a grassroots politician; he has been meeting with states and ward chairmen of the party and before the primaries, he will meet every single delegate to the excise. He will personally interact with the delegates. He will go visiting them individually in their various states” , an Atiku loyalist told The Source
Followers of PDP politics opine that among those who have so far indicated interest for PDP’s presidential ticket, only the former VP enjoys massive following, country-wide reach, influence and deeper war chest to mount a vigorous campaign against the APC and President Buhari next year.
Had members of the Executive, National Assembly, and the leaders of this our great country earlier received information one day that the wives, children and other close relatives they left at home while performing their Executive and legislative duties in Abuja had been gruesomely murdered by alleged Fulani herdsmen while in their farms, or worshipping their God in their Churches or Mosques, would this plaguing herdsmen killings not have been checked?
Would they have taken it as the Lords doing, and continued to describe the inhuman and barbaric act with various high sounding English terminologies, or would they have risen up in anger and put a stop to the daily mournings the nation has been subjected to? This is because both the knife and the yam are in their hands.
Nigerians have expressed dissatisfaction to President Muhammadu Buhari’s reaction to Tuesday, April 24, 2018, herdsmen’s latest killings at St. Ignatius Catholic Church in Ukpor-Mbalom community in Gwer-east of Benue state.
The President in his reaction in a statement by his Aide, Femi Adesina, had described the murder as vile and satanic insisting that the perpetrators of the crime were clearly making attempt to stoke up religious conflict and possibly plunge our communities into endless bloodletting.
“I extend my sincere condolences to the government and people of Benue State, the Mbalom community, and especially the Bishop, priests and members of the St Ignatius’ Catholic Church, whose premises was the unfortunate venue of the heinous killings by gunmen.”
“This latest assault on innocent persons is particularly despicable. Violating a place of worship, killing priests and worshipers is not only vile, evil and satanic, it is clearly calculated to stoke up religious conflict and plunge our communities into endless bloodletting,” he said.
Buhari noted that the country will not bow to the machinations of evildoers, adding that the assailants would be hunted down and made to pay for the sacrilege committed.
The killings came barely few days after an attack in Naka community, where two persons were feared dead and several houses burnt to ashes, and while President Buhari was assuring Nigerians that the perpetrators would be brought to book, they attacked again on Wednesday and Thursday morning, April 25th and 26th. “ I dare you to catch me if you can,” they seem to be taunting the President and his government.
In his reaction, Paul Ameh, a Sociologist, told the Magazine: “ With the trend, it seems the government is helpless and cannot do anything to check this herdsmen menace. But I tell you that it is not so. This country has the needed human and material requirements to curb these needless and barbaric killings. The issue is that those to give the order seem to be dragging feet for their selfish religious, socio-cultural and political reasons.
“ I don’t think Mr. President has given the right order. For Christ sake, the Nigerian President wields enormous powers. I don’t know what is withholding him from exercising them, especially now that he wants to go for a second term. Let President stop condoling the bereaved, ‘speak the word and see if his servant will not be healed.”
In her own reaction, an angry Mrs. Unyio Johnson, lamented thus: “ We are tired of their condolences. We are tired of their playing politics with the lives of Nigerians which are worth nothing, and shows when our people are murdered in foreign countries and our government does nothing.
“We are tired of being made homeless in our land and the government stands and watches, even withdrawing our security and forcing us not to defend ourselves. The way it is going, what is good for the goose is gradually reaching the gander.”
Following protests on the killings, the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) and the Benue Valley Professionals Network (BPN) have condemned the attack.
In his reaction, Special Assistant (Media and Communications) to the CAN President, Pastor Bayo Oladeji, stated that Christians had become endangered species in the country, while regretting that the security agencies have failed the nation by their inability to curb the killings and asked President Buhari and his security team to end the killings.
“CAN reiterates its position that our security agencies have failed the country; Christians have truly become endangered species in the country. Until they wake up from their slumber, the killing of innocent Nigerians with impunity will remain unabated.
“We also ask those who have friends and family in high places to plead with President Muhammadu Buhari, his security team, Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association of Nigeria to use all power at their disposal to end this senseless slaughter of unarmed defenceless people in the Benue Valley, Middle Belt, Zamfara and everywhere else in the country.”
While appealing to the global community to come to the aid of the farming communities in Benue and other parts of the country by ending the terror attacks across the nation, it stated:
“We reject in totality the ungodly idea that cattle matter more than human lives and call on all who have an iota of human feeling in them to end this madness before it consumes us all and leaves us without a country.”
Many believe that the President can do something to check the mindless killings of the helpless and unarmed innocent, but will he do it? Are there powers above him that are influencing his taking urgent steps to check the menace?
Not a few Nigerians feel that he is dragging his feet. “Speak the word, and let your servant be healed”, they seem to chorus to the President.
