Category: Hardball

Wonders, as they say in street locution, will never end. Termites are reported to have eaten up vouchers of transactions involving some N17.158billion at the Nigeria Social Insurance Trust Fund (NSITF). Vouchers covering N17.1billion transactions must be sizeable, and termites that ate them up within a span of under 10 years deserve a place in the Guinness World Book of Records!

At a Senate Public Accounts Committee hearing last week into alleged illegal transfers of the stated sum into personal accounts and accounts of companies, legislators were told that documents concerned were kept by past managements in a container that “has not only been weather beaten over the years, but even possibly eaten up by termites.” To be clear, the transactions were in 2013 under the leadership of former NSITF Managing Director Mallam Umar Munir Abubakar; only that the burden fell on current Managing Director Dr. Michael Akabogu to provide the said explanation.

The Senate panel’s investigation was warranted by 2018 report of the Auditor-General of the Federation, which raised about 50 queries on misappropriations running into several billions at NSITF. The particular query at issue noted that NSITF management “transferred  amounts totaling N17,158,883,034.69billion to some persons and companies from (specified) accounts. However, payment vouchers relating to the transfers together with their supporting documents were not provided for audit. Consequently, the purpose(s) for the transfers could not be authenticated.” The query added: “These  are in violation of Financial Rule 601, which states that ‘All payment entries in the cashbook/accounts shall be vouched for on one of the prescribed treasury forms. Vouchers shall be made out in favour of the person or persons to whom the money is actually due.’ Under no circumstances shall a cheque be raised, or cash paid for services for which a voucher has not been raised.”

In his submission to the Senate panel, Abubakar, who was NSITF boss from 2010 to 2016 and under whom the transactions were made, said he was unaware of the query and had no explanations since the audit was not carried out during his tenure. His successor, Adebayo Somefun, who headed the agency from 2017 to 2020, said personnel in the accounts section should be able to trace the  documents that the current General Manager, Finance alleged to have been locked up in an abandoned container within NSITF premises. That was the context in which Akabogu said the documents were possibly eaten up by termites.

But that explanation sounded like when an official of the Joint Admission and Matriculation Board in 2018 said about N36million kept in the offices had been eaten up by a mysterious snake. The issue in this case is really not with the current Akabogu administration at NSITF, but with Abubakar who should be firmly held to account even though he’s no longer in office at the agency.

The South East Monay-Monday sit-ins, IPOB’s “winning” joker to plead the case of its caged leader, Nnamdi Kanu, appears waning, at least according to a report by The Nation of August 16.

The report surveyed the situation in Abia, Anambra, Ebonyi, Imo and Enugu; and reports that the strike’s enforcement is fast losing its bite — and about time too.  For immediate gains, IPOB had rashly cut its nose to spite its face, and the emerging gargoyle wasn’t pretty!

For starters, the all-muscle-no-brain enforcement fiercely let off the criminal side of the IPOB agitation, which has climaxed in grotesque Igbo-on-Igbo killings.  That IPOB had to resort to such strong arm tactics de-markets its popularity among the herd.  Whatever popularity, among the converted, fast turned into notoriety, with weekly bashed heads and hewn limbs.

But more structurally serious: the loss of routine revenue, which made the pocket to badly hurt, showed the limitation — if not utter stupidity — of that tactic.  How long does IPOB expect folks to sacrifice their income on Mondays — the prime day of commerce — in the look out for a distant El-Dorado, which by the day becomes more fleeting as a mirage in a desert?

Of course, after letting out the terrible gene out of the bottle, IPOB essayed some funny disclaimer: those responsible for the hideous violence, arson and looting were not its members.  It can continue to tell that to the marines!

But even if its claims were true, it still bore — and continues to bear — vicarious responsibility.  If it hadn’t rashly declared a half-thought-out sit-at-home strikes, hoodlums wouldn’t have taken undue advantage of it all.

Aside from lost markets and earnings, IPOB would have explanations for kids who, because of the strikes, missed important examinations like West Africa Examination Council (WAEC)-conducted SSS 3 terminal examinations; and other needless dislocations in the lives of Igbo teens and other Nigerians living in the South East.

But just as well the whole thing is petering out and ordinary folks, many of them depending on daily earnings, can get their lives back.  If IPOB were smart, it would just let go and let it die a natural death.

Otherwise, it’s case would be like the tortoise that swore it wouldn’t return to base until it was disgraced.

The Monday-Monday sit-at-home strikes, are at best, suspect tactics; and definitely catastrophic strategy, for there appears no fall-back position. Still, you can’t trust IPOB not to ride its luck, being always driven more by emotive brawn than clinical reason, in its infantile propaganda.

Kaduna State Governor Nasir el-Rufai is hard pressed with deadly exploits of terrorists in his state, among other areas in the Northwest where they are currently exerting heavy toll on the citizenry. That, apparently, is why he’s been vocal in advocating unsparing crackdown against the criminals, including their mass slaughter by carpet-bombing forests they are believed to harbour in. His advocacy has not resonated with the Muhammadu Buhari presidency, ostensibly considering the larger implication for the safety of hostages being held by the terrorists. But el-Rufai isn’t keeping quiet.

Reports surfaced last week about a recent memo by the Kaduna governor to President Buhari in which he bluntly stated that terrorists were holding turf in remote areas of the state and had established “a parallel governing authority.” According to the leaked July memo, which hasn’t been denied, el-Rufai warned that terrorists had advanced with plans to make stretches of the forest area between Kaduna and Niger states their operational base for the Northwest region, citing a “series of intelligence reports.” He was reported saying terrorists were exacting tax from residents of communities in the area and had enacted a law banning them from participating in the 2023 elections, “especially in Madobiya and Kazage villages.” The governor stated that Ansaru terrorists harbouring in Kuyello district of Birnin Gwari council area recently conducted a nuptial ceremony at which they married two female residents of Kuyello village. He added that the terrorists hold sway enough to adjudicate disputes between residents; for instance, they “fined one Mu’azu Ibrahim, a resident of Kuyello community, the sum of one million naira for selling plots of land without the consent of the owners.” According to him, “multiple reports also exist of bandits and terrorists exacting protection levies and similar taxes from farmers and communities, in return for permission to cultivate their fields.”

If it was someone else making the case, especially from other political parties, he would be accused of the grossly irresponsible act of seeking partisan capital with something so sensitive as national security. But this was Governor el-Rufai, a stalwart of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) and close associate of President Buhari. National interest must underlie his disclosure, after all he was specific in identifying endangered territories. But the disclosure was nonetheless ‘brutal’ because it gave the lie to the official narrative that terrorists no longer hold any Nigerian territory, unlike under the former Goodluck Jonathan era when they controlled council areas in the Northeast. el-Rufai should, however, not be begrudged for his blunt candour, his alarm should rather be a wake-up call to the actual state of things and need for more earnest counter-action.

Ezenwo Nyesom Wike, Rivers State governor, is no near old age, though at 59, he peeps at that zone.  So, teaching a man new tricks at old age hardly applies to him.

Still, there is something worrying about his life pact with bragging.  Bragging could have fetched Wike some triumph — take his self-exultant moniker of Mr. Projects.

Many would say that moniker is fairly earned, for Wike is at his noise-some best, when he crows during project inaugurations, mainly flyovers and sundry others, as the support infrastructure that his government gifted the Port Harcourt campus of the Nigerian Law School.

One of the latest of such inaugurations was on August 9; to which Wike invited Lagos Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu.  There, you founded Wike in his true elements, bragging — what else?

“I can sway Rivers votes, Wike boasts”, was how The Nation of August 10 captured Wike’s latest boast extravaganza.  Why, the governor detoured to lampoon a columnist, who claimed that for flyovers, Wike had allegedly shirked Rivers seniors’ pension rights!  His Crowing Majesty, The Ezenwo!

Still latterly, excessive bragging has cost Wike dear.  For fulsome bragging, Wike lost the PDP presidential ticket.  His supposed friend, Aminu Tambuwal, ditched him for a sweetheart deal with Atiku Abubakar.

For further insensitive bragging, Atiku ditched Wike for the calmer and less combative Ifeanyi Okowa of Delta.  That has further re-energized Wike’s bragging, and he seems not ready to be consoled any time soon.  This is curious, though: didn’t Wike earlier brag that it was either the presidential ticket or nothing?

But the August 9 Wike excitement came from a reported Atiku move to side-track Wike and talk to other Rivers PDP powers and principalities, on Atiku’s presidential win dreams.  That move Wike didn’t find funny at all; and Mr. Project seized the latest Project inauguration to warn Atiku off that high-risk project!  Grimly poetic, wasn’t that?

Still, it’s curious how Wike often conflates his political future with the Rivers people’s, as if both are co-joined twins.  Might that be correct reading from an acute political antenna, like a roach that bustles around in pit darkness?

Or just fancy dreams pressed into (dis)service by a bloke with a huge personality disorder of excess self-worship?

Dis-service?  O yes!  If an out-going two-term governor couldn’t brag his way into everything he desires, how would bragging win him everything when he is out of power — and with the lousy way he treated Rotimi Ameachi, his predecessor and old benefactor? What if his successor strikes from that same political primer?

Wike might yet hit a winning post-power formula.  But he had better think more and brag less.  Otherwise, he might just cut the sorry model of the loneliest out of power, from the loudest in it, in a Nigerian political ocean that teems with sharks that don’t take prisoners!

Wildlife conservation is a worthwhile, even if somewhat elitist enterprise. And it is gratifying that, with all of Nigeria’s bestialising woes at the moment, the Presidency retains sensitivity for the delicate art. It is troubled by indiscriminate killing of wildlife species in the environs of the Presidential Villa, Abuja.

Permanent Secretary, State House, Tijjani Umar, last weekend said it was important to preserve wildlife species around Aso Rock. Speaking while receiving a delegation of rangers from the National Park Service, along their colleagues in Presidential Villa service known as ‘Royal Rangers,’ he stressed the importance of preserving plant and animal life in natural habitats and promised appropriate measures to preserve wildlife, protect nature and reverse increasing loss of wildlife species at the seat of power. Among others, Umar announced that areas of the Presidential Villa that are natural habitats to some wildlife species including tantalus monkeys, crocodile, pythons, giant tortoise, bush rats, guinea fowls, bats and diverse species of birds have been delineated as conservation zones. He urged staff and visitors to the Villa to preserve the biodiversity, adding that signages would be erected in specific sections for sensitisation and compliance. “We will continue to support you to do your work effectively. The protection of the eco-system and the species in the Villa is not for the rangers alone, it is a task for all of us,” he told his guests.

By no means should wildlife be endangered in their natural habitats, as that would violate the idea of environmental preservation. But since it is the Nigerian presidency concerned here, it is opportune to also flag the imperative of diligent attention to preservation of human lives in their sociological habitats. The siege of insecurity upon the country is fast eroding that imperative, and there is a general perception the presidency isn’t up to speed in tackling the trend. Some suspect it isn’t fully abreast of the magnitude of the endangerment of Nigerian lives, or it is simply helpless to radically curtail the hazard. Almost on a daily basis, lives are lost across the country to assaults by terrorists; or persons get  kidnapped by abductors who would let them go upon payment of huge ransoms if they are lucky, because there are many who have paid ransoms but yet got killed by their abductors rather than be let go. How about thousands who are internally displaced? In other areas, insurgents suspected to be separatists have been slaying people in their communities of residence. If as much sensitivity shown for wildlife preservation is mustered, we could hope for more decisive measures to stem the threats to human lives.

MY Lord, in our country, there are many assassinations, but nobody is doing something about it.”  This was an unexpected and thought-provoking remark by Uduak Akpan, following his conviction for murder.

The State High Court in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State, on August 4, sentenced him to death by hanging. He had been accused of raping and killing a female job seeker, Iniubong Umoren, in April last year. The judge said the prosecution had proved the charges beyond doubt.

Akpan was accused of raping and killing Umoren on the outskirts of Uyo after he lured her to his family house with a fake job offer. Her remains were buried in a shallow grave at the place.

A report said the judge had asked Akpan if he would like to say “something” to the court after his conviction. “My Lord, I am not guilty,” he was reported to have responded.  But the judge was said to have told him that the court had passed that stage, adding that the convict should say “something” related to the case.

Akpan then made an observation on assassinations in the country. It is unclear why he made the remark, and what he expected to achieve by saying what he said.

It is curious that the convicted murderer seemed to have lamented the number of unresolved assassinations in the country.  It was an unlikely lamentation from an unlikely source.

Read Also: UPDATED: Court sentences job seeker Umoren’s murderer to death

But his comment deserves attention. His status as a condemned criminal does not detract from the credibility of his observation.  It is true that there have been many unresolved murders in different parts of the country, including assassinations.

Notably,  the Global Initiative Against Transnational Organised Crime, in its 2021 Global Assassination Monitor, said no fewer than 184 persons were assassinated by hit men in Nigeria and some other African countries in the period 2019 and 2020.

The victims, according to the report, fell into eight target categories: politics and governance; local community;  security; illicit markets; media; criminal justice; the  private sector and the international community.

In Africa, the report said, 51 persons were killed in the local community; 57 in politics and governance; 28 in security; seven in illicit markets; five in the media; 10 in the criminal justice system; 12 in the private sector; and six in the international community.

Akpan’s observation is relevant. Indeed, it can be described as a call to action. Hardball remembers the unresolved assassination of the journalist Dele Giwa, in 1986, and the politician Bola Ige, in 2001, for instance.