At least two reasons emerged from an arrested gun-runner as to why the terror war in the country has lingered. One is the fact that it has become an industry from where some military officers and civilians make a lot of illicit money. The other, though related somewhat to the first, is that collusion would almost be impossible without the involvement of some soldiers and other security agents.

A 30-year-old suspect, Shehu Alli Kachalla, arrested by troops of the Federal Intelligence Investigation Bureau in Gussau, the Zamfara State capital, said a military personnel usually gives him cover at security checkpoints to enable him deliver arms to criminals in their hideouts. He said he had sold 450 rifles and 8,000 live ammunition to different criminal gangs in Zamfara, Kaduna and Niger states. Kachalla, a Nigerien citizen, has been importing weapons from Niger Republic in the last three years.

It is significant that some other arrests had been made before Kachalla’s.

On June 8, last year, a syndicate allegedly supplying drugs, bread and other food items to bandits operating in Zaria, Kaduna State, and its environs was smashed by operatives of the FIB Intelligence Response Team (FIB-IRT) at the Rigachikun base in Kaduna, after supplying bread to the bandits in their hideout in the forest.

But the job of supplying arms to terrorists is not for minions alone. This, at least, was what the arrest of another alleged supplier of arms to them revealed. Musa Mohammed Kamarawa, 33, who was arrested in February shocked Nigerians when he disclosed how he bought a N28.5million gun truck for the notorious bandit leader in Sokoto State, Bello Turji, his childhood friend. Kamarawa said he had brought sophisticated weapons into Nigeria on many occasions.

Many other arrests had been made.

It is intriguing that the arms and food suppliers know that their customers are bandits but they feign ignorance of collusion with them. We do not believe this, though. What rather seems credible is that economic considerations trounce other considerations in the transactions.

Indeed, one of the questions that hitherto bothered Nigerians is how terrorists are able to sneak in arms into the country without being detected by the customs and immigration and other officials. But the confessions of some of these terrorism suspects have provided answers to some of these lingering questions. One is that the motivation to remain in business is high for all the people involved. For instance, Kachalla said he developed interest in the illicit business due to the high profit. According to him, he sells a rifle for between N600,000 and N1million,  depending on the make, and realises about N300,000  on each rifle sold. This is aside the profit he makes from selling ammunition which he said he sold for N1,100 each.

Also, an alleged member of the syndicate smashed on June 8, last year, told interrogators that he made about N150,000 weekly from supplying bread to the bandits adding that this rose sharply to about N70,000 daily, following the abduction of some students of Greenfield University in Kaduna by bandits.

We can therefore see the motivation at both ends. It is obvious that while the bandits have access to regular supply of critical supplies like food, arms and other items, the suppliers too are happy that they are able to make money without hawking in search of ever dwindling customers. We can also see the mutual benefit to both parties when large numbers of people are abducted.

But it is not only the suppliers and bandits that smile to the banks. Their security agents’ collaborators do too. From what is known so far, their  networks involve military and political elites working in collaboration. Although Kachalla said his illicit activities had been facilitated by a military officer, one person cannot do this alone. Of course, we also have top military officers involved in arms contract who are similarly making a kill by inflating contract costs or simply pocketing money for the purchase of arms. Good enough, some of them have been jailed.

It would appear that the information in the public domain about the networking of the bandits, their sponsors and suppliers as well as their security agents and political elite collaborators is enough to nip banditry in the bud. But one critical element that seems to be missing is the political will to deal decisively with the situation.

The Federal Government must be ready and willing to smash the networks providing oxygen for these criminals. It must also be ready to provide the needed resources, including arms and ammunition, to prosecute the war, as well as adequately motivate the officers and men in the security agencies. Stories of inadequate care of soldiers, which we feel would be far more than have been made public, are, to say the least, disturbing. The government must also ensure adequate cover for the country’s  official and unofficial borders as well as engage local communities with a view to securing their support in the terror war.

In the final analysis, it is the government’s resolve to end banditry that is perhaps the most important elixir needed to facilitate an end to the security challenge. It is sad that the government on its own volition promised to name and prosecute terrorism sponsors and is yet to do that more than one year after. We do not see the sense in keeping secret the identities of people who are publicly and senselessly shedding the blood of innocent people.

Above all, the government must address the socio-economic and socio-cultural dimensions of the insurgency.

Occupational accidents and work-related diseases result in more than 6,000 deaths worldwide on a daily basis, according to the International Labour Organisation (ILO). The global body estimated that some 2.3million people around the world die from work-related injuries and diseases every year, while about 340million others suffer injuries from occupational accidents and 160million fall victim of work-related illnesses annually.

ILO periodically updates its estimates and these latest figures indicate an uptick in the rate of work-related accidents and cases of ill health. They also bear out safety expert and  chair of the Lagos State chapter of Institute of Safety Professionals of Nigeria (ISPON), Olusola Ogunleye, who said about 6,300 people die globally every day due to occupational accidents and diseases linked to work. According to him, hundreds of millions more suffer injuries and other hazards that lead to extended absence from work. Ogunleye spoke during the commemoration of 2022 edition of  ‘World Day for Safety and Health at Work,’ where he called on government at all levels to show strong commitment towards building and maintenance of preventive safety and health culture and also ensure that occupational safety and health (OSH) takes priority in national, state and local agenda. He called on employers of labour in private and public sectors to integrate OSH management into their business model, and on employees to take responsibility for working safely and protecting themselves and others against harm at the workplace. “They should know their rights, and collaborate with employers and participate in the implementation of all preventive measures at the workplace,” the safety expert said.

At another event to commemorate the same occasion in Abuja, the Federal Government stressed the imperative of collective approach to building occupational safety and health culture towards promoting national development. Labour and employment minister of state Festus Keyamo said government’s strategy included promoting public awareness about the need for safe and healthy environment at the workplace through national programmes, enactment of relevant legislations and entering collective agreements in line with ILO’s decent work agenda. “Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, we have seen that having a strong occupational safety and health system was very apt,” the minister said, adding: “We saw meaningful participation by government, employers, workers, public health actors, among others  that are crucial in protecting the working environment and safeguarding the safety and health of workers.” According to him, there is need for continuous collaboration and co-operation of all stakeholders across all sectors to ensure highest possible level of safety, health and wellbeing of workers in the country.

The commemoration of the 2022 work safety day was a fitting occasion to once again highlight occupational safety and health at the workplace as a significant aspect of our basic civilisation as a people. Abusive conditions in the work environment derogate from our claim to civilisation and tarnish our collective image in humanity. Such abusive conditions had in the past been reported in factories – many run by foreigners – where casualised factory hands have been made to work in neo-slavery that in some cases has resulted in the death or permanent disability of affected workers. Nigerian labour laws are somewhat permissive and have allowed slave masters masquerading as employers to exploit defenceless Nigerians desperate to make a living in a harsh economy; very few of the cases that got exposed and made it to the courts have resulted in adequate compensation for survivors. It is good, therefore, that government at the recent commemoration touched on the issue of legislation, which is one area it needs to look closely into to remedy abuses that are perpetrated by stealth in some outfits.

The emphasis of this year’s commemoration was, however, on collective approach to ensuring safe work environment. Workers must play their part by imbibing the culture of safety and supporting efforts by employers towards reducing, if not eliminate hazards in the work environment.

In this republic, it is a testament to the troubles of the rule of law and the fortunes of justice that we have hardly had an Attorney-General and Minister of Justice who has, like Caesar, lived above board. Is it because of the imperial powers of the office, or is it the social conscience succumbing to the power of a civil society gutted by impunity and constitutional defiance?

Whatever it is, the position has not risen above the mire of a decayed society and it is because those entrusted to that position of honour and prestige have cast doubt on the power of man over temptation.

Two things have happened in the past few months on the watch of the current office holder, Abubakar Malami, and we have reasons to worry.

The first was the question of the electoral law.  Malami had shown his displeasure, just like the president, over the issue of public office holders resignation ahead of primaries. The section, 84(12) of the Electoral Act, was so objectionable to the administration that after the National Assembly passed it in defiance of the executive branch, the attorney-general promptly took the matter, in a surreptitious manner, to court in the southeast. The public was blindsided when the Justice Evelyn Anyadike court ruled that that law was illegal, null and void and should be expunged.

Rather than wait for reactions, especially because those who were supposed to oppose the verdict did not get fair hearing, so that appeal be heard over it, he promptly hailed the verdict and was on his way to inscribing it in the gazette when the National Assembly appealed the case.

“The office of the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice will accordingly give effect to the court judgment in line with the dictates of the law and the spirit of the judgment,” the statement by the minister’s spokesperson stated.

“The judgment of the court will be recognised by the government printers in printing the Electoral Act. He was rather crude about it, and went further to say, “The Act will be gazetted factoring the effect of the judgment into consideration and deleting the constitutionally offensive provision accordingly. The provision of Section 84(12) of the Electoral Act 2022 is not part of our law and will be so treated accordingly,” the statement also stated.

Read Also; Malami’s ambition and the Kebbi fleet

It was bad enough that the chief law officer of the federation was betraying a rash impulse on a delicate matter. But what has become clear to the lovers of law was his throwing his hat in the ring as a candidate for the position of governor in his home state of Kebbi.

Clearly, he had violated a fundamental principle of law and justice. He was an interested party but, one, he did not disclose it so as to recuse himself from any participation. Two, he went on to pursue the matter as though advancing the higher purpose of the constitution and democracy.

Now it is clear that he was pursuing his personal ambition under the guise of defending the integrity of the constitution. He conflated his selfish interest with the higher ideals of our constitution and democracy.

This is sheer hypocrisy, and clear-faced hypocrisy. It is conflict of interest and shameless manifestation of impunity.

The matter is still on appeal and he is still the sponsor on behalf of the executive branch.

That issue is still hovering over his head when, now as candidate, he has received through a foundation he established a cash gift of N135 million and a raft of sports utility vehicles, including Lexus and Mercedes Benz GLK and Toyota.

This raised eyebrows across the country. He violated paragraph 6 of Part 1 of the Fiftth Schedule of the 1999 constitution. It says, “A public officer shall not ask for or accept property or benefits of any kind for himself or any other person on account of anything done or omitted to be done by him in the discharge of his duties.”

This is categorical. But the minister has come out in his defence with a lame assertion. Hear him: “Let me state categorically that some of the foundations, as Khadi Malami and Khadimiyya for Justice and Development Initiative I am associated with over time, have workers who have demonstrated a greater capacity in the development of the state.

“In appreciation of what the workers of the associations have been doing in the state and beyond, the supporters of the associations, collectively and individually, decided to solicit support from well-meaning Nigerians that have been supporting the NGOs in order to reward those that have been manning the affairs of the NGOs,” he said.

He has also confessed that the gifts came from his friends and the number of vehicles were 30. This is cronyism in office, and clear case of a government officer using his connection against the will of law and decency to enhance his personal dream.

He has shown that he is still associated with his foundation while still in office. He knows this is wrong, and he has committed not only a moral wrong but also a legal wrong. Malami denied that even though he held a meeting with Kebbi State delegates, he never gave them any gifts. That has no bearing on his relationship with a foundation that receives gifts.

We need a better conduct from an Attorney General at a time of extreme pain and deprivation in the land, and bandying about gifts runs counter to the prestige and values his high office should entail and propagate.

Democracy is a system of government that gives power to the people. A government of the people by the people and for the people means that leadership in a democracy is not a monarchy or any other system of government that elevates, sometimes, unjustifiably, the ruling class from the commoners. Democracy is a representative government and the people are expected to elect their representatives and hold them to account too.

In Nigeria unfortunately, the military interruptions of the democratic processes seem to have corrupted the civilian politicians in a way that the elected often feel a certain sense of superiority. There is a sad trajectory of total lack of trust and accountability by the elected in all the tiers of government.

Flawed electoral processes where political party leaderships often usurp the power of the people by imposing leaders on them have been like a cancer eating up the democratic process in Nigeria. There is often a rape on democracy at the intra-party level, with anointing and imposition of candidates. So, ab initio, the     basic tenet of democracy is often violated at the political party level for selfish political expediencies.

When the power of choice is stolen from the people and the selected candidates rely on violence and financial muscle to steal the mandate of the people, that becomes the seed of mistrust in the system and it literally germinates and bears many bad fruits. The leaders so selected feel no allegiance or loyalty to the people but to political leaders and godfathers. Unfortunately, the people are always in a higher number and the impact of bad representation becomes obvious and at some point, their anger boils over, irrational as that can be.

There have been several reports of constituents attacking their leaders in various parts of the country for lack of performance. These non-performing leaders in turn resort to  protecting themselves with large numbers of security agents, at the expense of the ordinary citizens. This morphs into the level of insecurity in the land, which, in turn affects all sectors of the economy. The leaders on their part tend to live in a bubble as they feel protected with their families while leaving the people poor insecure and vulnerable. This condition fuels discontent as the primary function of government is the welfare of the people.

The recent attacks on some law makers in both Niger and Ondo states by their constituents are condemnable because, in a democracy, there are lawful means of addressing ineptitude in leaders. They can either be impeached or recalled through votes. While we understand the anger of the people, we do not support  mob action.  Leadership is a social contract and the leaders must know that the people’s welfare is paramount.

We understand the righteous indignation of the people but we also know that two wrongs do not make a right and most often, the casualties are not just the leaders seen to have failed but ordinary people that are just living their lives. The best way to treat inept leaders at any level is to be patient and vote them out at the next election if all other legal ways fail before then. The people must learn to trust the system and work at perfecting the electoral process through their active participation.

Democracy imbues the people with more power than the elected leaders. That is why the people must arm themselves with the legal tools to reject ineffectual leaders at the polls.

However, we feel that political parties in Nigeria must act more responsibly by practicing internal democracy that births due process and adherence to electoral laws.

When the will of the people is thwarted at the intra-party level, the discontent ruins the entire processes and the distrust leads up to the violence under review. The people must realise too that there is a place for process and a place for rage, but they must not cut their nose to spite their face. Civic responsibility of being active participants in the process and shunning being financially or materially induced by political turncoats might be a more functional strategy.

After a 34-year break, The Village Headmaster, a must-see television drama series across the country in its heyday, returned on April 24. Written by Olusegun Olusola, now deceased, and directed by Dejumo Lewis, it was Nigeria’s longest-running TV drama series shown on the national television network from 1968 to 1988.

Set in a fictional Yoruba village called Oja, the show dealt with a variety of subjects, including social problems and the effect of government policies on the community. The cast reflected different ethnic groups in the country, and communicated in Nigerian Pidgin, Standard English and Yoruba language.  It was a studio-based programme that promoted unity in diversity.

There had been efforts to bring back the show before now, but there were issues, including contention over copyright, that got in the way of its return.

It is commendable that the programme has finally returned, as a result of collaboration between the Nigerian Television Authority (NTA) and Wale Adenuga Productions (WAP). This partnership involving the government-owned television network and the private production company demonstrates what is possible.

Also laudable is the role of Globacom, the telecommunications service provider that is involved in the sponsorship of the TV series. Describing it as “iconic,” the company said it “remains unmatched and unparalleled in the annals of Nigeria Television.”  Globacom also said the programme “has undergone a spectacular makeover by Wale Adenuga’s WAP TV.” For a company that says it is “committed to excellence,” its involvement suggests that the viewing public should expect an excellent show.

Indeed, the new programme is significantly different from the old one. The show has not only been revived; it has been reinvented. Importantly, it has been taken out of the studio and now has an outdoor rural setting that gives it greater realism.

Some members of the original cast are in the new programme, notably Dejumo Lewis (Kabiyesi), Ibidun Allison (Amebo), Dan Imodu (Dagbolu), and Dele Osawe (Teacher Fadile).

But new faces that are well-known in Nollywood have been introduced as part of the renewal. They include Mr. Latin, Jide Kosoko, Fathia Balogun, Rykardo Agbor, Yemi Shodimu and Binta Ayo Mogaji.

The new series will face challenges, including attracting new fans in a new era. Times have changed since the programme was stopped in the 1980s.  Those who found it irresistible then may still feel the same way about it. But the more than three decades break is a long time, and there is a new generation of television viewers who were not around when the programme was popular.

Also, the concept of the show may not appeal to a new generation that is more interested in urbanity than rusticity.

In addition, there are far more TV stations these days, and there is intense competition related to content. The new programme will be shown on NTA, WAP TV and Africa Independent Television (AIT).

The revivers of the show must have done their homework before embarking on the project. It remains to be seen if the new programme can attain the old glory. It is noteworthy that the old show ran for about 20 years before the long break, a record the new version may find difficult to break.

At the launch of the show in Abuja, the Director-General of the National Council for Arts and Culture (NCAC), Otunba Segun Runsewe, observed that the timing of the return was right, especially given that the country was experiencing widening schisms connected with religion and ethnicity, and had lost the values of old.

The new show retains the spirit of the old one. It promotes unity and social values that the country can benefit from, particularly at this time. Considering its past success, the reintroduced programme carries a burden of expectation as it seeks to prove that it is still relevant.

SIR: The private sector gained partial control of the country’s energy sector in November 2013 to encourage an efficient, affordable and reliable power supply, but since then, the national grid has collapsed more than 134 times resulting in severe economic, commercial and personal losses. Its cataclysmic implications on Nigerians who must continuously navigate the skyrocketing hike in fuel price include increasing cost of living and almost unbearable living conditions. With more than 60% of Africa’s most populous nation having no access to electricity and an annual loss of about N126 billion credited to power failures, renewable energy is considered a better alternative.

Wind, biomass, solar, hydropower and uranium are renewable energy resources in Nigeria. The goal of the Nigeria Renewable Energy Master Plan (REMP) is for renewable energy to account for 10% of total energy consumption by 2025. However, despite attempts to increase renewable energy use in the country, short-term policies, lack of awareness and planning, high cost of set-up and political instability are some reasons for its failure.

Since the last decade, the installation and use of solar inverters/panels have gained wide popularity while there hasn’t been much use of wind energy in Nigeria. One percent of the country’s landmass can generate 600,000 MW of solar power and because the sun influences wind energy, extensive wind energy mapping for offshore sites with higher speeds will provide foresight and opportunities for the use of wind turbines for electricity generation. Only a small fraction of hydropower potential has been exploited with over untapped 12,000 MW of potential hydropower which can produce about 50,000 GWh of electricity annually.

A shift from over-reliance on fossil fuels to renewable energy sources will lead to improved health outcomes (through pollution reduction), development of rural and neglected areas, preservation of perishable food items, better transportation, environmental protection, job creation, or household and commercial uses. To achieve sustainable and clean energy use would require extensive research as different parts of the country have unequal amounts of these resources, provision of capital and credit facilities, consumer education, investment in renewable energy projects, and implementation of policies/initiatives that encourage diversification.

Integrating Independent Power Producers (IPPs) into the energy market will need to be monitored by the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) to prevent abuse of market power. To this effect, standard fabrication materials, local manufacturing facilities and more transmission infrastructure should be provided to encourage a smooth transition from oil-dependent energy sources to renewable sources. Consequently, data on wind energy potentials should be made available to organizations whose goal is to develop indigenous technologies that will optimize wind energy consumption. Increased advocacy for solar energy use should also be encouraged as its potential to provide clean and reliable energy for household and commercial use is unlimited.

• Angelica Chinecherem Uwaezuoke, angelnechy@gmail.com