The Nation Newspaper

Category: Abuja Review

  • Jonathan versus Chibok girls’ parents

    President Goodluck Jonathan last week missed an opportunity to rub minds with some parents of the over 200 secondary schoolgirls abducted in Chibok, Borno State.

    Worried that the girls’ disappearance was causing great pain and psychological trauma to their parents, the Pakistani Girl-Child Education Campaigner, Malala Yousafzai, who met with President Jonathan last week Monday at the Presidential Villa, Abuja insisted that the President should see the parents.

    But the meeting could not hold on Tuesday as the parents did not turn up for the 4.p.m. fixture. They  were said to have left Abuja in the early hours of the day for Chibok, Borno State.

    Earlier on May 4, a similar meeting convened by First Lady on the abducction saga was fruitless, as many interested parties also failed to honour it. The development  twice drew tears from Mrs Jonathan.

    But it is not clear whether the President was also moved to that point as journalists were not opportuned to be where the news was broken to the President that the Chibok girls’ parents were shunning the meeting. Only his handlers would really know his immediate reaction.

    The President, however, at every given opportunity had claimed that the abduction of the girls is causing him so much pain as he is also a parent.

    Some Nigerians have however pointed out that the President did not need a Malala or needed to wait for three months after the abduction before making moves to see the parents of the abducted girls.

    Reliable sources in the Presidency had claimed that the President’s moves in the past to see the parents were thwarted.

    Speaking with State House correspondents on last Tuesday’s botched meeting, the Senior Special Assistant to the President of Public Affairs, Dr. Doyin Okupe blamed the BringBackOurGirls and the opposition for the development.

    He said: “The meeting was scheduled for 4p.m today at the instance of the request that was made by Malala and the President graciously agreed within 24 hours to meet with them but unfortunately the BringBackOur Girls leadership prevailed on the parents of the girls, stopped them from coming therefore what happened was that they actually shunned the meeting with Mr. President because the foreign media and everybody was waiting for this meeting and since they were no longer coming and they made it expressly clear that they were no longer coming, infact that the girls were just few minutes away from Chibok, the meeting was aborted.”

    “It was the leadership of BringBackOurGirls that brought them to Abuja and that gives them some leverage, they accommodated them, it is obvious now that the BringBackOurGirls in Nigeria are interested in showmanship not genuinely concerned with the plight of the children and that of their parents.”

    Continuing, he said: “That is was has become clinically clear by this action because if the parents of the girls travelled so much from Chibok to get to Abuja, why will it be impossible for them to meet with the President who has graciously agreed to give an appointment within less than 24 hours to meet with them.”

    “We are just coming from the President and he has authorized that an official letter be written to the parents inviting them to formally to come and meet him and it is going to be sometime next week.” He said

    But the #BringBackOurGirls Coalition, which had always insisted that the Federal Government was not doing enough to rescue the girls, last week denied aborting the Jonathan, parents’ meeting.

    In a statement jointly signed by former Minister of Education and coordinator of the group, Oby Ezekwesili, and Hadiza Usman, the group said it was merely informed about the decision of the parents and was not in attendance when the invitation to the Presidential meeting was extended to the Chibok parents.

    The group expressed surprise at what it called “the escalation of the pattern of the campaign of calumny by the government officials on our citizens’ movement, advocating for the rescue of the abducted 219 schoolgirls from Chibok Secondary School, 93 days ago.”

    While maintaining that the parents did not request to see the President, Spokesperson of the Abuja Chibok Community, Dauda Iliya last week said that they only received the invitation from the Presidency after the parents had left Abuja for Chibok.

    He said: “These parents and escaped girls did not come to Abuja at the instance of government or its representatives for a meeting with Mr. President but on the full understanding that they were coming to meet with Malala.”

    “In the course of their interactions with Malala, neither the parents nor escaped girls asked for a meeting with the President or any government functionary, rather the narrative back home was to persistently ask why the President has not visited them in Chibok since the abduction. It is obvious that 12 fathers and 5 girls only constitute about 2% of the parents of the abducted girls and the 57 girls that escaped.” He said

    While the ongoing accusations and counter-accusations would immediately stop as soon as the girls are safely rescued, it is hoped that the next meeting with the parents billed for this week will actually hold and go a long way to ameliorate the problems that followed the abduction.

     

  •  ‘199 tons of waste evacuated annually’

    As at December 2012, the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Administration has evacuated an estimated 199,425 tons of waste from Abuja.

    FCT Minister, Senator Bala Mohammed revealed this while receiving a delegation of the Botswana Defence Command and Staff College, Course 7 that visited the FCT Administration on a study tour.

    The Minister who was represented at the occasion by the FCT Permanent Secretary, Mr. John Chukwu, an engineer, further revealed that 18 companies are engaged in daily collection of these wastes.

    Mohammed disclosed that the Federal Capital City has been sub-divided into 21 Lots, in addition to the 35 Housing Estates to ensure effective waste collection of the city.

    According to a statement issued by Assistant Director and Chief Press Secretary Muhammad Sule, the minister also disclosed that the FCT Administration has awarded contract for 3 Nos Waste Transfer Station at Mpape, Kubwa and Gudu Districts.

    According to him, construction of perimeter fencing of the 90.8 hectares waste disposal site at Goza was concluded, with 35 per cent completion of Transfer Station Project and 60 per cent completion of the perimeter Fencing.

    The Minister remarked that there are additional three waste transfer stations being planned for Kuje and Nyanya/Karu axis to complement the ongoing three waste transfer stations.

    On strategies for development, Senator Mohammed said that his Administration opted for private sector infrastructure finance called the Abuja Land Swap Initiative.

    He stated that the initiative has given birth to 15 private sector enabled projects providing infrastructure in 2 sector centers and 8 districts in the Phase IV (South) of the Federal Capital City.

    The Minister emphasised that development in this area is based on contractual agreement with 15 Private Investors on the basis of the Land-for-Infrastructure Swap Framework.

    His words: “The total land area for the development is 4,283.2 hectares and projected to require a minimum of $3.8 Billion private sector capital”.

    “The distance of this area is averagely 20 minutes from the city centre and 15 minutes from the Airport,” Senator Mohammed stressed.

    The head of the delegation, Brigadier Shadrack Mokoi thanked the Minister for the warm reception accorded the team.

  • 29 prisoners pardoned, 3,700 prisons officers promoted

    29 prisoners pardoned, 3,700 prisons officers promoted

    IT is a gesture the benficiaries are unlikely to forget. No fewer than 29 prison inmates in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) have been granted amnesty  by Minister of the Territory, Senator Bala Mohammed. The inmates’ sentences had an option of fine. Also, over 3,700 officers of the Nigeria Prisons Service (NPS) have been promoted across the country.

    The prisoners had been serving in Kuje Medium Security Prison and the Suleja Prison.

    Mohammed, who was represented at the ceremony at Kuje Prison by the General Counsel of the FCT Administration, Mr Ima Okpongete, a lawyer, said the clemency was purposely designed to signpost the Ramadan season.

    The gesture, he said, is in tandem with the disposition of his administration to impact positively on the welfare of the people, particularly the less-privileged.

    In a statement issued by the Special Assistant, Media, Nosike Ogbuenyi, the Minister said he decided to grant the convicts amnesty by offsetting their various fines because he believed that many of them could still be reformed and contribute positively to the development of the society.

    He enjoined the beneficiaries of the gesture to permanently keep away from crime, so as not to return to jail. According to him, their freedom represents their last chance to chart a new path of orderliness, civility and good conduct as responsible members of the society.

    The prisoners were convicted with varying amounts of fines, ranging from N55,000 to N3,000.

    However, due to their lowly economic backgrounds, they were unable to pay the fines and had to be committed to prison. The Minister took the decision to grant amnesty to the prisoners following his recent inspection of the prisons to ascertain the condition of inmates as well as facilities on ground.

    In approving the unconditional release of the convicts, the Minister offset the total of N543,500 being the combined fines of the 29 affected prisoners.

    He also presented the sum of N10,000 to each of them to enable them transport themselves home.

    A breakdown of the amount shows that 10 prisoners whose combined fines totaled N149, 500 were released from Medium Security Prison, Kuje, while 19 others whose total fines amounted to N316, 000 were released from Suleja Prison.

    The Controller of Prisons, FCT Command, Gwagwalada Abuja, Mallam K.O Yusuf in a special letter of appreciation to the Hon. Minister thanked him for the kind gesture, which he described as special Ramadan gift for the affected inmates.

    He thanked the Minister for the cordial relationship existing between the FCT Administration and the Nigerian Prison Service.

    In his remarks, the Deputy Controller of Prisons in charge of Kuje Prison, Mallam Musa Tanko who spoke on behalf of the Prison Service, Kuje and the inmates, thanked the Minister for the kind gesture.

    He particularly thanked him for giving each of the pardoned inmates the sum of N10, 000 stressing that it would help them to start free life afresh. He urged the lucky inmates to ensure that they were leaving the prison confines for life.

    Also present at the event was the Director, Advisory Services, FCT, Mr. Abdullahi Kuyambana.

    Meanwhile the Controller General (CG) of the Nigeria Prisons Service (NPS), Ibrahim Zakari has said that the service is operating with other security operatives to avoid jail break.

    Zakari disclosed this in Abuja at the decoration ceremony of promoted officers and men of the NPS.

    His words: “You can be decorated or promoted if you exhibit a high level of diligences, hard work and dedication. They will be entrusted with higher responsibility; it means they will double their effort. They have to work harder. Their loyalty is to be complete. They must be obedient to their duties and they must accept responsibility.

    “Congestion is one of our major challenges in the prisons. We experience this with the Awaiting trial prisoners. This is because of the slow pace of the criminal justice system. But from our end we are building more cells in other to decongest the cells that we have. We are increasing our synergy with other security operatives to ensure that we experience speedy trial.

    “We are seeking the support of lawyers to assist us in this regard. Some of them do not have money.

    “Where you keep criminals under lock and key surrounded by walls they would want to escape. So in prisons all over the world we have the challenges of escape. We have armed squads guarding the prisons across the country. We are training staff. Promotion is a moral booster for officers and I hope this will ginger them.”

  • N3tr Centenary City shapes up

    N3tr Centenary City shapes up

    Not everyone agrees that clocking 100 years is enough reason to throw a party. There are too many challenges to indulge in such frolic, some argue. The nation, they say, has yet to find its footing in so many respects and insecurity remains a growing threat. Why celebrate?

    President Goodluck Jonathan believes there is cause for joy. One reason he puts forward is that 100 hundred years after it was named, Nigeria has not broken up into different nations.

    The Northern and Southern protectorates were amalgamated by the colonial authorities on January 1, 1914. It was then that Nigeria’s journey to nationhood began.

    The president believes that Nigerians should be celebrating their determination to excel and remain one.  And to solidify his convictions, he promised that a Centenary City would be built to mark the feat. That promise was made during the celebrations in February.

    The City is now taking shape.

    Located between the Airport and the main city of Abuja, the Centenary City, built on top of a hill, will forever be remembered by all even generations yet unborn.

    At the groundbreaking and unveiling ceremony, President Jonathan said the city will be a place where nobody will own a power generating set or build a personal borehole as every infrastructural facility needed to make live comfortable will be in place.

    The cost of the city is put at N2.976tr ($18.6 billion).

    A total of N1.2bn, being 100 per cent compensation has been paid for economic trees to the original inhabitants as well as structures belonging to some non-natives. The city sits on 1,200 hectares of land.

    Twenty per cent of the plots are earmarked for residential houses, while the remaining 80 per cent are for mixed use and for commercial purposes.

    The city is expected to incorporate a free trade zone, duty-free regime, tax holidays and non-regulated banking services. These are part of government’s efforts to boost trade and investment in Nigeria, which in turn, would create thousands of job opportunities for Nigerians.

    The Federal Government hopes to replicate the successes achieved in Dubai, Monaco, Shenzhen (China), Singapore and Songdo (South Korea).

    President Jonathan, who was elated that the establishment of the city is happening during his regime said: “I am indeed delighted to be part of history at today’s groundbreaking and unveiling ceremony of the Centenary City, Abuja.

    “In all, the joyful reflections and re-awakening shared by the nation, through this year-long commemoration of our amalgamation, there may, perhaps be no greater symbol of the spirit of our determination than this city that unfolds before us.

    “Let me commend the leadership of great men like the former Head of State, General Abdulsalami Abubakar who accepted to chair the Board of the Centenary City Plc. I am pleased to state that the successes of such cities as Dubai in the United Arab Emirates, Shenzhen in the Peoples’ Republic of China and the Songdo International Business District in South Korea had shown that the development of a themed city is a strong social, political and economic tool for securing foreign investment, promoting positive international attention and heralding new national economic renaissance.

    “Offering free trade status, outstanding infrastructure, secured business environment and efficient transport services, this Centenary City promises a unique and innovative global standard in real estate creativity. I will be happy to see a city where there will be no personally-owned power generating set and borehole.

    “I am very pleased that our Centenary City has been designed by a reputable world-class design team as an efficient “mixed-use” City with emphasis on modernity and Nigeria’s distinctive cultural heritage, ably integrating contemporary demands and future expectations into a working scheme that will allow the city develop in a sustainable and socially-responsive manner.

    “It is important that the outcome will be a modern city where natural beauty and architectural ingenuity will merge to create an environment, alive and productive, with many unique sub-themes including a prominent cultural core with various symbols of Nigeria’s unity and strength, a green-city concept, as well as Presidential Archives that will house the history of our political development.

    “This will be a revolutionary approach to urbanisation in Africa and will, through its private ownership, promote the private sector’s participation in projects of significant magnitude. It will also represent a landmark of professional excellence for all branches of the development team.

    “It is my determination to make the Centenary City a sustainable and viable economic project, providing not just the best infrastructure and facilities, but also an example in urban management, maintenance and security. It will remain totally a business venture, owned and managed by private business people and investors, but government shall continue to be the vision driver, providing the necessary, conducive investment and functional environment.

    “In many ways, this legacy project also marks a coming of age and a new chapter in our efforts for greater involvement of the private sector in major development projects. I therefore commend and congratulate the Promoter Investors, for putting their money and trust in this initiative and welcome other captains of industry who shall be investing in the Centenary City.

    “I commend, especially Eagle Hills LLC and Nael and Bin Harmal Hydroexport (NBHH) both of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Julius Berger International of Germany for their confidence in Nigeria, and pledge that my administration will continue to provide you and other investors in our country the necessary support to sustain your investments.”

    Gen. Abdulsalami Abubakar, (rtd) who is the chairman of the Centenary City Plc, noted that the project can be successful only if peace reigns in all parts of the country.

    “Therefore, I call on Nigerians to ensure they maintain peace across the country and ensure that this project is concluded as planned. This is historic and we will not leave any stone unturned to achieve success,” he said.

    The Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Anyim Pius Anyim said the Centenary City with 1, 262.27 hectares of land size ranks as the biggest present city development in the world.

    He said the city being a free trade zone, is going to be one of the few cities in the world that have that status.

    He said: “It is revolutionary; it is visionary as well transformational. It is the new approach to attracting foreign direct investment.

    “Mr. President, you will recall that in your speech during the flag-off ceremony of the Centenary celebrations on February 4, 2014, you promised the nation that what will come out of the celebration is a green city to be known as a Centenary City. You also directed that the city should be developed to achieve two main goals. The first is to provide a centre to collect, document and showcase the contributions of Nigerians to the cultural, political, social and economic development of the world in the last 100 years. The second is to develop a centre of excellence in service delivery, in financing a sector and ensure diverse economic activities with excellent world-class infrastructural facilities that will promise business, leisure, sports and tourism.

    “These directives became a road map for the committee to realise your ambition for the Centenary City. Accordingly, the Centenary City is not only to manifest a milestone contribution for Nigeria but also to create an economic forum that will create thousands of jobs, attract foreign investments while catering for the modern day living needs of the teeming population of Abuja.

    “It is in line with this concept that the Centenary City is planned to host about 500, 000 individuals who may be workers, businessmen, shoppers, tourists, sports lovers and so on. The planned residential component of the city is only to support the economic activity and to ensure human presence round the clock.

    “I want to emphasise that the Centenary City project is not a housing estate. It is an economic project. It is important to note that the Centenary City project is being promoted by Centenary City Plc; a company composed of investors from Nigeria and abroad.

  • Another lunge at the image challenge

    No one has quite explained the perennial paradox. How can a country be so endowed, yet so derided? Some reckon that Nigerians are among the best brains in the world and that few can boast of its natural resources, yet no one is in doubt that their country is a great way from the league of developed nations. The international community and its media also do not seem to have such a great opinion of the country.

    Successive governments have tried to address this challenge without much success. President Olusegun Obasanjo did his bit. So, too, did President Umaru Yar’Adua.  President Goodluck Jonathan has taken a shot at it. His administration has launched the ‘Nigeria our heritage’ project.

    The Minister of Culture, Tourism, and National Orientation at the presentation of the new project in Abuja, said government will reverse the negative perception of the international media through the promotion of tourism and cultural heritage. The government said it would overhaul the nation’s global image and promote tourism for the patriotic purposes of creating wealth for national development and securing international trust for foreign investment.

    Duke further explained that the tourism innovation would restore a positive perception for Nigeria as an emerging international hub for business in the next century. According to him, the western media does not see anything positive about Nigeria, hence their consistent negative reports, adding that Nigerians all over the world have stretched the boundary of creativity, but this is not appreciated by purveyors of negativity against the country.

    He said: “In the last few months, there has been a global conspiracy against Nigeria; a lot of indignity has been dished to the leadership and humiliation to the country by western media; Nigerians have stretched the boundaries of creativity and stretched milestones, there is a need for a new story of Nigeria to begin.

    “To us, part of the strategy is to create and brighten the image of our country while encouraging Nigerians to re-invigorate their hope and commitment to the Nigerian project.”

    The minister explained that his ministry has adopted the project being sponsored by some private individuals under government’s policy on Public Private Partnership.

    He observed that countries like South Africa and Rwanda were able to erase the negative perceptions against them while Nigeria with a population of about 160 million people was still being vilified by the international media. He appealed to Nigerians to work hard to change the negative perception about the country by believing in the nation and having confidence that it could be greater.

    Duke stated that the ministry would work with the  ”Nigeria, our Heritage Project” initiators to overhaul the nation’s image and promote its tourism and cultural heritage using such platforms as the creative and performing arts, National Council for Arts and Culture, literatures and others to drive the project. He said the 744 local governments in the country will be used to showcase the much-desired change through festivals.

    The project would, among other things; chronicle Nigeria’s past and present while projecting progressive initiatives for the future that will create access for international interests and investment in potential business opportunities in Nigeria and re-define Nigeria as a world leading nation through development of leadership institutions and frontier schemes.

    The project will also put Nigeria first in Africa. It promises to make the nation the giant in business, a haven for investors through tourism, while projecting the culture and reshaping the image of the country. It also seeks to bring prominence to the nation’s local languages.

    It will engender a new and positive global perception of Nigeria such that Nigeria would be enabled internally and externally to realise her full potential.  It is about what and where Nigeria should be 100 years from now.  The core essence of that dream is that Nigeria should be one of the top five economies in the world by the year 2114.

    Duke said, “Through the ‘Nigeria, our heritage’ project, we shall celebrate the rich cultural inheritance and vast economic endowment of Nigeria as well as the large market the country offers. We recognise the bright future of Nigeria as a rising business destination in the continent of Africa; above all, we recognise the impact that a rebranded Nigeria, collectively supported by all Nigerians, will have on businesses, the economy, and our people.

  • Nigerian sports in reverse?

    Nigerian sports not only appear to be in retreat but also back to the dark days.

    While Nigerians were still sad that the Super Eagles could not go beyond the round of 16 in the just-concluded FIFA World Cup in Brazil, Nigeria, on Wednesday last week, was suspended by the world football governing body from taking part in any international sporting competition due to alleged government interference in the affairs of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF).

    Apart from competitions, neither the NFF nor any of its members or officials may benefit from any FIFA or CAF development programmes, courses or training during the suspension period.

    The immediate casualty of the latest FIFA ban will be the Falconets, who will be prevented from participating in the forthcoming FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup in Canada slated from August 5 to 24, except the suspension is lifted on or before July 15, 2014.

    Nigerians were already hoping that the Falconets would bring joy to them by doing what the boys could not do in Brazil.

    If the ban is not lifted, Nigeria will also forfeit an U-17 African qualifier match billed for July 20 in Democratic Republic of Congo.

    It is also sad that the Super Eagles players had issues with their match bonuses and welfare packages in Brazil, which many believed psychologically contributed to their early ouster from the competition.

    Another sign that all may not be too well in the Nigerian sports was the FIFA suspension that came barely two hours after Sports Minister; Tamuno Danagogo gave assurance to Nigerians that Nigeria will escape the FIFA sledge-hammer.

    This, among other issues, have continued to worry stakeholders in the sector who are wondering  whether the minister is being misled by technocrats and civil servants who want him to fail on the assignment or that he is a square peg in a round hole.

    Speaking with State House correspondents on Wednesday last week, few hours before the FIFA suspension, Danagogo said: “Nigeria is safe, I can tell you that. What FIFA wants is for the right things to be done. So far, if you look at what has happened, I think government has been very fair. Government has done everything possible not to unduly interfere.

    “The chairmen of football associations and other stakeholders, who also didn’t want the Maigari administration to continue, held their congress and the congress passed a no confident vote on that executive. That is not government’s action. It is strictly a decision of a majority of the stakeholders of football in the country.”

    Worried about the saga over the bonuses and welfare packages of the Super Eagles in Brazil, the Sports Minister said: “ Really it is an unfortunate development. It is embarrassing that issues like that keep up cropping up each time African countries go to the world stage.

    “When we got to Brazil and the players were grumbling and the grumbling is not just for this world cup, these boys are bitter that right from the World Cup in South Africa and the Confederation Cup, they had entitlements which they said FIFA paid to NFF out of which they ought to get their share. But I wasn’t in the know of all these until I got to Brazil.

    “We know that the Federal Government paid every kobo that we needed. Mr. President approved the fund which was released as at when due. So we don’t need to have any problem. FIFA even gives money for the same things that the Federal Government released monies for and the players should get their money,” he said.

    Even though the former Director-General of the National Sports Commission, Dr. Amos Adamu recently had issues with FIFA, such FIFA ban never came under his tenure and the many years he was in the sports sector. He always had a way of nipping any issue in the bud before it happens.

    The FIFA ban also probably would never have come if the immediate past Sports Minister, Bolaji Abdullahi had remained in the saddle.

    One of the successes Abdullahi claimed to have achieved before he was removed from office on March 5, 2014, apart from winning many laurels for Nigeria, was bringing peace and harmony among the warring parties in the sector.

    In March, Abdullahi, through his Special Adviser on Media and Strategy, Julius Ogunro said: “Abdullahi settled the almost fratricidal war in the Nigerian Football Federation by making all the parties involved in the crises agree to a comprehensive peace deal.”

    It is worrisome how Nigerian football has gone back to the era of warring groups and court cases.

    Nigeria needs to urgently go back to the drawing board and try to chart a new course.

    As a way forward, government should thoroughly investigate the matter and punish anybody involved in any fraudulent practice concerning Super Eagles’ bonuses as a deterrent to others in the future. The matter should not be swept under the carpet.

    In the spirit of true democracy, it must also ensure it does not unduly interfere, whether directly or indirectly, in the affairs of the NFF in line with FIFA statute.

    While it is good news that Amos Adamu is part of the Nigerian delegation to resolve the current FIFA ban, Nigeria must definitely find a way of going back to its winning ways because taking sports, especially football away from Nigerians’ social life is like taking everything away from them. Its unifying power cannot be over-emphasised.

  • Minister bans power-bikes

    Power bikes are no more welcome at the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) – no thanks to the bomb that killed 23 people and injured over 53.

    FCT Minister, Senator Bala Mohammed directed the Police Commissioner to prosecute any person illegally using power bikes and motorcycles.

    The directive, according to a statement issued by the Assistant Director/Chief Press Secretary to the FCT Minister, Muhammad Sule which was conveyed to the FCT Police Commissioner via a letter dated June 27, 2014 but signed by the FCT Permanent Secretary, John Chukwu, reminded him that the ban on the use of power bikes and motorcycles in the FCT was still in force.

    The minister said the reminder is underscored by the fact that one of the suspects in the recent bombing at the Emab Plaza, Wuse II District Abuja was seen on a power bike by security agents.

    The minister further directed that all security personnel using motorcycles should obtain permits from the FCT Commissioner of Police and the FCT Transportation Secretariat; in addition the officer should be properly kitted in their uniform and helmet.

    According to the letter, the intention of the FCT Administration is to, as a matter of urgency; evolve necessary bye-laws and security protocols that will indicate minimal security requirements in private and public institutions as well as other congregational locations in the Federal Capital Territory for compliance and enforcement.

    The administration, the minister said, will also embark on “know-your-neighbour campaign” as a strategy to promote neighbourhood security awareness among residents.

  • Residents demand improved power supply

    The Gwagwalada Area Council has been urged to provide electricity transformers for the residents of the area in order to curb the incessant power outage bedeviling the area.

    Some of the residents of the area who spoke with our reporter stated that the city has been suffering from incessant power outage while some had been without light for months, adding that it was affecting the economic development of the area.

    One of the residents, Soji Nkanu attributed the epileptic power supply to the inadequate supply of transformers to make power available in the area, adding that the  power supplied to some areas were  not always useful to them since most times it comes at midnight and would not last for a long time.

    “Gwagwalada has been suffering from lack power supply for a very long time now.  Some parts have not seen light for some months while some in some areas, light only comes at midnight which could only last for two to three hours,” he said.

    Nkanu added that the experience has pushed most of the residents into buying electricity generating sets and lamented that even with the epileptic power supply, they had to pay huge amount of money as electricity bills.

    “Light can never be stable in this area. It is not a new thing for power to cease for almost 100 times a day. It is unfortunate, yet we pay huge amount of money as electricity bill,” he said.

    Another resident, Maryam Alkali stated that the power supply which was supposed to be rationed so that various areas will use light, do not come regularly. She called on the government, particularly the area council, to fulfill the promise of provision of basic amenities for the people.

    “People are lamenting. It is always a total blackout at the area. A times, they will flash it for five minutes in the morning and you wouldn’t see it again until  around 1:00 a.m. or 3:00 a.m. Sometimes, the light comes in form of candle light” she said.

  • ‘No more protesters’ roadblock’

    ‘No more protesters’ roadblock’

    THESE are trying times for protesters in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT). Anyone intending to stage a protest at the seat of power must think again. Those who protested the abduction of over 200 schoolgirls in Chibok nearly three months ago were  shocked to hear of a swift police order banning such activities in the FCT. That directive by the Territory’s Police Commissioner Mr. Joseph Mbu was later vacated by higher authorities but everybody took a hint.

    Now, FCT Minister, Bala Mohammed has cautioned individuals, communities and groups to desist from taking any action that would hamper free movement of persons and vehicles, such as deliberate blockade of traffic on highways and roads.

    The minister gave the warning during a meeting with some original inhabitants of the FCT under the aegis of Greater Gbagyi Development Association.

    Those who attended the meeting included some original inhabitants of Abuja from the Airport Road axis, the Chairperson of the FCT chapter of National Council for Women Societies (NCWS), the Original Inhabitants Youth Empowerment Forum and some officials of Greater Gbagyi Development Association.

    They pleaded for the minister’s intervention to secure the release of those arrested by security operatives in connection with the protest which resulted in the blockade of the ever-busy Zuba-Kubwa-Abuja City Super Expressway for over four hours recently.

    Referring to the alleged recent blockade of the expressway by some people protesting the demolition of structures at Lungu Village and a similar action on the Abuja Airport Highway about a month earlier by protesters, the minister stated that such unlawful tendencies would no longer be allowed by government and the law enforcement organs.

    According to a statement issued by the Special Assistant (Media) to the minister, Nosike Ogbuenyi, the minister said any person or group of persons who decided to take the law into their own hands by preventing the vast majority of law-abiding residents from going about their legitimate activities would face the full wrath of the law.

    According to him, those behind the blockade of Kubwa Express Road have been arrested and would soon be arraigned in court.

    He said the administration, in conjunction with security agencies, will prosecute the culprits to serve as deterrent to others.

    While admitting that individuals will have their rights to express their grievances through protests, the minister cautioned that such should not be taken to the extent of holding the entire society to ransom as was the case with the blockade of major entry/exit routes to the Federal Capital City.

    Recall that the alleged mastermind of the false rumour that a mother and her child were killed during the recent demolition of illegal structures at Lungu Village, Gwarinpa, one Mr. Yunusa Ahmadu Yusuf and the Chief of Lungu Village, Mr. Ezekiel Sanya Zakka (aka Easy) were arrested last week by security agents.

    They were, however, granted bail by police following the intervention of Senator Mohammed.

    They will, however, be arraigned in court and prosecuted in accordance with the laws of the land.

    Yusuf was said to have been arrested in his village in Kaduna State while the Zakka was picked up at Lungu Village.

    The former had been parading himself as an Abuja Original Inhabitant.

    The two men were nabbed for their roles in peddling the false rumour of death and incitement that led to violent protests and blockade of the Zuba/Kubwa/Abuja City Express Road resulting in damage of public facilities.

    The bail of Zakka and Yusuf followed the minister’s acceptance of an apology tendered on their behalf by the Original Inhabitants of Abuja living on the Airport Road axis and some officials of Greater Gbagyi Development Association.

    The minister warned FCT residents against all forms of lawlessness such as blockade of roads and highways in the FCT and peddling of lies with a view to inciting the people and blackmailing the authorities.

    Describing the baseless allegations of deaths as callous, the minister stated that the action demonstrates the extent some people could go to cause disaffection in pursuit of selfish purpose.

    Senator Mohammed urged the Commissioner of Police to prosecute all those found culpable in the unjustified incitement, even as he warned all residents, including original inhabitants not to do anything that will cause disaffection in the society.

    He reiterated the position of the FCT Administration not to demolish houses belonging to original inhabitants of the FCT that were enumerated and captured in official data, adding that if in the cause of demolition, any of such houses is demolished, adequate remedy would be provided.

    He stated that nobody should do anything to hold the entire country to ransom, while warning the original inhabitants to be wary of the people they habour in their various settlements.

    According to him, he was aware that some original inhabitants were providing cover to strangers that they could not vouch for.

    The FCT Police Commissioner, Mr. Joseph Mbu condemned the false allegations of deaths following the Lungu demolition exercise.

    He said the police had done thorough investigation and found out that the allegations were totally false.

    ”Up till now, no report has been filed with the police by anybody about any death as a result of the demolition exercise that took place at Lungu Village,” he said.

    He described the inciting fabrications about death as a criminal offence against God and man.

    Mbu also warned all deviant elements against challenging government, stressing that nobody should take the law into his own hand.

  • ‘We’ll support fight against insurgency’

    The Vigilante Group of Nigeria has said it will continue to support security agencies in the fight against insurgency in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).

    The Commandant-General of Vigilante Group of Nigeria, Alhaji Usman Mohammed-Jahun, who revealed this at a sanitisation forum for State Commandants of the Group in Abuja, said about 200 members of the Vigilante Group have lost their lives to insurgency this year in the Northeast.

    While soliciting Federal Government’s support in the areas of funding and logistics, Jahun explained that a database had been created to ensure authenticity of all vigilante groups across the country, stating that the group has been repositioned to meet current development in security management.

    In a remark, the Board Chairman of VGN, Alhaji Ahmed Dalhatu said there should be unity of purpose among members of the organisation to enable them to achieve the goals of the group. Alhaji Dalhatu also stressed the need for states’ and Federal Government’s assistance to the group to strengthen the security of lives and property of people at the grassroots.