The Nation Newspaper

Category: Abuja Review

  • ‘Biotechnology accreditation in Nigeria tertiary institutions to boost food security’

    The National Biosafety Management Agency (NBMA), says with the accreditation of biotechnology in some tertiary institutions, food security will be enhanced in the country.

    Dr Rufus Ebegba, the Director-General of NBMA said this in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja yesterday.

    “Upon meeting the requirements set forth for the accreditation of institutions, the NBMA accredited some institutions to carry out biotechnology activities.

    “They include the Federal University of Technology (FUTA), Akure; Institute for Agricultural Research (IAR), Zaria; International Institute for Tropical Agriculture (IITA), Ibadan and the National Biotechnology Development Agency (NABDA), Abuja.

    Others are the National Cereals Research Institute (NCRI), Badeggi, National Root Crops Research Institute (NRCRI), Umudike,” he said.

    “We have certified containment facilities for bio-fortified cassava enhanced with pro-vitamin A at the National Root Crops Research Institute, Umudike.

    He said bio-fortified cassava enhanced with Iron had been concluded while Genetically Modified Cassava resistant to cassava mosaic virus was ongoing, adding that  brown streak virus had also been concluded at the institute.

    Egbeba said with the establishment of the agency, the universities and research institutes now had confidence to carry out biotechnology research expected to increase agricultural productivity as well as contribute to food security in Nigeria.

    “The agency has also granted Permit for Commercial Release and Importation of GM Crops for Feeds and Food Processing such as Bt. Cotton to Monsanto Agriculture Nigeria Ltd., (Commercial Release) and Biosafety Permit to WACOT Nig. Ltd, Biosafety Permit for commercial release of Bt Cotton.

    “Nigeria is benefiting from safe modern biotechnology under a legal framework for economic growth, improved agriculture, job and wealth creation, industrial growth and sustainable environment.

    “These are possible because operators now have confidence in the sector, risks to human health from modern biotechnology practice and the use of Genetically Modified Organisms (GMOs) are at their barest minimum,” he said.

    He noted that dumping of unauthorised GMOs in Nigeria is now at its barest minimum, as avenues are being provided to confirm safety and harness the potential of modern biotechnology.

    “Negative socio-economic consequences of GMOs are being guarded against, and confidence built in the practice of modern biotechnology, use and handling of GMOs and GM products.

    “Nigeria’s commitment to the principles of International Agreements and Treaties to Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) and Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety (CPB) is reaffirmed.

    “We now have proper regulation for imported GM products, so that Nigeria will not be a dumping ground for GMOs,” he added.

     

  • Abiola’s son, others testify on Buhari’s strides

    Jamiu Abiola, a son to late Chief MKO Abiola, has slammed former President Olusegun Obasanjo for “benefitting on his father’s blood” but neglecting to recognise his contribution to Nigeria’ democracy.

    MKO Abiola, the presumed winner of the June 12, 1993 presidential election that was annulled, died fighting for his mandate while Obasanjo was elected President in 1999 upon the country’s return to democracy.

    The deceased son spoke on Sunday in Abuja at an event tagged “Testimonies of Change”, designed to showcase the achievements of President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration.

    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports the event, organised by the Ministry of Information and Culture, witnessed personal testimonies by beneficiaries of government programmes.

    Abiola, who was among the testifiers, said for over two decades, Nigerians gave mandate to his father who he was “denied and killed”, the family suffered emotional and psychological torture.

    He said his mother, Kudirat Abiola, who also fought for his father’s mandate, was also killed in the process leaving seven children behind.

    Jamiu said that Obasanjo benefitted from the democracy struggle by his late father and mother when he was elected as Executive President in 1999.

    He said in spite of coming from the same region and state as his late father and mother, Obasanjo declined to recognise their contribution to the enthronement of democracy.

    He, therefore, commended President Muhammad Buhari, who after over two decades, recognised his father and declared June 12, national Democracy Day.

    “What President Buhari has done, despite not being a Yoruba man, has ended the emotional and psychological trauma my family has gone through all these years,” he said.

    Jamiu also testified to Buhari’s giant strides in reaching out to the poor people and improving on infrastructure like power, roads, rails.

    He said June 12 which his parents paid the supreme sacrifice for, was about the poor and the masses and Buhari had become a replica of the mantra.

    He said Buhari deserved a second term, therefore Nigerians should come out to vote for him in the forthcoming election.

    Another testifier, who represented the 564 hitherto abandoned pensioners of the Aladja Steel Rolling Mills in Delta, described the President as “God sent”.

    Quoting from the Holy Bible, Proverb 29: 2, he said, “When the righteous are in authority, the people rejoice, but when the wicked beareth rule, the people mourn”.

    The testifiers said that for decades of previous administrations, they had wallowed in abject poverty and suffered but the Buhari administration wiped away their tears by paying the pensions owed them for decades.

    The representative of the ex-workers of the Nigeria Airways, liquidated in 2004, said 800 of their members died waiting for their pensions.

    He said Buhari promised to pay them in 2015 and had fulfilled his promise, thereby bringing succour, life and hope to them.

    The testifier disclosed that the ex-Nigeria Airways workers would organise solidarity rally in support of Buhari’s reelection in Lagos and Kano.

    Mrs Regina, who had been frying Akara (beans cake) in Nyanyan, a suburb of FCT for 30 years, said she benefitted from the Federal Government’s Traders Money programme.

    She said it was the first time any government had supported her petty trade and commended the Buhari administration for the intervention.

    The elderly woman spoke in Igbo language with her son, a graduate of University of Benin, who interpreted in English.

    The woman disclosed that she trained her three children to university level with her trade and urged the administration to provide employment for them.

    Mr Livinus Okoh, the Chairman of Rice Growers Farmers Association in Ebonyi, said the Anchor Borrower Programme of the administration recorded tremendous achievements on local production of the staples towards self-sufficiency.

    He declared the support of rice farmers nationwide for the re-election of the president.

    Mr Aruwawa Johnson from Warri said “opposition must stay clear of Buhari’s reelection” because Nigerians are behind him.

    Johnson said the completed rail project in Aladja in Delta to Itakpe in Kogi had impacted positively on the lives of the people who were predominantly farmers.

    Monarchs, including Oba of Sao, Bamidele Alabi, Oba of Jebba, Abdulkadir Adebara and the Baale of Bodesaadu, Bolakale Yusuff, all in Kwara, commended the Buhari government for the rehabilitation of Ilorin-Jebba-Mokwa road.

    They said that the road had taken many lives and goods in carnage when it was abandoned by previous administrations.

    They thanked the President for coming to the rescue of their people and the road users.

    Mrs Oloyede, and Wasiu Oriade, beneficiaries of Bank of Industry social welfare scheme; Dike Charles, Abubakar Haruna, Aliyu Hassan and Olalekan Ayodele who are NPOWER beneficiaries in various vocations,  testified to the success of government programmed through its intervention.

     

  • Crossfire

    The 2018 Christmas homage paid by the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) community on President Muhammadu Buhari last Tuesday was meant to be more or less a religious gathering.

    But the political missiles exchanged following remarks at the brief ceremony held inside the official residence of the President was of large magnitude.

    It resulted in crossfire between the Presidency and the camp of the former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, who is the Presidential flag-bearer of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) in 2019 elections.

    The comments at the religious gathering was claimed to have prompted Atiku to write the President a letter faulting his utterances at the homage.

    Buhari during the Christmas homage had told his visitors “The three fundamental things we campaigned with are still very relevant. On improving the economy, which we are still going to explore, we have done well in agriculture, and those who embraced farming are not regretting it and we have also addressed unemployment and we are very lucky, through that we are now attaining food security.

    “The third thing with which we will campaign is the issue of corruption. I told you what I did when I was in uniform but now when I have to go by this system (Democracy,) where people have to be arrested and then prosecuted, taken to court and then with evidence, we will collect back what they had taken illegally and for doing that, people are calling me Baba go slow.

    “I am going slowly but whatever the case, I will not stop pointing fingers at those who have abused trust by taking money that does not belong to them.

    “I will keep on trying to do my best for this country and get back what belongs to the country. We are going to do the roads, revive the railway and electricity with the little resources at our disposal.

    “Fighting corruption, yes, we are slow because the system is slow. It’s not Baba that is slow but it is the system so I am going by this system and I hope we will make it,” he said.

    But barely twenty four hours after the President’s remark, Atiku picked holes in the comments through open letter he wrote to the President.

    Atiku, in the open letter to the President last Wednesday said “My attention has been drawn to a statement by President Muhammadu Buhari on the occasion of a Christmas homage paid on him by members of the Federal Capital Territory Community in which he blamed his inability to fight corruption on the Nigerian system.

    “According to the President, his administration is slow in fighting corruption because the system is slow.

    “My immediate response to this is to commend President Buhari for admitting that he has failed in fighting corruption. The President has just corroborated Transparency International, whose latest Corruption Perception Index shows that Nigeria is more corrupt today than it was under the

    previous administration, having moved 12 places backwards in the CPI, from 136 in 2014 to 148 this year.

    “But my point of departure from the President is in blaming his failure on the system. I disagree. The system has challenges, yes, but where there is political will, the system can make progress.

    “I was Vice President of Nigeria from 1999 to 2007 and we used that same system to speedily convict no less a personality than an Inspector General of Police, and several others including cabinet ministers and other high officials.

    “Mr. President, the problem with your anti-corruption war is not the system. You are the problem!” he said.

    Atiku went on to list four examples where he felt the President didn’t do well including the cases of the former Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Babachir David Lawal, the former chairman of the Presidential Task Team on Pension Reforms, Abdulrasheed Maina, the $25 billion NNPC contracts awarded without due process, and the billions found in an Ikoyi apartment.

    The former Vice President added “Based on the above statement of facts, I will not allow you to make Nigeria the scapegoat for your failure. Your failure is personal, and not national.

    “Besides, your excuse is deceptive, because you have staunchly resisted restructuring. If you really believed that the system is the problem, you would have embraced restructuring.

    “Unfortunate as your admitted failure in the war on corruption is, it is your economic policy that is the greater failure. Your lack of ideas and your politicisation of the corruption war has made your administration fight legitimate businesses and the opposition.

    “I might add that it is actions such as this that have led to an unprecedented capital flight which has caused joblessness and made Nigeria the world headquarters for extreme poverty under your watch.” he said.

    Atiku’s letter that Wednesday got at least two responses the same day from the President’s camp.

    The first to react was the All Progressives Congress (APC’s) National Publicity Secretary, Lanre Issa-Onilu, who are said “The PDP presidential candidate, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, is exhibiting early signs of depression, resulting from obvious frustration.

    “Consequently, he is unable to focus on his campaign. Otherwise, he should tell Nigerians why a discredited person like him should be elected as president instead of raising puerile allegations daily.

    “President Buhari and APC, not his programmes for the country, appear to be his main campaign issues. Nigerians are desirous of a campaign that focuses on issues that matter to them.

    “For Atiku and his PDP co-travellers, the only interest is to grab power and continue where they stopped in their avarice. The APC administration is eager to showcase the impressive achievements we have recorded in the last three and half years. This is the campaign that matters to us and this is what Nigerians are interested in.

    “The trajectory is exciting as we see a brighter future shaping up. We won’t yield to the PDP’s shenanigans. The obvious strategy of the PDP is to truncate the country’s journey towards economic buoyancy and social stability. We will not play the PDP’s game. PDP is acting an anti-people’s script.

    “President Buhari remains unshaken by the desperate efforts being made by Atiku and the PDP to blackmail the APC government. Everyone who was involved in corrupt practices would be brought to justice.  PDP is not offering any alternative to the progressive course this government is pursuing.

    “It is actually apparent that the party is not contesting the 2019 elections to redeem itself, least of doing any good for the country, but simply to seize power to escape justice for the grevious crimes committed against the people of this country. Nigerians won’t be fooled by the rapacious PDP gang. Never!” he added.

    Later the same day, the Director of Strategic Communications (Official Spokesperson) of the

    President Muhammadu Buhari Campaign Organization, Festus Keyamo also replied Atiku.

    He said “Our attention has been drawn to a statement credited to the Presidential Candidate of the People’s Democratic Party, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar disputing the assertion by President Muhammadu Buhari that the system in Nigeria allows corruption to thrive because the system is slow in tackling corruption.

    “Alhaji Atiku Abubakar further blamed President Muhammadu Buhari for perceived failure in addressing some instances of ‘corrupt practices’ under his watch.

    “Let us remind Alhaji Atiku Abubakar that he is one of the greatest beneficiaries of the failed system in tackling corruption that was in place before President Muhammadu Buhari took over in 2015.

    “We know he is aware of this, hence his latest diatribe against President Muhammadu Buhari amounts to nothing but disgusting grandstanding and an attempt to mock the system.

    “If the system in Nigeria was indeed working, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar would not have acquired substantial shares in INTELS in clear conflict of his duties as a Customs Officer whilst in office. Those shares would have belonged to the Nigerian people by now.

    “If the system in Nigeria was indeed working, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar would not have run a monopolistic company called INTELS all these years, ripping off the Nigerian people and the Nigerian State before Muhammadu Buhari came and broke that monopoly.

    “If the system was working, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar would have been prosecuted and jailed for various acts of corruption and abuse of office after he left office as Vice President.

    “Alhaji Atiku Abubakar latest adventure in trying to stand shoulder-to-shoulder in matters of integrity with President Muhammadu Buhari is a political suicide mission from which we thought his handlers would have tried to steer him away. But alas! They have decided to test the waters. Locally and internationally President Muhammadu Buhari stands several miles away from Alhaji Atiku Abubakar in matters of integrity.

    “When the President used all his life in public office building a reputation and a name, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar used all his life in public office to build mansions and acquire personal wealth. Now Judgment Day has come when the credentials needed by the Nigerian people for the highestoffice are not the buildings and wealth but the simple quality of integrity. Alhaji Atiku Abubakar cannot eat his cake and have it.”

    What is playing out now is definitely the beginning of what to expect as the campaigns begin in earnest and the 2019 general elections rush in.

    But peace loving Nigerians will not want what is playing out now in the polity to escalate.

    They will, no doubt, want a peaceful environment to exercise their franchise and also still have a country called Nigeria at the end of the elections.

     

  • FCT education management seeks early budget for planning

    As part of efforts to reposition the education sector in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), the Education Secretariat Management Committee has recommended an early budgeting cycle with full involvement of the Department of Policy Planning, Research and Statistics.

    The secretariat also affirmed that the administration will in 2019 adopt new measures to make the education sector more effective.

    To demonstrate the new steps, the education secretariat at its just concluded two days retreat of education secretariat management committee, recommended for a condition survey of its facilities with a view to developing a Needs Assessment that will drive its budget projections.

    The committee also urged FCT Department of Policy, Planning Research and Statistics on the production cost of training a child in the FCT.

    In a communique by the Assistant Director in charge of Information at the secretariat, Mr. Tony Ogunleye, the secretariat said the Department of Quality Assurance has been directed to enforce the Guidelines on the Establishment and Operations of Educational Institutions in the territory.

    It explained that no school should start operating before registration with the Department, adding that Boards and Departments in the Education Secretariat should work harder at integrating and collaboration in the discharge of their mandates.

    According to the communique, the Education Secretariat has recommended for a bi-annual retreat in its calendar of activities, with an intensified efforts on orientation of newly employed teachers.

    The committee suggested that there should be an early budgeting cycle with full involvement of the Department of Policy Planning Research and Statistics, planning officers from boards and departments as well as school heads in the budgeting process should be intensified.

    Another recommendation reached at the meeting called for a quarterly report of their progress and challenges to management.

    Boards and Departments in charge of students’ admission are advised to devise means of ensuring that only children within the approved age specifications are admitted into FCT schools” the communique stressed.

    The recommendations are: “The Department of Policy, Planning Research and Statistics is to produce the cost of training of a child in the FCT; Boards and Departments in the Education Secretariat should work harder at integrating and collaboration in the discharge of their mandates; The Secretariat is to conduct a condition survey of its facilities with a view to developing a Needs Assessment that will drive its budget projections; The Education Resource Centre should improve the services of FCTA public libraries, while Boards and Departments managing schools are required to encourage the reading culture in schools.

    “The Department of Quality Assurance is directed to enforce the Guidelines on the Establishment and Operations of Educational Institutions In the FCT, in particular, no school should start operating before registration with the Department; FCT Universal Basic Education Board and FCT Secondary Education Board are to collaborate on measures to decongest schools in the FCT; The Education Secretariat should institute a bi-annual retreat in its calendar of activities.

    “Orientation of newly employed teachers should be intensified; The budgeting cycle should start early and the involvement of the Department of Policy Planning Research and Statistics, Planning Officers from Boards and Departments as well as school heads in the budgeting process should be intensified; Boards and Departments are to use the Sector Plans as the base for their Action Plans and, are henceforth required to make a quarterly report of their progress and challenges to management.

    “Boards and Departments in charge of students’ admission are advised to devise means of ensuring that only children within the approved age specifications are admitted in to FCT schools; Completion of all on-going projects at the permanent site of FCT College of Education Zuba to facilitate movement to the permanent site.

    “The Secretariat should deploy all necessary means to engage the political leadership, other Secretariats and Departments of the FCTA in achieving its budgetary requirements and discharge of its mandate in the most efficient and cost-effective manner.”

    The retreat was held under the leadership of the secretary, Dr. Bala Liman. Officials pledged the secretariat’s commitment to completing all on-going projects at the permanent site of FCT College of Education Zuba to facilitate movement to the site.

  • ‘Biotechnology accreditation in Nigeria tertiary institutions to boost food security’

    The National Biosafety Management Agency (NBMA), says with the accreditation of biotechnology in some tertiary institutions, food security will be enhanced in the country.

    Dr Rufus Ebegba, the Director-General of NBMA said this in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja yesterday.

    “Upon meeting the requirements set forth for the accreditation of institutions, the NBMA accredited some institutions to carry out biotechnology activities.

    “They include the Federal University of Technology (FUTA), Akure; Institute for Agricultural Research (IAR), Zaria; International Institute for Tropical Agriculture (IITA), Ibadan and the National Biotechnology Development Agency (NABDA), Abuja.

    Others are the National Cereals Research Institute (NCRI), Badeggi, National Root Crops Research Institute (NRCRI), Umudike,” he said.

    “We have certified containment facilities for bio-fortified cassava enhanced with pro-vitamin A at the National Root Crops Research Institute, Umudike.

    He said bio-fortified cassava enhanced with Iron had been concluded while Genetically Modified Cassava resistant to cassava mosaic virus was ongoing, adding that  brown streak virus had also been concluded at the institute.

    Egbeba said with the establishment of the agency, the universities and research institutes now had confidence to carry out biotechnology research expected to increase agricultural productivity as well as contribute to food security in Nigeria.

    “The agency has also granted Permit for Commercial Release and Importation of GM Crops for Feeds and Food Processing such as Bt. Cotton to Monsanto Agriculture Nigeria Ltd., (Commercial Release) and Biosafety Permit to WACOT Nig. Ltd, Biosafety Permit for commercial release of Bt Cotton.

    “Nigeria is benefiting from safe modern biotechnology under a legal framework for economic growth, improved agriculture, job and wealth creation, industrial growth and sustainable environment.

    “These are possible because operators now have confidence in the sector, risks to human health from modern biotechnology practice and the use of Genetically Modified Organisms (GMOs) are at their barest minimum,” he said.

    He noted that dumping of unauthorised GMOs in Nigeria is now at its barest minimum, as avenues are being provided to confirm safety and harness the potential of modern biotechnology.

    “Negative socio-economic consequences of GMOs are being guarded against, and confidence built in the practice of modern biotechnology, use and handling of GMOs and GM products.

    “Nigeria’s commitment to the principles of International Agreements and Treaties to Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) and Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety (CPB) is reaffirmed.

    “We now have proper regulation for imported GM products, so that Nigeria will not be a dumping ground for GMOs,” he added.

     

  • Rapist cuts off teacher’s wrist

    A teacher escapes from a suspected rapist, but loses her wrist to her attacker’s machete cuts, reports FAITH YAHAYA

    There is enough violence in the land to tell everyone that all is not well. Consider herdsmen attacks, kidnapping, armed robbery, burglary, car snatching, ‘one chance’ robbers, phone snatching and others.

    Like most states where these cases of crime abound, the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) is not left out. The increasing rate of crime has made some residents of Abuja to live in constant fear while some are compelled to adhere to security tips provided by the police and other security agencies.

    Following the spate of insecurity in the country, people these days approach worship centres, recreational parks, motor parks, airports, clubs, eateries and public places with caution. For those who board vehicles and motorbikes, they observe the drivers and other occupants of the vehicle before boarding in order not to become victims. For Margaret Nyitse, a resident of Pegi community in Kuje Area Council of Abuja, she was not in the places prone to attacks when she was attacked. Margaret who studied Primary Education at College of Education Katsina-Ala in Benue State is a nursery school teacher and her job is to impart knowledge into the lives of young kids and that she has done for years with passion. Following the economic situation in the country, Margaret like most struggling youths who try to make ends meet decided to go into home tutoring to add to her little income. According to her, she did the job with joy because of the smiles she sees on the faces of the children she teaches and their parents. The smile she brought to the faces of others could not be found on her face following an attack on her by a cattle herder.

    After what she described as a fulfilled day, she was walking back home around 6:30pm on the 18th of March 2018 when she was attacked. Her wrist was cut off after attempts to rape her failed. Narrating how she was attacked, she said: “I am a teacher and I also do home lesson. I teach nursery classes English, Mathematics and other subjects. On the 18th of March this year, I was coming back from where I do home lesson for children. I met a Fulani guy on the way when I took a short cut leading to my house. I kept going and he followed me. The short cut is a place that car used to pass but the owner of the land came and started raising his building. So the only way to pass that side is by foot. As I was going, he was coming behind me my back. At the middle of the short cut, he passed me and started going at my front and I was coming at his back. At a point, he stopped by one tree and was playing with the leaves and acted as if he wanted to cut the leaves. I passed him while he was doing that and then something came to my mind that I should run but then again, I said to myself, why would I see somebody and start running?

    “So I decided to hasten my steps. Later, I turned back to observe what was going on behind me and I noticed his hands were behind him as if he had something to hide. It was at this point it occurred to me that he might hurt me. I then turned to run but he was already close to me. The next thing I felt was cutlass on my shoulder. My shoulder bone broke and then I felt another one on my elbow. As my shoulder bone broke, my hand went down and the bag I was carrying fell off. While he was trying to pick my bag from the floor, I gathered all the strength I had left in me and ran out of the foot path and it was while I was running I discovered that some parts

    of my hand were off.

    “When I noticed I was safe, I saw people passing and I begged them to carry me to the hospital because a Navy barracks clinic was close to us. They took me there and I was told they could not treat me because I was bleeding seriously but they managed to tie the hand and they carried me in their ambulance to Gwagwalada Specialist and that was where I was treated.”

    Margaret revealed to The Nation that her family spent close to a million naira to fix her hand.

    “On the 21st of March, they did surgical operation on my hand and I am presently carrying two irons on my hand. One of the irons is holding my shoulder bone while the other one is holding my elbow. They gave me eleven pints of blood and I stayed in the hospital for about two weeks. When we calculated what we spent aside the things we were asked to buy without receipt outside the hospital, we arrived at over N800,000.”

    On how she was able to recognize her attacker, she said: “It was around 6:30pm, the whole place was not dark and I am very good with faces.

    Speaking on how he was arrested, the FCT Commissioner of Police, CP Bala Ciroma said: “Following an ongoing investigation, Operatives of the Federal Special Anti-Robbery Squad (FSARS) attached to the Command arrested one Ahmadu Adamu who attacked one Margaret Nyitse on 18th March, 2018 at about 1830hrs in Pegi Community, Kuje Area Council and cut off her left wrist with a cutlass.

    “The suspect who has been on the run was arrested in Pegi on 14th December, 2018 at about 2000hrs. He has made useful statement on how the crime was committed. Effort is being intensified to recover the victim’s handbag which was robbed by the suspect and the weapon used in committing the crime.”

    When the Nation approached Adamu to know why he attacked Margaret, he explained in Hausa language that he only wanted to have sex with her. “I am cattle rearer at Pegi. I used the cutlass to cut her because I thought she would fall which would have enabled me have sex with her but when I cut her, the handbag she was carrying fell off her hand. It was while I was trying to check the content of her bag that she ran away. I took the bag and ran away too but I found nothing in the bag.”

    Margaret who is presently living without her wrist said the attack has affected her life negatively. She said she is forced to live and learn to work with only one wrist and hopefully look for another job since it seems difficult to return to the classroom with one wrist.

    On how she has been coping since the incident, she said: “Life has not been easy at all because I have not gone back to work since the incident. It has not been easy. I won’t lie to you, I passed through hell.”

     

  • Military wives empower 188 women

    It was a gathering of senior Army, Navy, Air Force and Police officers’ wives. It was convened by the wife of the Chief of Defence Staff, Mrs Omobolanle Olonisakin. And the occasion was chaired by the wife of the former Chief of Defence Staff, Mrs Fatimah Ogohi.

    The venue was the National Secretariat of Defence and Police Officers’ Wives Association (DEPOWA) located at Asokoro, Abuja. And inside the hall were graduating students seated in their colourful attires and beaming with smiles and excitement.

    There were other guests, such as the representatives of the Chief of Defence Staff, Commodore A M Adegboyega, and the Special Guest of Honour Hajiya Aminat Modupe Ibrahim.

    The graduating students were especially happy for the empowerment that would cap the ceremony as starter packs ranging from sewing and knitting machines, electricity generators and driers, grinding machines and other items were on display for them to take home.

    They would also be given cash to start up various businesses depending on the areas of their training. It was a programme packaged in the past three years to bring succour and relief to women and widows. Some of the women lost their husbands in war fronts as the nation contend with security challenges ranging from Boko Haram Terrorists (BHT) attacks, to cattle rustling, kidnapping and banditry.

    Addressing the gathering, the President of DEPOWA, Mrs Olonisakin said no fewer than 188 students trained in various vocational skills in the past three years have been graduated by the Skill Acquisition and Training Centre being managed by the association.

    According to her, 80 of those successfully trained are widows. They have also been given starter packs to enable them practice what they have learnt and to further empower others in an effort to reduce poverty in the country.

    She added that another batch of 52 students are graduating from the Skill Centre this year, among whom were 11 widows and wives of fallen heroes.

    Mrs Olonisakin who is the wife of the Chief of Defence Staff, Gen. Abayomi Olonisakin explained that the programme was put together to keep faith with “our sincere belief in the development of human capitalin line with our objective of giving succour to the less privileged in the society.”

    She said, “To the graduands today marks the end of your training and what you have learnt while at the center is to prepare you to face the challenges ahead.  We have groomed you to secure your future and in the process be an employer of labour and give livelihood to others too.

    “Hence, I urge you to be bold and courageous and put to use what you have learnt. As it is our custom since the inception of the empowerment programme, apart from providing the widows amongst you with monthly stipends for transportation during the course of the programme,  they will be given trade starter packs and financial assistance to secure a shop as they graduate today”.

     

  • Crossfire

    The 2018 Christmas homage paid by the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) community on President Muhammadu Buhari last Tuesday was meant to be more or less a religious gathering.

    But the political missiles exchanged following remarks at the brief ceremony held inside the official residence of the President was of large magnitude.

    It resulted in crossfire between the Presidency and the camp of the former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, who is the Presidential flag-bearer of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) in 2019 elections.

    The comments at the religious gathering was claimed to have prompted Atiku to write the President a letter faulting his utterances at the homage.

    Buhari during the Christmas homage had told his visitors “The three fundamental things we campaigned with are still very relevant. On improving the economy, which we are still going to explore, we have done well in agriculture, and those who embraced farming are not regretting it and we have also addressed unemployment and we are very lucky, through that we are now attaining food security.

    “The third thing with which we will campaign is the issue of corruption. I told you what I did when I was in uniform but now when I have to go by this system (Democracy,) where people have to be arrested and then prosecuted, taken to court and then with evidence, we will collect back what they had taken illegally and for doing that, people are calling me Baba go slow.

    “I am going slowly but whatever the case, I will not stop pointing fingers at those who have abused trust by taking money that does not belong to them.

    “I will keep on trying to do my best for this country and get back what belongs to the country. We are going to do the roads, revive the railway and electricity with the little resources at our disposal.

    “Fighting corruption, yes, we are slow because the system is slow. It’s not Baba that is slow but it is the system so I am going by this system and I hope we will make it,” he said.

    But barely twenty four hours after the President’s remark, Atiku picked holes in the comments through open letter he wrote to the President.

    Atiku, in the open letter to the President last Wednesday said “My attention has been drawn to a statement by President Muhammadu Buhari on the occasion of a Christmas homage paid on him by members of the Federal Capital Territory Community in which he blamed his inability to fight corruption on the Nigerian system.

    “According to the President, his administration is slow in fighting corruption because the system is slow.

    “My immediate response to this is to commend President Buhari for admitting that he has failed in fighting corruption. The President has just corroborated Transparency International, whose latest Corruption Perception Index shows that Nigeria is more corrupt today than it was under the

    previous administration, having moved 12 places backwards in the CPI, from 136 in 2014 to 148 this year.

    “But my point of departure from the President is in blaming his failure on the system. I disagree. The system has challenges, yes, but where there is political will, the system can make progress.

    “I was Vice President of Nigeria from 1999 to 2007 and we used that same system to speedily convict no less a personality than an Inspector General of Police, and several others including cabinet ministers and other high officials.

    “Mr. President, the problem with your anti-corruption war is not the system. You are the problem!” he said.

    Atiku went on to list four examples where he felt the President didn’t do well including the cases of the former Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Babachir David Lawal, the former chairman of the Presidential Task Team on Pension Reforms, Abdulrasheed Maina, the $25 billion NNPC contracts awarded without due process, and the billions found in an Ikoyi apartment.

    The former Vice President added “Based on the above statement of facts, I will not allow you to make Nigeria the scapegoat for your failure. Your failure is personal, and not national.

    “Besides, your excuse is deceptive, because you have staunchly resisted restructuring. If you really believed that the system is the problem, you would have embraced restructuring.

    “Unfortunate as your admitted failure in the war on corruption is, it is your economic policy that is the greater failure. Your lack of ideas and your politicisation of the corruption war has made your administration fight legitimate businesses and the opposition.

    “I might add that it is actions such as this that have led to an unprecedented capital flight which has caused joblessness and made Nigeria the world headquarters for extreme poverty under your watch.” he said.

    Atiku’s letter that Wednesday got at least two responses the same day from the President’s camp.

    The first to react was the All Progressives Congress (APC’s) National Publicity Secretary, Lanre Issa-Onilu, who are said “The PDP presidential candidate, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, is exhibiting early signs of depression, resulting from obvious frustration.

    “Consequently, he is unable to focus on his campaign. Otherwise, he should tell Nigerians why a discredited person like him should be elected as president instead of raising puerile allegations daily.

    “President Buhari and APC, not his programmes for the country, appear to be his main campaign issues. Nigerians are desirous of a campaign that focuses on issues that matter to them.

    “For Atiku and his PDP co-travellers, the only interest is to grab power and continue where they stopped in their avarice. The APC administration is eager to showcase the impressive achievements we have recorded in the last three and half years. This is the campaign that matters to us and this is what Nigerians are interested in.

    “The trajectory is exciting as we see a brighter future shaping up. We won’t yield to the PDP’s shenanigans. The obvious strategy of the PDP is to truncate the country’s journey towards economic buoyancy and social stability. We will not play the PDP’s game. PDP is acting an anti-people’s script.

    “President Buhari remains unshaken by the desperate efforts being made by Atiku and the PDP to blackmail the APC government. Everyone who was involved in corrupt practices would be brought to justice.  PDP is not offering any alternative to the progressive course this government is pursuing.

    “It is actually apparent that the party is not contesting the 2019 elections to redeem itself, least of doing any good for the country, but simply to seize power to escape justice for the grevious crimes committed against the people of this country. Nigerians won’t be fooled by the rapacious PDP gang. Never!” he added.

    Later the same day, the Director of Strategic Communications (Official Spokesperson) of the

    President Muhammadu Buhari Campaign Organization, Festus Keyamo also replied Atiku.

    He said “Our attention has been drawn to a statement credited to the Presidential Candidate of the People’s Democratic Party, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar disputing the assertion by President Muhammadu Buhari that the system in Nigeria allows corruption to thrive because the system is slow in tackling corruption.

    “Alhaji Atiku Abubakar further blamed President Muhammadu Buhari for perceived failure in addressing some instances of ‘corrupt practices’ under his watch.

    “Let us remind Alhaji Atiku Abubakar that he is one of the greatest beneficiaries of the failed system in tackling corruption that was in place before President Muhammadu Buhari took over in 2015.

    “We know he is aware of this, hence his latest diatribe against President Muhammadu Buhari amounts to nothing but disgusting grandstanding and an attempt to mock the system.

    “If the system in Nigeria was indeed working, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar would not have acquired substantial shares in INTELS in clear conflict of his duties as a Customs Officer whilst in office. Those shares would have belonged to the Nigerian people by now.

    “If the system in Nigeria was indeed working, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar would not have run a monopolistic company called INTELS all these years, ripping off the Nigerian people and the Nigerian State before Muhammadu Buhari came and broke that monopoly.

    “If the system was working, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar would have been prosecuted and jailed for various acts of corruption and abuse of office after he left office as Vice President.

    “Alhaji Atiku Abubakar latest adventure in trying to stand shoulder-to-shoulder in matters of integrity with President Muhammadu Buhari is a political suicide mission from which we thought his handlers would have tried to steer him away. But alas! They have decided to test the waters. Locally and internationally President Muhammadu Buhari stands several miles away from Alhaji Atiku Abubakar in matters of integrity.

    “When the President used all his life in public office building a reputation and a name, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar used all his life in public office to build mansions and acquire personal wealth. Now Judgment Day has come when the credentials needed by the Nigerian people for the highestoffice are not the buildings and wealth but the simple quality of integrity. Alhaji Atiku Abubakar cannot eat his cake and have it.”

    What is playing out now is definitely the beginning of what to expect as the campaigns begin in earnest and the 2019 general elections rush in.

    But peace loving Nigerians will not want what is playing out now in the polity to escalate.

    They will, no doubt, want a peaceful environment to exercise their franchise and also still have a country called Nigeria at the end of the elections.

     

  • Church helps Kobi villagers in Abuja

    The Federal Capital Territory, Abuja village Kobi experienced a medical lift when some team of pastors, medical doctors  from the The Arise outreach, a non-governmental organisation, NGO under the Redeem Christian Church of God moved into the village to give them free medical checkup for different kinds of ailment.

    The village is fifty five minutes’ drive from Abuja garki Abuja, it is situated at the Asokoro part of the FCT, after Gbaduma hills, the road to the village is untared and very dusty. After driving for fifty five minutes we got to the village to meet large crowd of villagers gather at an school

    open field.

    At the centre of the gathering, there were rubber buckets, bags of rice, and different kinds of gift items for the villagers. There were different doctors situated at different location in the school to attend to different ailments.

    Nation spoke with one of the medical doctors, Doctor Adakole Edache who said they are in Kobi village for medical outreach and assured that the programme is going on well, pointing to the large crowd of villagers who are still coming from all corners to partake in the treatment and what is going on in the village square.

    “We are treating pregnant women and children below the age of five years. Basically we are treating cases of malaria, people with urinatary track infection, we are also giving yellow fever immunization, we are also going to de-worm the children later today, this applies to all children below the age of five must be de-worm.

  • Tough life in the city

    For some in the nation’s capital, life is good. For others, it is rough, reports GBENGA OMOKHUNU

    Life, they say, is not a bed of roses. While some people relocate to Abuja knowing what they are coming to the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) to do to earn a living, others who are not fortunate come to seek menial jobs where the pay is low and the hours long.

    Many in this category are majorly hawkers of water popularly known as ‘Mai ruwa’.

    Two of such people who are finding life difficult and trying to make ends meet are Adamu Alidu and Amisu Isaa. They live in Kuje, one of the satellite towns in the FCT. They both hawk water to survive. And most times they sleep in an uncompleted building because of the high rate of rent. Adamu Alidu is not married while Amisu Issa is married with three children. If not for the Mai ruwa guys, getting water in Kuje would have been like hell to many. They supply water to many homes in the morning and evening. Adamu who is 35 years of age relocated to Abuja five years ago from Niger State and have since been visiting his parents whenever he has enough money to give them and other members of his family. He told Abuja Review that he started hawking water when there is no other job at hand.

    He said, “I relocated to Abuja over five years ago. I am from Niger State and my parents are from Niger. I am 35 years of age. My aim then was to come and start a business. But when I got here there was no capital to start the business so I went into pushing water for sale. I sell water in the morning and evening and aside that I also do little job. Many people do call me to supply water to their homes regardless of the time but not at midnight. We are about 40 people here selling water and many of us who are married feed their families from this job.

    “This is where we all converge and anyone that needs our services always calls us. This is the biggest place in this Kuje where we converge. In a day sometimes we make N1,000 and at times we make like N2,000. During the dry season business booms more that the raining season. I always visit my parents and stay with them for about five days before coming back to Abuja. If I have money for marriage now, I will marry in Niger and leave my wife there but I will still be shuttling between Niger and Abuja. My friend here is married with children.

    For Amisu Issa, life is more difficult because his wife and three children are in Katsina expecting money from him on a monthly basis. He was optimistic that if he could raise enough capital his life and that of his family will change for the better.

    His words: “I am 34 years of age. I am married with three children. I relocated to Abuja in the year 2003. Then I was into dry-cleaning business. But when things were not moving as expected, the owner of the business was not paying me again so I start selling water to survive. My wife and my three children are in Katsina. I do go visit my family often and when I do I stay with them for like a month before coming back to Abuja. And if I do not visit as planned I do send money to them. There is a lot of business that one can get involved in but when there is no capital you have to make do with what you have. I am still wishing to get more capital to do better and more lucrative business to better my life and that of my family.”

    The worst part of the story is that many of them sleep in an uncompleted building exposed to the danger at night and hoping that life will favour them someday.

    Aliyu Musa is the security man that guards the area where those men are sleeping and earning their daily bread. He praised them for their courage and resilience for what they are doing are advised other people who are not engaged in any way to emulate they guys and start from little rather than involving themselves in criminal activities.

    Musa said: “I am the security guard here. This people selling water are very helpful to the community. There is no government supplying water here. All we rely on is the borehole and these guys are the ones saving people by delivering water to households. Most of them have their customer. Government should also help in bring pip bone water in Kuje. Youths should be encouraged to do something with their hands. Many of our youths want to make ‘quick money’. And many of these guys looking for ‘quick money’ are not educated and they do not want to learn any handwork. So these boys instead of them to steal they will sell water and no type of job that they cannot do. These guys around me here are very hard working.”

    In Abuja there are several homeless people. They stay on pedestrian bridges, under the bridges at Karu, Nyanya, Berger and Area 1, Garki. They also live in parks, gardens, abandoned cars and uncompleted buildings.

    In most of the shopping complex in town the situation is almost similar as almost every shop in the place has people sleeping in them at night. Majority of those who stay in such shops are men who come into the town to hustle for money. Other places where homeless people exist are Mabushi, Karu and Nyanya market, among others.

    In Abuja, the plights of the homeless are compounded because of the cost of renting apartments, which runs into hundreds of thousands or millions. Such apartments stay empty for years until luck shines on the landlord and they are taken.

    tal, life is good. For others, it is rough, reports GBENGA OMOKHUNU