Members of the Kpeigyei community in the Federal Capital Territory are gripped by fear of reprisal over the unprovoked killing on a Fulani youth. OKODILI NDIDI and NICHOLAS KALU feel the pulse of the community.

 

Mustapha Iliyasu, in company with his pregnant wife, Mariam and other friends, had gone to deliver a cow on behalf of his uncle, Iliyasu Haruna. The live cow was delivered to the palace of the traditional head of Kpeigyei, a sleepy settlement on the fringe of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).

The cow was meant to be slaughtered to entertain guests at a remembrance ceremony for the father of the councillor representing the Orozo Ward in the Abuja Municipal Area Council, Mr Gagara Peche Galadima some days away. For a typical Fulani youth, herding cattle, either for grazing or for delivery to the designated location is fun.

And for Mustapha and his friends, it was fun taking the cow for delivery to a local politician. The cow was delivered to the local politician in one piece. So Mustapha, his pregnant wife and his friends were returning home. Unknown to them, a group of young men, believed to be members of a cult, were laying an ambush for the jolly good friends.

And before anyone could say Ruga, the alleged cult boys bushwhacked the Fulani youths. Mustapha’s pregnant wife was their target as they attempted to drag her into a nearby bush, for God knows what. Of course, it’s only a coward, or a fool, or a cowardly fool, would stand by and watch his wife attacked by hoodlums.

Mustapha challenged the gang members and had attempted to rescue his wife from her attackers. The rampaging gang members, believed to be native Gbagyi youths, left Mariam off their hands and descended on the husband.

He was reported to have been dealt multiple machete blows for daring to show such bravery. His friends were also not spared as members of the gang were said to have launched similar machete attacks on them.

But while his friends escaped from the scene with varying degrees of machete injuries, Mustapha was not that lucky. Apparently, as a result of excessive loss of blood from the injuries inflicted of him, he was too weak to run from his attackers.

Within hours, his eyes glazed in their sockets and as the hours went by, Mustapha slipped into rigour mortis. On receiving the news of the attack, Mustapha’s uncle had rushed to the scene to see if he could rescue his nephew. By the time he arrived at the scene, his nephew’s lifeless body had been evacuated and deposited in a local morgue.

Iliyasu Haruna could not come to terms with the reality that the young man he sent on a harmless errand only a few hours back was dead. And the uncle wept. Now the erstwhile peaceful community where the Gbagyi had co-habited with their Fulani neighbours over the years, can no longer sleep.

Known for an entrenched culture of reprisal, residents of the community now live in trepidation. They are well aware that the Fulani don’t forget injury to one of their own. There are fears that the senseless killing of Mustapha, allegedly by Gbagyi youths may trigger reprisal attacks typical of the Fulani credo. Members of the community are said to be sleeping with one eye open since the incident occurred.

But dispelling fears in the now tensed community, Haruna assured that there would be no reprisal as long as the killers of his nephew are brought to justice. Narrating the incident to one of our correspondents, Haruna confirmed that he sent his nephew to deliver a cow to the said councillor on a fateful day.

In his words, “The Councillor representing Orozo Ward in Abuja Municipal Area Council was organising a remembrance ceremony for his late father and the Chief of Gbegi. He bought a cow from me but because I was not disposed of, I sent my elder brother’s son (the victim) to take the cow to the man.

Read Also: 11 shot as community leaders clash in Anambra

 

I also gave him some cash donation to give to the celebrant since I would not be attending the ceremony. I was in the house around 11 am when one of the boys called me that they had killed my brother’s son and I saw some of the boys who were attacked with him running to the house.

They told me that they were going home after they had delivered the cow when some boys armed with machetes stopped them and started dragging the only woman among them who happened to be the wife of the victim.

At that point, he (Mustapha) came out to stop them from taking the wife away and they attacked him with cutlasses and killed him and fled.”

Amid tears, Haruna continued, “I got there about 1 am and saw his lifeless body soaked in blood. Then I went to Jukwoyi Police station and reported the matter and the Police came and took the corpse to a mortuary. Two of the suspects have been arrested, one of them is the son of the councillor who organised the event, while others are still walking the streets as if there is no consequence to killing an innocent man. All we are demanding is justice because some influential people are trying to suppress the matter.

But if that is done, it will result in a fight and we don’t want that. We have been living with the Gbegi people for a long time. Most of us were born in Gbegi. The only thing that can avert possible reprisal is justice.

We want the Police to give us the corpse for burial but we are demanding that every person that was involved should be brought to book.”

Also, Idris Yusuf Abdallah, the zonal Secretary-General of the Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association of Nigeria, AMAC FCT Chapter, said that all they wanted is justice in the matter.

Abdallah said, “Our stand in this is that we the Fulani, most especially in the FCT, know nothing but peace. So we are calling on the government to do the right thing, in this case, to avoid any problem because this is not the first time they would be killing Fulani in Orozo Ward and nothing was done.

But this time around, it’s either they do justice to this case or else we take the law into our hands. We are not praying for violence but we need justice.”

Galadima described the incident as unfortunate.

He stated that the Fulani herdsmen and the community have been living together in harmony for a very long time without any crisis. According to him, “It was the remembrance ceremony of my late uncle.

Even the cow we bought for the occasion stayed with the Fulani herders for about six months. After delivering the cow in the morning, the Fulani boys came back in the evening for the occasion. I had already gone to bed when they woke me up that the Fulani boys were fighting. I went out to the scene and the boy was already dead.”

The Police Public Relations Officer in charge of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Command, Anjuguri Manzah, a Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP), would not comment on the matter because he had not been officially briefed yet. The late Mustapha had since been buried.

 

Amid inadequate capacity to combat fire outbreaks in different parts of the country, 10 fire-fighting engine trucks are left to rot away with no one taking responsibility for them. ANDREW ABAH reports.

There are no fewer than 10 fire-fighting engine trucks rotting away inside the Abuja National Stadium (Moshood Abiola Stadium). The trucks were purchased in 2003 and moved to the sporting arena during the 9th All Africa Games that held at the Federal Capital Territory.

Packed at the Package B section within the stadium, successive sports administrations in the past 16 years have watched the multi-million naira equipment rot away.

It was gathered that the purchase of the trucks was in fulfillment of one of the safety measures given by the Supreme Council for Sports in Africa (SCSA) for Nigeria to host 2003 edition of the games. It was also gathered that the trucks were purchased from China by the defunct Presidential Tasks Force on Stadium Project.

The trucks were acquired during the tenure of Dr. Amos Adamu as Director-General of the National Sports Commission. Adamu also acted as Chief Executive Officer of the Games, code-named COJA 2003.

Adamu, who was a one-time Executive member of FIFA/CAF, told our correspondent on the telephone that fire engine trucks were part of the stadium project meant to be domiciled at the stadium in case of fire outbreak within the arena.

According to him, the trucks had since been handed over to the Federal Fire Service for management and maintenance.

Adamu said, “What I know is that the fire engines arrived in Nigeria six months after the 9th All Africa Games. They were commissioned by the then Sports Minister, Col. Musa Mohammed (rtd) in 2004. But authorities of the Federal Fire Service said they have no knowledge of the fire-fighting trucks at the stadium.”

In an interview with our correspondent, Head, Public Relations of the Fire Service, Ugo Huan, said there was no record to show that the trucks were handed over to the Service.

Huan said, “The trucks don’t belong to the Service and we have no knowledge of who and how they brought them into the country.”

Continuing, he said, “I have made inquiries about the fire appliances at the stadium from my bosses and no one seems to have any knowledge of them. I have gone through our records from 2003 to date.

There is no document or file to show that the Fire Service was in the know or in partnership with the Sports Ministry regarding the trucks. I can tell you in all honesty that the fire appliances don’t belong to the Federal Fire Service.

If they do, we would have taken possession and put them into effective use. The only thing I can confirm to you is that the Fire Service has one fire-fighting truck stationed at the main-bowl of the Abuja Stadium. It is stationed at Package A and we have our office and personnel and office there.”

No documentation for the trucks – Ex Sports Minister

Immidiate past Minister of Youth and Sports Development Solomon Dalung said he had wanted to auction the trucks and pay the money into government coffers but discovered that there was no documentation for them.

Dalung, who served as Minister from 2015 to 2019, said, “When I assumed office in 2015, my first visit and comment was the abandoned fire-fighting trucks. I asked questions but nobody came forward with any information on how they were acquired.

I did my own personal investigation but there was no document or record found. I also went through the Tenders Board of the then National Sports Commission but there was no record or trace of such equipment till the day I left office.

Honestly, I had wanted to auction them but there were no documents. It’s sad and it pained me to see such investment rotting away due to negligence.

Also, I found out that each of the fire-fighting trucks cost between N220 to N250 million. What a waste and unfortunate situation.”

Efforts made by our correspondent to speak with the present Minister of Sports, Sunday Dare through his media aide on the abandoned trucks prove abortive. Meanwhile, many lives and property worth billions of Naira are being lost to incessant fire outbreaks in many towns and cities across the country in the past few months.

Not a few Nigerians would have wished that these trucks be overhauled and deployed for use where they are desperately needed.

As the year 2020 marks the decade for women and children, stakeholders from different walks of life have risen to break down the barriers placed in the way of the vulnerable segments of the society. GRACE OBIKE, who was at the event, reports.

The United Nations (UN) has declared the year 2020 as a decade of action for women and children. Civil society groups, government agencies and non-governmental organisations (NGOs) in the country appear to be bracing up for the challenge.

Themed Each4Equal, the groups, a few days ago, converged on Abuja to discuss ways of pushing the women’s and children’s agenda.

For a long time, Nigerian women have fought hard to overcome cultural limitations that have continued to make women the poorest of the poor in this part of the world.

Addressing the gathering, the Special Adviser to the President on Social Investments, Mrs Mariam Uwais, lamented that society does not appear to recognise the contributions women can make to national growth and development.

She identified child marriage, which usually gives rise to malnourished babies as one of the major challenges to be confronted headlong.

Talking about the prevalence of child marriages in the country, Mrs Uwais deplored a cultural mindset that is often misrepresented as faith. “I think that there is a lot that we must do to break those myths because it is untrue that any religion would sanction injustice.

These girls are voiceless and they have no place to go. So it behooves on all of us that have had the opportunity to go to school and attain some level of achievement to speak for them.

I have an NGO in Kano that has been doing a lot of work on out of school children, especially girls”. Also speaking at the event, the Minister of Women Affairs, Mrs Pauline Tallen, explained that the present administration intends to uplift women in three key areas.

She listed the areas to as girl-child education, empowerment of the vulnerable groups and women in politics.

Tallen said, “The girl child issue is top on our agenda and I will like to use this medium to call on all well mean Nigerians to ensure that the education of the girl child is a task that must be done.”

She commended the presenter of a feminine based television programme, Osasu Igbinedion for reaching out to out of school girls and other vulnerable groups through her Foundation.

“I want to give her my words and assure all our civil society organisations like hers that are doing well to support issues that have to do with women and children. We will definitely partner together and help scale out the bad situation that we are facing now,” Tallen said.

Osasu, who is the Executive Director of the Osasu Show Foundation, observed that Nigeria recorded a poverty index of 31 percent in the last decade, with women and children bearing the burden.

Her Foundation, she said, was out to tackle the root cause of poverty in the land, to ensure that Nigerian, especially the youth, women, and girls are empowered, engaged and secure.

Osasu informed the gathering that her Foundation recently launched its decade of an action campaign to empower women and girls on projects in seven states across the nation.

According to her, plans are afoot to create a 10-year strategic plan to tackle developmental issues in support of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

She said, “Since inception, the Osasu Show Foundation has implemented sustainable small scale interventions in the six geopolitical zones of the country and conducted sample surveys in the communities where we work.

Recording successes, we realised the need to create a 10-year strategic plan to tackle developmental issues in support of Sustainable Development Goals, with particular focus on goals 1, 3, 4, 5, 8, 10 and 16.

The Osasu Show Foundation has recently launched its “Decade of Action” campaign for Women & Girls Empowerment (WAGE) and Capacity Building Incubator (CBI) that will see to the implementation of projects in a minimum of seven states across the country and an investment of at least N2.5 billion.

The objectives of the program include advocating equality and inclusion by advancing policy changes that accelerate girl child and women empowerment; leading capacity building incubator efforts by equipping the next generation of leaders with valuable skill sets; promoting social enterprise by providing grants and technical assistance to a vulnerable population, especially women; and boosting access to education and improved learning outcomes for the vulnerable population.”

Country Director, Amnesty International Nigeria, Osas Ojigho reiterated that celebrating women and girls is significant because 2020 marks the end of the African Union decade of women and the start of a new decade of women empowerment.

Ojigho said at the same time, it is also the bridge where we look at the latest human rights development reports of the UNDP that 90 percent of men and women have biases against women.

She added, “We have 10 years now to plan to break those stereotypes to be a part of rewriting history to ensure that everyone can achieve equality in this generation and beyond.

At Amnesty International Nigeria, we support the rights of women, we support human rights as the bedrock of a progressive society. We also recognise that when everyone is allowed to contribute on an equal footing with equal access to opportunities, the society is better for it.”

Former Minister of Youth Development, Hon. Bolaji Abdullahi who was also at the event, said real change can only take place if we are able to engage the state to play the leading role.

According to him, the issue of gender equality or the advancement of women is both a factor and consequence of the quality of our democracy.

“It is only at the state level when state actors are willing to play certain roles that we can bring out the kind of change that we need.

So we must continue to engage the state because the real change that can happen will only occur when the state is leading the process and we are pushing hard and will continue to maintain that assertive capacity as civil societies to demand that certain things must be done in a particular way.

That is the only way that we can bring about this change in a sustainable way. I know that the roads ahead are going to be very bumpy but I know that it can be done”, Mallam Abdullahi added.

The Executive Director, CODE, Hamzat Lawal, said that his association is committed to partnering with the Osasu Foundation to scale and accelerate the N2.5 billion that has been committed for the program.

Lawal said, “I believe that in partnership with government, international donor organisations and private institutions, we can achieve this. I am excited about this year commencing the decade of action plan and it can also inform our conversation to have a side event during the next general assembly in the United Nations.

This is quite timely because the oil price is dwindling. I believe that this presents a unique opportunity for our country to ensure that we see concrete steps being taken. I believe that resources can be saved by help support programmes like this so that we can accelerate progress. Our follow-the-money campaign has over six thousand volunteers in the 774 local governments. We will partner with the Foundation to ensure that the resources reach the vulnerable people.”

Residents of Lokogoma, a sprawling residential estate, a suburb of the Federal Capital Territory, live each day praying not to be their last. SANNI ONOGU reports.

This may not be the best of times for residents of Lokogoma District, a suburb of the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja. Residents of the sprawling neighbourhood, out of fear for their lives, are devising ingenious ways to stay alive. Rampaging criminal elements have conspired with harsh environmental conditions to make life unbearable for them. They are forced to live in perpetual fear of killer tricycle and motorcycle riders, yahoo boys and burglars.

For the residents of Lokogoma District, it’s one day, one trouble. Incidentally, the authorities of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) have chosen the district to experiment with mass residential housing.

And like similar residential estates within the territory, daily influx of people into the area has continued to overwhelm security. Day and night, criminal elements are having a field day killing, maiming, stealing and terrorising the hapless residents unchallenged.

Some of the terrified residents have since relocated to safer locations while those left behind have been devising their own survival strategies, individually and collectively.

This, however, has not deterred the dare devil criminals who have also been changing their attack tactics. Only recently, a top civil female servant in the Presidency, Ms. Dagan Laetitia Naankang, was brutally murdered in her bedroom by a group of criminals.

Her body was set ablaze by her assailants who were later identified as yahoo boys living in the same compound with her. Naankang, was an Assistant Director, Administration at the State House before her gruesome murder. The deceased civil servant was murdered in the night of February 17 shortly after she returned home from work.

Perhaps, the most dreaded part of the sprawling Lokogoma District is Kabusa Village. Criminal gangs of all shades have chosen Kabusa as their hideout.

Recently, a woman (name withheld) was reported to have been raped, murdered and her corpse dismembered by yet-to-be apprehended assailants.

Also, a field worker with Abuja Electricity Distribution Company was attacked and killed by a group of hoodlums while on official disconnection duty. Almost on a daily basis, passengers of tricycles and motorcycles are being mugged on their way to work early in the morning or on their way home in the evening.

They have constantly been losing their money, telephone handsets and other personal valuables to some criminal elements who operate these tricycles and motorcycles.

A lady who spoke with our correspondent in confidence because of fear, narrated her ordeal in the hands of one of the tricycle operators a few months ago. She recalled boarding the tricycle alongside other passengers around 7.15pm that fateful day.

“Midway into the homeward journey, a male passenger who I met in the Keke told the rider to stop. The place was surrounded by a thick forest and it was dark. After alighting, he gave the rider N100 and pretended that he was waiting to collect his N50 change.

Before I knew what was happening, he forcefully grabbed and collected my handbag and dashed into a nearby bush. I could not pursue him. I was dumbfounded.

All the other passengers started shouting out of panic telling the rider of the Keke to move away from the area to prevent further attack on other passengers in the tricycle.

That was how I lost my only phone, money and the other with my purse. I was in shock for several days. Thank God that it was a Friday as I don’t work on Saturdays. I wouldn’t have been able to report for duty the next day. It is still like a dream to me up till this day.”

The lady was later to learn that a day after her own attack, a pregnant woman was similarly attacked in the same manner at the same spot. According to her narration, the pregnant woman was stabbed by assailant while struggling to retrieve her handbag.

The upsurge in violent and criminal activities in the area has consequently heightened tension and put residents on tenterhooks.

Consequently, resident associations have commenced massive sensitisation campaign in the area. Pamphlets and leaflets conveying personal security tips and measures to stave off attacks are being circulated among residents.

Those living in fenced apartments are being encouraged to raise their fence walls with extra blocks. They are also being advised to increase electric or razor security wires around their fence walls.

The measures are meant to discourage criminals who sometimes scale fence walls to gain access to premises at night. A copy of one of such notices circulated among residents by managers of the estate facility was obtained by our correspondent.

The message reads: “Further to our meeting with all the residents, we write to remind you on the need to increase the perimeter fence behind your property or re-erect a new and higher one with spiral wire within your property to avoid any form of theft or bugling.

Also, we advise you to increase the lighting of your vicinity at night to reduce loitering of any unwanted person, if any.

“Do not hesitate to escalate any suspicious movement noticed by blowing of whistle and call the security department immediately. Your safety and well-being are our goal.”

On their part, the residents have learnt not to keep late nights to avoid being attacked. In some cases, the rule in force prescribes lock outs for residents arriving home late.

Residents have also established coded methods of knocking at gates and doors known only to the occupants in the respective compounds. As part of the safety measures, visitors to the estates are thoroughly screened and identified by their hosts before they are given access. The resident associations have also deployed technology as one of the key security measures.

One of the residents, who spoke with our correspondent, said there is an app device being used to identify individual residents of the estate.

According to him, the app comes with a code containing information supplied to the association by every resident. The security code of every resident is scanned and analysed with hand scanners operated by private security personnel stationed at the main gate.

The information on residents is then displayed on a large screen mounted within the security gate house. And while the residents are taking measures to safeguard the security of their lives and property, they have nonetheless continued to plead with the authorities to come to their rescue.

Among others, they are calling on the authorities of the FCT to provide the estate with a police post and to deploy police patrol teams in the area.

It was a tearful occasion as young widows of slain soldiers receive terminal benefits of their spouses. OKODILI NDIDI captures the solemn event

They filed with long faces, with their children in tow, to collect the terminal benefits of their late husbands who died in active service to their country. With rehearsed smiles, they tried to conceal the pain in their hearts.

But it’s obvious that nothing could completely assuage their pains, the agonising pain of losing a better half, the family’s breadwinner. Hard as they tried,  some of them could not hold back the tears as they wept uncontrollably. A few others who succeeded in holding back the tears presented swollen faces and puffy eyes.

Not a few among the audience could hold back their emotions as the tears welled up in their eyes as they struggled to console the distraught widows with kind words. They were 184 in number all widows of soldiers killed in the ongoing counter insurgency war in the war ravaged Northeastern Nigerian.

It was indeed a touching sight to see some of them as young as 20, struggling to compose themselves. Fate had thrown a heavy burden on their fragile shoulders, a burden they have to bear for a long time to come.

A discomforting aspect of the entire exercise was the fact that the widows who turned up for the event at the Ministry of Defence in Abuja, as early as 8.30 am the event was slated to commence, had to wait till evening for the Minister of Defence, Salihi Magashi, accompanied by representatives of the underwriting insurance companies to show up.

One of them, Amina Musa, who clutched a malnourished baby of about a year old, could hardly conceal her agony as she blamed the government for sending her husband of three years to his untimely death.

She complained about what she described as the shabby manner the widows were treated by the government officials. The attitude of the officials, she observed, showed that there was little appreciation shown for the sacrifices paid by the fallen heroes. She deplored the way and manner the news of death of some of the soldiers was communicated to their immediate families.

According to her, “Nobody told me that my husband had been killed until after two weeks when his younger brother sent for me and told me that he got a message from somebody in Maiduguri that my husband was among the soldiers ambushed by Boko Haram terrorists but that they were still searching for them.

“Instinctively, I knew that my husband had been killed. I was two months pregnant then. I had a miscarriage the following day and I became very sick. My child also fell sick. It is one loss that I will not recover from and it is my prayer that the war will end so that more young woman will not become a widow like me”.

Another of the widows, Rebecca Sunday, had a more pathetic experience. She lamented how she did not see her husband for over one year before his tragic death in Maiduguri.

In a tearful voice, she narrated her ordeal to The Nation, “My last child has not stopped asking of his father as she cries herself to sleep every day. I keep imaging that it was a nightmare and that I will wake up any moment. I didn’t see my husband for one year after he was transferred to Maiduguri. We only talked on phone each time he happened to be in network coverage area and he would promise to come back any time he was relieved. But that was never to be. I was shattered the day the news of his death came to me and I have not recovered from the shock up till now.”

Another of the widow, who spoke on the condition of anonymity, said that she found it difficult to come to terms with the fact that she was being paid her husband’s terminal benefit just four years after they were married. She said, “I can’t muscle the strength to collect the cheque that was why I came with my husband’s younger sister to collect the cheque on my behalf.

I will continue to miss my husband and I hope his death will not be in vain. I pray that those terrorists will have a change of heart and stop these killings so that more women who are married to soldiers will not lose their husbands prematurely.”

Meanwhile presenting the cheque, the Minister of Defence, reiterated the Federal Government’s commitment to the wellbeing of the families of officers and men who laid down their lives in defence of the nation.

Addressing the widows, the minister said, “No amount of money can equate the lives of your loved ones. The Federal Government appreciates the contributions of your breadwinners and believes that no amount of succour would be enough or too little to augment your daily requirements.”

The 184 fallen officers and men were captured on the 2018/2019 Group Life Assurance Programme for the Armed Forces. The Chief of Defence Staff Maj. Gen. Gabriel Abayomi Olonisakin commended the Defence Ministry for ensuring the smooth implementation of the scheme.

Olonisakin, who was represented at the event by Maj. Gen, Abraham Dusu, said the payment was meant to provide succour for the families of the slain officers and men. In her welcome address, the Director, Human Resource Management in the ministry, Mrs. Olumoko Juwaretu, explained that the Group Life Assurance Programme for the Armed Forces of Nigeria is a welfare package put in place by the Federal Government to provide succour for the next-of-kin of Nigerian fallen heroes. She expressed the hope that the scheme would serve as morale booster to serving officers and men.

She stated that it’s a way of assuring serving officers and men that their families would not be abandoned or forgotten in the event of any eventuality.

Continuing, Juwaretu said, “The programme emanated from the Pension Reform Act, 2004 which was initially administered by the Office of the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation (OHCSF). However, with the amended of the Act in 2011, the scheme excluded members of the Armed Forces from the Contributory Pension Scheme, necessitating the Ministry of Defence to initiate an alternative for the Armed Forces.”

She added that the 2018/2019 phase of the scheme was managed by Axa Mansard Insurance Plc as the Lead Underwriters and Magnum Trust Insurance Brokers Ltd as Lead Brokers.

According to her, all processed claims under the scheme had been fully settled.

Responding on behalf of the beneficiaries, Mr. Casmir Nsofor expressed gratitude to the Federal Government, President Mohammadu Buhari, the Minister of Defence, the Permanent Secretary, management and staff of the Ministry of Defence, Axa Mansard Insurance Plc and Magnum Trust Brokers Ltd for ensuring a seamless implementation of the scheme.

Worried by escalating insecurity, typified by killings, kidnappings, rape and large scale destruction, Catholic Bishops, at a recent procession, urged the government to protect the lives of Nigerians. GBENGA OMOKNUNU who was part of the procession reports

Catholic bishops and other Christian faithful have continued to sustain prayer processions over the escalating violence and general insecurity in the country.

Leading the procession was the Catholic Bishops Conference of Nigeria (CBCN), on the platform of the Catholic Secretariat of Nigeria (CSN).

Led by the President of CBCN, Most Rev. Augustine Akubueze, the procession started from the Ecumenical Centre, Central area and terminated at Our Lady Queen of Nigeria Pro Cathedral, Area 3, Garki, Abuja.

The large crowd of Catholic faithful was dressed in black to mourn victims of violent killings and also offered prayers for peace and unity. The push was to seek God’s intervention in the deteriorating security situation in the country.

While deploring the senseless killings across the country, the Bishops emphasised the sanctity of human life and stressed the fact that the life of every citizen is worth protecting.

Apparently to forestall a breakdown of law and order, the procession, which was closely monitored by security operatives, attracted both the young and the old.

Addressing the gathering, the President of CBCN, Most Rev. Augustine Akubueze expressed anger over the frightening situation and prayed God to put an end to the killings.

Charging faithful not to be engage in any form of reprisal, Akubueze urged Christians to embrace peace at all times and shun acts capable of destroying the country.

The Bishop advised Christians to speak with one voice, irrespective of denominations. Condemning the killings, he called on the government to come to terms with the reality that the country is under siege and find to put an end to the carnage.

He frowned at the way some government officials are handling the security situation, saying that all hands must be on deck to tackle terrorism and other related challenges.

The cleric urged Christians to be hopeful and pray for peace now and always. Bishop Akubueze said, His words: “our nation Nigeria needs the light in this moment of darkness.

The darkness is so noticeable that even the blind can feel it. We live at a time, a very difficult time in the life of this nation that we all know. In the coming days we shall examine how the word of God can be a light for us.

How can the word of God be a light for us? As a church let us continue to pray for Nigeria and the church. We all should be working for peace.

Bishop Abubueze, in an emotion laden voice, said, “We are praying for our brothers in the northern parts of the country. We can imagine what you are going through because of your faith.

The faith you believe in will grow faster than the terrorists who are killing and holding our Christian brothers and sisters hostage. Our Christian values are more important than anything in life.

As a church, we cannot forget the kidnapping and killing of our reverend father. Our eyes are still filled with tears. Their blood shall never be in vain.

Government officials pass through federal roads with heavy security and they see what is going on. This is a clear sign that all is not well.

What Government can do is to accept this fact and work on it. Government must work to tackle terrorism in the land. The presence of terrorists in our land poses serious danger to the nation”.

Pausing for a while, the Bishop continued, “The word of God is one and the same. Our God will not fail us. We must never lose hope in Nigeria. We must continue to be hopeful.

Our hope will not fail us. Hope is not about the present but about the future. We are hopeful that the future will be better. We have to collectively raise our voices in condemnation of recklessness in government and abuse of power.

We must raise our voices against killing of innocent people and the insecurity of our lives and property. Let us ask, with faith, that God should bless Nigeria and make it a prosperous country.

Let God make Nigeria to become a nation that provides safety for all citizens, a nation that allows free expression of religious differences, a nation that people can travel without being kidnapped on the road.”

Vice-President, Yemi Osinbajo, urged Nigerians to pray for government in the present situation. Osinbajo, who was represented by the Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi said it was difficult for government officials to speak at the event even as he repeated the plea for prayers for people in government.

President of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), Rev. Samson Ayokunle called on President Muhammadu Buhari not to rest until peace is restored across the country.

He advised the President to monitor the operations of the security agencies and to overhaul the nation’s security architecture.

The CAN President urged politicians to always be of good behaviour and emulate the church in all their endeavors.

Ayokunle, who was represented by Pastor Garuba Umar, commended the Catholics Bishops for spearheading the teaching of the Catholic doctrine in Nigeria.

Pastor Umar said, “I wish our political class can come here and borrow a leaf from you on how to conduct a transition process that is free of rancour, acrimony, violence and abuse.

The church has a lot to offer our politicians if they could come down from their high places and our country will be a better place.

Permit me to commiserate with you all on the death of a seminarian and a good Shepard in Kaduna State who was kidnapped and killed.

His death was a tip of the iceberg of what the security architecture has become. Regretting that Nigeria has become a no-man’s land, Umar lamented that terrorists, kidnapers and other gangs have taken over the country and that security operatives appear powerless.

Speaking further, he said, “All well-meaning Nigerians, including the House of Representatives, have been calling on President Buhari to overhaul the security agencies with the aim of injecting new blood and new ideas in them.

“I urge you all to use this great forum to intercede for our dear country. The outcome of this conference shall bring the long awaited solution to every problem confronting the country in Jesus name.”

The Metropolitan Archbishop of Abuja, Most Rev Ignatius Kaigama during the sermon, said permanent peace and solution will continue to elude the country if the people do not repent, change their ways and turn to God for help and healing.

Kaigama urged Nigerian leaders to bring both Christians and Muslims together no matter the situation and avoid complacency or lack of interest.

He cautioned the government against playing politics with religion and the security situation in the country.

His words, “In contemporary Nigeria, perhaps one of our biggest temptations is one of believing in our country against all odds.

For quite a while now, it appears that it is our country’s destiny to always dance on the edge of the perilous precipice. Otherwise how does one explain the uninterrupted movement from one crisis to another?

If it is not the murderous insurgents ravaging rural communities in the Northeast, it is the herdsmen laying waste towns and villages and leaving tales of death and destruction in their trail.

Most recently, the wanton kidnapping of citizens for ransom has taken a brutal and deadly turn with very grave and sickening consequences.

Although those in authority continue to assure the populace that they are doing everything in their power to arrest the ugly  trend, permanent solutions and peace will continue to elude us if we do not repent, change our ways and turn to God for help and for healing”.

The cleric charged the political leaders to strive to bring Nigerians together and to use all the resources that could be mustered to confront the challenges. He urged the leaders to avoid creating the impression that suggests complacency or outright lack of interest in the plight of innocent victims.

“The trend of resorting to self-help is indicative of the distrust of the government and its security agencies who are seemingly overwhelmed by criminals.

All these call for concerted and harmonious efforts from all leaders – political, traditional, religious to work together to pull our people away from the precipice.

This is no time to play politics of division or to exaggerate fault lines of religion and ethnicity to further set one segment of the country against another.

This is not the time to bicker over who could be the best President, the best minister or the best army chief. It is equally shameful to reduce our misfortunes into an argument about which faith has suffered more.

He said it’s shameful and regrettable that dozens die everyday, regardless of whatever faith they belong to.

“When we allow such rhetorics of division to dominate the socio-political space in the face of a grave danger, then the terrorists and criminals carry the day.

We cannot afford to give people without conscience the honour of dividing us further or determining our daily discourse.

In normal climes, terrorism and violent crimes are very hard to rout out. With disunity, distrust, fault-finding and finger-pointing, the hope for solution is dead on arrival.

Yes, we cannot pretend that all is well with Nigeria. Neither can we give up hope of overcoming our challenges and of building a united and prosperous nation.

We cannot afford to give in to the culture of disillusionment and despair, of grumbling and perpetual lamentation.”

Many Abuja residents are shifting their culinary preferences from fast food to local dishes. This has compelled operators to adjust to emerging realities of effective online marketing, even as they have to contend with multiple taxes. FRANCA OCHIGBO reports

It has been observed that people in the working class and business people in Abuja hardly have the time to eat decent meals at home, except on weekends. As mild as Abuja traffic is, compared to Lagos and other very busy cities, many people still leave for work as early as 7:30 a.m. and come back home between 4:00 p.m. and 10:00 p.m., depending on the nature of their jobs and businesses.

This has necessitated the need for local food joints at different corners within the federal capital city. It has also been observed that hunger for local and homemade food is gradually replacing the quest for fast food such as burger, sharwama, meat pie and others.

Even the so-called tasty Nigerian jollof rice does not stand a chance with the local Nigerian dishes such as amala, akpu, pounded yam, eba and the rest. They go smoothly in combination with efo riro (vegetable soup) gbegiri (bean soup), ewedu, oha, ogbono, edikaikan and other local soups.

These days, local food sellers smile to the banks more often than owners of fast food restaurants with their heavily pied foreign dishes. So, for many Abuja residents, amala joint is the in-thing.

The bug has also caught up with the surrounding satellite towns and the trend is spreading by the day. Apart from the fact that you watch as the meals are being prepared, they come out hot from the pots.

Above all, you are sure you are not eating left-over from the previous day. Apart from the fact that the meals are cheaper than what is sold at fast food restaurants, owners of the joints have been observed to maintain some appreciable level of hygiene in their services.

Some even operate in cosy environments with modernised system of packaging their meals. Those operating in open spaces and under canopies are not doing badly also. For many of their customers, it’s not about the environment, but more about the taste. Go to such places during lunch hours and you will see fleet of exotic cars parked close to the joints as the owners busy themselves sweating over hot plates of their choice dishes.

The meals are mainly sold a la carte and you are at liberty to choose your favourite parts of cow meat, goat meat or fish. This is where orisirisi (innards) comes in, as people now prefer them to beef or red meat.

Imagine the scenario of watching pieces of beef, mutton and innards simmering temptingly in different pots of soup, with a familiar tantalising aroma enveloping the environment, mmh… It’s tempting.

You have a choice of taking your seat on one of the plastic chairs neatly arranged in rows behind plastic tables. You may as well opt for takeaway, packed in disposable plates that attract extra N100 each.

For regular customers, cutleries are a taboo. After washing their hands with soap and water made available by the seller, the next thing is to descend on the meal with their God given phalanges. Some prefer a mixture of gbegiri and ewedu on top of their amala as they arrange their fingers in the form of scissors and tear away at the mass on the table. Many residents of Abuja continue to shift towards local dishes; the elite are beginning to invest in the business.

Visits to some of these joints by our correspondent revealed that some retired top civil servants have taken to the business.

One of them, a retired director and the wife, Henry and Sharon Otowo run one of such restaurants called Mix Culture Foods at the Jahi part of the city. Mrs Otowo, who was very enthusiastic about the couple’s new business venture, said the name of the restaurant derived from what it represents.

On offer are various local delicacies such as amala, rice and beans, semovita and the rest.

According to her, the restaurant also offers delicacies indigenous to different ethnic groups across the country. There is also a section for foreign cuisines for those who are so inclined.

She said: “We have continental dishes and various African dishes from the North, South, East and West. In Mix Culture, apart from Yoruba dishes such as amala, ewedu and gbegiri which are handled by our partner, Iya Balogun, we also have Igbo dishes such as oha, ofe onugbu, ofe nsala.

“We have food native to Calabar, Akwa Ibom, the Northeast and the North Central. We have continental dishes, shawarma section and others. I cook the Isoma okoho soup as well as the ijangada and obije. I cook Tiv soup very well too.

“Food making for me is a passion. I am gifted. I am a very good cook. I started cooking at the age of nine. I am a South African but Idoma (in Benue State) by marriage. It has always been my passion. I have been praying about it that God should set me up and this is what God gave me. I am really thanking God for bringing this dream to fruition. I know no other thing than cooking. For me, Mix Culture has been a vision. It is a food court where we make all kinds of foods from Nigeria.”

However, owners of the business, just like other businesses in the country, operate in a hostile environment, in terms of infrastructure and social amenities. The Otowos complained about poor electricity supply, which has compelled them to depend on power generators most of the time.

Mrs Otowo said sometimes they operate without public electricity supply for two days. Another burden comes in the form of what she described as multiple taxes by different layers of authority within the capital city.

She said: “We have issues with power supply, sometimes for two days stretch. So, we always run our generator. To compound the problem, there are issues of food registration and certification, signage and Department of Environmental Services, among others.

They various tax authorities clamp down on us daily. In some instances, we are being made to pay as high as N528,000. Then we have officials of the Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) that screen of food handlers. Those ones collect as much as N150,000 to N200,000 in form of taxes.”

She also said the officials always insist that workers at the restaurant must obtain medical fitness certification, including HIV and Hepatitis screening. The outfit, she said, had complied with the rules.

Otowo, who said the restaurant was set up about three months ago, complained that the business had paid more in taxes than sale receipts. She is, however, hopeful that business will pick up as time goes on.

Not relying on sales by personal contacts alone, she said the business is also being marketed on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter handles.

“So, we do a lot of internet marketing which is what most people embark on these days. At present, we are about to go to radio stations for more advertisements. We distribute our flyers to everyone we meet too.”

Also, Mrs. Timilade Oluwalana, a lawyer-turned restaurant owner, runs an amala restaurant called 1401 Food Fiesta located at the highbrow Wuse Zone 3 area.

The restaurant is tucked inside the AMAC Commercial Plaza. A new entrant into the business, Oluwalana said she had been running her local food business from the comfort of her home before venturing out. In addition to offering solid meals, which are referred to as “swallow” in street parlance, she also serves pap and moin-moin (a derivative of beans) for breakfast.

Speaking further on the venture, she said: “I opened this restaurant six weeks ago and patronage has been wonderful. I started this business seven years back doing outdoor catering. I did mobile catering from my house for two years. I was getting orders on the Internet and I was giving my dispatch riders to deliver to clients at different business organisations.

Six weeks ago, we decided to open a restaurant with an outlet where people can come relax and eat. And here we are today.”

Talking about some of her challenges, she said: “One of the challenges I have right now is from some clients. Some people want quality food but they are not ready to pay for it. For you to give quality to your customers, you expect the payment to cover the cost.

Two weeks ago, a lady walked in here and brought N350 asking my member of staff to give her pomo (cow hide), meat, water and food for that amount. Funny enough, she started screaming about how expensive the restaurant is. I had to calm her. I told her that it is not like we cannot give her food for N350 but that what she listed was too much for that amount.”

Oluwalana also has complaints about taxes even though her outfit was registered only a few weeks ago.

“In the eye of the law, the registration is new because it is not even up to six months. So, I cannot say I have started paying taxes fully, even though I have my Tax Identification Number (TIN) and it is a registered body under the Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC).

“Our turnover for now is not bad. We make profit but it is not as high as we expect, considering what we had in mind when we set up the place. In a way, we see it as a gradual process because we have not even spent one month. We intend to improve on our social media contacts, Facebook, Instagram and Twitter, among others when we have a lot of people coming in to eat, it will cover a lot of expenses.

Continuing, she said: “I am a lone worker; I am not working with any consultant whatsoever. I do internet study a lot, Goggle is my good friend. When I noticed I am derailing, I go on the Internet. I read food journals; gather experience from deep and wide reading.

“Before I set up this place, there was no amala joint you would mention in Abuja that I do not know. I go round testing their food and know how to handle my own before I started.

“I love cooking; it has always been my passion. I love making people happy. When my customers come, I move around to ask them if they enjoyed the food. And if there are complaints, I give them a listening ear. In most cases, it is not about the money. I want to see that joy in you knowing you are eating my food. I am also an event planner and it gives me joy knowing that you are happy with what I am offering. We do our best so that when you even spend more, you will know that it is worth it.”

Another of such restaurants, Amala 360, located at Wise 11, is also competing for customers. The manager, Adeola Amusan, said sales have not been too bad as patronage has been good.

She said: “On our part, we do our best to give our customers what they want, which is quality. Most of our challenges are tied to high taxation and electricity problems. We spend a lot on electricity. By the time we calculate what we make and what we spend on electricity, the account does not balance at all.” Lamenting further, she said: “Power supply is not constant at all. We buy diesel a lot to power our generator. Every day we run our generator for several hours to make up for the little power supply we get at a very high price. Power is the greatest limitation to the growth of this business.”

Amusan also said local authorities go around every day demanding one type of levy or another.

According to her, about 10 different officials would come over demanding one form of levy or the other, all within a space of one month.

“They just brought one levy a few hours back for N50,000. There are others ranging from N150,000 to N200,000. That is how they bring these huge bills at regular intervals. If you don’t pay, they come here to cause trouble for you. They embarrass you and do all sorts of things in the business premises with customers watching.

“We have not even started talking about the normal government’s Value Added Tax (VAT) which customers find it hard to pay. Apart from taxation, there is stamp duty that they collect from us through POS machines. But customers are not willing to pay because it is heavy on them.”

On sales, Amusan said: “In a day, we make between N500,000 and N800,000 or above and we are just five months old here. The business is actually encouraging but all the limitations you face trying to run a successful business can be very discouraging. But what can we do? You just have to keep pushing on.

“The taxes the government collects from our business in a month is about N500,000 to N1 million. So, imagine a business is making about N500,000 and above and in a month you pay 10 per cent of it through one form of taxation or the other. Salary for members of staff is staring you in the face, which you cannot over look. It is top priority. It is really stressful and challenging.”

Perhaps, one of the oldest amala joints is Iya Oyo’s place where the high and the mighty queue up with their plates in hand, waiting for their turn to be served. A good number of residents know the location, which is around the Wuye area, close to the head office of the Federal Road Safety Commission (FRSC).

What you notice as you drive into the premises is the long line of exotic cars parked on both sides of the expansive restaurant. As you step into the large hall, you see customers on queue waiting patiently to be served.

In view of the prevailing harsh economic realities, operators of the business have been pleading with the FCT authorities for reprieve, in terms of lower taxes. But judged by its aggressive revenue drive, it’s doubtful if the authorities will soften their tax grip on these business owners.

Some widows of slain policemen recently received cash and other gift items from the Police Officers’ Wives Association (POWA). NICHOLAS KALU captures the moment.

The tears flowed freely; tears of sadness, tears of joy as widows of 60 fallen policemen received support to augment their individual family budgets.

The event, put together by the Police Officers’ Wives Association (POWA) in Abuja, triggered fond memories of the deceased husbands and fathers who died in active service to their fatherland.

Shared among the 60 widows were 40 deep freezers, 10 popcorn-making machines and 10 large power generating sets. In addition, each of them got N50, 000 cash gift, bags of rice and buckets of margarine.

The beneficiaries could not hold back tears as the moment brought home memories of their late spouses. At the same time, they were delighted that they have not been totally forgotten by the society.

Sadly, some of them were married for less than three years before their husbands met their untimely death.

President of POWA and wife of the Inspector-General of Police, Hajiya Fatima Adamu, said the gesture was just the first in many to come the way of the widows.

The event was part of the activities marking the POWA National General Convention. It was held at the school hall of the POWA International School, located directly opposite the Force Headquarters building in Abuja.

Mrs Adamu encouraged the widows to be strong for their children who now look up to them for direction.

Addressing the widows, Mrs Adamu said: “We hear your cries and would help in the little way we can. It is not easy to take care of the home without the husband. We are always here for you. This is just the beginning. We are here to help the widows of our heroes. It is not about what we are giving. With the little we have today, we are empowering 60 widows by God’s grace.”

Mrs Adamu assured that many more of the widows would be benefiting from the support items in the days and months ahead.

She announced that the donations would come in batches and that the 60 widows were those in the first batch.

On what motivated the gesture, she said: “Let us sow and touch your lives. Nothing is too small. What prompted me to do this is God. This is what we are supposed to do. These are women who were always there for their families and it is God that made it possible for us to do this for them and we grateful doing it.

“POWA is a non-governmental organisation (NGO) and the little we have, we will make sure we make good use of it. This is the batch A. Batch B will come in two months’ time.”

The wife of the IGP urged the beneficiaries to make good use of the items they received.

According to her, those of them that got popcorn-making machines would be trained on how to make popcorn.

“We know it is not easy. As mothers with children and without the father, they should encourage themselves. I urge them not to sell the items they have received but rather make judicious use of them for the economic benefit of their families,” she said.

The beneficiaries expressed profound gratitude to the gesture and assured that they would make good use of the items to improve their situation. The women, who all said life without their husbands had been difficult, said they would appreciate more of such support as the trudge on.

One of them, Mrs Lami Audu, who got a generating set, said: “I feel happy about receiving this. I was not expecting it at all. With this, I am going to start a business. I thank God for the people that did this. May God bless them and continue to provide for them to continue to help people like us.”

The mother of five said life has been tough without her husband. She said the widows would be grateful if other organisations and individuals would emulate POWA.

Another widow, Mrs Friday Imoh, who got a popcorn-making machine, was also full of joy. The mother of three said: “I am happy for the gesture. I did not even know God can bless me like this. May God bless them. I will use this to make money and help my children and myself.

Life has been difficult without my husband. It has been painful but with this, I can help myself. I can manage with this. If more assistance comes we would be grateful”.

Another widow and mother of four, Mrs Ada Charity Simon expressed her appreciation.

“I pray that as the wife of the Inspector General of Police has put happiness on our faces, God will put happiness on her face too. God will bless them. We still need more assistance for our children’s school and so on. We would be happy if others can do like POWA has done. We are really grateful. Life has been tough without my husband. I see these things I have received like a dream. I will use it to sell water and drinks and use it to make money for myself and help my family.”

Nigerians from all walks of life have continued to canvass love, peace and unity as panacea for the country’s hydra-headed security challenges. GBENGA OMOKHUNU reports.

The unity of Nigeria, as many would say, is not negotiable. The unabated killings in the country, especially in the northern parts are becoming alarming by the day.

Christians and Muslims have been calling on the federal, state and local governments to, as a matter of urgency; find a lasting solution to the upsurge.

From the look of things, crime and criminality is gaining ground with no clue on how to curb the menace.

While the Federal Government claims to be on top of the situation, people are being killed daily for no just cause. The consensus opinion is that one of the key factors for achieving sustainable democracy is unity.

Many have described ethnicity as a national problem around which all manner of crimes were being perpetrated against the nation. These are primordial considerations that have produced the “we want our man” syndrome in the nation’s political space.

The Nigerian national space is replete with cases of inequalities, injustices and discrimination. It was for this and other reasons that religious leaders, government functionaries as well as other well-meaning Nigerians are looking at the factor of unity as solution.

They converged on Abuja at the 5th International Conference on Love and Tolerance. The theme of the conference was “Countering Violent Extremism for Peaceful Co-existence.” It was held at the African First Ladies Peace Mission Conference Hall (IPCR Hall).

At the conference, the Sultan of Sokoto, His Eminence, Alhaji Sa’ad Abubakar lll, assured that Nigeria will win the fight against insurgency despite the current situation.

Abubakar III, who expressed displeasure over the killings and bloodshed in the country, lamented that the situation has gotten to a stage where the rich are avoiding the poor.

Condemning the senseless carnage in the land, the Sultan urged everyone to live in peace and be their brother’s keeper. Sultan Abubakar is the head of the Jama’atu Nasril Islam (Society for the Support of Islam, JNI) and President-General of the Nigerian National Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs (NSCIA).

The Sultan, who was represented by the Emir of Jiwa, His Royal Highness (HRH), Idris Musa, said it has also been observed that most Nigerians do not love one another.

He called for prayers for both Muslim and Christian faithful for God to show mercy and restore peace and progress.

His words: “We can win the fight against insurgency. Everyone is afraid of each other. I am sure we are going to win the war. At present, it has reached a situation where a senior citizen is running away from the common man, because he is thinking that he would lose his life, why? ”

The security challenges are our problem. The Holy Koran is a message to mankind. The Holy Bible is a message to mankind. If we cannot listen to what the Bible and the Koran have thought us and we continue in our bad ways, what do we expect? It is part of the punishment we are receiving based on our sins. If we can stop committing sin and abide by God’s words, things will change.

“I thank the UFUK Foundation for trying to unite the world to become one and love one another. Today, we are in a situation where most of us do not love one another. This is wrong. We are created in the same way and we are brothers, no matter the situation and religion. We are appealing to everyone to live together and be our brother’s keeper and live in harmony. We should not create problems for one another.”

President of the UFUK Dialogue, Kamil Kemanci, said the UfUK Dialogue serves to stand by societal peace, love, respect and compassion in support of human dignity and the greater good by striving to preserve the common values of humanity; values such as respect, tolerance, peace and mutual understanding.

Kamanci said in dialogue, it is possible to transform conflict into co-operation, adding that the most important factor in the creation and promotion of sustainable peace was the realisation of good governance, while promoting justice through increased transparency, accountability and rule of law and strengthening of democracy.

He urged government to fight violence and terrorist recruitments with the involvement of local communities. He canvassed the setting up of the necessary framework for identifying deviant youths to prevent them from seeking self-destructive paths.

He stressed the need to assist families with counselling and other support services. Kamanci advised that youth should be taught ways of expressing support and dissent through democratic channels. Government, he said, should incorporate democratic values into school curricula.

Kamanci also called on religious leaders to critically review understanding and practice of faith in the light of the conditions.

The Executive Director, Cardinal Onaiyakan Foundation for Peace (COFP), Rev Sister Agatha Chikelue, said there was need to emphasise peaceful co-existence right from primary school level.

She said tolerance and love among Nigerians will boost security, promote peace and enhance development across the nation. Doing the opposite, Rev. Chikelue said, will produce social marginalisation, deprivation, segregation, exclusion, lack of access to justice and resources; repression, abuse, oppression and other societal ills.

She said the result will lead to chaos, violent extremism, insurgency and even terrorism as the country is currently experiencing.

A Nollywood actor, Kenneth Okonkwo called for oneness and peace, urging those who are bent on dividing the country to have a rethink to avoid crisis.

The President, Muslim Students’ Association of Nigeria, Mr. Faisal Lawal, counselled that if anyone must fight at all, they should fight for peace in the country.

He condemned the ugly trend of killings and bloodshed in the land and called on the perpetrators to embrace peace and turn to God.

The plan by the Federal Government to invest N2 trillion out of the current N10 trillion available pension fund in developing infrastructure, through the creation of products that Pension Fund Administrators (PFA) would be attracted to invest in is unsettling for the stakeholders, writes RUKAYAT ADEYEMI.

 

Reactions ranging from worries to expectations have continued to trail the plan by the Federal Government to utilise N2 trillion of the current N10 trillion available pension fund in developing infrastructure, through the creation of products that Pension Fund Administrators (PFA) would be attracted to invest in.

The government plan was aimed at improving infrastructure such as railway, road and electricity, among others, while also creating opportunities of investment for the PFAs.

Following the proposed action, stakeholders, especially pensioners and several labour unions, have insisted that the government should hands off the pension fund in line with the law that established the Contributory Pension Scheme (CPS).

This resulted from fear of returning the payment of retirees’ entitlement to the messy situation that existed during the defunct Defined-benefit Pension Scheme (DPS).

Senator Ibrahim Shekarau, the Chairman of the Senate Committee on Establishment and Public Service said in December last year that the Federal Government owed retirees an accrued pension fund of over N400 billion.

Mrs Aderonke Adedeji, President, PenOp, however, said the proposal by the government was for the pension funds to be invested in instruments and securities.

Adedeji said the proposal was in tandem with what was being done with the Federal Government’s bonds and treasury bills that the PFAs currently invest in.

“The major difference in this case is that the proceeds will be used specifically for infrastructure.

“We believe that the Federal Government has a name and credit rating to protect.

“A default on their obligation to investors will be extremely damaging to the government and the economy as a whole, both locally and internationally,” she said.

According to her, the plan, when implemented, will be to the benefit all.

Adedeji noted that every individual under the CPS since its establishment has a Retirement Savings Account (RSA) and knows how much he or she has in the account.

She said investment by the PFAs, according to the law, will not deter payment of their accrued rights as and when due.

“We must all fight to ensure things remain this way,” she said.

The PenOp’s President further explained that since the PFAs were already investing in government’s securities, which had been successful, the plan to invest in infrastructure would not affect the industry or pensioners negatively.

Adedeji said that government, with help from the industry, must work out modalities that will ensure that the infrastructure investments are safe.

She said the government must also follow the investment guidelines laid down by National Pension Commission (PENCOM) and provide decent returns for the pension funds, and ultimately the contributors and retirees.

On the backlog of over N400 billion accrued pension fund owed by the Federal Government, Adedeji said it related to the pension liabilities that the Federal Government had before the reforms that culminated in the Pension reform Act of 2004.

“The Act states that those employees in the public service of the federation who had accrued pensions before the enactment of the law will have the Federal Government’s retirement bonds in the amount they are being owed issued to them by the Debt Management Office (DMO).

“The Act further stated that the debts will be funded by the Federal Government and paid into a redemption fund not less than five per cent of the total monthly wage bill payable to employees in the public service of the federation,” she said.

According to her, it appears that the funding has not been sufficient, and that is why there is a backlog.

Adedeji said the government had claimed to have earmarked some amount in this year’s budget to redeem part of the liability, which is a good start.

Read Also: Sharia pension fund coming

 

She urged the government to ensure that the entire outstanding is cleared quickly and also return to the days when accrued rights were credited to RSAs within a month or two following retirement.

“In addition, the government can explore the payment of this accrued rights through a one-time bond issue,” she said.

A retiree of the Nigeria Building and Road Research Institute (NBRRI), Mr Mark Ogbonna, said it is not a bad idea for government to borrow from the idle pension funds if there was sincerity of purpose with the plan and implementation.

“The problem with the government is sincerity of purpose.

” We are aware that there is a lot of  idle pension fund and there is nothing bad if the government borrows the money and invests it, as it is expected to be for the good of us all,” he said.

According to him, the apprehension of the pensioners and their demand that the fund should be left untouched, so that beneficiaries can have access to them as and when due, is due to the fear of uncertainty.

Ogbonna, however, urged the Federal Government to pay up the accrued pension fund it owed the pensioners because the increment in the minimum wage which automatically affects the pensioners was already accruing.

In an article posted on the Twitter handle of PenCom, Mr Ivor Takor, Director, Centre for Pension Right Advocacy, praised the government for setting up a committee that is currently studying and working out modalities of how a huge sum of the pension fund can be invested in infrastructure.

“To us at the Centre, we see the development as a welcome one because the law and guidelines for investment of pension fund makes provision for investment in infrastructure,” he said.

Takor said the government must, however, carry along critical stakeholders in the industry, especially workers who are the owners of the fund, through their representatives, industrial unions, the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and the Trade Union Congress (TUC).

He said: “It should be noted that their understanding and buy-in in such huge investment is extremely important.

“This is because PFAs who are businesses have the interest of their shareholders first and other people or individuals are secondary, while trade unions have the interest and welfare of their members as their principal objective, as this is reason that they are established.”

According to him, the Pension law does not confer on the federal or state governments, the power to decree or order how the funds in private individuals’ Retirement Account should be invested.

Takor said the government could only negotiate the terms and conditions under which they are ready to do business with those who have legal ownership and power to invest the fund.

 

• Rukayat Adeyemi is of the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN)