The Nation Newspaper

Category: Northern Report

  • Searching for peace in Southern Kaduna

    Searching for peace in Southern Kaduna

    In the comfort of the conference hall of the General Hassan Usman Katsina House popularly known as State House in Kaduna, the Michael Zuokumor-led peace committee engaged leaders of the Southern Kaduna people and the Fulani for two days. What were they discussing? How to end attacks on Southern Kaduna communities that have left several people dead in midnight attacks. Present at the meeting were various Fulani organisations as well as leaders of the communities that recently came under attack.

    Many others who have been attacked in the past or who still stand the risk of being attacked were left out.

    That did not go down well with Governor Mukthar Yero who told members of the committee that they should be holding the meeting in the villages affected by the attacks and not in the comfort of air conditioned conference all. Yero believes that holding the meeting in Kaura would have been the best option as it will give the victims the feeling that something positive was being done about their plight.

    Yero told the committee that they should make efforts to actively engage the local people in their assignment, pointing out that it is only through active interaction with those directly affected that the panel can identify the true causes as well as solutions to the crises. He noted that “the crisis is not about religion or ethnicity. It is being engineered by some people using religion just in their selfish interests adding that rather than hold reconciliation meetings with elites who are the ones escalating the situation for selfish aims, “the meeting should have been held in Kaura and other affected communities in order to involve people at the grassroots, so that you can sit down with the natives and Fulanis to resolve the matter.”

    Rather than listen to the opinion of the governor and possibly visit the scene of the attacks, the committee sat and held discussion with the supposed aggressors and victims. Interestingly, while the southern Kaduna people have consistently accused the fulanis of being the ones attacking their villages (about 37 of such attacks have taken place since 2011), the Fulanis have never agreed that they were responsible for such attacks.

    This explains why a coalition of civil societies and non-governmental organisations in the area are not comfortable with the meeting and the agreement that came out of it. Zuwaghu Bonat of the Southern Kaduna Development Associations Forum question the rationale for the meeting.

    He said, “are they telling us that the Fulanis that were there and purportedly signed the cease fire agreed that they were the ones killing our people? Did they agree that they are the ones killing our people? We need to know that categorically because if they are the ones killing our people, did they explain why they are killing our people? We never attacked them, but they say warring parties and we know that there is nothing like warring parties because we are not fighting with anybody.

    Therefore the question of signing a ceasefire does not arise. It is just another round of politics as far as we are concerned”.

    He is also not comfortable with holding the meeting without those he called the critical stakeholders who are supposed to be part of a peace deal if there will be anything like that. However, at the end of the meeting, leaders of the two groups allegedly agreed to a ceasefire even though many people in southern Kaduna, especially the youth does not believe that there is anything like cease fire since according to them, “we are not fighting anybody”.

    Zakari Sogfa, a former Commissioner for Justice in Kaduna State and coordinator of the CSO/CBO said they have every cause to believe that the “so called agreement” will not stand the test of time. According to him, “southern Kaduna is not the only place where they have signed such peace agreement. In Benue state, they did that and the following day, what happened? You cant abandon your basic responsibility as security forces and rely on peace and mediation to take over the constitutional role you are supposed to play. If I were at the meeting, I would have asked the DIG what guarantee he is giving the people to fall back on. How are we sure that if we sign this, worse things will not arise the following day like it happened in other places? The reports of peace and reconciliation meetings they have had in the past, why have they not implemented them? As we have stated, we are not fighting fulanis. It is the fulanis that are fighting us and the government has misunderstood it. It is not an issue of conflict, but an issue of genocide. The hypothesis here is that a group of people are bent on exterminating a section of the country and they are doing that with ferocity ad you are saying that the remedy is a peace meeting between the two sides. That is ridiculous. What you must do is to stop the carnage first and investigate to find out what is happening. Are you saying that if they kill my people, I should go and attend a peace meeting with those who are killing my people? The blood of those killed is crying out for justice and the justice the state can offer them is to call them to government house and humiliate them into signing an agreement. When was it prepared, who negotiated it, what are the terms? How can an agreement be binding on a people who are unaware of the terms and conditions?

     

  • Life after Nyanya blast

    Life after Nyanya blast

    Monday, April 14 has gone down in history as a black Monday. This was the day a motor park in Nyanya, a suburb of the Federal Capital Territory was bombed by the Boko Haram insurgents. Many died and several others sustained varying degrees of injuries in the blast that took everyone by surprise.

    Residents of the area, for the first time experienced the height of man’s inhumanity to man.

    Days after the blast, residents of Nyanya, Mararaba and Masaka were still in pains and counting their losses. The Nyanya Park used to be a busy centre, especially with the Federal Capital Territory’s (FCT) restriction of mini-buses from plying some routes in the city. So, the Nyanya Park served as an alternative for commercial motorists.

    Again, the park served as the first point where people coming in from Nasarawa and even Plateau first stop to board vehicles for town. After the blast, the park has become a shadow of itself.

    Unlike before, few people are seen around the park. The park that hosts a market where people trade on second-hand clothing materials, bags and shoes was almost empty because people are afraid to get close to the scene of the unfortunate incident.

    Military and security operatives have since condoned off the site, keeping close watch on the few people hanging around. The park opposite it which has since been converted into a new park for the El-Rufai buses was equally empty as passengers who might have boarded the buses from town alighted from the buses and hurried off the park.

    Although security agents have since declared the area safe, most residents say the horror of the blast has been etched in their psyche.

    An old man Alhaji Dauda Garba, sat at the far end of the new park dejectedly, with few kola nuts in a tray which he sells, explained that he sells kolanuts in the old park in a bid to take care of his large family in Kano before the blast. He regretted that the blast has affected his means of livelihood as he could not make sells to take care of his family.

    He further explained that he was at the park early that day carrying his wares about. But he had become fagged out after going round few times, even as he said he had decided to go to the mosque adjacent the park and rest for awhile. He was just about getting up to return to his business when he heard a loud blast that seemed to rip his stomach open.

    Garba explained that most of the people who died that day didn’t die at the park, adding that there were some people who were across the park who died as a result of iron rods that flew from the park after the explosion and killed or injured them as far as the NNPC Filling Station that is more than 200 meters away from the Nyanya Park.

    He narrated about an incident in which a young man who was across the road had his head split into two by an iron rod. Also a motor spare part of one of the buses flew to the road from the park and killed another victim. He also recounted how the head of a woman that was selling okpa in a wheelbarrow at the park flew across the road into a gutter.

    Garba said: “My body is still weak since the blast and I still find it difficult eating without throwing up.

    “There were young people that push wheel barrows about or those that sell pure water, locally made tea or other things at the park, which are still missing. Some people are still dying even days after the event and this time round, they are unaccounted for. Some of these people who were affected by the blast left the scene after they were hit by objects only to die after walking a short distance. They had to be buried quietly without any official announcement.

    “Even on Tuesday and Wednesday, we still found some of our people that lay inside or under abandoned vehicles and died there. Some of them were not seen by the emergency personnel because they ran away from the scene in fear only to die elsewhere.

    “For instance, people inside the bathing house not from the park were affected as well by the blast. Most of them were killed inside the bathroom.

    “Till now, we are still searching for some people who are missing. Sometimes when you ask for someone, you will be told that he died in the blast. They all died there or are in the hospital.

    “The government needs to see the way lives are being lost in the country. They have to do something to save the lives of people in this country because they cannot exist without us and vice versa.”

    The Chief of Nyanya, Danladi Iya, Sarkin Nyanya who lives very close to the park said he was in bed when the incident occurred, adding that the ground shook and his ceiling and windows all fell apart from the impact. He said he was so terrified that he could not get up from his bed.

    The Chief, who said the blast, had weakened him pleaded with residents to pray for the country and go about their businesses without fear or intimidation from anyone.

    Mr. James Oche who sells rugs around the park said he was about 200 meters from the park on that day when he heard the explosion.

    He said: “I witnessed the horror that occurred on that day. For me, if this type of thing continues to happen, then I don’t think the country is any longer safe for me because, frankly speaking, I may plan to either leave the environment or travel out of the country because I no longer feel safe in my country.

    “We that do businesses here are not talking about our businesses anymore because my brother went out to buy goods this morning. Formerly, they used to bring the goods to us here but now the Whiteman said he could not come down to Nyanya. So, I don’t know what we will be doing now.

    “My advice to the government is to try to do something urgently concerning this security situation in the country because everybody is afraid. Right now, if someone throws fireworks (knockout) in the air, people will start running for fear. It is not good for people to be intimidated by his countrymen.”

    Another resident who identified himself as Levi Nwobodo said: “Everybody around here live in fear. Before now, the park was always busy with people selling second-hand clothes and different items. But now, everywhere is empty because people are scared of returning to the market.”

    A food seller close to the park, Rebecca Shehu said: “This thing that happened is really shocking because we did not envisage it. The government needs to take decisions about the issue because people are losing their lives almost on daily basis.

    “I can no longer sleep well since after the incident because the blast affected my room. All my windows broke and iron rods from the blast entered my room.

  • The pain of no fuel

    The pain of no fuel

    It started like a joke. When fuel scarcity resurfaced in the FCT, it was first noticed in some parts of the city but in no time, it spread everywhere, leaving residents with long faces.

    Within a day or two many filling stations resorted to selling in trickles, while major distributors restricted their business to night hours when they are sure to make more money from black market vendors.

    First, everyone was confused as to the appropriate time to get the commodity at any filling station.

    Black marketers took over Abuja with containers, which according to findings, majorly contain diluted PMS.

    The situation was worse in the rural areas where filling stations are located.

    In Kuje, when Abuja Review visited, the situation was tense. Out of five filling stations located in the area, only the Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) sold, with long queues.

    Findings also revealed that most filling stations especially in Kuje are not checked by the regulatory authority.

    Motorists on the fuel queue had a raw deal because sometimes, after the attendants had sold to a few people, the station would announce that they had run out of fuel.

    Many motorists without fuel in their car had to leave their vehicles at the station waiting and hoping to buy the next day.

    Residents called on the Federal Government to tackle the scarcity which has caused serious hardship to all.

    Some of them, who were lamenting outside Oando filling station where operators of the station refused to sell to motorists, explained that most petrol stations have refused to sell fuel to motorists because of the fear of prolonged fuel scarcity.

    Mr. John Ona, one of the residents who spoke with Abuja Review, said he has been looking for fuel for the past two days without any headway, adding that any fuel station he visited from Kuje to town, the operators refused to sell fuel.

    His words: “The truth is that nobody knows what is causing this scarcity in Abuja; almost all the filling stations have stopped selling fuel, without any genuine reason. If you ask the operators, they will tell you that they do not have fuel and even when you see filling station selling fuel, you will queue for hours before you buy the product.

    “The situation is getting out of hands; people are suffering in the FCT because of some greedy petrol operators who are hoarding the fuel for no reason. The federal government should do something about it, because, it is spoiling the good report of ‘no fuel scarcity’ during this administration.”

    Another resident, Mrs. Agnes Shekwo, said that the scarcity is seriously affecting the lives of the people, because, apart from using the product for vehicles, it is not available for residents to use to power the generator for businesses when there is power failure.

    “We need fuel to power our generators for us to effectively do our businesses. But since the scarcity of petroleum product, I have not been able to get fuel to put on my generator, and we hardly have electricity light in my area.

    “Last week, all the meat I kept in my freezer to prepare food in my restaurant got spoilt, because of power outage and no fuel to use in my generator. The federal government should call whoever is involved in the fuel scarcity to order. Because, the whole thing is getting out of hands,” she appealed.

    Abba Attahiru said: “We do not know what is causing the fuel scarcity but we just woke up one morning and started experiencing it. Nobody is giving us a true story of what is behind the scarcity. All the same as Nigerians we have been trying to cope. Suffering and smiling as usual. For me I think it is connected to the political problems we are having in the country because with the trend of things that is happening now, insecurity, suspension of CBN governor, among other and you know a lot of bodies have been showing their grievances. I think we have putting our efforts into making Nigeria a better place as in we the populace. Government should look at the suffering of the masses. Because we made them to be where they are today, they should try to resolve the crisis of fuel scarcity.”

    Mr. Patrick Odeh also lamented saying: “We were thinking that this type of thing will not surface again in Nigeria having experience free flow of fuel for the past two years. We just believe that it is artificial and then it will be dealt with appropriately. Government should do the needful. We have no reason suffering fuel scarcity in this country with all the refineries that are in place. I leave in Kuje.”

    Authorities of the filling stations visited refused to speak with Abuja Review on the matter.

    At the black market as at the time of filing this report, 10 liters was sold for N2,000 while two liters was sold for N400.

    Most people buy it due to the fact that they must go to work to look for their daily bread.

    Mrs. Lamid Adeniyi said: “We do not know where we are going in this Nigeria. Our leaders should help us, we are really suffering. Everything is politics.”

    A petroleum marketer who pleaded anonymity told Abuja Review what could be responsible for the scarcity.

    The source who owns a filling station in Port Harcourt said: “The issue of the scarcity is artificial because refineries are work. There are repairs going on. It is not peculiar to the north. Everywhere has it own problem because of short supply. There will not be increase in pump price of petroleum product. You can see that people are now making sharp business and the marketers are now using the opportunity to make statements that there may be increase in pump price. And when you hear that, you will want to stock the product to last you for some time.”

  • ‘Jonathan will tackle security’

    ‘Jonathan will tackle security’

    An Abuja-based lawyer, Azubuko Joel Udah has urged Nigerians to be patient with President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan as he battles to free the country from the clutches of terrorists.

    Udah, a retired Deputy Inspector General of Police (DIG), while speaking in Abuja, said there is no better way to address the Boko Haram conundrum than the carrot and stick approach the president adopted.

    He said by setting up a committee to dialogue with members of the dreaded Islamist sect, the president is moving towards the amnesty direction, adding that this will be successful only if the insurgents are ready for dialogue and are prepared to lay down their arms.

    “Those accusing the president over Boko Haram are those who want to destabilise this country. The president’s approach remains the best, as any other option would have led to chaos, anarchy, killing, maiming of innocent persons,” he said.

    Udah who designed the Amnesty programme which brought peace to the Niger Delta, maintained that the president is on course and Nigerians should give him the opportunity to perform.

    Udah said the proper thing the northan elders should have done was to meet with the president and proffer solutions on security, not giving him an ultimatum.

    He said the president who is the Commander-in-Chief deserves some respect from all Nigerians.

    “If they (the elders), who have distinguished themselves in various professional callings, had gone to the president for a closed-door meeting, the president would not only have listened to them; he would have tapped from their wealth of experience,” Udah said.

    On the National Conference, he said it came at the right time when every group is agitating for one thing or the other.

    He described the conference as a masterpiece which gives opportunity to all groups, be it religious, professional or ethnic, to talk.

    On the security situation in Southeast, Udah who is contesting Abia-North Senatorial seat, said that the zone is now stable, especially Abia State, adding that this has been made possible because the Governor, Chief Theodore Orji is security-conscious.

    “My governor is the best governor today in the area of security, because he takes professional advise. He is meticulous and well-organised when it comes to security matters. Because he takes advise, Abia State that was almost taken over by armed robbers, kidnappers and militants have since regained its lost glory.”

    “The governor worked assiduously with stakeholders in security matters to ensure that the state is safe for indigenes, visitors, foreigners and investors. You can see the presence of security agents like policemen, soldiers and undercover operatives all over the state.”

    It will be recalled that Udah, as the Assistant Inspector-General of Police, AIG in change of Zone 6, with headquarters in Calabar, Cross River State, had sent a memo to the then Inspector-General of Police, Sir Mike Okiro, on the need to grant Amnesty to militants.

    Okiro sent the memo to the late President, Alhaji Umaru Yar’Adua, who later had series of meetings with leaders of the militants, and eventually granted them amnesty.

  • N18b water treatment plant launched

    Residents of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) who never drank clean pipe-borne water have now been reassured that their ordeal is over.

    The phase three and four of a multi-billion naira water treatment plant at the Lower Usman Dam is expected to treat an additional 20 million litres of water per hour, in addition to the already 10 million litres in the phase one and two.

    President Goodluck Jonathan, who commissioned the project, described it as an important milestone in the countries journey to build an important Federal Capital for the people.

    He said that his administration is centred on providing all the necessary utilities needed in the country so people will not have to sink boreholes in search of water or try to generate electricity.

    His word, “”No matter the beautiful layouts, buildings or road networks in Abuja that facilitate our movements, we cannot say Abuja is a modern town if people have to have boreholes or generate their own electricity, so government must be committed and of course we are determined to provide adequate utilities to residents of this great city.

    “This administration will ensure it provides facilities like power, transportation, housing, water resources and telecommunication amongst others.”

    He also said, “With a capacity of 20 million litres per hour, this plant is amongst some of the largest in the world

    “I’m happy to note that the quality of water from this project conforms to global best practice and the commencement of the operation means the availability of portable drinking water, we expect that the project will drastically reduce and completely eradicate water born diseases, create employment opportunities for water related businesses and help to annex aquatic resources in areas around the dam.

    “We will ensure that all residents have access to water and they don’t need to dig their boreholes.”

    Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Senator Bala Mohammed revealed that the Phases 1 and 2 Water treatment Plants which treats 10 million litters of water per hour was completed by 1987 and 2000 respectively.

    He said that the contract was awarded in August 2005 but was stalled due to funding challenges, which was cleared under the leadership of President in keeping with his commitment to the principle that government business is a continuum as well as his aversion for abandonment of important projects.

    His words, “the realization of this project represents a major landmark in our pursuit of the Transformation Agenda of the Jonathan Administration as well as our vision to build a capital city that will rank among the top 20 cities in the world.

    “The unwavering need to improve the living standard of the people by alleviating their suffering through projects that have direct bearing on their welfare.

    “The Abuja water master plan is a big part of the Abuja master plan. The lower Usman dam shows off models of five litres capacity each, reservoirs of various heights around the periphery of the city.

    “The new ones commissioned today will treat additional 20 million litters per hour, thereby making it 30 million litters per hour, thereby increasing the water treatment capacity by 200 percent.”

    He added, “These treatment plants have been completed in line with the vision of the Transformation Agenda of the Federal Government. These plants would greatly reduce water scarcity in the Federal Capital City and its environs.

    ”The FCT Administration is also making concerted efforts to commence the water distribution network to Phases 2 and 3 of the City covering such districts as Gwarinpa, Kafe, Katampe, Wuye, Jabi and Jahi,”.

  • N360tr to be spent on centenary city

    N360tr to be spent on centenary city

    It has been confirmed that the Abuja Centenary City will cost more than N360 trillion to build.

    The city which is expected to be completed in 60 months will comprise five five-star hotels, apartment units, the best convention centre in Africa, apartment units and lots of other commercial structures which are hoped to provide more than 250,000 jobs.

    The city will also be a unique landmark for the country to mark the country’s unity and 100 years of amalgamation.

    Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Sen Bala Mohammed made the disclosure during the week at the signing agreement on the development of the centenary city, between the Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) and Centenary City Plc.

    Mohammed who handed over the Certificate of Occupancy (CofO) to the private developers assured that the Original inhabitants are being duly compensated and will be relocated.

    His words, “The land is going to be subjected to due diligence and nobody will be short-changed, it will be developed in a manner that will provide employment that will accelerate the development of the Federal Capital City (FCC) and the territory as per the concept of the Federal Capital Development Authority (FCDA) act.

    “FCDA will be part of the project to ensure that everything conforms to the Abuja master plan.

    “The portion of 1064 hectares is being seeded as a concession to the centenary PLC. The FCT is taking a small portion of equity of 5%, where our own premium and development control charges are going to be put as part of the equity contribution.

    “This is not a project that has the problem of resettlement and compensation, when we started , we insisted that enumeration must be carried out, all with the economic trees and other compensation must be paid and the Centenary city PLC have paid fully a 100% into our account and we are doing the enumeration and payment as per the entitlement of all the people of the Centenary land, what is outstanding, is maybe the houses, that will be subjected to more diligence and enumeration and they have the resources to pay them, there is no any agitation or fear expressed by the settlers or people of these area.”

    He also said, “Because they are very happy that for the first time, before a project is completed or done, their own resettlement, compensation and entitlements are being settled and we discuss with them in a bottle up approach in the way and manner that er are also doing the land swap but certainly, there are apprehensions because formerly, FCT have been developing without taking into cognisance the needs of the original inhabitants.

  • Grassroots women urged to be self-reliant

    Do not sit back and wait for your husbands and others to help you earn more money; go ahead, seek to be self-reliant.

    That was the message some grassroots women took home in Abuja at an empowerment conference organised for them.

    Minister of Women Affairs and Social Development, Hajia Zainab Maina gave them the nudge at the Rural Rescue Outreach Foundation’s first grassroots women empowerment conference in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).

    Empowering women, Hajia Maina said would contribute to the promotion of full and equal participation of women in nation building and bring the nation closer to eradicating poverty and promoting peace in Nigeria.

    The minister who was represented by a Deputy Director at the ministry, Mr. Olowoofoyeku Olusoji said: “I commend Rural Rescue Outreach Foundation (RROF), who taught it wise to organize a conference of this nature that would unfold set of principles to offer guidance on how to advance and empower women in their workplace, market and rural communities thereby bringing about their rapid development.

    “Your initiative correlates directly with the Transformation Agenda of President Goodluck Jonathan, that stipulates development and empowerment of all citizens especially women.

    “Let me emphasise that it is part of my ministry’s mandate to ensure the well being of Nigerian women whom we have over the years engaged in various activities and programmes designed to boost their income at grassroots.

    “Some of the programmes targeted at them include the establishment of Women Fund for Economic Empowerment (WOFEE), Business and Development Fund for Women (BUDFOW) and the Establishment of Skills Acquisition Centres (ESAC) all over the federation. Sincerely, these schemes were established to stimulate economic empowerment of women and further impel them to be self reliant.”

  • Minister takes medicare to Plateau rural areas

    Minister takes medicare to Plateau rural areas

    The Minister of Water Resources, Mrs. Sarah Ochekpe has provided free medical care to the people of Pankshin Local Government Area, Plateau State.

    Ochekpe, at the opening of the exercise at the Federal College of Education, Pankshin, said that her effort to bring medical care to the grassroots was to complement the efforts of the Federal Government in providing health care facilities to the citizenry.

    In a statement in Abuja, the minister said the free medical outreach in the state was dedicated to President Goodluck Jonathan for his efforts towards improving the health care of the people of Nigeria.

    The minister maintained that despite Federal government’s efforts at improving Nigerians access to good quality health care, many people in the rural areas do not have access to good medical care.

    According to her, the rural people are not able to access free medical care due to lack of finance and the inability to go to places to access the medical care.

    “We are bringing the free medical care in order to get close to the grassroots where they are most needed,” she said.

    The free medical outreach is sponsored by the minister in collaboration with the Federal Ministry of Health, Soteria Afrique, Urban Frontiers Mission International, Association of Resident Doctors –Jos University Teaching Hospital (JUTH) and Afrique Foundation.

  • Jonathan and the rule of law

    Jonathan and the rule of law

    President Goodluck Jonathan often reiterates his administration’s commitment the rule of law.

    Declaring his belief that law is an instrument for social engineering and political transformation, the President has pledged to ensure that all actions of his government will conform to the rule of law, including observation of human rights norms.

    To sustain the confidence of the people in the rule of law, at a point, he challenged the managers of the nation’s judiciary to constantly review the country’s laws.

    The President has also enjoined the judiciary to always give credible and well-reasoned judgments in order to enhance social justice and fairness.

    Apart from declaring his commitments to the rule of law in Nigeria, the president has also taken the campaign to the world stage.

    Speaking at the first-ever High-Level Plenary Session on the Rule of Law at the 67th General Assembly of the United Nations in New York in 2012, he called for global order based on the rule of law.

    Stressing that the rule of law at international level must be based on the core principles of the United Nations which were further reaffirmed in the 2005 World Summit Document, he promised that all pledges made by Nigeria to the international community would be met.

    Pushing for nations to honour their international obligations, he specifically pointed out that nations have the obligations to refrain from threat or use of force, to settle disputes through peaceful means, to protect human rights and fundamental freedoms and abide by international humanitarian law.

    Still, the Presidency under him has been accused in some instances of interfering with the rule of law, while the administration has also been criticised for acting slowly in some burning issues, especially corruption.

    A case in point was the belief in some quarters that the Presidency interfered with the rule of law in the case that culminated in the National Judicial Council (NJC’s) suspension and eventual removal of the former President of Court of Appeal, Justice Ayo Salami, who was believed to have stood firm against the perversion of justice and the abuse of power.

    On allegation of moving too slow on some issues, it has been said that the President had to allow the rule of law to follow its rightful course in order not to be seen as a dictator.

    The President, however, has said that sometimes he feels like moving faster than the rule of law to address some issues, especially bordering on corruption, but that he must wait for the law to take its course.

    Speaking last week while receiving the outcome of the National Stakeholders Forum on Electoral Reform from the Chairman of Ken Nnamani Centre for Leadership and Development and former Senate President, Ken Nnamani, the President recalled his encounter with the Auditor-General of the Federation on a particular corruption allegation.

    He said: “Then, I called the Auditor-General and say ‘Look, you must look into this and tell Nigerians’ and you know what the man told me, he said ‘Mr. President the law establishing the office of the Auditor-General of the Federation does not say you, President have to direct me. There is a process and that process has to take its course.’

    “So these are the issues. But that is the law and there is a reason for that. So, I agree with you totally for us as a nation to progress, irrespective of the challenges, irrespective of the pains, we must all obey the rule of law otherwise it will be an animal kingdom where somebody wakes up and do whatever he likes.” He said

    He went on: “The rule of law, especially when the issue is about corruption. I told people that, yes, if you want the president to go outside the law to do things, as a president and executive president, I am a primary beneficiary. But, it is not too good for the society because one, I am also a politician.”

    “If I try to do things that way, then truly I may use it to help myself or help my party or so. So, whether the process is slow or not, we must obey our laws. We must obey the rule of law, and the society will be normal,” he stated.

  • Food scarcity looms as herdsmen, farmers clash

    Food scarcity looms as herdsmen, farmers clash

    The bloodletting and violence to the environment are horrible enough. Now add to that a looming food shortage. The Fulani herdsmen clash with farmers has claimed many lives, wrecked homes and displaced hundreds of people in Benue, Nasarawa and Taraba states. It has also wasted farmlands, crops and cattle, making food scarcity an imminent danger, except something is done urgently.

    In Benue State, the clashes started four years ago when herdsmen attacked Tiv farmers in Gwer West Local Government Area.

    Gradually, it spread to Makurdi and Guma local government areas.

    Now, the conflict has engulfed Logo Local Government Area, the country home of Governor Gabriel Suswam; Kwande , Katsina Ala and Gwer local government areas.

    This means the attacks have occurred   in all  the three senatorial zones in the state.

    In most of the cases, those at the receiving end of these crises have been Tiv farmers.

    Their crops, land, houses and yam seedlings have been  destroyed. That is not all. The invaders are also said to occupy the homes of their fleeing victims. In some cases, the invaders reportedly cook the locals’ abandoned raw food and settle down to meals. Thereafter, according to reports, the attackers sleep in their beds.

    The victims are helpless, many forced from their homes. The security agencies seem helpless.

    Over 200 people have been killed so far since the bloody crisis started. For more than four years, there is no school in the affected areas. Some local government councils like Agatu and Guma have been shut, while market activities are permanently closed.

    According to State Emergency management Agency(SEMA), over 800 internally displaced persons are in various camps, taking refuge in primary schools and uncompleted buildings.

    Recently, Fulani herdsmen and their militia shifted their attention to Tombo ward, near Anyiin.

    They started their operation in a farming community called Ayibe, then moved to Tse Dzungwe (home of our Benue correspondent), then on to Tse Ibwar and Tse Gbeleve where they killed residents and set the settlement ablaze.

    They continued their attack on Mbaya community in Adzegeh, Uzer up to Ayilamo, headquarters of Tombo ward.

    The attackers are said to favour sophisticated weapons in some caces, and it was even alleged that they used substances believed to be chemical weapons.

    The most disturbing part of the attacks is that the  invaders also set tubers of yam and yam seedlings ablaze,  including the planted crops.

    Where they find it difficult to destroy the crops, their cattle, with some reported assistance,  dig up and and eat the crops.

    The implication of the attacks is that there is a likelihood of a massive famine next year.

    The settlements destroyed are predominately peasant farmers and known for massive rice and yam production.

    That Benue state is referred to as the “Food Basket of the Nation”  is because of its massive food production.

    The state is also blessed with a rich soil that produces cash crops.  The state boasts two big rice mills.

    Miva Rice Mill, located in Makurdi, Benue Northwest senatorial district, is owned by former Attorney-General of the Federation and Minster of Justice, Chief Mike Aondoakaa, and Ashi Rice mill in Anyiin, in Benue Northeast managed by the Suswam family.

    The raw materials for Miva  rice mill, with a capacity to process 4.5 metric tonnes a year, is already threatened as most farmers are displaced from their homes, even as their crops are destroyed.

    Chief Mike Aondoakaa told The Nation that he has lost millions of naira to the Tiv-Fulani crisis.

    The paddy which is supposed to feed the rice mill  has been destroyed.

    “Our rice farmers are now taking refuge in various camps,”he said.

    Aondoakaa appealed to Benue state government and prominent people in the state to come to together and tackle the crisis so that displaced persons, who are mostly farmers, can return to their homes before the rains set in.

    He said there is a looming danger of famine if the farmers are allowed to remain in camp.

    Minister of State for Trade and Investment, Chief Samuel Ortom lost 25 hectares of rice farm to the Funani invaders who reportedly used their cattle to destroy the farm.

    He also had is 300 bags of rice and his houses destroyed in Guma Local Government Area of the state.

    Also, 500 tubers of yam, belonging to the Special Assistant to the Governor on Special Duties, Joseph Tsavsar, have been destroyed and his compound in Tse Gbeleve and Ayilamo set ablaze.

    Tsavsar told The Nation that the attack on Tiv farmers is more than just crisis between the nomads and farmers.

    Most of the settlements affected in the crisis are farming communities.

    For examaple, in Gwer West Local Government Area where the Fulani herdsmen have sacked about three wards, the people are massive rice producers in addition to other cash crops.

    In Guma Local Government Area, the farmers are known for soyabean, rice, millet and groundnut production

    In Tombo ward, Logo Local Government Area, the soil is good for yams, rice, corn, millet, fish, groundnut and sweet potatoes.

    But now that the farmers have become displaced, who will till the land?