Category: Northern Report

Human Rights Writers Association of Nigeria, (HURIWA) yesterday hit the Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) over its planned demolition of more than 60 houses in the Trademore Estate in the Lugbe area of Abuja.

  HURIWA, in a statement by its National Coordinator, Comrade Emmanuel Onwubiko, said the plan to demolish the estate after its development plan was approved by the Abuja Metropolitan Management Council (AMMC) as far back as 2004 makes the demolition agenda a nullity.

The group said the FCTA Permanent Secretary, Olusade Adesola must immediately stop all plans to demolish the approved estate and add to the poll of 28 million Nigerians lacking access to decent and affordable housing, according to estimates by the Federal Mortgage Bank of Nigeria.

The group also expressed concerns over the recurring collapse of buildings within Abuja, saying the latest collapse of a building in the Lifecamp area of Abuja again reinforces the fact that the FCTA officials are grossly indulging in compromise.

Residents of Trademore Estate had last week protested and petitioned the FCTA Permanent Secretary through their lawyer, Mike Ozekhome (SAN), over the planned demolition of 60 houses in the residential estate.

The residents debunked insinuation that the estate has no development plan approval.

They said the estate was developed in 2007 and no case of flooding was recorded until recently.

The concerned residents also said the developer of the estate was properly allocated the land containing the estate and duly sought for and obtained Development Plan Approval for the development of the estate, building over 700 units of houses, through huge bank loans.

Onwubiko said: “The planned demolition of the Trademore Estate by the FCTA is an anomaly that should never stand, not after the estate was approved by the same Administration nearly 20 years ago.

  “The remote and immediate causes of the flooding can be dealt with by town planners within the FCTA without bringing down the roof of hundreds of home owners whose houses were authentically and originally approved by the FCTA. The planned injustice all in the name of demolition must stop immediately”.

A Non-Governmental Organisation, Chuga and Friends Foundation( CFF), based in Nasarawa State has spent N90 million to sink 46 motorised boreholes across communities to improve on the standard of living of the people.

  Its Chief Executive Officer,  Dr Samson Chuga, made this known yesterday in Akwanga after taking reporters to some of the project areas in Akwanga Local Government Area of Nasarawa State.

Chuga, who is also the Minister in-Charge of English Baptist Church, Akwanga, said the foundation is focusing on the provision of portable drinking  water to rural areas by drilling boreholes, wells or water tanks due to the importance of water to human and societal development.

“The Chuga and Friends Foundation ( CFF) is a faith-based organisation  not-for-profit Non- Governmental (NGO) with birth in 2017.

“It is an offshoot of partners for Water, USA. From 2017 to date, we have executed 46 boreholes across Nasarawa State in which we spent a total of N90 million to provide water to communities among other logistics.”

“We have  provided two boreholes in Obi LGA, about seven in Nasarawa Eggon, 14 in Akwanga and so many places,” he said.

According to him, he who provides water, provides life as human beings cannot sustain their lives without water.

Chuga also said the foundation has provided educational facilities in rural communities.

“Our aims and objectives also include to propagate the Gospel of Jesus Christ through evangelism, organising seminars, workshops and in Radio, Television and other media of communication.

“To preach peace and to promote peaceful co-existence in our society, to provide free medical assistance to rural communities by providing free drugs treatments, establishment of Health Care Centres among others,” he said.

He also said that the foundation from March to date, has received about 28 applications from communities seeking for water from them.

“We are taking measures to go on a feasibility study to inform communities that we will provide them with boreholes.

“Out of the 28 applications, possibly we will have18 or 20 communities that the foundation will give them boreholes as not every community will get, ” he added.

The NGO chief executive officer added that it has disbursed about N9 million to rural women to enable them become self-reliant and contribut to the development of the country.

The Nasarawa All Progressives Congress (APC) Stakeholders Forum has raised concerns over the escalating state of lawlessness and impunity amid the emergence of the leadership of the Nasarawa State House of Assembly.

Addressing a press conference in Abuja yesterday, Convener of the forum, Ibrahim Shuaibu, highlighted the adverse effects of these actions on the growth of democracy within the state and the nation.

Shuaibu said the stakeholders would address the state House Assembly Speakership crisis and protect democracy that is under threat.

He expressed deep distress at the prevailing culture of impunity and lawlessness that had engulfed the political landscape of the state.

He criticised some individuals, who he said, considered themselves invincible, by prioritising their political interests above the constitution of the country.

 The convener noted that such actions should not be condoned, particularly the disregard for due process and the court order that prohibited Hon. Ibrahim Balarabe from assuming the role of Speaker of the Seventh Assembly in the state.

He recalled the reception of the Balarabe-led group of Assembly members at the Government House in Lafia.

The convener further urged the governor, Abdullahi Sule, to hearken to the wise counsel and entreaties from critical stakeholders of the APC and the state, urging him to broker peace between the factions.

Shuaibu stated that action from the group was in direct violation of the existing court order on the assembly matter. He emphasised that the governor’s continued recognition of the illegitimate actions of the Balarabe group only perpetuated the prevailing illegality.

Niger State Governor Mohammed Umaru Bago has advised the people of Kagara Emirate to be more security conscious by restricting their movements and cooperating with security operatives.

  According to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), Bago gave the advice when he visited the Emir of Kagara, Mallam Ahmed Garba Gunna ll, at his palace in Kagara as he rounded off his emirate tour as part of Sallah.

  In a statement by his Chief Press Secretary, Alhaji Bologi Ibrahim, Bago noted that the emirate had been affected by banditry attacks and that restricting their movement would help the security operatives in combating the menace.

According to him, “A lot of our rural dwellers do a lot of occupation in the hinterland and you find them gathering for weddings and on market days which is not very good for this situation as it affects security surveillance and operation.

“So, we are encouraging them to restrict their movements unless it is very necessary that they should remain within their enclaves so that bushes can also be cleared.”

  The governor also said his administration would ensure the construction of a dual carriageway in Kagara, in line with his urban renewal policy and also ensure the reconstruction of Minna/Tegina Road.

He urged farmers to take advantage of the fertiliser government would provide at subsidised rate, to engage in farming.

Bago called on the citizens to support his administration to succeed.

  The governor urged the people of the emirate and others to continue to live in peace and tolerate one another, irrespective of their affiliations, for development to thrive.

   Earlier, Mallam Gunna, appreciated the governor for his efforts in ensuring that the people of the emirate enjoyed relative peace.

  ”This made us and others to observe durbar during the Eid celebration,” he said .

  The emir also said each of the traditional title holders in the emirate had acquired at least one hectare of land to engage in agriculture, following the strategies evolved by the administration to promote national policy on food security.

  The statement stated that the highpoint of the visit was the conferment of the traditional title of Gorozon Kagara on the governor and presentation of instruments of power to him.

Twelve others were also conferred with traditional titles.

  Among the governor’s entourage were his Deputy, Mr Yakubu Garba; Chief of Staff, Alhaji Abdullahi Usman Gbatamangi; Speaker, Niger State House of Assembly, Abdulmalik Sarkin Daji and some government officials.

A chieftain of the All Progressives Congress in Rivers State, Godpower Egbono, has said the gubernatorial candidate of the Social Democratic Party (SDP) in the 2023 election, Magnus Abe, did not work for the victory of President Bola Tinubu in the state.

Egbono, who was a member of the dissolved APC Presidential Campaign Council, Contact and Mobilisation, in the Southsouth, said in a statement that a member of the dissolved Amalgamated Bola Tinubu Campaign Council, Rivers State and former Chief of Staff to the Rivers State Government, Tony Okocha, was a key driver of the performance of the party which led to the victory of Tinubu.

According to him, Okocha, a former Chief of Staff to ex-governor Rotimi Ameachi deserved special commendation, noting that if he (Okocha) had deserted the party like other leaders, Tinubu would not have won in Rivers.

He said: “All Chief Okocha has been doing is to let the world understand the role himself, former Governor Wike and Rivers APC played in giving APC and Asiwaju the deserved result, and why they deserve to take charge of the party. His media campaign so far is devoid of sentiments or attacks on personalities.

“Perhaps his only misdemeanour is challenging SDP to produce their results to qualify them for any reward from the party. But they should not forget that no amount of name calling and sentiments will influence the President in giving his reward.

“When Okocha claimed that Wike delivered the state for President Bola Tinubu in the February poll”, he was only presenting a statement of fact, backed by figures from polling results of APC, which he was instrumental to the achievement of the numbers. It is well known that former Governor Wike gave direction to his own party and formed an alliance with Chief Tony Okocha’s APC, which produced those results.”

According to Egbono, it is no secret that Senator Abe moved to SDP and his votes and that of his supporters went to SDP.

“So between the SDP leader and the APC leader, Okocha, who should be cautioned by the party?” he queried.

The Katsina State Government has concluded plans to recruit 2,400 youths to bolster security efforts across eight security-prone local government areas of the state and communities.

The Deputy Governor, Faruk Lawal Jobe, made the above known during the distribution of application forms to the Local Government chairmen of the affected areas. He said the decision marked a significant milestone in the state’s commitment to enhancing community security and protection.

  The local governments affected include Safana, Dandume, Danmusa, Sabuwa, Faskari, Jibia, Kankara, and Batsari local government areas.

The recruitment drive, which aimed at empowering local communities and strengthening security architecture, has been one of the key campaign promises of Governor Dikko Umar  Radda.

  Under the programme, eligible youths will receive training and equipment from experienced security officers to safeguard the lives and properties of their community members.

A total of 303 youths will be engaged with security officers, supplementing their efforts.

The Deputy Governor also emphasised the determination of the state government to address security challenges bedeviling, particularly the most adversely affected local government areas.

  He affirmed the government’s commitment to engage young individuals who exhibit good character, possess strong ties to their communities and are below 35.

He said: ”Local government leaders and all stakeholders should carefully select candidates who possess the willingness and capability to fulfill the objectives of the initiative’. The success of the programme hinges on the collective effort and commitment of all parties involved.”

Plateau State Governor, Caleb Mutfwang has imposed a 24-hour curfew on Mangu Local Government Area, following recent attacks that led to loss of lives and properties.

The governor, in consultation with the state Security Council, imposed the curfew on the Local Government Area to restore law and order.

 In a statement by the Director of Press and Public Affairs to the governor, Gyang Bere, the governor restricted movements within the local government until further notice except for security personnel and persons on essential duties.

Security agencies have, therefore, been directed to ensure enforcement of the curfew.

Meanwhile, the governor has assured the people that the government is working round-the-clock to restore peace and security in the state.

A political group in  Kogi West, known as the  Okun United, on Saturday declared its support for the All Progressives Congress(APC) Governorship Candidate in the state, Alhaji Ododo Usman.

It made the declaration at the unveiling of Okun United for Ododo-Joel Project 2023, in Kabba Local Government Area.

Governor Yahaya Bello commended the Okun for coming together to support the party’s  candidate, saying that Ododo’s victory was for the party .

  Bello, who was represented by the APC State Chairman, Alhaji Abdullahi Bello, appreciated the convener of the event, noting that Bello had performed well.

“Today, the Okun extraction of the APC has decided to unite for Ododo to speak with one voice. I have no doubt in my mind about the victory, the election is as good as over, seeing the calibre of people. I am proud and happy.

  “I want to appreciate the convener and other leaders in ensuring that this is happening in Kabba,” he added.

The governor, however, tasked the party leaders to create a conducive platform for the defectors from PDP, because they would add value to the electoral chances of the ruling party.

  “Nobody owns APC, we must be up and doing, we must see results, we must work for our  candidate during this election and protect our  votes,” he added.

  The Grand Patron of the Okun United, Mr David Jimoh, said the project was to support the Ododo/Joel mandate and to deliver their mandate to the governorship candidate by November.

  “I am happy we are here as a people united to say that, on the Ododo mandate we shall stand. We have a mandate and our mandate is to deliver come November, it is a done deal.

“ I want to assure you that we will leave no stone unturned to deliver the mandate because he is our best belt.”

Coordinator of the project, who was Adviser on  Security to the Governor, Duro Omodara said the project was not just a group but a solid platform, conceived to make valuable contributions to the forthcoming election.

“Okunland desires a collective umbrella that will direct and unite us for common goals and objectives, this platform is expected to go beyond the upcoming elections.

  “It is expected to remain a solid platform to support the government to articulate developmental programmes for our people. We, therefore, call on all, not to look at the book cover, but the rich content that we intend to unfold that would lead us to greater heights,” he said.

• By, Mahmud Abdulsalam 

Smuggling into Nigeria did not start this year, last year, or the penultimate. It has always been perpetrated by criminals and economic saboteurs, for decades. The smuggling business is a crime anywhere in the world, but in this part, it appears to be unending, defying every practical solution in spite of concerted efforts.

Among the several commodities and goods imported illegally into the country is rice, the most popular staple carbohydrate food. Rice smuggling has since assumed a frightening proportion, hurting private businesses and the economy. Domestic production of the agricultural item has equally been hampered.

Dozens of personnel of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) involved in anti-smuggling operations lost their lives during fierce battles with armed persons and gangs, while reports abound of how the precious lives of some Nigerians were cut short after eating unhealthy and toxic rice varieties imported.

Many citizens still remember the so-callled ‘plastic rice’ brought into the country in large numbers, reportedly from China, in 2016. It took the intervention and determination of the Customs to curb the inflow of the adulterated rice which flooded different markets that time.

Another incident happened in 2017, when the Federal Government warned that there were certain brands of poisonous foreign rice being sold. Reacting, the then Comptroller-General of Customs, Colonel Hameed Ali (retd) decried the situation and advised citizens to stop purchase and consumption.

He said: “A chemical must have been added to sustain its freshness and that chemical is harmful. Also, it has been re-bagged with a new date given as the production and expiry date. That is what we consume which causes diseases. I appeal to Nigerians to patronize our rice, it is available and more nutritious. If you do, you assist Customs by making sure these people are put out of business.”

Read Also: Nigeria’s enemies recirculating Idiroko border opening video – RIPAN

Rice importation, Ali added, remains one of the biggest challenges facing the Customs. As part of finding a permanent solution to the menace, former President Muhammadu Buhari, in August 2019, ordered the closure of four major land borders over illegal importation of drugs, arms and agricultural products from neighbouring countries.

But in December 2020, the immediate past Nigerian leader ordered the reopening. For about a year that the borders were shut, local rice production was boosted. According to the Rice Processors Association of Nigeria (RIPAN), the Border Restriction Policy implemented by the Buhari government jerked up the demand for homegrown and locally processed rice.

This caused an increase in both the production of paddy rice, as well as rice processing facilities. In 2020, during the coronavirus era, farmers produced as much as 8.2 million tons of paddy rice and another 8.4 million tons in 2021. At the time, all of the paddy produced was taken by the rice processors/millers who processed and supplied good-quality rice.

Even as the borders were closed and the COVID pandemic raged on, Nigeria did not experience food shortage, particularly rice, but the numbers in metric tons of paddy rice produced by farmers began to decline a few months after the borders reopened. Smuggling recommenced in earnest, dropping the volume of paddy offtake by rice processors/millers.

It is on record that upon the reopening, official rice import to Benin Republic from Thailand rose from a meager monthly average of 5,000 metric tons in 2019, to a monthly average of 26,861 metric tons in 2022. Recently, PRNigeria reported that about 35,749 bags of foreign rice were impounded by the NCS between January and April this year.

It was due to the renewed war by the Customs that the quantity of what was seized stopped at the figure given. To this end, the NCS strides in tackling smuggling must be sustained. The Nigerian government should know that unscrupulous elements are bent on frustrating the anti-smuggling war of the Customs and advocacy of groups such as RIPAN. 

In June, an old video which showed how Customs personnel reopened the Idiroko border in 2021 was all over social media. The mischievous people behind it apparently wanted to dent the early days of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, whom they claimed ordered the re-opening immediately after assuming office.

But the goal of those who re-circulated the video failed. First to disprove the authenticity was Customs spokesperson Abubakar Maiwada as he confirmed all the borders were reopened months ago. “All our major borders are open. The video showing the Idiroko border opening is a very old video that a mischief maker repackaged to create a wrong narrative,” Maiwada explained.

The Area Controller of NCS in Ogun State, Mr Bamidele Makinde also dismissed the viral video. While addressing journalists at the Customs Command in Abeokuta, the capital, Makinde stated that the Idiroko border had resumed exports and imports since 2022.

While lending credence to the statements of the NCS officials, RIPAN accused enemies of the Nigerian economy of a sinister motive. It said culprits were individuals/groups attempting to undermine the new administration and promote illegal activities like rice smuggling from Benin Republic, Cameroon, and Niger Republic.

The Director General, Andy Ekwelem assured of the organisation’s dedication to support the efforts of federal agencies to improve food security and well-being of the populace. Ekwelem urged the authorities and stakeholders to be watchful and avoid the machinations of those who seek to sabotage the government, and exploit the nation’s big brother role within the sub-region.

It is imperative for the Customs and other security agencies to step up the tempo of dealing with rice smugglers and other economic wreckers. The damage these criminals have done to the country and the people is unimaginable. Citizens must not continue to battle all sorts of health challenges occasioned by consuming unhygienic foreign rice. 

The circumstances surrounding the circulation of the old video also need to be thoroughly investigated. The sponsors must be fished out and made to face the music as such would send a stern message to their cohorts. Now is the right time to wage another merciless battle against the unending importation of foreign rice into Nigeria.

Mahmud Abdulsalam, a public commentator, writes from Abuja.

babasalam1989@gmail.com

• By Yushau Shuaib

On Tuesday, August 9, 2022, senior editors and top journalists attended a media parley with the then Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), General Lucky Irabor.

Weeks earlier, devastating terrorist activities were widely reported, including the attack on St. Francis Catholic Church in Owo, Ondo State; assault on a presidential convoy in Katsina State; invasion of the Kuje Prison in Abuja; the deadly ambush of senior Police officers; and the alleged killing of civilians (collateral damage) during military operations.

The CDS used the opportunity to solicit the cooperation of society, saying the criminals (terrorists) want to stoke fear and promote resentment to such a level that every one will not want to leave their homes. This is the strategy which, if we do not take time, will become part and parcel of our daily lives.

In my presentation on “Media Analysis of Defence Security Sector Coverage and Fact-checking Conflict-sensitive Reporting”, as the Guest Speaker, I pointed out clearly that while a lot of media houses reported scenes accurately, others not only exaggerated but published one-sided reports without reflecting the realities as well as evident security sector accomplishments.

I also alluded to the fact that some media organisations do not question the authenticity of statements from terrorists in their reporting, yet cast headlines which doubt official sources and are framed in cynical ways, such as “Military claims…”, “Unconfirmed reports on troops victory…”, etc.

The then Director of Defence Information, Major General Jimmy Akpor urged the editors to remain partners in progress with the Armed Forces, by ensuring that their organisations are insulated from being used by terrorists to instill fear in the minds of Nigerians.

The facilitator, Barrister Charles Odenigbo of The Media Today International (TMT), said the interaction was planned in the spirit of openness, in order to elicit a practical and robust review of reportage of the defence and security sector. He urged the media to continue to work with the military in the task of national security and nation-building.

It was quite gratifying that the spokesperson of the Nigerian Air Force (NAF), Air Commodore Edward Gabkwet led a session that showed declassified video footage of airstrikes on camps and hideouts of bandits and terrorists across the country.

The editors marvelled at how Nigerian troops had eliminated scores of fleeing terrorists, especially following the rather daring attacks on the presidential convoy and the ambush that led to the death of Assistant Commissioner of Police Aminu Inuwa in Katsina, among other similar operations revealed in the videos.

The media parley with General Irabor was conceptualised as a way of building sustainable trust and confidence in military-media relations, towards pursuing the common causes of freedom, liberty and national security.

Immediately after the engagement, a senior editor jokingly asked the then Chief of Defence Intelligence, Major General Samuel Adebayo, who also contributed at the event, if the interface was another form of psychological operation.

Adebayo, a typical spymaster who would have wished to remain unseen and unheard, calmly responded that Psychological Operations (PSYOP) or Psychological Warfare (PSYWAR) are mostly unannounced but noticed or felt. He added that when deployed, the approaches are targeted at winning the hearts and minds of specific audiences on the field.

Beyond combat operations in creating a security bulwark for Nigeria, CDS Irabor is remarkably noted for the result-driven way in which he had piloted the affairs of the military in building synergies, partnerships and collaborations across the military services and relevant stakeholders.

During the short-lived tenure of the late Army Chief, Lt. General Attahiru, the Nigerian Army, the lead agency on counterterrorism operations, was very visible in the media in terms of profiling the efforts and accomplishments of the troops. Sadly, he lost his life in a plane crash only a few weeks after the death of the most wanted Boko Haram leader, Abubakar Shekau.

The immediate past Chief of Army Staff, Lt. General Faruk Yahaya; the former Chief of Air Staff, Air Marshal Isiaka Amao; and the previous Chief of Naval Staff, Vice Admiral Awwal Zubairu Gambo all gave fillip to joint counter-insurgency operations, the updates of which were centralised under the Directorate of Military Operation (DMO). The Directorate of Defence Information (DDI) retained its conventional focus on the routine events around Defence Headquarters.

Nevertheless, the Service Chiefs concentrated their media interface on the publicity around ceremonial outings, civil-military relations (CMR) commitments, and corporate social responsibility (CSR) efforts. Some of them occasionally facilitated third-party media narratives that enabled accurate, unbiased and responsible reports.

The soft approach programmes of the Service Chiefs were largely in the realm of Psyops that ensured safety, built community trust and engendered peacebuilding. The Psyops were aimed at influencing the state of mind of target audiences through non-combative means such as the effective deployment of selective messages, messengers, mediums and also the measurement of impacts.

Circumstances that led to the death of Boko Haram leader Shekau, the surrender of over 50,000 Boko Haram members, alongside the rescue and release of abducted citizens, among others, were mostly undertaken through psychological operations.

Apart from the surrender of repentant terrorists and bandits, agreements were also signed with previously undesirable elements to guarantee peace and development in insurgency-prone axes. It was recently revealed that the cessation of abduction incidents and other violent crimes perpetrated by terrorist groups on the Abuja-Kaduna highway was due to the efforts of a security panel raised by General Irabor.

Although insecurity is yet to be over in the country, the new National Security Adviser, Mallam Nuhu Ribadu and the new Service Chiefs would very likely deploy newer forms of kinetic and non-kinetic approaches to address the challenges across the various flashpoints and areas.

The new Chief of Defence Staff, Major General Chris Musa, and the Chief of Army Staff, Major General Taoreed Lagbaja, demonstrated unique leadership skills as the Theatre Commander (North-East) and the General Officer Commanding the Army Division (North-West), respectively. While one ensured the surrender of thousands of repentant terrorists, the other led troops to the field to eliminate bandits.

It is hoped that the new Chief of Naval Staff, Rear Admiral E. A. Ogalla; the Chief of Air Staff, Air Vice Marshal Hassan Bala Abubakar; and the Chief of Defence Intelligence, Major General E. P. A. Undiandeye will join efforts in bridging the usual fragmentation among the services and relevant stakeholders in joint operations, by sustaining the holistic and collaborative mechanism being put in place.

The Forum of Spokespersons of Security and Response Agencies (FOSSRA), whose secretariat is at the Centre for Crisis Communication (CCC), also needs to be reactivated towards enabling unified information-sharing processes and procedures, while keeping the public adequately educated and informed.

The well-lauded successes attained by General Irabor and the Service Chiefs under the Muhammadu Buhari administration was the deft utilisation of psychological operations that did not involve deaths, but still led to huge numbers of those who got rescued from the vice-grip of insurgents and bandits. Also, many terrorists and other social deviants were convinced to repent and surrender before their admission into rehabilitation programmes.

To a reasonable extent, the former chiefs could be considered as the most cooperative so far, making them accomplish highly significant national security tasks through inter-agency collaborations and synergy in combat operations and strategic communication. Their legacy is a base for an enduring approach to military strategy and security operations.

Shuaib is the author of ‘An Encounter with the Spymaster’ and ‘Crisis Communication Strategies’

yashuaib@yahoo.com