The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Activist

  • Stop inciting communal crises, activist warns Delta govt

    •Allegations laughable, says govt

    The Delta State government has been accused of encouraging communal crises in anticipation of electoral gains in the 2019 general election.

    The warning, by human rights activist and constitutional lawyer, Oghenejabor Ikimi, came against the backdrop of similar allegations following crisis in Odimodi, Ugborodo and Ogbe-Ijoh/Aladja in Burutu, Warri Southwest, Udu local government areas of the state.

    Ikimi, in a statement in Warri yesterday urged the government to disband the Ugborodo Community Management Committee, which it allegedly instituted against the wish of the people.

    But Chief Press Secretary to the governor, Charles Aniagu, said the government was working to restore peace in the communities, noting that the allegation was laughable.

    Ikimi, who regretted the loss of lives and destruction of property, called on the government to release the White Paper of the report of the panel that looked into the Aladja/Ogbe-Ijoh crisis.

    According to the activist, the communities could have continued living in peace, if the government did not instigate crisis, as is the case with Ugborodo, or refused to foster peaceful and harmonious living, as is the case with Aladja and Ogbe-Ijoh.

    “The age-long communal boundary dispute between Aladja in Udu Local Government Area and Ogbe-Ijoh in Warri South West Local Government Area is a case in point.

    “The Delta State government set up a panel, headed by Professor Abednego Ekoko last year, on the Aladja/Ogbe-Ijoh communal crises. The panel submitted its report months ago. But the government is yet to issue a White Paper, while a cold war, tacitly fuelled by the government ahead of the 2019 general election, is escalating between them.

    “The intra-Ugborodo crisis  began when the last surviving trustee of the community died in March, 2015, and to avoid a vacuum, the Ugborodo Administrative Committee was inaugurated on May 13, 2017, to manage its internal affairs.

    “Rather than evolve confidence-building measures to promote peace in Ugborodo, the state government on the May 30, 2017, in collaboration with some multinationals, inaugurated a parallel Ugborodo management committee at the Government House Annex in Warri outside Ugborodo to run the community.

    “Finally, I call on the government to release and implement the White Paper on the Professor Ekoko-led Aladja/Ogbe-Ijoh panel. I also call on the government to dismantle the parallel executives it set up on May 30, 2017, at the Government House Annex in Warri”, the statement said.

    Reacting to the allegation, Aniagu said the state cannot profit from communal crises, adding that the administration is sorting out the two cases.

    “It is laughable for anybody to say communal crises can be used for electoral gains, on the other hand, communal crises reduces electoral gains because No. 1, the money you need for the development of the people is what you will now deploy to quelling crises and when there are crises, we lose our people.

    “The governor is pained by what is happening in the two cases you mentioned and we are taking steps to address them. In the case of the Aladja/Ogbe-Ijoh crisis, the governor has set up a committee, which submitted its report, but we cannot jump into action to produce a White Paper, it has to be studied. The tendencies that may likely deepen such crises will have to be dealt with.

    “In the case of Ugborodo, we are taking steps to ensure they live in peace. Such peace enables us to bring development to them, just as it enables us to have people who will support the government, and  key into government programmes”, Aniagu said.

  • Ambode’s Southwest integration agenda on point, say activist, others

    Rights activist, Dr. Femi Aborisade; spokesman of Pro-National Conference Organisation (PRONACO), Wale Okuniyi; a chieftain the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Ogun State, Adebayo Dayo and former House of Representatives member, Lanre Odubote have called for support for the regional economic integration being promoted by the six states in the Southwest.

    Part of the regional integration plan is currently being driven by Lagos State Governor Akinwunmi Ambode, who recently pledged to invest billions of naira to acquire acres of land in Oyo, Osun, Ondo, Ekiti and Ogun states for modern, technologically-driven farming.

    Some of the respondents above noted that such drive would free and consequently restructure the region economically, pending when the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) would decide on national restructuring.

    Others said though Ambode’s drive was good, it was not enough to economically restructure the zone.

    Aborisade said: “Economic restructuring could only be achieved when government institutions, which have been privatised, were reversed. But what Ambode is doing is economic cooperation and integration, which we have been advocating. The move was right, and if pursued and not politicised, would eventually transform the region.”

    Dayo said: “I am not member of the All Progressives Congress (APC) but Ambode, among his peers, has distinguished himself by what he is doing in Lagos to the extent that I have personally told PDP members it would be difficult, if not impossible, to oust him in 2019. His move to integrate Southwest economy would not only return the region to its golden era of the First Republic, it will also prepare it ahead of any major restructuring that may likely take place in the country.”

    Okunniyi noted that with the step Ambode had taken “the Southwest is most likely to witness something similar to what Chief Obafemi Awolowo did in the defunct Western region”.

    Odubote noted that with Ambode’s successes in the last two years, the governor will once again distinguish the region, if given the chance.

    He said: “Here is a governor thinking far ahead and considering the development of states around him along with what he is doing. One could rightly conclude that he has the feelings for the people.”

  • Activist praises Osinbajo for visiting Bayelsa

    Activist praises Osinbajo for visiting Bayelsa

    A Port Harcourt environmental activist, Mr. Celestine Akpobari, has described Acting President Yemi Osinbajo’s visit to Bayelsa State as a step in the right direction.

    He told News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) yesterday in Port Harcourt the visit gave the Federal Government opportunity to dialogue with the people on the way forward.

    Osibanjo was in the oil-rich state in continuation of government’s diplomatic moves to end militancy in the Niger Delta and increase crude oil production.

    “The people have been marginalised despite huge contribution from their land to the economy.

    “Economically, the nation can’t survive for now without the resources from the Niger Delta,” he said.

    According to Akpobari, the visit should be followed with more development in the Niger Delta.

    “Usually, when even a local government chairman visits a community, the people will smile because a project will accompany such a visit.

    “Let there be a reasonable outcome of this visit that will make the people smile,” he added.

    The acting president led a Federal Government’s delegation on a similar visit to Delta State last month, and he is expected to visit Rivers State soon.

  • An activist’s day of honour

    Amidst pomp and pageantry, Olowu of Owu-Ile, Oba Muhammad Raji Qasim Okikilokun, marked the first anniversary of his coronation with installation of chiefs, writes Adekunle Yusuf

    Even from half-lit part of the day, Owu-Ile kingdom had been brusquely awoken from its perpetual rusticity and slumber on Saturday, January 21. From the previous day, all roads had led to the small but renowned community in Ejigbo West Local Council Development Area of Osun State, helping it to spring into a dose of elation the ancient empire had not seen in ages.

    In an afternoon ablaze with scorching sun, ecstasy swirled in the air like dust in harmattan season, as the locals – the old and the young – danced gracefully to no end. Joined by the Olowu of Owu-Ile, Oba Muhammad Raji Qasim Okikilokun, dancers swayed their feet and bodies rhythmically to acoustic aesthetics wafting from dozens of drumming and other percussion instruments that rented the air. However, by the time Comrade Amitolu Bolarinwa Shittu, a veteran human rights activist, and his entourage stormed the venue, the scene was ignited into a higher revelry mode.

    Although the day was to commemorate the first anniversary of Oba Muhammad and the launching of N250 million for the construction of a new and more befitting palace, it was completely dwarfed by the festivities of large entourage that accompanied non-indigenes being installed decorated with traditional titles. One of the lucky recipients of the town’s beads of honour is Comrade Amitolu Shittu and his wife, Falilat Folashade. Amidst pomp and pageantry, the husband and wife were installed as Jagunmolu of Owu-Ile and Yeye Jagunmolu of Owu-Ile, respectively.  On hand to witness the event were Alaodi of Oyo Alaafin, Prince Abdulfatai Adelowo, and scores of traditional rulers from Osun State and its environs.

    In his citation, which was read to the acclaim of the crowd of revelers, Shittu was said to have been singled out for the rare honour in recognition of decades of selfless services and fighting for a just and egalitarian order – culminating in incarceration in many prisons.

    “That Comrade Amitolu Shittu is a democrat is obvious even to the blind. He fought for democracy in the era when many people hid their swords. He is a well-travelled man who has attended international conferences, workshops and seminars on human rights, climate change and environmental issues, election monitoring, civil society organization, etc. in over twenty countries of the world in six continents. He is not only exposed internationally, but is alos knowledgeable in those fields.

    Shittu, who is also the Osun State chairman of Police Community Relations Committee, said he was surprised that a poor activist can be honoured with a chieftaincy title in today’s materialistic Nigeria.

    “Let me first of all declare that I did not pay a kobo for this; I don’t even have the money,” he said. The newly-installed Jagunmolu of Owu-Ile then turned his attention to the multitude asking what hje would do for the ancient kingdom. “To those asking me what I will do to lift Owu-Ile, my answer is simple. I am going to collaborate with everybody to restore the lost glory of this kingdom. Thanks to Governor Rauf Aregbesola, you now have a tarred road passing through Owu-Ile for the first time in history. But that is just the beginning. I will work with the Kabiyesi and all the chiefs to use all I have to bring and accelerate the pace of development and modernity to this town, which is renowned as the mother of all Owu kingdoms. Because this is the first Owu, I will not allow it to go into extinction,” Amitolu said.

    But the day was not entirely for Amitolu and his wife alone, as three other worthy Nigerians were also honoured with traditional titles. Equally dignified was Bola Abimbola Ige, a lawyer and former Senior Special Assistant to Aregbesola, who was honoured with the traditional title of Mayegun of Owu-Ile. So also was Taofeeeq Sodiq Alade, who bagged the title of Bobakeye of Owu-Ile, while Balquees Abiola Ajetunmobi, a United States-trained nurse, and Alhaja Ikimot Iyanda, a princess from Oyekan lineage in Lagos Island, were honoured with Yeye Tayese and Yeye Bobabgunwa of Owu-Ile.

     

  • Activist urges Fed Govt to end gas flaring

    An activist, Jonah Gbemre, has urged the Federal Government to enforce a 2005 Federal High Court judgment, which ordered oil and gas companies to end gas flaring.

    Gbemre, who is the Convener of the Host Communities Network of Nigeria (HOCON), spoke at the weekend at a workshop on the impact of gas flare/Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) and energy transition in Iwhrekan community, Ughelli South Local Government Area of Delta State.

    The event was attended by representatives of the Federal Ministry of Environment as well as environmental activists.

    The activist noted that the continued flaring of gas would endanger the lives of the residents and the environment.

    He regretted that government’s alleged disregard for the safety of the residents in oil and gas exploration areas had been taking place in the last 10 years the judgment was given.

    Gbemre said: “Oil corporations, such as Shell and NPDC, should stop further pollution and gas flaring in Nigeria and at the flare sites in Niger Delta. Government should enforce the court orders of November 14, 2005, delivered by Justice Nwokorie on the need to stop gas flaring in Nigeria without delay.

    “The learned judge held that gas flaring is illegal and it constitutes serious environmental health hazards as well as gross violation of the people’s fundamental human rights as enshrined in the Africa Charter. So, it should be stopped.

    “Gas flare by oil companies in Niger Delta constitutes one of the worst forms of environmental degradation and contributes highly to climate change. The practice has continued primarily because of the unwillingness of government, which acts as the regulator and partner to the oil companies.”

    The activist said he organised the workshop in partnership with the Friends of the Earth to enlighten the residents on the impact of gas flare on their lives.

    He advised the host communities, policy makers, civil society groups and relevant government agencies to end gas flaring.

  • Activist accuse Delta govt officials of involvement in alleged child trafficking

    Officials of the Delta State government have been accused of violating the state’s Child Right Law and involvement in alleged human trafficking.

    A child rights activist, Ighorhiohwumu Aghogho, who made the allegation at a news conference in Warri on Wednesday, also gave a 15-day ultimatum to the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking-in-Persons (NAPTIP) to compel the Delta State Ministry of  Women Affairs, Community and Social Development to stop alleged trafficking of children.

    Aghogho, who is also the proprietor of the Explosive Academy, an independent school for children beyond parental control, based in Abraka, Ethiope East council area, alleged that the Ministry of Women Affairs had been engaged in unlawful admittance of children into orphanages failing to follow the due process.

    Aghogho alleged that about 27 orphanage homes are unlawfully operating in the state.

    He said: “We are giving the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking-in Persons (NAPTIP) Abuja, fifteen days ultimatum after which we will apply to court for an order of mandamus to compel NAPTIP to search for and produce the Adoption Children Register of Delta State and to stop the Delta State Ministry of Women Affairs, Community and Social Development, Asaba, from further trafficking of Delta state children.”

    When contacted the Commissioner for Women of Women Affairs Community and Social Developlemnt, Mrs Omatsola Williams, said she was about boarding a flight, but advised our correspondent to reach out to the Commissioner for Information or the Public Relation Officer of her ministry.

    Commissioner for Information Patrick Ukah, who was contacted on his mobile phone, asked our correspondent after explaining the reason for the call, to put everything in a text message to enable him investigate and react.

    The Director of Child Development, Ministry of Women Affairs, Community and Social Development, Mr. Fred Ogheni, dismissed the allegation.

    The Zonal Commandant, NANTIP Benin City, Ifechukwude Odita, said his agency was playing its part towards investigating the allegation.

    “ We are doing our best. As I speak with you our report is ready for submission to my boss,” he said.

  • Way out of Niger Delta crisis, by activist

    Way out of Niger Delta crisis, by activist

    Alban Paulinus  is the President Voice of Community and Environmental Rights Initiatives. He spoke with Precious Dikewoha.

    Some militants in the Niger Delta have vowed to sustain agitation and frustrate the effort of the present administration to develop the region, do you think they are in a right direction  

    They are only ignorant of their action against their people and environment, for a long time now we have being interfacing with militants in the region and giving them enough encouragement that would make them a better person in the region. One thing is clear,   agitation is on faces, we have agitation in the non-violence approach, we also have arms struggle agitation and personally, I don’t think the region    can achieve our aims of agitation through the barrels of guns.  What I want to believe is that in the develop countries you can achieve your purpose without your environment being destroyed and without people losing their lives. We should be reasonable to say no, we are tired of this economic sabotage called Niger Delta agitation. Therefore, I will want my fellow Niger Deltans, the agitators to look at the unborn generation and the future of our people. Because if we intend to channel our agitations in terms of arms struggle, then, we will not have a region tomorrow and we would be using our hands to kill ourselves.

    Is your organisation in support of the dialogue system between the Federal Government and the militant groups in the region?

    There are certain things we have disagreed with the dialogue system. If we must dialogue, it must not be an ethnic dialogue, we must decentralise this system of dialogue. And the inability to think right about the dialogue has resulted to more agitation groups in the region. You cannot say that you are dialoguing with Niger Delta when you are only speaking with Urhobo, you cannot say you are dialoguing with Niger Delta when you are only speaking with the Ijaws and you cannot say that you are dialoguing with Niger Delta when some people in Akwa-Ibom state are not involved. We cannot continue in the same way of dialogue.  If we must dialogue, everyone must be involved as stakeholders; we must ensure that all the ethnic nationalities in the Niger Delta are being carried along. We must not continue with only one set of people to represent us in the dialogue table. To be frank we cannot be talking of only Edwin Clark when we want to dialogue with Niger Delta people. This time around Clark cannot represent us, we have people like Dr Shehu Mallami Ma’aji and the rest of them. These are people who have showed commitment on how to interface with the community and the youths in the region. They are trained on how to retrieve arms in the region. Nothing stops Niger Delta man to be on the negotiating table but we must for once bring in those with requisite experience of the peculiar issue in Niger Delta. All we are saying is that we cannot continue to use the same old method, in 2009, 2011. And if we want to use the same method that means after 2016, another form of agitation will spring out. Because we are using the same method and we cannot have a different result.

     Is this agitation not sentimental and regionalise considering that during President Jonathan’s tenure the north was allegedly accused of staging the same agitation

    If it is true, then it is bad and detrimental to national unity. But this is the time to learn from the activities of the Boko Haram  at the North East.  Like many people believe  at the initial stage that  the Boko Haram issue  was to disturb the government of Good luck Jonathan which Is the same  thing our youths are doing  today  to fight against the Government of President Muhamadu Buhari . But I don’t think it is good to tow the same line because it is the people that will suffer.  The Niger Delta region being discussed is not just a region for only the armed men. There are Elites, Traditional Rulers, youths, less privileged and a whole range of people who want their voices to be heard.   Must it be through arms? , I say NO, we should be able to channel our agitation in an approach that will be non-violent in nature.  And I’m calling on my fellow brothers in the Niger Delta to desist from destroying our environment. The president has launched  what we call the “Change Begins With You”  and I want to tell you that charity begins at home ,If  we  had the opportunity of producing the President and those issues in the region are still there , then  we should look inward within ourselves and give President Buhari a chance to develop the region.

  • Activist urges Buhari to reject Boko Haram swap

    Activist urges Buhari to reject Boko Haram swap

    A United Kingdom based Nigerian activist, Philip Agbese has urged President Muhammadu Buhari not to accept the call to swap Boko Haram prisoners with the Chibok girls, saying such move will put the country in grave security risk.

    Agbese in a letter to the President described the offer of the prisoners swap as a “poisoned chalice”. He said it is best imagined what the realease of 1000 Boko Haram detainees will do to the current security situation in the country.

    It would be recalled that the Bring Back Our Girls Group (BBOG) say they are planning a protest to pressure government into trading the girls as demanded by Boko Haram.

    But the activist said when it happens, their protest is going to offer a needed distraction to the western media that are by now tiring of their newfound poster boy in Syria, adding that the Nigerian government and military would be demonised and the protestors would offer the validation that is needed to make the image of a failing state stick.

    According to him what they are however asking for could eventually sink not just Nigeria but the entire West Africa and the Maghreb with some spill over to Central and East Africa.

    He said, “The ongoing orchestra that is whining for terrorists considers everything with the exception of one. Recidivism. These groups and individuals that have been canvassing a swop of Boko Haram prisoners for the abducted Chibok Girls do so without regards for the penchant for recidivism among terrorists like any other type of criminals.

    “Recidivism is the chances of a previously arrested, detained or convicted terrorist returning to extremism or violence. Military records would probably show that some of these people we are being asked to free are in incarceration because it was not their first time of being tied to terror.

    “Mr President, recidivism is difficult to measure, particularly so in a country like Nigeria where we are still working to bring our statistics and research capabilities up to date. But cases like the US Guantanamo Bay facility and Indonesia record anywhere between 10 and 30 percent instances of re-offense among released terrorists. That means if Nigeria frees 1000 Boko Haram detainees there is a fair chance that we are putting anything in the range of 300 terrorists back on the streets. It took fewer than that number to abduct the girls in the first place.”

    He said in the case of what has been witnessed in Nigeria so far, not many of those that would be released would return to being farmers, artisans or becoming informants to the security agencies. Instead, the reality is there is the risk of them returning to the war front to re-stock Boko Haram’s fighting ranks.

    He said worst still is the fact that the level of our infrastructure equally means the released terrorist cannot be adequately tracked so they could flee to Syria, Somali, Yemen or other terror strongholds, make new connections there, build new cells and revive a Boko Haram that is almost completely wiped out.

  • Activist seeks record of Ekiti finances

    Activist seeks record of Ekiti finances

    Activist-lawyer Morakinyo Ogele has written to the Ekiti State government, demanding the details of financial records since Governor Ayo Fayose came to power.

    In a letter to the Commissioner for Finance, Toyin Ojo, Ogele invoked the relevant sections of the Freedom of Information (FOI) Act.

    The scope of time covered by the details of the financial record is between October 16, 2014 when Fayose came to power and April 30.

    He said the government is bounded by the FOI Act to make public the details of its financial transactions as it is accountable to the people.

    The financial records demanded by Ogele include total amount received as monthly allocations from the Federal Government and how they were spent.

    Ogele requested for the total amount realised as Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) and how the money and total amount of bailout funds received from the Federal Government and how it was disbursed.

    The lawyer wanted the records of the N20 billion released to Ekiti State government by the Goodluck Jonathan administration and how the money was disbursed.

  • Pipelines Attack: Don’t succumb to blackmail – Activist tells FG

    Pipelines Attack: Don’t succumb to blackmail – Activist tells FG

    Niger Delta activist, Chief Ayimi Emami has urged the Federal Government not to bow to “cheap blackmail” antics of a former militant leader who is allegedly behind Thursday a d Friday morning attacks on strategic oil facilities and pipelines in Warri area of Delta state.

    Emami’s advice cane against the backdrop of renewed attack on oil and gas platforms of Chevron Nigeria limited by the militant group, Niger Delta Avengers.

    He said, “Those who have issues bothering on criminal activities and illegalities should go to the court to answer did their deeds and clear their names rather than resorting to cheap blackmail to arm-twist the Federal Government and the EFCC to drop the charges against them.

    “One man cannot hold the FG to ransome; he cannot hold the nation by forming a parallel government within the Nigerian state.”

    Although Chief Emami did not specifically mentioned former MEND leader, Government Ekpemupolo (aka Tompolo) it was clear that he was alluding to the warlord, who is wanted by the EFCC over his dealings with NIMASA during the administration of former President Goodluck Jonathan.

    Tompolo had surreptitiously denied link with NDA in advertorials and media statements, Emami said he was not impressed by the gimmick

    He said, “It has now become a pattern for this wanted man to preempt the attacks by placing advertorial denouncing the group and after which the group would strike again.

    “This is a clear and plain childish prank; disown the group three days before they strike and they would attack, blow up oil facilities and give a farcical reason for the attacks.

    “The last time he said some APC members are behind the attacks, how did the ‘leader’ of the PDP become so abreast of the workings of these so-called disgruntled APC members? Who does he thinks he is fooling? What intelligence does he have to know who and when the attacks will come?” Emami queried.

    Speaking further, the Itsekiri traditional titleholder claimed that the recent attacks are part of a move to force President Muhammadu Buhari to soft-pedal on investigations of large scale fraud and theft of public fund during the last administration.

    “They want to make Nigerians and Mr President to believe that only this wanted criminal can safeguard oil facilities in the region in order to pave the way for another bazaar in the name of pipeline/facilities surveillance.

    “But we want to urge Mr President to be steadfast and not give in to the antics of criminals because those who are genuinely committed to the development of the Niger Delta are behind him.”

    To this end, Ayiri expressed his determination and those of other Niger Deltan leaders to support the government to unravel the whereabouts of the masterminds, their sponsors and backer.