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Tag: Enyinnaya Abaribe

  • Storm grows over closure of Nigeria’s land borders

    The shock waves over Nigeria’s land border closure which continues to sweep across neighbouring countries, reverberated at the Senate on Wednesday.

    President Muhammadu Buhari last month ordered the border closure.

    Some senators criticised the decision on the grounds that it has further put pressure on the economy and deprived many Nigerians of their livelihood.

    Senate Minority Leader Enyinnaya Abaribe, Senators Abba Moro, Gabriel Suswan and Sani Musa, among others, opposed the border closure.

    Moro, a former minister of interior, noted that there are 87 official borders and 1,900 unofficial borders around the country. Suswan wondered why Nigeria signed trade agreements with other countries and thereafter closed its borders.

    Abaribe said the implication of borders closure was that the Nigerian Customs Service, the Nigeria Immigration Service, National Boundary Commission, and the various military and security agencies failed in their responsibilities.

    He urged the government to open discussions with neighbouring countries to control the movement of unauthorised persons in and out of the country.

    He said most people who are smuggling banned products, especially rice, are using commercial motorcycles to bring the products through illegal routes.

    Abaribe said the continued closure of the borders would further put serious pressure and suffering on the nation.

    But after a heated debate of the motion titled: “The impact of border closure on the Nigerian economy,” sponsored by Senator Adamu Aliero and eight others, the Senate resolved to support President Buhari’s decision.

    Senate President Ahmad Lawan noted that the motion was simply on the urgent need save the nation’s economy and save the people.

    Lawan said: “I think this motion is supposed to be straight forward. We save our economy and save our people. Smuggling causes a lot of damage.

    “Our people eat the wrong food items that are smuggled into the country. Of course, security is part of it. So, we pray that the resolutions will be well adhered to and, of course, implemented by the executive arm of government.”

    Adopting the prayers of the motion, which were put to a voice vote by Lawan, the Senate urged the ministries of Foreign Affairs and Interior to increase diplomatic outreach to the government of the Republic of Benin, Cameroun, Niger and Chad to take urgent measures to stop their domains from being used as base to perpetuate the illegal importation of unwanted goods into Nigeria.

    The Senate also enjoined the Nigeria Customs Service and the security services to intensify their role of curbing smuggling across the borders and pledged the support  for their “onerous task of ridding Nigeria of smuggled goods and services.

    The Senate reassured “friendly countries around the world that the border closure should not be perceived as a punitive measure targeted at them, but a necessary action to save our economy from collapse and protect our people from terrorism and insecurity.”

    It directed its committees on Customs and Tariffs, Trade and Investment and Interior to assess the effectiveness of temporary closure of borders and recommend necessary sustainable solutions.

    The Senate further urged a holistic “review of the country’s border control mechanism and also the empowerment of relevant government agencies to properly delineate Nigerian borders so as to effectively man same.”

    The Red Chamber commended President Muhammadu Buhari “on the very patriotic decision to temporarily shut down all our land borders to rectify the deteriorating effect on our country of persistent smuggling of products that negatively affect the Nigerian economy and the wellbeing of our nation.

    In his lead debate, Senator Aliero (Kebbi Central District), said apart from the temporary closure of land borders, the security agencies have resolved to secure the country’s territorial integrity against trans-border crime and criminality.

    Read Also: Senate vows to pass PIB in 2020

    He urged the Senate to note that, as a result of the situation in the border towns, the Nigerian economy is experiencing a lot of positive derivatives that is impacting on the country.

    The senator said: “For instance, fuel smuggling has significantly reduced, thereby saving the country billions of scarce foreign exchange spent by Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation to import fuel into Nigeria.

    “The Group Managing Director of NNPC, during a press conference recently, stated that smugglers are no longer finding it easy to smuggle petroleum products through the land borders. Consequently, petroleum products have become readily available in every part of the country.

    “The smuggling of textile and vegetable oil imported from Malaysia through the land borders, which has negatively affected local production, is equally grounded to a halt.

    “The good news of the Federal Government’s action is that it has led to the revival of local production of vegetable oil, and increased employment generation.”

    He noted that other products like rice, processed frozen chicken, tomato puree and tomato paste, frozen fish and sugar that come into Nigeria through Benin Republic and Cameroonian borders have also stopped.

    “It has made it impossible for smugglers of small and light weapons to bring them into the country. This has reduced supply of arms and ammunitions to bandits and insurgents,” he said.

    Aliero also called on the Senate to be aware that the manufacturing sector has “suddenly breathed a sigh of relief from the ongoing economic boost resulting in factories coming back to produce items like tomato puree, milk, chicken, fish and even toothpicks directly.

    As a result of the border closure, it is clear that the economy is moving up positively.”

    He said that deteriorating security situation in the country has slowed down, “particularly because arms smuggling through the borders and foreign fighters coming to boost the insurgency of Boko Haram and their Islamic State of West Africa (ISWA) collaborators has been jolted.”

    Senators Bala Ibn Na’Allah, Emmanuel Bwacha and others supported the border closure.

     

  • Seadogs, Abaribe, Sani: enough is enough

    THE National Association of Seadogs (NAS) has charged the Federal Government to take urgent steps to halt the killings of Nigerians in South Africa following Monday’s xenophobic attack against Nigerians living there.

    NAS, which is known as Pyrates Confraternity, lamented that the latest xenophobic attack on innocent Nigerians in South Africa was one too many.

    The association called on the Federal Government of Nigeria to immediately address the incessant killings of Nigerians in South Africa through ‘diplomatic response’.

    In a statement issued on Tuesday by the NAS Capn, Mr Kwaghbunde Gbahabo, and made available to The Nation in Calabar, the association called on the Federal Government to demand that the government of South Africa should prosecute those responsible for these senseless attacks.

    It also demanded called for the prosecution of the South African government officials who have openly supported and justified the attacks on Nigerians and other foreigners living in the country.

    NAS said the leadership of the country could not afford to fold its arms while fellow African citizens kill and maim innocent Nigerians living in South Africa.

    Noting that it was not only South Africa that Nigerians reside and work abroad, NAS said xenophobic attacks against Nigerians in South Africa had assumed a worrisome dimension.

    “In recent times, xenophobic attacks on Nigerians in South Africa have assumed an alarming proportion. In fact, there is no period in the last six months that Nigerians working in South Africa have not been attacked,” the statement read.

    Read Also: Abaribe closes case at tribunal after calling four witnesses

    African Centre for Peace and Development Executive Director Shehu Sani urged the South African government to compensate Nigerians who suffered losses during the xenophobic attacks on Nigerians.

    In a statement in Abuja, Sani said: “The continuous attacks against Nigerians in South Africa stands unreservedly condemned. The Government of the Republic of South African must protect Nigerian nationals and frontally combat xenophobia.”

    Senate Minority Leader Enyinnaya Abaribe has urged the Federal Government to compel the government of South Africa to stop the attacks on Nigerians.

    Abaribe, in a statement by his Special Adviser on Media, Mr Uchenna Awom on Tuesday in Abuja, described as barbaric the unwarranted attack.

    He said the seeming cold approach of the South African government to the vexed issue cast it as being complicit.

    “That being the case, our government must go beyond diplomatic niceties and ensure the protection of our people living in that country henceforth. The Presidency must stamp their feet on the ground and call that government to order.

    “We have an emergency, this is not the time to play good guy on international diplomacy. The gory picture of our people being slaughtered on the streets of South Africa in recent times lowers our collective spirit, even as it tends to diminish Nigeria’s prestige in the committee of nations,” he said.

  • Nnandi Kanu: Abaribe writes Nigerian-Israeli ambassador

    The Senator representing Abia South, Senator Enyinnaya Abaribe, has written the Nigerian High Commissioner to Israel, His Excellency, Enoch Duchi, to confirm that the Leader, of the Indigenous People of Biafra, Nnamdi Kanu is in Israel.

    Abaribe wrote through his lawyer, Chukwuma-Machukwu Ume (SAN).

    The letter dated November 7th, 2018 was through the Hon. Minister for Foreign Affairs and entitled “Is a citizen of our country Nnamdi Kanu in Israel?”

    “We are the counsel to Senator Enyinnaya Harcourt Abaribe, a distinguished Senator of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, representing Abia South Senatorial Zone in the 8th Senate of National Assembly of Nigeria.

    Read Also: MEND: FG agrees to free Nnamdi Kanu, Okah brothers, others

    “As a pronounced patriot, he recently, against all odds, put live into our constitutional provision of the liberty of an accused as well as eased tension in our polity, by standing surety to Nnamdi Kanu (who is on trial on allegations of treasonable offences in CHARGE No. FHC/ABJ/CR/383/2015.)

    “In fact, to situate you properly into the salient realities involved in this national tragedy, the Nnamdi Kanu is the leader of the Indigenous Peoples of Biafra (IPOB).

    “On 28th April 2017, the Hon trial Court granted him bail on medical grounds and Sen. Abaribe was one of the three sureties who executed the bail bond for his release.

    “Your Excellency would recall that sometimes in 2017, the Nigerian Army High Command announced publicly that they were going to commence a military operation code-named “OPERATION PYTHON DANCE “(EGWU EKE) 11 in the whole of the South East Zone of Nigeria from 15th of September to 14ch of October 2017.

  • S’East govs never against Peter Obi’s candidacy – Ikpeazu

    The governor of Abia State, Dr. Okezie Ikpeazu on Wednesday denied reports making round that South East governors and Igbo leaders of the People Democratic Party (PDP) extraction were against the nomination of former Governor of Anambra State, Mr. Peter Obi as the running mate to Alhaji Atiku Abubakar for 2019 presidential election.

    Ikpeazu who was answering questions from journalists at the Governor’s lodge located in Aba, the commercial hub of the state when Obi paid a condolence visit to him and the people of Abia State over the pipeline explosion in Osisioma Ngwa which has reportedly claimed over hundred lives, said it was wrong for anyone to claim that the governors of the South East were against Obi’s nomination.

    He described Obi as a worthy son of Igbo land and a gift from Ndi-Igbo to Nigeria whom every Igbo man both at home and in the diaspora will queue behind considering his pedigree.

    He said: “You were told a lie. Let me use this opportunity to congratulate our brother and a worthy son of Igbo Land for his nomination. He’s a gift from Ndi-Igbo to this country. His works and pedigree bears eloquent testimony of the Igbo DNA.

    “It will be foolhardy for anybody not to queue behind a man like this to continue to serve this country to the best of his ability. What the South East governors said was that we expect our candidate to come back from his trip and have a tete-a-tete with us. And he said he will come to speak with us.

    “There were no time leaders of Ndi-Igbo and South East Governors said we are not happy. His choice was apt and you can see the wide spread reception it is getting. If we are banking on the eleven million Igbos in the diaspora to vote it is only Mr. Peter Obi that can get them to do so.”

    Read Also: Ikpeazu: Nnamdi Kanu’s father’ll return soon

    Also speaking, the chairman of the South East caucus of the National Assembly and senator representing Abia South Senatorial District in the senate, Senator Enyinnaya Abaribe said that Peter Obi’s selection is one that has lifted the spirit of every Igbo person and has no opposition from any angle.

    “As the chairman of South East Senate caucus of the National Assembly that the whole National Assembly is behind Peter Obi  and at no time was there any problem about his nomination as running mate to our presidential candidate.

    “We know that ourselves, the governors forum and everybody in the South East are all in support of him. Because today, Nigeria needs men and women who their yes is their yes and no is no.

    “We need people who will not see subsidy and call it under recovery. We need people who will not say that they’ve defeated Boko Haram and they turn around and keep executing Red Cross Workers. Today, what we have is somebody we can all queue behind to rescue Nigeria. Let me say it without equivocation that all Igbo leaders are queuing behind Peter Obi.”

    Meanwhile, Mr. Peter Obi while speaking during his condolence visit urged Abia people to take heart. He consoled the locals and made personal donations to the affected people.

    Speaking on his nomination and the perceived opposition from South East Obi said, “We in the South East has never been divided and we have never acted against each other.

    “We have always acted as a team. The governors and the leaders are my own leaders. Since this wrong insinuation started, I’ve consulted governor Umahi, Ugwuanyi and of course today I’m here with my brother Ikpeazu, all the three PDP governors I’ve spoken with them.

    “I have spoken to Senator Ike Ekweremmadu, one of our leaders.  Of course Senator Abaribe  is here with me. I’ve spoken with all of them including T. A Orji and Sam Egwu. For us,  we are going to work like a team. For us what is important is to rebuild Nigeria and rebuild the South East.

    “What we need is to create jobs and make Nigeria better. We have always acted as a team. It is an opportunity for us to come out and vote massively for the PDP. we must put all hands on deck to get this mission accomplished.”

     

     

  • Senate to EFCC, Police: Vacate Ekweremadu’s residence

    The Senate on Tuesday resolved to ask operatives of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and police laying siege to the residence of Deputy Senate President, Senator Ike Ekweremadu, to vacate residence without further delay.

    The upper chamber said that the security operatives must allow Ekweremadu to enjoy his constitutional rights as a free citizen of the country.

    The resolution followed the adoption of a motion by Senator Chukwuka Utazi (Enugu North)

    Utazi told the Senate that the siege on Ekweremadu’s residence by security operatives was a violation of his right to move freely.

    He said, “This morning I left Enugu for Abuja to attend today’s sitting.

    “Half way into the airport, I received a distress call from the aides working with the Deputy Senate President that his residence and the entire street had been cordoned off and nobody can move out of the house.

    “As I am talking the people of Enugu State resident in Abuja have moved to Ekweremadu’s residence and they are there shouting in the rain for his release.

    “What offence has he committed that would warrant his wife and children to be denied freedom to go about their duties.

    “People are worried. We want to know what he has done.

    “Some people told me that they heard some people wanted to defect today and because of that they don’t want him to come to the sitting.

    “I also heard that they don’t want the senate president to come so that both presiding officers will not be here but thank God that the Senate President is in this place.”

    Utazi prayed the Senate to demand that Ekweremadu’s residence be immediately vacated.

    Senator Samuel Anyanwu (Imo East) who seconded the motion noted that the occupation of Ekweremadu’s residence was a threat to democracy.

    He said, “I was with Ekweremadu on Tuesday and there was no notice from the Police. I wonder why his house is under siege today.

    “If he is wanted they should invite him and he will respond.

    Read Also: Enugu community hails Ekweremadu’s representation

    “There will be tomorrow. No matter the intimidation my confidence in you and Ekweremadu is renewed and we must protect this institution.”

    Senator Emmanuel Bwacha (Taraba South)who also supported the motion said that the development was not only a threat on democracy but the unity of the country.

    He said, “It is with a heavy heart I rise to contribute to this. This is not only threat to democracy but the unity of the country and we need to thread with caution. What is happening has never happened.

    “When I heard of the siege I became afraid

    “We need prayers and we have to stand up as statesmen. “It is about the institution and the matter is beyond political party but the threat on democracy.

    “I advise that security operatives should know that they are meant to protect us and no country has used violence to settle matters.

    “We can pack our things and go and those trying to dent the image of the president should be careful.”

    Before the adoption of the motion Saraki noted that there was also a siege to his house at the early hours of Tuesday.

    The Senate President said that he was meant to report to the Police due to the invitation to answer to alleged involvement in a robbery case in Offa some months ago but he could not do so.

    Saraki said that there would not have been Senate plenary if he had gone to the Police, due to the fact that Ekweremadu was prevented from leaving his house.

    He said, “Ekweremadu cannot come out for no fault of his and by the plan I wouldn’t have been here as well.

    “It was the intervention of Almighty God that I am here today.

    “The deputy senate president called me that he was blocked from coming out. Even my convoy was blocked.”

    Chairman, South East Senate Caucus, Senator Enyinnaya Abaribe also cried out over the dawn siege on the residences of and Ekweremadu by the police and the DSS operatives.

    Abaribe who called on “Well-meaning Nigerians and the International community for interventions to save our democracy,” said the country is fast cascading to tyranny and fascism.

    He said, “This dangerous route is unprecedented in modern democracy. It is a sinister plot to throw the country back to the dark age of military dictatorship. Too bad for our unity as a country.”

    Abaribe warned that silence in this circumstance, could sound a death knell on the already challenged unity of Nigeria.

    He said, “This is the time to speak up against the directorship and tyranny of executive arm of government against the parliament.

    “The legislature is the universally acclaimed bastion and symbol of democracy, so attacking this hallowed institution signals the end to our chequered match to enduring democracy.”

    Also a statement entitled “EFCC, Police, lay siege to Ekweremadu’s residence…No going in or out” said that the Apo Legislative Quarters residence of the Deputy President of the Senate, Senator Ike Ekweremadu, is currently under the siege of men of the Nigeria Police Force and the operatives of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

    It said that “With the Senate President Bukola Saraki, expected to report to the Intelligence Response Team (IRT), Nigeria Police Force in Guzappe Abuja, this Tuesday morning, Senator Ekweremadu is expected to preside over plenary.

    “They took over the entire vicinity before 6am. There is no going in or coming out. Meanwhile, there was no prior invitation to the Senator by any of the security agencies or the EFCC.”

    The statement was signed by the Special Adviser (Media) to Deputy Senate President, Uche Anichukwu.

    Meanwhile, the Senate adjourned plenary till September 28, 2018 to enable senators proceeds on their annual vacation.

  • 37-year-old declare to run for Abia South senate

    …Says, it is time to get rid of old political class

    Less than two months after President Muhammadu Buhari signed the “Not Too Young to Run” Bill into law, 37-year-old, Engr. Chinedu Onyeizu has declared his intention to contest the Abia South Senatorial District under the All Progressives Congress (APC), Abia State chapter.

    Onyeizu while speaking at the formal declaration of his political voyage at El Dorado event center in Aba, the commercial hub of the state also reminded the old political class occupying different elective positions in the state and national levels to consider leaving the scene now that the ovation is high and give the youths the chance to inject new blood and ideas into the system as obtainable in other climes.

    Onyeizu, a graduate of Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Havard University and Federal University of Technology (FUTO), Owerri, Imo State who described the 12 years of incumbent Senator Enyinnaya Abaribe as wasteful disclosed that apart from giving his best in carrying out his duties as a legislator, he has worked out plans; Farm For Factory (FFF) programme to tackle hunger, poverty and promote ease of doing business in his constituency.

    The senatorial hopeful while charging youths in the state and other parts of the country to be bold and take the opportunity of the bill signed by the President to make the difference in the political scene said “You the youth, my generation; endowed with fluid intelligence, amazing smartness, fresh ideas and bubbling energy are the future of this great country. Time and again a rare opportunity has beckoned on us to step forward with boldness and take charge of our future. This time, we won’t look the other way.

    Read Also: Abia chief judge calls for stiffer penalty on rapists

    “The 2019 election is around the corner and it’s about you and me. It is about every Nigerian youth who desires qualitative future. The time is now for us to re-position ourselves and prove wrong those holding the assumption that we are a generation meant to be relegated.

    “Let us start now to jettison with the ritual of playing bodyguards and thugs to desperate politicians during election year only to return to menial lifestyle as soon as elections are over.

    “The 2019 election is therefore about reclaiming the meaning of the youth, restoration of the essence of our common purpose and realizing that together we can transform our country and initiate innovations that could speed up our process of social, political and economic society.

    “By signing into law recently, the Not Too Young to Run bill, President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration has removed any encumbrances that may have been standing in the way of the youth to participate actively in politics.

    “We therefore as for the greater support from the older generation of leaders to ensure elaborate succession planning, a plan that will amplify the social contract between young leaders and the holders of highest office in the land.

    “I am fearlessly stepping forward to distort the old style of representation which for 12 years has been characterized by selfish interest as opposed to the betterment of the masses.”

    In his speech, the Aba North chairman of APC, Hon. Uba Omenazu commended the boldness of Onyeizu, stating that it was a wakeup call to youths in Abia State and the country at large to believe in them, set aside fears and pick the courage to make a difference within their constituency.

    According to Omenazu, president Buhari through the signing of the “Not Too Young to Run” Bill into law has shown Buhari as true democrat, adding that the leadership of the party was committed to giving the youths the opportunity to make their marks in politics.

    He promised to give Onyeizu and other aspirants the level playground, stressing that the party in Aba North would work with whoever that emerges the flag bearers of the party in the state and national levels.

  • My detention was dirty politics, says Abaribe

    The Senator representing Abia South, Enyinnaya Abaribe has said that his arrest and detention by the Department of State Services (DSS) was part of the “dirty politics” being played by the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).

    Abaribe, who was at the national secretariat of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) on Thursday, observed that the entire National Assembly was under siege, adding that members are being hunted by the executive arm.

    Saying that the 2019 election will be a decisive factor for governance in the country, the senator warned that the actions and inactions of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) will have effect on whether Nigeria will continue to exist after the elections.

    The Senator was released on Tuesday after spending five days in DSS detention.

    Read Also:Abaribe gets bail, says lawyer

    According to him, the government will always find a reason to detain its political foes as a result of loss of confidence among the Nigerian people.

    Abaribe said, “All that they are doing now is nothing but intimidation and trying to make sure those strong voices and voices that are saying that enough is enough, they will like to silence.

    “The National Assembly, of which I am a very proud member, is now besieged. Yesterday it was the Senate President sponsoring armed robbers, the other day, it was Dino Melaye sponsoring some gun runners, the other day it was Shehu Sani sponsoring murderers.

    “Today, my own is sponsoring terrorism. And so everybody should get ready. They will find something that they will hang on your head”.

    The lawmaker thanked the leadership of the PDP for the support he received during his ordeal.

    “Where we are today in Nigeria, I can only make one recommendation to Nigerians. And that recommendation is: get your PVCs ready because we have to vote out this government.

    “There is no other way we can do it because as you can see, this government is descending into tyranny.

    “And when I was arrested and I was taken to my house for it to be searched, in the warrant of arrest for the search of my house, what they said was that I was a sponsor of terrorism.

    “And I wanted to know subsequently how I would sponsor terrorism and they put there in bracket that I was aiding and sponsoring a proscribed organisation ‘IPOB’.

    “And so, everybody in Nigeria knows that I signed the bail bond for Nnamdi Kanu of IPOB. And if signing the bail bond means that I am now a sponsor of IPOB, what it means also is that every Nigerian should be ready.

    “And so, I believe that when people are challenged and confronted historically at defining moments for the nation like we have today, they will rise up to expectation”.

  • PDP expresses fears over Abaribe’s safety

    The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has expressed fears over the safety of one of its members in the Senate, Enyinnaya Abaribe, who was on Friday arrested by the Department of Security Services (DSS).

    The party decried what it described as Gestapo-style arrest of the lawmaker, saying the development has further confirmed its position that the Federal Government has commenced a total clampdown on the opposition and perceived opponents of President Muhammadu Buhari’s 2019 re-election bid.

    A statement issued on Friday by the spokesman for the PDP, Kola Ologbondiyan, attributed Abaribe’s arrest to moves to intimidate and emasculate vocal members of the National Assembly.

    Abaribe has been trenchant in calling out President Buhari over incompetence and violation of the constitution.

    The PDP noted that the federal government had yet to give reasons for the arrest and detention of Abaribe, who has been denied access to his lawyers and associates.

    The party also noted the apprehension of Nigerians following numerous alleged plots by the federal government to frame up other lawmakers, including Senate President, Bukola Saraki, Deputy Senate President, Ike Ekweremmadu, Dino Melaye and Shehu Sani.

    “Nigerians can now see that our dear nation is fast descending into a fascist state where constitutionally guaranteed freedom of speech no longer obtains and citizens are marked, arrested and detained on the whims and caprices of those in power.

    “The PDP charges the DSS to immediately declare Senator Abaribe’s whereabouts, as well as the charge against him. Moreover, the laws of our nation are clear on the process of arrest and prosecution of any citizen and not recourse to clampdown and intimidation,” the statement added.

  • Court to Abaribe: Produce Kanu or go to jail

    A Federal High Court in Abuja on Wednesday ordered Senator Enyinnaya Abaribe and two others to produce leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Nnamdi Kanu, or risk being imprisoned.

    Justice Binta Nyako stated this at the resumption of proceedings in the case of treasonable felony involving Kanu.

    Abaribe, who is representing Abia South, Tochukwu Uchendu and a Jewish High Priest, Emmanuel Shallom Ben, signed a N100million bond each on April 25 last year as sureties for Kanu, who was granted bail by the court on health ground.

    Kanu has since failed to attend subsequent proceedings in the case, and the judge on October 10, 2017, ordered the three sureties to either produce Kanu in court or risk being sent to jail or forfeit the N100m bail bond they endorsed.

    On February 20, Justice Nyako ordered Abaribe and his co-sureties to either produce Kanu in court in the next adjourned date or show why they should not be imprisoned or forfeit the bail bond.

    When proceedings resumed on Wednesday, Abaribe and others were present.

    The prosecuting counsel, Shuaibu Labaran, informed the court that the business of the day was for the sureties to explain why they should not forfeit the bail bond or be imprisoned for failing to produce Kanu in court as ordered.

     

  • Senators urge FG to tackle insecurity

    Senators on Thursday told the Federal Government to take immediate steps to tackle increasing insecurity in parts of the country.

    The lawmakers specifically warned that the country would become a failed state if speedy measures are not taken to address the wanton destruction of lives and property in parts of the country.

    The senators’ remarks followed a motion of national urgent importance raised by Senator Atai Ali Aidoko (Kogi East) on the killing of 32 people in Omale and Dekina local government areas of Kogi State.

    Aidoko told his colleagues that the victims were slaughtered on Wednesday in most gruesome manner.

    The Kogi East lawmaker said 20 people were killed in Ogane-Enugu community in Dekina, while 12 others were killed in Agbejukolo and Agbenema communities in Omala LGA.

    He said: “Despite continued condemnation of killings in many parts of the country, perpetrators of this dastardly act have not been arrested. I want this Senate to urge President Muhammadu Buhari to direct security agencies to bring the situation under control by arresting the perpetrators and ensure that they are prosecuted. These killings are taking another dimension as the killers also amputate peoples’ hands and leave them to go. That is purely genocide which has crept into the killings.”

    Senate Emmanuel Paulker (Bayelsa) in his contribution noted that there was no doubt the country was gradually becoming a failed state.

    Paulker added that there was equally no doubt that the government has lost count of the number of Nigerians killed every day by armed herdsmen.

    He warned that if urgent measures are not taken to address the grave situation, the country would run into serious crisis.

    Paulker said that policing of communities should be taken serious in the interest of Nigerians.

    Senate Leader, Senator Ahmed Lawan, who also contributed to the topic, noted that the Senate should work closely with the executive to salvage the situation.

    Lawan, who just returned from Zamfara State where he toured crisis -hit areas, said the effectiveness of security agencies in combating crime in the country should be improved.

    Senator Eyinnaya Abaribe in his contribution blamed President Buhari for alleged inaction.

    The Abia South lawmaker said it was obvious that the President is not in charge of the security situation in the country.

    Abaribe also frowned at the President’s “frequent bulk passing and trading in blame game.”

    He said President Buhari does not take responsibility whenever anything goes wrong in the country.

    Abaribe noted that as Commander-In-Chief, President Buhari should coordinate the fight against activities of herdsmen.

    He said: “The President is always passing blames. He blames every other person, but himself. He tells us every time that he does not know what is happening in the country. How can a President utter such words?

    “If the President does not know what is happening in a country like Nigeria, how can we be safe? We should call the President to order and tell him to do the job he was elected to do. He should stop claiming that he does not know what is happening and do the needful.”

    It was obvious that Abaribe’s remarks did not go down well with some of his colleagues, especially members of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).

    Abaribe was interjected twice during his contribution on the matter.