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Tag: killing

  • ‘Continued killing of APC members in Rivers condemnable’

    ‘Continued killing of APC members in Rivers condemnable’

    The All Progressives Congress’ (APC’s) Greater Together Campaign Organisation (GTCO) in Rivers State has raised the alarm on the continued killing of members of the party in the state.

    It demanded an immediate end to the act.

    GTCO, the campaign outfit of Dr. Dakuku Adol Peterside, yesterday in Port Harcourt, through its Director of Communications, Mrs. Ibim Semenitari, expressed shock over the post-election killings.

    The organisation said: “If they killed APC members on election days, why have they continued to kill after the polls? We wonder why the persons behind the killings want to turn Rivers State into a killing field.”

    Citing cases in Ahoada East, Okrika and other local government areas of the state, where APC members had either been killed or abducted, the GTCO noted that the killings had been raising concerns over the calibre of men and women the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) declared winners of the elections in the state.

    It said: “The unabated killings of APC members in Rivers State raises concerns on the mental status of the men and women INEC declared winners of the recent elections in the state. We are afraid that killers and sundry criminals have been imposed on the state by INEC, and if we are right, then worse days lay ahead for our people.”

    The GTCO noted that in Ahoada East Local Government Area, several killings have been recorded after the April 11 elections, in which it alleged that the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) leaders unleashed armed militias, miscreants and uniformed rascals on voters.

    The campaign organisation said: “Since the discredited governorship and House of Assembly elections in Rivers State, killers have swarmed on Ahoada East, hitting down their targets. Recently, Messrs. Chigba Apollos and Chiezule German, both members of APC in the area, were shot dead in Ibarikpo by unknown gunmen. Ibarikpo is in Ahoada East, Ward 13.

    “Besides the killings, kidnappers are also on the prowl in Ahoada East Local Government Area, targeting only APC members on a daily basis. It appears APC in Ahoada is marked for extinction.

    “The abduction of Chief Cassidy Ikegbidi, Chairman of Ahoada East Caretaker Committee, is one of the latest tragedies that have befallen APC. Apart from Ikegbidi, who was kidnapped last Friday (April 18), Mr. Suleiman Atago from Ideoha in Ward 5, and Chidi Oji from Ihuowo Ward 10 were also abducted by heavily-armed gunmen, reportedly dressed in military uniform.

    “On March 24, ahead of the presidential and National Assembly elections, Miebaka Opuogulaya from Abam-Ama (Abam community) in Okrika was not only killed, but his body was taken away by his killers.

    “In a similar bizarre manner, on April 15, Mr. Saturday Wakama was killed and his corpse carried away. Wakama, a popular APC member in Okrika, was a member of the Ijaw Youth Council (IYC) and had championed campaigns for a riverine governor in Rivers State.

    “We wonder why security agencies have not arrested any killer or kidnapper, to face justice. This is an indictment on the agencies of state saddled with the responsibility of tackling law breakers. An arrest and prosecution will send strong warning to these outlaws and possibly stem the tide of growing murder of APC members in Rivers State. A stitch in time saves nine.”

  • Party condemn killing of its members

    Party condemn killing of its members

    •Seeks REC’s removal 

    The All Progressives Congress (APC) in Rivers State has condemned Friday’s killing of nine of its members by thugs suspected to be loyal to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

    The party also called for the removal of the Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC), Dame Gesila Khan.

    Rivers APC Chairman, through his Senior Special Assistant on Media and Public Affairs, Chief Eze Chukwuemeka Eze, yesterday in Port Harcourt, said: “We received with shock, the killing of nine members of the APC by hoodlums hired by the PDP leadership in Rivers State, on April 3.

    “Reports reaching us have it that some blood-thirsty gunmen, hired by PDP killed an APC chieftain, Chief Adube in Obrikom in Ogba/Egbema/Ndoni LGA, with his two sons and six others.

    “We learnt that the miscreants moved to Oboh, and destroyed the house of Vincent Ogbuagu, an APC House of Assembly aspirant, before they hit other areas.

    “Our local government secretariats at Okrika and Andoni were bombed and our rally at Okrika was on two occasions disrupted by gunmen.

    “During the March 28 polls, the world saw the rape of our democracy by the PDP, working in tandem with INEC, soldiers and policemen, thereby denying the people the opportunity to choose their leaders, while allotting votes to other parties as they deemed fit.

    “We request President Goodluck Jonathan, whose mantra is that his ambition is not worth the blood of any Nigerian, to call Chief Nyesom Wike and other PDP leaders to order and stop the orgy of blood-letting in the state.

    “We call on the Inspector-General of Police, Suleiman Abba and the Chief of Army Staff, Gen. Kenneth Minimah, to call their men to order as we will not tolerate the unholy acts exhibited during the March 28 polls.

    “Our people must be allowed to vote for the leader of their choice, without any form of intimidation”.

  • Impunity is killing NSITF

    The organised labour in this country will recall with nostalgia the enactment of the Employees Compensation Act otherwise known as ECA, 2010. The Act, which repealed the Workmen Compensation Act, represents the legal instrument for the running of the Employees Compensation Scheme otherwise known as the employment injury scheme. The ECA, 2010 also saddles the Nigeria Social Insurance Trust Fund (NSITF) management board with administering the scheme in such a way that an average injured employee with injury in the course of work or even at work will enjoy rehabilitation or compensation as the case may be.

    But so far, the scheme is yet to meet the yearnings of the Employees because of serious “Nigeria factor”. Immediately the Act was signed and ready for implementation, the first move by the board was to engage a consultant for recruitment. The consultant charged hapless prospective employees N1, 000 each. It was quite strange to see a social security organisation like the NSITF displaying such crude mercantilist tendency. Till date the millions of naira collected from the unfortunate jobless Nigerians in the name of providing jobs for them remain guesswork. What even makes the whole thing more grating to the ear is the alleged agreement by the NLC president, a member of the board of directors, to the job scam.

    With this loss of proper conception in the early morning hours of the scheme, the agency completely lost touch with what it is projecting to people and has since been mired in one mess or the other.  The Federal Ministry of Labour that should provide the necessary supervision by ensuring that the activities of the agency pass the litmus test of public service rules abdicated its role for alleged fear of losing face with the presidency.

    The recruitment that the consultant did was littered with anomalies so much that the in-house union was alleged to have cried blue murder. The in-house union was alleged to have complained to Management that contrary to the practice in NSITF and Public Service Rule; officers above the age of 50 years were given fresh and permanent rather than contract appointment.  And from what we gathered some pensioners were recruited fresh and have even been allegedly confirmed.  Quite a number of former retired or retrenched staff of NSITF receiving monthly pension were given fresh appointment and fresh confirmation of their appointments.

    The in-house union was alleged to have also complained that the post-qualification experience for the advertised vacant positions in national dailies in April 2011 was at variance with scheme of service of NSITF and Public Service generally as there was no explicit requirement for cognate experience.

    After the 2011 recruitment exercise, subsequent recruitments were allegedly carried out without interview as letters were just being issued either in churches, mosques and various cultural organisations. The recruitments are done without planning. Not even the top executive management made up of the MD/CE and three Executive Directors know the number of staff currently in the service of NSITF. The board has completely appropriated the functions of management. It was even alleged very recently that claims from employers in respect of their injured employees that is aboveN100, 000 have to be approved by a committee of the board. In the end, what members of the committee would take as sitting allowances would far exceed the figures they would be sitting to vet and approve.  And you say NSITF is not in a mess. How else would any sane Nigerian describe what is happening?

    While government appointed the MD and three executive directors to run the scheme, the board allegedly stripped them of their executive management functions and put the same in the hands of a serving police officer with power to fire and hire and transfer to “Siberia” without transfer allowance. In Abuja alone, there are four branch offices of NSITF in addition to the head office. The branches are in FCT, Mararaba, Kagini, and Gwagwalada with an average of 200 staff. Some of the staff allegedly sit on plastic chairs procured by themselves. Tell me how one branch manager can effectively manage over 200 staff in an atmosphere where there are alleged inadequate furniture and fittings?

    The medical histories of the staff are not known.  In the good old days when any of the agencies of government recruited, such workers were referred to government hospitals for their medical reports.

    Between 2011 and 2014, well over N12 billion was alleged to have come to the agency from the Federal Government as the ECS contributions for their staff. This is different from the alleged take off grant the agency received from government. Meanwhile, the ECS contributions from government have no accompanying payment schedule for the purpose of ascertaining the identity of the staff. The executive management team is not in charge and so the team is watching from the sidelines. And it is not because there are no experienced staff members in the agency. The few ones remaining are alleged not to be anywhere near where their input would matter.

    Now the same agency has been given additional mandate to provide unemployment benefit and benefit for the aged. The board as presently constituted is not technically sound to run this additional mandate. Modalities to determine the age bracket of the aged and employable unemployed are technical in nature and above the technical competence of the present board.

    The NSITF board is allegedly the board of Trustfund pensions plc- a pfa established by NSITF with other social partners. In the wisdom of the founding fathers the board of Trustfund pensions plc was to be chaired by the MD of NSITF, to be supervised by the board of NSITF as appointed by government.  But today it is no longer the case. With the alleged connivance of PenCom, the NSITF board is also the board of Trustfund pensions and of course every Nigerian knows that over N50 billion worth of pension assets is in the custody of Trustfund.

    Finally, another point I wish to stress is the issue of the recruitment of collecting agents by the board. The collecting agents are paid commission for their collections.  Now in the face of the unplanned massive recruitment of staff still going on, is there any need for such collecting agents? The monthly wage bill of NSITF is allegedly close to N1 billion. How does the agency meet the cost of industrial hazards?  Each time some of the pressmen on alleged monthly “brown envelope” sing the praises of an individual who in their thinking brought NSITF to life, it’s funny. The same individual is alleged to be choking the NSITF to death. Nepotism, mismanagement, vindictiveness and lack of corporate governance remain the new face of NSITF. If Nigerians know how much was allegedly invested on computerisation they would marvel.  Such expenses are secretly guarded. But one thing is very sure, the figure is not known to the Executive management team of the agency. The reign of impunity is killing NSITF.  Yes, the Jonathan administration has signed ECA, 2010, but are the right people managing it? Let an independent auditor look into the books of NSITF, and we shall see how much that place stinks.

     

    • Akerele sent this piece from Abuja.
  • Ogoni: oil spills are killing us

    Ogoni: oil spills are killing us

    Despite  efforts to clean up Ogoni land, more oil spills have been discovered. They are devastating and ravaging lives, crops and the eco-system.

    Worried by the situation, a non-governmental organisation, Centre for Citizens Rights,  threatened to file a suit against Shell and its partners operating in Ogoni land. The group said its priority is to ensure the safety of the Ogoni people living in the affected area. It also alleged that over five young men and women died monthly of lumps and other skin diseases emanating from the affected environment.

    Although some communities have started receiving compensation from Shell, others have been abandoned to their fate, according to the group.

    The leader of the Centre for Citizens Rights, Comrade Gogorobari Fredick James, took Niger Delta Report to the affected communities, such as Gbe, Kpor, Sime and Gio where each of the Paramount Rulers  signed a document empowering the organisation to take any action on behalf of the communities.

    The first community visited was Sime in Tai Local Government Area where the people are battling an indigenous company, Duson and Son Enterprise for allegedly doing a bad remediation job on spill site at the Trans Niger Pipeline. The community youths and elders are protesting against the contractor, insisting that Shell Petroleum Development Company (SPDC) must act fast to re- mobilize the contractor back to site.

    His Royal Highness Chief Leton Nbaasue, the Paramount Ruler of Sime, said the contractor used fake materials without excavator to work on the site. He noted that the first idea was to award the contract to the indigene of the area and allow SPDC to supervise but SPDC refused.

    Chief Nbaasue said: “My community is not happy over the level of job done at the spill site. When we discovered the spill, we reported to SPDC and we told them that to avoid any misunderstanding with the community especially the youths of the area. The remediation contract on the spill site should be awarded to any member of the community. Surprisingly, the contract was awarded to an outsider and the contractor refused to apply the right material for the job. We are the ones that insisted on the use of excavator, initially they were doing the job without excavator. After few months, the spill started affecting human lives and economic trees in the area, now what do they want us to do?

    •Members of Centre of Citizens Rights inspecting the remediation spill site at Sime
    •Members of Centre of Citizens Rights inspecting the remediation spill site at Sime

    “So, my community is calling on SPDC to re-mobilize the contractor back to the site because we will not be taken for granted. We are peace loving people; we don’t want trouble, all we want is for SPDC to order the contractor back to work. We don’t want to be force to take any drastic action on the matter.”

    At Gio, in the same LGA, over four young men were alleged to have died of lumps and various kinds of skin diseases due to polluted environment they found themselves. Residents said they are exposed to all kind of diseases because they are surrounded with the polluted Bodo-West spill. They said the environment is not only polluted, but that the people are inhaling poisonous air.

    Mr. Khari Akpene, who spoke on behalf of said, “Look at our houses close to the spill, everything we had is gone including the environment. Last time we buried two young men who died of lumps related cases; about four had died before on the same issue. So this is the condition we find ourselves. Nobody is talking to us about compensation to our people though; we heard that some of the communities have started receiving attention on how to get their compensation.”

    At Gbe community in Gokana LGA, the story was the same; the people of the community whose occupation is farming are stranded. The paramount ruler, His Royal Highness Mene Friday Dimkpa said, “My subjects have nowhere to farm, this is what we have been suffering for years. Even our only sources of water have been polluted because, there is no water to drink, some still go to the polluted stream to scramble for water. Our condition is worst, we need assistance from people who would visit Ogoni land and see things for themselves as it is being reported on the news”

    The last community visited was Kpor in Gokhana Local government where “Shell Right of Way” overflowed and destroyed many economic trees and other crops planted in the area. The Paramount Ruler, His Royal Highness Mene Bemene M. Taoh said, “the community has reported to Shell on the damage done by the spill and have briefed them on the need for adequate compensation.”

    The leader of the Centre for Citizens Rights, Comrade Gogorobari Fredick James said the organization in partnership with international organizations decided to undertake a tour to few scenes in Ogoni land, where good health of the residence have been jeopardized. He said in Ogoni land people lives are not important, but only the economic gain of those whose operations in the land have sentenced the environment to death.

    Comrade James noted that, “Ogoni people have been victims of human rights violation for many years. In 1956, four years before Nigerian Independence, Royal Dutch/Shell in collaboration with the British government found a commercially viable oil field on the Niger Delta and began oil production in 1958. 15-years period from 1976 to 1991 there were reportedly 2,976 oil spills of about 2.1 million barrels of oil in Ogoni land, accounting, about 40% of the total oil spills of the Royal Dutch/Shell Company worldwide.

    “In an assessment of over 200 locations in Ogoni land done by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), they found out that the 50 years of oil production in the region extended deeper than some may have predicted. Because of oil spills, oil flaring, and waste discharge, the once alluvial soil of Ogoni land is no longer viable for agricultural use and attributes to widespread land degradation. Furthermore, in many areas that seem to be unaffected, groundwater was tested to have high levels of hydrocarbons or contaminated with benzene, a carcinogen, at 900 levels above WHO guidelines.

    “UNEP estimated that it could take up to 30 years to rehabilitate Ogoni land to its full potentials and that the first five years of rehabilitation would require funding of about US$1 billion.  The current Nigerian Minister of Petroleum Resources, Deizani Alison-Madueke, announced the establishment of the Hydrocarbon Pollution Restoration Project, which intends to follow the UNEP report suggestions of Ogoni land to prevent further degradation. Like I said before now, our concern as NGO is to create awareness on the damaging effect on the health of the people.”

     

     

     

     

  • Killing of 39-yr-old sparks outrage

    There was outrage over the killing of a 39-year-old, Jeje Oni, by suspected hoodlums penultimate Thursday in Ijoko community in Ado-Odo/Ota Local Government Area of Ogun State.

    The deceased, according to sources, hardly missed his wife’s meal in the afternoon. It was gathered that he would usually leave his shop on Railway Line road in Ijoko town, Ogun State, to eat his lunch at home with a couple of his friends. As usual, he left his shop to eat his lunch at home on January 8, 2015 but he met his tragic end on the road.

    He was allegedly shot dead by some hoodlums a few meters away from his residence, thus ending his rendezvous with life. The killing of the Ekiti State-born man,who was said to be a fashion designer, came barely 17 days after the palace of a monarch in the town, Oba Ogunseye, was allegedly razed by some hoodlums suspected to be loyalists of another contender to the stool.

    Oni’s shop was located near the burnt palace, thus raising suspicions that he might have been singled out as one the supporters of Ogunseye.

    It was gathered that Oni was trailed by his assailants shortly after he left his shop on his motorbike in company with one of his friends to eat lunch at home near the Agoro area of Ijoko.

     A friend of the deceased, who was riding with him, had to jump down from the motorbike and ran for his dear life following sporadic shooting by the hoodlums who were trailing him on their motorbike.

    An impeccable source, who spoke in confidence, recalled: “I am one of the artisans that work in the neighbourhood and my workshop is close to the deceased’s shop. Oni was fond of taking his friends home in the afternoon for his lunch because he did not eat out. About 3 pm on Thursday January 8, he received a call from his wife that his meal was ready and he asked me to join him for lunch at home. We left on his motorbike about 4.30pm for his residence in the Agoro area of Ijoko.When we got to Sawmill area, we noticed that some armed men were trailing us on a motorbike and he decided to speed off. It was while they started shooting at us as we sped off that I jumped off the bike and ran for my dear life.

    “The hoodlums were shouting ‘they are one of them, they are one of them.’’ The shots the armed men fired missed me but sadly hit Oni’s legs and that was when the assailants caught up with him and killed him. By the time I came out of hiding, a crowd had gathered round Oni’s body and I had to report the incident to Sango Police Station, while I returned to the community to inform the people around our base about the incident.

    ‘’The late fashion designer owned a building in the Agoro area of Ijoko and he was an easy going person. The police have made some arrests and the matter has since been transferred to the State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID), Eleweran, Abeokuta,” he added.

    The killing of the man has, however, triggered an outrage as residents of the community condemned the activities of marauding youths suspected to be loyalists of a rival monarch in the community.

    A resident, Amos Jimoh, who spoke with our correspondent, said: “The people behind the spate of violent attacks on Ijoko should be arrested and prosecuted once and for all. The killing of Oni came about two weeks after the palace of Ogunseye was razed suspectedly by loyalists of his rival, who also destroyed many buildings in the community. It is disheartening that the hoodlums succeeded in killing Oni minutes after he left his shop located near the Oba’s palace. The law enforcement agents should be given a standing order to lay surveillance and deal with people who want to destabilise peace and harmony in this community.

    “We thought there won’t be another violent attack again following the burning down of the Oba’s palace and the destruction of cars and buildings belonging to some village heads on December 23, 2014.The killing of Oni is condemnable and those who masterminded it should not be spared of the wrath of law. A situation whereby people and property are killed or destroyed is not acceptable and government should ask the police to step up action to stem the tide of violence and wanton destruction of lives and property,” said another resident, who asked not to be named.

    In a telephone conversation with our correspondent, the spokesman of Ogun State Police Command, Mr Muyiwa Adejobi, said a suspect is being held in the wake of the incident.

    “We have arrested one Hakeem Oluomo and he is now in our custody. Although, we have not been able to establish his actual linkage with the killing of the deceased but we are holding the suspect for unlawful possession of fire arms.We are still investigating the matter, while our men have been deployed in the community to prevent destruction of lives and property.

    It will be recalled that the thin line that held the peace of the community snapped on December 23, 2014 when suspected loyalists of a monarch were alleged to have attacked the palace of Oba Ogunseye. They were said to have set the palace ablaze and vandalised some vehicles belonging to some traditional chiefs of the town who were holding their meeting there.

    Following the December attack, the spokesman of the Ogun State Police Command, Mr Muyiwa Adejobi, in a statement had disclosed the arrest of about nine suspects and the recovery of arms and ammunition from the palace of the monarch, while the butt of a locally made gun was recovered from the palace of Oba Ogunseye.

     The statement read in part:  ”Following the recent crises that rocked Ijoko town in Ado Odo/ Ota Local Government Area of Ogun State, the state police command has embarked on proper investigation by pouncing  on the perpetrators of the crises that lasted for days and arrested nine suspects with arms and ammunition. The investigation prompted the police teams from the Department of Criminal Investigation and Police Mobile Force, coordinated by the Deputy Commissioner of Police(DCP) in charge of operations, Mr Egberebi Egbuson to conduct search and raids on the palaces and premises of the two disputing rulers, Oba Matanmi and Oba Ogunseye in the night of December 27,where nine suspects were arrested and 12 locally made single barreled guns,; two pump action guns,191 cartridges, two cutlasses, one axe, charms and masquerade clothing were recovered in the palace of Oba Matanmi and one butt of a locally made single barreled gun was recovered in the palace of Oba Ogunseye who has also been indicted by some suspects arrested in a case of shooting and wounding that occurred at a filing station in Agbado area of Ogun State on December 26, 2014.

    “The command has given invitation letters to the two Obas for interrogation and proper investigation on their involvement in the crises that rocked the area for days.

    ‘’The suspects will soon appear in court after the investigation into the matter has been concluded with a view to finding a lasting solution to any act of violence and break down of law and order in the area and other parts of the state and to serve as a deterrent to those who are fond of creating crises on Obaship and land cases in Ogun State,” he added.

  • ‘We should stop killing our wounded soldiers’

    ‘We should stop killing our wounded soldiers’

    The general overseer of Agape Christian Ministries, Akure, Bishop Felix Adejumo, is a leader of leaders. He spoke with Sunday Oguntola on life at 60 and sundry issues affecting the body of Christ. 

    You were 60 in August. How is life at 60?

    I think I am just trying to assimilate the reality of being 60. I have never been there before but now that I find myself there, it is a different ball game altogether. I’m beginning to redefine life and see it differently from how I used to before.

    The reality that one does not have too much time anymore is sinking in now. My approach is to think differently from what I used to. I think this age bracket is teaching me a lot of lessons…

    …Which are?

    One, you don’t have all the time anymore. You must value your time and take advantage of the opportunities of life. Two, you must value the people around you because people are assets and they could also be liabilities. Three, you must be patient with yourself and people around. Four, you cannot win the world or even own the whole world.

    Whatever God gives to you, be content with it and appreciate Him for it. You must leave a legacy, an imprint in the life of people because life is not just about yourself. So, I have learnt all of these and I have just living to impact people than I have done in the past. Those are the things I will be working on henceforth.

    But you must also be thinking about succession at your age. I know many don’t like to talk about it…?

    Well, you know it is a reality of life. I remember the first time I told my children that when we die we should be buried in a certain place. I said ‘bury me here and my wife close by’ but my last daughter said ‘daddy, don’t mention it’ but I insisted it is a reality of life. It’s like a 40 year-old refusing to write his will. He has to do that because it is mere deception to think you will always be around. God owns our breath.

    So, the issue of succession is something that I have been praying about. There is a succession plan in place. I have a programme for myself and I told myself I have maybe ten more years to work actively. From 70, I will relax and take easier responsibilities that will not put pressure on my health. I am sound and healthy but I must not put too much pressure on myself. I have a retirement plan that I’m sticking to.

    How much of mentoring are you into these days?

    That is my major project now. It is what will take the latter years of my life. In the next ten years, I will be at some locations where I can be more accessible and raise the next generation. I want to share with them life experiences, principles and revelations from the word. I’d want to impart them with practical experiences of my life so that they can see both sides of the divides.

    I am already thinking about that and it will cut across denominations. I have a lot of mentees and others are joining. I want to open up my life to them for impartation and learning.

    How does it make you feel when one of your mentees is derailing and seems not to be yielding?

    It is very painful sometimes especially if it is somebody you love so much.  You have invested and such a mentee is derailing but there is nothing you can do. There is nothing you can do but to pray. You can’t but have such issues and that is why you have to open such a person up to the pitfalls in life. But if he falls into them again, you don’t throw away the baby with the bath water. You don’t run away, abdicate your responsibility as a father but hang on there to rescue that person.

    Sometimes, don’t you feel that some of them would have dragged your name in the mud in the process since everyone knows you are associated with them?

    Honestly speaking, it is God that builds a name. If you  have a baby that pees, you clean him up and not run away. You won’t say you don’t want the child to stain you and then walk away. If anybody says you are stained, well that is their opinion. You have your life to live. I have had  a lot of such things. People will say ‘he is their father’, ‘like father, like son’. But I don’t mind. It is between me and God.

    That one of my mentees misbehaves does not mean I do or have to do. My shoulders are down for them to rise and I never walk out on them. I don’t want to abandon people when it’s tough times. I want to be there for them because it can happen to anybody. The race is not to the swift or the battle to the strong. Nobody is above any mistake or error. If anybody falters, we have to rally round. That is what happens in the army. If a soldier is wounded, they carry, nurture and nurse the wounded soldiers to life.

    But it is never like that in the faith, is it?

    It is not but it should be like that. That is what the scripture wants us to do. We kill our wounded soldiers when we should have helped to rescue and nurse them back to life. Some people even gloat over such developments. They say they have had revelations the person will fall. I think it is demonic because it is not of God. God is forgiving and who are we not to forgive?

    So, we have to be there and protect our wounded soldiers. We have to help them back to fitness. In the parable of the Samaritans, the Levite and Priest saw the wounded man and left but the Samaritan rescued him. The Levite and Priest represent the church while the Samaritan represents those in the workplace. We are the ones killing ourselves not the people outside the church.

    It is lack of love. We only read the Bible many times but never demonstrate it. We should look through the attributes of love as defined in I Corinthians 13 and we would see how far we have derailed.

    How do you feel when a man of God is misbehaving and is not accessible for mentoring?  

    Well, we are just instruments in the hands of God. In a situation where a pastor is messing up and is not available, well it is a choice he has made. It is a privilege to bear one another’s burden. When we don’t have access to them, we only pray.

    How is the Lekki church coming up?

    It is coming up strong and we are in the process of getting a permanent centre.

    Why Lekki, which is already saturated with churches, of all places?

    There is no place that is not saturated but you see God will direct your flock to you. They will locate you anywhere you are. Your people will come and identify with you.

    Many people feel you are just hiding in Akure. A preacher like you should be in Lagos, Abuja or any of the other big cities. How do you react to that?

    There is nothing like be in God’s place for one’s life. I believe it is the will of God for our Headquarters to be in Ondo State. That is my place of primary assignment. Our branches are just extensions of what we did in Akure. I once tried coming to Lagos, somewhere in Surulere. I was in devotion one morning when God told me He didn’t say I should relocate to Lagos though I could have a work in Lagos.

    He said I should not leave my place of protection, my place of rewards and my place of prosperity. That was why I stayed put. So Akure will be my base except God says otherwise. Akure is my Jerusalem.

    Your marriage clocked 30 also. How has it been?

    It’s been fantastic and challenging in the sense that there is no marriage without challenges. But grace has helped us to manage those challenges. My wife and I are close friends. We are lovers. That has kept us all these years. God has helped us to raise our children well.

  • Gradual killing of the system

    Since the civilians took over government in 1999, we have had eight Inspector Generals of Police till date. They are- Musiliu Smith (1999-2002), Mustapha Adebayo Balogun March 2002- January 2005, Sunday Ehindero 2005-2007, Mike Mbama Okiro 2007-2009, Ogbonna Okechukwu Onovo 2009-2010, Hafiz Ringim January 2010- 2012, Muhammed D. Abubakar2012-2014 and Suleiman Abba 2014- till date. A keen observer will note that in some cases, some Inspector Generals of Police, even introduced new uniforms during their tenure.

    From 1999 till now, we have had seven Chiefs of the Air Staff. They are Air Marshall Isaac Alfa (1999-2001), Air Marshall Jonah Wuyep (2001-2006), Air Marshall Paul Dike 2006-2008, Air Marshall Michael Oluseyi Petinrin (2008-2010), Air Marshall Mohammed Diko Umar (2010-2012), Air Marshall Alex Sabundu Badeh(2012-2014) and Air Marshall Adesola Nunayon Amosu from January 2014 till date.

    From 1999, we have had nine Heads of Service of the Federation. The post is a creation of the constitution. They are Abu Obe1999-2000, Mahmmud Yayale Ahmed 2000-2007, Ms Obele Okeke 2007-2008, Ms Ammal Pepple June 16 – June 15 2009, Steve Oronsanye June 16 2009 – November 15 2010, Prof. Oladapo Afolabi November 16 2010 – September 2011, Alhaji Isa Bello Sali September 30 2011 to March 2013, Alhaji Bukar Goni Aji March 25 2013 to August 2014 and Mallam Danladi Kifasi August 19 2014 till date.

    All things being equal, Alhaji Kifasi will retire in December next year when he clocks 60. He has served as a member of the governing board of the Central Bank of Nigeria.

    I am told that Alhaji Kifasi is highly imaginative and hardworking. Poor soul. According to the pioneer Director-General of the Bureau of Public Service Reforms established in February 2004, Goke Adegoroye who retired as permanent secretary of FCT two years ago, there are over 150,000 federal civil servants (mainstream) as at now.

    The Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation was established on April 1, 1977 as a merger of the Nigerian National Oil Corporation and the Federal Ministry of Mines and Steel.

    From 1999 to date we have had eight Group Managing Directors for the corporation. From March 17, 2010 when he became acting President till he was finally sworn in as President, on May 6, 2010 following the death of his predecessor, five Group Managing Directors of the NNPC have served under the current President. Likewise the present Minister of Petroleum Resources has appointed four group Managing Directors for NNPC since she came to the Ministry on April 16 2010. They are Dr. Jackson Gaius Obaseki May 1999- November 2003,Engr. Funso Kupolokun November 2003- July 2007, Engr. Abubakar Yar’adua August 2007- January 2009, Dr. Muhammed Sanusi Barkindo January 2009- May 2010, Barrister Ladan Shehu,  April 2010 to May 2010, Engr. Austen Olusegun Oniwon, May 2010- June 2012, Engr. Andrew Leah Yakubu, June 2012- August 2014 and now Dr. Joseph Thlama Dawha from August 2014 to date. Dawha joined the NNPC in 1988. All things being equal, he has less than five months to serve. The NNPC has a board of directors of which the Minister of Petroleum is the head. The board was constituted on July 17 2012. It was again reconstituted with the same membership last week.  From 2012 till now, the board has met only once. Other members of the board are Abdullahi Bukar, Steve Oronsaye, Professor Olusegun Okunnu, Daniel Wadzani, Bernard Otti and Peter Nmadu.

    From 1999 till date, we have had seven Chiefs of Naval Staff. They are Vice Admiral Victor Kare Ombu (1999-2001), Vice Admiral Samuel Olajide Afolayan 2001-2005), Vice Admiral Ganiyu T.A. Adekeye (2005-2008), Vice Admiral Ishaya lko Ibrahim 2008-2010, Vice Admiral Ola Sa’ad Ibrahim 2010-2012, Vice Admiral Dele Joseph Ezeoba 2012-2014 and Vice Admiral Usman Oyibe Jibrin January 2014-till date.

    From 1999 till date we have had eight Chiefs of Army Staff. They are Lt. Gen. Victor Malu, May 1999- April 2001, Lt. Gen. Alexander Ogomudia, April 2001- June 2003, Lt. Gen. Martin Luther Agwai June 2003- June 2006, Lt. Gen. Owoye Andrew Azazi, June 2006-May 2007, Lt. Gen. Luka Nyeh Yusuf, June 2007- August 2008, Lt. Gen. Abdulrahman Bello Dambazau, August 2008- September 2010, Lt. General Onyeabo Azubuike Ihejirika, September 2010-2014 and now Lt. Gen. Kenneth Tobiah Jacob Minimah, January2014 till date.

    The post of Chief of Defence of Staff is the highest in the Nigerian Armed Forces. The position was established for the first time under 1979 Nigerian Constitution with General Julius Alani Ipoola Akinrinade (75) as the first Chief of Defence Staff. Gen. Akinrinade, a war hero is from Yakoyo near Ile-Ife in Osun State.

    From 1999 till date we have had seven Chiefs of Defence Staff.  They are Admiral Ibrahim Ogohi 1999-2003, General Alexander Ogomudia 2003-2006, General Martin Luther Agwai January 2006-May 2007, General Andrew Owoeye Azazi, May 2007-August 2008, Air Marshall Paul Dike August 2008-September 2010, Air Marshal Oluseyi Petinrin September 2010-October 2012, Admiral Ola Ibrahim October 2012- January 16 2014 and now Air Marshall Alex Sabundu Badeh January 16 2014 to date.

    From 1999 to date, we have had six Chief Justices of the Federation. They are Muhammed Lawal Uwais 1999-2006, Salihu Modibo Alfa Belgore 2006-2007, Idris Legbo Kutigi 2007-2009, Aloysius Iyorgyer Katsina-Alu 2009-2011, Dahiru Musdapher 2011-2012, Aloma Mariam Muktar 2012 to date.

    All these appointments clearly define who really we are.

    These career appointments made in the last 15 years alone have ceiling on the number of years one has to spend in the service before you retire or you are kicked out. In case of judiciary, seniority takes precedence.

    All the appointments were made by the President. In some cases, he made the appointments, in consultations with the National Assembly or the National Council of States. He does not need consultation before appointing anyone as Group Managing Director of NNPC neither does he need to consult anyone before appointing anyone as Head of Service once, he is a Permanent Secretary.

    But there is nothing in the law or in the procedure of appointments, which says anyone less than two years left to serve, must be appointed head or anyone who is the most senior.

    And there is no law that says the Presidents can not appoint someone that has at least four to six years to serve before retirement, so that he or she could carry out the necessary reforms before he or she retires. Changing service chiefs constantly, like we change police uniforms, is amazing.

    Why must a new President distrust serving service chiefs to the extent that he has to appoint his own, bearing in mind that since 1999 till date only one political party has been in power in the centre?

    We all know that in the military tradition once you appoint a junior officer as service chiefs all his seniors automatically retire. Let us imagine how many trained and experienced officers that have suddenly left the service in the last 15 years- their careers suddenly cut short and their families in total penury, in a country of their own which they once served proudly.

    Human nature being human, someone who has less than a year to spend in the office, however competent or patriotic he or she could be, will be more concerned or worried about his retirement plans than bringing any tangible inputs into  the service, more so  when pensioners in Nigeria are treated like endangered species- neglected and humiliated. A service is not a laboratory where you perform annual experiments with new reforms and with different headships.

    The problem is that we don’t allow the system to grow. And a system does not grow over night. It has to be systematic and gradual. If we don’t allow the system to grow, then we must expect all kinds of corruption, misconduct, irregularities within the system, hence the numerous gigantic and difficult problems that have now plagued us.

    .

    Teniola, a former director at the presidency stays in Lagos.

     

  • ‘Multiple taxation killing firms’

    The Niger State Coalition of Businesses and Professional Association (NICOBPA) has identified multiple taxation as the bane of the growth of small and medium enterprises (SME).

    The chairman of the association, Alhaji Abdullahi Sadiq, who spoke in Minna at the weekend, attributed it to the relocation of industries to other West African countries with friendly taxation regime.

    He said the association liaised with the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS), the Niger State Board of Internal Revenue, local governments and tax consultants to find a solution to the problem.

    Sadiq said the quest for economic development would be threatened if multiple taxation was not addressed by the three tiers of government and the organised business sector.

    He added that the revival of local industries would create jobs for the youths, reduce crimes and generate revenue for  socio-economic development.

    The NICOBPA chairman said the association was committed to ensuring a healthy environment for businesses to thrive and to avoid cross border crime and crisis with the neigbouring states, such as Kogi, Kwara, Kebbi, Kaduna and the Federal Capital (FCT), to attract investors to the state.

    He said a survey carried out in Minna, Suleja, Bida and Kontagora by the association showed that Bida is the most secure town for investments, while Suleja is the most volatile, due to the influx of people into the town.

    The survey, Sadiq added, showed that Minna and Kontagora had little threats.

    He urged investors to invest in the state adjudged as one of the most peaceful.

  • Man ‘kills’ mum in Anambra

    •Burns her in bush

    The police in Anambra State have arrested a 29-year-old man for allegedly killing his mother at Ndikpa Awuka,  Ogbunka community in Orumba South Local Government.

    The suspect, Ekene Ucheagwu, allegedly killed his 65-year-old mother, Agnes Ucheagwu, in May.

    He was said to have accused his mother of using witchcraft to prevent the family progress.

    Police spokesman Uche Ezeh told reporters at the Office of the Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SAR) in Awkuzu that the suspect would be tried.

    He said Ucheagwu committed the crime after being released at the Umuchukwu Police Station for allegedly battering the mother.

    The suspect confessed yesterday that he killed his mother, alleging that she debarred her children’s progress.

    He said his elder brother, aged 45, had not married, following their mother’s witchcraft and curses.

    Ucheagwu said: “My mother was evil. I killed her because of her wickedness. The incident occurred in May. She prevented her children from progressing.

    “She was a witch. She rained curses on us not to progress and others were blindfolded because of our mother’s witchcraft. Because I knew her plans, she always attacked me.

    “I killed her because she planned to kill me for calling her Queen of the coast” ­- her spiritual name.

    “My mother was a witchcraft living in the sky. I killed her and burnt her body in a bush called Ogbukwu.

    “I didn’t regret killing her initially. But now, I am beginning to regret my action because our people have isolated me. “

    He said the police arrested him in Aba.

    The Nation learnt that the Ogbunka community banished the suspect, who relocated to Aba to continue his cobbler job at Ariara market before he was arrested.

    The crime, according to the suspect, was committed at night.

    He said he used a club to hit his mother. He put her in a wheelbarrow and took her to the bush where he burnt her.

  • Police arrest son for killing SAN dad at Redemption Camp

    Police arrest son for killing SAN dad at Redemption Camp

    Why did a young man hack his father to death? This is s question the Ogun State Police are battling to resolve after arresting a 21-year old man, Tolani Ajayi, for allegedly killing his Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN) father, Mr Charles Ajayi, at the Redemption Camp on the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway.

    He was killed last Thursday.

    Tolani is a 300-level student of the  Department of History and International Relations of Redeemer University (RUN), Ogun State.

    Police Public Relations Officer Mr Olumuyiwa Adejobi said the body was “recovered in a nearby bush at Canaan land Street within the RCCG Camp, in a box, after he had been hacked to death by his son”.

    Adejobi, a Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP), added: “The Divisional Police Officer, Redemption Camp,  Mr Olaiya Martins, led a team of detectives and some members of the community who noticed the strange attitude of the suspect while dropping a box to the point where the body of the SAN was dumped and, thereafter,  traced  the ground  marks of the dragged box from where  the suspect  dumped the dad’s body to the house of the Senior Advocate of Nigeria, where they met the suspect in a relaxed mood  in the house.

    “Upon interrogation, the suspect earlier lied that his dad had gone on evangelism before he eventually confessed to the crime when he was taken to the Redemption Camp Divisional Headquarters. He stated further that the problem arose when his late father confronted him for not responding to all the prayer points he (the deceased) was calling and the late father slapped him.

    “He said he went mad and went straight  to the kitchen to pick up a knife to stab him and later a cutlass to cut his throat and killed him. The exhibits, including the knife and cutlass he used in killing his father, have been recovered by the police and the body of the SAN have been deposited at a morgue in Sagamu.”