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Tag: President Olusegun Obasanjo

  • Looters list can’t divert attention from misrule, says PDP

    The People’s Democratic Party (PDP) has said that the Presidency and the All Progressives Congress (APC) have failed in their ploy to use their so-called looters lists to divert public discourse from the raging questions on their numerous scandals, manifest sleazes and overall failures in governance.

    The PDP, in a statement on Tuesday by its National Publicity Secretary, Kola Ologbondiyan, said the nation has now seen that the Federal Government has no case against the PDP, as the list of looters released by the government only have individuals who were not indicted or convicted for corruption. The party said some persons on the list were are not even members of the PDP.

    The statement said, “It is now a notorious fact that the whole essence of the flimsy and contemptible lists was to cause public misperception, ‘change the topic’, and divert international and national discourse from various serious issues.

    “Some of these issues include the parlous state of the nation’s economy caused by President Muhammadu Buhari’s misrule, for which Nigerians are now resorting to vices, including slavery and suicides as options.

    “The intensive global vote of no confidence on President Buhari-led APC-government, particularly on its painful anti-people policies, as presented in damning verdicts by international figures, the latest being the world renowned Bill Gates.

    “The vote of no confidence on the Buhari administration by eminent statesmen, including former President Olusegun Obasanjo, former military President Ibrahim Babangida and former minister of defence and ex-chief of army staff, Gen. Theophilus Danjuma, who also indicted this administration of failure to protect the citizens.

    “The international interest over speculations of conspiracy theorem on the alleged manipulation of security in the abduction and return of the Dapchi schoolgirls for which Amnesty International (AI) has called for an open inquest.

    “The international embarrassment over alleged procurement of the Martin Luther King Jr Award for President Buhari, which has now attracted global opprobrium to our dear nation and entire citizenry.

    “The Transparency International (TI) latest verdict, indicting the Buhari-led government of superintending over the spiraling of corruption in Nigeria in the last three years.

    “Efforts by the Buhari Presidency to conceal the N9 trillion corrupt oil contracts at the NNPC, alleged stealing of N1.1 trillion worth of crude oil, looting of N18 billion Internally Displaced Persons (IDP) intervention fund and the stealing of N10 billion National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS), all by APC officials and Presidency cabal.

    “The public resentment that trailed President Buhari’s last week’s visit to Lagos as well as his embarrassment at the National Mosque last Friday, where worshippers demonstrated their resentments to his administration and almost resorted to near mob action.

    “These are issues that cannot be swept under the carpet using any ploy whatsoever.

    “While we still challenge the APC to name any members of the repositioned and rebranded PDP convicted for corruption, we wish to remind them that our three-day ultimatum to explain the source of looted fund to finance President Buhari’s 2015 campaign still subsists and no amount of blackmail or intimidation can stop Nigerians from holding the dysfunctional APC accountable”.

    Read Also: FG avoiding issue we raised on looters’ list, says PDP

  • APC chief to Igbo: don’t be distracted by Obasanjo’s letter

    a chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC) Chief Livinus Okwara has advised Ndigbo to ignore former President Olusegun Obasanjo’s letter to President Muhammadu Buhari and support the President’s re-election in 2019.

    Okwara who is also the CEO of Rimax Computers, said that Obasanjo’s sudden support for the Igbo presidency is deceitful, adding that the Igbo have a better chance of realising their age-long ambition of producing Nigeria’s president in 2023 with Buhari’s support.

    He said, “Obasanjo cannot be trusted. His push for Igbo presidency in 2019 will not favour the Igbo our best bet is 2023 and the only party that guarantee Igbo presidency come 2023 is the APC. My advice is that the Igbo should vote massively for Buhari come 2019 to secure our chance for 2023. When I was coordinating Buhari’s campaign in the Southeast in 2015 I told our people that Buhari was going to win but majority did not believe but it came to pass and concerning the Igbo Presidency I told them to forget about 2019 so that we can allow Buhari to finish two terms and assist us in 2023″.

    Commenting further on the former President’s letter, Okwara said that the accusation of non-performance against Buhari is unfair, adding that “Nigeria’s problem cannot be solved overnight. Obasanjo’s letter is self-serving, he came to power and saw that there were certain areas of the constitution that the people were not happy with but he did not do anything about it and now he is fighting President Buhari who is fighting hard to fix the rot he caused in the system”.

     

  • Between Obasanjo and Abebe

    Between Obasanjo and Abebe

    Sometimes, rather than out of sight being out of mind, absence indeed does make the heart grow fonder. Although the bubbly, vivacious presence that was former first lady Stella Obasanjo is now no more than a memory in the minds of those who knew and loved her best, the people she impacted on and the relationships she helped forge continue to endure.

    Although the woman that bound former President Olusegun Obasanjo and the family of Henry Abebe together is no longer around, the relationship between the two remains like a stubborn tree that refuses to bend to the passing winds.

    It is no news that among OBJ’s wives, the late Stella nee Abebe was his favourite. So much so that he made her his official first lady over the other women in his harem. His love for her seems to have been extended to other members of her family, especially after her demise. Thus, whenever the Obasanjos are hosting an occasion, the Abebes would be there to celebrate with them and vice versa.

    This fact was borne out during the recent wedding of one of the children of Henry Abebe. Baba Iyabo did not only lend colour to the big day with his presence, he also provided behind-the-scene support for the occasion.

  • Mark to EFCC: You are chasing shadow

    Mark to EFCC: You are chasing shadow

    Former Senate President, Senator David Mark Tuesday described the accusations by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) that he purchased his Apo Residential House illegally as spurious, contrived and baseless.

    Senator Mark in a statement by his media assistant, Paul Mumeh, said that the EFCC or any other agent of Government is chasing shadows “because the property was duly offered for sale, bided for, and he purchased like any other person would in line with Federal Government’s Monetization Policy that was started during the time of President Olusegun Obasanjo.”

    Mark said “I had the right of first refusal. Even if I did not purchase it, someone else would have.

    “I am a law-abiding citizen. I did not flout any law.

    “Curiously, four houses occupied by the then Presiding Officers of National Assembly were offered to the occupants. All of us, me as the then President of the Senate, Deputy President of the Senate, Ike Ekweremadu, the then Speaker of the House of Representatives, Dimeji Bankole and his Deputy Bayero Nafada were all given the same offer.

    “I am at a loss as to why it is now a subject of contention.

    “If this persecution is about politics, my political party and the 2019 elections, I dare say that only God and Nigerians would decide. No amount of persecution would alter the will of God.

    “I had refrained from commenting on this because it is already in the law Court. But they have taken the matter to the Court of public opinion.”

    It said that Senator Mark through his lawyer Ken Ikonne in the suit NO FHC/ABJ/1037/2017 before the Federal High Court, Abuja had said that he followed due process and legally acquired the property from the FCDA on April 27, 2011.

    Senator Mark is also asking the Court for a declaration that an order by the Attorney General of the Federation and one Obono Obla of the Presidential Task Force on Recovery of Government Properties compelling him to vacate the aforesaid property without affording him a fair hearing, amounted to a denial of his fundamental human rights, unconstitutional and void.

    He recalled that the Federal Executive Council decided to authorize the sale of the properties housing the principal officers of the National Assembly because the general security of the area had been altered/compromised due to the sale of the other houses in the Legislative Quarters to the public.

    Consequent upon which the houses were offered for sale and duly purchased.

    Senator Mark was given the first option of refusal upon which he duly accepted on April 21st 2011 and paid the agreed purchase price to the adhoc committee on sale of Federal Government houses on April 27, 2011.

  • Nigerian women seek more slots in Buhari’s govt

    Nigerian women seek more slots in Buhari’s govt

    Professional women have called the President Muhammadu Buhari to increase the number of women serving in his administration.

    They made the call at the conference marking the 30th anniversary of the Women Research and Documentation Centre (WORDOC) of the Institute of African Studies, University of Ibadan.

    The conference was themed: “Thirty Years on: What Do Women Want, What Should Women Want?” WORDOC was established by renowned historian, Prof. Bolanle Awe.

    The women, drawn from various professional groups, also bemoaned non-emergence of a female governor in Nigeria since the country obtained independence in 1960.

    They contended that while former president Goodluck Jonathan raised women inclusion from 10 per cent during President Olusegun Obasanjo’s administration, to 33 per cent, the figure has gone down in the current administration of President Buhari. They pointed out that Buhari’s body language and utterances “indicate a lessening of the importance of the critical roles of women to the growth and health of our country.”

    Giving a keynote address at the conference, Emeritus Prof. Abiola Odejide of the Department of Communication and Language Arts of the university, said while German Chancellor Angela Merkel got a fourth term electoral victory and Singapore elected its first female president recently, Nigeria was yet to produce a single state governor since its independence in 1960.

    According to her, Merkel’s re-election for the fourth time was an acknowledgment of her role in leading the country through turbulent times and her leading role in the European Union which have made her a leading figure in global politics.

    She said: “Last September, two related and remarkable events happened. Angela Merkel was elected for a fourth term as President of the Federal Republic of Germany based on her record of steering the country through a turbulent period of her history with regard to her leading role in the European Union, the Greek debt crisis, BREXIT, an unprecedented influx of refugees into the country, increased terrorism and the concomitant rise of Neo Nazism. What is commendable is her rising profile on the world stage as the leading voice in world politics.  In effect, the President of Germany, a female, rather than the United States, has become the person to listen to, as Americans say, “the go-to person” on global issues. Her gender has become immaterial or possibly an advantage. That, I think, is what we women should want.

    “The second event is even more germane to the issue I want to address today, that is the matter of the quality of our representation in decision making bodies in Nigeria at local government, state and national levels. Here is the scenario. The first female President of Singapore was sworn in, and at her inauguration, there was a very moving citation. Ms. Halima Yacob had overcome great challenges in her personal life as a child and as an adult, acquired a sound education, attained great success in her work life, set a sterling record of public service as unionist, community worker, social activist, Member of Parliament, Minister of State, Speaker of the House and had finally become President.

    “Even though there was some controversy over whether it was an election proper or not, her qualities were unquestionable : her doggedness in overcoming life’s challenges, work ethic, special concern for the underprivileged and special needs people and fairness in presiding over robust but non -violent debates in the House of  Parliament. These qualities were now required as President of the whole nation regardless of ethnicity, gender and party, as she would now   apply custodial care over the nation’s resources and key public appointments. Contrast that with Nigeria where since independence from Britain in 1960, no woman has been elected governor in any of Nigeria’s 36 states, not to talk ofa female president.”

    Odejide also revealed that while women accounted for about 33 per cent of those who served in the administration of former Goodluck Jonathan, the figure has gone down in the administration of President Muhammadu Buhari.

    She attributed the slow pace of women inclusion in leadership to cultural inhibitions and poor economic ability of most women in the country..

    She also pointed out that most female legislators and political appointees do not puch women agenda possibly because of party supremacy.

    Her words: “Now to attempt to answer the question, “What should women want?” Or more specifically, “What should Nigerian women want?”

    For many years we have agitated for adequate representation at all tiers of government. The figures are depressing. In 2011, only 9 women senators were representing 54 million women in Nigeria; the immediate past President, Goodluck Jonathan appointed women to 33 per cent of cabinet positions, up from 10 per cent in President Obasanjo’s government. Now, under the current government, women’s representation has gone down further and both verbal pronouncements and the body language of our leaders indicate a lessening of the importance of the critical roles of women to the growth and health of our country.”

    Odejide called on women to raise their profile educationally, economically and in community mobilization to enable them compete favourably with men in all spheres.

    “We should aim to become strategic and effective within those roles and thus raise the profiles of women as did Nigeria’s first crop of western female educated activists like Margaret Ekpo, Olufunmilayo Ransome Kuti, Wuraola Esan, and grassroots mobiliser , Sambo Sawaba.” She said.

    She also urged women to stand for the re-presentation of the gender equality bill and also agitate for “systemic changes in the political, governance and social structures which entrench women’s equality and participation, not token gestures dependent on who happens to be the male leader in power, since such concessions are transient and will not bring about the transformative changes that are required.”

    Others speakers elaborated on Odejide’s positions and called for different kinds of support for young women excelling in their chosen careers.

    Earlier, the Director of the institute, Dr O. I. Pogoson, said WORDOC activities have contributed to the growth of research in women issues, throwing new challenges to tackle.

    Prof. Awe expressed gratitude to those who have supported the centre in the past 30 years. She urged leaders and members of the centre to step up their activities and involve women in the lower rungs of the ladder for better results.

  • Malu: Obaseki commiserates with Benue People

    Malu: Obaseki commiserates with Benue People

    The Governor of Edo State, Mr Godwin Obaseki, has commiserated with the government and people of Benue State over the death of the former Chief of Army Staff, Lt. General Victor Malu (rtd.)

    Obaseki said Lt. General Malu will be remembered for his courage to speak truth to power and defend his opinions even when it may not be popular.

    “My heart goes to the family he left behind and I pray that the Almighty God grants them the strength beyond normal, to bear the loss,” the governor said.

    News of Malu’s death broke on Monday morning as his family reportedly said that Malu died in Cairo, the Egyptian capital, where he went for medical check-up.

    He was born on 15 January 1947 at Katsina-Ala, Benue State of Tiv origin. He enrolled in the Nigerian Defence Academy, Kaduna in 1967 as part of the 3rd Regular Course and was commissioned as a 2nd Lieutenant enlisted upon graduation in 1970

    Malu served as Chief of Army Staff under former president Olusegun Obasanjo.

    He chaired the military tribunal that tried former Chief of General Staff and Vice Chairman Armed Forces Ruling Council  Gen. Oladipo Diya and others in 1998 over alleged coup plot against the then head of state, Gen. Sanni Abacha.

  • Niger Delta: FG moves to establish oil, gas institute in Bayelsa

    Niger Delta: FG moves to establish oil, gas institute in Bayelsa

    …Orders fingerprinting of crude oil to end pipeline vandalism

     

    The Federal Government has concluded arrangements to establish an oil and gas institute in Bayelsa State as part of ongoing negotiations to tackle developmental problems in the Niger Delta region.

    President Muhammadu Buhari administration has been rolling out palliatives and infrastructural packages to develop human capacity and quell agitation in the region.

    The Minister of Science and Technology, Dr. Ogbonnaya Onu, made the disclosure, yesterday, when he visited Yenagoa, the state capital, for some official engagements.

    While paying a courtesy visit to the state Governor, Mr. Seriake Dickson, the minister said the institute would be sited in Odi, a community in Kolokuma-Opokuma Local Government Area, that suffered military invasion under former President Olusegun Obasanjo.

    Onu, who was received by the Deputy Governor, Rear Admiral John Jonah (retd) said the institute, when established would improve manpower in the Niger Delta and reduce unemployment in the country.

    He said siting of the institute in Bayelsa was strategic because of the contributions of the state to oil and gas sector in the country.

    The minister said the institute would enhance development of skills among the people of the region to stimulate the local economy and create activities in the oil-producing communities.

    He said: “The institute will not only create jobs and improve skills, but it will also create wealth. We need to develop capacity in oil and gas processes in the country”.

    The minister, who was also in Odi, to inaugurate the ultramodern Bioresources Laboratory complex and the livestock feed milling complex at the Bioresources Development Center (BIODEC),said the government was deploying technology to monitor pipelines and track the country’s oil.

    He said the laboratory would be deployed to investigate pipeline breaches following its capacity to embed fingerprints in oil.

    He said with the facility oil theft would soon be a thing of the past, as the fingerprinting would enable the country to track its crude oil anywhere when stolen and solve the problem of economic sabotage.

    Onu said the fingerprinting of the country’s crude oil would begin at the end of the year insisting that the technology could be deployed in the country.

    He said the country under the current administration had come of age and capable of solving her problems instead of depending on outsiders.

    He said: “This lab, the ultramodern laboratory, I feel very happy; for me, Nigeria is changing. With this capacity here now, we will be able to do many things.

    “I just gave them an instruction that by the end of the year, we should have fingerprinting of our crude oil, so that if anybody steals it we will be able to identify it, because even crude oil can have fingerprints and with the equipment we have here we can do it in Nigeria.

    “One problem that we have is that we rely on outside, from other people to solve our problems. We produce crude oil, we export it, but we now import refined petroleum products.

    “We exports our woods and we bring in toothpicks. We don’t want that anymore and for you to do all this things we rely on others, we have to look inward and we need to build capacity and what this facility is doing for us.

    I just mentioned to you now that you can do genome mapping of our rare crops, plants, animals that are unique to us. We can even have fingerprints of our own crude oil.

    “Normally, this is something we spent a lot of money and you ask other people to do it. Now, when we do it here, it is our person that will do it here, that is how to create jobs, that is how to create wealth because that money you could have sown outside will now be here and be use it here. Even though we are the largest economic in Nigeria, we want to bigger than that that.

    “We also need to fight poverty, if you create jobs, you will fight poverty, if you train people, you fight poverty and that’s what they are doing here and I think we are ready to fight poverty.”

    Also speaking, the Director-General of the Institute, Josiah Habu, said the target of the research center was to bring reliability, quality, originality, innovation and novelty to research and development.

    He said the inauguration of the facilities had officially opened the gateway to a higher level of bioresources prospecting and processing to new products and services.

    Habu said: “For a start, the quest for the DNA of Nigeria crude oil will soon be answered, to enable tracking of Nigeria crude oil flow globally, hence solve national problem of economic sabotage.”

  • ‘Atiku fought Buhari tooth and nail’

    ‘Atiku fought Buhari tooth and nail’

    Ex-VP defends role 

    Former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar has been attacked for saying he has been sidelined by the President Muhammadu Buhari administration.

    He helped Buhari to get into office and got nothing in return, he has been quoted as saying.

    Former Deputy Director of the Buhari Presidential Campaign Council, Mallam Mohammed Lawal, yesterday dismissed Atiku’s claim, saying the former Vice – President  did not campaign for President Buhari in 2015.

    Besides, he did not contribute “anything” to the campaign, he said.

    Lawal, a director on the board of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), said Atiku remained bitter for losing the presidential ticket to Buhari.

    But the Atiku Media Office insisted that the former Vice-President did his best for the campaign after being sidelined initially.

    Lawal said: “We know that right from the time Buhari was sworn in, he started plotting to cause problem, to ensure that this administration does not succeed.

    “During the campaign, he granted an interview to BBC and said he was sure APC would not win the presidential election.

    “He was making preparations that if APC did not win, he will go back to PDP and get the ticket after ex-President Goodluck Jonathan’s projected exit in 2019.

    “Immediately after the presidential primaries, Atiku left the country. He did not come back. All along, while we were prosecuting the presidential campaign, Atiku was not in Nigeria. He did not participate in the presidential campaign.

    “After the presidential election, he came to congratulate President Muhammadu Buhari and left the country. He is  complaining now  that he was not contacted.”

    Atiku has said that he was “used and dumped”.

    This, Lawal said Atiku was not right with his claim.

    He added: “I served as a Deputy Director at the Presidential Campaign Council.

    “ I knew all the intrigues. He fought Buhari tooth and nail. He was extremely unhappy about the loss of presidential primaries.

    “He did not campaign for Buhari during the election. He even refused to contribute any money. He  promised to campaign and to contribute to the campaign. He did not contribute anything meaningful.

    “ Let him say how much he spent. How much did he claim he spent? Is his money more important than his appearance at the campaign? He spent all the  money he thinks he has to ensure that Buhari did not win.

    “People are not foolish. He told the BBC in 2015 that he was sure that Buhari was not going to win. So, will somebody who did not believe in the party’s candidate spend anything?”

    He insisted that Buhari has been fair to Atiku.

    “And out of magnanimity, Buhari’s first outing from Abuja, after winning the election, was to attend Atiku’s daughter’s wedding.

    “There are many  Atiku loyalists in this government and he is saying that he has been sidelined.  She (Women Affairs Minister Aisha Alhassan) and other Atiku loyalists were given appointment because of him. They know themselves. And Atiku is saying nothing has been given to him. At least the principal appointment given to Atiku went to Aisha as the Minister of Women Affairs.

    “To be candid with you, Atiku started fighting Buhari since 2015. They just came out now because they were choked up; they did not get any reaction from him. They thought he was  going to start fighting, abusing and dealing mercilessly with the opposition in government.”

    On the comments of the Minister of Women Affairs, Lawal said she ought to have resigned her appointment.

    He said: “When Atiku was having problem with ex-President Olusegun Obasanjo, did any of his boys attack Obasanjo? Why is she doing it now? If there is any political saint in this country, Buhari is number one. If there are other saints, Buhari is the most pious political saint in Nigeria.

    “If she is the daughter of Atiku, as she is claiming; if she is Mama Taraba, as she claims to be, let her resign and go and work for Atiku. Atiku is free to contest; she is free to campaign for anybody.

    “As for the President, he knew when she gave Aisha appointment that she is a political ally of Atiku and we were  not surprised.

    “We are in government; we know about their machinations, meetings in order to discredit this government.  It started  after the primaries and shortly after   the victory of President Muhammadu Buhari. We know what they have been planning underground. Recently it choked them because the President refused to answer or react to all their mischiefs.”

    Spokesman of the Atiku Media Office Mr. Paul Ibe, said yesterday that in spite of  Atiku not accorded the respect he deserved, the former Vice President worked “harder for Buhari’s victory.”

    He said: “Lawal was not in the position to say that Atiku did not contribute to Buhari’s campaign. Those in the position knew what transpired. It is not the truth. I remember that I was a Deputy Director in the Presidential Campaign Council.

    “The ex-Vice President contributed his resources, time, counsel, and ideas, including the media resources which played a crucial role. Even after the election, when the media team met with the President, he acknowledged the role of the media unit.

    “After the election, Atiku Media Office became the temporary shelter for the presidential campaign media personnel.”

    He added: “Atiku was not accorded the respect he deserves  as a major stakeholder during the campaign.

    “He was not even aware of the campaign itinerary. If you didn’t invite a leader for campaign, will you expect him to be there?

    ”When they realised what was happening, the Director-General of the Presidential Campaign Council, Rt. Hon. Rotimi Amaechi, went to the former Vice President who said he was being excluded and there was a promise that they would not sideline him.

    “By coincidence, we ( his aides) also went to meet with Atiku. We asked: ‘Are we to withdraw because you are being excluded,’ But Atiku told us: ‘You are on a historic national assignment; what you have started, you will finish.’

    “So, after the meeting with Amaechi, the ex-VP went full blast into the campaign. He said he did it in the best interest of Nigeria. It is not about Atiku; it is about Nigeria.

    “Everything Atiku said I stand by it.The ex-VP has not been plotting against this administration. He is a democrat who has been giving advice to make sure the government succeeds.”

  • Vigilante group re-strategises for community policing in Lagos

    Vigilante group re-strategises for community policing in Lagos

    Penultimate week, precisely December 27, 2016, the Lagos state Command of the Vigilante Group of Nigeria organised a one-day seminar on effective community policing at Ikeja with the aim of further strengthening the security machinery in the state, Oziegbe Okoeki reports on the seminar.

    Adequate security remains very vital to the socio-economic development of any people and society and community policing has come to be recognised as the very vital aspect of security and is being given adequate attention as paramount in the security machinery of any state. It is in furtherance of the need to ensure adequate security in Lagos, the economic nerve centre of the country, nay the sub-region that the Vigilante Group of Nigeria (VGN) recently organised a one-day seminar on effective community policing on.

    Adequate security remains very vital to the socio-economic development of any people and society and community policing has come to be recognised as very vital aspect of security and is being given adequate attention as paramount in the security machinery of any state. It is in furtherance of the need to ensure adequate security in Lagos, the economic nerve centre of the country, nay the sub-region that the Vigilante Group of Nigeria (VGN) recently organised a one-day seminar on effective community policing on waterways in some strategic parts of Lagos state.

    The summit with the theme, ‘Effective community policing’ was put together by the Lagos State command of the Vigilante Group of Nigeria (VGN) with the aim of developing a genuine partnership in support of community policing on waterways by engaging citizens in check-mating various criminal activities in Lagos State.

    james-udomaThe summit with the theme, ‘Effective community policing’ was put together by the Lagos State command of the Vigilante Group of Nigeria (VGN) with the aim of developing a genuine partnership in support of community policing on waterways by engaging citizens in check-mating various criminal activities in Lagos State.

    Underpinning the seminar is the understanding that it is only when the community and the police work together for their common good that the citizens can repose genuine confidence in the police and ensure adequate security.

    It was agreed at the one-day conference of the necessity of members of communities to provide the police with confidential information and assistance to help prevent crimes and arrest criminals.

    Speaking at the seminar, Lagos state commander of the VGN, Otunba James Udoma said as part of activities to reduce crime to the barest minimum in the State, residents in the riverine areas should cooperate with the security operatives, particularly, the Nigerian police, by constantly supplying pertinent information, as a way of enhancing crime surveillance.

    Udoma said one of the fundamental handicaps in pursuing criminal cases is the dearth of information gathering, following the arrest of suspects who are awaiting prosecution.

    The security boss, therefore, solicited for partnership between the vigilante group and members of the public emphasising that even in the area of traditional security approach issues of information gathering, reporting to the police cannot be compromised for reasons of promoting professional integrity and securing life and property.

    Speaking on the topic: ‘Effective policing in Lagos State’, Deputy State commander, Emmanuel Ayisere recounted a number of security challenges in the recent past in Lagos State.

    According to him, “for instance, some time ago at Olaofein in Magbon community, Ikorodu, many landlords who constituted themselves into vigilante group were shot and killed by people numbering about 50, as claimed by residents.”

    He also disclosed that high profile bank robbery incidents in Lekki, Ikorodu, Festac Town and Agbara respectively were all launched through the water ways.

    While regretting that a traditional ruler of Iba town, Oba Yisau Goriola was kidnapped from his palace and the kidnappers escaped through the creeks behind his palace, he added that several other attacks, which included kidnapping and robbery at Igando also took place with casualties and the gunmen escaped through the water ways.

    He also reminded of another occurrence which took place in Epe where pupils and teachers were kidnapped and the criminals escaped through the canal.

    The guest lecturer at the occasion who is also the Chairman, Police Community Relations Committee (PCRC) Alimosho area, Prince Micheal Taiwo said that knowledge of the locality and the different terrain involved was paramount in conventional policing to serve the communities better and effectively. Adding that  community policing involves genuine human relations, professional orientation and a better understanding of the people in the domiciled area.

    While cautioning members of the VGN not to see themselves as an agent of destruction in the course of carrying out their legitimate functions, Taiwo told the participants at the occasion to beware of manufacturing of evidence as information provided by informants.

    In his contribution, a Marine expert, Dr Akin Obe said occurrences of kidnapping and killing in the riverine areas in Lagos in recent times can be controlled when authorities of the Lagos state government collaborate with the grassroots in the area of information, intelligence gathering and reporting to assist the law enforcement agencies in tackling crimes.

    The conference also discussed no fewer than one hundred and fifty cases of treated criminal occurrences in the last six months in different communities, particularly the riverine areas in Lagos State.

    The participants left the seminar better informed and equipped to carry out their functions and duties as vigilantes/community police.

    It would be recalled that recently, the Commandant General of the Vigilante Group of Nigeria (VGN) Alhaji Ali Sokoto led an entourage of some members of VGN on a courtesy visit to the Abeokuta Villa of former President Olusegun Obasanjo to intimate him of activities of the group nationwide and Obasanjo acquiesced that the enlistment of the paramilitary organisation into the security apparatus of the country is long overdue.

    He, however, advised VGN to be conscious of human rights issues in all its activities and that they must not see themselves as a parallel to the Nigeria police or try to take over their functions in the attempt to secure the nation.

    Obasanjo applauded the activities of the organisation in the area of community policing and urged them to redouble their efforts in combating the menace of armed robbery and kidnapping in different parts of the country. And that they must display professional excellence and engage members in training and retraining in the course of discharging their duties.

  • Taekwondo Federation honours Obasanjo, Dalung, others

    Taekwondo Federation honours Obasanjo, Dalung, others

    Former President Olusegun Obasanjo, Minister of Youth and Sports, Solomon Dalung and retired Lt.-Gen. Inuwa Wushishi are to be honoured by the Nigeria Taekwondo Federation.

    The award is part of activities lined up by the federation to mark the 2016 edition of the annual Korean Ambassador’s Taekwondo Championship, slated for Dec. 8 to Dec. 10 in Lagos.

    The President of the federation, George Ashiru, said in a statement on Tuesday that the championship would be used to mark the 30th anniversary of the body.

    He said that the recipients were being honoured for their immense contributions to the growth of the federation.

    Ashiru said that the event, sponsored by the Korean Cultural Centre, would hold at the Molade Okoya Thomas Hall at the Teslim Balogun Stadium, Surulere.

    According to him, the event is geared toward boosting sports development and bilateral relations between Nigeria and South Korea.

    “It is noteworthy that this is the 30th year of establishing the Taekwondo Federation in Nigeria. It was formed in 1986 and inaugurated in 1987.

    “We are giving out awards in recognition of the people who have in one way or the other supported the Nigeria Taekwondo Federation tactically, politically and materially.

    “These Nigerians will be honoured during the competition holding between Dec.8 and Dec. 10 for uplifting the sport in Nigeria.

    “Former President Olusegun Obasanjo incepted the training of taekwondo in the National Library, he personally supports, visits and enrolled his grand children.

    “The minister for sports for second time in a row will be physically present at the event and deserves special recognition.”

    Ashiru explained that the history of taekwondo would never be complete without the mention of Inuwa Wushishi, who used his good office as the Chief of Army staff to propagate taekwondo in the Nigerian Army.

    “We will like to honour the gentleman, who signed the bilateral agreement that brought in the first set of Korean instructors officially to Nigeria when he was the chief of army staff.

    “One of the two instructors brought in by Wushishi later became the first national coach, who took the pioneer national team to the All Africa Games in 1987 which I was part of.

    “We think it’s time, 30 years after, for the federation to remember the man that started taekwondo in the Nigerian Army, which the army is now benefiting from.”

    Ashiru disclosed that all the awardees had confirmed that they would be present to receive their awards.