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Tag: probe

  • Boko Haram bloodbath: Jonathan orders probe

    Boko Haram bloodbath: Jonathan orders probe

    How 185 died, by residents 

    UN shocked at casualties

     

    With 185 dead in fighting between the Joint Task Force (JTF) and Boko Haram insurgents at the weekend, the crisis may have recorded its biggest casualty this year.

    President Goodluck Jonathan has ordered a probe into the incident.

    Official sources doubted yesterday the figure, which was given by residents of Baga, the scene of the bloodshed in Kukawa Local Government Area of Borno State.

    UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon voiced shock and sadness at the blodbath.

    “The Secretary-General reiterates his firm conviction that no objective sought can justify this resort to violence,” Mr. Ban’s spokesperson said in a statement.

    “He expresses his condolences to the bereaved families and calls on all extremist groups to cease their attacks.”

    Mr. Ban “underscores the need for all concerned to fully respect human rights and safeguard the lives of civilians,” the Secretary-General’s statement added.

    Baga is a fishing town on the shore of Lake Chad adjacent to the Chadian border.

    Most of those killed were said to be women and children.

    About 2000 houses and more than 50 motorcycles were burnt in the commercial town, which is close to the desert.

    No fewer that 186 people were killed in coordinated attacks by Boko Haram fighters in Kano in January, last year.

    The Federal Government has demanded a comprehensive brief from the Commander of the Task Force in Borno State, Brig.-General Austin Edokpaye.

    A source said: “Security reports have so far indicated heavy fighting between the JTF and Boko Haram between Friday night and Saturday.

    “But it is difficult to say exactly the casualty figure. What we have now is conflicting death toll. While some of the locals are claiming 185, others are saying it might likely be below 100.

    “There were also reports that many old men, women and children were killed in the attack, allegedly sparked by the combing of Baga.

    “There was an intelligence report of a likely overrun of the town by Boko Haram and the JTF moved in to reclaim the area.

    “The coming of the JTF was resisted by Boko Haram, leading to heavy fighting all through Friday night and Saturday.”

    “The JTF’s action was part of moves to reclaim 10 local government areas in Borno State.”

    The 10 grounded local government areas are: Marte, Magumeri, Mobbar, Gubio, Guzamala, Abadamin, Kukawa, Kaga, Nganzai and Monguno.

    A delegation from the state government visited the town on Sunday in the aftermath of the fighting, and a community representative put the death toll at 185, Borno spokesman Umar Gusau said by telephone.

    “We are investigating,” he said. “For now, we don’t have a very good basis for the figure. These people say they have died and they have buried them. From my experience, most times residents exaggerate figures.”

    He added that since the town had already buried the victims, it had been impossible for authorities to count the bodies.

    Authorities were questioning residents about family members who had died to try to estimate the death toll, he said.

    Task Force spokesman Sagir Musa also expressed skepticism about the reported toll.

    “There was a clash between the Boko Haram terrorists and the JTF but what I can tell you is that the death toll was terribly inflated,” he said by telephone.

    The fighting in Baga began Friday and lasted for hours, sending people fleeing into the arid scrublands surrounding the community on Lake Chad. By Sunday, when government officials finally felt safe enough to see the destruction, homes, businesses and vehicles burnt.

    Authorities had found and buried at least 185 bodies as of Sunday afternoon, said Lawan Kole, a local government official in Baga. He spoke haltingly to Borno State Governor Kashim Shettima in Kanuri language.

    Officials could not offer a breakdown of civilian casualties versus those of soldiers and extremist fighters. Many of the bodies had been burned beyond recognition in fires that razed whole sections of the town, residents said. Those killed were buried as soon as possible, following Muslim tradition.

    Brig.-Gen. Austin Edokpaye, also on the visit, did not dispute the casualty figures. Gen. Edokpaye said Boko Haram extremists used heavy machine guns and rocket-propelled grenades in the assault, which began after soldiers surrounded a mosque they believed housed members of the radical Islamic extremist network Boko Haram. Extremists earlier had killed a military officer, the general said.

    Gen. Edokpaye said extremists used civilians as human shields during the fighting – implying that soldiers opened fire in neighborhoods where they knew civilians lived.

    “When we reinforced and returned to the scene the terrorists came out with heavy firepower, including rocket-propelled grenades, which usually has a conflagration effect,” the general said.

    However, local residents who spoke to an Associated Press journalist who accompanied the state officials said soldiers purposefully set the fires during the attack. Violence by security forces in the northeast targeting civilians has been widely documented by journalists and human rights activists. A similar raid in Maiduguri, Borno State’s capital, in last October after extremists killed a military officer saw soldiers kill at least 30 civilians and set fires across a neighborhood.

    Sunday afternoon, the burnt bodies of cattle and goats still filled the streets in Baga. Bullet holes marred burned buildings. Fearful residents of the town had begun packing to leave with their remaining family members before nightfall, despite Shettima’s plea for them to stay.

    “Everyone has been in the bush since Friday night; we started returning back to town because the governor came to town today,” grocer Bashir Isa said. “To get food to eat in the town now is a problem because even the markets are burnt. We are still picking bodies of women and children in the bush and creeks.”

    Boko Haram, which means “Western education is sacrilege” in the Hausa language, wants its imprisoned members freed and Nigeria to adopt strict Shariah law. A committee has been set up to initiate dialogue with the sect as a prelude to granting its members amnesty. Boko Haram’s leader Abubakar Shekau has dismissed the idea.

     

  • Agbaso: Imo CJ to inaugurate probe panel tomorrow

    The Chief Judge of Imo State, Justice Benjamin Njemanze, will tomorrow inaugurate a panel of enquiry to probe allegations of misconduct against Deputy Governor Jude Agbaso.

    He constituted the seven-man panel at the request of the House of Assembly Speaker Ben Uwajumogu, in line with Section 188 (5) of the 1999 Constitution.

    In a statement, Justice Njemanze said the inauguration would hold at the Court Hall of the Chief Judge by 9am.

    Members are Justice G. C Ihekire (Chairman), Vin Onyeka, Egonu Mere, Humphrey Ajaelu, Mrs Cecelia Oladimeji, James Nze and Okparaku Nwarie.

    The CJ said he received a letter from the Speaker on March 13, to which was attached a notice of impeachment and articles of misconduct against Agbaso.

    The particulars of alleged misconduct, the CJ said, stated that Agbaso told the Special Ad-Hoc Committee investigating the causes of stoppage/abandonment of work in some municipal roads that he never had dealings or telephone conversation with Joseph Dina of JPROS International Nig. Ltd between February and June last year.

    The claim, the House said, “were false and intended to cover your private/underground dealings with Joseph Dina, which amounts to gross misconduct in the performance of your duties as the deputy governor.”

    It was also alleged that Agbaso, with intent to enrich himself, caused Dina to transfer N458million in two installments in two bank accounts, promising to award him two 15 kilometres of road in the state rural roads construction programme.

    This, the House alleged, “led to the abandonment of the execution of the contract by the contractor for lack of funds when you were unable to award the said contracts to Messrs JPROS International Nig. Ltd.

    “This conduct amounts to gross misconduct in the performance of your duty as a deputy governor and commissioner for works and transport.”

    It was further alleged that Agbaso received a special drink named “Blue Label (Porsche Design)” from Dina in the deputy governor’s house at MCC Road, last February.

    The House alleged that the gift had the effect of preventing Agbaso from exercising due diligence on the payment and insisting on proper execution of the contract.

    The lawmakers added that Agbaso, knowing that “Governor’s approval” means “approval and release” of money to the contractor, failed to ensure that JPROS earned necessary certificates of payment of the re-negotiated contract price of N1.5billion.

    The deputy governor, the House alleged, “failed, refused and neglected to take reasonable steps to prevent the release of N1.15 billion upon the endorsement of Governor’s approval to your office as Commissioner for Works and Transport knowing that the contractor has not made the state to lose money, which amounts to gross misconduct in the performance of his duty.”

    But Agbaso denied the allegations.

    He told reporters that his indictment was politically-motivated.

    He said: “At no time did the contractor, Joseph Dina of JPRO, pay me N458 million.

    “JPRO is the contractor working on the present Sam Mbakwe road.

    “I never knew the construction company or its owners.

    “The company was introduced to the state by Governor Rochas Okorocha, who approved a contract of N1.5billion.

    “Since they said the money had been paid to the bank, I think the onus is to call on investigative agents to trace the payment. N458million is not N458, 000 and it cannot vanish into thin air.

    “They should look for the money there (in the account the contractor claimed he paid to).

    “It must be there. If it is not there, they can track the money. It can be traced to the last account that it went into.

    “With forensics, they can trace the money into the pockets of those who took it. But my dear people of Imo State, I state here one more time, I never asked for the money, I never received the money and I do not have any thing to do with it.”

  • Firm seeks probe of commissioner’s certificate claims

    A Calabar law firm, Okimasi Ojong & Co, has petitioned Cross River State Governor Liyel Imoke, demanding an investigation into the certificates the Commissioner for Information, Akin Ricketts, claimed to have received.

    In a March 5 petition, the firm, which said it was acting on behalf of Abubakar Efoli of Yakurr Local Government Area, said an investigation is necessary because it has evidence that the certificates being paraded by Ricketts may have been forged.

    According to the petition, the Institute of Mass Communication Technology, Plateau State, from where the commissioner claimed to have obtained his National Diploma and Higher National Diploma does not exist.

    “Akin A. Ricketts as a public servant did not graduate nor did he attend any school as he claimed during his screening and credential submission.

    “He claimed to have graduated from the Institute of Mass Communication Technology, Jos with a Diploma and Higher National Diploma in 1986-1989 as contained in his attached credentials.

    “This prompted immediate investigation wherein the Plateau State Government through the Ministry of Education quickly refuted his claim by a replied letter dated March 1.”

    “In the letter attached to the petition, the Plateau State Ministry of Education claims no such institute exists in the state.”

    The petitioner also challenged Ricketts to present his National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) discharge certificate or an exemption letter.

    The firm also wants the riddle surrounding the secondary school the commissioner purports to have attended resolved.

    “This is because the commissioner claims to have attended Akpor Grammar School, Port Harcourt, Rivers State but his name was not found in any of the school’s documents.

    “The commissioner also claimed to have been born in 1964 and said he finished his primary school education in 1968, when he should have been barely four years old.”

    The petitioner also said the Uwie Primary School Port Harcourt, the Commissioner purports to have attended does not even exist.

  • Group urges probe of abandoned federal road

    The Federal Government has been urged to probe the multi-billion naira Maiduguri -Dikwa-Ngala 141km road that has been abandoned by contractors.

    The project, awarded years ago, was reportedly abandoned by the contractors after collecting mobilisation fee.

    Speaking yesterday at a news conference in Abuja, a group, the Borno League for Professionals (BLP), said the non-execution of the contract has increased economic hardship in the state. The road links Chad and Niger with Borno State.

    Chairman of BLP Modu Bukar Ngala and Secretary Abba Shuaibu said it was regrettable that after billions of tax payers’ money, the project was abandoned.

    “Government should deal with economic saboteurs, whose activities to put Borno at a disadvantage, have continued.

    “This is the same way the 160km Maiduguri-Gajiran-Monguno-Kukawa road project is being abandoned. The Borno State Ministry of Religious Affairs complex contract has been abandoned after mobilisation fee was paid.

    “These projects have the capacity to impact positively on the lives of the citizenry in Borno State and contribute to the state’s development.The Federal Government should instruct the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to investigate the details of these contracts, which we believe have deprived tax payers of their benefits.”

  • OSSAP-SDGs office not under probe – Official

    OSSAP-SDGs office not under probe – Official

    The Office of the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Sustainable Development Goals, OSSAP-SDGs says it is not under probe by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

    The Head, Communications, OSSA-SDGs, Mr Rotimi Ajayi, said  this in a statement in Abuja.

    According to him, the office only  received a letter from the EFCC asking it to provide information on some of the contractors that have executed contracts for it in some parts of the country, which does not amount to an indictment.

    “In support of the anti-corruption stance of His Excellency, President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration, the Office will comply with the requests as it will also be interested in the outcome of the findings.

    “Indeed, we can boldly say that OSSAP-SDGs have been exonerated after similar routine checks in the past.

    ” The fact is that OSSAP-SDGs cannot stop the EFCC or any other agency from carrying out its statutory responsibility and just like other agencies, we have a duty of cooperating with it in the discharge of such functions.”

    “However, OSSAP-SDGs will like to alert the media to be mindful of those who may want to deploy their medium for media trial, mudsling and smear campaign without minding the legal consequences.” Ajayi said.

    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the OSSA-SDG has the mandate to implement the 2030 UN sustainable development goals which Nigeria is a signitary to.

    (NAN) (www.nannews.ng)

  • Okorocha may stop Ohakim probe

    Imo State Governor Rochas Okorocha may stop the investigation into the administration of his predecessor, Ikedi Ohakim, it was gathered yesterday.

    Okorocha, sources said, may have bowed to pressure from concerned Imo citizens, who indicted the probe committee investigating Ohakim.

    They said the group of citizens told the governor to concentrate on providing good leadership and governance, instead of wasting the state’s resources.

    But another source said Okorocha, after a thorough assessment of the facts and figures available, decided to jettison the idea due to lack of evidence.

    He said: “The frenzied agitation that greeted the pronouncement of the probe by the governor was beginning to distract the government.”

    But another source said Okorocha backed off after the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) gave Ohakim a clean bill of health when he presented his handover note, which contained details of his financial dealings and funds left in the state’s treasury.

    When contacted, Commissioner for Information Chinedu Offor described the insinuation as mere falsehood fabricated by those who were not comfortable with the probe.

    According to him, “the probe committee will complete its job and submit its report with recommendations.

    “No amount of intimidation or wishful thinking or blackmail will stop the committee from doing its job fairly and lawfully.”

  • Okorocha, Ohakim and Imo probe fever

    Okorocha, Ohakim and Imo probe fever

    Recently, Governor Rochas Okorocha set up some probe panels to look at the books of former Governor Ikedi Ohakim’s administration. Since then the crossfire has become more intense by the day, reports Okodili Ndidi in Owerri

    Two years into Governor Rochas Okorocha’s administration, just when everybody, especially the opposition, has gone to sleep after licking the wounds of the last elections, when the political scene was almost healed of the bruises caused by power shift in the state, the war drum has been sounded for another fierce battle, and the state is suddenly agog with cry of justice, spurred by vengeful anger.

    The governor, who had resisted earlier calls and pressure to probe his predecessor, suddenly okayed an intensive probe of all financial dealings of the immediate past administration, with a view to putting the past governor and other indicted government officials, to trial.

    Much as this move has been applauded and condemned, depending on the side of the divide the analysts belong, some questions have remained pertinent: What is the state government set to achieve with the probe? Can the government remain focused while the probe lasts? Does it have the political will to take the fight to an end? Will it not via off the rescue mission track and at the end will the state be better for it?

    However, given the clamour and widespread agitation by Imo people for a probe of the Ikedi Ohakim’s administration, the state government, apparently like every other responsible institution, has little or no choice than to concede to the demands of the people and punish those that allegedly impoverished the state.

    Although Ohakim and his team appeared not to be troubled by the brewing storm, The Nation’s findings revealed that political associates and close friends of the ex-governor are warming up for a possible showdown with the state government, dusting files and searching for possible loopholes in the financial dealings of the current administration that it can leverage on.

    In the last two months, more than four groups, including professional bodies, have joined the call for the probe of the previous administration. While some of them hinged their agitation on the need to punish offenders and thereby entrench accountability in public service, others were merely pursuing vendetta. The situation reveals that for a long time to come, the political scene will be dominated by the politics of probe.

    Already, the state government has set up three probe panels, aside from the Accounts Reconciliation Committee headed by the deputy governor, Sir Jude Agbaso, to look into the financial dealings of the previous administration.

    But addressing members of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) recently during a rally in the state, Ohakim told a mammoth crowd of supporters that he was not afraid of the plan by the state government to probe his tenure in office. He insisted that due process was religiously followed in all financial dealings during his tenure.

    However, his claim was contradicted by the first report submitted by the Accounts Reconciliation Committee, which said that the Ohakim-led administration allegedly spent over N62 billion on ‘dubious’ transactions and non- existent projects.

    The committee revealed that the same administration and the local governments received a total of N420, 215,108,265 during its tenure in addition to N18.5 billion bond proceeds out of which N5.1 billion was utilized.

    The 23-page report also sighted discrepancy in N1.594 billion JAAC proceeds to the LGAs, payment of N1.1 billion to DDB under various vouchers, N110 million and N414,555,608.55 to the same company and transfer of N6.514,550,000 from Skye Bank to Zenith Bank  Plc.

    The report, however, noted that the only projects credited to the Ohakim-led administration, were the new governor’s office building, Governor’s Lodge Abuja, uncompleted Ahiajoku Convention Centre and the uncompleted traditional rulers’ parliament.

    Also backing the call for the probe is the State House of Assembly. The Speaker, Rt. Hon Benjamin Uwajumogu, said the move will sanitise the polity and deter others from plundering state resources.

    However, a media assistant to the former governor, Dr Ethelbert Okere, described the composition of the committee and its report as ridiculous. ‘In less than 24 hours after Okorocha announced the setting up of three judicial panels to probe his predecessor, he released a report indicting the same fellow he wants the panel to probe”.

    He added, “It is a clear insult to the eminent jurists heading those panels. The governor was merely telling them to go and rubber stamp what he has just released. We wait and see if those respected judges will take such an insult and go ahead with that assignment,” he said.

    In the last few weeks, several groups have called for Ohakim’s probe. One of such groups was the National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW), which barricaded all major roads in the state capital in solidarity for the ongoing probe. Following in a quick succession was the Joint Action Group (JAG). This group made up of artisans and market women, gave Okorocha an ultimatum to probe Ohakim or risk mass revolution.

    Describing the activity as another wild goose chase, a political analyst, Nze John Ufomba, noted that, “out of all the past corrupt leaders in the country who were purportedly probed, how many of them were convicted? The case of Imo won’t be an exemption. The governor should concentrate on the duty of rescuing the state from years of wanton embezzlement.

    According to him, ‘some of those calling for the head of Ohakim, are on a course of vengeance, most of them were denied contracts or other forms of government patronages.’

    Although startling and mind-boggling fraud have already been allegedly unearthed by some of the probe committees in their preliminary findings, Ohakim’s foot soldiers are still stuck to their guns as they battle frantically to exonerate their principal, by harping on alleged short comings of Okorocha’s administration.

    Recently, in what appeared like the case of the hunter becoming the hunted, Okorocha’s Commissioner for Finance and the State Accountant General, were recently arrested by the EFCC for an alleged N40 billion  scam, a situation that helped Ohakim’s sympathisers to sustain the pressure.

    In his comment, the South-East Zonal Chairman of Campaign for Democracy (CD), Uzor A Uzor, doubted if the probe would yield positive result. He argued that such probes in other states of the federation, were merely a waste of time and resources as those indicted are still walking the streets, flaunting their ill-gotten wealth.

    He however said if the governor wants to continue with the probe, ‘he should extend it to the tenure of Chief Achike Udenwa’s wasteful eight years, where over N600 billion  was collected from the federal allocation with nothing to show for it.’

    The Acting National President of the Civil Liberties Organisation (CLO), Comrade Uche Durueke, said, “although on assumption of office, Okorocha said he was not going to probe Ohakim, but I don’t have anything against the probe, but I think he is probing him because of the various petitions against the state government by the Association of Local Government of Nigeria (ALGON), over the Local Government Allocation, but it was not wrong because the people have the right to know how their resources are spent”.

    Durueke, however, insisted that, the “probe should not be turned into witch hunting. Ohakim should be given the opportunity of fair hearing”.

    Imo State Secretary of ALGON, Hon Enyinna Onuegbu, however, alleged that “ the probe was only aimed at beclouding the ongoing EFCC investigation over the large scale misappropriation of Imo LGA funds since 2011 till date, which is over N90 billion”.

    As the crossfire continues, observers said it is part of the unfolding political under-currents that will characterize the politics of 2015 in in Imo State. Observers also say will ultimately clip Ohakim’s political wings and those of his associates.

     

  • Lawmakers to probe dumping of bodies in Ezu River

    Lawmakers to probe dumping of bodies in Ezu River

    The Senate yesterday asked its joint Committee on Police Affairs, Security and Intelligence to conduct in-depth investigation into the circumstances surrounding the dumping of bodies in Ezu River in Anambra State.

    This followed the adoption of a motion, entitled: ‘Strange dead bodies found in Ezu River of Anambra State’, sponsored by Senator Andy Uba, (Anambra South)

    Senators expressed indignation over the incident and said the identities of the victims must be established.

    Uba noted that in the early hours of January 19, some villagers of Amansea community in Awka North Local Government Area of Anambra State witnessed one of the most horrifying sights in the history of the community when they found 30 bodies, mostly males, floating on the Ezu River.

    He said he was worried that between January 23 and 24, four more bodies were discovered floating on the river.

    Uba noted that he is concerned that “even as we speak, no explanation has been proffered as to the possible origin of the bodies.”

    He said he is worried that the autopsy ordered by the Anambra and Enugu state governments has yielded no report.

    He said he is also worried that the Ezu River, being the only source of water for domestic and other uses for the people of the five communities of Anambra State, namely- Amansea, Ebenebe, Ugbenu, Ugbene and Oba-Ofemili as well as other communities in Enugu State, has been polluted and has caused a lot of discomfort and hardship to the people of Anambra and other affected communities.

    Uba said he is further concerned that the river in its polluted state may trigger an epidemic in the adjoining communities to the river in the two states.

    Senate President David Mark noted that the incident deserved the attention of the Senate.

    He said: “It is curious, it is disturbing that up till now not one community in this country has come to report that it can’t find one person.

    “I am worried that 30 human bodies were found on a river. No community has reported a case of missing person.

  • SURE-P probe in troubled water

    SURE-P probe in troubled water

    Six federal ministers, among whom were the Minister of Finance, Mrs. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala; Minister of Petroleum Resources, Mrs. Diezani Alison-Madueke; Minister of Transportation, Mr. Abdullahi Umar; Minister of Health, Prof. Onyebuchi Chukwu; and Minister of Niger Delta, Mr. Godsday Orubebe, were reported to have shunned an investigative hearing into the implementation of the Federal Government’s Subsidy Re-Investment Programme (SURE-P) being conducted by the House of Representatives. Others who shunned the hearing were the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) governor, Mallam Sanusi Lamido Sanusi; the Minister of Labour and Productivity, Mr. Emeka Worgu; and the Accountant-General of the Federation (AGF), Jonah Otunla. It will be recalled that the House of Representatives had on November 15, 2012, mandated the committees on Petroleum Resources (Downstream ), Finance, and States and Local Government to investigate the implementation of SURE-P.

    Mr. Dakuku Peterside, lead chairman of the probe panel, angrily accused the ministers of knowingly undermining the investigation. “This is a deliberate decision of the ministers not to honour the invitation of the House,” he fumed, before postponing the session to February 12. It is not clear whether the absent ministers will find the humility to honour the invitation when the hearing resumes. While only a few of the heads of agencies invited to the hearing bothered to send representatives, the rest did not even offer explanations for their absence. The Petroleum minister, said an aide, was yet to fully resume work from leave, as if that was a sufficient mitigation. There will be many more of such provocative affronts in the coming months, as the National Assembly steps up its oversight responsibilities.

    But few Nigerians are actually surprised that the legislature is often and openly disrespected. Right from the presidency of Chief Olusegun Obasanjo, when the culture of subverting the legislature took root, the upper and lower chambers had been periodically destabilised by a meddlesome government obsessed with controlling or at least influencing legislative functions, in addition to its primary executive functions. The presidency’s disguised contempt for the legislature naturally rubbed off on many government ministers and appointees, some of whom, like the former Federal Capital City (FCT) minister, Mallam Nasir el-Rufai, openly insulted the legislature and accused them of seeking gratification to do their oversight job.

    Admittedly, the National Assembly has itself not helped matters. Apart from sometimes indulging in unhealthy and questionable interactions with ministries, agencies and departments, some of which had backfired even in the recent past, the legislature also gives the impression it does not know where its powers end and those of the executive begin. Legislators have sometimes called for the sack of ministers or attempted to cajole the presidency in matters that lie exclusively within the purview of executive responsibility.

    Yet, no misinterpretation of powers or misconception of power boundaries justifies the absence of anyone one, not to talk of ministers, invited to any legislative hearing. It appears that the ministers’ deplorable behavior is a reflection of the presidency’s own condescending view of the legislature. Only recently, a few ministers voiced their frustrations with being frequently summoned by the legislature to answer one question or the other. They were too busy to be tied down to answering questions, they said in obvious indication of their limited understanding of democracy and its dynamics. Indeed, if the executive had treated the legislature with the respect the constitution envisages and our democracy demands and deserves, it is unlikely the ministers would show such appalling disrespect and ignorance. For in the end, Nigerian democracy will not be served if those in authority continue to manifest the kind of abhorrent behavior the six ministers showed on Tuesday.

    Both the presidency and the National Assembly must recognize that a problem exists in their relationship, just as it exists between the executive branch in the states and the Houses of Assembly. This misunderstanding is potent enough to either undermine democracy or at least stultify it. They, therefore, have a responsibility to mend fences and create fora where both parties to the misunderstanding can be enlightened. Yet, no matter how sometimes misguided the legislature may be in interpreting its powers, ministers have absolutely no right to openly disrespect the legislature, let alone ridicule it both in words and by their absence. For that would mean not only undermining institutions upon which our democracy is built, but also their own legitimacy as cabinet members. Ministers can’t claim not to have this elementary understanding.

  • Anambra community urges probe of leader’s death

    The assassination of Chief Bernard Mozie, a former chairman of Ububa Nkpor community, Idemili North Local Government Area of Anambra State, is generating tension in the community.

    Various stakeholders – including the council chairman, Chief Ralph Nnabuife; a non-governmental organisation (NGO), Nkpor Agenda; and the Ububa community – are asking the police to produce the killers.

    Nnabuife urged the police to intensify their investigation to unravel the circumstances that led to the assassination of the late Mozie in his home in Ububa.

    The chairman of Nkpor Agenda, Mr. Christopher Ogham, advised the police to ensure a thorough investigation to apprehend the perpetrators.

    Ogham noted that to prevent a recurrence, the bereaved family, in conjunction with the community, have started what he called overt and covert consultations.

    Mozie was killed in his home at Nkpor few days before the alleged killed of a journalist, Ikechukwu Udendu, the Editor of Anambra News, in the same community.

    The Ogidi Divisional Police Officer (DPO) Mr. Kanayo Uzuegbu said the matter has been transferred to the State Investigation and Intelligent Bureau (SIIB), Awka, the state capital, for further investigation.