The Nation Newspaper

Tag: threat

  • Imo APC ticket: I won’t succumb to threat, Nwosu tells NWC

    Former Chief of Staff to Imo State Governor, Mr Uche Nwosu, has said the threat by the National Working Committee (NWC) to aggrieved members of the All Progressives Congress (APC) to withdraw their suits or face sanctions amounts to arm-twisting.

    The APC NWC had threatened to sanction members who took the party to court over the fallout of the just-concluded primaries, if they refused to withdraw the suits.

    But Nwosu, who said he won the October 6 governorship primary, insisted that the threat of sanction would not stop him from pursuing the matter to a logical conclusion and reclaim his mandate.

    The APC chieftain insisted that before heading to court as the authentic APC governorship candidate in Imo State, he had made efforts to resolve the crisis with the party’s leadership through internal mechanism to no avail.

    Nwosu said he wrote several letters to National Chairman Adams Oshiomhole with the hope of bringing him to resolve the matter at the early stage but was rebuffed.

    The APC chieftain said he discovered that the Chairman of the APC Primary Election Committee, Ahmed Gulak, was allegedly assigned to deliver a certain aspirant.

    According to him, he raised the alarm through a letter to Oshiomhole but was ignored.

    He said: “It is unfortunate that the National Chairman of our party is just waking up now after causing the trouble. He had all the time to resolve the issue before now but refused to do so. In line with the constitution of the party, I exhausted all avenues to have my matter resolved, using internal mechanism, but nobody came to my aid.

    “I personally wrote three letters to the National Chairman and I have the acknowledgment, but he never responded to any of the letters.

    “My first letter was to inform that Ahmed Gulak was not coming to conduct a primary in Imo State, that he was coming to impose a certain aspirant. But he snubbed me. The second was to complain about how Gulak absconded to Abuja to announce a fake result; still, he didn’t respond. The last one was to tell him not to substitute my name as the winner of the governorship primary.

    “All the letters were never considered by the National Chairman, who substituted my name. He had a lot of time to resolve the issue, but he did nothing. Now that I am in court, I will pursue my matter to a logical conclusion and reclaim my stolen mandate. No amount of threat will make me abandon my mandate.”

     

  • Democracy under threat, say Southern, Middle Belt forum chiefs

    Some Southern Nigeria and Middle Belt Leaders yesterday expressed worries over recent happenings in the country and warned that the country’s democracy is under threat.

    The leaders condemned the payment without the National Assembly’s approval of $496 million to the United States government for the purchase of Tucano aircraft by President Muhammadu Buhari which they described as a violation of the constitution.

    The leaders argued that the Nigerian Constitution is clear on how the executive can spend funds. They also alleged that it was wrong for the executive to have approved the fund before approaching the National Assembly.

    They called on the United States Government to return the money paid for the fighter jets to the country.

    Besides, the leaders who met in Abuja yesterday described the invasion of the senate chamber by some hoodlums as a national disgrace.

    The group also backed the call by a former Chief of Army Staff, Lt. Gen. Theophilus Danjuma, asking Nigerians to defend themselves against herdsmen invasion.

    The leaders of the various group at the meeting are: Chief Edwin K Clark, PANDEF Leader, Chief Ayo Adebanjo, Afenifere Leader, Chief John Nnia Nwodo, President General, Ohanaeze and  Dr Bala TakayaPresident, Middle Belt Forum.

    Also in attendance were Chief Olu Falae, Dr. Olusegun Mimiko, Air Commodore Dan Suleiman, Senator Chris Anyanwu and Senator Jonah Jang.

    Also at the meeting were: Dr. Obadiah Mailafia, Chukwuemeka Ezeife, Col. Tony Nyiam, Femi Okunrunmu, Kayode Ajulo, Supo Shonibare, Yinka Odumakin among others.

    The also urged the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to drop the idea of creating new polling units ahead of the 2019 general elections.

    Nwodo read the text of at the end of the meeting which lasted over four hours.

    The comuniques said:  ”Section 80 (3) and (4) of the 1999 Constitution is very clear on how the President could spend Nigerian’s fund. The provision states; “No moneys shall be withdrawn from the Consolidated Revenue Fund or any other public fund of the Federation, except in the manner prescribed by the National Assembly.

    ”As it is, the President has violated the provision of the highest law in the land.

    ”Nigeria is a Republic founded on rule of law, where each arm of government is bound to be guided by the dictates of the constitution, this flagrant violation and unapproved spending must be abated as well as sanctioned.

    ”We therefore call on the National Assembly to do the needful as well as call on the United States Government to return the money paid to its treasury as the money paid is not authorized.”

    They urged the security agencies to investigate and bring to book those behind the “national shame” of the invasion of the senate chamber.

    On the issue of security, the group endorsed the call for self-defence by Gen. TY Danjuma, saying it is the right call in the face of the spade of attacks by thehers men across the country.

    The continuous spate of killing of innocent citizens of Nigeria especially from the Middle Belt, is totally unacceptable. More disturbing is the ever increasing evidence that our Military and Police Forces are compromised in the manner they have conducted themselves by aiding and abetting the herdsmen.

    “In the circumstance, we are left with no alternative than to call on Nigerians to employ self-defence, self-defence as permissible in law when any citizen is faced with the risk of imminent death in the circumstances we find ourselves now.

    Nigerians Must Self Defend Themselves Now

    “We also call on the Police Service Commission to immediately deploy Divisional Police Officers (DPOs) to their places of origin for a more effective policing, while we await State Police.”

    On the alleged creation of 30,000 polling units by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) the group asked the commission “to conduct the 2019 elections on the basis of the existing polling units so that the exercise will be credible and the outcome acceptable.

    ”The only exception that can be granted is for the polling units where there are about 1,500 voters at present for instance to be split into three while they are all attached to the mother polling unit.”

    INEC has already dismissed the insinuation that it is planning to create 30,000 polling units

  • NUPENG vows to shutdown sector over sack threat

    NUPENG vows to shutdown sector over sack threat

    Nigeria Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG) has warned that it will shut the oil sector if the Depot and Petroleum Products Marketers Association of Nigeria (DAPPMAN) sacks its members as threatened in a recent ultimatum to the Federal Government.

    The marketers have given the government a 14-day ultimatum to settle the N650 billion debt allegedly owed its members.

    In a statement by its Executive Secretary, Olufemi Adewole, DAPPMAN said if the government failed to meet the deadline, it would direct its members to shut all the depots the NNPC uses to store imported products as well as disengage their over 10,000 workers.

    However, NUPENG President, Igwe Achese, who addressed the  reporters after the NUPENG Elders Stakeholders Meeting in Lagos, said the union would protect its members from the threats.

    Achese noted that there was an urgent need to call for dialogue with the marketers, adding that if the issues were not promptly addressed, NUPENG would be at the receiving end.

    “The problem will not only affect workers, but also tanker drivers. Hence, if it happens, we will react to protect our members. If workers are sacked, the union will react accordingly,” he said.

    The NUPENG chief said the government should wake up to the reality that NNPC alone could not sustain petroleum supply in the country.

    “We have always said it that, for fuel crisis to end, our refineries must come back on stream. If we are importing, that should only be a stop-gap,” he said.

    The union, he said, would give the Federal Government maximum support to ensure that all the refineries got back to their full working capacity, but that the government must ignore those that were calling for privatisation of the refineries. Instead, it should look for a way to upgrade the facilities.

  • Our $5b investment under threat, say investors

    fish giants have begged the Federal Government to save their investments of over $5 billion from imminent collapse.

    They said from 40 fishing companies operating almost 250 industrial vessels 15 years ago, the industry is nothing to write home about today.

    Speaking under the aegis of the Trawler Owners Association (NITOA), they said their operations were being affected by what they called the economic harsh environment.

    NITOA National Vice President, Gen Morounfolu Aromire (rtd), said: “Despite the more than $5.2 billion investment of our members on jetty facilities, equipment and infrastructure, only about 130 vessels are in operation due to the harsh situations that the industrial fishing operators have had to contend with.

    “These have led to several companies going into limbo to the extent that only 12 companies are operating now.”

    The group said with support, it would assist “in generating the much-needed foreign exchange from the non-oil exports”.

    NITOA’s operations, Aromire added, provided employment to over 6,000 Nigerians and more than 600,000 jobs indirectly across the country before their predicament, adding that the government needs to assist them.

    The group, he said, would have improved on its shrimp production and export capabilities and increase local fish production level from 10 per cent to 35 per cent, if not for the challenges facing them.

    “Sea armed robbery and piracy have led to the killing and maiming of crew men, thus making the highly productive areas in our marine waters inaccessible.

    “While we must accept that the situation is much better than it was few years back, there is still a lot of room for improvement. Attacks were still reported some few days ago. NIMASA must synergise much more with the Nigerian Navy to ensure that our maritime environment is safe and secure.

    “While we appreciate efforts by the Federal Government at earmarking a fisheries terminal at the KLT in Lagos, the encumbrances on the way of those efforts may not allow it mature as quickly as one may wish.

    “We, therefore, want to further suggest that companies already operating from KLT 1 and 2 be allowed to continue to operate from their locations.

    “NPA may only need to charge some reasonable commercial rates, but which will not drive operators out of business,” he said.

    The Shippers Association of Lagos (SAL) has also cried out over the rising robbery on the waterways.

    The waterways, it said, had become a haven for robbery, urging the Nigeria Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) to secure the terrain.

    SAL President Mr Jonathan Nicol said NIMASA must collaborate with the law enforcement agencies to tackle the problem. Nicol urged NIMASA to do more to secure goods and ships on waterways.

    “NIMASA should use helicopter regularly to checkmate these pirates and also seek the protection of the Navy, Customs and the police on the issue.

    “If the Federal Government fails to do this, it means we are going to lose so much revenue from the maritime sector,” Nicol said.

    A shipper, Mr Solomon Anderson has suggested radar and satellite technology as part of the measures NIMASA should look into in finding a solution to the problem.

    He called on the National Assembly to look at the Anti-Piracy Bill before it as many indigenous companies have been crippled and many children orphaned because sea pirates activities.

    Anderson also identified radar technology and effective information sharing as the solution to the incessant high-jacking and robbery of shipping trawlers and oil vessels.

    “Nigeria’s food security is being affected; our foreign exchange is being affected because these activities lead to capital flight as more foreign vessels now do most of the jobs,” he said.

    But NIMASA’s Director-General Dr Dakuku Peterside, said the agency was addressing the security challenges on the waterways.

    He added that the agency had initiated some positive measures to enhance security within and outside the nation’s territorial waters.

    Peterside said the agency was working with security agencies, such as the Air Force, Navy, Army and Police, to ensure that the waterways are safe for freighting and fishing.

    He advised trawler owners to ensure that they paid adequate attention to the remuneration of their crew because many are poorly paid; noting that poor pay usually leads them into criminal activities, such as selling their first catch at sea and subsequently drawing the attention of pirates.

     

  • Benue killings: Threat to national unity

    Benue killings: Threat to national unity

    I write as a law abiding and peace loving citizen of a sovereign and united Nigeria. I frown and raise the alarm when I see factors or actions capable of causing breach of peace and disintegration of our dear country. These Benue killings are one of the most disgusting scenes of carnage ever witnessed in the history of the nation. I wonder whether those who perpetrate these heinous acts against humanity are sane human beings. It is very gruesome and awful to see fellow humans, fellow Nigerians butchered like wild animals. There is no sane person that will not rise in condemnation of these brutal and senseless killings. The whole world has through their leaders lent their voices against this “man’s inhumanity to man”.

    When killings assume the proportion as that of Benue and other states, no right thinking and sane Nigerian will feel comfortable with the situations and the Head of State of such country will be under tremendous tension and pressure. That is the unfortunate scenario that our President, Muhammadu Buhari has found himself.

    In most countries of the world where there are patriots and statesmen, crisis of this nature tends to unite the country to fight a common cause and end such crises. Men and women unite themselves around the president to not only condemn the act, but also to find a common solution to the problem. Unfortunately, that is not the case in Nigeria and that makes it more unfortunate for President Buhari. It is very worrisome and sad that some people in Nigeria see this kind of crises as a veritable avenue to advance their selfish motives. Rather than unite to rally round Mr. President to find solution to the crises, they see the crises as an opportunity to further their political, religious and tribal sentiments. It beats my imagination that different groups of persons, different categories of persons of both tribal and religious inclinations apportion blame rather than somberly pray for the country and the president and offer him genuine advice. I am surprised that some past leaders who should have known better in this period of crises and so consult with the president to address these crises, now play to the gallery, pointing fingers and writing open letters, even leaders who under their watch in the past had witnessed similar and worst situations. Nigerians alike who easily forget, are quick to condemn and point fingers as well, as if crises of this nature is peculiar to Nigeria. In developed and civilized countries like US and UK where brutal shootings and killings regularly occur, the president is not linked to such acts rather they unite and rally round him to find a common solution to the problem.

    Does the mere fact that the alleged perpetrators of this crime are Fulani herdsmen make the president guilty because he is a Fulani? Now social media is again agog with news that the herdsmen’s activities are one of the ways the president is by proxy aiming to Islamize Nigeria. Some people in their desperate motives and agenda fabricate lies and use same to appeal to the sentiment of others. They fabricate and post propaganda that are just tissues of lies which in a way are as dangerous as the Benue killings. They use these Benue crises to pit Christians against Muslims, and in some cases, pit tribes against other tribes. People become partisan rather than use objective reasoning to help address the crises. A source of worry is the fact that some pastors mount the rostrum to vilify the person of the president when such pastors are supposed to know that the pulpit is not a place from which to dish out insults, but a sacred place from which solemn counsel and prayers are supposed to be said for people. These pastors rather resort to shouting and noise making using the pulpit, ignoring the injunction of the Bible on the need to pray for those in authority. It is in the light of this that I very much praise the approach of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference who went and consulted with the president, pointing out the ills that plague the country and offering him candid pieces of advice on the affairs of the nation, including the killings in Benue and elsewhere and equally assuring him of their prayers. That is what is expected of good and genuine religious leaders.

    Some elected legislators are not left out in this blame game and some use the Benue killings to take their own pound of flesh against the president – I watched a Senator to my dismay shouting at the top of his voice as if he wanted to bring down the roof of the legislative building. This, in my view, constituted noise making and in effect totally unproductive.

    A president that has been acknowledged and praised by not only sincere Nigerians, but also by world leaders to have fought Boko Haram to a standstill and for his vigorous fight against corruption. This elderly statesman who once publicly shed tears for this country cannot and should not be associated with actions that claim innocent lives.  President Muhammadu Buhari, who inherited a battered economy and a treasury being plundered and looted for over twenty years that ultimately resulted in recession, is now building an economy that will not easily collapse (see what our national reserves is now about $42 billion). How can one insinuate that this president can be involved in the terrorist acts of those murderous herdsmen? Let me say this without making any bones, President Mohammadu Buhari is on the mission of rebuilding this country and among other things has recorded unprecedented improvement in power generation and distribution. He would most definitely not make a mess of the good he has so far done by associating with these killings allegedly being perpetrated by the Fulani herdsmen.

    When I hear about this ‘colonization’ thing and about the fact that the Fulani herdsmen carry sophisticated weapons, I ask, whether herdsmen are different from the ones I used to see in my village right from the time I was a child, moving with their cattle across my village and other villages and criss-crossing the country without molesting anyone and without being molested? I never saw them colonizing or Islamizing any one. They move in peace and we also accommodate them without complaining. My submission is that anyone carrying sophisticated weapons masquerading as herdsmen and killing people are terrorists and must be treated as such and dealt with.  One of the virtues of our president is great restraint. He is not hasty in taking action because haste sometimes makes waste. He always carefully takes his time to weigh issues. Yes, I acknowledge the fact that our president as a human being has made some mistakes in the course of his governing the state, but I make bold to say that he is on course. He has the mandate of God to be there and carry out a mission and until that mission is complete, no amount of  propaganda and clamour for him not to context in 2019 will work. Recall the time he was sick and how some people were wishing that he never recovered, but what happened thereafter? Our president not only returned to the country but also bounced back in good health and now looks fresher and healthier – that was an act of God.

    Let all people of goodwill, let every Nigerian of every tribe and religion, pastors, other religious leaders, pray for the president and the country, suggest ways to address whatever crises we face, rally round the president and his team to manage the affairs of this country. We should stop playing to the gallery. Let’s stop all the propaganda spread around, especially in the social media; those who have made it their stock in trade to insult the president should stop these unethical behaviour. We should stop pitting Christians against Muslims and stop pitting tribes against tribes.

     

    • Vincent G. Uba is a Lagos-based businessman and former President, Catholic Brothers’ United (CBU) Lagos, vingeorge2000@yahoo.com
  • ‘Modernism threat to Nigerian heritage’

    ‘Modernism threat to Nigerian heritage’

    It was double celebration for the Centre for Black Culture and International Understanding (CBCIU), Osogbo, during its distinguished lecture and birthday bash for its Chairman, Prince Olagunsoye Oyinlola, at the Ulli Beier Hall penultimate Saturday. Guest lecturer Prof Tunde Babawale,  who spoke on The need for the promotion of Nigeria’s cultural heritage, raised many posers on safeguarding the nation’s endangered heritage, Assistant Editor (Arts) OZOLUA UHAKHEME reports

    “As at today, it is evident that our national treasures and heritage in Nigeria and indeed, Africa, are fast going extinct. Typical of our environment, we are often consumed by civil strife and all forms of instability that threatens the continued survival of these national treasures. Aside, we are also aware of how religious beliefs in certain countries contribute to the destruction or desecration of priceless heritage sites. Sites in Libya, Mali, Egypt and Algeria, among others on the continent,  have been vandalised due to internal and cross-border conflicts.”

    This statement by CBCIU Chairman Prince Olagunsoye Oyinlola set the tone for this year’s CBCIU distinguished lecture. The former Governor of Osun State decried the increasing spate of insecurity in the country, which he said threatened the continued survival of national treasures.

    He noted that some of these heritage sites have faced serious traumatic stress as a result of colonial rule and religious monotheism while few others have suffered adverse entrapment. He added that it is to the foresight of our forebears and insistence by few others that some of these material cultures remain intact and abide with us today.

    He stated that Osun-Osogbo Festival, the Groove, which houses alluring gifts of nature and home to thousands of Osogbo indigenes, non-indigenes and foreigners alike, was threatened by a number of human activities such as urbanisation, deforestation, hunting, and religious conversion, among others.

    “In the 1950s, the Osun Groove faced extensive threats through acts of desecration. Many of its shrines were abandoned by its priests, weakening the age-long sanctions over the Groove. Similarly, the grove was exposed to fishing, felling of trees and hunting, all prohibited acts in the Groove. The arrival of Susanne Wenger stopped all forms of abuse and desecration in the Groove. Her tenacity paid off when UNESCO, in recognition of its global significance and importance to cultural revivalism, inscribed the Groove as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2005,” he said.

    Prince Oyinlola pledged that the CBCIU is working closely with UNESCO to ensure that many heritage sites in the country are removed from their tentative status and inscribed as World Heritage Sites. Osun Osogbo and Sukur Palace in Adamawa on the border with Cameroon in the Mandara Mountains are the two sites on UNESCO World list.

    According to him, national heritages are very important to human existence, but it is clear today that they are under threats from various agencies. “The northeast is faced with both a serious humanitarian and security crisis. In the midst of the confrontation between the military and the Boko Haram sect are national treasures hidden deep in the forests and plains. The Niger-Delta region too has gradually returned to relative peace but recent actions on that part of the country may worsen the fragility of national monuments scattered across the creeks and crevices of the Delta,” he said.

    In his paper “Reflections on the need for the promotion of Nigeria’s cultural heritage”, Prof Babawale said the cultural heritage of Nigeria as manifested in music, performances, costumes, body adornment, languages, religions, indigenous knowledge, laws, medicine, hospitality, values, cuisine recreational games, art and crafts, rites of passage, architecture among others, have come under the corrosive impact of foreign cultural values as a result of modernism, urbanisation and globalisation.

    He identified reasons such as lack and non-implementation of a sound cultural policy and promotional agenda amongst others for the declining importance of indigenous cultures. He noted that the orientation and focus of Nigerians have been altered drastically in all areas of life, including language, religion, modes of dressing, beliefs, value systems, politics and economy. This, he said, led to the disappearance of virtues such as hard work, perseverance, honesty, transparency, accountability and above all, the omoluabi qualities, which were the ultimate and necessary requirement for good citizenry and true development.

    He disclosed that a cursory examination of the present state of Nigeria’s cultural heritage and expressions revealed the depth of decay occasioned by the rampaging impact of modernism.

    “In the realm of music, things have gone really depressing.  Nigerian musical genres such as Juju, Sakara, Highlife, Afrobeats, Akwete, etc. laden with philosophy and wisdom have been neglected.  Nigerian airwaves are now filled with noise disguised as music.  Gone are the good musical expressions of yesteryears.  In their place, we now have discordant noises that teach no morals and add no value to the society.  Our youths cut a pitiable sight dancing to this vulgar music in the name of modernity.  Music has now become a medium not for the promotion of societal values, but an avenue for undermining moral values, ridiculing feminist, encouraging criminality and materialism.

    “Cultural costumes or dressing is another area where cultural heritage and expressions of Nigerians have been diminished as a result of contact with the outside world.  To say that Nigerians have very good fashion sense is to say the obvious.  But, Nigeria in the next 20years may have thrown away her cultural costumes due to the indiscriminate adoption of foreign costumes in the name of modernity.  Cultural costumes are a very good form of identity,” he noted.

    Prof Babawale stated that one of the first signs of a nation going under is that her people will begin to jettison core values such as language that make them stand out as a people.

    According to him, the world is a market place where different peoples and nations come to display, sell and profit from those things in which they have comparative advantage of uniqueness over others.  This, he said, is not the situation with Nigerians.

    “We are tending towards abandoning core elements of our culture in favour of an indiscriminate adoption of foreign cultural values,” he said.

    On religion, he said: “Nigerian indigenous religions have been undermined by foreign religions, par ticularly Christianity and Islam.  There is no denying the fact that these two imported religions have caused more damage to our traditional arts and culture than can be imagined.

    “To conquer a people, says Karl Marx, you just have to block the transfer of values, morals and beliefs between generations”.  This is exactly what Christianity and Islam have done.  On conversion to any of these two religions, one of the things expected of a convert is to renounce his or her link with traditional religions, art and culture.

    “Some converts even go to the extreme of destroying icons of these traditional religions and what are these icons? They are sculptural pieces.  By this practice, many invaluable sculptural pieces in wood, stone, ivory, etc. which could have been yielding capital to the people have been ignorantly destroyed.”

    Executive Director CBCIU, Prof Siyan Oyeweso stated that though the centre was in bad shape, it is gradually been rehabilitated. He sought the support and collaboration of all stakeholders in order to sustain, project and protect our culture. He, however, lamented that Yoruba language is at the verge of extinction noting that at the Univeristy of Ibadan, ‘you find foreigners teaching Yoruba to our students. Centres for the study of Chinese language is being established across Nigerian varsities.’

  • Governor: There is a threat to attack Taraba in 10 days

    Governor: There is a threat to attack Taraba in 10 days

    A governor cried out yesterday over a threat to attack his state within the next 10 days.

    Taraba State Governor Darius Ishaku, whose state has witnessed some violence in recent months, said he received a letter from suspected insurgents of an impending attack.

    Ishaku, who spoke when he received Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) National Chairman Uche Secondus, said: “We are on notice that in 10 days, we (Taraba) shall be attacked. I have alerted all security agencies. We are waiting.

    “A helicopter has dropped arms and ammunition in the night without its mission established. It is not a time to keep quiet; we are living in fear,” he added.

    Commissioner of Police David Akinremi has dismissed the report of an arms-filled chopper landing in a Taraba village at night as “an unfounded and misleading rumour”.

    But the state government is not satisfied.

    Ishaku lamented that his pain as a governor, is in the fact that he promised to develop the state if the people could give him peace. “Unfortunately, I have provided development but peace has been elusive,” he said.

    The governor said he had been given a crown without a sword, so he cannot fight and keep control of his power, since he relies on the Federal Government for help.

    “Here, we rely on people who, when you give them instructions, they tell you to wait until they get a clearance from above.

    “Before the clearance comes from Abuja, you have lost hundreds of lives. This is absolutely absurd and disappointing, particularly when you meet people like me who want to work with zeal,” he said.

    The governor is asking for an investigation into the killing of over 68 persons by herdsmen and the killing of a member of the House of  Assembly, Hosea Ibi, who was kidnapped in Takum directly opposite a military barracks. No suspect has been arrested for this murder, Ishaku said.

    He said: “We are sad and angry because there is no security in our land. Taraba buried 68 persons when Benue was burying 73. Should we continue like that? The choice is ours.

    “But we shall continue to cry and scream. If we are not heard in Nigeria, we might be heard in Chad, Egypt, England and or US.”

    Secondus urged the National Assembly to investigate the allegation that a helicopter loaded with firearms and ammunition landed  in Jubu village on January 20.

    Secondus said: “In the last two years, we have witnessed in our country how the lives of innocent people are being taken away in our communities.

    “The poor are being killed with no justification. They have lost their homes and sources of income. And there is a total breakdown of law and order in the country.

    “It is important to note that when situations like this degenerate into a magnitude where the people are fear gripped, without the government coming to their aid, they can resort to self-help to protect themselves.

    “We are not asking them to do that, but we are crying loud and praying for the government to return to its senses and heed our advice and protect our people.

    Secondus urged the Federal Government to reform the country’s security architecture in the country to end the killings.

    “Let the lawmakers find out its mission, aim, objective and purpose. I believe this will expose those who are behind the killings in Taraba and other places.”

  • FinTechs not threat to banks, says Access Bank

    FinTechs not threat to banks, says Access Bank

    • Bank unveils Foundary to promote innovation

    Access Bank has said it sees the emergence of financial technologies (FinTechs) as collaborators in the quest to deepen its product and market development and not as threat to traditional banking.

    Its Executive Director, Mr Victor Etuokwu who spoke yesterday at a news briefing ahead the first edition of Africa Fintech Foundary (AFF) Disrupt 2017 conference in Lagos, said innovation remained the only insurance against irrelevance, adding that the bank will continue to work with FinTechs to offer better services to customers.

    He said the lender founded and funded the AFF in order to promote innovation in Nigeria, Africa and the global community, adding that AFF is Access Bank accelerator, which is seeking to create new opportunities in sub-Saharan Africa.

    According to Etuokwu, the Foundary is to provide a platform to inspire and challenge African innovators and entrepreneurs.

    According to him AFF will provide Africa companies seeking to launch their products, with capacity building and training in business development.

    ‘’It will provide connectivity to global innovation grids, promote access to capital, create opportunities for partnerships and showcase best practices and successes in Africa-led innovation solutions.

    ‘’The world we live in is changing. As a bank, we are looking for better ways to serve our customers.

    ‘’So, in order to be and remain relevant in the ever-changing world, we had to be innovative.

    ‘’AFF and the AFF Disrupt conference are ways to grow and maintain the market share of Access Bank.

    ‘’AFF is here to disrupt the African continent and it will impact not only the banking sector, but will impact both health, security, agriculture and the economy in general,’’ he said.

    The Head of AFF, Mr Victor Okigbo said the Foundary was supported by Access Bank, Microsoft, IBM, Saas and other technology majors.

    Okigbo said the facility would be officially inaugurated on December 13 while the AFF Disrupt conference would hold on December 14 in Lagos.

    He said that the facility would be conducting innovation tour to different parts of the country and four African cities, so as to encourage start-ups to take advantage of the Foundary to improve on their innovative ideas.

    Okigbo said the first edition of its FinTech conference, tagged: AFF Disrupt would bring together like-minded investors and partners to collaborate and join the AFF.

    Event Coordinator, AFF Disrupt conference, Mr Adeleke Adekoya said the event will be a good opportunity for start-ups to take advantage of partner network.

    Adekoya said the event will be an opportunity for partners to create linkages and networks that could help grow their businesses.

    He said vetting process is ongoing and a total of 12 start-ups would be selected from about 400, to demonstrate and exhibit their innovations at the conference.

  • Man arraigned for ‘threat to life’

    A 35-year-old man, Semion Oluwole, has been arraigned at a Modakeke Magistrates’ Court in Osun State for alleged threat to life.

    He is facing charges of threat to life and breach of the peace.

    The prosecutor, Ona Glory, told the court that the accused committed the offence on October 22, about 11 am, at St Stephen’s Primary School, Modakeke-Ife.

    He alleged that he threatened to use a cutlass to cut the heads of members of a political party, who attended a congress.

    Glory further told the court that the accused conducted himself in a manner likely to cause breach of public peace at the congress’ venue.

    He said the offence contravened sections 80, 86 (2) and 249 (d) of the Criminal Code, Laws of Osun State, 2003.

    The accused pleaded not guilty.

    The Magistrate, Bose Awosan, granted the accused bail at N50,000 with two sureties.

    She said they must swear to affidavit of means and produce three years’ tax clearance certificates.

    Awosan ruled that the sureties, who must live in the court’s jurisdiction, should present two recent passport photographs to the registrar.

    She adjourned the case till today for hearing.

  • Online shopping: A threat to malls?

    Online shopping: A threat to malls?

    Shopping malls and online shops continue to play important roles in the world of modern retail. While consumers are rapidly engaging in digital channels, findings have it that most of them still want to see products physically before making a purchase.

    Also, an online shop, which used to offer cost advantages, such as lower overheads, has seen rising return rates and increasing customer expectations around free and faster shipping, which can take a bigger bite out of profits.

    Retailers have been advised to balance and optimise their online and in store operations because, while physical stores still dominate retail, online shopping is growing at a faster pace.

    However, though online shopping is growing at a steady pace, profit margins are not. Rising online costs are also forcing retailers to strive for a careful balance between online shopping and shopping mall. Online sales profits are being weighed down by free delivery, free return, and packaging costs, resulting in a lower margin than physical stores. One growing problem is that consumers are taking advantage of free delivery and free returns to see products in person, a challenge that’s becoming a problem for online retailers. “There’s a new trend that people are buying multiple sizes of things to try them out at home and then return them.

    As it is believed that shopping malls will likely dominate retail for years to come, dealing with the overhead and liabilities that are part and parcel of mall operations such as rent, utilities and staffing can still be a worthwhile investment. Physical stores offer consumers the ability to see the products before they buy and provide shoppers with the instant gratification of being able to immediately take their items home with them after paying. Malls also give consumers the chance to actively engage with store persons, ask questions, and make enquiries about other products that they might be interested in.

    A recent survey reveals that 85 percent of consumers still prefer shopping in stores and seeing products before making a purchase decision. More than a third of respondents (36 per cent) said they don’t like waiting for items to ship, and 90 per cent said they are more likely to make a purchase when receiving assistance from a knowledgeable store associate.

    Online retailers, such as Yudala are also testing the waters with physical stores, Jumia travels has a presence in Ikeja City mall. Mr P, a South African clothing retailer with presence in all shopping malls in the country, has also opened an online shops in an attempt to broaden their brand’s reach. The report said the retail space continues to be in flux, but the direction of the flux is different from what many had previously projected, with online outlets trying to penetrate the malls distribution channel rather than the other way around.

    But, despite the surge in online capabilities, mobile applications and other technology advancements, majority of consumers still want the tangible experiences offered by physical stores.

    The ability to see, touch and feel products as well as take items home immediately rank highest among the reasons consumers prefered shopping in stores to online.

    By a fairly wide margin, the primary motivation for shopping in stores is to see and try out products before purchasing. However, some notable differences exist among shoppers, depending on their gender, age and location.

    In particular, female shoppers overwhelmingly want to see, touch and feel products before buying them. Males, on the other hand, tilt more towards immediate satisfaction of taking items home with them.

    Shoppers at both ends of the age spectrum, younger and older generations,  want to see or try products out in stores more than their middle-aged counterparts. Young shoppers clearly convey an “I want it now” mentality versus older cohorts.

    But while physical stores still hold primacy in shopping experience, seven per cent of respondents say online is the only way they shop, a trend expected to grow in the coming years.

    To see, touch, feel and try out items is the top reason consumers choose to shop in physical stores as against online. With 62 per cent of shoppers wanting to kick the tires, retailers must take full advantage and up their game to create compelling in-store shopping experiences. Forty-nine per cent consumers say they choose stores over the web because they want to take items home immediately. This suggests that next-day, let alone two-day shipping, cannot fully replicate the immediate gratification of buying products in store and taking them home. Its why speed to market and figuring out last-mile delivery expectations keep retail executives up at night.

    One in five shoppers cites easy returns as key reason for shopping in stores. Despite the robust online shopping  movement, roughly another fifth (18per cent) of consumers still seek the enjoyment  and likely social aspect  of going shopping in stores.

    The ability to ask store associates questions ranks fairly low on the list of reasons to shop in stores. Accustomed to having information at their fingertips and on their mobile phones, consumers don’t seem particularly motivated to seek answers from store employees or at least, not a good enough reason to go to the store.

    When breaking down the data further, significant differences exist between genders when deciding whether to shop online or in stores. From the female perspective, it’s all about the ability to see, touch and feel items. Two-thirds (66 per cent) of female shoppers say trying-it-out is a deciding factor for shopping in stores. Shopping for products with a high fashion percentage, like apparel and accessories or home furnishings, is a likely driver.

    While seeing or trying out products is the top-ranked reason given by men (59 per cent) instant gratification ranked next as important. A higher share of men (54 per cent) than women (47per cent) say taking items home immediately is why they shop in stores.

    Comparing the average, a higher percentage of young (less than 35 years) and old shoppers (65+) cite the need to see, touch, feel and try out items as the primary reason they shop in stores. This appears to be indicative of age groups that have more time on their hands to go to stores and shop around.

    An interesting relationship came up between age and instant gratification. Compared with older shoppers, a higher percentage of younger shoppers say they shop in stores to take immediate possession of items. For example: 62per cent of 18-24-year-olds cite taking items home immediately as a reason they shop in stores, compared with just 40per cent of shoppers aged 65+.

    The youngest age segment (18-24) also over-indexes on returning items more easily, enjoying the in-store experience and interacting with store associates compared with the overall consumer population.

    The key figure that stands out when looking across location types: urban versus suburban versus rural shoppers, is the low percentage of rural shoppers, who say they only shop online (four per cent) compared with the seven per cent national average. Undeveloped or under-developed logistics and delivery infrastructures in rural areas likely come into play here.

    Conversely, a significantly higher share of rural shoppers (71 per cent) say the reason they shop in stores is to see, touch, feel and try out items. Often needing to drive long distances to shop, rural consumers may well consider in-store shopping an event and a time investment, so they want to be sure to get the items right.

    Given the onslaught of online competition and the attention and investment dollars being diverted to advancing e-commerce capabilities, it is  important for brick-and-mortar retailers not to lose sight of their physical store strategy.

    Malls hold an advantage for its ability to satisfy shoppers’ needs to try out products and immediately take them home.