President Bola Tinubu has approved the appointment of Mr. Muhammed Abu Ibrahim to serve as the Executive Secretary and Chief Executive Officer of the National Agricultural Development Fund (NADF).

The President expects the new leadership at the Fund to successfully remove all barriers to efficient access to provisional funding in the sector for proven stakeholders nationwide who will credibly contribute to the Renewed Hope Agenda's mandate in the attainment of complete self-sufficiency in local food production and eventual surplus export.

By this directive of the President, the above-mentioned appointment takes immediate effect.

Chief Ajuri Ngelale

Special Adviser to the President

(Media & Publicity)

October 19, 2023

President Bola Tinubu has approved the appointment of eight (8) new Chief Executive Officers for Parastatals and Agencies under the Federal Ministry of Information and National Orientation:

(1) National Orientation Agency (NOA) — Director-General / CEO — Mr. Lanre Issa-Onilu

(2) Nigerian Television Authority (NTA) — Director-General / CEO — Mr. Salihu Abdulhamid Dembos

(3) Federal Radio Corporation of Nigeria (FRCN) — Director-General / CEO — Dr. Muhammed Bulama

(4) National Broadcasting Commission (NBC) — Director-General / CEO — Mr. Charles Ebuebu

(5) Voice of Nigeria (VON) — Director-General / CEO — Mr. Jibrin Baba Ndace

(6) Advertising Regulatory Council of Nigeria (ARCON) — Director-General / CEO — Dr. Lekan Fadolapo

(7) News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) — Managing Director / CEO — Mr. Ali Muhammed Ali

(8) Nigerian Press Council (NPC) — Executive Secretary / CEO — Mr. Dili Ezughah

The President tasks the newly entrusted leadership in these important sub-sectors to innovate and create new opportunities for Nigerians to leverage upon through the effective reform of these key institutions of government which function to unify our people, reshape mindsets, and showcase this great nation to the rest of the world.

By these directives of the President, the above listed appointments take immediate effect.

Chief Ajuri Ngelale

Special Adviser to the President

(Media & Publicity)

October 19, 2023

The Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) has commenced 24/7 production of passport booklets and issuance to applicants within a week after data capturing.

The acting Deputy Comptroller-General of Immigration and Head of the Passport and Other Traveling Document Directorate, Sadat Hassan made the disclosure in an interview with PRNigeria in Abuja.

Hassan spoke in the wake of the investigative story published by the Fact-Check medium over underhand practices by some immigration personnel who extort applicants and delay the issuance of their passports.

Recall that the Minister of Interior, Hon. Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, had also said that from December 2023, passports would be made available to applicants in two weeks.

DCG Hassan said: “The Controller-General of Immigration, Caroline Wura-ola Adepoju, has not only directed the 24/7 production of booklets including on Saturday and Sunday, she also provides transportation and other incentives to ensure that we meet the demands as well as the instruction of the Hon Minister of Interior.”

She revealed that so far, all outstanding backlog of passports had been cleared, adding that only Kwara and Edo have some backlog because of technical glitches.

The DCGI also announced that with the deployment of technology, passport production has now been centralised through which the Service can assess data of applicants, complaints, and other irregularities that can be easily tackled.

“Before now, we had what is called the e-Passport, NIS is currently moving to the production of a new enhanced one which is engraved with laser technology. Through this, we have a centralised platform to work with since the National Identification Number, NIN, is a requirement for application,” she said.

According to her, the movement to the new platform is now 80 percent complete.

“Interestingly, this process has also been completed in some of our offices in the diaspora including the United Kingdom, Canada and the United States of America,” she added.

Contrary to a widely held belief that the booklets are produced outside the country by foreigners, DCG Hassan dispelled the rumour insisting that Nigerians’ international passports are produced in the country by Nigerians.

She emphasised that while immigration officers are responsible for the production, a Nigerian firm, IRIS Smart Technologies is the technical partner that handles the supply, installation, and maintenance of the machines.

On the alleged corrupt practices of some personnel, Hassan said that the Immigration service has in place a mechanism to checkmate and punish erring staff members involved in such malpractices.

“Our boss, CG Adepoju Carol Wura-Ola, has warned passport applicants to stop inducing our officers with monies in order to gain undue favour. After al, under the law, there is punishment for both the giver and the taker of bribes.

“Meanwhile, the NIS has anti-corruption and Servicom units where cases of erring officers are handled on a regular basis for investigation and prosecution if necessary.

“We have said it times without number, it is on our website and boldly written at facilities and premises displayed in sensitisation banners in all the passport offices nationwide warning applicants not to give bribes to NIS officers under any guise,” she said.

While applauding the CG as regards the welfare of service personnel and the provision of additional facilities, she said that the new Minister of Interior has proven his exceptional leadership qualities by motivating the service to do more.

“The movement of the National Identity Management Commission, NIMC, to the Ministry of Interior has further enhanced collaboration, harmonisation and synchronisation of data within the shortest times which eases our work. We no longer have to wait for information from other agencies under a different ministry to carry out our statutory mandate,” she added.

[EagleOnline]

President Bola Tinubu has approved the appointment of 8 new Chief Executive Officers (CEOs) for Parastatals and Agencies under the Federal Ministry of Information and National Orientation.

This disclosure is contained in a press statement issued by the Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, Ajuri Ngelale, on Thursday, October 19, 2023.

Ngelale in the statement said that the former National Publicity Secretary of the ruling All Progressive Congress (APC), Lanre Issa-Onilu, was appointed the Director-General/CEO of the National Orientation Agency (NOA).

Other appointments include;

• Nigerian Television Authority (NTA) — Director-General / CEO — Mr. Salihu Abdulhamid Dembos
• Federal Radio Corporation of Nigeria (FRCN) — Director-General / CEO — Dr. Muhammed Bulama
• National Broadcasting Commission (NBC) — Director-General / CEO — Mr. Charles Ebuebu
• Voice of Nigeria (VON) — Director-General / CEO — Mr. Jibrin Baba Ndace
• Advertising Regulatory Council of Nigeria (ARCON) — Director-General / CEO — Dr. Lekan Fadolapo
• News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) — Managing Director / CEO — Mr. Ali Muhammed Ali
• Nigerian Press Council (NPC) — Executive Secretary / CEO — Mr. Dili Ezughah

More to follow…

[Nairametrics]

A member of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC), Chalya Silas, was stabbed to death by yet-to-be-identified assailants suspected to be phone snatchers in Kaduna State.

Details of the incident are still sketchy at the time of filing this report, but it was gathered that the deceased was a graduate of the University of Jos.

It was gathered that she was killed on Wednesday morning, October 18, 2023, in the Barnawa area of the metropolis, and her phone was stolen.

When contacted the State Police Command Public Relations Officer, ASP Mansir Hassan, confirmed the incident, saying she was stabbed by suspected phone snatchers.

According to him, the command has launched a manhunt for the suspected killers to bring them to justice.

While her killers are still believed to be at large, nothing has been heard from the security agents and the leadership of the NYSC.

Meanwhile, some of her friends have taken to social media to mourn her as they offered their condolences.

One of them, Comfort Elisha wrote, “No na. What is really happening to Jossite and the Special Education department? We haven’t finished mourning Kekefas Emmanuel and now it’s Chalya, brutally killed in Kaduna during her morning jogging while serving her fatherland. May your killers know no peace chalya. This is too much to bear.” (sic)

Also, Aluta Missile Blog said, “A member of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) identified as Grace Chalya Silas, was brut £ally mu rd£ered by some yet-to-be-identified assailants suspected to be armed r0bbers in Kaduna State while she was jogging. May her soul rest in peace.”(sic)

Moreso, “Miss Grace Chalya Silas who was on the compulsory NYSC was brut £ally mu rd£ered yesterday by some yet to be identified assailants suspected to be armed r0bbers in Barnawa, Kaduna State while she was on her routine early morning jogging. May her soul rest in peace,” Wakawa Paul Mwada said. (sic)

As for the microblog user, Bala DjAfman Alfred Joshua, he reacted by saying, “Corps member stabbed to death by suspected robbers while jogging in Kaduna. A member of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) identified as Grace Chalya Silas, was brutally murdered by some yet-to-be-identified assailants suspected to be armed robbers in Kaduna State.”(sic)

[DailyTrust]

Being a keynote speech delivered by Senator H. Enyi Abaribe of the Abia South Senatorial District at the Convention of the 41st Annual Olumide Memorial Lecture (OML) of the Nigerian Institution of Surveyors on 19th October, 2023.

“There is no Nigerian Way of flying a Boeing 747. This established fact presupposes therefore, that there is no “Nigerian” way of doing anything. There is only the proper way.” - Sonny Iroche.

In our country Nigeria, quite a lot pass-by daily, without question. When we consider the import of the above statement we find that the time has come in Nigeria when we must begin to question some of the things we have been doing to see whether we can continue the same old paradigms when the world has changed exceedingly. And as my people would say: ‘At the anniversary of every evil is the commencement of a new custom’.

It may have become necessary to establish a culture of interrogation in matters of public interest. And for that matter let us interrogate the Federal Character Principle doggedly implemented according to the whims and caprices of certain public office holders, when it suits them which has led inexorably and inevitably to the near collapse of our dear country.

Section 14    (1) and (3) of constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 as amended and hereinafter referred to as “the Constitution”, is where the principle of Federal character is stated. The law provides as follows:

14. (1) The Federal Republic of Nigeria shall be a State based on the principles of democracy and social justice.

(3)          The composition of the Government of the Federation or any of its agencies and the conduct of its affairs shall be carried out in such a manner as to reflect the federal character of Nigeria and the need to promote national unity, and also to command national loyalty, thereby ensuring that there shall be no predominance of persons from a few States or from a few ethnic or other sectional groups in that Government or in any of its agencies.

The bold and italicized words encapsulate what has come to be known as Federal Character Principle.

A comparable provision was made in the case of State governments; which we may choose to refer to as state character principle. In all, what is sought to be achieved, as we can infer from the legislature’s intention expressed in subsection (1) of section 14, is to promote the practice of proficient democracy and social justice. Therefore it is not intended that the operation of federal or state character principle will foist injustice on communities that make up Nigeria especially to set one against the other. So, at every point of interaction, what we shall use as a test in assessing the Federal Character principle; is whether it has produced social justice.

What then is social justice under a democracy like ours?

In my view I think Chapter (IV) of the Constitution has made definitive provisions about social justice in a democracy like ours. It can easily be seen that section 42 of the constitution manifests the true meaning of social justice. For ease of comprehension it is reproduced below:

42. (1) A citizen of Nigeria of a particular community, ethnic group, place of origin, sex, religion or political opinion shall not, by reason only that he is such a person:-

• be subjected either expressly by, or in the practical application of, any law in force in Nigeria or any executive or administrative action of the government, to disabilities or restriction to which citizen of Nigeria of other communities , ethnic groups places of origin, sex, religions or political opinions are not made subject; or
• be accorded either expressly by, or in the practical application of any law in force in Nigeria or any such executive or administrative action, any privilege or advantage that is not accorded to citizens of Nigeria of other communities, ethnic groups, places of origin, sex, religions or political opinions.

Given the implication of the above sections of the Constitution it seems to me that in order to achieve social justice there is need to juxtapose section 14 of the Constitution with Section 42 thereof. So when Section 14(3) of the Constitution says that: there shall be no predominance of persons from a few States or from a few ethnic or other sectional groups in that Government or in any of its agencies; it should be ensured that this principle does not discount merit. It is rather our political sociology that keeps reading into the principle such practices whereby people who are not qualified for certain offices are deployed in such offices merely because they come from a certain area considered not have gotten comparable placements. In which case people who may be eminently qualified for such offices are denied placements because much more people from their ethnic groups, places of origin, sex, religion or political opinions, if not displaced, may fill up the space. That is precisely what the fundamental right to freedom from discrimination seeks to prohibit.

The moment a person is refused employment he is eminently qualified to take and the employment is given to another who may not even be qualified at all, merely because he comes from a particular place, or is of a particular gender or religious or political persuasion etc. the person denied has been discriminated against within the intendment of Section 42 of the Constitution and such a decision should, if assiduously litigated upon, be nullified otherwise we could be asked: why not merit?

It is important to note here that where there is a conflict between the provisions of Section 14 and 42 of the Constitution, the provisions of Section 42 will prevail. The reason being that section 14 occurs in Chapter 2 of the Constitution which contains the fundamental objectives and directive principles of State policy. Its provisions are directive and not mandatory. They are therefore not ordinarily justiceable. Whereas section 42 occurs in chapter 4 of the Constitution which are coercive rights enshrined in the Constitution as mandatory fundamental rights the Courts must grant, in appropriate cases, and the Executive must enforce. That is why I maintain, with respect, that the legislature never intended that the principle of Federal Character should discount merit.

It is baffling that the beautiful concept of Federal Character seems to have been corrupted in our country by some kind of convoluted reasoning, at least given its couching in our statutes and even its practice expectations. As it stands now the Federal Character principle comes out in practice to give incompetence an audacious ride against merit using geo-tribal watermarks and glass ceilings. If the intention of the Federal Character initiative is to carry every polity along, it should not be corrupted by disproportionate assessment modules that discount merit. It should rather be that when equities are equal and opportunities fixed, all sections of the country should get relatively equal chance in the fixed opportunity. That way the people who are not qualified don’t get placements in the fixed opportunities merely because they come from somewhere and for that matter displace people with merit.

We may pause at this moment to internalize a poignant story about a young Nigerian from Borno State (a so-called educationally disadvantaged state).

“In 1972, a young man coming down at Iddo motorpark carrying his metal portmanteau asked his way to land at the gate of Kings College, Lagos. Coming from Borno he was thrust into a new way of life. No exceptions were made for him. He competed like others. In 1978 he made the best result in his class with aggregate 6. Scoring 8 A1’s in different subjects. This won him a scholarship to UK where he graduated 1st Class in Mechanical Engineering.

His name? Alhaji Jani Ibrahim. Chairman of Heritage Bank among other businesses. He is a living testimony that in ALL parts of Nigeria you will find meritorious people!

So why has Federal Character been applied in such a manner that rather than further the interests of the state is used in ways that actually undermine the Nigerian State.

What I am struggling to convey is that the principle of federal character shall operate subject to the fundamental rights of the aggrieved persons which includes the right not to be discriminated against. Properly interpreted, Federal character principle should operate where equities are equal; or put in another way, where the competing interests are equal or on the merits. In that case, the community of interests competing for attention must be factored into the plug such that, as much as is possible, every such interest gets a placement. Not that people who are not qualified to hold a particular office by already disclosed criteria, will take such office because people from their area or religion or political opinion are not yet represented in such positions. The federal character principle could not have contemplated a situation where meritocracy is dethroned to enthrone mediocrity; otherwise it will be begging the question why not merit?

As it is, Section 42 of the Constitution seeks to ensure that when two people are competing for the same position, the only way one should displace the other must be by merit. The principle of federal character can therefore not be relied upon to override merit. This, in my view, is profound.

As it is, the constitution, which is the grundnorm or apex legal order has given the nation and its Administrators at all levels the bastion to insist on merit no matter whose axe is gored. So, why not merit? Where did we get this idea of fitting square pegs in round holes? And worse still professionals like you blow muted trumpets about such travesty of social justice!

In your profession, no member becomes licensed surveyor if that person has not undergone a process of certification such as obtaining a degree in surveying from a recognized university, completing a practical training program, and registering with the Surveyors Council of Nigeria (SURCON).  You do not give to intending persons membership on basis of north, west, east or south!!

Much like the principle of federal character is also the wrongly implemented principle of educationally disadvantaged areas. By this principle citizens from certain areas and maybe religious backgrounds and partisan leanings in the country, where you have predominant illiteracy rates, are sought to be exposed to conventional education. I have no doubt that the honest intentions of this principle are noble and unimpeachable. However the implementation of this principle by people of convoluted reasoning who occupy the corridors of power reveal two fundamental errors that invite the necessity of the question why not merit?

The first evil is to seek to hide under this policy to halt the development of the educational potentials of the people classified as educationally advantaged areas, whatever that means, until those from educationally disadvantaged areas catch up with them. One of the policies used to implement this retrogressive idea is the policy of catchment area. It is used mainly by university Administrators, for instance, to restrict admission into certain courses to people from the catchment location of the University. Under this principle, students who are not from the catchment area are denied admission into such courses like law and medical sciences, though they are qualified. On the other hand students from the catchment areas are favored with admissions into those courses denied their fellow students from the outer communities merely by reason of the fact that they come from such places.

A critical interrogation of the catchment area policy will show that, in effect, it is saying to those who are not from that catchment area, “though you are qualified, because you do not come from this community, because you don’t belong here, you are denied admission.” Can you imagine how ridiculous this is? Meanwhile some of such institutions are Federal Institutions built by the resources of all and sundry including the persons prevented from accessing education in the Institution for every other reason except merit. This is precisely what section 42(1) of the Constitution has effectively captured as discrimination as a result of membership of a particular community, ethnic group, place of origin… Clearly then, catchment area admission policies are discriminatory and ought to be struck down by the Courts not just because of the fact of it being discriminatory but also of the fact that it discounts merit.

The question again is why have professionals who ought to be interested in merit not fought this cause?

The second evil evinced in the concept of educationally disadvantaged areas is compromising standards or rather a discriminatory application of standards such that where there is limited admission opportunities into educational institutions, the standard is ridiculously lowered for students from the educationally disadvantaged areas to get admission. Put in another way, why should different cut-off marks be used for students from different states all because of quota system?

For the 2022/2023 session, the cut-off marks for Unity Schools are as follows;

Abia 130; Adamawa 62; Akwa-Ibom 123, Anambra 139; Bauchi 35; Bayelsa 72; Benue 111; Borno 45; Cross River 97; Delta 131; Ebonyi 112; Edo 127; Ekiti 119; Enugu 134; Gombe 58; Imo 138; and Jigawa 44. Others include Kaduna 91; Kano 67; Katsina 60; Kebbi nine (male) 20 (female); Kogi 119; Kwara 123; Lagos 133; Nasarawa 58; Niger 93; Ogun 131; Ondo 126; Osun 127; Oyo 127; Plateau 97; Rivers 118; Sokoto nine (male) 13 (female); Taraba three (male) 11 (female); Yobe two (male) 27 (female); Zamfara four (male) two (female) and FCT, Abuja 90.

What this policy is telling a qualified student who is denied admission because of place of origin, to create space for somebody who is not qualified except for his place of origin is saying is: “stop going to school until our people catch up with you.” Again this principle comes squarely within the dragnet of Section 42(1) of the Constitution as discrimination on grounds of place of origin. And this practice has gone on for years without competent challenge by organize body of professionals like yours who should be advocating for passing the best brains through the academic institutions. And I ask you why not merit.

 It is said that the best way to ruin a nation is to compromise its educational processes. How long shall we continue to do this? One would have thought that where an area is identified to be educationally backward, policies will be articulated to shore up educational culture in that area to the point of keen desires in areas where it is lacking. It would have been consistent to merit in my view, to throw into the educationally disadvantaged areas mass literacy orientation programs, higher percentage of scholarships to their deserving students, compulsory education policies and more-like incentives. But to apply the principle in such a way as to have a lower admission cut-off mark for students from the classified educationally disadvantaged areas only gives them opportunities they do not merit to the detriment of those who merit it which is clearly discriminatory within the intendments of the Constitution. The disastrous effect of this anachronistic policy is not just that it is counter-productive, it also worsens the proficiency of education in the targeted area. Furthermore, the inept application of this policy has ended up graduating people with certificates they cannot defend. Where will this leave our country?

Professionals go through training over long periods of scholarship to qualify as one. Shouldn’t it be expected that the dexterous labor and huge financial involvements in educating a professional be rewarded with employment or deployment opportunities with requisite remuneration? If it should be so doesn’t it pique you either as individuals or as a professional body under the aegis of the Nigerian Institution of Surveyors that people of lesser certification, or even none at all, are allowed into streams of income that outclass the professionals?

Political office holders are ultimately and without argument the highest remunerated service providers in our country today. But they are a set of people whose entry points are the least in academic qualification. By sections 65(2)(a), 106(c) and 131(d) of the Constitution a person who has been educated up to school certificate level or its equivalent, can be elected in to the National and state houses of Assembly respectively including the exalted office of the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

To further water down the academic qualifications of such political office holders section 318 of the Constitution includes primary six school leaving certificate, city and guilds certificate, the ability to read and write or any other qualification acceptable by the Independent National Electoral Commission as the equivalent of School Certificate. The most embarrassing of this qualification is that it is left to the subjective determination of INEC and the courts.

Dr. Nicky Okoye Convener, Nigeria Leadership Summit in a recent Arise News interview recently projected the impact of practitioners in three professions namely, legal practitioner, medical practitioner and the Civil Engineer set against the politician or the political office holder. According to him, a mistake by a lawyer affects the case of his client, a mistake by a doctor may kill only one patient; that of the civil engineer may lead to a building or bridge collapsing and may kill a maximum of one hundred people. He then zeroed down on the political leader.

According to him, “every decision a political leader makes affects the lives of millions of people. Every signature he signs, millions of people are affected. Either inflation rate is affected or jobs are affected, salaries are affected.” He concludes by saying that in his opinion that politics is the most important profession. “Unfortunately, that is the profession that has the lowest barrier to entry.” This is a despicable truth. The last 8 years of our nation should have brought this starkly to us.

Of course an eminent Nigerian has posited that politics is not a profession rather an occupation.

Whatever the semantics, it impacts all citizens profoundly.

Judging from the experience of Singapore, where their best brains are used in public and political offices, by reason of which they have been able to run a first world economy and social facilities in a 3rd world setting, why haven’t professional bodies like yours pushed the agenda of scholastic integrity in public office. Sections 66(1)(i), 107(1)(i) and 137(1)(i); in making provisions for ensuring that political office holders must have scholastic integrity. As it is the Legislatures have not done the best they can in raising the entry qualification of political office holders. It is my humble view that professional bodies can sponsor bills to cause a constitutional amendment that raise the qualification level of certain political offices.

Knowing that legislators represent their constituency and for that purpose make laws that represent the yearnings of their people, why have you as a professional body been blowing muted trumpets in matters concerning the certification of public office holders? What has prevented you since you became a professional body from building coalitions with other professional bodies to sensitize legislative houses across the board to midwife legislations that will ensure that the best in profiles competently assessed, takes politically exposed positions; and for that matter, leadership and policy formulation offices. Why should you labor and build profile only to end up to allow people without identity, of base moral values and devoid of sanctity rule over you? Are the qualifications you have risen up to, and its appropriate certifications no longer obtained in “learning and character?” Why have you continued to do nothing about the fact that unqualified and incompetent persons formulate policies that bind you and by themselves govern you?

Now that the ludicrous reality of the malfeasance of the absence of appropriate minimum qualification in the assumption of public office has become unveiled, the concomitant attitude must gravitate to tearing down all the segregating walls of quota system wherever they present a bar to merit.

In Why not merit? I call you to cooperate with right thinking members of the society, sister professional bodies and educational Institutions to raise the bar in the educational integrity of political office holders including their moral competence.

This presentation questions the anomaly that excuses mediocrity in public offices and enforces meritocracy in private enterprises and sports?

Why shouldn’t merit characterize ascendancy into levels of public office up to the Presidency? Why should we allow quota system as revealed above suffocate competence in public office and nosedive the country into the precipice of squalor in the midst of plenty. We cannot continue to allow our national policies in whatever way they manifest and by whatever names they are described to deride and ridicule merit. We must therefore set a date when all the discriminatory national policies that undermine merit will be deleted from our policy thrust. That is how in the first place we have come from giant of Africa to the midget of the clan.

Please keep asking: why not merit?

The first hint that illegal mining of mineral resources has been going on in Akwa Ibom State was given last August by the Commissioner for Environment and Mineral Resources, Mr. Uno Uno, in a press conference. He announced that the state government had clamped down on the Chinese firm, Ruitai Mining Limited, for failing to produce a mining license authorizing it to operate in the State an Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) report. The commissioner announced that the company had been mining titanium ore in Ibeno community, a major oil and marine community, before it was intercepted.

Said the Commissioner: ‘’A joint ministerial inspection team that included the Permanent Secretary, Mrs Iquo Abia, on arrival at the Ibeno community, was conducted around the mining site by the Chairman of Ibeno LGA, Mr. William Mkpa. The team discovered black clay-like minerals contained in sacks of 50 kg, which was identified as titanium ore. The Managing Director of the company, Mr. Zeng Zhonghuan and a director, Huang Ying, were not available at the site. The available staff members could not provide any information or documents’’. The commissioner concluded that the company’s records show that the board of directors is composed of only Chinese nationals, which is a violation of the Nigerian law, and that the state government had asked the company to close down its operations.

I was quite alarmed when I heard this revelation from the commissioner, who incidentally, is my neighbour in Uyo. But I was relieved that the government had taken action against the Chinese. However, I made a mental note of the fact that the Chinese could not have crawled into the state and engaged in illegal mining activities without the knowledge of the state government. ‘’Our former governor has questions to answer on how these illegal activities could have happened without his knowledge’’, I wrote in a WhatsApp chat group then.

That was in August, and I had forgotten about the matter until last week when a sociocultural association, Ekid Peoples Union, issued a press statement announcing that the illegal mining activities are still going on despite the government’s order. The group announced that ‘’a Chinese company, Ruitai Mining Limited, has been illegally mining Ilmenite on our land; located within the Stubbs Creek Forest Reserve (Akoiyak Ekid), property of the Ekid people, without the necessary authorization or consent of the community in breach of our extant laws’’. The statement, released on October 11, was signed by Dr. Samuel Udonsak, President General and a former member of the House of Representatives, Barr. Bassey Dan-Abia, the National Secretary.

This illegal mining, the statement noted, is usually carried out in the night and its product transported out of the state in trucks clandestinely. The illegal activities are aided and abetted by certain elements in government, according to the group, and ‘’as at today, neither the Chinese Company nor their agents in government, has informed the community of this ongoing illegal activity. This action is in complete breach of extant laws. This action is clearly against the letter and spirit of our current Mining Act that encourages mining to be carried out in an environmentally friendly and socially responsible manner’’.

It is quite unsettling that the Chinese miners are doubling down on their illegal and patently destructive activities despite government’s intervention. The negative implications of this on the environment, security and economy of the state and the wellbeing of our people are enormous and should be clear to the government. Ilmenite has many functions and applications in the manufacture of many commodities. It is the main source of titanium dioxide which is used in the manufacture of paints, printing inks, fabrics, plastics, paper, sunscreen, food and cosmetics. Ilmenite ore is used as a flux by steel makers to line blast furnace.

It is widely known that Chinese exploiters and illegal miners have been all over Nigeria engaging in illegal mining of mineral resources and exploitation, and at the same time, destroying the environment and instigating criminal and terrorist activities to cover up their tracks. Whether in Plateau, Zamfara and recently in Enugu State, illegal Chinese miners are ravaging Nigeria’s farmlands, forest reserves and uncultivated areas in search of precious minerals. In many cases, the Chinese instigate violent attacks against the local communities and law enforcement agencies in order to create opportunity for their illegal and obnoxious activities. This is why the Ekid Peoples Union, whose lands have long been exploited by one of the IOCs for crude oil, is crying out against the Chinese illegal activities. Having experienced the harmful impacts of oil pollution, the people are sufficiently sensitized to appreciate the depth of depravity, destruction and despoliation that are caused by illegal mining. The loss of revenue to the country and indeed, to the affected states due to this massive and unregulated illegal mining is huge. Besides, illegal mineral mining by foreigners has led to wars in Africa in countries like Sierra Leone, Liberia, DRC and CAR.

Why then is Gov. Umo Eno treating this matter with kid gloves? Is he or his predecessor benefiting from this unlawful business?

It is important for the Akwa Ibom State government to speak up on the issues raised by the Ekid People Union. Is it true that the Chinese company which is engaged in this illegal mining was registered only on the 13th of September, 2022 and the illegal activity is supported by the office of the Commissioner of Lands? Is it true that the illegal mining therefore has the backing of the former and current governor?

The Stubbs Creek Forest where the illegal mining is taking place is a forest reserve which is protected by the Reserve Ordinance. Its main function is to preserve its flora and fauna, which has almost been completely devastated by the mining activities. How then could the Federal Ministry of Solid Minerals Development have granted a mining license to the Chinese Company without the knowledge, consent and approval of the original landowners or the community? Did the Chinese conduct an Environmental Impact Assessment (E.I.A) on their mining activity?

I commend the EPU for speaking up against the criminal Chinese enterprise. Akwa Ibom State government should learn from the bitter experiences of Zamfara and other states where illegal miners are willing to set the state on fire just to protect their criminal activities. The Chinese should be driven out of the Akwa Ibom state right now.

There was a devastating fire outbreak at Watt Market, a popular market in Calabar, Cross River state, causing significant damage to goods estimated to be worth millions of Naira.

The fire, which started around 2:00 am on Thursday, affected a minimum of six shops within the market.

Mrs. Olumayowa Olomola, Commanding Officer of the Calabar Command of the Federal Fire Service, confirmed the incident to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), stating that the fire originated from a power surge at one of the shopping malls.

Although Olomola couldn’t ascertain the exact value of the destroyed goods, she mentioned that the impacted shops were well-stocked.

She emphasized that if not for the prompt response from her team, the fire would have spread to more shops.

Olomola stated, “Our response was swift, and we were able to contain the fire within the six affected shops.

“I urge everyone to take preventive measures, such as switching off all appliances, to avoid incidents like this in the future.”

In response to the increasing security issues in the nation’s capital, the Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) has warned that it will take action to shut down illegal motor parks throughout the territory.

The FCT minister, Nyesom Wike, made this announcement during a conversation with journalists in his office. He was addressing the issue of ‘one-chance’ robberies in the capital city.

There have been multiple reported cases of ‘one-chance’ robberies, kidnappings, and other criminal activities in the territory, causing fear among residents. The criminals disguise themselves as commercial vehicle operators to target unsuspecting victims.

Speaking about the measures taken to address the security crisis, the minister revealed that a joint task force on cross-border crimes was established last week to combat the menace of ‘one-chance’ robberies.

“We receive many reports about kidnappings and ‘one-chance’ incidents. In most cases, we don’t disclose publicly what has been done. I can assure you that the security agencies have taken significant steps. Otherwise, the FCT would be in a completely different situation by now,” stated Wike.

He identified that the FCT is surrounded by states like Niger, Kogi, Nasarawa, and Kaduna, which often experience banditry and kidnapping. Furthermore, the minister highlighted that the criminals often take refuge in shanties and uncompleted buildings.

“We cannot allow these criminals to occupy uncompleted buildings that have become shanties. We need to bring down these structures and eliminate their hiding places,” added Wike.

“Last week, we established a joint security task force consisting of the SSS, police, army, and navy to address the issue of ‘one-chance’ robberies and border control. This shows our concern and commitment to tackling these challenges,” he continued.

Additionally, Wike mentioned the presence of illegal motor parks and further plans to shut them down. He emphasized that while some may argue about the economic impact, it’s crucial to consider the security implications.

“We are also making preparations to close some of these illegal motor parks,” concluded Wike.