More details have emerged revealing what led to the resignation of the National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Abdullahi Adamu.

Naija News had reported earlier that Adamu and the party’s National Secretary, Iyiola Omisore, reportedly resigned from their position on Sunday.

It was gathered that the APC National Chairman resigned to save himself from being removed from office.

A source, who was privy to the details of the resignation, told WesternPost that Adamu was forced out over many issues, which included his non-support for President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.

According to the source, for the past two weeks, elements within the party have been calling for his resignation, threatening to remove him at the next National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting if he fails to resign.

The source further revealed that the National Security Adviser, Nuhu Ribadu was one of the people who told Adamu to resign because he had become a liability to the party.

He was, however, forced to step down as the party chairman after Imo State Governor and Chairman of the Progressives Governors’ Forum, Hope Uzodinma, told him that if he didn’t resign, they would remove him at the next NEC meeting.

Those calling for Adamu’s resignation accused him of working against the President during the party’s presidential primaries, publicly supporting former Senate President Ahmed Lawan, failing to fully back Tinubu even after securing the party’s ticket and mismanaging the party’s funds.

Lateef Popoola, an ally of the former governor of Oyo State, Rashidi Ladoja, has told the Oyo State High Court in Ibadan that the Olubadan of Ibadan, Oba Lekan Balogun, is plotting to strip Ladoja of his status as Otun Olubadan.

Naija News gathered that Ladoja’s ally disclosed this in an affidavit he deposed to before the court.

Popoola, who lives in Bodija, Ibadan, claimed that the alleged plot by the Olubadan to strip Ladoja of his title started after Ladoja rejected Governor Seyi Makinde’s offer to elevate Ibadan High Chiefs to crown-wearing Obas.

Recall that Ladoja had shunned a July 7 coronation ceremony where Governor Makinde elevated 10 Ibadan High Chiefs to crown-wearing Obas.

Following the elevation of the High Chiefs, Ladoja headed for court, seeking a declaration that the elevation of Ibadan High Chiefs to Oba was an illegality and an attempt to balkanise the Olubadan in Council.

In the suit filed before the Oyo State High Court in Ibadan, Ladoja joined the Olubadan as the first defendant. The ten newly-elevated High Chiefs were joined as 2nd to 11th defendants. Oyo State Governor, Makinde, was listed as the 12th defendant, while the state’s Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice was listed as the 13th defendant.

Popoola is one of the witnesses to testify in support of Ladoja’s suit.

In his affidavit filed before the court, Popoola stated, “Traditionally, Ibadan is known to have only a king, which is the Olubadan of Ibadan land (the first defendant), and all the other chiefs are cabinet members of the Olubadan of Ibadan land. It is only the Olubadan of Ibadan land that is to wear a crown, while the chiefs are identified with their beads.

“It is not within the purview of the first defendant (Olubadan) to elevate any of the High Chiefs or member of the Olubadan in Council to the status of His Royal Majesty, as traditionally, the only king known to Ibadan land is the Olubadan of Ibadan land.

“At no point in time did the claimant (Ladoja) signify interest to become His Royal Majesty or to put on a crown.

“To the dismay of the claimant, he started hearing in the media that he would be crowned on the 7th day of July 2023, when he had never consented to the non-traditional act masterminded by the first defendant (Olubadan).

“Since he had made it known to the first defendant that the act of elevating any of the Olubadan in Council members or High Chiefs to the status of His Royal Majesty is non-traditional, the first defendant had started plotting that if the claimant refused to be crowned, he would be denied of his status as Otun Olubadan of Ibadan land and that he would not be permitted to ascend the throne of Olubadan of Ibadan land when it is his turn.”

In a swift reaction, the Olubadan Advisory Council has described Ladoja’s accusation as unfounded and erroneous.

In a statement to journalists by the Personal Assistant (Media) to Olubadan, Oladele Ogunsola, the Olubadan Advisory Council met on Thursday and deliberated on Ladoja’s matter.

At the emergency meeting of the Olubadan Advisory Council presided over by the Olubadan and eight of the newly-crowned Ibadan Obas, they chided Ladoja over his claims, saying nobody becomes Olubadan without the nomination by the Ibadan kingmakers consisting of members of the Advisory Council from Ekerin upward.

“Assuming God decrees him to become Olubadan, as he hopes and desires, where will the present Olubadan, being alleged to be plotting against, him be? Rather than looking for a scapegoat, he should check himself as there’s no way just one person can stand against ten others. We shall meet in court as he has already initiated,” the council said.

Rising food and energy costs combined with currency depreciation has pushed Nigeria’s inflation rate to the highest point in 18 years.
Inflation rate, which stood at 22.41 per cent in May, rose for the sixth consecutive month to around 24 per cent in June, according to average projection by many analysts.

Economic intelligence reports by many economic and finance firms yesterday indicated that inflation rate had risen further as Nigerians grapple with continuing food shortage, amid rising energy costs and decline in value of naira.

But most analysts were optimistic that the ongoing fiscal and monetary reforms by the government would moderate costs of living in the foreseeable future, with the economy expected to gain a strong traction in the medium to long term.

President Bola Tinubu had last week declared a state of emergency on food security with a bouquet of direct policy interventions in food production, processing, storage, transportation and pricing. These include immediate release of fertilisers and grains to farmers households to mitigate the effects of the subsidy removal.

The government also plans a National Commodity Board that will review and continuously assess food prices as well as maintain a strategic food reserve that will be used as a price stabilisation mechanism for critical grains and other food items. Other plans include activation of some 500,000 hectares of land to increase the availability of arable land for farming, active irrigation through all river basins to ensure all-year round farming, increased security for farms and creation of ranches among others.

Ahead of the release of the official inflation report by the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS), independent consumer surveys and econometric models indicated that inflation remained high, driven by general increases across several baskets of living costs. The NBS is expected to release its official inflation report for June 2023 today.

Inflation rate had consecutively from 21.9 per cent in February 2023 to 22.04 per cent, 22.22 per cent and 22.41 per cent in March, April and May 2023.

Financial Derivatives Company (FDC), a leading independent economic and finance research firm, which took the lower band of the projections, stated that inflation could rise to 22.8 per cent in June, still within the highest point in 18 years.

FDC, which based its projection on time series model and survey of major retail markets in the nation’s economic focal point, Lagos, said headline inflation is now about 13.8 per cent above the upper bound of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN)’s 6.0 to 9.0 per cent target.

According to FDC, the sustained rise in the general price level was mainly due to the spike in the food basket due to the Muslim’s festival of Eid ul Kabir, planting season effect and higher transport and logistics costs owing to the removal of the petrol subsidy.

FDC stated that its econometric model indicates that “inflation risks are elevated and an inflection point may not be reached anytime soon”.

Cordros Securities stated that it expected the headline inflation to rise by some 217 basis points to 24.58 per cent, within the range of average prediction by several analysts.

“Our expectation is hinged on the effective PMS subsidy removal and liberalisation of the foreign exchange (forex) market fueling pressure on the core basket amid the below-average off-season harvest and Salah festivities intensifying food prices,” Cordros Securities stated.

Analysts at Cordros Securities however said “government reforms and policies are expected to reap benefits in the medium-to-long term if they are maintained”.

Afrinvest Securities projected that inflation would rise to 25.04 per cent in June 2023, driven by broad-based pressure across the consumer price index (CPI) components.

Arthur Steven Asset Management Limited expected inflation rate to rise by some 200 basis points to about 24.5 per cent.

Highcap Securities also projected increase in inflation rate citing the prevailing macroeconomic situation.

Analysts meanwhile agreed that policy reforms by the new government were justifiable for the long-term benefit of the economy.

According to analysts, while policy reforms such as removal of petrol subsidy and abolition of multiple forex rates would be painful for households and businesses in the short term based on an anticipated squeeze in consumer wallets and increased production costs, the medium to long-term benefits would reposition the economy for sustainable growth.

“The subsidy removal, in line with the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA), was justified by significant declining fiscal power over the years, for instance in first half 2023 budgeted subsidy spend was N3.4 trillion while baseline budget deficit estimation for the year is N11.7 trillion, and need to allow market forces hold more sway in the oil sector,” Afrinvest Securities stated.

While expecting inflation to remain elevated in the third quarter due to the lingering food shortages, currency depreciation and the impact of the fuel subsidy elimination, FDC expressed optimism on the possible positive effect of good policy reforms.

According to FDC, policy reforms play a significant role in shaping inflation expectations in Nigeria.

“With properly designed and effectively implemented policy reforms, inflation expectations can be anchored at lower levels, thereby reducing uncertainty and facilitating economic planning and investment decisions.

“In Nigeria, major policy reforms have been announced and implemented in the last month, which will most likely drive inflation expectation,” FDC stated.

The firestorm among some Christian leaders in Western Nigeria over the lyrics of a new song by Gospel artist, Tope Alabi, is in its fourth week.

She had sang in Yoruba that she is “Aboru Aboye” which translates to “I am a sacrifice which God has accepted.” This caused an uproar with some Christian leaders accusing her of introducing traditional religion idolatry into Christianity. They claimed that ‘Aboru Aboye’ is the language of Ifa priests, so she is promoting indigenous religion to the detriment of Christianity.

The charge is led by Funmi Aragabye, Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the Gospel Musicians Association of Nigeria, GOMAN, who in finding Alabi guilty of heresy declared: “Tope Alabi believes she is above everyone and God… She doesn’t belong to anyone; she is neither here nor there. The current state of the country is why many act the way they do. People take God for granted for being so merciful. Many people today are just worshipping God with their mouths; it doesn’t come from their hearts.”

Aragbaye, popular for her 1990’s hit: ‘Mo Gbo Ipe Olorun (Divine Call) added: “Most people preaching do not know what they are preaching about. They emerged from nowhere onto the scene.”

General Superintendent, Apostle Adeboye Ajakaiye of the Cherubim and Seraphim Church, also joined the fray: “I know the devil twists the things of God for his own use… These days, you can’t distinguish a Christian from the world in all ways, from dressing, talking, use of worldly vibes in Christian songs, dancing, etc.” Tope Alabi has in the last few days risen to her own defence that Yoruba language is used by people of all faith.

Just as Hosea said: “My people perish from lack of knowledge”(Hosea 4:6), so are those attacking Alabi lacking in the basic knowledge that all peoples have their own cultures and religions. So, when new religions come or rise, they usually borrow from the local language. For instance, the Hebrews called God Yahweh, Elohim, Adonai, Tzevaot, Shaddai, while the Romans Latinized Yahweh as Jehovah. All these have found their way into Christianity. The Izon call God Oyin, among other names. The Hausas call him Ubangiji, while the Igbo call him Chineke (Creator of the Universe), Chukwu or Olisa.

 The Yorubas call the Almighty by various indigenous names but the most popular being Olorun (Owner of the universe) and Olodumare. Odu, means pot and mare means inexhaustible. Noted philosopher, Professor Sophie Oluwole explained that Olodumare, which Yorubas irrespective of religious inclinations call God, literally means: “the man who has the pot that is not exhaustible. In English, it means Almighty; everything is within it.”

So, why would the religious leaders who condemn Alabi, accept Olodumare but reject Aboru Aboye when it is the same Yoruba language?

Ironically, Evangelist Tope Alabi is no different from her traducers; she is no less a fanatic. When in 2021, rising gospel artist, Adeyinka Alaseyori, released a hit song ‘Oniduro Mi’, meaning that the Almighty is my Guarantor who never fails, Tope Alabi roundly condemned her for alleged unChristian conduct.

In claiming divine inspiration, Alabi attacked the young artist: “God is beyond being a guarantor to Man…when we receive heavenly inspiration to sing, there are some deliberations we must have with the Holy Spirit before we can bring out such a song. If we keep singing the gospel just as the Spirit-inspired, there is the possibility that we all will be singing absurdly. As gospel singers, God has given us the brain to digest, chew, and fully comprehend the inspiration given to us before we bring it to life.”

Those sitting in judgement over Tope Alabi, and she sitting in judgement over others, remind me of the admonition in the Gospel of Matthew: “Do not judge, or you too will be judged. For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you. Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother’s eye and pay no attention to the log in your own eye…You hypocrite, first take the log out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to take the speck out of your brother’s eye.” (Matthew 7: 1-5)

It is instructive that while indigenous African religions have a very high level of tolerance and appreciation of other peoples’ faith, the same cannot be said of the main religions.

For instance, Yeye Ajesikemi Olokun Olatunji, who despite being a devotee of Aje Olokun, is helping to build a mosque in Ilorin, has decided to cancel the traditional Isese Festival slated from July 22 to 24, 2023 because some Muslim leaders object to holding the festival.

Although a lot of money has been spent on the preparations, guests around the country and abroad invited, and she has the constitutional and human right to practise her faith, she said: “I cancelled the celebration because I don’t want any crisis; I don’t want people to see me as a troublemaker and I don’t want people to label me as having caused a religious crisis in Ilorin.”

Explaining the tenets of her religion, she said: “God has shown each individual what they will do to succeed and enter paradise…God knows the heart of every human being and it depends on your mind and communication with your Creator. I know that God answers prayers; it depends on how you pray to Him.”

In this, she is showing a deep understanding of faith, tolerance, a high sense of civility and gumption, and a superiority of position. As the Yorubas say: your character is what portrays your religion.

While some religious adherents try to impose their faith on other people and even incinerate human beings for alleged religious infractions, others show good examples. Perhaps the most tolerant and even handed political leader in the country today is the immediate past Minister of Interior, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola. In his eight years as Osun State Governor, he elevated the indigenous religion to the same pedestal as Islam and Christianity.

At state functions, prayers were offered in the three religions, and he attended the main indigenous religious festivals in the state, including the Osun-Oshogbo, the Iwude Ijesha and the Olojo Festival in Ile-Ife. His administration also introduced a public holiday, the ‘Isese Day’ for adherents of indigenous religion. So, we do not lack good examples. Like Chinua Achebe wrote in Things Fall Apart: “You will have what is good for you and I will have what is good for me. Let the kite perch and let the eagle perch too. If one says no to the other, let his wing break.”

On January 13, 1970, Olusegun Obasanjo, army colonel and General Officer Commanding, GOC, the Third Marine Commando Division of the Nigerian Army, arrived Amichi in the old Nnewi Division of what was then known as East Central State to accept the capitulation of Biafra from Phillip Effiong, interim leader of the enclave. The encounter occurred in the house of Chief Ben Atuchukwu, one of a pioneer generation of trading magnets whose exploits bestowed on Nnewi its reputation as the home of Nigerian enterprise.

Present in the room was Simon Nsobundu Okeke, a pioneer estate surveyor and valuer with his origins from Amichi, who was a senior official in the Biafra’s security services. Ben Atuchukwu, the man in whose house the war ended, was his paternal uncle. In the nature of the occasion, Okeke and Obasanjo were not introduced to one another on the day.

After the war, Obasanjo continued in the military, becoming in succession a cabinet minister, second-in-command to the head of state, military head of state, civilian president, and international statesman. For his part, Okeke returned to his vocation of estate management, rising to become an acknowledged leader among estate surveyors and valuers in the country.

Nearly 32 years after they first met, the destinies of both men would be joined in the most unpredictable fashion. Obasanjo was sworn in on May 29, 1999 for his second tour of duty as Nigeria’s leader. Two and a half years later, on November 28, 2001, he presided as Chief Okeke took the oath of office as Chairman of the Police Service Commission, PSC, along with six other commissioners. In assuming this office, Chief Okeke became the first Chair of the Commission in 22 years, dating back to October 1979.

Published by MayFive Media Limited, Policing the Nigeria Police is Chief Okeke’s timely and thoughtful retrospective on policing and the Nigeria Police Force, NPF. It is part memoir and part policy memo in a book that combines racy narrative with deliberative analysis, juxtaposing recall of the worst of bureaucratic and political skulduggery with high-minded invocations of the public interest.

The book unfolds in 15 chapters that address different aspects of the institutional evolution, bureaucratic machinations, relational episodes, and, reform proposals in policing and police oversight viewed from the vintage of Chief Okeke’s tenure and experience with the PSC. Some of the major themes addressed include the histories of the NPF and PSC and of presidential and political instrumentalisation of both; abuses of the roles and powers of the IGP and of the president; the role of the PSC in election monitoring; the role of the president in a transitional democracy; the travails of civilian oversight of the security services; and issues of police reform, including state police and community policing.

By way of context, the Metropolitan Police in England was a mere 32 years old when the British began the experiment that evolved into the NPF. Until the departure of the British in 1960, the NPF was under the political authority of the head of the colonial government, for the most part known as the Governor, who directed the Force at his whim.

As they retreated in 1960, the British bequeathed to the country a PSC as a civilian oversight body over the NPF. This was problematic because for a century until then, the NPF had known no such oversight nor imbibed any bureaucratic traditions that would prepare it for such. Yet they gave this oversight body extensive powers of appointment, promotion, and discipline over the NPF.

For 19 years, until 1979, the PSC persevered with some difficulty, coexisting uneasily with the regimental mentality of military rule for about 13½ years of those. Upon the transition to the presidential system of government, from October 1, 1979, the Constitution made the President ex-officio chairman and chief executive of the PSC. But 39 months later, General Muhammadu Buhari abrogated that Constitution.

The return of military rule had a profound impact on the PSC and on the idea of police oversight. For the duration of the Buhari regime, Tunde Idiagbon, the Brigadier-General who was second-in-command, served as the nominal chair of the PSC. Ibrahim Babangida, who overthrew Buhari in August promulgated the Police (Miscellaneous Provisions) Decree, No. 5 of 6 February, 1989, which abrogated the PSC, making this retrospective to the beginning of his regime on August 27, 1985. In its place, he established a Police Council, whose membership comprised the military president, all state governors, and the Inspector-General of Police. At the time, the military president appointed all state governors. As such, the Police Council comprised the president and his appointees, all of whom came from regimental traditions.

In the 41 years since its creation in 1960 until 2001, therefore, the PSC was not in existence for 14 years; notionally existed under military rule for another 13½ years; and only functioned under civil rule for nine and a half (9½) years. For four of those nine and a half years, the president also chaired the Commission. This chequered history did not equip the Commission with any institutional memory. At inauguration in 2001, it had no office or staff. The 1999 Constitution had also re-designed the Commission in one fundamental way: unlike the period until 1985, it placed the Inspector-General of Police, IGP, outside the powers and purview of the PSC.

Under the Constitution, the president appoints the IGP, controls and instructs him and can also fire him at will. The IGP commands the NPF. The Police Council, whose membership comprises the president, state governors and the Chairman of the PSC, coexists with the Commission. Its role is confined to the declared purpose of advising the president in the appointment of the IGP. Chief Okeke recalls no such process as having taken place in his five years on the Council, which he describes as “next to moribund”.

The result was two-fold. First, in 2001, both the presidency and the IGP were unused to the idea of independent civilian oversight. Second when he assumed office in 2001 as the Chair of the PSC, Chief Okeke was in a unique pickle: he had no predecessor from whose experience he could draw but he was up against an institution and officers with fond memories of the days when the NPF brooked no oversight and was the plaything of the president.

Over five years in the role of PSC Chairman, Chief Okeke worked with one president and three IGPs: the first was fired, the second was convicted for fraud and  embezzlement, and the third, as Chief Okeke writes, “practically shoved aside the Police Service Commission and took directives only from the President”. With few allies, the job the PSC Chairman verged on impossible. It was just not for the faint of heart.

At the end of his tenure in 2006, Chief Okeke chose wisely not to seek reappointment. Unknown to him, the Inspector-General of Police, Sunday Ehindero, had advocated with and advised the president that it was better to have the PSC headed by a retired police officer. In February, 2023, President Obasanjo, who implemented this advice, admitted it was mistake, saying: “When you make a retired police officer the head of the PSC, it is like asking a thief to catch a thief.’’

But this mistake birthed a Nigerian tradition: since 2006, the PSC has been retirement home to a succession of former IGPs. Far from making the relationship better, this deepened antipathy between the PSC and the NPF, introducing the added complication of inter-personal psycho-drama between incumbent IGPs on the one hand, and former IGPs who were their superiors on the other. The case between the IGP and the PSC over the question of primacy in the matter of recruitment of police personnel is pending at the Supreme Court.

This then is the narrative of interlocked and overlapping destinies and mutating machinations that makes Policing the Nigeria Police such a compelling read. The book offers thoughtful insights on policing for the country and argues a persuasive case for decentralisation of the NPF, dispassionately examining proposals for state police, community policing, and even vigilantes. Anyone interested in making policing both effective and accountable in Nigeria has a duty to read it.

A lawyer and a teacher, Odinkalu can be reached at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

A 19-year-old student, Benjamin Daberechi has been arrested by operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, NDLEA, for attempting to export 7.2 kg of methamphetamine concealed in crayfish to Europe where he was going for studies.

The 19-year-old student was arrested at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja, Wednesday, during an outward clearance of passengers on Turkish Airlines flight TK 0624.

Femi Babafemi, the agency’s spokesperson, in a statement on Sunday, explained that the suspect had during an interview with the operatives claimed he was heading to Cyprus.

He said a white substance found in his luggage tested positive for Methamphetamine.

The statement explained, “While being interviewed by operatives, Daberechi claimed he was a student on his way to Cyprus for studies, but upon a thorough search of his luggage, he was found in possession of 7.2kg of whitish substance neatly concealed inside a sack of crayfish.”

He disclosed that a field test of the substance, however, proved positive to Methamphetamine.

He further revealed that a female lawyer identified as Ebikpolade Helen was arrested after operatives had recovered 5kg of cannabis and 12 bottles of skuchies in her Lekki apartment.

He said that the Lekki Lagos-based female lawyer, Helen, who specialises in the production and distribution of skuchies, a mixture of cannabis, opioids, and black currant, was arrested in a follow-up operation in Awka, Anambra State following an earlier seizure of 5kg cannabis and 12 bottles of prepared skuchies in her apartment at Lekki.

Babafemi added that operatives of the Tincan Port Command of the Agency on Tuesday, July 11, intercepted 116.5kg consignment of Colorado, a strong strain of cannabis concealed in bags hidden in a heap of used vehicles parts on the floor of a container marked FCIU 8459700, bearing three units of used vehicles imported from Toronto, Canada.

Based on intelligence, the statement stated that the agency had requested a 100% examination of the container which arrived at the TICT terminal of the port on June 14, saying that a joint examination with the Nigeria Customs Service, Department of State Services, and other stakeholders on Tuesday, July 11, however, led to the discovery of 233 parcels of the illicit substance stashed inside travelling bags on the floor of the container, covered with used vehicle spare parts.

The statement explained that attempts to export various quantities of illicit substances through courier companies were equally thwarted by NDLEA operatives of the Directorate of Operation and General Investigations in Lagos, pointing out that 336 grams of skunk stuffed inside computer hard drives going to Dubai, United Arab Emirates, were seized at a courier firm.

[DailyPost]

Vice-President Kashim Shettima has sought the support of Nigerians for the federal government’s soon-to-be unveiled solution to the raging crisis in the North West.

Daily Trust reports that the zone has been battling with increased banditry that has cost hundreds of lives and displaced thousands more with many stakeholders already advocating for a different approach to the government’s military strategy to the crisis.

But the Chief of Army Staff, Maj. Gen. Taoreed Lagbaja, reportedly kicked against amnesty programme for bandits and terrorists in the country last week, saying rather than repent, beneficiaries of such programmes see the programme as an avenue to regroup and attack innocent citizens.

But speaking in Kano on Sunday, the Vice President said the President Bola Tinubu is determined to redefine the meaning and concept of modern governance.

He said there cannot be a military solution to the crisis in the North West.

He said, “The crisis we have in the North West, further accentuated by poverty and social exclusion is something the president is determined to frontally confront and in the coming weeks, he is going to unveil the solution.

“Unless we want to engage in an endless war of attrition, there cannot be a military solution to the crisis in the North-West There has to be a kinetic and non-kinetic solution. And President Bola Tinubu in the next couple of weeks will unveil the Pulaku solution which will address the grievances and social exclusion of our Fulbe cousins in the Northwest; towards addressing the root causes of all the banditry and insurgency in the nation.”

The VP, who was in Kano on a condolence visit to the Emir of Kano, Alhaji Aminu Ado Bayero over the death of Malam Imam Galadanci, an in-law to the Sultan of Sokoto and also to the Emir of Bichi, Nasiru Ado Bayero, was received and led to the Emir’s palace by Kano state governor, Abba Kabir Yusuf.

At the Emir Palace, the Emir of Kano appreciated President Tinubu and the VP and expressed optimism that both of them would come up with policies and actions that will further engender development of the country.

The World Bank has attributed the frequent building collapse in Lagos State to gaps and loopholes in the permitting process and the use of unqualified professionals in the design and construction of buildings.

It also listed the absence of a legally adopted building design code, limited land available for development and lack of systems to ensure the quality of construction materials as well as other reasons buildings cave in regularly in the state.

The bank revealed this in a report on housing regulatory framework standards in sub-Saharan Africa.

According to the bank, only about 10 per cent of construction sites obtain permits, and even when permits are obtained, final construction can still deviate from their requirements.

A report by the Lagos State branch of the Building Collapse Prevention Guild early this year revealed that 115 incidents of building collapse occurred in the capital city in the last 10 years.

The report partly read, “Based on past studies and consultations with the government and key stakeholders, the main drivers for building collapse in Lagos are the absence of a legally adopted building design code in Lagos State. This contributes to poor quality design and construction, increasing vulnerability and reducing building design life.

“Another reason is the limited land available for development, combined with a lack of risk-informed site selection. As land in Lagos is scarce, some builders, particularly the poor, are forced to choose risky sites for construction. In addition, site-specific risk information is not readily available.

“Lack of systems to ensure the quality of construction materials: Materials in the marketplace often do not meet the Nigerian national standards, which include minimum material standards, certification mechanisms, and testing requirements. In addition, material testing facilities in Lagos have limited capacity.”

According to the bank, as a result of a failure in regulation, building collapses occur during the rainy season due to construction on inappropriate sites and/or flood damage to foundations and structures.

It also stressed that the building control authority was under-resourced and lacked adequate transportation and equipment to carry out effective site monitoring and inspection.

To resolve this, the World Bank proposed collaboration between the government and private sector as well as bottom-up outreach to inform communities about the risks associated with low-quality construction and design.

Governor Babagana Zulum of Borno State has expressed dismay over the lack of electricity and poor condition at the General Hospital in Gwoza town.

Zulum, who was on a day working visit to Gwoza, spent the night in the town which is the headquarter of Gwoza Local Government Area of southern Borno.

The governor, who has the habit of paying surprise visits to government institutions in a bid to obtain first-hand account of happenings, went to the hospital at midnight on Saturday.

Zulum went round to assess the hospital.

“It is unacceptable that a critical healthcare facility like this Gwoza General Hospital is deprived of basic amenities such as electricity. This situation compromises the quality of care provided to patients and hampers the efforts of our dedicated healthcare professionals.

“We are not here to trade blame, we are here to find solutions. Nobody brought to my knowledge the deplorable conditions of this place.

“I will neither exonerate myself nor the local government authority. We (all) have failed to provide what is needed. However, I want to assure you (patients and the rest of the people) that insha’Allah, we will fix this, we will make the working environment here better than it is now,” Zulum said,

As part of measures to change the situation he saw, Governor Zulum ordered the immediate commencement of rehabilitation works which will include power restoration at the hospital.

Meanwhile, Governor Zulum was impressed with medical staff who, despite the poor situation of the General Hospital, were on ground to provide services.

Zulum announced reward for all the staff for being dedicated in the face of challenges.