The Management of Dangote Petroleum Refinery has insisted that it is not yet getting enough crude required for the effective optimization of its refinery from the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation Limited (NNP).

The Refinery Management, in a release signed by, Group Chief, Branding and Communications Officer, Anthony Chiejina revealed that, “we therefore still insist that we are unable to secure our full crude requirement from domestic production and urge the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC), to fully enforce the domestic crude supply obligation as mandated by the PIA.”

Chiejina clarified that his company has never accused NNPC of not supplying “…us with crude. Our concern has always been NUPRC's reluctance to enforce the domestic crude supply obligation and ensure that we receive our full crude requirement from NNPC and the IOCs.”

He further explained that “For September, our requirement is 15 cargoes, of which NNPC allocated six. Despite appealing to NUPRC, we've been unable to secure the remaining cargoes. When we approached IOCs producing in Nigeria, they redirected us to their international trading arms or responded that their cargoes were committed.

Consequently, we often purchase the same Nigerian crude from international traders at an additional $3-$4 premium per barrel which translates to $3-$4 million per cargo”

1.The entire 1981 Class of the Nigeria Law School (81 Setters) felicitates with your Lordship, Hon. Justice Olukayode Ariwoola, CJN, GCON,on your graceful retirement as the 19th Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN).

2.We are very proud of your Lordship’s remarkable achievements and exemplary leadership of the Nigerian Judiciary as the Chief Justice of Nigeria ( CJN) in the past two years. You are a worthy Ambassador of our Class and we all take collective pride in the fact that you are one of us.

3.Right from our days back at the Victoria Island, Lagos Campus of the Nigeria Law School, you had left no one in doubt that you were destined for the topmost echelon of the legal profession through the judiciary.Your dedication to duty, maturity, integrity and focus have always defined you.

As a State Counsel in the Oyo State Ministry of Justice, you distinguished yourself by your industry and diligence. In the High Court of Oyo State, your Lordship succeeded in laying the foundation for a sterling judicial career as a brilliant and incorruptible Judge. At the Court of Appeal, your Lordship exemplified the excellent virtues of an outstanding Justice whose primary concern was nothing but the doing of justice to all manners of people,irrespective of tribe, gender,station in life,religion or language.

Your Lordship’s elevation to the Supreme Court in 2011 therefore did not come to us as a surprise, for it was a further confirmation of your track record as a trailblazer. Our Class was therefore delighted when your Lordship was appointed the Chief Justice of Nigeria in 2022, a position that was richly earned. In the short span of just two remarkable years in the saddle, your administration as the Chief Justice of Nigeria was action-packed, reformative, innovative, and eventful.

As your Lordship takes a well deserved bow on your retirement from the Bench as prescribed by the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999, as amended, we are proud of the fact that you are leaving behind a stronger Judiciary, a united Supreme Court and a well-funded Bench. The passage of the Bill for an Act to Prescribe the Salaries, Allowances and Fringe Benefits of Judicial Office Holders in Nigeria and for Related Matters, the enactment of the Supreme Court Rules, 2024, the historical attainment of the full complement of 21 Justices for the Supreme Court, the landmark decisions of the apex court,and many more,all speak volumes of the evergreen legacies of your Lordship’s outstanding administration. There is no doubt that your leadership and commitment to justice have left an indelible mark on our nation’s legal landscape.

On behalf all all our 1981 Classmates.( 81 Setters), I congratulate your Lordship and I wish you a blissful retirement in good health and with peace that passeth all understanding.

Prof. Mike A.A. Ozekhome, SAN, CON,0 OFR, FCIArb, LL.M, MA,PhD, LL.D, D.Litt, D.Sc, DA,JD, DHL.

CHAIRMAN.

President Bola Tinubu extends his condolences to the family of Mr. Issa Hayatou, former President of the Confederation of African Football (CAF), who passed away at the age of 77 on Thursday.

Mr. Hayatou was also one-time acting President of FIFA -- the world's football governing body.

President Tinubu commiserates with the Cameroonian Football Federation, the people of Cameroon, and the African football community.

The President describes the passing of the legendary football administrator as a huge loss, underlining his contributions to the development of the sport in Africa and beyond.

The President prays for the repose of the soul of the departed and strength to his family at this difficult time.

Chief Ajuri Ngelale

Special Adviser to the President

(Media & Publicity)

Not a few defenders of neoliberalism have criticised the judgment of the Federal High Court which has mandated the Federal Government to fix the prices of essential commodities in the country. The criticism of the judgment is based on the fact that Nigeria is a capitalist country. It is surprising that such critics are not aware that the leading capitalist countries in the world fix and regulate the prices of certain goods and products. According to Hugh Rockoff, governments in the United States “have fixed the price of gasoline, the rent on apartments in New York City, and the wage of unskilled labor, to name a few. At times, governments go beyond fixing specific prices and try to control the general level of prices, as was done in the United States during both world wars and the Korean War, and by the Nixon administration from 1971 to 1973.”

In response to the growing demand for rent control in the United Kingdom, the Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan said that: “Londoners re-elected me on a manifesto pledge to push for the powers to control rents and I will not stop advocating for this lifeline on their behalf. I am delivering on my promise to build a better, fairer and more prosperous London by building more affordable homes in the capital and providing vital support to Londoners through the cost-of-living crisis. It’s about time the Government did the same.”

Notwithstanding that Nigeria operates a so-called free market economy, several laws have imposed a duty on the Federal Government and State Governments to regulate the prices of fuel, tickets for train and  domestic air travels, schools fees paid in government colleges and tuition in tertiary institutions, water rates, electricity tariffs, telecom call rates, tolling fees paid by road users, land use charge, fees for land documentation, rents paid by tenants and wages paid to workers. The Federal Government has just set up a Wages Review Panel to recommend the minimum wage payable by the public and private sectors in the country.

The Federal Government fixes duties on goods imported into the country. The Nigeria Customs Service is legally obligated to collect such duties. However, the Government has decreed that import duties shalll not be paid in respect of certain goods and products, including all basic foods items, medical and pharmaceutical products,  books and educational materials, baby products, fertilizer, locally produced agricultural and veterinary medicine, farming machinery and farming transportation equipment, plant and machinery imported for use in the export processing zone.

Some private companies that are required to pay import duties running to several trillions of Naira are granted duty waivers by the Federal Government. Can the Federal Government allow the beneficiaries of duty waivers to fix the prices of the goods without control? ? Can the Federal Government equally allow the importers of duty free goods to fix the prices of such goods without regulation?

The Central Bank of Nigeria is legally obligated to

fix the exchange rate of the Naira visavis other currencies. Contrary to the letter and spirit of the Central Bank Act the federal government has continued to devalue the Naira through dollarisation. The federal government has also floated the currency to allow market forces to fix the exchange of the Naira. But the various circulars recently issued by the CBN, in the last few days, have confirmed that the federal government cannot afford to allow market forces alone to fix the exchange rate of the Naira.

Services provided by a number of professional bodies are fixed and controlled by law. For instance, any lawyer who fails to pay the annual practising fees shall be denied audience in courts. The Stamp and Seal (purchased from the Nigerian Bar Association) shall be affixed to all documents including court processes prepared by lawyers.  In addition, the 2023 Legal Practitioners Remuneration Order has fixed the professional fees charged by legal practitioners. Any lawyer who fails to comply with the Remuneration Order shall be sanctioned by the Legal Practitioners Disciplinary Committee.

In view of the foregoing, the Order of the Federal High Court which has directed the Federal Government to control the prices of essential commodities in Nigeria is in accordance with section 16 (1)(b) of the Constitution which has imposed a legal obligation on the Government to control “the national economy in such manner as to secure the maximum welfare, freedom and happiness of every citizen on the basis of social justice and equality of status and opportunity.”

Last week, Vice President Kashim Shettima announced the plan of the Bola Tinubu administration to set up a Commodity Board which will be given the mandate to assess and regulate food prices, as well as maintain a strategic food reserve for stabilising prices of crucial grains and other food items. That’s the way to go if the poor in the society  are to “breathe” as the implementation of the reforms embarked upon by the Tinubu administration gather pace.

The plan is in accordance with the Fifth Alteration to the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 which stipulates that the Government shall direct its policy towards ensuring the right to food and food security for the people. It is also a revival of the Commodity Boards that  were abolished as part of the conditionalities of the World Bank-inspired Structural Adjustment Programme (SAP) that was imposed on Nigeria in 1986 by the General Ibrahim Babangida regime.

This is a welcome development as the official announcement comes after the federal high court in Lagos ordered the federal government on February 7, 2024, to fix the prices of goods and petroleum products within seven days. However, the Federal Government is urged to reduce the skyrocketing duties and tariffs on essential commodities that are imported into the country so as to make them cheap and affordable in line with the terms of the judgment of the Federal High Court.

Big-time traders and those managing Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs), as well as transporters in states where the #EndBadGovernance protest took place, are counting their losses, Daily Trust reports.

Violent demonstrations which accompanied the protest across the nation since August 1, have led to the imposition of curfew in some states to tame the activities of hoodlums that hid under the protest to loot.

The development also led to restriction of movement and closure of business premises.

Though the curfew has been relaxed in some states, many of those who spoke to our correspondents said they lost huge fortunes during the siege on their businesses by thieves.

Others said they lost revenue because they were forced to close their shops for fear of hoodlums who went about attacking businesses.

Transporters also spoke of the grounding of their activities due to fear of being attacked, or simply because there were no passengers.

Over N5bn worth of goods looted – Barakat Stores owners

The most pronounced private properties looted and vandalised in Kano include the retail outlets of Barakat Stores and Rufaidah Yoghurt.

Speaking on their experience, Barakat Stores’ General Manager, Muhammad Sani, popularly known as Alhaji Karami, said an estimated N5 billion worth of goods and properties have so far been destroyed.

“We have branches at Lodge Road, Korau Road and Rijiyar Zaki; then our warehouse inside Garba AD House, just beside the Government House. We share the same fence.

“On that day (August 1), I, alongside some of our supervisors, spent the night dispatching security operatives across the branches up till around 7am. When I went home to rest, my wife woke me up and told me that there is a problem with our store.

“Before I arrived, the store had been ravaged and looted.

“What we lost is estimated at between N4.5 billion and N5 billion, and it may even be higher. We have expensive things there. We have two containers from China, two and half containers from Turkey that came less than two months ago.

“About 1,000 cartons of vegetable oil were looted also. We did not even pay for it. We were billed to pay up later. There are other goods we brought from Lagos; about 30 vans.

“We have our distribution van, a Mitsubishi which we bought about two months ago at N15 million, they burnt it down,” he said.

He added that while security operatives had recovered some of the stolen items like flour, pieces of noodles, oil, among others, “We are trying to get the full estimate of the recovered items. We are currently using a rented store to compile that.

“We have written our reports and sent to the government and security operatives.

“On our part, we have forged ahead and business continues, but currently, we have over 300 Staff in our three branches and most of them are off duty. They are jobless because of what happened,” he said.

Ibrahim Bello Bayero, another property owner said: “They (miscreants) broke into my pharmaceutical shop at Court Road and stole two deep freezers and some medicines.”

He said his car valued at N3.5 million was burnt down at the Audu Bako Secretariat.

A Rufaidah Yoghurt plaza at Hotoro, Maiduguri Road, was also vandalised and looted by hoodlums.

However, efforts to speak with the owners or managers were not successful.

The 16th Emir of Kano, Muhammadu Sanusi II, said intelligence failure led to the attacks on public and private properties in the state during the #EndBadGovernance protest.

The emir, who spoke when he paid a visit to the Kano Printing Press, the NCC Digital Industrial Park and Barakat Stores, said the security agents were notified of the plans for the attacks on some of the properties days before the incidents.

He said, “Kano was billed to be destroyed but we pray that God will not let them succeed. May God return all that was lost; we can only pray.”

The Commissioner, Ministry of Science, Technology and ICT, Muhammad Tajo Othman, said the state government has the assurance of the federal government to restore the building.

The Kano State government’s Printing Press, which was also vandalised was established in 1938, and had been serving the state over the years.

The NCC centre was billed for commissioning but everything has been looted.

Sanusi Bature Dawakin Tofa, who is the spokesman of Governor Abba Kabiru Yusuf, said a commission of enquiry will soon be set up by the government to investigate the incidents.

“A workable solution will soon be charted so that the government can intervene,” he said.

The chairman of Singer Market Traders Association, Alhaji Junaidu Muhammad Zakari, said small business owners and service providers have lost huge sums of money to the hunger protest.

The market, which was closed since the commencement of the protest, remained under lock and key until Tuesday.

Traders like Abdullahi Ismail, Habibu Yusuf and Jamil Harisu, said though the market was not looted, traders lost income from the closure of their businesses.

“For almost five days, nothing was happening and this meant a lot of loss to all of us,” he said.

Singer is the wholesale market for rice, sugar, flour, noodles and other food items in Kano City. It attracts customers from within and outside Nigeria daily.

Similarly, business activities at Dawanau Grains Market, located in Dawakin Tofa LGA, were at a standstill for days.

The president of the market association, Alhaji Muntaka Isa, told newsmen on Monday that 800 security men were deployed to secure the market against theft.

He said hoodlums from neighbouring ‘Mil Tara’, Bachirawa and Rijiyar Lemo had attempted to loot shops in the market but were prevented by the vigilance of the security men deployed, including 400 vigilante members.

Our supplies were cut – Borno, Yobe traders

Traders in Borno and Yobe states said the protest had cut off their supplies from Kano and Jos, in addition to the losses incurred on the first day of the protest and during the curfew.

At the Monday Market in Maiduguri, which typically bustles with crowds of buyers from different parts of the state and beyond the borders with Niger, Chad and Cameroon, dealers, wholesalers and traders said they suffered from the disturbing incidents.

Malam Bashir Bakura, a dealer of various commodities, said he was grateful to God that no looting took place in the market, but said the losses for not transacting for two days were immeasurable.

“In a day, I make sales of nothing less than N30 million. Some would make up to N100 million or even higher, but we were forced out of the business by the protesters. But we thank God they didn’t invade the market. But, our goods were also trapped in Kano,” he said.

Garba Bunu, an interstate transporter, lamented that the curfew affected his business, citing low patronage.

“My vehicles were packed for three days, which is a big loss to me. Things are difficult for us, but Insha Allah, we will survive it,” he said.

In Yobe, business activities have returned to Damaturu, the state capital, unlike in Potiskum and Nguru towns where the protesters looted shops leading to the imposition of curfew.

Also, traders in the state capital complained about a decline in sales and supplies.

Abare Balume, a trader at Damaturu Main Market, said many people refused to open their businesses even after the protest.

“Curfew has been lifted but many traders refused to fully open their businesses for the fear of the unknown,” he said.

Another trader, Alhaji Bukar, said his consignments were trapped in Jos, and prayed for normalcy to return.

Huge losses suffered in Gombe

A trader, Alhaji Sani Muhammad Yawale, said the closure of the Gombe main market during the protests led to significant losses.

He said before the protests, he was making over N1 million in sales daily.

He added that there was still an atmosphere of uncertainty in the market because many traders have refused to reopen their shops for fear of another attack by hoodlums.

Najib Ishaq Saleh, a shop owner at the Gombe Old Market, said he used to make sales of between N200,000 to N300,000 a day, but since the protests began, the business had stopped.

Businesses slowed in Lagos

Also, commercial vehicle operators in Lagos lamented a decline in patronage since the commencement of the protest.

One of the leaders at Ojota Motor Park, which is close to Freedom Park, one of the venues of the protest, said patronage had declined.

“We are hoping that full life will resume after the 10th day. This is because, even though not much is happening around the protest, people are still sceptical to move around,” he said.

We lost a lot of income in Kwara

In Kwara State, a cement distributor, Mrs Latifat Abdullahi, said though there was no serious security breach in the state, cement manufacturers stopped their trucks from going to the state.

“Our business was grounded and money is not coming in. We lost a lot in terms of income,” she said.

‘We were caged in Jos’

Jamilu Kabiru, who sells electrical equipment in Jos, the Plateau State capital, said they were negatively impacted by the protest.

“The protests have disrupted the supply chain, making it difficult for us to restock our shops. We could not bring goods from Lagos because owners of heavy trucks were afraid to drive on the roads. This is really a set back to the business,” he said.

Ibrahim Aliyu, a phone seller and repairer, said it was tough because the curfew imposed on Jos and Bukuru grounded everything.

“We were caged, honestly,” he said. “May we not see this kind of protest again,” he added.

Shortage of bread, others in Kaduna

Businessmen in Kaduna have also been counting their losses.

This is just as scarcity of bread, rice and other essential commodities hit communities as many shops were closed and the few that were open ran out of stock following the curfew imposed by the state government to curtail the escalation of violence.

A provision shop owner in Kadaure area of Kaduna, Aisha Musa, said she was forced to close her shop because many people came looking for goods that she did not have.

“Since the protest started on Thursday, I have been unable to go to the market to re-stock my shop for fear of being lynched,” she said.

Curfew relaxed in northern states

Eight northern states that had imposed curfew when the #EndBadGovernance protests degenerated into violence have now relaxed the restriction due to improved security conditions.

The Kano State government has modified its 24-hour curfew to 12-hours –  from 6pm to 6am.

In Bauchi State, the 24-hour curfew in Azare, Katagum LGA, has also been adjusted to a 12-hour restriction.

The Borno State government has completely lifted the movement restriction that was previously imposed following various security incidents, including protests, IED explosions, and culpable homicide.

Katsina State has eased the 24-hour curfew in Dutsinma LGA to 12 hours, from 7pm to 7am, similar to the rest of the state.

Jigawa State has fully lifted the 24-hour curfew in 19 local government areas and reduced it in eight others. In Babura, Birnin Kudu, Dutse, Gumel, Hadejia, Kazaure, Kiyawa and Roni LGAs, the curfew now runs from 6pm to 5am.

The Plateau State Government has also relaxed the 24-hour curfew in Jos-Bukuru metropolis. Residents can move freely between 12noon and 6pm daily.

Kaduna’s 24-hour restriction of movement has also been eased. After a review of the security situation in Kaduna and Zaria towns and environs, the state’s security council relaxed the curfew, allowing movement between 8am and 6pm.

In Yobe State, the 24-hour curfew in Potiskum, Gashua and Nguru LGAs has also been relaxed.

[DailyTrust]

Take It Back Movement, one of the key organizers of the EndBadGovernance nationwide protest, has scheduled Saturday for a one-million-man protest in all the 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory, FCT Abuja.

Mr Sanyaolu Juwon, National Coordinator of the movement, stated this in a statement on Thursday in Abuja.

He said, “the Take It Back Movement (TIB), side-by-side with other organizers and organizations will on August 10, lead a monumental one-million-man protest in each of the 36 states of Nigeria and the Federal Capital Territory, FCT, Abuja.

“This event will mark a critical juncture in our nationwide EndBadGovernanceInNigeria campaign, which began on August 1, 2024.

“It started as a planned 10-day protest but has evolved into a sustained and widespread movement, drawing participants from every corner of Nigeria and the diaspora.”

DAILY POST reports that the protest which aimed at drawing the attention of the governments at all levels to the hardship bedeviling the citizens, commenced on August 1 and is expected to end on Saturday, August 10.

Although the protest was hijacked by criminal elements, the exercise recorded large turnout across the country, especially in the northern states.

Despite the appeal by President Bola Tinubu in a nationwide broadcast on Sunday, asking the protesters to back down and give his administration more time, the protest had continued in Abuja, Kano and some other parts of the country.

[DailyPost]

The Borno State Police Command said it prevented hoodlums who hijacked the #endbadgovernance protest in Maiduguri from looting and vandalising private businesses during the August 1  protests which led to the death of four persons and left 34 others injured.

However, while the Borno Police gives its officers the thumbs up for a job well done, Hadjia Halima Ali, the mother of Habilu Ali has accused the Police of indiscriminately shooting at innocent citizens; the result which is the fatal shooting of her son who is currently recuperating at the state specialist hospital where other victims are also receiving free medical treatment.

The Command’s Public Relations Officer, ASP Nahum Daso, had narrated to Arewa PUNCH during an interactive session on Thursday in Maiduguri how the police in the state botched the attempts of hoodlums to loot and vandalise private homes, businesses and other properties.

According to him, security operatives tried to prevent the destruction of public facilities, but the high number of violent protesters destroyed several properties worth millions of naira belonging to the state government 

He said “The properties destroyed included the Crossover bridge in Bulumkutu road, flower vessels from Malakachala round-about down to Airport Roundabout downward,  street lights on Lagos street, vandalisation of interlock from Gwange down to UMTH Junction”

The PPRO continued, “They destroyed four vehicles belonging to BOTMA in Mechanical Quarters and ransacked the office, they also looted properties from the office of  UNHR and attempted to break into warehouses; a move which was foiled by proactive measures of the police.”

Daso said he witnessed private vehicles and tricycles of non-protesters, which were on the verge of being destroyed by the hoodlums, but the attempt was thwarted by the physical presence of security operatives.

Speaking also on how the Police saved private homes, houses and businesses from being looted and the properties vandalised, he said, “As of now, we haven’t heard of any private store or shop which was completely ransacked, although, there were attempts. However because the state was in chaos, many people left their businesses. As I mentioned earlier the proactive measures of the police who were very much on the ground, prevented such attacks.”

Corroborating the Police, a resident of Maiduguri, Mohamed Abba said it was Allah and the effort of the Police that helped him as he would have become financially ruined because his shop was located in the Bulumkutu area where the protest escalated.

Abba narrated to Arewa PUNCH, “Walahi, I was at home praying that what was happening in other places as regards looting should not happen here because if it did, where will I start from? He queried.

“I have a kiosk here in Bulumkutu. All thanks to Allah and the Nigeria Police,” a visibly elated Abba said.

Meanwhile, Arewa PUNCH had reported that the Governor of Borno State, Prof. Babagana Umara Zulum had visited the state specialist hospital where the victims are receiving free medical treatment and are also being with the sum of N30,000 each.

However, Halima Ali, the mother of Habilu Ali, one of the Victims disclosed to Arewa PUNCH  that his son who is still receiving treatment was shot by the Nigeria Police Force, even though the state Commissioner of Police, Yusuf Lawal had attributed the shootings to  Boko Haram elements.

[Punch]

As indicated here last week, the book, Peace Culture: A Monumental Evidence for Global Co-existence, written by Professor Ola Makinwa et al, will shine a light on our offering in this column today. Many have been badgering me on why I “ignored” the ongoing ten-day #EndBadGovernance protest rocking the country.

The protest, now in its eighth day, has not only become violent but also bloody and the security chiefs are still talking tough, meaning that it may even get bloodier in the coming days.

But it was a crisis foretold. Any discerning observer who witnessed the desperate manoeuvres of the government aimed at pulling the rug from under the feet of the protesters will know that in the event they went ahead with the protest, a mortified, albeit vindictive government will infiltrate the protest and ensure that it became violent in order to justify a bloody crackdown.

For a security architecture that clearly prioritises regime protection over and above the lives and properties of citizens, the brutalisation of people peacefully protesting over excruciatingly biting hunger didn’t come as a surprise.

Sadly, the security forces have not shown the same dexterity in dealing with the real enemies of Nigeria – non-state actors who have ensured that bona fide citizens are sacked from their ancestral homes and subjected to unimaginable indignity as refugees in their own country.

Professor Kingsley Moghalu was forced on Monday to lament that the police and other security agencies in Nigeria have an unfortunate mindset. “The Nigerian state has little regard for its citizens, political rhetoric aside,” he wrote on X.

Professor Wole Soyinka concurred when he, in reaction to President Bola Tinubu’s broadcast on Sunday, pointedly warned that: “The serving of bullets where bread is pleaded is ominous retrogression, and we know what that eventually proves – a prelude to far more desperate upheavals, not excluding revolutions.”

But what is going on is a true reflection of who Tinubu is: a civilian with an overdose of dictatorial reflexes antithetical to democratic norms. Tinubu and his political constituency take no prisoners. He brooks no opposition and has zero tolerance for criticism no matter how constructive. For him, governance is about state capture. So, Nigerians must brace up for the creeping fascism.

So, those who are calling for the arrest of people behind the satanic #IgboMustGo campaign, which demands the forced relocation of Ndigbo from Lagos and other South-West states, may well save themselves the agony of disappointment.

Why? Because the Tinubu government is behind the virulent campaign of calumny against Nidgbo. One of the briefs given to Bayo Onanuga as the Special Adviser on Information and Strategy to the President is the unremitting demonisation of the Igbo race. So, asking the same government to investigate and bring to book those behind the genocidal crusade is tantamount to asking the government to probe itself.

The insidious campaign is only but a sequel to Onanuga’s ethnic baiting gambit when he maliciously accused Peter Obi and by extension Ndigbo, his bête noire, of promoting the #EndBadGovernance protest. Not that there is anything wrong if Peter Obi champions protest against bad governance. But Onanuga lied knowing full well that the Labour Party presidential candidate in the 2023 election knew nothing about it. The security chiefs also knew that for a fact. Yet, without any shred of evidence, he went on the shameless voyage having the back of the Nigerian state.

But that will not be his first time. On March 21, 2023, Onanuga, spokesperson for the then President-elect, Tinubu, warned Ndigbo in Lagos against “interfering” in politics in the state. “Let 2023 be the last time of Igbo interference in Lagos politics. Let there be no repeat in 2027. Lagos is like Anambra, Imo, any Nigerian state. It is not No Man’s Land, not Federal Capital Territory. It is Yoruba land. Mind your business,” he tweeted.

While well-meaning Nigerians were horrified, Tinubu, his puppeteer, remained silent. How Onanuga decided to become a consummate dog whistler at the age of 67 beggars belief. But history is never kind to his likes. Never!

The bigger tragedy is that it took the umbrage of Waziri Atiku who called on the Federal Government to prosecute the promoters of the anti-Igbo genocidal campaign for both Lagos State and Abuja to react to the incendiary charge that Ndigbo living and doing business in Lagos and other South-West states should leave the region within 30 days.

Atiku, who was unsettled by the demand on the X account @Lagospedia, noted thus: “It is alarming that five days after this threat emerged, there has been a troubling silence. Immediate action to arrest, investigate, and prosecute those behind this heinous agenda is crucial. This will serve as a deterrent to others who might consider pursuing similar paths that threaten our national security.”

Since then, the hashtag ‘#Igbo must go’ has continued to fester on social media. A recent X Spaces conversation tagged, Yoruba Ronu Space, led by self-acclaimed Yoruba influencers, called for an Igbo must go protest. One of the contributors alleged that Ndigbo are disrespecting their traditional rulers and leaders and have no right to own land in Lagos.

Tinubu in his nationwide broadcast on Sunday, pretended to be offended by the campaign, when he, tongue in cheek, condemned those he alleged to have taken undue advantage of the #EndBadGovernance protest to threaten some sections of the country, stating that there is no place for ethnic bigotry in Nigeria. Really? Who then is the godfather of ethnic bigotry?

But that was sheer sophistry. It is also worthy of note that the security chiefs who threatened fire and brimstone on Tuesday in Abuja did not deem it necessary to include the genocidal threats against Ndigbo in their basket of deplorable developments that threaten the country.

Those who claim to be investigating the devil behind this anti-Igbo genocidal threat are living a lie and should not be taken serious because the truth remains that if they are, indeed, serious, they need not look beyond Bayo Onanuga. If Onanuga was Igbo (God forbid) making these incendiary comments against the Yoruba, he will be behind bars by now.

But it is surprising that Tinubu who knows the history of Ndigbo and their resilience in the face of intimidation is adopting gaslighting as a governance strategy. Those who think they can succeed even where the British colonial masters failed woefully, are entitled to their foolhardiness. But they should be reminded that General Muhammadu Buhari traversed that odious route in eight years and left Aso Rock in disgrace.

My simple advice is that rather than resorting to the hare-brained tactics of scaremongering and ethnic baiting against Ndigbo in order to deflate attention from his self-inflicted governance woes, the President may do well to read the Peace Culture, which according to the authors “is a handbook to mediate into conflict, manage anger, negotiate, resolve conflict and build peace for prevention of conflict.”

Chapter Six of the fascinating ten-chapter book with 232 major topics and 101 sub-headings which dealt with the issue of good governance talked about political tolerance, equity and inclusiveness.

“A society’s well-being depends on ensuring that all its members feel that they have a stake in it and do not feel excluded from the mainstream of society. This requires that all groups, particularly the most vulnerable, have opportunities to improve or maintain their well-being,” the book said.

It further noted that: “Government was created as an instrument to unite the people, develop the land, provide essential amenities and democracy that will make life comfortable, meaningful and bearable for the existence of man and where these things are lacking, agitations, expectations and ambitions set in from the people and where the government lacks good advice or arrogant or becomes autocratic, conflict sets in. This is always the result of bad governance. Bad governance fails to see to the plight of the people and shuts its eyes against unity.”

Rather than allowing Bayo Onanuga and his gang to scapegoat Ndigbo and set the country ablaze, Tinubu may well heed the advice of Prof Ola Makinwa and his colleagues as expressed in the book – Peace Culture.