News

Bombshell Amid Insecurity: Bill denies govs sweeping powers over State Police

Admin

State Police appears to be on the way to becoming a reality after President Bola Tinubu and state governors agreed to work on the modalities to establish it.

But the clearest indication yet that the quest may translate into reality is a ‘Bill for an Act to Alter the Provisions of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria to Provide for the Establishment of State Police, and Related Matters’ currently in the works in the House of Representatives.

Meanwhile, the Bill is stoking controversy even as insecurity across the country continues to worsen.

No fewer than 500 people including schoolchildren were abducted in Borno, Kaduna and Sokoto states over the past three weeks but some of them have been freed and reunited with their families.

Only last week, Governor Dauda Lawal of Zamfara State lamented that his state was under siege and solicited President Bola Tinubu’s assistance.

Lawal spoke during a visit to the Presidential Villa in Abuja.

Whereas the Bill gives sweeping powers to the President to direct the Inspector General of the Federal Police in enforcing security, in what amounts to a bombshell, governors won’t have such sweeping powers over State Police if the Bill passes the Senate hurdle and becomes law after the President’s assent.

The Bill provides that the Commissioner of Police of a state, notwithstanding that he is the appointee of the state governor, may refuse to carry out the governor’s order if he deems the order to be unlawful.
In such circumstances, however, the Bill provides for intervention by the State Police Service Commission whose position shall be final.

The decision of the President and governors in favour of State Police was in response to the increasing wave of insecurity in Nigeria occasioned by the activities of kidnappers, bandits and terrorists.

Promoters of State Police believe that putting the police under governors’ control in their respective states would give them the leeway to stem insecurity.

Anarchy

But critics say that may be the road to anarchy as partisan governors could turn the police under their control into a political machine and use them against their opponents.

There is, however, a counter position: A partisan President too under the current dispensation can politically deploy the police and use them against his opponents; so if that is the case, analysts argue, there is nothing wrong in having State Police so long as insecurity is gone.

Under the 1999 Constitution (as Amended), the police are on the Exclusive List, that is, only under the control of the Federal Government.

Analysts say the central control of the police from Abuja impinges security in so far as the Commissioner of Police takes directives from the Inspector General of Police (IGP) in Abuja and not the Governor of his state.
In essence, they want the police in the Concurrent List.

Discussion

Information Minister and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, who disclosed Tinubu and the governors’ favourable disposition to State Police after their meeting in Abuja, late last month, said they considered “the possibility of setting up State Police.”

“Now, there is also a discussion around the issue of State Police. The federal and state governments are mulling the possibility of setting up State Police,” Idris said.

According to him, attendees at the meeting agreed on the need for State Police but more discussions are still needed on how to implement it”.

The ‘Bill for an Act to Alter the Provisions of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria to Provide for the Establishment of State Police, and for Related Matters’ recently passed second reading in the House of Representatives.
The Bill, sponsored by Hon. Benjamin Okezie Kalu and first introduced in the House on November 7, 2023, is co-sponsored by 13 other lawmakers spread across the nation’s six geo-political zones.

The co-sponsors are Hon. Julius Ihonvbere, Hon. Onanuga A. Oriyomi, Hon. Joseph Bassey, Hon. Ibe Olwara-Osonwa, Hon. Thaddeus Attah, Hon. Joshua Audu Gan, Hon. Hassan B. Shinlmfi, Hon. Chinwe Clara Nnabuife, Hon. Obed Paul Shehu, Hon. Fatima Taiba, Hon. Tolani Shagaya, Hon. Abubakar H. Nalaraba and Hon. Blessing Onuh.

Clause 13

Clause 13 of the Bill provides that Section 215 of the 1999 Constitution as amended be altered to give the President the power to appoint the Inspector General of the Federal Police on the advice of the National Police Council from among serving members of the Federal Police, subject to confirmation by the Senate, while State Police shall be headed by a Commissioner of Police who shall be appointed by the Governor of the State on the advice of the Federal Police Service Commission from among serving members of the State Police subject to confirmation by the State House of Assembly.

But while giving sweeping powers to the President to direct the Inspector General of the Federal Police without question, it provides that where the Commissioner of Police of a state has reason to question the legality of any directive by his governor, the State Police Service Commission shall intervene and its position shall be final.

Clause 13 of the Bill reads: “Section 215 of the Principal Act (1999 Constitution as Amended) is amended by deleting the existing provisions and inserting the following instead thereof as the new:

“Appointment of Inspector-General of Police and the Commissioner of Police of a State:
“215. (1) The Federal Police shall be headed by an Inspector-General of Police who shall be appointed by the President on the advice of the National Police Council from among serving members of the Federal Police, subject to confirmation by the Senate.

“(2) The Federal Police shall be under the command of the Inspector General of Police, including contingents of the Federal Police stationed in a State.

“(3) The President or such other Minister of the Government of the Federation as he may authorise on that behalf may give to the Inspector-General of Po1ice such lawful directions concerning the maintenance and securing of public safety and public order as he may consider necessary, and the Inspector-General of Police shall comply with those directions or cause them to be complied with.

“(4) A State Police shall be headed by a Commissioner of Police who shall be appointed by the Governor of the State on the advice of the Federal Police Service Commission from among serving members of the State Police subject to confirmation by the State House of Assembly.

“(5) The Governor or such other Commissioner of the Government of the State, as he may authorise on that behalf, may give to the Commissioner of Police such lawful directions concerning the maintenance and securing of public safety and order as he may consider necessary, and the Commissioner of Police shall comply with those directions or cause them to be complied with Provided that where the Commissioner of Police feels that the direction given under this subsection is unlawful or contradicts general policing standards or practice, he may request that the matter be referred to the State Police Service Commission for review and decision of the State Police Service Commission shall be final”.

Clause 12: Creation

The major highlight of the Bill in Clause 12 is the amendment of Section 214 of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (as Amended) to create a State Police and give it roles separate from the Federal Police.

The Clause reads: “Section 214 of the Principal Act (Constitution) is amended by deleting the existing provisions and inserting the following instead thereof as the new: Section 214 – ‘Establishment of Federal and State Police’.

“214. (I) The following bodies are established:

(a) The Federal Police; and
(b) State Police.
(2) The National Assembly shall by an Act prescribe for the structure, organisation, administration, and powers of the Federal Police and provide the framework and guidelines for the establishment of State Police.

(3) The Federal Police shall –

(a) Be responsible for the maintenance of public security, preservation of public order and security of persons and property throughout the Federation to the extent provided for under this Constitution or by an Act of the National Assembly; and

(b) Be responsible for the maintenance of public security, preservation of public order and security of persons and property within a State to the extent that the State has power to make laws under this Constitution.

(4) Subject to the provisions of this Constitution, the Federal Police shall not interface with the operations of any State Police of the internal security affairs of a State except-

(a) To contain serious threats to public order where it is shown that there is a complete breakdown of law and order within a State and the State Police is unable to contain the threat;

(b) Where the Governor of a State requests the intervention of the Federal Police to prevent or contain a breakdown of law and order in the State; and

(c) Where a State Police is unable to function owing to administrative, financial or other problems which render it inoperative at a given time: Provided that any intervention under this subsection shall only be made after approval by two-thirds majority of the Senate”.

Removal from office

Clause 14 of the Bill also proposes the amendment of Section 216 of the Constitution to outline the process through which the Inspector-General of the Federal Police and the Commissioner of State Police can be removed from office.
It says: “Section 216 of the Principal Act is amended by –
(a) Deleting the existing provisions and inserting the following instead thereof as the new Section 216 –
‘Removal of Inspector-General of Police and the Commissioner of Police of a State”
“216 (1) An Inspector-General of Police shall only be removed by the President upon the recommendation of the National Police Council praying that he be so removed on any of the following grounds –
(a) Misconduct in the discharge of his official duties;
(b) Breach of Police Act, Regulation, Code and Code of Conduct;
(c) Conviction of any offence involving fraud or dishonesty by a court of law or tribunal;
(d) Bankruptcy; or
(e) Mental incapacity.
(2) The removal under Subsection (1) of this Section shall be subject to approval by a resolution of a two third majority of the Senate.
(3) A Commissioner of Police of a State shall only be removed by the Governor upon the recommendation of the Federal Police Service Commission praying that he be so removed on any of the following grounds-
(a) Misconduct in the performance of his official duties;
(b) Breach of policing standards, law, Regulation, Code and Code of Conduct;
(c) Conviction of any offence involving fraud or dishonesty by a court of law or tribunal;
(d) Bankruptcy; or
(e) Mental incapacity.
(4) The removal under Subsection (3) of this Section shall be subject to approval by two-thirds majority of the House of Assembly of the State.”

Challenged police

In his introductory remarks to the Bill, the sponsor, Hon Kalu, had said: “In recent times, our collective security has been greatly challenged.

“Nigeria, a federation of 36 States and the Federal Capital Territory, with 774 LGAs, over 250 ethnic nationalities, more than 200 million citizens and a vast terrain spanning over 920,000 square kilometres, still sadly operates a single, centralised police system that employs less than 400,000 police officers and men.

“There is no gainsaying that the nation’s security architecture is under immense pressure and always overwhelmed.
“We must acknowledge the fact that the fabric of any democracy is woven with the threads of constant adaptation to the evolving needs of its society.

“At this point in our nationhood, State Policing is not only inevitable but urgently desired to tackle the mounting challenges of insecurity.

“This Bill emerges as a necessary response to several calls for a decentralized and community-oriented approach to law enforcement.

“It seeks to navigate the complex landscape of security challenges by empowering our states with the means to address issues unique to their localities.

“This proposed alteration represents not just a legal adjustment to our ground norm, but a visionary leap towards a safer, more secure, and harmonious Nigeria.

Key provisions

“The Bill, which comprises 18 clauses, seeks to alter Sections 34, 35, 39, 42, 84, 89 and 129 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 (As Altered).

“It also seeks to alter Sections 153, 197, 214, 215 and 216 of the Constitution. Furthermore, the Bill seeks to alter Chapter VI Part III, Second Schedule, Part II of the Third Schedule and Part Ill o f the Third Schedule of the Constitution as well.

“Among others, some of the key innovations of this proposed alteration include –

(a) The transfer of ‘Police’ from the ‘Exclusive Legislative List’ to the ‘Concurrent Legislative List”, a move that effectively empowers States to have State controlled policing;

(b) The introduction of a comprehensive framework to ensure cohesion as well as accountability and uniform standards between the Federal Police and State Police;

(c) The provision of prescribed rigorous safeguards preventing unwarranted interference by the Federal Police in State Police affairs, emphasising collaboration and intervention only under well-defined circumstances;

(d) The establishment of State Police Service Commissions as distinct from the Federal Police Service Commission with clearly defined roles and jurisdictions;

(e) A re-calibration of the National Police Council to include the Chairmen of the State Police Service Commissions, emphasising the collaborative and consultative nature of policing in our federal system;

(f) A recognition of the possible financial challenges which may be faced by States Police, by empowering the Federal Government to provide grants or aids subject to the approval of the National Assembly, thus ensuring adequate resources for effective policing, etc”.

QUOTE: Provided that where the Commissioner of Police feels that the direction given under this subsection is unlawful or contradicts general policing standards or practice, he may request that the matter be referred to the State Police Service Commission for review and decision of the State Police Service Commission shall be final

[Vanguard]

Problems left behind from colonial rule still affecting Nigeria, says Obasanjo

Admin

Former President Olusegun Obasanjo says some of the challenges left behind by the colonial administration are still affecting Nigeria.

Obasanjo spoke on Saturday in Enugu at the public presentation of the book: “In Brotherhood We Stand: A Roadmap for the Rebirth of a Fragmented Nation”, written by Chris Okoye.

According to a statement by Kehinde Akinyemi, his special assistant on media, the former president said there is a direct correlation between economic and political reforms.

He also said the country’s historical experiences at constitution making and political reform indicate that there are structural defects that need adjustments in order to widen the nation’s democratic values and practices.

“The clarion call in Nigeria today is one for restructuring and a reassessment of the terms of our union as a nation. No matter how economically viable a nation is, bad governance and a wrong system of administration can bring it down,” the statement quoted him as saying.

“As a nation, our history reveals clearly that we have been through some difficult times and have missed great opportunities.

“Our historical experiences at constitution making and political reform show that we may have some structural defects that require adjustment so as not to continue to constrain the deepening, widening and consolidation of democratic values and practices.

“Indeed, some of the contradictions and challenges bequeathed by the colonial administration have continued to pose problems for us to this day. One of such bequest is Western Liberal Democracy.

”As things stand therefore, our constitution making efforts must go down to the grassroots to deal with the issues of inclusion, popular participation, equity ownership, legitimacy, rights and obligations with adequate compensation of African communalism; caring and sharing.”

[TheCable]

Air Peace Lagos-London Direct Flight ‘ll Reduce Pressure On Naira — Keyamo

Admin

The minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, on Friday, said the commencement of direct Lagos-London flight by Air Peace would ease the pressure on the Nigerian local currency Naira.

In a press statement by the spokesman of Air Peace, Stanley Olisa, the Aviation Minister said the launch of the Lagos-London flight at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA), Lagos, will reduce the demand for foreign exchange by Nigerians and foreign airlines.

Keyamo, according to the statement, said the start of the route by the local airline had also compelled some mega carriers on the Lagos-London route to drop fares.

Keyamo, who was obviously elated by the result of the hard work and commitment he and others in government had made to pave way for the airline to begin operations to London, promised that the Federal Government would continue to protect the airline and other Nigerian carriers that might want to operate international service even as he assured of government support.

Also speaking, the minister of Industry, Trade and Investment, Doris Uzoka-Anite, described the feat by Air Peace as the convergence of innovation, determination, and the unwavering commitment to excellence.

“Nigeria has needed a local airline flying directly to the UK for a number of years. Air Peace proudly wears the badge of. Made in Nigeria. It is a symbol of our collective effort to showcase our capabilities to the world. From the skilled hands that maintain the aircraft to the warm smiles of the cabin crew, every aspect of Air Peace reflects the spirit of our nation.

“Let us reflect on the economic impact of this flight. Air Peace’s presence in London is not merely about arrivals and departures; it is about trade, investment, and collaboration. By choosing Air Peace, you choose to invest in Nigeria. You choose to empower local businesses, create jobs, and strengthen our economy. In December 2023, the UK exported £185 million to Nigeria and imported £154 million, resulting in a negative trade balance of £30.8 million. This is a trend we wish to change in Nigeria’s favour and an additional trade route is a major step in the right direction,” she said.

She said the choice of Nigerians to fly with Air Peace was a vote of confidence, adding that the airline has a commendable safety record, holding a seven out of seven safety rating according to Airline Ratings and has successfully undergone the International Air Transport Association Operational Safety Audit (IOSA) certification four times, signifying its commitment to rigorous safety standards.

“So I entreat all potential passengers to trust them to carry you safely across continents, and remember that you are part of a movement—a movement that encourages Nigerians to patronize their own. Let us be ambassadors in the skies, sharing stories of our rich heritage, our vibrant culture, and the warmth that defines us,” Uzoka-Anite added.

Similarly, the Acting Director-General, Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCCA), Capt. Chris Najomo, insisted that for indigenous airlines to succeed on any international route, it was necessary for the government to adopt the ‘Fly Nigeria Act’ for public officials.

Also, he promised that the apex regulatory body would support Air Peace and other indigenous airlines to succeed on international routes, unlike in the past.

Meanwhile, Nigerians have commended Air Peace for its successful inaugural flight from Lagos to London on Saturday, March 30, 2024.

Many of the passengers on the Air Peace flight to London said the flight was long awaited and it signaled a new dawn in the travel industry in Nigeria, adding that Air Peace is a Nigerian project and Nigerians should be commended for making this possible.

“It’s a new dawn for travellers. We are tired of exploitative fares charged by foreign carriers. Air Peace is changing the narrative to air travel with this maiden flight. We see that fares are gradually reducing since Air Peace announced a flight to London. This is good for air travel and Nigeria,” Tony Ike, a passenger on the flight, stated.

[Leadership]

One of two kidnapped Ogun church worshippers freed – Police

Admin

The Ogun State Police Command has announced that a member of the Celestial Church of Christ, Oriyarin Parish, Mowe in Obafemi/Owode Local Government Area of the state, Oladapo Oluwaseyifunmi, who was kidnapped on Thursday, has regained his freedom.

The police had, two days ago, confirmed the abduction of Seyifunmi and Oluboboye Abiola who were kidnapped from the church when some gunmen invaded the worship place.

Earlier, through the command’s X account, Police spokesperson in the state, Omolola Odutola, said “report at my disposal 28/3/2024 at about reveals that unidentified gunmen, invaded a Celestial Church around Oriyarin village, Mowe and abducted one Oladapo Seyifunmi, Oluboboye Abiola, and escaped through the thick forest behind the Church”.

Also on the command’s Facebook page, on Saturday, the command’s publicist announced that one of the two kidnapped worshippers had been freed.

She said, “We are pleased to inform members of the public that one Oladapo Oluwaseyifunmi, Shepherd of the Celestial Church kidnapped, has been rescued through the relentless combing of the forest by policemen, hunters, VGN, Amotekun. He has been reunited with his family”.

The police was, however, silent on the second abductee.

When contacted on the whereabouts of the second person, Odutola said, “The second person has not been released and we are on the trail of the kidnappers.”

[DailyPost]

Third Mainland Bridge resumes full operations April 4

Admin

Barring any last minute change in plans, the Third Mainland Bridge in Lagos, which has been partially closed to traffic in the last seven weeks, will be re-opened on April 4, 2024.

Lagos Commissioner for Transportation, Oluwaseun Osiyemi, confirmed the re-opening on Saturday, March 30 in a statement.

Osiyemi said: “Dear Lagos Residents, We’re pleased to share that the Third Mainland Bridge will resume full operations on April 4th, 2024, following extensive repairs.

“We sincerely thank you for your patience and cooperation, and we look forward to even smoother travels ahead.”

[TheNation]

10-year-old boy strangles friend during football match in Lagos

Admin

A 10-year-old boy identified simply as Israel, has strangled his friend, Ezekiel, at Powerline in the Ejigbo area of Lagos State.

PUNCH Online learnt that the incident happened on Friday while they were playing football in the community.

A police source who spoke to our correspondent on Saturday said the match was ongoing when an argument ensued between the two boys.

According to the source, Israel reached for 10-year-old Ezekiel’s neck in the process and strangled him till he lost consciousness and stopped breathing.

The source said, “A report was received at Ejigbo Division on Friday from a complainant that stated that his son, Israel aged 10 was playing football with some boys at Oluwole Street, Powerline Ejigbo, where his mother’s shop is situated when he had an argument with one of the boys named Ezekiel aged 10, who held him on the neck and strangled him until he died.”

The late Ezekiel was said to have been rushed to the hospital where he was confirmed dead by the doctor on duty.

“A team of detectives visited the scene, where a photograph of the corpse was taken and the body was taken to the General Hospital in the Isolo area of the state where the doctor confirmed him dead,” the source added.

When contacted, the state Police Public Relations Officer, Benjamin Hundeyin, confirmed the incident.

He said, “The body has been transferred to the mortuary for post-mortem examination. The suspect is in police custody, and an investigation is in progress.”

[Punch]

Nigerian exam body, NECO begins SSCE in Saudi Arabia

Admin

The National Examinations Council (NECO) says it has concluded arrangements to conduct the Senior School Certificate Examinations (SSCE) internally in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

This follows the successful accreditation of Nigeria International School, Jeddah, by a delegation led by the Minister of State for Education, Dr Yusuf Sununu and the Registrar of NECO, Prof. Dantani Wushishi.

A statement signed by the Acting Director, Directorate of Information and Digital Communication of NECO, Azeez Sani on Saturday, said during the visit, the delegation assessed the school facilities.

Sununu in his address, enjoined the staff and students of the school to continue to be good ambassadors of Nigeria not only in Saudi Arabia but the entire Gulf States Cooperation Council.

He said after a careful assessment of the school’s learning facilities such as the examination halls, classrooms, laboratories, library, curriculum syllabus and general security, the school was found worthy of consideration as an International Centre for NECO SSCE Internal.

He said after due assessment, the school was consequently granted full accreditation.

On his part, Registrar/Chief Executive of NECO, Prof. Wushishi, who gave a brief history of the evolution of NECO, explained to the management and staff of the School the importance of school accreditation.

Wushishi said this was to ensure that schools had adequate teaching and learning facilities conducive to examinations.

The delegation was earlier received on arrival at the school by the Consular General, Amb. Bello Kazaure and the Proprietor of the School, Alhaji Abdulkadir Maikudi and other staff.

The minister and the NECO registrar also visited the Nigeria House in Jeddah, where they interacted with the Consular General and other staff of the consulate.

The National Examination Council has other international examination centres in Togo, Benin Republic, Equatorial Guinea, Niger and the Republic of Gabon.

Police arrest 8 suspects over murder of six officers in Delta

Admin

The Nigeria Police Force (NPF) says it has arrested eight suspects in connection with the murder of its officers who were on a fact-finding mission in the Ughelli area of Delta state.

In January, gunmen abducted three mobile police officers who were responding to a distress call, at the Ohoro community in the Ughelli north LGA of the state.

A few weeks after the incident, some police officers mobilised to rescue their abducted colleagues, were ambushed and killed around the Ohoro forest in Ughelli LGA.

In a statement on March 23, Muyiwa Adejobi, force spokesperson, confirmed that six police officers were slain in the incident, adding that the bodies had been recovered while the search for another six was ongoing.

Giving an update on the development on Saturday, Adejobi said police operatives have arrested eight suspected criminals involved in the murder of the officers.

He said five of the suspected murderers were initially apprehended, while another three were arrested later at different locations.

Adejobi said the suspects are currently in police custody, assisting with the ongoing investigation, and would be charged to court once investigations are concluded.

“The arrested suspects are currently in custody and are assisting with the ongoing investigation,” Adejobi said.

“The Nigeria Police Force is committed to ensuring that all those responsible for this reprehensible act, and many alike, are brought to justice swiftly and decisively.

“The police assure that the suspects will soon have their day in court, with credible evidence, once investigations are concluded.

“The Nigerian police is deeply saddened by the heinous act of violence against our officers who were diligently performing their duty to protect and serve the community.

“Our thoughts and prayers are with the families of the fallen officers during this difficult time.

“We wish to reiterate that killers of our officers in this extant case, and many others, have murdered peace, and none of them will go unpunished.”

[TheCable]

Food crisis: Peter Obi raises fresh alarm, says terrorists, bandits’ effect worrisome

AFOLABI

The Presidential candidate of the Labour Party, LP, in the 2023 general election, Peter Obi, has said hunger and famine await Nigeria if farmers are denied access to farms by bandits and terrorists.

Obi, who was reacting to publications and the international agency’s warning on the matter, said the alarm should be given adequate attention.

“I just read on the daily this morning, about the concerns being expressed by stakeholders in our agriculture sector over the worsening food insecurity in Nigeria,” he wrote on X.

“I have remained consistent in public voicing out my worries over this growing food crisis, which has even continued to claim the lives of our fellow citizens.

“I do believe that the urgency required to address these issues cannot be over-emphasized.

“The report this morning reads, in part, “The number of food-insecure Nigerians increased significantly, from 66.2 million in Q1 2023 to 100 million in Q1 2024 (WFP, 2024), with 18.6 million facing acute hunger and 43.7 million Nigerians showing crisis-level or above crisis-level hunger- coping strategies as of March 2024.

“While the above report gives an understanding of the present and impending food crisis looming large on the nation, the present realities show that we are already in a worse situation than is presented in the report.

“An earlier similar report by Cadre Harmonise stated that about 31.5 million Nigerians are projected to face acute hunger by the June-August of this year.

“What is now very worrisome is that many Nigerians have lost their lives in their quest to find food, reflecting a very acute level of hunger not yet captured in the media. We are gradually descending to the level of the survival of the fittest, where, driven by hunger and a quest for survival, one loses every sense of order to do the unthinkable.

“With the recurrent bandits and terror attacks on farmers, many of them have abandoned their farms. It is reported that in a state like Sokoto, farmers have paid an accumulated sum of N3 billion in ransom to bandits, others pay as high as N100,000 to bandits to gain access to their farmlands. About 165 farmers have reportedly lost their lives to insecurity this year alone.

“It is, therefore, a matter of urgency, for the government to solve the problems of insecurity in the country. This will in turn reduce the problems of food insecurity when farmers safely return to their farms. A New and hunger-free Nigeria is POssible.”

Third Mainland, Carter bridges rehabilitation to cost N46bn – Umahi

AFOLABI

The Minister of Works, Dave Umahi, has said rehabilitating the Third Mainland and Carter bridges in Lagos will cost N21 billion and 25 billion, respectively.

Umahi disclosed this during a Friday tour of key infrastructure projects in Lagos with the National Assembly Joint Committee on Works.

The Minister said there is a need to declare an emergency on the two bridges to avert a reconstruction cost of N6 trillion.

He warned of the substantial financial and safety risks posed by continued delays of the rehabilitation works.

“The cost of rehabilitation of the Third Mainland Bridge is estimated at N21 billion.

“…I want the National Assembly to note that this is the worst of our challenges on these two bridges. The cost of rehabilitation of Carter Bridge is N25 billion”, he stated.

More...

Data Breach: NIMC Restricts Licensed Agents’ Access To NIN Database

Admin

Following the findings of the investigation by the Nigeria Data Protection Commission (NDPC), the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC) has restricted its licensed agents’ access to the National Identification Number (NIN) database.

Recall that a report by FIJ had alleged that expressverify.com, a private website, has unrestricted access to the NINs and personal details of every registered Nigerian. It added that, the website has monetised the recovery of NINs and personal information on the Nigerian identification database.

The NDPC, which is investigating the incidence of data breach at NIMC, averred that, the ongoing investigation has revealed that a third party which, among others, was originally authorised to provide verification services to citizens and genuine businesses might have allowed expressverify.com to use its NIN verification credentials to conduct verification.

The NDPC added that the ongoing investigation by relevant agencies seeks to establish the medium through which expressverify.com obtained the credentials of bona fide third parties and to determine the liability of persons involved in line with extant laws.

“At the moment, data processing by licensees generally are to be scrutinized and only those that are cleared based on credible evidence of regulatory compliance will be permitted to carry out NIN verification going forward.

“Furthermore, a series of intensive training will be conducted to ensure that personnel and licensees are abreast of the duty of care and the standard of care mandated by the Nigeria Data Protection Act, NIMC’s Privacy Policy, and other relevant regulatory protocols,” it said.

While noting that the circumstances surrounding this permission are still under investigation, the Commission in a statement said, “To remedy this incident, the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC), in line with established remediation protocols, barred all forms of access to its database.

“Though necessary, barring all forms of access affected all genuine and crucial verification requests. After a painstaking review, limited access has been granted to a few establishments that are providing pivotal public services such as education and security.”

The NDPC called on members of the public to see NIN as essential data for sustainable development.

According to the commission, while existing technical and organizational measures are being strengthened to ensure the protection of this data, citizens need to ensure that they are not left unidentified in various frameworks for development.

[Leadership]

Inside Labour Party’s Multi-Faceted Crises

Admin

There appears to be no end in sight to the internal crisis bedeviling the Labour Party (LP) which had a good outing with its presidential candidate, Peter Obi in the 2023 general election, Daily Trust Saturday reports.

The Labour Party (LP) in Nigeria is currently embroiled in multi-faceted crises, surprising many observers, given the country’s volatile political landscape and the success recorded by the party in the 2023 general elections.

But these new rounds of crises have a historical background as leadership crises have been with the party since 2020.

The incumbent national chairman of the Zenith Labour Party (ZLP), Dan Nwanyanwu, a lawyer, concluded his terms as the national chairman of the LP and handed over to the late Alhaji Abdulkadir Abdulsalam in October 2014.

The death of Alhaji Abdulsalam in December 2020 resulted in a crisis as party leaders scrambled to emerge as the new national chairman. However, this was managed and resolved, eventually culminating in the emergence of Julius Abure as acting and eventually the subsisting national chairman of the party. Before his emergence as chairman in 2021, he was a national legal adviser and national secretary.

A former deputy national chairman of the party, Chief Calistus Okafor, however, challenged Abure after he claimed to be the authentic national chairman of the party by virtue of his position.

The LP, founded in 2002 by the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), was previously known as the Party for Social Democracy (PSD) before formally changing to its current name the following year after the 2003 general elections.

But apart from producing Olusegun Mimiko as the governor of Ekiti State in 2009, the party has had moderate success. This, however, changed on May 27, 2022 when a former Anambra State governor, Peter Obi, joined the party with members of his Obidient Movement shortly after he left the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in a bid to contest the 2023 presidential election.

With this influx of new members, the party enjoyed unprecedented success in the 2023 elections, coming in third in the presidential election and winning a handful of federal and state legislative seats, as well as the governorship seat in Abia State.

Apapa tussles with Abure

But with this newfound fame came a new round of crisis for the party. Trouble started for the party soon after the 2023 general elections when some members under the leadership of Alhaji Lamidi Apapa and Abayomi Arabambi accused the national chairman, Abure, of mismanaging the party’s funds.

Abure was accused of running the affairs of the party like a personal estate, a charge Abure denied. This led to the factionalisation of the party.

The Abure-Apapa feud went from courts to some states of the federation, with accusations and counteraccusations on who had the genuine interest of the party at heart and who was its genuine leader.

The crisis was, however, resolved in favour of Abure after court declarations and the massive support he enjoyed among majority of the National Working Committee (NWC) and National Executive Council (NEC) of the party.

In one of the decisive court judgements on the LP crisis, Justice Hamma Barka of the Court of Appeal in Benin, Edo State, read the decision of the court in a unanimous decision by a three-member panel of Justices, confirming Abure as LP chairman.

The judgement vacated an order of April 5, 2023 by Justice Hamza Muazu, which restrained Abure from parading himself as the LP chairman. The High Court order was a fallout of a suit filed by the Chief Lamidi Apapa-led faction of the party.

Treasurer accuses chairman of financial impropriety

As the dust was settling down on the Apapa legal tussle and the party was trying to chart a new way forward, the now suspended national treasurer of the party, Mrs Oluchi Oparah, in February this year, accused the party chairman of financial impropriety, demanding that Abure accounts for the party’s funds of over N3.5billion being the proceeds of the sale of forms and other fundraisers for the 2023 general elections.

However, Abure, in a response signed by the national publicity secretary, Obiora Ifoh, stated that Mrs Oparah was being sponsored to tarnish the party’s image and she would be referred to the disciplinary committee of the party for appropriate actions, which later resulted in her suspension for six months.

While the party’s NWC quickly dropped the sledgehammer on Mrs Oparah, its presidential candidate and leader, Peter Obi, demanded a thorough investigation of the allegation against the party chairman.

Abure arrested in Benin

On February 21, a combined force of armed policemen and operatives of the State Security Service (SSS) arrested the embattled Abure in Benin, Edo State.

Two of the members of the National Working Committee had confirmed the development to the Daily Trust in Abuja.

Abure was reportedly arrested on the allegation of attempted murder, among other infractions.

The arrest followed a petition by a former LP youth leader, Comrade Eragbe Anselm Aphimia, who was expelled in the wake of the crisis rocking the party in 2023.

Reacting to the development, the party’s national spokesman, Ifoh, claimed that the arrest was to frustrate the party’s primary election process in Edo State and possibly interrupt its participation in the forthcoming governorship election.

But following protests by Obi, LP leaders, party members and other Nigerians, Abure was released on bail the following day.

Party’s convention births another round of controversy

As if the crises in the party were not enough, its quest to hold a national convention led to another round of crisis.

The party’s spokesman, in a statement, berated its House of Representatives caucus for calling for a shift in the party’s planned national convention, saying they had failed to be true ambassadors of the people.

Ifoh also warned the lawmakers to respect party supremacy or face disciplinary action.

The LP caucus leader in the House, Afam Victor Ogene, had said the postponement was necessary to allow for further consultations in light of the party’s lingering leadership crisis.

Daily Trust Saturday also reports that the national convention pitched the party against the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC).

The NLC and some members of the Obidients Movement called for the sack of the national chairman of the LP for planning to hold a convention without the input of stakeholders in the party.

The NLC, in a statement by its Political Commission, called for the suspension of the planned convention and setting up of a caretaker transition committee to organise a legitimate convention. This led to a row between the NLC and LP, with Abure asking the president of the NLC to resign and contest for the position of LP chairman.

To drive home its message, the NLC decided to picket the national secretariat of the party. But this yielded little or no difference as the party went ahead with the convention after changing its venue from Awka to Nnewi in Anambra State. The convention had earlier been scheduled to take place in Benin City, Edo State before it was moved to Abia State.

While the party eventually held the controversial national convention in Anambra State, where it re-elected Abure as national chairman, the development has further widened the cracks in it.

Daily Trust Saturday reports that the absence of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) at the convention as one of the mandatory requirements for a convention has thrown up a legal debate on the legality of the exercise.

Also, the absence of notable leaders of the party, including its presidential candidate, Peter Obi, and senators Victor Umeh and Tony Nwoye, raised concerns that the last might not have been heard.

Obi, who is popular on X (formerly Twitter), where he always shares his thoughts on topical issues, has conspicuously avoided the issue of the party, even after it was widely reported that it decided to reserve its 2027 presidential ticket for him. As at Friday afternoon when our reporter last checked, he had not made any post about the convention, the presidential ticket or the current crisis raging in his party.

One of the elected national officers of the party, who insisted on not being named, also told Daily Trust Saturday that INEC’s absence at the convention was a major issue, but that the party would address the development soon.

“We will address this very soon. We are moving, and when we get to this (INEC’s absence at the Anambra convention) bridge, we will know how to cross it,” the official said.

As the crises in the party remain unabated, its Board of Trustees (BoT) said it had taken over its affairs, arguing that the new position is in line with its constitution. The BoT said it would reclaim the party from Julius Abure, but its NWC said it did not recognise such body.

Akande, Ameh speak

Speaking on the crises rocking the party, a former spokesman of former Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, Laolu Akande, asked Peter Obi, Governor Alex Otti of Abia State and the NLC to work together to save it.

Akande, who spoke in an interview on Channels TV, said, “I think the leadership of the LP as it is presently constituted doesn’t seem to understand the role the Labour Party has come to play in the development of the democratic space in Nigeria.

“During the last election, the Labour Party showed that it is still very possible for people to be mobilised. For people who are otherwise not impressed by the two dominant parties, the party has shown that they can still be brought into the space and the conversation. It is a major dynamic. Now, if Abure and his friends understand this, they will not put their interests ahead of those of the Nigerian people,” Akande said.

Also, a former national chairman of the Inter Party Advisory Council (IPAC), Chief Peter Ameh, said the internal conflict in the LP was not peculiar to it, adding that it could be resolved with proper application of internal democratic processes through the use of appropriate organs.

He urged the leadership of the party to overcome their inability to manage internal affairs in an inclusive manner, which is most evident in the crises seen so far.

As the LP navigates these challenges, its future remains uncertain, with questions arising about its ability to overcome internal divisions and maintain its relevance in Nigerian politics.

[DailyTrust]

Last modified on Saturday, 30 March 2024 09:59

Okuama: How soldiers fell to suspected mercenaries, oil bunkerers

Admin

With the latest revelations on the March 14 killing of 17 soldiers in Delta State, the prevalent supposition that the misapprehension between Okuama, an Urhobo community in Ughelli South Local Government Area, Delta State, and Okoloba, an Ijaw town in Bomadi Local Government Area, was the chief reason for the unimaginable massacre appears off beam.

Saturday Vanguard learned from multiple sources that a group of oil bunkerers, who were hired as mercenaries, might have carried out the bloodshed.

The Army, which is everywhere in the creek and land in Delta and Bayelsa States, searching for the killers, and stolen weapons has arrested some suspects, but it has not formally announced the capture of the killers.

Acting on intelligence, soldiers, who had laid siege to the Okuama community since March 15, invaded the Igbomotoru community in Southern-Ijaw Local Government Area, Bayelsa State, on March 17, stalking a suspected militant leader and oil thief, who has his operational base in the riverside community.

The storming of Igbomotoru swung attention to an alleged militant leader and oil thief, whose father is a retired army officer, and purportedly an Urhobo in Delta State as the mastermind of the Okuama killings. There is controversy over whether he is an Ijaw from Igbomotoru or maternally from Igbomotoru.

Some traced the militant leader’s paternity to Okuama and maternity to Igbomotoru. When the inter-communal crisis between the two communities started brewing, the community leadership, reportedly, contracted him to come and fight for them, which he did by mobilizing his boys to Okuama.

Saturday Vanguard could not immediately confirm the veracity, but it was the information that made the army send troops to Igbomotoru, Bayelsa State, in search of him.

When a strong clue emerged

However, a stout clue that oil bunkers were behind the butchery emanated when a supposed militant, who claimed to have participated in the killing, stated in a trending video, that they killed the military men for their support for another set of oil bunkerers.

He also said that if they had allowed soldiers to take away Okuama community leaders, the youths would be rendered powerless.

Generally, his statement in the video centred on divergence among oil bunkers in a part of the Niger Delta that entailed the use of soldiers to settle scores.

His words: “That is why the action (assassination of the soldiers) took place but people say the soldiers came for peacekeeping. Point of correction – no army came for peacekeeping. They are(sic) fighting in support of somebody (names withheld), who ordered them to do.”

However, within the week, another militant group, which identified itself as Amagbein Force, also in a trending video, pledged its loyalty to its leader, who happened to be the same militant leader that the army went in search of at Igbomotoru.

Could it be a coincidence? The group member, who spoke, did not make a direct claim that they participated in the killing of soldiers at Okuama, but said oil bunkering would not stop unless the government settled the matter peacefully, and easily.

He urged the Federal Government to hand over waterways security to the right person doing the work for peace to reign, saying the militants would stand with their leader, Amagbein, till death do them part.

Amagbein, in the past, denied allegations by the army that he was a militant and oil bunkerer, but has kept running.
Many expect that the army, which confirmed narrowing investigations to “persons of interest and their cohorts”, will release the outcome of its investigations shortly.

Who invited alleged bunkerers to Okuama?

Some curious minds, however, want to know what the mercenaries and oil bunkerers were doing in Okuama, which is not an oil-producing community when the soldiers came on a peace mission over an abducted Okoloba indigene.

How did they get to the Okuama community? Who invited them? Who authorised to intervene on behalf of the community when the soldiers decided to take away the community chair and other leaders?

There was an unconfirmed report that oil thieves cuckolded the soldiers to Okuama. How true the claim is remains a conjecture.

The commanding officer went to rescue JTF commander

However, Saturday Vanguard scooped that the Commander of the Joint Task Force, JTF, in Bomadi, the late Major Saffa, was the first to come to Okuama, on March 14, with his men.

A former supervisory councillor, whose brother, Anthony Aboh, the Okuama youths allegedly abducted the previous day, March 13, reported the matter to the JTF, and he was with them in a camouflage uniform.

The suspected mercenaries held the JTF commander who went to Okuama on the botched ”peace mission” and one of the soldiers in his team hostage.

They took the army officer hostage when he insisted on going away with the chairperson of the community and others.
Reports said the former councillor was among the persons killed on that day, while the corpse of his brother they went to rescue, was found floating in the River Forcados, just like the soldiers’ remains.

The Commanding Officer of the 181 Amphibious Batallion, late Lt. Col. A.H. Ali, proceeded on a peace mission to Okuama when information reached him that some armed youths in Okuama had abducted Major Saffa and another soldier.

Ali mobilized men in his command the same day to save his colleagues, but he met the same fate.

A driver who escaped with some soldiers when the brigands opened fire at the waterfront, said: “When the armed youths came out of their hideout after the peace talks in the community hall, as the soldiers were forcing the community chairman to the waterfront to board their boats, they signaled the community chairman to stoop and lie low on the ground.”

”The commander and his men did not notice the signal. This was after the incantations by the juju priestess and priest. It was after the chairman laid down that the shooting started. The soldiers could not return fire because of the powerful incantations.

”They did not kill Major Saffa instantly; they took him in a speedboat with the other officer, and sped towards the opposite direction of the community into the creek leading to Ewu, the traditional headquarters of Ewu kingdom.
”The Lt. Colonel and his team might not have seen the colleagues they went for. They exterminated all of them, but it was the following day the news broke that they had slaughtered them.

“They beheaded Major Saffa and killed others with weapons other than guns. The reinforcement and burning of houses at Okuama started the same day.”

The story of how the mercenaries asked Lt. Col. Ali to ask his men to drop their weapons if he did not come for war, after which they collected the weapons, and opened fire on them, is no longer news.

[Vanguard]

Last modified on Sunday, 31 March 2024 10:13

Zack Orji travels to the UK for post-surgery assessment

AFOLABI

Zack Orji

The National President of the Actors Guild of Nigeria, Chief Ejezie Emeka Rollas, MON, has expressed gratitude to President Tinubu for his fatherly intervention on the health of the ailing Zack Orji who has departed to the United Kingdom for post-surgery assessment.

Rollas also commended the First Lady, Senator Oluremi Tinubu for her motherly care towards the veteran actor as well as the son of the President, Seyi Tinubu for his inflicting support.

He equally thanked Minister for women affair Barr. Uju Kennedy Ohanenye for her relentless efforts in ensuring that Zack Orji gets back on his feet as soon as possible and Orji’s longtime friend, Ahmed Bala for standing by him all through the period.

According to him, “We have witnessed the unprecedented support that President Tinubu is giving to the creative industry which has clearly shown his clear determination to uplift the sector to be more relevant and beneficial to both the practitioners and the national economy and we find it necessary to appreciate him.”

Rollas had earlier expressed profound gratitude to President Bola Tinubu on the appointments of an AGN member, Ali Nuhu, Managing Director of Nigeria Film Corporation and other key professionals such as Dr. Shaibu Husseini, Director General of National Fim and Video Censors Board and Obi Osika, Director General, Council for Arts and Culture.

Recall that days back, it was rumoured that Zack Orji was no more. But the leadership of AGN later debunked the viral report.