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•96 hours of horror, 85 seized
•How security was breached at Army Estate, lawyer’s wife, in-law abducted …captors demand N30m ransom
Beneath the veneer of development and progress, modern infrastructure, serene environment and bustling streets, which also, ultimately, stand as a symbol of national pride, the Federal Capital Territory, FCT, Abuja, is experiencing a new wave of terror that is shaking the city to its foundation.
Sunday Vanguard reports that, in recent months, Abuja has been plagued by a series of abductions.
The kidnappers target children, youths and families, causing panic and pain among residents.
They appear well-coordinated, operating in broad daylight, often at busy intersections or near public places such as markets and schools.
They also carry out their operations at night.
The breakdown of those abducted by the bloodthirsty terrorists indicates that between Thursday, January 4 and Sunday, January 7 (96 hours), a total of 85 persons were allegedly abducted.
And penultimate Thursday alone, 22 people were said to have been kidnapped in Kawu village, Bwari Area Council.
Recall also that on January 7, daredevil gunmen invaded Sagwari Layout Estate, Dutse, Abuja with sophisticated weapons and abducted at least ten persons.
Days later, reports said the terrorists may have killed three of the victims in their custody to send a strong warning to their relatives negotiating ransom.
Reports also said the assailants had increased the N60 million per person ransom they were demanding to N100 million.
One of the recent incidents is the abduction of six sisters and their father in the Bwari Area Council of the FCT by bandits on January 13, 2024.
The killing of Nabeeha Al-Kadriyar, one of the girls, has generated anger among Nigerians.
The sisters were among the 23 others abducted by the bandits who reportedly also killed a policeman and injured another one during the attack.
One Folorunsho Ariyo was killed alongside Nabeeha by the hoodlums and their corpses and two other unidentified bodies were reportedly dumped around a former military checkpoint behind Idah Junction along the Bwari-Jere SCC Road in Kagarko Local Government Area of Kaduna State.
Latest attack
Barely a week after, Sunday Vanguard reports that, on Thursday morning, two persons were, again, abducted after kidnappers invaded the Nigeria Post Army Estate, Kurudu, Abuja, taking away a woman, her driver and house help, after shooting her husband.
According to the wife of a retired general who preferred anonymity and lives in the estate, the incident occurred at the Phase II area of the estate occupied mainly by retired and serving military personnel.
She explained that the kidnappers sneaked into the estate, took away the woman identified as the wife of a lawyer, Mr Cyril Adikwu, her driver and house girl.
Narrating the incident, a neighbor of the victims, name withheld, said that when she heard gun shots at about 9.38pm she knew something was wrong.
“When I heard gunshots, I knew something was wrong. So, I went to my gate and ensured it was properly locked”, the eye witness said.
“Hardly had I done that when I heard other gun shots, this time in the house of my neighbor, lawyer Adikwu.
“We alerted the estate’s management and immediately, soldiers emerged, shooting and advancing towards Adikwu’s house, but before they could arrive, the kidnappers had vamoosed with their captives”.
Sunday Vanguard gathered that the kidnappers entered Adikwu’s home when their driver was returning from an errand.
According to the source, as the house girl opened the gate for the driver, about six heavily armed men walked in and surrounded them.
They went into the living room, shot at Mr Adiukwu, before taking away his driver, house girl and wife, who was watching television with her husband in the living room.
Sympathizers who gathered after the incident thought Adiukwu was dead but he explained that the bullet fired at him miraculously hit the pillar, thereby saving him and that his attackers must have thought they killed him.
It was further gathered that the kidnappers have contacted the family, demanding N30m ransom while security agencies have swung into action aimed at rescuing the abductees, unhurt.
The source attributed the kidnappers’ successful entry into the estate to the activities of people she described as illegal land sellers in the area, who she alleged sold other pieces of land adjacent, thereby making fencing impossible at one end.
She said part of the estate was not fenced, contrary to the original plan and that the kidnappers disappeared through that unfenced part.
Other residents, who spoke to Sunday Vanguard, said they were traumatized by the incident because, according to them, they could not sleep for the rest of the night, for fear that the kidnappers may return to abduct more people.
They called on the FCT Development Authority, FCTDA, to re-visit the Abuja Master Plan and cut off any illegal extension preventing the fencing of the property.
Efforts to speak to the FCT Police Command proved abortive at press time.
Uniform
This was also the case when residents of Dei-Dei town located off Kubwa-Zuba Road, under Bwari area council in Abuja, were thrown into shock recently following the abduction of over 23 residents of the community, mostly taken from three housing estates in the area.
Sunday Vanguard gathered that the kidnappers, said to be mostly in military uniform, arrived at the livestock layout area located on the edge of the popular Abuja livestock market, Dei-Dei, around 8 pm and carried out their operation quietly.
Barely 48 hours after, two children and nine adults were taken away by kidnappers at Gbaupe village, behind Aco Estate along Airport Road in Abuja.
The spate of kidnappings led members of the Middle-Belt Youth Forum in Abuja to protest.
On their part, some residents, who spoke to our correspondent, voiced their growing concerns over the alarming rise of kidnappings in Abuja.
Lamentations
A tech expert, Smith Ujah, while blaming government for the unsavory situation, said: “This government can’t even secure the life of its citizens. Take a brief moment and look at the hardship and killing of innocent people that is going on.”
A human right activist, Somto Okonkwo, on his part, said: “Abuja is not safe. Kidnappers, armed bandits and terrorists are on the rampage. Seven members of a family, including six girls, were said to have been kidnapped in their Bwari residence on January 13. The father was later released to go and get 60 million to secure the release of his children.
“He failed to do so, and the kidnappers killed one of his daughters named Nabeeha. But, his other daughters are still alive. The kidnappers have now increased the ransom money to N65 million and gave a three-day deadline. Failure to raise the money and another person will be killed.”
Another resident, Chris Ani, said: “This kidnapping news is paining me to my bones
What level of irresponsible government do we have in this country? Abuja ought to be the safest city in this country especially for housing the federal capital. God have mercy on Nigeria.”
Expressing frustration over the security situation in Abuja, a Zuba based trader, Mr. Ahmed Usman, said: “It’s terrifying to think that you or your loved ones could be snatched away at any moment. Abuja used to be a safe place, but now it feels like we’re walking a tightrope.
“I can’t even let my children play outside anymore. It’s heartbreaking to witness this decline in safety and security in our once peaceful city.”
A teacher, Mrs. Rebecca Akintola, also speaking, said: “The increasing cases of kidnappings are truly horrifying and deeply concerning. It’s heart-wrenching to hear about innocent individuals, especially children, being taken away from their families and subjected to such unimaginable trauma.
“As these incidents continue to rise, it becomes paramount for our society to prioritize safety measures and put forth collective efforts to combat this heinous crime.”
Mr Joel Adewale, a civil servant, said his daughter was attacked recently on her way from Wuse to Gwagwalada.
According to him, the daughter was taken to a lonely road off Airport Road before being dispossessed of her belongings.
Adewale added that the girl was forced to put a call across to him to transfer money to her account, which was removed using a PoS machine by the criminals.
“It was more like a case of kidnap for ransom, but I was lucky to have my daughter back after parting with N150, 000,” he added.
Another school teacher, Beatrice Odeh, said: “This horrible, ugly and terrifying word, kidnapping, has become a common word in almost every household in many communities in Nigeria and FCT is not an exemption.
“This ugly incident happens on a daily basis and it’s so worrisome that things continue as if nothing is happening; only affected families bear the ordeal helplessly.
“Unfortunately, the Federal Government that claims to have the citizens’ interests (security of lives and property) seems not to be aware of anything happening around them at all”.
Also speaking, the Gbaupe village head, Chief Danjuma Gejere, said the insecurity situation in the area was getting worse, adding that the community had seen little or no intervention from government.
“I am very worried because as a leader I am answerable to my people and what has just happened is not good”, he said.
“Kidnapping in the FCT? It is troubling. The sad thing is that we have seen little government effort in this area of Gbaupe and I am calling on the Minister of Abuja who I know is a good man to step into this situation and bring security to our people.”
CSOs, stakeholders react
Former spokesman for the Atiku Abubakar Campaign Organisation, Mr Daniel Bwala, called on President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to constitute a Security Advisory Council to curb the growing insecurity in the FCT and Nigeria as a whole.
His words: “It’s about time in my view that Mr. President should look at how to establish what I call the National Security Advisory Council, which will consist of retired or serving heads of the security and intelligence platforms, that is, the police, DSS, NIA, Defence and the rest, who will do out-of-the-box thinking because doing one thing over and over and expecting a different result is madness.”
A former senator from Kaduna, Shehu Sani, also said the deterioration of security in parts of Abuja is a direct result of the security situation in the states around the FCT.
He said: “The deterioration of security in parts of Abuja is a direct result of the paralysis of the security situation in the states around Abuja. Abuja cannot be immune as long as its neighbours are infected.”
On his part, the founder, Connected Development, CODE, Hamzat Lawal, alleged that part of the reason for increased kidnapping incidents in Abuja was because the FCT Minister, Nyesom Wike, has a divided attention between being the Minister of FCT and partisan politics in Rivers State.
Lawal, therefore, urged the Minister to call on all security heads to chart a way towards ensuring sustainable security of lives and property in the nation’s capital.
He said: “I think that we have an FCT Minister that is heavily distracted by the politics of Rivers State.
“Abuja is a city and, as a Minister, he is the mayor and the chief executive of Abuja, and, I think, this calls for immediate action and attention where the Minister should call all the security heads from NSCDC to the police and other arms of the security community and also traditional and religious leaders within the metropolis and I also think that this is a high security alert and a call to the police.
“We’ve not had this bad in the FCT. You know this used to be a safe haven. They need to take us back to that and do even much better.”
Porous borders
Speaking about the depth of insecurity in the nation’s capital, the Director General, Coalition of Nigeria Youth on Security and Safety Affairs, CONYSSA, Ambassador Ade Mario Emmanuel, said part of the reasons insecurity thrives in the nation’s capital is because of her porous borders.
Emmanuel tasked the Federal Government to increase the number of security personnel in the FCT and tighten the security at the borders.
He said: “Insecurity in FCT is under reported and why it is under reported is because of the need not to put residents in fear.
“From that end, it was advisable that some of the security challenges and security happenings within FCT should be underreported.
“But, be it as it may, the security agencies in FCT must understand that if there is no proper security in the local communities and local borders that surround the FCT, automatically FCT is very porous.
“If Gwagwalada is not well secured, bandits, kidnappers will keep coming into the FCT and kidnap and go successfully free.
“If the security of Kuje is not properly checked, it automatically means that criminals will enter the FCT and go successfully.
“So, all these local communities should now be a serious focus because these are the hideouts of these criminal elements.
“We are calling on the Nigerian government that it is high time for the Bill on Peace Corps should be taken with seriousness because there is shortage of manpower within the security architecture of the country.
“So, we are saying that security agencies are doing their best but they don’t have that strong manpower to curtail what is happening.
“Also, let a body be constituted to bring all heads of youth organizations together to bring a kind of holistic approach to the fight against crime.”
Poverty
Speaking on why kidnapping has remained a moving business in Nigeria, particularly in Abuja, the Executive Director, Resource Centre for Human Rights & Civic Education (CHRICED), Comrade Ibrahim M. Zikirullahi, said: “We are living in the era of insecurity in Nigeria and there’s no sign that it will abate soon because what really drives people into crime is poverty, unemployment and lack of good governance and all these are all in place and, therefore, you have the mass population of people that are unemployed.
“Able-bodied men and women all over the country are not productively engaged; then even the little means of survival that the people live on has been completely taken away from them by the so-called removal of fuel subsidy and lack of basic facilities for the people.
“So, Abuja’s case became very pronounced because it is the capital of Nigeria and then it is also believed that most of the richest men and women in Nigeria reside in Abuja and, therefore, it is easy for whoever that is kidnapped must more or less be someone of affluence that could easily pay ransom. That is why Abuja case became worrisome.”
On the way forward, he said: “I think the only way we can overcome these challenges is when governance is situated in such a way that the people that are meant to benefit from the governance system benefit and that is by providing employment, ensuring that both the young and the elderly are taken care of and then having the right policies in place that really shake corruption, not what we have today.”
Shedding light on the development, the Managing Director, Beacon Security, Dr Kabir Adamu, noted that the FCT security department had failed to put in place efficient and effective security management systems.
“In simple terms, the FCTA, especially its security department and the FCT security committee, has not put in place an effective and efficient security management system that is a combination of people, technology, and systems with the ability for proactive and reactive security including the elements to deter, detect and to delay threat actors”, Adamu said.
“The other elements are the ability to respond, review and recover. These six elements have several components that failed when my consultancy did a desktop audit to determine the effectiveness and efficiency of the security management system in place in the FCT at the moment.
“To properly understand the context of my statement, it is important to situate the FCT, Abuja. It shares boundaries with four states that are all security-challenged. These are Kaduna, Kogi, Nasarawa and Niger States.
“All have threat elements including varied forms of non-state armed groups that have the capacity to use the forested and mountainous paths in the border communities of the FCT to these states to come in and attack innocent residents and escape back through the same routes,” he added.
[Vanguard]
The Trade Union Congress of Nigeria (TUC) has issued a stern warning about potential industrial action due to delays in establishing a committee to discuss the new minimum wage for public sector workers.
The Federal Government’s inertia in naming its representatives to the committee has been a primary cause for concern, particularly as labour unions have declared their readiness to commence negotiations.
This development comes amidst growing frustrations among workers grappling with the surging cost of living.
Since the removal of the fuel subsidy by the Federal Government, there has been a significant increase in the prices of goods and services, leading to rampant inflation.
The impact has been profound, with workers finding their current wages insufficient to cover basic needs.
In June 2023, a group of workers and labour leaders called for a substantial increase in the minimum wage, from N30,000 to N250,000, citing the dire economic situation.
This figure was later adjusted to N200,000.
The Assistant General Secretary of the Nigeria Labour Congress, Chris Onyeka, highlighted the plight of many workers who are struggling to pay rent and school fees for their children.
He also noted the dramatic 300% increase in transportation costs, forcing many civil servants to walk to work.
President, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, had earlier pledged to prioritize the improvement of living conditions for Nigerians, with a focus on people-centric economic policies.
He assured that the national minimum wage would be reviewed to reflect the current economic realities.
Despite these promises, the hardship for Nigerian workers continues, exacerbated by soaring inflation.
The last minimum wage revision was on April 18, 2019, from N18,000 to N30,000. However, implementation has been uneven across the 36 states, with several yet to comply with the new minimum wage.
The then-Minister of Labour and Employment, Chris Ngige, emphasized the necessity for all employers in the country to adhere to this national law.
He mentioned that a committee was being formed to propose new wage adjustments for those earning above N30,000.
The TUC expressing its impatience with the government’s slow response, has threatened to launch a strike if the issue is not addressed with urgency.
The Deputy President of the TUC, Tommy Etuk, expressed dissatisfaction in an interview with Punch, stressing the overdue need for a new minimum wage, which was expected by April 2024.
The TUC and other labour organizations have already appointed representatives for the National Minimum Wage Review Committee, which is legally tasked with overseeing negotiations and advising the government on suitable wage rates in line with economic changes.
He said, “If there is no agreement on the minimum wage review, there’s nothing anyone can do. I assure you that it is a recipe for industrial disharmony. The government should inaugurate the committee and let it start work on time to see some grey areas where we can agree or disagree, and work in tandem with the principle of collective bargaining so that we can arrive at a collective agreement.
“We believe it’s the best option rather than waiting for the 11th hour to decide what to give to the organised labour. It will not work that way.”
Etuk added that the right thing for the Federal Government to do was to set up the National Minimum Wage Committee to oversee the modalities across the board.
He said, “The National Minimum Wage Committee should have been inaugurated because the task ahead is a difficult one. It’s not about getting the committee in place and there is a lot to be done. It is about the government to inaugurate the committee and appoint a chairman so that they can start work in earnest.
“April is around the corner, and if things are not done this January, things might get out of hand. This isn’t going to be a fire brigade matter like they always do.
“But I can assure you that the organised labour will not leave any stone unturned to ensure that the needful is done. Whether it is a delay strategy on the part of the government, or not, we have got to follow due process, because it is a matter of law.
“This is because it will go to the National Assembly and the President before it becomes a law.
“The government is conscious of this, and on our part, we’ve done what we should’ve done. It’s just for them to inaugurate the committee and the committee will start working.”
Etuk added that Tinubu seemed like a man who would not play with the welfare of workers since he had been talking about living wage before he became President.
Speaking on the living wage, Etuk said a lot of things must be considered such as transportation, housing, health and education.
He said, “These are critical components that will form the negotiation for minimum wage. With what’s going on now, it’s not even enough. In a month, a worker will spend not less than N70,000 on transportation. We’ve not even spoken of rent where a one-bedroom apartment goes for about N400,000.
“When you consider all these and look at the negotiation of the N200,000 minimum wage that was then. It’s no longer realistic to look at the inflation rate, which is 28.9 per cent as of today.
“Whatever is being given as minimum wage is to be consumed by inflation. Even the N200,000 being clamoured by organised labour, I don’t think that is the right thing to do. This wage doesn’t cover the National Health Scheme and you don’t expect a worker to die because of cancer or another life-threatening disease.
“These are the components that will form the discussion and engagement with the government on a minimum wage that will be measured.”
Etuk added that negotiations had successfully started across the 36 states for a living wage as a result of the removal of fuel subsidy.
He stated, “When it comes to the issue of palliative, it is to ensure that there is industrial peace and harmony, and also to stop the socio-economic challenges facing the workers. We believe that it is incumbent on the NLC and the TUC in the states to develop a strategy to engage the government to do the needful.
“Most of the state governors have been saying they’ve given palliatives in terms of an additional N10,000 every month, some said they’ve paid 13th month salary and also distributed grains.
“It is incumbent on every organised labour in the states to develop a strategy to engage the government to do the necessary things. We are also begging the Federal Government to live up to the memorandum of understanding they consciously signed on the payment of the N35,000 wage award. I can also assure you that the Minister of Labour recently acclaimed that they’re working on it and they know the implications.”
The Kaduna state government has confirmed that one person was killed while 10 others were killed in an explosion that rocked Kidandan community in Giwa Local Government Area of the state on Saturday afternoon.
Samuel Aruwan, Overseeing Commissioner, Ministry of Internal Security and Home Affairs, said in a statement on Saturday night, said one person had been confirmed dead while about 10 injured victims were receiving medical attention at the Ahmadu Bello University Teaching Hospital (ABUTH), Shika – Zaria.
Aruwan said “preliminary reports from the traditional institution and security agencies, one of the pupils learning under a local cleric picked up an object from the bush, which later exploded amidst his fellow pupils.”
He added that, “As of the time of this update, one pupil, Zaidu Usman, has been confirmed dead, while about ten injured victims are receiving medical attention at the Ahmadu Bello University Teaching Hospital, Shika.”
The statement said, “Governor Uba Sani, received the report with shock and sadness, and sent commiserations to the victims and their families, praying for the repose of the soul of the deceased, and a quick recovery for the wounded.
“The governor also appealed to parents and community leaders to increase their vigilance on the activities of their children and wards, given their susceptibility to various dangers.”
Aruwan said, ” The governor has directed the Ministry of Internal Security and Home Affairs to liaise with security agencies for an urgent investigation into the cause of the explosion to ensure the safety of residents, mobilize emergency support and ensure prompt medical attention to victims.
“Further updates will be duly communicated by the Kaduna State Government.”
The Asset Management Corporation of Nigeria (AMCON) has reignited its legal fight against the Mobil Workers Multipurpose Co-operative Society, Eket, Akwa Ibom State in a bid to reclaim a debt totaling N14,733,502,334.06.
In an amended statement of claim presented before a Federal High Court in Lagos by a Lagos Attorney on behalf of AMCON, the corporation revealed that it acquired the non-performing loan of the Defendant from the United Bank of Africa (UBA) Plc in 2012, exercising its powers under the Asset Management Corporation of Nigeria Act 2019.
AMCON alleges that prior to taking over the loan, the bank had granted a N7 billion Term Loan facility to the defendant for the personal needs of its members. The terms included the irrevocable domiciliation of monthly contributions and deductions by Mobil Producing Nigeria Unlimited, the parent company of the defendant.
The defendant, according to AMCON, accepted the facilities through its board resolutions in September 2007 and March 2008, making a complete drawdown of the N7 billion.
AMCON claims that the defendant failed to carry out the agreed instructions, leading to multiple defaults in monthly interest and half-yearly principal repayment.
The corporation is seeking a judgment of N14,733,502,334.06 against the Defendant and additional interest until the complete liquidation of the judgment debt.
The case is scheduled for hearing on February 19, 2024.
The Oyo State Government has approved the sum of 500,000 Naira as bursary allowance for indigenes of the state studying at Nigerian Law School campuses across the country in 2023.
According to an announcement by the Chairman of the Oyo State Scholarship Board, the bursary is part of the yearly package instituted by Governor Seyi Makinde since he assumed office in 2019.
The scholarship board has scheduled verification screening exercises for the law students to ascertain their eligibility. Students from the Lagos and Abuja campuses are expected on Wednesday January 24th while those in Kano, Enugu and Yenagoa will be screened on January 25th. Screening for Yola and Port Harcourt students comes up on January 26th.
The screenings will start by 10:00am daily at the Board’s conference room at the Ministry of Education headquarters in Ibadan.
The government advised members of the public, especially parents and guardians of the benefiting law school students, to take note of the screening dates.
About 500 students are expected to benefit from the 500,000 Naira bursary allowance this year.
The Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) has justified its involvement in the controversial $3.3 billion crude oil pre-payment loan it signed with the African Export-Import Bank (Afrexim-bank) last year.
In an interview with journalists, the Chief Corporate Communications Officer (CCCO) of NNPCL, Mr. Femi Soneye, explained that the deal christened ‘Project Gazelle’ – the forward sale of oil, which is the first of its kind to be facilitated by any government institution in Nigeria, was to ultimately provide dollar financing to the federal government.
Earlier in August, NNPCL had announced that it secured a $3 billion emergency loan from Afrexim-bank to stabilise the country’s volatile foreign exchange market.
The deal came over a year after the national oil company had similarly secured a $5 billion corporate finance commitment from the same Afreximbank to fund major investments in Nigeria’s upstream sector.
In late December last year, the federal government had announced receipt of $2.25 billion out of the $3.3 billion facility from the multilateral financial institution.
Afreximbank is the lead arranger of the loan, while some other sub-lenders included VITOL; Guvnor, one of the world’s largest energy trading houses by turnover; Sahara Energy Group; Oando and the United Bank for Africa (UBA), which chipped in $100 million.
However, while the loan attracted mixed reactions from Nigerians, especially over concerns about the implication of the facility for Nigeria’s oil production, the NNPCL Spokesman argued that the loan was needed as a short to mid-term solution to the foreign exchange shortage challenge currently being faced by the country.
Soneye added that Nigeria needed to urgently improve its foreign exchange position, pointing out that as of June 2023, the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) had over $6 billion of unmet obligations – forward contracts with third-party institutions that were past their expiry dates.
He explained, “NNPC Ltd entered into this arrangement to ultimately provide dollar financing to the federal government. It is a short to mid-term solution to the foreign exchange shortage challenge currently being faced by the country.
“Nigeria needs to urgently improve its foreign exchange position. As of June 2023, the Central Bank had over S$6 billion of unmet obligations – forward contracts with third-party institutions that were past their expiry dates.
“These unmet obligations have pressured the nation’s external reserves and resulted in a significant devaluation of the naira. The pre-financing arrangement allows the federal government to receive foreign exchange, in advance, to enable it to resolve its unmet FX obligations. These inflows of foreign exchange will ensure exchange rate stability and is an immediate quick-win available to the country.”
He further explained that forward sale contracts help resource-producing companies such as the NNPCL to deliver significant upfront funding for new projects before eventual production and export.
The NNPCL spokesman maintained that the funding available is used as investments in existing and prospective resources, adding that this could result in more oil and gas production in the country as new projects come onstream, and higher oil and gas exports, bringing in more dollars and foreign currencies.
He further argued that international banks have a track record of providing forward-sale financings, which brings new Foreign (FDIs) into the country.
With Nigeria having over 35 billion barrels of proven reserves that need to be exploited and produced, Soneye said a fraction of these prospective reserves could be used to raise the required funding.
With a forward sale financing, he noted that the country could securitise these proven oil reserves today, saying this improves foreign currency inflows immediately rather than having to wait for years.
“Also, by supporting more exports and bringing in overseas financing, forward-sale financing can significantly boost the availability of foreign currency for an oil/gas-dependent country. This improves the country’s ability to pay for imports and manage its overall economy.
“When exports finally start, the forward-sale investments are repaid using the money earned from those same exports. This improves the country’s balance of payments.
“The financing gives the government more stable and predictable oil earnings. This helps in planning budgets and managing foreign exchange reserves,” he noted.
On repayment of the Project Gazelle, he said up to 90,000 barrels had been earmarked for the purpose.
According to him, “the quantity of crude earmarked is sized to ensure that there is sufficient cash available for the repayment of the facility as and when due and ensure that the Borrower can also meet the other cashflow obligations, taking into consideration the expected future price of crude oil globally.”
Former Minister of Works and Housing, Babatunde Fashola, has disclosed that the only financial benefit he receives from the government is N577,000 monthly pension as a former governor of Lagos State.
He also said that he is not receiving billions of naira from the federal government as speculated by some Nigerians, after serving eight years as the minister.
Fashola said this on Saturday while appearing as a guest on Arise TV programme, ”Perspectives.’
When asked if there were financial benefits accrued to him as a former public servant, he said, “The benefit I get I think is N577,000 monthly pension from Lagos State. That’s all I get.
“So, in spite of all the stories that we got several billions of money (after leaving office), I’ve come out to deny that repeatedly. Well I don’t know how long it lasts, but all I know is that I get N577,000 per month consistently.”
When asked if there were other benefits from the federal government, he said “no.”
Responding to a question on if he could advise current public office holders, the former Lagos governor said he was not in the position to issue advice but admonished that they “should remain true and authentic” in their duties.
In September 2023, Fashola said he did not need to hold office for serving in President Bola Tinubu’s administration.
“I do not need a title to serve: the president can only appoint at least one minister, for example, from each state in which he has done that,” Fashola had said.
The All Progressives Congress (APC) said it has reviewed the Supreme Court judgement on the Kano State governorship election.
The party said it is taking steps to create a strong avenue that will unite its members and welcome new members into the party.
DAILY POST recalls that on Friday, the Supreme Court affirmed the election victory of Kano State Governor Abba Yusuf.
His earlier victory in the March 2023 poll, which had been overturned by the two lower courts, was unanimously reinstated by a panel of Justices led by Inyang Okoro.
The Supreme Court set aside the concurrent decisions of the two lower courts that had initially removed the governor from office based on allegations of irregularities during the disputed March 2023 election.
In a communiqué signed by the APC National Chairman’s Chief of Staff, Mallam Muhammad Garba, the party appreciated President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for his support and dedication to Kano State and the APC family.
The party acknowledged his commitment to the progress and development of the party in the state and the country as a whole.
Mallam Muhammad Garba, speaking on behalf of the party, stated that the stakeholders’ meeting had resolved to keep the doors of the APC in Kano open for hundreds of new members willing to join.
He added that the party is actively seeking to attract new members, both at the group and individual levels, owing to the good governance and promises of the party.
Garba noted that the meeting also resolved to convene an extensive stakeholders’ meeting in Kano to strategize on how to further unite the party for enhanced development.
“The meeting also appreciated members of the party for their maturity, support, and patience during the period of the legal battle and called on them to remain calm and await the outcome of the expanded stakeholders meeting scheduled for Thursday, January 25, 2024,” he said.
Participants in the meeting included selected Kano APC stakeholders, presided over by the party’s National Chairman, Abdullahi Umar Ganduje.
Super Eagles star, Alex Iwobi has issued warning to his side’s opponents after Nigeria’s 2023 Africa Cup of Nations, AFCON, win over Ivory Coast on Thursday.
Iwobi said the Super Eagles are afraid of no team currently participating at the ongoing AFCON.
Recall that William Troost-Ekong’s penalty gave Jose Peseiro’s men the victory against the host at the Stade Olympique Alassane Ouattara in Abidjan.
Speaking to reporters in the mixed zone after the game, Iwobi said: “The formation was different.
“We defended as a team, from Victor to the goalkeeper, everyone defended well so I feel like that formation change helped us.
“We have to concentrate on the next game, we take it game by game but we have the belief that we can do so, we have to wait and see.
“We are afraid of no one but we treat every team with respect.”
Nigeria will face Guinea-Bissau in their final Group A tie on Monday.
The Board of Immigration, Civil Defence, Fire and Correctional Services has approved the review of promotions in the four services in line with the renewed hope agenda of President Bola Tinubu.
The Minister of Interior, Dr. Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, disclosed this through the Secretary of the board, Ahmed Ja’afaru.
This was shortly after the board meeting on Friday in Abuja.
According to Tunji-Ojo, under the guideline of the board, which was adopted in 2013, the board decided in 2024 to review it, especially as it concerns promotions.
He added that a new guideline for promotions was adopted by the board after it had conducted and completed the verifications of all those officers who were successful in the 2023 promotions.
He said: “The board has also already commenced a process for 2024 promotions.
“So, we will draw the list of all the officers that are due for 2024.
“And very soon we will bring out the timeline for the promotions in the respective four services under the purview of the board.
“We are going to do it in such a way that training will be given priority in career progression and people will be rewarded for hard work and emphasis will be based on capacity building.
“This is to ensure that promotions are not a reward for redundancy but for active participation and contributions to career progression.
“We will also ensure that emphasis is placed on professionalism to expose our officers to all aspects of the job, while also developing specialisation in the various fields that we have in the services.’’
The Minister said that in line with the renewed hope agenda of President Tinubu, the board has decided to give 35 percent of employment positions to the women in the four agencies under its supervision .
This, he added, was to ensure that women take active participation in everything that the agencies did as professional bodies compared to what was the case in the past.
He said: “The recruitment will be done in the agencies in such a way to make sure that gender is considered based on Federal Character.”
Tunji-Ojo explained that the new guideline would commence in the ongoing recruitment in the Federal Fire Service.
He added: “As you are all aware, the portal is open and will close on January 31.
“We have reliably gathered that scammers are at work again, people are collecting money from the unsuspecting applicants.
“They are taking the advantage of Nigerians who are desperate to get work.
“I want you to take note that the board does not request for any money.
“As with the advertisement we sent out, we categorically said nobody should pay any money.
“The portal is free and there is no need to buy any scratch card; all you need to do is to go into our portal, open it and register.
“We know they will continue to scam and the consequence is that it damages the reputations of the organisations.”
Tunji-Ojo assured Nigerians that the Federal Government would go after them and make sure it brought the perpetrators to book to face the full wrath of the law.
He added: “We will continue to do our work to the best of our ability, and to ensure that whatever we have done will be based on merit.
“It’s open to all Nigerians and all sections will be based on the federal character principles.”
[Eagleonline]
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Record seven-time champions Egypt were dealt a major blow on Friday as captain Mohamed Salah was ruled out of two Africa Cup of Nations games with a hamstring injury, while holders.
The Egyptian Football Association confirmed in a statement that Liverpool star Salah would not be able to return for his country unless they reach the quarter-finals at the tournament.
The 31-year-old came off late in the first half of the Pharaohs’ 2-2 draw with Ghana on Thursday.
He will therefore sit out Monday’s final group game against Cape Verde and any last-16 tie that would follow that.
After drawing their opening two games, Egypt need to beat Cape Verde to be guaranteed to advance in second place in Group B.
That would tee up a last-16 tie in San Pedro on January 28, while they could also potentially qualify as one of the best third-placed teams.
Salah will therefore only feature again at the competition if Egypt make it to a quarter-final on February 2 or 3.
[DailyTrust]
Regret that no President has been decisive with military and consequences of their failure since 1999
Want definitive order to security chiefs
Say current strategies weak, already known to terrorists, bandits
Following the spate of killings and kidnappings across the country, Saturday Vanguard got some retired generals of the Nigerian military to bare their minds on the unending menace and what should be done to tackle the scourge. The retired Generals and their equivalent in the Navy and Airforce agreed to speak only on conditions of anonymity. we obliged them.
One retired Airforce Generals said: “One of the reasons insecurity is not going away is because since 1999 when democracy was re-birthed, no President, no commander in chief has given a direct, definitive order for terrorists or bandits to be decisively dealt with. What we usually get is open-ended directives. No timeline to get things done and no consequences for not getting things done.
“What President Bola Tinubu should do as C in C is to give a definitive order to the Minister of Defence, the CDS, the Service Chiefs and the Inspector General of Police, that this insecurity should end in three or four or six months. If after the time frame given, the criminals are not cleared out, the Minister, CDS and Service Chiefs should be asked to go. I bet you, you will see a change”.
A retired army general said alternatively, Tinubu and the Chief of Defence Staff/Army Chief can direct a “Scotch Egg Approach” operation where the adversaries, criminal elements will be boxed into a dead end and taken out. In the military, from the rank of the highest general to the least personnel, everybody is a soldier. Take Birnin Gwari forest for example, in one division area of responsibility, which is infested with terrorists, bandits/kidnappers. It stretches from Kaduna to Niger and parts of Plateau state. The government can order everybody in 1 division, Kaduna to close the office, give them arms and enough ammunition, led by the GOC to move from the Kaduna axis, the GOC of 3 division, Jos will also move with everybody from the Jos axis, any terrorists or whatever they call themselves within sight should be taken out since they would have been circled from all angles. This is because it is unacceptable that these terrorists and bandits are not only killing innocent Nigerians in droves, our officers and soldiers are being killed with little or no consequences. Since the terrorists have said they are mad, our men should be enabled to clear their doubts. If the President takes such steps, I give you six months, insecurity will go away.”
Speaking on kinetic efforts, an Airforce general said: “A mistake was made a long time ago and we keep making the same mistake with the military. Originally, the role of the military is to defend the territorial integrity of the country. The police are meant to handle law and order. It is not true that the police and other para-military agencies can’t handle internal security, law and order. What we need is a comprehensive reorientation of the police. The word ‘Force’ should be removed, it should be called Nigerian Police Service like their counterpart all over the world because they are there to serve the people. There should be joint combat training for the lower cadre of the police, the military, NSCDC, Immigration, Customs and others for them to know themselves and to be able to work together. A Joint Counter Terrorism Training Centre for all Para-Military personnel can be established in the country for this purpose. This is because the officers of the military, police and para-military have always had joint training sessions at their levels beginning from the armed forces command and staff college and other senior institutions, so the officers can easily work together but it is not the same for lower ranked personnel. Moreover, right now, the military is very weak because of too much involvement in internal crises and taking over police duties. Consequently, discipline is going down every day.
Another retired Airforce general called on Tinubu to consider applying the Operation Sweep Strategy employed by Mohammed Marwa when he served as military governor of Lagos state whereby every nook and cranny of the state was reached and criminals smoked out by the joint security operatives. He said, “The problem of insecurity is caused by political vendetta and economic empowerment. You are somebody because you want to get to a position and after achieving your goal, you turn your back on them. Now, with those weapons, they go back and everybody becomes their enemy including their opponents. They become emboldened and go to mineral areas to capture lands for tapping solid minerals and kill citizens for refusing to be pushed out of their lands.
“We need political will, as well as the will of the people. Nigerians should start seeing the kidnapping or bandits’ attacks on their neighbours as something that can happen to them and therefore join hands in fighting, resisting the menace.
“As a young officer, I worked with ‘Operation Sweep’ in Lagos which was successful because the then military governor, Marwa, identified what was needed to contain and curtail the insecurity. He provided the required logistics, equipment and communication to get the job done. Response time to criminal attacks was real-time, and when criminals were caught, there was no escape from prosecution and going to jail. The intelligence aspect was taken care of because people were asked to volunteer information about criminals on lines that could not be traced or linked to anyone for vendetta. Under Marwa’s ‘operation sweep’, there was nothing like one godfather or a sponsor somewhere coming to intervene or facilitate the release of any criminal. With ‘Operation Sweep’, a robber knew that if he went out to steal, he would most likely not escape to enjoy his proceeds of crime, that he would be caught. Another thing we did was that we advised people living in housing estates on certain measures. Everybody staying in an estate must have an alarm system which should be placed outside and once it was triggered, the whole estate would come out and act. At the same time our patrol teams in the location would be alerted and would move immediately. This will stop the trend today where kidnappers and robbers will go to people’s houses, spend hours, do whatever they like and still get away. The day Nigerian citizens will say enough of these kidnappings, it will end. We know what the problems are and we know what to do but the politicians will not allow the right things to be done”.
Yet another retired general in his contribution called for the total overhaul of the security architecture of the country, noting that non-state actors, particularly terrorists, bandits and kidnappers have studied and understood the modus operandi of security operatives, and they can pre-empt our strategies and even use our strategies against us. According to him, “the criminal elements have studied and discovered our weaknesses which they are exploiting and using our tactics such as ambushes, IED, night strikes traps and many others against our troops. It shows we have to go back to the drawing board. Importantly also, before policies are initiated and put in place for implementation, the federal government should also think of the consequences of such policies on the society.”
A retired Navy Rear Admiral and an Intelligence Chief said, “The situation we find ourselves can easily be tackled by bringing insecurity to a manageable level. One, you need the right persons at the right place. At our level of patriotism and experience, we should allow professionals do the work while the politicians should restrict themselves to providing the leadership for the country to develop. Also, we need more boots on the ground. For now I can tell you without mincing words that the personnel are overwhelmed. We need to recruit more (both military and Police). I don’t think they are lacking funds but I believe there are duplication of both duties and equipment. I think we have more than enough equipment to monitor and follow these criminals. All we need is collaboration with dedicated personnel. The operations can be divided into six zones representing the geopolitical areas because each zone has similar security challenges. The governors of those states can have a pool where their contributions will go into for common utilization to minimize fraud. Let them allow villages and towns to have local vigilantes (equipped with Dane Guns and Double Barrels Guns) to defend their localities to prevent a repeat of the Plateau scenario”.
Asked to proffer the way out of the security debacle, a retired Air Vice Marshal said, “Everything in life has a foundation. You cannot use the same foundation you used to build a house in a dry land to build another house in a marshy, swampy terrain. The foundation of our democracy ab initio was faulty. They got it wrong from the start. We took the American Constitution hook, line and sinker without minding our diverse social, and cultural environment and differences. The constitution never considered our traditional rulers. The issue of States/Local Government Joint account which was unheard of in any democracy anywhere in the world is the order of the day in Nigerian democracy.
“The local governments in the past who were closer to the people in the villages and grassroots are no longer functional. These days traditional rulers, and emirs are put under the authority of the local government chairman, to the extent that before an emir travels, he must seek permission from the local government chairman, who most times are in the cities. Again, the basic ingredients of democracy which are free, fair and credible elections are no longer there. If the foundation is weak, what follows are the consequences and their implications which are an increase in violent conflicts, erosion of human dignity, high inequality in society, corruption as well as manipulation and control of the public. What we are practising is what I call Kakistocracy or Kleptocracy. To worsen matters we have now graduated to Judiciocracy. This has brought us to a system of quantity, no longer quality or merit, job for the boys, where you see 50, 100, 200 Special Assistants, etc. They are not providing service for humanity but jobs for the boys. This has led to corruption and electoral fraud among others”.
Speaking on solutions, a retired general said, “One way out is to apply a soft approach by embarking on deliberate provision of sporting facilities to engage the energy, intelligence and smartness of our youths. An example of soft approach success is Morocco where despite the fire of the Arab Spring in Algeria, Egypt, Tunisia and other countries in that area, Morocco experienced peace and progress because the youths had facilities to engage their energies which is why they are doing so well in sports today. Our youths are idle and have nowhere to direct their energy, that is why they engage in drugs, criminal acts and illicit sexual escapades. There should be youth inclusiveness. Technical and vocational schools should be built. If we really want to move forward as a country, we must apply meritocracy. We must go back to the drawing board. But if we don’t want meritocracy we can then look at militocracy.
The former Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, Godwin Emefiele, was on Friday arraigned at the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory, Maitama, Abuja, on 20 count-charge bordering on corruption and forgery.
Dressed in an ash-coloured pair of trousers and a dark jacket, the ex-CBN governor arrived at the court premises accompanied by his team of lawyers and associates.
Recall that Emefiele was first arraigned by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission on six counts of N1.2bn procurement allegations.
The EFCC on the leave of the court subsequently amended the charge pressed against Emefiele.
When the amended 20-charge was read out to him on Friday, the former CBN governor pleaded not guilty.
In the new charge, Emefiele was accused of forgery, conferring a corrupt advantage and criminal breach of trust among others.
The Federal Government had initially filed 19 charges against the ex-CBN boss bordering on procurement fraud which were later pruned down to six
In the amended charge, Emefiele was accused of obtaining $6.2m by pretence, by falsely representing the Secretary to the Government of the Federation.
This, the EFCC said contravened Section 1(1) of the Advance Fee Fraud and Other Fraud Related Offences Act, 2006, and punishable under Section 1(3) of the same Act.
The charge read, “That you, Godwin Ifeanyi Emefiele male, adult, and Odoh, Eric Ocheme (Still at large) on or about the 8th day of February 2023 in Abuja, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court knowingly obtained by false pretence, the sum of six million, two hundred and thirty thousand united state dollar ($6.230m) by falsely representing the Secretary to the Government of the Federation vide a letter dated 26th January, 2023 with Ref No. SGF.43/L.01/201 requested the Central Bank of Nigeria to provide a contingent logistic advance in the sum of $6.230m in line with Mr President’s directive, which representation you knew to be false and you thereby committed an offence.”
He was also accused of conniving with one Eric Ocheme, who has been at large, to commit forgery.
It read, “That you, Godwin Ifeanyi Emefiele male, adult, and Odoh, Eric Ocheme (Still at large) sometime in January 2023 in Abuja, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court agreed among yourselves to cause to be done an illegal act to wit: forgery of a document titled: Re: Presidential directive on foreign election observer missions, dated 26 January 2023, with Ref No. SGF.43/L.01/201 and you thereby committed an offence.”
Emefiele was also accused of conferring corrupt advantage on his wife, Omoile Margret, and brother-in-law, Omoile Macombo, by awarding a contract for the renovation of a portion of the CBN Governor’s residence in Koyi, Lagos to the tune of N99.8m.
The offence, according to the Federal Government, contravened Section 19 of the Corrupt Practices and other Related Offences Act 2000.
The charge read, “That you, Godwin Ifeanyi Emefiele, male, adult, sometime in March 2020 within the jurisdiction of this honourable court, did use your position as governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria to confer a corrupt advantage on your wife, Omoile Margret, and brother-in-law Omoile Macombo, by awarding a contract for the external renovation of the CBN Governor’s residence lying, being and situate at No. 2 Glover Road, Ikoyi, Lagos, in the sum of N99.826m to Messrs Architekon Nigeria Limited, a company wherein the duo are directors and majority shareholders and you thereby committed an offence.”
Addressing journalists shortly after the case was adjourned till February for trial, counsel to Emefiele, Mathew Bukka, SAN, thanked the trial judge, Justice Hamza Muazu, for allowing the ex-CBN boss to enjoy his bail ahead of the commencement of trial, stressing that his client would return to face trial on the amended charge.
He said, “As a legal practitioner, I think the best thing to happen in a system is when you have compliance with the rule of law. What we have is a situation in which the state, particularly the Ministry of Justice, feels that they want to put more counts in the charge. They are entitled by law to do that.
“So, what they have done is to amend the charge and add more counts. For us, it is within their powers to do that. We are coming back on the 12th and 13th of February to proceed with the trial.”
On what became of the old charge, Bukka noted that “The extant charge is the new charge upon which plea has been taken and this is what we will be dealing with.”
The trial judge, Hamza Muazu adjourned the case to February 12 and 13, 2024 for the commencement of trial.
Over 200 violent attacks have been recorded across all six area councils of the Federal Capital Territory since President Bola Tinubu assumed office on May 29, 2023.
The incidents led to the death of no fewer than 87 residents of the FCT, while 176 were kidnapped within the period.
The figures were sourced from Beacon Consulting, a local firm monitoring security issues in the country, and several media reports on violent attacks, including kidnapping and killings in the FCT.
Since the assumption of office of the Minister of the FCT, Nyesom Wike, on August 16, 2023, there’s been a rise in violent attacks in the nation’s capital.
The FCT is facing alarming surge in insecurity, prompting concerns among residents and the authorities. The capital city, once considered relatively immune to the prevalent security challenges in other parts of the country, is now grappling with an escalating wave of criminal activities, particularly kidnapping.
According to a 2020 report by SB Morgen, Abuja was ranked 11th among locations with frequent abductions, a stark revelation of the evolving security landscape in the region.
Over the last three years, close to 50 kidnap cases have been recorded in Abuja, involving over 200 persons. The severity of the issue becomes more apparent when examining the data from January 2021 to June 2023, revealing approximately 40 recorded cases with 236 victims. Between October and December 2023 alone, there were 13 recorded kidnap incidents, impacting 80 victims.
These incidents are not isolated to specific areas but have occurred in various locations within Abuja, including Gwagwalada Kuje, Lugbe, Pegi, Abaji, Keti, and Kwali. What is particularly concerning is that these incidents seem to occur unchallenged by security agencies, allowing criminal elements to operate with impunity.
The economic toll of the rising insecurity is substantial, with confirmed ransom payments totalling N653.7m between 2021 and 2022. Residents and businesses in the affected areas are bearing the brunt of the security challenges, and the impact on daily life and economic activities is becoming increasingly pronounced.
The most notorious among the incidents over the past seven months includes the abduction of seven persons, including six girls kidnapped on January 5, 2024, in the Bwari Area Council.
Latest amongst the incidents was the abduction of the wife and one of the in-laws of a lawyer, Cyril Adikwu, on Thursday, January 18, at the Nigerian Army Post Housing Scheme in the Kurudu area of Abuja.
The incident, according to a neighbour of the victims, occurred around 10pm in the Phase 2 area of the estate.
Also, on January 7, 2024, armed men abducted 12 from an estate in the Bwari area of Abuja.
On December 12, 2023, a total of 23 residents of the Dei-Dei community in the Bwari area of the FCT were also abducted.
A nursing mother and three children were kidnapped in Abuja on December 12, 2023. An Abuja-based musician and his band members were kidnapped on December 18, 2023, while two persons were kidnapped in the Mpape area of the FCT on July 16, 2023.
Following a rise in the incidents, Nigerians have called on the Federal Government and the security agencies to find a lasting solution to the problem.
The Inspector-General of Police, Olukayode Egbetokun, on Wednesday launched the Special Intervention Squad in the FCT to curb the activities of kidnappers and bandits wreaking havoc, especially in border towns within the territory.
The squad is charged with patrolling and securing the communities in the border areas of the FCT, and intervening to curb and mitigate violent attacks in the nation’s capital.
Following the inauguration of the SIS, its operatives commenced patrol across the FCT and border towns, villages and hamlets.
The Force Public Relations Officer, Olumuyiwa Adejobi, who spoke with one of our correspondents in an exclusive interview, revealed that the deployment of the officers would be all over the FCT, with more attention to crisis-prone areas and exits out of the city.
He added that the creation of the SIS was aimed at addressing the security concerns in the FCT.
“The deployment will be all over, with more attention to crisis-affected areas and exits out of the city. It is a general operation aimed at addressing the security concerns in the FCT,” Adejobi said.
The Commander of the FCT SIS, Bennett Igwe, who led the operatives on Tuesday in Bwari, Kawu, Kubwa and Gwagwalada, among others, and into Niger, Nasarawa, Kaduna, and Kogi states, told our correspondent that the SIS operatives would be stationed in the borders and would be moving in and out of the FCT to apprehend bandits and other insurgents disturbing the peace of the capital city.
He added that the SIS was under the command of the Inspector-General of Police at the Force Headquarters hence its operatives were not limited by borders.
Igwe said, “We are here tonight in Kawu, where about 23 persons were kidnapped. As you’ve seen, we’ve toured the whole of Bwari, and we have shown the criminals that we are ready and we want our people to be at peace.
“As we’re stationed here and patrolling Bwari, our other officers are also currently patrolling other border towns in the FCT; our operatives are patrolling Gwagwalada, Kubwa, Maraba, and other border towns, villages and hamlets. And we’re moving in and out of the border states of Kaduna, Nasarawa, Niger, and Kogi. We will flush the bandits out and return peace and harmony to the FCT.”
The scourge of abduction, which has strangulated social and economic activities in the North-East and the North-West, has spread nationwide as bandits and other criminal elements have moved their operations into major cities across the country, especially the FCT in recent times.
The hoodlums, who hitherto operated on highways and in rural communities, have in recent times escalated their attacks on residents of Abuja, Lagos, Enugu, Kaduna and other urban centres.
Unveiling the SIS at the Force Headquarters in Abuja on Wednesday, Egbetokun said the alarming rise in criminal activities without equivocation demanded immediate and resolute action.
He noted that the approach of the police was comprehensive, adding that beyond immediate intervention, the SIS would also engage in community-oriented policing.
Egbetokun said, “As I stand before you today, I am imbued with a profound sense of duty as we confront the crisis of kidnapping and violent crimes presently afflicting our esteemed nation, particularly in and around the Federal Capital Territory.
“The alarming rise in these criminal activities without equivocation, demands immediate and resolute action from us all. It is thus with a determined spirit that I proudly announce the inauguration of the Special Intervention Squad.
“Conceived as an elite unit of the Nigeria Police Force, the SIS composed of specially trained, well equipped and highly mobile police officers, and possesses the capacity for rapid intervention and effective containment of significant security breaches, such as those currently threatening the suburb of the FCT and creating panic generally.
“This initiative is not just born out of necessity, but out of foresight, diligent planning and commitment to enhancing the already robust security architecture of our nation’s capital.”
Operatives of the SIS visited several villages and hamlets in the Bwari area of Abuja where there had been several attacks by insurgents over the past weeks.
One of our correspondents, who followed the operatives during the show of force, observed that the officers stormed Bwari with several Armoured Personnel Carriers, patrol vehicles and buses, and a helicopter.
The NPF had in late 2023 announced that the deployment of 40,000 operatives of the Special Intervention Squad who were undergoing training, would begin with Katsina and nine other states including the FCT.
The Force Headquarters also revealed that the proposed commanders, who would be in charge of the squad, would be trained in Mexico while noting that the deployment to the 10 carefully selected states was to pilot the activities of the SIS.
Following his assumption of office in June, Egbetokun announced the establishment of the SIS.
He noted that the SIS would be a standby team of specially trained officers to quickly intervene in large insecurity occurrences, adding that it was part of the a priority in his administration’s endeavour to combat the threat of violent crime.
During a recent visit to Owerri, the Imo State capital, the IG stated that the other 27 states would immediately follow the 10 pilot states that were selected based on the recent violent crime assessment conducted in the 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory.
Adejobi noted that the SIS would not operate like the defunct Special Anti-Kidnapping Squad which was notorious for human rights abuses.
The Force spokesperson also revealed that operatives of the SIS which were drawn from the Police Mobile Force would not be involved in escort duties, while noting that the squad’s commanders would operate under the command of commissioners of police in their respective states.
In June, Egbetokun announced plans to withdraw PMF personnel from VIP escort/guard duties.
The IG, who spoke during a meeting with squadron leaders and tactical commanders at the Force Headquarters, said the development was to allow the force to take back its place in the internal security architecture of the country.
Meanwhile, while clarifying the misunderstanding in regards to the IG’s directive concerning the proposed withdrawal of the PMF from specialised escort and services for VIPs, Adejobi noted that the NPF did not intend to strip VIPs (who are legally and statutorily entitled to police escorts) of their security details, noting that doing so would be unsafe and counterproductive.
He said, “Get the message right: We understand that there has been some misunderstanding regarding the directive of IGP Olukayode Egbetokun about withdrawing members of the Police Mobile Force unit from specialised escort and services for VIPs. It’s crucial to provide clarifications to address this.
“First and foremost, let us be clear: at no point did the Force intend to strip VIPs (who are legally and statutorily entitled to Police escorts) of their security details. Doing so would be unsafe and counterproductive. Instead, the objective is to reassign the withdrawn PMF personnel to the recently established Special Intervention Squad.”
Meanwhile, the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, has directed the Commissioner of Police in the FCT to provide two new divisional police stations in the Gwagwalada community.
The minister also disclosed that from next week, police stations across the six area councils would receive new operational vehicles and communication gadgets to enhance the work of security agencies in the territory.
Wike made this known during the second in the series of security town hall meetings at the Gwagwalada Area Council on Friday.
While disclosing that some informants of kidnappers had been arrested, the minister vowed to chase criminals out of Gwagwalad, stating that their time had come.
He said, “Security is one thing the President has said he will give Nigerians, because his job is to make sure that he protects lives and property. If we cannot protect lives and property, then our being in government has no meaning. Criminals should get ready, their time has come.
“You all know that if I say something, I will do it. And as I have come here today, if you know you are one of the informants to these criminals, or you are one of the criminals too, your time has come. I and the security agencies will pursue you until you will not come near Gwagwalada again.”
Speaking earlier, the Chairman, Gwagwalada Area Council, Abubakar Giri, requested the establishment of two police divisions in Dobi and Giri to strengthen the fight against insecurity, while the Agumo of Gwagwalada, Muhammadu Magaji, also requested for the provision of a new patrol van for the police in the area.
Meanwhile, human rights activist and convener of Concerned Nigerians, Deji Adeyanju, has blamed the displacement of individuals, including scavengers, and the destruction of shanties where disadvantaged people earned their livelihood for the current state of insecurity in the FCT.
He also berated the FCT minister over rising insecurity in Abuja.
Adeyanju said the distressing reality of the poor, who had been neglected and marginalised, had made them to resort to criminal acts such as kidnapping in their pursuit of survival.
“Rather than adequately relocating these individuals and providing them with alternative means of sustenance, the minister has callously sent them to the streets, exacerbating the desperation and criminal activities in the city,” he stated.