₦airaland Forum

As security situation in Benue is getting worse, the Nigeria Police Force has reposition her gallant men to end the menace of kidnapping, robbery and assassination in Benue State. Read more http://www.metrodailyng.com/2016/07/npf-reposition-officers-as-pawa-heads.html#more

This is marvelous in our eyes!....on a serious note why do people segregate amongst genders when conception and child bearing are concerned? For me, girl or boy child comes from God...any human... see more http://www.metrodailyng.com/2016/07/african-man-fortified-himself-with.html

This is marvelous in our eyes!....on a serious note why do people segregate amongst genders when conception and child bearing are concerned? For me, girl or boy child comes from God...any human... see more http://www.metrodailyng.com/2016/07/african-man-fortified-himself-with.html

This is marvelous in our eyes!....on a serious note why do people segregate amongst genders when conception and child bearing are concerned? For me, girl or boy child comes from God...any human... see more http://www.metrodailyng.com/2016/07/african-man-fortified-himself-with.html

By Comrade Jatau Monday Ali

Certain things do not cross the mind until one physically comes in contact with them. This is not because they don’t exist, but since one has never been directly affected by them, one scarcely gives them a thought. I want to make a case for the teeming construction workers in Nigeria who are dying daily under the chokehold of the laws governing pension administration in the country.

Before the Pension Reform Act 2004 under President Olusegun Obasanjo (as he then was), the pension system in practice in Nigeria was the Defined Benefits scheme in the public service which was scantily funded through annual budgetary allocations, late release of funds for pension rights and the prevalent humongous pension funds mismanagement/embezzlement between pension managers and the trustees of pension funds. The pension system scarcely covered the private sector, the construction workers inclusive.

Pained by the foregoing, the pension administration in Nigeria considered it necessary to make a move towards eliminating the problems related to pension in the country. That was when the Pension Reform Act 2004 was given birth to.

Among the lofty and laudable objectives of the PRA 2004 were: To ensure that every person who worked in either the public service of the federation, Federal capital territory or private sector receives his retirement benefits as and when due; To ensure that pensioners are not subjected to untold suffering due to inefficient and cumbersome process of pension payment: etc.

In order that the lofty objectives of the PRA would not be violated, the National Pension Commission (Pencom) was established under the Act empowered with supervisory authority over the licensed Pension Fund Administrator PFA’s. It would be ten years later before the 2004 PRA became repealed to be replaced by the PRA 2014 signed by President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan one 1st July, 2014.

As laudable as the Pension Reform Act objectives appear, we in the construction industry are negatively affected by the stronghold of the pension laws.

Let me establish here that, people suffer so much on account of job hazards, it has to be noted too, that more than 90% of the construction workforce do not have formal education and lastly, let it be known too that the job security in the industry is so fragile that more than half of the workforce scarcely exceed three years in continuous service.

With the foregoing challenges in view, there always arise situations that throw the construction worker/pensioners into deep pains of frustration, desperation when they seek to collect their pension benefits after work.
Similarity in names: There abound situations whereby a construction pensioner who had a name like Adamu Isah similar to another who is Isah Adamu are forced to swear to numerous affidavits to ascertain the true identity of who is who.
There are many construction workers who are not even aware that they have a Retirement Savings Account [RSA] somewhere and upon severance, they simply retreat to their villages and their contributions remain a lost fund with the PFA’s.
In the construction industry, no body enjoys gratuity since sections 20,21 and 22 of the National Joint Industrial Council agreement (a law that regulates the conditions of service in the construction industry) were expunged in 2012, the 25% initial lump sum withdrawal is abysmally too small for someone who has suffered hazards at work and has attained the ripe age of fifty years with large sum in savings only to be paid trifle sum and the rest of the money kept in the name of programmed withdrawal for a period spanning eighteen years or more after retirement.

A programmed withdrawal is a method by which the employee collects his/her retirement benefits in a periodic sums spread through the length of an estimated life span. These withdrawals are shamefully too small to do anything meaningful for a person who had been on a good salary during his working days. Some people are paid N5000 per month and they are coming from far interior villages to the town to access the money so what use will the money be to them?

There are too frequent verifications of pensioners leading to pensioners dying during verification exercise. In order that the construction retirees could get a let-off from the ordeals, we in the industry are of the considered opinion that our employers be empowered to be the custodians of our pension deductions.

Among other benefits: The companies are direct employers of the workers and they have a day to day interaction so the issues of confusion in identify will never arise at the time of claiming benefits.

Benefits would be calculated together with severance pay and lump sums given to retirees to enable them start up small scale businesses as opposed to the pittance paid in programmed withdrawals.

There will not be any concern of verification of pensioner as all the workers on the employers’ payrolls are not alien to them and they will have no qualms paying their benefits.
The employer companies can hold the contributions as collateral to give salary advances and loans to the workers unlike what obtains now with the PFA’s whereby a retiree who has up to five hundred thousand naira in his RSA and his child dies of common malaria because he could not pay twenty thousand naira bills in the hospital.

It’s instructive that any law meant for the people which offers more burden to them than benefits need to be revisited. The national assembly will certainly do us whole lot of good if they amend the Pension Reform Act with the construction worker in mind.

Comrade Jatau Monday Ali is a construction workers’ Union Chairman at S.C.C Nigeria Limited.
07036503754.

A man in Kano has been accused of shooting his maid for leaving his baby unattended.
According to Facebook user IG Wala, the man, identified as Jamilu, was said to have brought out two guns and shot at his house maid after he woke up and found his baby crying.
Wala wrote on his Facebook page:
“This woman is allegedly shot by the man that she is working in his house as a maid. The man name Jamilu (with a traditional title as Barden Kano) is said to be from a royal family in Kano but lives in Barnawa Area of Kaduna.

see full details: http://www.metrodailyng.com/2016/07/see-what-jamilu-bala-muhammed-barde-san.html

A coalition of civil societies in Nigeria under the auspices of Nigerians United Against corruption has ask the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC to immediately delete Mallam Abdulrasheed Maina's name from the no fly list of the Nigeria Immigration Service, NIS. The group said for allowing Mr. Maina's name on the no fly list after a glorious five court verdicts against the commission is a clear case of corruption. The group insisted that, the recent testimony by Sen. Kabiru Gaya , the Senate committee chairman on Local Government Administration who was a co-chairman of the Senate Committee on pension probe, that the said 195 billion Naira is in the government account has vindicated Mr Maina as such, keeping his name on the no fly list and red alert of the interpol is a Clear case of fraud and victimization.

Addressing Journalists in Abuja, the National Coordinator of the group Mr. Oluwasanmi Solomon emphasizes that, for the on going war against corruption to succeed, the likes of Abdulrasheed Maina must be allow a free man having proff beyond reasonable doubt, his innocency and survived all the allegations against him by Anti Nigeria elements, Nigerians needs the likes of Maina to assist the present government in recovering public funds. Here is a man who recovered 1.6 trillion Naira for the Nigeria government in 2013, we believed that he has the knowledge of fund recovery, so, he should be allowed to assist the government instead of malicious persecution.

Oluwasanmi said the perpetual isolation of Mr Maina from circulation is a clear demonstration of Anti government tendencies by the EFCC authority to sabotage the administration of President Muhammadu Buhari in the ongoing war against corruption.
Earlier in 2013, Sen. Kabiru Gaya was on BBC and other national and international media where he labelled Mr Maina as a national thief who stole 195billion Naira of pension fund. The Senate wrote the head of service of the federation with the recommendation of sack and the EFCC to arrest and prosecute Mr Maina. As a deputy Director, Maina was sacked and Gazetted while the EFCC has being on his neck. In a recent interview published on Nigeria based Newspaper, the Sun on the 12th of April 2016, Sen. Gaya maintained that the said 195billion Naira is stocked in Agencies of government and formed part of the Treasury Single Account, TSA of the federal government,thus exonorating Abdulrasheed Maina.

Shortly before Gaya's confession, Mr Maina had approach a magestrate court challenging his wanted declaration by the EFCC, insisting that, he has never been invited by the commission. In his ruling, the chief magestrate Judge 1, His Worship, A.U Shuiabu set aside the warrant and made it public that, the said court where the EFCC has claimed she got the warrant of arrest from has no jurisdiction to issue such warrant.

However, Nigerians are beginning to worry over senator Gaya's testimony, the anti graph agencies ought to would have invited Sen. Gaya for questioning especially for deforming Mr Maina's character which caused him his job as a deputy Director in the Federal Civil Service. A retired civil servant Mr Adodo David said , Maina is not guilty from the beginning and we know it. Who forced Kabiru Gaya to tell the truth now? God has vindicated Maina as such, if the EFCC continue to allow his name on the no fly list within the next 72 hours, we the pensioner will have no option than to take mass action against her.

By Mahmud Bello

The PUNCH Newspaper of Sunday, June 19, 2016 contains an article wherein the Presidency, speaking through Garba Shehu, the Senior Special Assistant (SSA) to the President on Media and Publicity threatened to file an action against a lawyer, Mr. Nnamdi Nwokocha, for out of court comments he made in regards to the pending suit on President Muhammadu Buhari’s certificate in which Mr. Nwokocha is the plaintiff.

In the newspaper article, the SSA Media and Publicity faulted a recent interview Mr. Nwokocha granted to a national newspaper wherein he commented on the pending action and proclaimed his belief in his theory of liability. This drew the ire of the SSA who promptly issued the statement reported in the PUNCH Newspapers. According to the SSA, it is “unfair” for plaintiff who is a litigant in a case pending in court to “hijack” the power of a judge by declaring the president guilty of what he is accused of on the pages of newspapers. The SSA went on to state that “Newspapers are not alternative courts where a party can declare anybody guilty of anything when the court has not formally given a definitive judgment on an issue before it”. He further stated that any person who believes in the judicial process and the rights of other parties to a case would not have engaged in what he called the “inappropriate and unprofessional practice of trial by media”. He finally warned that if Mr. Nwokocha did not stop his “unfair and professionally inappropriate abuse of free speech, the President’s lawyers would use the instrumentality of the law in dealing with his unethical actions”.

This, with respect, is an ironic twist of developments, especially coming from the SSA Media and Publicity who has been equally guilty of the same conduct of which he now complains. It is a fact of indubitable notoriety that in the ongoing prosecution of persons in connection with the War against Corruption, the trial by media has been an indispensable tool employed by the prosecutorial agencies in affecting the public perception of these accused persons. In fact, the SSA Media and Publicity himself, has championed this uncharitable and irresponsible regime of trial by media by heedlessly commenting on matters which are sub judice. Just recently, the SSA Media and Publicity meticulously bombarded the newspaper and internet media with proclamations of the “guilt” of the former Chief of Defense Staff, Air Chief Marshall Alex S. Badeh (Rtd) in a matter the trial of which is currently pending in court. Conveniently, the SSA did not find this to be “inappropriate and unprofessional” practice. Nor has he ever uttered a word condemning the uncharitable employment of the media by governmental agencies in conducting media trials of pending criminal matters with its attendant consequences of potential deprivation individual liberty in the event of a conviction. Now however, the SSA deems it prudent to cry foul at Mr. Nwokocha’s conduct because his interest has shifted to being on the receiving end of the same blows which he so mercilessly threw and directed at the former Chief of Defense Staff. This is indeed ironic, and quite frankly disturbing.

The constitutional doctrine of the Right to Fair hearing is fundamental. More so when the issue involves the trial of accused persons in a criminal matter. The repugnance of trial by media should be consistently condemned by all and sundry, especially the SSA Media and Publicity, because of its potential ability to “hijack” matters which are pending before courts of competent jurisdiction. This notion of selectively condemning extrajudicial comments only when it affects the interest we represent should be completely and unapologetically discouraged. Otherwise, what is good for the goose, should necessarily be good for the gander.

Mahmud Bello is of Arewa Rights Agenda(ARA)

By Eleojo Augustine

As the APC led government of President Muhammadu Buhari intensifies effort to rid Nigeria free of corruption, some government functionaries seem not to be happy with the fight because they want to continue to siphon public funds for their personal aggrandisement rather than applying them to what they are budgeted for.

Recently, a civil society group Movement for Transparency and Corruption Watch (MTCWN) expressed dismay over the fraudulent manner at which the present management of Pension Transition Arrangement Department (PTAD) in connivance with Office of the Accountant General of the Federation are diverting pensions fund meant for pensioners on its platform.

Some of the agencies whose funds pension funds are under the control of PTAD are Civil Service Pension, Police Pension, Customs, Immigrations and Prison Pension, Pensions of Treasury Funded Parastatals and Universities.

According to records, PTAD was established in accordance with Section 30 (2) of the Pensions Reform Act 2004 and as amended in the PRA 2014, Section 42, charged with the management of the old pension known then as Defined Benefit Scheme (DBS); for pensioners who retired on or before June 2007 and are not part of the new contributory scheme. It took off in August 2013, nine years after the Act establishing it due to resistance from the erstwhile pension offices.

Raising the alarm, the leader of the civil society group, Comrade Adah Samuel Inyada lamented bitterly as saying, “We are very worried about the current development in the Pensions Transition Arrangement Department and that why we are calling government not to relent in its effort to putting an end to corruption in public service. Government must ensure that those who work hard in honesty are rewarded rather than vilified and victimized, this would encourage people to give their best for their country. “

“Before the coming on board of PTAD, the system was poorly managed with inadequate regulatory oversight, grossly underfunded with a deficit of over N2 trillion, pensioners were experiencing difficulty in accessing their pay and the system was nothing but a national embarrassment manifested by public outcry, over documented pension fraud and fund looting, mistreatment of pensioners, lack of credible database despite continuous annual verification exercises, absence of credible and transparent pension payment platform, leading to bloated payroll and accumulated liabilities as well as increased backlog of pension liabilities that were escalating on daily basis.”

According to observers, it is on record that since November 2013 when PTAD effectively took over payments, pensioners receive their monthly benefits electronically through the Central Bank of Nigeria. Within only two years of its operation, PTAD under the astute leadership of Nellie Mayshack, has reversed the ugly experience of pensioners and cleaned the system of the corrupt practices that has hitherto prevented genuine pensioners from receiving their money regularly. Of course many pensioners today can testify to the fact that PTAD has sanitized and sensitized the pensions under its management, brought tranquillity to pensions, restored dignity to pensioners and regained public trust.

They noted that the agency was able to restored the sanctity of pension funds through the use of direct electronic payments to pensioners ‘accounts, while pension funds are safe in the treasury without any case of fraud and has also institutionalized a viable and transparent pension system that is devoid of fraud.

Fraud and corruption were endemic and the system had declined to a state of rot, payments were opaque, slow, irregular and manual, leading to errors and were performed by unmotivated and uncaring staff.

However, they further observed that in addition to the safety of pension funds in the treasury, PTAD has also logged huge savings for the Federal Government in tens of billions and only recently, reported N7 billion savings in five months that otherwise would have disappeared into insurance companies/underwriters. The inherited payrolls have reduced as it recently removed 3,000 ghost pensioners from police pension, more than 1,500 from Paramilitary pension and a list of 120 fraudsters on Civil Service pension has also been reported to ICPC.

Anticorruption Watch lamented that despite the achievements and transformation in PTAD, “some persons who in their own myopic thinking see public funds as free money, are not happy with the development because they could not longer have free access to the funds as such they have waged war against anybody introducing a policy that would prevent them from looting public fund. “

On his part, the some said “These cankerworms that are eating deep into the fabric of the Nigerian treasury are often described as powerful interests, ghost forces or powerful forces. We are absolutely against those ‘powerful forces’ that are bent at nothing than to bring to disrepute the transformation of the pension system in PTAD spearheaded by Nellie Mayshack.

These corrupt elements had from the onset never embrace the establishment of PTAD because they wanted to continue to feed fat on the pension funds. We are aware of the still opposition the agency and its management staff are confronted with. Some government agencies with stakes in pensions, petitions and accused PTAD of moving too fast with the consolidation as fake pensioners were delisted from the payroll. Is it now a crime to develop fast in line with technological trend?

They advised that the federal government should in line with the change agenda and anti-corruption war of the APC led government, direct the EFCC, ICPC and other relevant bodies to beam their search lights into the activities of the current Acting Director General of PTAD as it relate to pension funds.

They also decried how the Office of the Accountant General of the Federation deliberately frustrated the effort of the suspended DG of PTAD because of her refusal to allow the powerful interests to have access to the funds as she has succeeded in delisting ghost lists from the payroll. Therefore, it should be investigated to know its relationship with the present DG

Available records indicate the acting DG of PTAD claimed to be paying over 1700 pensioners, against the 900 verified persons while Nellie Mayshack was in charge. Thereby raising the question as to where do the extra 800 persons come from? This fraudulent activities by the present management of the agency should urgently be investigate to avoid mutilation of the successful transformation programmes the agency is known for while the embattled DG was in Office.

There is therefore, the need for other sister agencies that manage pensions funds should copy model being implemented by PTAD to ensure transparency, cost saving and prompt payment of pensions to the beneficiaries.

For government to strengthen the fight against corruption in public offices, Public institutions should be strengthen to guide against ambiguity that allow individuals who oversee the affairs of the organisations making themselves emperor and who see the public treasury as free fund.

Eleojo Augustine, wrote from Lokoja

By Eleojo Augustine
Nothing in nature is so universally decried, and yet so universally practiced, as falsehood. A mighty, governing lie goes round the world, and has almost banished truth out of it. The greatest annoyance and disturbance of mankind has been from one of these two things, force or fraud; and force often allies with fraud. It is the tongue that drives the world before it and it is hard to assign any one thing but lying, which God and man so unanimously join in the hatred of; and it is hard to also tell whether it does a greater dishonour to God, or mischief to man. The unlawfulness of lying is grounded upon this, that a lie is properly a sort of species of injustice, and a violation of the right of that person to whom the false speech is directed.
This falsehood, no doubt, has played itself in the recent suspension of the embattled Executive Secretary and Director General of the Pension Transitional Arrangement Directorate (PTAD), Mrs. Nellie Mayshak, who was suspended months ago by the Minister of finance Mrs. Kemi Adeosun based on an unfounded allegations that are yet to be proven.
Mayshak who was said to have digitized the old pension scheme for effective service delivery to ensure seamless payment of pensioners also brought transparency into the system. PTAD under her watch leveraged on technology to get database of pensioners which helped the agency know the actual number of pensioners thus removing ghost pensioners from the system.
Expressing disappointment over the agency's inability to follow the blue print of Mayshak, who is described by many as an “outstanding public sector reform expert", the pensioners also made series of complains about the agency losing the glory and values it was known for while she was in charge.
The baseless rumors making waves that the embattled DG was earning N50-60 million monthly was debunked as false, baseless, and maligning to her character, and described as an act perpetuated by mischief makers with the intention to dent her hard earned reputation. It is obviously that her salary is subject to approval by the National Salaries, Incomes and Wages Commission whom amongst other functions advises the Federal and State Governments on National Income policy.
The embattled PTAD boss had in a reaction to the accusation said, “I did not appoint myself; I do not monitor myself the agency reports directly to the coordinating minister of the economy and the Hon. Minister of finance, there is a permanent secretary. We are bound by the rules of the public services. The office of the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation is our boss that we report to. National Pension Commission (PENCOMM) is our regulator we have a host of institutions agencies of government that we report to that regulate our activities and are truly in support of the effort that we are carrying out in PTAD. We are bound by the rules and we obey all the laws of the public service of Nigeria.”
Of course, her suspension was seen by many Nigerians especially pensioners and their next of kins across the country as a setback in the transformation of PTAD and have called for the reinstatement of Mrs. Mayshak, arguing that their call became apparent as a result of the gross deterioration in the quality of verification exercise and the non-payment of pensioners since her wrongful suspension from office.
According to reports, the Office of the Accountant General of the Federation (OAGF) is yet to answer the critical questions on it involvement in a ₦3.6 billion shady deal meant for the Nigeria Rail Way (NRC) pension fund which the OAGF returned ₦2.5 billion of it to the management of the NRC, remitting only about ₦1.1 billion to PTAD. It was gathered that, the NRC pensioners union and the Nigerian Union of Pensioners have petitioned the National Assembly and PTAD to assist in recovering the fund. The NRC has surreptitiously retained ₦2.5 billion pension payment, while claiming the said amount has been returned to the Office of the Accountant-General of the Federation (OAGF).
The two bodies involved (the OAGF and the NUP Railway) have consistently engaged in bulk passing with regards to the refund of the outstanding ₦2.5 billion. According to available information, the OAGF allegedly ignored PENCOM’s intervention to transfer the funds into a PTAD pension account in CBN and illegally kept the fund for almost a year.
Other report also stated that the OAGF is allegedly making direct payment to 1,700 Next of Kins while PTAD could only transparently validate a list of 900 and only ₦1.5 billion as against the ₦2.7 billion claimed by the OAGF office prompting a civil society group to call on the EFCC to investigate and closely monitored the payment to ensure only genuine beneficiaries are paid and that ₦1.2 billion of the ₦2.7 billion remains in government coffer.”
In a petition by Civil Society Network Against Corruption (CSNAC) supported with documents, the chairman, Mr. Olanrewaju Suraj, called on the EFCC to probe fresh discoveries of alleged criminal conversion and embezzlement of pensions of pensioners by civil servants, other government officials, and pension funds administrators amounting to N200billion.
The Coalition had alleged that “The then Minister of Finance and (Budget Office of the Federation) BOF allegedly released this pension funds to OAGF when the law designated PTAD as the statutory body charged with the payment of pensions. The OAGF allegedly ignored PENCOM’s intervention to transfer the funds into a PTAD pension account in CBN and illegally kept the fund for almost a year.”
The group also noted that, PTAD's attempts to investigate and expose the fraud in the administration of pension funds were stiffly resisted by entrenched interests and influential personalities involved in the act. "These beneficiaries are allegedly influential and very powerful, feasting on missing or “trapped” pension funds, running into hundreds of billions of Naira,”‎ the petition stated.
Giving a breakdown of pension funds allegedly being misappropriated and embezzled, the ‎coalition said, it also include surplus funds with insurance companies, estimated at ₦18,387,737,398.80 billion in one year; ₦91,938,686,994.00 billion in five years and ₦183,877,373,988.00 billion over the last 10 years.
The allegation further stated “pensioners on less than ₦20,000 monthly pension allegedly helped themselves to ₦330,000 monthly. They overpaid themselves and their friends by over ₦300,000 (three hundred thousand) each month. PTAD has a list of over 100 of these people. This list consumes about ₦230,362,000.00 (million) annually. Over the last five years, the amount is estimated at ₦1,151,810,000.00 (billion), and in ten years ₦2,303,620,000.00 (billion).”
It was also alleged that the OAGF, went against the law and over PTAD to demand the release of this pension funds from former Minister of Finance, which was clear contravention as the law designated PTAD as the statutory body charged with the payment of pensions.
In view of these disclosures, a cross section of pensioners have described the suspension of the PTAD boss, Mrs Nellie Mayshak as an act of error and gross injustice insisting that the agency has lost its former glory, structure, and policies. Analysts said that the Office of the Accountant General of the Federation has many questions to answer regarding the whereabouts of these funds.
Although the minister of Finance, Kemi Adeosun had said that the suspension was to give room for investigations of alleged corruption in PTAD under her watch, but pensioners who took to the agency's facebook page and other conventional forum to pen down their ordeals insisted that the numerous contributions of Mayshak to PTAD should not be swept under the carpet over unproven allegations.
They recalled that while the embattled DG served as PTAD boss she had put smile on the faces of pensioners and their next of kins, they eulogized her policies, and some others wrote recommendation letters lauding her efforts in bringing to an end the gory tales of pensioners stating “but with the current situation of things it is evidently clear that things have fallen apart and the pensioners are back to square one.”
A letter by a pensioner Mr Samuel A Ajunwa who hailed Mayshak's prompt payment of pensions, also commended her conduct of verification exercise, and commitment to pensioners welfare. Some pensioners have expressed displeasure over their ill treatment since Mayshak left office and also expressed fear that the management of pensions under the defined benefit scheme which Mayshak upheld may not live up to its mandate.
While the ministry of finance has promised to make public the findings of the investigative panel set up to look into the issues leading to the suspension, Nigerians await the report the committee must also remember that the Nigerian-Canadian civil servant, Nellie Mayshak, spent years working for the government of Ontario and there was no single accusation of stealing and corruption.
This outstanding public sector reform expert, that has worked in the Canadian Public service, and in president’s offices across Africa such as Ghana, Liberia, Sudan, Kenya and South Africa amongst others deserves much more than tarnishing her hard earned reputation.
If you shut up truth and bury it under the ground, it will but grow, and gather to itself such explosive power that the day it bursts through it will blow up everything in its way. Charles Caleb Colton, once said, “Truth can hardly be expected to adapt herself to the crooked policy and wily sinuosities of worldly affairs; for truth, like light, travels only in straight lines.”

Eleojo a retired civil servant wrote from Lokoja

Group under the auspices of Conference of Minority Tribes in Nigeria has condemned in strong terms the killings of security operatives by militants and ethnic agitators.

The group in a press conference in Jos by its National President, Comrade Okpkwu Ogenyi acclaimed that the Niger Delta Avengers have reportedly killed more than fifty (50) security operatives since they began attacking oil and gas facilities and have threatened to kill troops sent to stop them from destroying economic assets in that region.

They also condemned the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) and the Movement for the Actualisation of the Sovereign State of Biafra (MASSOB) for the attack on several south-eastern cities that has led to the death of several security personnel.

The group expressed dissatisfaction that the agitators bear arms against the country and they use it to kill security operatives calling to mind that illegal possession of arms is a crime.

They also condemned the actions of the leaders of the militants and agitating groups for indulging in dialogue thereby endorsing instead of condemning the heinous crimes and calling their perpetrators to order.

The group in their summission called for the respect for human life and the prosecution of persons and groups who uses arms against security officers in the country.

They further called on Amnesty International and all human rights organizations to defend the families of security agents in Nigeria. They also beckoned on those sponsoring the crises to have a rethink for the interest of peace stressing on the fact that no one has the monopoly of violence.

“No individual, group or people have the monopoly of violence, which makes us worried that it is a matter of time before other ethnic nationals whose sons are being killed in service to Nigeria would vent their grievances on Niger Delta Avengers, IPOB and MASSOB. This will be ugly”.

They ascribed the unfortunate happenings as a deliberate attempt attempt to destabilize President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration by those who want to use the crises as a disguise to evade prosecution for corruption charges against them.

They therefore called on security agencies not to relent in the performance of their duties stressing that the unity of Nigeria is not in contention and the so called agitators should come up with different strategies to express any displeasure they feel.

They called on the President and all security operatives not to succumb to cheap blackmail but to rise up in defence of the nation by using the same military strength used to combat Boko Haram insurgency to subdue them, while encouraged youths of all ethnicities to embrace hard work and decent means of making money and shun crime.

They also appeal to security operatives to update their strategies for dealing with the criminal elements to minimize casualty and prioritize arrests and intelligence gathering that will expose the sponsors of the crises.

The group also called for the concerted effort of well meaning Nigerians to bring the activities of the criminal elements to a halt.

Pensioners across the country and their next of kins have decried the suspension of the Executive Secretary and Director General of the Pension Transitional Arrangement Directorate (PTAD), Mrs. Nellie Mayshak, months ago by the Minister of finance Mrs. Kemi Adeosun.

Although the minister had said the suspension was to give room for investigations of alleged corruption in PTAD under her watch, but pensioners have lamented a deterioration in the quality of verification exercise and payment since her exemption from office and have called for her reinstatement as they belief the suspension must have been done in error.

The pensioners who took to the agency’s facebook page and other conventional forum to pen down their ordeals insist that the numerous contributions of Mayshak to PTAD should not be swept under the carpet over unproven allegations.

They recalled that while the embattled DG served as PTAD boss they had eulogised her policies, and written recommendation letters to laud her effort in putting an end to their gory tales.

A letter by a pensioner Mr Samuel A Ajunwa lauded Mayshak’s prompt payment of pensions, commended her conduct of verification exercise, and her commitment to pensioners welfare.

The pensioners expressed displeasure over their ill treatment since Mayshak left office and expressed fear that the management of pensions under the defined benefit scheme which Mayshak upheld may not live up to
its mandate.

Commending her effort while in office a retired Commissioner of Police, Chief Samuel Fetipigi had said the Defined Benefit Pension Scheme being transfered to PTAD and pensioners verification exercise under her watch recorded tremendous and commendable success.

“All the problems that had beset the payment of police pensioners are being resolved by PTAD.
“Our pension has been updated to the new rate, while many of the arrears have been paid.

“I am sure that by the end of this exercise, all police pensioners, including widows and the next of kin would not have problems
anymore,’’ he said.

According to them she also digitized the old pension scheme for effective service delivery to ensure seamless payment of pensioners as well as bring transparency into the system adding that PTAD under her watch leveraged on technology to get database of pensioners; to
help the agency to know the actual number of pensioners by removing ghost pensioners from the system.

The pensioners have expressed disappointment over the agency’ s inability to follow the blue print of Mayshak, whom they described as an ” outstanding public sector reform expert”, and have made series of complain about the agency loosing the glory and values it was known for while Mayshak was in charge.

It would be recalled that rumours were making waves that the embattled DG earns N50-60
million monthly which was debunked as false, baseless, and maligning to her character, and described as an act perpetuated by mischief makers with the intention to run down her hard earned reputation.

There were clarifications that her salary was subject to approval by the National salaries, Incomes and Wages Commission whom amongst other functions advises the Federal and State Governments on National Income policy.

The Pensioners while calling for her reinstatement averred that it will help put an end to their present predicament and gory tales of pensioners currently on-going at the agency.

* Calls on NLC to call off its epileptic strike

Civil societies under the umbrella of Conference of Minority Tribes in Nigeria alongside Nigeria Unemployed Youth Vanguard and 35 other civil society organisations in Nigeria has thrown their weight on President Muhammadu Buhari's economic policy on oil subsidy removal, attesting that it is a step towards alleviating the suffering of the common masses and curbing corruption.

Speaking at a conference on the state of the nation on Friday in Abuja, its National coordinator comrade Okpokwu Ogenyi, commended Nigerians on their trust in the present administration stressing that some cabal hitherto hijacked the system in the name of oil subsidy to the detriment of the poor masses.

Ogenyi called to mind the lack of political will from past administration to do the needful and salvage Nigeria by removing oil subsidy.

"Successive governments had tried in removing the oil subsidy otherwise known as deregulation of the down stream sector of the oil industry, it's either the previous government's lack the political will to salvage our dear country or lack the confidence of Nigerians in implementing such idea", he said.

Acknowledging that Nigerians are happy for having a President who enjoy their confidence as well as has the political will to redefine the history of the country, by alleviating the sufferings of the common masses he asked that the President be commended for his zero tolerance for corruption and for restoring the hope of Nigerians and redeeming its image before the international community.

Recalling that in 2012, the group mobilised against the decision of the government of Goodluck Jonathan to remove subsidy stating that the reason was their lack of trust for the past administration unlike what is obtainable with the present government.

"Former President Jonathan did not take practical steps that convince Nigerians as President Buhari did by excluding oil subsidy from the 2016 appropriation bill which is the working budget of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. It shows that Mr President belong to no body and belong to every body. We must support a true idea that promises hope for Nigerians"

The group condemned in strong terms the strike action by the factional NLC led by Waba calling for immediate suspension of her actions or face the wrath of the ordinary Nigerians which he described as unpatriotic and offensive to Nigerians. Stressing that it is an act of seeking for attention to gain cheap popularity.

" The Nigeria Labour Congress genuinely is not protesting the subsidy but because of the faction in it, Waba is seeking for recognition that he may be know by Nigerians. We do not have to toll the part of cheap popularity to the detriment of our people", the group affirmed.

The group promises to mobilize a one million man solidarity march in Abuja and major cities in Nigeria in support of government decision that removed oil subsidy.

Eulogising Buhari's effort at curbing insurgency and calling on well meaning Nigerians to stand with the Federal Government to end corruption been perpetuated in the name of oil subsidy the group reinstated its optimism that Mr President will not reverse his decision on subsidy removal since there is no provision for it in the Nation Budget.

Youths in Nassarawa state has condemned the actions of some law makers for destructing properties belonging to the State government and expressing grievances in physical combat as a result of their dissatisfaction with the appointment of sole administrators of some Local Government Areas in the State.

According to a statement on Thursday by the Vice President (North Central) National Youth council of Nigeria, Danjuma Usman Tanze, the youths described the act as demeaning and an abuse of democracy. They pleaded for a more civil way of resolving grievances and a collective support of the governor to enable him achieve his mandate of developing the state.

“As young Nigerians who look up to these leaders as role models, the unsavory incident left a sour taste in our mouth. Our principal grouse however lies in the fact that 6 legislators in the State House of Assembly have chosen to distort truth and give false feet to non-facts by making an unproven allegation of bribery against some other of their colleagues.

“It is also on record that these six legislators have also chosen to shrivel the constitution of Nigeria and its interpretation thereof into a cocoon of limitations just to soothe their pre-ordained caprice. Clearly, the misdirected actions of these six opposing lawmakers can only be interpreted to be borne out of mischief and self-serving ends. The opposition that these ilks have mounted against the Governor is further proof that they mean no well for the good people of Nasarawa State”, the statement stated.

He recalled that most States have resorted to appointing caretaker Chairmen in the respective LGAs due to certain exigencies and constraints and Nasarawa should be no exception. He asked that the Governor should be given unalloyed support while urging the opposing lawmakers to tow the part of decorum and sheathe their sword of violence whilst giving complementary support to the Governor.

The National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) herein applauds President Muhammadu Buhari's decision to rescind his directive on the dissolution of Governing Boards of Federal Universities.

In a press statement signed by the NANS President Comrade Tijani Usman, the fact that President Buhari did not only reverse the unconstitutional directive but also went ahead to tender sobriety before the academia and Nigerians in general is further testament to his humility, sincerity and forthrightness. Which goes to show is zest for the development of a new Nigeria anchored on quality education.

He said “There are rules binding the operations and processes of our educational institutions and these extant laws must be religiously followed for stability to prevail in this all important sector”.
The statement reads:
“We are however worried that Mr. President was misguided into making such an unprecedented decision in our educational history which in itself could set up chain reactions for the downward spiral of our Universities. There is a clear pointer that the Education Minister - Mallam Adamu Adamu - misguided Mr. President in arriving at such decisions for his personal political gains”.

“The subsequent decision of the Education Minister in abruptly and unceremoniously terminating the appointment of some Vice Chancellors of Federal Universities and that of the National Open University of Nigeria. Not only did the Minister of Education stop at that, but also went ahead to unilaterally appoint immediate replacements in disparity with Mr. President's statement to the contrary.

“Evidently the Minister for Education erred in jumbling misinformation with falsehood to arrive at his decision. Of particular emphasis, the Minister failed to abide by the peculiar Act of 1983 establishing the National Open University which specified the maximum duration a Vice Chancellor so appointed can spend at a stretch or upon extension”.

“Moreso, the Minister of Education inadvertentlypainted this good and all-inclusive government led by President Muhammadu Buhari in a negative light when he claimed that the new appointments made were political compensations”.

“We therefore use this medium to call on President Muhammadu Buhari to sack Mallam Adamu Adamu from the lofty office of Education Minister in view of the fact that he has demonstrated sufficient ineptitude”.

“Education is a delicate sector which should be devoid of hasty and poorly thought out decisions, policies and actions. It is our belief that our educational system can still be rescued from the brinks of collapse on which it presently tethers and the sanctity of our Universities will be preserved particularly in the quest for full autonomy”.

By Aminu Abdullahi
It is quite disgusting and appalling that despite the trend in civilization some people who claim to be learned still lack ethical values and conduct. It is important for people to note that once there are indices of misdemeanors and investigations are on-going every one remains innocent until proven guilty.
The embattled director general of Pension Transitional Arrangement Directorate (PTAD), Mrs Nelly Mayshak was recently suspended to allow investigation of allegation of corruption at PTAD under her watch. The general public must note that no one has accused her officially of embezzlement as investigations are still on-going.
It would be recalled that the Minister of finance Mrs. Kemi Adeosu in a statement signed by the Special Adviser, Media, Mr Festus Akanbi, said the suspension was only a “normal” process to allow for investigation of allegation of corruption at PTAD under Mayshak’s watch. The ministry of finance also “promises to make public the findings of the investigative panel on the issues leading to the suspension.”
No one has officially tagged her guilty yet. It is a public display of ignorance when people begin to run faster than their shadows and resort to the social media to publish libelous articles all in a bid to seek for cheap popularity like that of one Pius Adesanmi, a “supposed” Professor at the Department of English Language and Literature and the Institute of African Studies of Carleton University Ottawa, Canada. Who recently went to the social media to celebrate his ignorance with a piece he titled 'Ladies & Gentlemen, Please Rise Up to Recognize the Presence of Thieves', maybe he probably meant “Ladies and Gentlemen I want to celebrate my ignorance and foolishness”. How then can one describe a write up from a “supposed” professor based on rumor and maligning in nature if not foolishness.
There has been unconfirmed reports that Mayshak earns a whooping N50 – 60 million as monthly salary. This is false and baseless but assuming this is true then the likes of Pius Adesanmi should bring the National salaries, Incomes and Wages Commissions to book since they amongst other functions advises the Federal and State Governments on National Income policy, instead of displaying his ignorance via the social media.

It is impossible for her to earn such exorbitant salary since her salary is subject to approval by the commission and anyone in doubt should go to the Commission for lectures and verification instead of spreading cheap and baseless rumors.
Well, let us not dismiss his write up entirely at least he mentioned something that is true. According to him:
“The Nigerian-Canadian civil servant, Nellie Mayshak, spent years working for the government of Ontario. Not one accusation of stealing and corruption”.
Pius was right Nellie Mayshak has left a good legacy while working for the government of Ontario and that legacy lives on even while working for Nigeria as PTAD director general, even mischief makers such as Pius knows this truth.

Part of Pius’s article also says,
" Yet, you nominated her for every manner of society award. Yet, she was on the high table at every event.”
This is also true Mayshak has received several awards in appreciation of bringing glow to the face of pensioners.
Some pensioners had told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) that the verification exercise held sometimes in February 2015 under Mayshak’s watch was the best since the history of pensioners’ verification in the country.
A retired Commissioner of Police, Chief Samuel Fetipigi, said the pensioners were happy with the Defined Benefit Pension Scheme being transferred to the Pension Transitional Arrangement Department (PTAD) under Mayshaks watch.
``All the problems that had beset the payment of police pensioners are being resolved by PTAD.
``Our pension has been updated to the new rate, while many of the arrears have been paid.
``I am sure that by the end of this exercise, all police pensioners, including widows and the next of kin would not have problems anymore,’’' he said.
Mrs Fidelia Nwosu, a retired Superintendent of Police, affirmed that this is the first time that one comes for verification and within minutes he or she gets through.
``You can see happiness on everybody's face. Before, verification takes three to five days but with this one, it is within minutes.
``I have been underpaid but now the PTAD has put me on the appropriate rate and even paid my arrears,’’ she said.
Mr Bello Moshood a pensioner, observed that the verification exercise was peaceful and well organised.
``We are waiting for the result of this exercise. So far, so good.
``Since the PTAD took over the pension issue, we do not have problems with our monthly payment,’’ he said.
Mrs Nellie Mayshack then had assured that any police pensioner not captured in the exercise still had another chance to do so in the zonal offices.
She also digitized the old pension scheme known as Defined Benefits Scheme for effective service delivery to ensure seamless payment of pensioners as well as bring transparency into the system. PTAD under her watch leveraged on technology to get database of pensioners; to help the agency to know the actual number of pensioners by removing ghost pensioners from the system.
For a woman that has done this much for pensioners we don’t need Pius to tell us to nominate her for society award and make her to be on the high table at every event, we know she deserves it so he should keep his advice to himself.
"Yet, you invited her to social
functions and, if she arrived five hours late, you stopped proceedings to "recognize her presence". Yet, you nominated her for every manner of society award. Yet, she was on the high table at every event”, Pius “advised”.
Sometimes in May 12, 2015 ordinary Ahmed of the popular radio programme “Berekete family” had invited Mayshak for clarifications on accusations of not respecting civil service rules she had responded and said
“That is not true I did not appoint myself, I do not monitor myself the agency reports directly to the coordinating minister of the economy and the Hon. Minister of finance, there is a permanent secretary. We are bound by the rules of the public services. The office of the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation is our boss that we report to. National Pension Commission (PENCOMM) is our regulator we have a host of institutions agencies of government that we report to that regulate our activities and are truly in support of the effort that we are carrying out in PTAD. We are bound by the rules and we obey all the laws of the public service of Nigeria” she had told ordinary Ahmed.
Dee Anayo had responded and said “I must say I concur with PTAD MD, she knew her onions. Most of thesepetitions were written in envy”.
This outstanding public sector reform expert, that has worked in the Canadian Public service, and in president’s offices across Africa such as Ghana, Liberia, Sudan, Kenya and South Africa amongst others is no match for the incompetent, rumour monger junk journalist cum professor Pius Adesanmi, who doesn't know he should keep mute and await findings from an on-going investigation.
That an egg from the farmers poultry is smelling foul doesn’t mean we should behead the farmer because he is the owner of the farm.

Abdullahi wrote from Akwanga, Nasarawa state

The National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) on Monday stormed the National Assembly to express their grievance over the recent sack of 12 Vice chancellors of Federal Universities including that of the National Open University by the Minister of education. They however, commended the adept move by the Federal House of Representatives to wade into the brewing imbroglio caused by the recent sack of the twelve heads of institutions.
NAN emphasized that the environs of the academic should be the height of orderly conduct and as such affairs in citadels of learning must be treated in accordance with constitutional provisions, due process and in adherence to binding regulations in order not to upset the applecart of progress.
They frowned at the action of the Honourable Minister of Education in sacking this frontline crop of academics prior to the expiration of tenure in office.
“The ASUU/FG agreement remains a very veritable pact for protecting the Universities against such infractions as has been visited on these 13 institutions. In arriving at the said agreement, we as Nigeria Students paid a weighty prize for several months on end by idling away at home while our schools were shut and we do not want this sorry and saddening feat to be repeated again”.
“Converting the pristine academic space to a political turf is an ominous sign that rot and decadence are creeping in fast to suffocate the academic system. We state unequivocally that the sack of these Vice Chancellors and appointment of new individuals in their place is in gross contravention of University Rules, Constitutional provisions and Universities Unions agreements with the Federal Government as: The said sack of these 13 affected Vice Chancellors is a brazen abuse and contravention of the objectives of the 2009 ASUU/FG agreement which seeks to protect the Universities from external infractions. ii. The Universities (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act No. 11 of 1993 as amended provides the conditions under which any Vice Chancellor of a University can be removed from office”.
They called for a laid down procedure for appointing Vice Chancellors to Universities with the full censure of the Governing Council of such Universities and demanded that the Vice Chancellors so wrongfully sacked from their respective offices should be recalled and allowed to resume duty until such a time as their tenure expires. And that if there is any case of abuse of office carried out by any of the affected Vice Chancellors, it should be spelled out and appropriate sanctions be meted through the requisite bodies.
In their submission the appointment of the new Vice Chancellors did not follow stipulated provisions and as such should be relieved from office forthwith. We have converged here to present our grievance in a peaceful manner and we hope our demands will be met within 7 days of submission of our position to you We are confident that you will take corrective measures against the Minister of Education in order not to erode the gains record in our Universities already.

The National Youth Council of Nigeria (North Central) heaped praises on Governor Tanko Almakura of Nasarawa state for restoring confidence in governance and called on stakeholders to join hands and move the state forward.

The group in a press statement signed by the Vice President (North Central) – NYCN, Danjuma Usman Tanze, noted that most of the projects initiated by the Tanko Almakura administration are hinged on cutting edge innovation even in terms of funding and all these are geared at promoting economic, wealth and all round development.

The statement said it is clear and practically on records that Governor Al-Makura has initiated several mass empowering and developmental projects geared at changing the face of Nasarawa State and uplifting the socio-economic psyche and capacity of the ordinary citizen.

According to the statement, one of the very important among other projects is the cargo airport project which he said is highly commendable because of the windows of economic opportunities it will open for the state and the number of jobs it will create teeming youth.

The statement stressed that Gov. Tanko Almakura’s administration has recorded more success in the provision of motorable roads than any other administration in the history of the state.

He said “Abuja highway is an appendage of the cargo airport, a trunk road that will run all the way from the cargo airport to the Federal Capital Territory making it easier from the transport of the imported goods and reducing travel time”.

“On education”, the statement said “Education has been given prime attention with the increased funding of educational institutions and the building of new basic and post basic schools”.

“ With several other innovative projects been executed across board and in all sectors with the state’s resources expended in a shrewd an prudent manner; we call disenchanted and detractive elements to forthwith desist from their sinister ostrich fashioned antics of deliberately throwing spanners in the wheels of governance in the State. We call on the financiers of anarchy and anomie to rather channel their resources to youth empowering projects which will help further uplift the State” the statement added.

The Dan Onjeh campaign Organisation said yesterday that it is not after the life of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP candidate in the forthcoming Benue re-run election, Senator David Mark.

The campaign group in a statement issued in Oturkpo and signed by Onjeh's Director of media, Okpokwu Ogenyi said Mark is just a wailing wailer, mourning his imminent defeat.


The group said ordinarily, it shouldn't have dignified the concocted and fictitious allegation with a response, but for the, records, posterity, and the sake of Benue residents, the group intends to break the long silence on Mark's countless allegations and barefaced lies on the pages of newspapers.

The statement said, "that somebody would believe this story is not only a woeful display of ignorance, but also pathetic.

"It is sad that Mark, a former military brigadier general is alleging that a bloody civilian like Onjeh, whom he severally described as a small boy, is planning to kill him. It is obvious that the General has seen his imminent defeat, hence he is cries like a baby”.

"Evidently, he has all the time to paint all the resources and social media platform red with cooked up stories because he has the luxury of time, especially as he is not seen campaigning anywhere in Benue South.

"Expected, like student who does not read ahead of exam and only bank on cheating to pass, Mark has displayed same with his refusal to campaign, forgetting that the electorate are more politically conscious now, and that the era of impunity, voters intimidation and inducement are over.

"This imaginary threat to life fabricated by Mark is characteristic of his antics, therefore we are not losing sight of this as being a prelude to initiate his orgy of violence and mayhem on innocent citizens like he does on the eve of every election.

"This is to inform well-meaning Nigerians that Comrade Onjeh has never and will never plot to kill any man in the name of political office, as such; his ambition is not worth the blood of any man, not even his opponent Mark. Rather, Onjeh wishes him long life to experience the change and development he deprived the Idoma nation for close to two decades”.

"His recent baseless allegations and cries are pure indications that he has finally accepted his fate and he's ready to return to his golf course in Akpegede to wait for the EFCC.

"We call on our numerous supporters to ignore the 'wailing wailer' and keep the dream of emancipating Benue South from 16 years of oppression and misrepresentation “the statement said

The Alumni of the National Open University (NOUN) condemned the removal of the Vice chancellor of the university, Prof. Vincent Ado Tenebe, saying his removal is not in tandem with constitutional provisions and as such urged the Minister of Education to rescind the decision.

In a statement unbehalve of the alumni , Isaac Akpololohor said the decision to remove Tenebe, will gravely affect the progression of this great University

He stated that an institution of learning which has doubtless experienced positive change and, expansion and advancement is the National Open University of Nigeria (NOUN) under the dexterous and competent leadership of Prof. Vincent Ado Tenebe.

According to him, this Institution of learning has grown to become a University of global reckoning due to the administrative savvy employed to this peculiar academic space.

He said "Presently, NOUN is about the largest University in Africa and providing avenues for academic expression to several millions of Nigerians and foreign nationals. In its peculiarity, NOUN has experienced uninterrupted academic calendar, provided educational opportunities for the hitherto unreached and made university education more affordable."

He said as the Alumni of this great Citadel of learning, they have been keenly abreast of happenings in the University and jealously monitor her progress.

He said, “We observed with displeasure the wrongful manner in which Professor Vincent Tenebe was removed as Vice Chancellor of the University. Much as the recent step taken by the Federal Government is in dissonance with the extant provisions of the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and the Universities Establishment Act, we also note that it will on a much more damaging scale reverse the gains recorded in the University thus far."


Akpololohor further stated, "Whereas the Universities (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act No. 11 of 1993 as amended provides the conditions under which a Vice Chancellor can be removed from office and the proper procedures to adopt in that respect, these sacrosanct steps were boycotted in arriving at the actions so meted against Prof Tenebe.

"Whereas the National Open University Act 1983 buffers the University from incoherent interference from external forces since it is not a conventional establishment of government, this singular action is capable of disrupting the smooth procession of the developmental strides in the University and which will lead to lowered standards with attendant erratic academic calendar.

"Whereas no crime or act of maladministration was established against Prof. Tenebe as Vice Chancellor, his removal can only be interpreted as an attempt at armtwisting and making the academic community kowtow to the whims of politicking."

He said in the light of the fact that the tenure of Prof. Tenebe has not expired, he should be allowed to continue with the administration of the University until such a time as his tenure lawfully expires.

The Federal Govern­ment of Nigeria, the World Bank, Euro­pean Union and United Nations have concluded a two-week recovery and assessment mission in the North-Eastern states rav­aged by insurgency as part of its on-going Re­covery and Peace Building Assessment (RPBA) pro­gramme.
http://capitalpost.com.ng/north-east-rehabilitation-fg-wbank-end-assessment/

Ahead of the February 20th Benue South senatorial re-run, David Mark has been accused of impunity, gansterism and inducement of electorate ahead of the poll.
The Director Media and publicity , Onjeh Campaign Organisation , Comrade Okpokwu Ogenyi in a statement Wednesday in Otukpo indicated the Director General of David Mark Campaign Organisation, Mr Abba Moro of using the official plate number of the interior Ministry, an office he left since May 28th 2015 to sensitize vulnerable youth on violent acts.
Ogenyi said, Mr Moro and his Personal Assistants are currently using the official plate numbers of the interior Ministry as a cover in distributing arms and ammunitions including cash to various segments of Benue South which culminated into the foiled attacks by men of the Nigeria Police Force orchestrated Mark's Militants at Upu and Akpa yesterday during our campaign rallies.
“Security agencies must do more especially in checking the illegal possession of government official plate numbers being used as a cover to perpetuate this evil act, the time is now!”.
He added that, heavily armed men are assembled all over the Senatorial district to intimidate, mime and kill APC supporters across the 9 Local government Areas in preparation towards the Saturday re-run election.
“It could be recalled that Alhaji Usman Abubakar, alias Young Alhaji was attacked by armed thugs in 2007, same to Major General Lawrence Onoja Rtd in 2011 while challenging Mark in the senatorial contests”.

A coalition of civil society organizations, community based organizations and pro democracy organizations have condemned in strong terms the invasion of the Maitama residence of Bayelsa State monarch, King A.J Turner, by operatives of the Directorate of State Security (DSS).

The coalition said it fears that the country is gradually sliding into a dictatorship.

Addressing a press briefing, National Coordinator of the coalition, Abubabakar Abubakar esq said it is worried that security and anti-corruption agencies are being unleashed as attack dogs to hound down anyone or group perceived to be in opposition to the government

He said though, it is in support of the current administration's anti-corrupt measures which are genuinely aimed at recovery of stolen funds, but stressed that Indicted persons must also be treated with their fundamental human right constantly considered.

He said, "Having said this, we must express our worries about the way security agencies and anti-corruption agencies are being unleashed as attack dogs to hound down anyone or group perceived to be in opposition to the government. It possibly would have been considerable to maintain some air of indifference if those on the receiving end were active politicians only, but an ugly dimension has now been introduced into the on-going purge and campaign of intimidation that has now been extended to include those who decline to openly come out in support of the party that runs the government of the day."

He said the raid on Turner's residence is an attack on traditional institution in the country.

"The alarm bell first went off for us when non-political public office holders started making the list of targets of intimidation by security operatives. Had we raised this alarm at that point, it might have been termed premature. Now it has got to a panic mode as even traditional rulers, who are neutral by virtue of their position, are now being harassed on account that they did not align with the ruling party.
The raid of the Maitama residence of Bayelsa State monarch, King A.J Turner, by operatives of the Directorate of State Security (DSS), falls into this latter category."

He said the invasion of the residence of the monarch has nothing to do corruption investigation, but because of his insistence on playing the role of a royal father by sensitizing Bayelsans on the need to exercise their voting rights in peaceful manner during the recent Governorship elections in Bayelsa.

Abubakar said, "In the strongest terms, we condemn this attack on King Turner as an attack on the freedom of all Nigerians. We equally condemned the tendency for the secret police to protect members of the ruling party alone while deriving sadistic pleasure from harassing those who have refused to compromise their beliefs and jump ship.

"We are calling on the international community to take the recent events in Nigeria as early warning that democracy in Nigeria is on trial. Only a timely international intervention can save the situation if the democratic progress made in the West Africa region is not to be rolled back. The fight against corruption has been covertly transmuted into a war on democracy and personal freedom.
We use this opportunity to call on all other traditional rulers that maintained neutrality during the general election to speak out in condemnation of this act of aggression. It is a matter of time before the secret police come for them too on trumped up charges since they too refused to be politically biased during electioneering.

"The government is hereby put on notice that we will soon embark on civil action for democracy since repeated attempts to call attention to this growing dictatorship has been ignored. Nigerians can simply not live under this police state. This is not the democracy we fought for."