₦airaland Forum

Gmajor:
Do you even know what a salamander is?

Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed has said phase four of the second Niger Bridge will be completed next month.

The minister, who disclosed this, on Wednesday, in continuation of his ongoing tour of Federal Government projects across the country, declared that the bridge will be ready for use in 2020 and expressed satisfaction at the pace of work on the bridge.

He said: “I am very excited. The thing about this project is that, because of the alignment, people travelling on the old bridge will say nothing is going on because they cannot see it, but you have come here and you can see the amount of work that is going on, so, I am very very excited,” the minister told the journalists who accompanied him on the tour.

Mohammed, who inspected construction work at the Asaba and Onitsha ends of the bridge, said when completed, the bridge will ease traffic congestion on the road as well as change the socio-economic landscape of the South East and South South geo-political zones in particular.

He commended the enthusiasm with which the contractor is handling the project and gave assurances that, henceforth, funding will no longer be a challenge for such projects.

“I think one thing that this government has assured is that funding won’t be a problem because we have many sources of funding and I think the latest is the Presidential Infrastructural Development Fund, which is actually aimed at ensuring no project like this suffers for lack of funding,” the minister said.

GrammarNazi1:
I'm sorry for quoting you.

Governors of the 36 states of the federation have implored President Muhammadu Buhari to fish out and prosecute the perpetrators of the recent killings on the Plateau. LEADERSHIP Friday reports that there had been public outcry over the latest massacre in which suspected killer herdsmen reportedly killed over 100 people in Plateau State. Rising from a meeting of the Nigeria Governors’ Forum (NGF) in Abuja in the early hours of yesterday, the governors also resolved to hold a security meeting with the Service Chiefs. While condemning the attacks, they commiserated with the government and people of Plateau State, just as resolved to pay a condolence visit to the state.

Chairman of the forum and Zamfara State governor, Abdulaziz Yari, who read the communiqué issued at the end of the meeting to journalists, noted that in the meeting held at the NGF Secretariat, Abuja, the governors deliberated on several issues. On the killings, Yari said, “The forum strongly condemned recent attacks in Plateau State and the spate of insecurity in the country. Members commiserated with the government and people of Plateau and other States including victims who were caught in transit travelling to and from neighbouring states. “Governors unanimously called for the prosecution of the perpetrators of the attacks and resolved to find a quick and common solution to the security crisis. The forum resolved to pay a condolence visit to Plateau State to commiserate with the government and people of the state.

“Governors noted with delight and thanked President Muhammadu Buhari and Vice President Yemi Osinbajo for their quick response and visit to Plateau State to show empathy to the people of the state. We equally commend Governor Simon Lalong for the way he handled the very sad situation. Governors resolved to hold a one-day meeting with the security chiefs to come up with a holistic solution to the country’s security situation.” The NGF chairman also disclosed that the governors also received a briefing from the Nigeria Communications Commission (NCC) and the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) respectively. He said the presentation from NCC revolved around the broadband deployment, which would expand the economic fortunes of the country, while that of the NNPC was on the security of the energy sector.

“The forum received presentation from the Executive Vice Chairman of the Nigerian Communications Commission, NCC, Professor Unar Garba Danbatta on Broadband Deployment in Nigeria. Governors acknowledged the importance if broadband deployment for both economic development and revenue generation, and pledged to work closely with the Commission and nfrastructure Companies to remove the impediments to broadband deployment including unifying right of way charges and addressing multiple regulation and multiple taxation. “Following a briefing on Energy Security and Cross-border Leakages, Effects on Remittances to the Federation Account by the Group Managing Director of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, NNPC, Dr.

Maikanti Baru, represented by the Chief Executive, Downstream, NNPC, Henry Ikem Obi, and the Director of Department of Petroleum Resources (DPR), Mr.

Mordecai Danteni Baba Ladan, represented by Team Lead, Terminal Operation, DPR, Idris Abdulraham, governors pledged to continue to engage with the federal government, the leadership of NNPC, DPR, the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) and other security agencies to curb hoarding, diversion, smuggling and illegal hike in ex-depot or retail pump price to safeguard Nigeria’s energy security.

“Finally, governors reiterated their resolve to implement the PMS supply and distribution monitoring system in each state”, he said.

It's Unacceptable, PDP Insists

But in a swift reaction, the major opposition party in the country described as reprehensible the presidency’s condemnation of its plan to declare a seven-day mourning and flying their flags at half-mast in honour of the dead and solidarity with the bereaved.

The party also said it is shocked by the statement credited to the presidency justifying its failure to stem the tide of killings and bloodletting in the country, particularly in Plateau, Zamfara, Benue, Yobe, Adamawa, Borno, Kogi, Taraba and other troubled states.

National publicity secretary of the PDP, Kola Ologbondiyan, in a statement he issued yesterday said, “It is disturbing that even in death, the Buhari Presidency still wants to deny these victims of callous murder the honour of being mourned.

“We are particularly appalled that instead of joining Nigerians in mourning the dead and seeking ways to stem the escalation of the bloodletting under its watch, the Buhari Presidency is engaged in morbid reference to past killings as if the lives of Nigerians have no value under President Buhari’s watch.”

The PDP stressed that as a party it will continue to identify with Nigerians at this troubled time, irrespective of ethnic, religious and political affiliations.

Noting that it will not allow itself to be “dragged into a needless mire with the Buhari Presidency, which has shown by its statement, that it has no iota of regard for the lives of Nigerians”, the PDP urged the “Buhari Presidency to confront the challenge of fulfilling the basic responsibility of governance by providing security to the lives and property of all Nigerians irrespective of their creed, tribe and political affiliations.

“Finally, the PDP assures Nigerians that we will not be deterred in speaking out against the killings and the failure of the Buhari administration to take concrete steps to stem this ugly tide,” the party added.

Shedding Crocodile Tears, Presidency Tells PDP

Meanwhile, the presidency yesterday fired back at the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) over its reactions to the recent killings on the Plateau.

In a statement by the special adviser to the president on media and publicity, Femi Adesina, the presidency regretted that the opposition party has availed itself of the opportunity created by the sad and unfortunate killings in Plateau State play irresponsible politics. The presidency was reacting to PDP’s statement issued on Wednesday in which the party announced that it was declaring seven days of mourning, during which flags in its offices would be flown at half-mast nationwide.

According to Adesina, while “these are dolorous times that call for deep introspection on how cheap human lives have become and the proffering of actionable ideas on how to get out of the bind, the PDP would rather dance on the graves of the dead, playing cheap, infantile politics”.

The presidential spokesman who described the PDP as a “comatose and prostrate party”, pointed out that PDP’s flags had been forcefully lowered since its 2015 loss at the polls, adding that itm”ay remain so for a long time to come because Nigerians are politically discerning, and cannot be hoodwinked by cheap antics”.

Giving a quick checklist of what he described as some savage and brutal killings in Nigeria during PDP rule, between 1999 and 2015, for which no national mourning was declared, Adesina recalled that on November 20, 1999, Odi in Bayelsa State was invaded on orders of a PDP president, with about 2,500 people killed and there was no national mourning.

He continued: “Between February and May, 2000, about 5,000 people were killed during riots over Sharia law in different parts of the North. No national mourning. In 2001, hundreds of people, including the old, infirm, women and children were killed in Zaki Biam. No crocodile tears. Between September 7-12, 2001, Jos, Plateau State, erupted in internecine killings. Between 500 and 1,000 people were killed. Flags were not flown at half-mast. In February 2004, at least 975 people were killed in Yelwa-Shendam, Plateau State. No mourning by the then ruling PDP.
“Between November 28 and 29, 2008, Jos was in flames again, with 381 deaths. No mourning. In 2010, 992 people killed in Jos. Mum was the word. In 2014 alone, according to Global Terrorism Index, at least 1,229 people were killed in the Middle Belt. No mourning. Boko Haram killings in PDP years were over 10,000. PDP flags were still fluttering proudly in the sky”.

Accordingly, Adesina stated: “Those who take pleasure in twisting statements from the Presidency may claim they are saying that many more people were killed under PDP than under President Muhammadu Buhari. It would be unconscionable to do so. “The ntendment of this statement is to show that wanton killings had been with us for a while; this government is working towards enduring solutions; and should be given the opportunity to do so. “Even a single soul is precious, and no man should take a life, which he cannot create. But when tragic situations as had happened in Plateau State occur, such should never be used to play crude politics. Those who are wont to do so should have change of hearts, or lose their very humanity".

The federal government says it will commence disbursement of the recovered $322 million Abacha loot through Conditional Cash Transfers (CCT) to 302,000 poor households in 19 states in July.

Tukur Rumar of the National Cash Transfer Office (NTCO), said this at a roundtable on assets recovery organised by the Swiss Embassy on Thursday, in Abuja.

The event was organised to intimate citizens and Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) on the efforts both nations were making on asset recovery after the Post-Global Forum on Assets Recovery (GFAR) held in Washington D.C. in December 2017.

At the forum, Nigeria made commendable commitments on beneficial ownership, tax transparency, asset recovery, transparency management of recovered funds and payments to victims of corruption.

The states are: Niger, Kogi, Ekiti, Osun, Oyo, Kwara, Cross River, Bauchi, Gombe, Jigawa, Benue, Taraba, Adamawa, Kano, Katsina, Kaduna, Plateau, Nasarawa, Anambra and Internally Displaced Camps (IDPs) in Borno.

According to Mr Rumar, the benefiting households will receive N5,000 monthly and are derived from the National Social Register (NSR) that the 19 states are already on.

He said the programme was designed to also train beneficiaries on livelihood skills, social skills and other programmes that would change their lives completely.
Mr Rumar, however, said NCTO had been making payments to the 46,000 poor and vulnerable households across the 19 states since December 2016, adding that the number had increased to 290,000.

Iorwa Apera, the National Coordinator, National Social Safety Net Coordinating Office (NASSCO), said 503,055 households were already on the NSR register from the 19 states, adding that by July, there would be a social register for all the states of the federation.

He said of the Abacha loot, about 302,000 poor homes across the 19 states would be mined by the NCTO to begin to receive the Abacha loot.

Mr Apera told the participants that the federal government would begin with those states, because they had signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with NASSCO to put in place certain infrastructure to empower the national register.

“Some of the states delayed, but the other ones were quick enough to set up infrastructure that allowed us to start work there, but all the states are now on board as they have set up their state operating offices and donated office equipment to us.

“As states come on board, we enroll and so they extend to the beneficiary register, and presently we are generating data in all the states now,’’ he said.
Linda Ekeator of the office of the Special Adviser to the

President on Social Investment said the Abacha loot was invested in the social investment programme, because it was a programme that was already supported by the World Bank.

She said before the money was returned to Nigeria, there was an agreement with the Swiss government that it should be used for alleviating poverty and this was to be done with the supervision of the World Bank.

The Swiss Ambassador to Nigeria, Eric Mayoraz, said the $722 million of the Abacha family money that was hidden in Switzerland was fully repatriated in 2005.

He also said that the $322 million that was repatriated in December 2017, was money that was frozen by the Swiss Attorney-General, but was not domiciled in Switzerland, but in other countries, mainly Luxembourg.

He, however, said measures had been put in place to ensure that Swiss banks were not used to hide stolen funds from other countries.

“For possible new cases, the Swiss legislation has fundamentally changed.

“The law in Switzerland does not allow bank secrecy anymore, and all banks and financial institutions have a due diligence duty to ask everyone coming with money where it is coming from.

“That does not mean that there are no illegal or stolen assets now in Switzerland, but then there is another instrument I signed myself with the Nigerian Ministry of Justice and Switzerland two years ago on mutual legal assistance and this is for new cases.

“Now, this agreement with our own Ministry of Justice and Nigeria is that there will be direct communication and exchange on mutual legal request and we are really collaborating with EFCC and other agencies in Nigeria,’’ Mr Mayoraz.

The Executive Director, ANEEJ, David Ugolor, said for Nigerian citizens to not keep spreading rumours about the whereabouts of recovered loots, the government must be transparent in all the processes.

He also said CSOs should be given access to the social register to enable it monitor properly whether or not the beneficiaries received what was due to them.

Wole Soyinka, a Nobel laureate, has asked President Muhammadu Buhari to seek help if the federal government lacks the necessary resources to curtail the wanton killings across the country.

Soyinka issued the advice in a statement titled ‘ON DEMAND: A Language of Non-Capitulation, Non-Appeasement!’

According to the literary scholar, while vocal condemnation of the attacks is needed to “offer glimmerings of eventual measures of equity and restitution”, it should be backed with “visible pragmatic measures” which he listed to include “relocation of security commands to vulnerable zones, deployment of special forces and attack helicopters”.

“It is a time of far-reaching, yet immediate decisions. The nation is dying. The time for false pride is over,” Soyinka said.

“If this nation lacks the necessary technical resources, then there remains only one blameless, overdue recourse: “Get Help, Mr. President!

“Statements of outrage, humane sentiment, empathy, even visitations to afflicted areas are natural expectations from government, and perfectly in order. They are essential indications of concern and solidarity, even of admissions of lapses. They offer glimmerings of eventual measures of equity and restitution – of which we must never lose sight – else community sinks into despair, or enters the interminable spiral of reprisals.

“Visible pragmatic measures additionally assist in bolstering the optimism of victims, enable them to feel that they have not been abandoned. Such are the relocation of security commands to vulnerable zones, deployment of Special Forces and attack helicopters etc. etc. – yes – all these are mandatory measures, it is their absence that constitute unpardonable negligence.

“Long term propositions, such as establishment of ranches, restriction of cattle movements, cultivation of fast growth grasses and so on – they all indicate far-sighted planning. They deserve approbation, but they are not exclusively remedial.”

The scholar described the loss of over 100 lives in Plateau as “formal annunciation of a new law”.

“From now on, for every missing, maimed, even legally seized cow – perhaps for trespassing and damage – one human being shall die, and commensurate land shall be forfeited,” he said.

“Make no mistake, that is the message! Berom or Ondo, Tiv or Efik. Egba or Igalla – it makes no difference – this is the language, and if your government does not understand it yet, we, whose field is language, both spoken and symbolic, must decode it for you. Myetti Allah has spoken. It has inscribed this new law across the landscape in bloody lettering.”

Lalasticlala, Mynd44

The federal government plans to borrow $2.8 billion offshore to finance its 2018 budget and would explore all options to lower costs, the Director General, Debt Management Office (DMO), Ms Patience Oniha, disclosed in an interview with Reuters Wednesday in Abuja.

The government, according to her, has laid out plans to borrow abroad even as interest rates are rising in the United States, raising fears that the country could pay a higher premium than its most recent debt sale in February.

The country, which left recession last year, approved a three-year plan in 2016 to borrow more from abroad so that 40 per cent of its loans would come from offshore to lower borrowing costs. It now has around 23 per cent of its debt from abroad, up from 16 per cent when it approved the plan.

The debt office has sent a request for a proposal to banks for an international bond offering, Reuters disclosed.

“We will explore all options, keeping in mind our twin objectives of extending the tenor of the debt stock and lowering costs,” Oniha said without giving details.

The National Assembly is, however, expected to approve the new borrowing plan.

Oniha in January said the DMO could tap capital markets or concessionary loans from the World Bank and would consider funding options after the 2018 budget had been approved.

President Muhammadu Buhari last week signed a record N9.12 trillion budget for 2018 into law, aimed at fostering growth in Nigeria before elections next February, in which he would seek a second term.

The Minister of Budget and National Planning, Senator Udoma Udo Udoma, while giving a breakdown of the budget last week, disclosed that the deficit was to be financed mainly by borrowing N1.643 trillion.

Growth rates in Nigeria have bounced back since the third quarter of 2016, when a recession, its first in 25 years, hit bottom.

It exited that contraction last year, largely due to higher oil prices, with the country relying on crude sales for much of its revenue.

However, growth slowed in the first quarter of 2018 for the first time since pulling out of recession as its non-oil sector struggled.

Nigeria raised $2.5 billion through a dual-tranche Eurobond offering in February, selling a 12-year note at 7.1 per cent to raise $1.25 billion and a 20-year tranche at 7.7 per cent.

The February deal was the second international bond sale in less than three months, after the debt office raised $3 billion through an offering of 10- and 30- year bonds in November.

This pushed the country’s total public debt higher as it increased by 4.52 per cent in the first three months of 2018. Precisely, the public debt increased from N21.73 trillion in December 2017 to N22.71 trillion at the end of the first quarter of 2018.

“The debt figures show that the implementation of the debt management strategy, which entails an increase in the external debt stock through new external borrowing and the substitution of high-cost domestic debt with low-cost external debt, is achieving the desired results in several areas.

“Some of these areas are: the share of the external debt stock in the total public debt, which rose to 30 per cent as of March 31, 2018, compared to 17 per cent in 2015, 20 per cent in 2016 and 27 per cent in 2017; a decline in market interest rates from 13 to 14 per cent per annum in December 2017, to 11 to 13 per cent per annum in the first quarter of 2018 due to the redemption of N279.67 billion of Nigerian Treasury Bills using some of the proceeds of the $2.5 billion Eurobond issued in February 2018,” the DMO had explained.

Justice Babs Kuewumi of the Federal High Court, Lagos has ordered the temporary forfeiture of a landed property linked to a former Minister of Petroleum Resources , Mrs. Deziani Alison Madueke and valued at N325 million the Federal Government.

The court granted the temporary forfeiture order, after listening to the Motion Ex-parte filed and argued by counsel to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, (EFCC,) Anselm. Ozioko.

The vacant plot of land said to be at Plot 13, Block 11, Oniru Chieftaincy Family Private Estate, Lekki, Lagos .

Other joined as respondents in the suit are, Mr Donald Chidi Amangbo and Mez Group Limited.

In the Motion Ex-parte marked suit number FHC/L/CS/811/18, the commission is seeking for an interim order of the court forfeiting to the Federal Government of Nigeria the assets and properties named and described in the schedule to the application which properties and assets are reasonably suspected to be proceeds of unlawful activity.

The EFCC also seeking an order authorising the commission to appoint a competent person (s) or firm to manage the assets named and described in the scheduled to the application.

In the 27 paragraphs affidavit deposed to by one Abdulrasheed Bawa an detective of the EFCC and filed before the court, it was averred that sometime in 2016 a search warrant was executed at the office and premises of one Mr. Donald Chidi Amamgbo, SAN, a known acquantance of the former Minister of Petroleum Resources, Mrs. Deziani Alison Madueke.

The commIssion said that during the search, some of the documents recovered from Amamgbo’s office was an undated report titled ” Highly Confidential Attorney Work Product- August Report”.

EFCC said the report contained a list of 18 companies and several properties located in United Kingdom, Nigeria and United States of America.

It was also averred that in the course of his interview, Amamgbo told the anti-graft agency that he registered the 18 companies to assist Mrs Deziani Alison Madueke in holding titles of her properties and that all belongs to her.

The anti-graft agency added that among the properties on the list is ; A vacant plot of land at Plot 13 Block 11, Oniru Chieftaincy Family Private Estate, Lekki, Lagos under the name of Mez Group LCC as the holiding entity.

After listening to argument by counsel to EFCC, Justice Kuewumi granted the application for interim forfeiture of the property to the Federal Government of Nigeria.

Justice Kweuwumi further ruled that the order must be published in a national newspaper for anybody who have interest in the property sought to be forfeited to come forward and show cause why the property should not be permanently forfeited to the Federal Government of Nigeria.

Meanwhile, July 24 has been fixed for the return date.

Firefire:
Those who partake in bringing this confirmed terrorist into power will never go unpunished.

Firefire:
Well done, vampire Buhary.

A former Vice-President, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, on Tuesday, countered President Muhammadu Buhari’s stance on the restructuring of the country, saying there was no alternative to restructuring if Nigeria must make progress.

Atiku stated that he remained resolute in his support for the restructuring of the country, positing that there was “too much power” in the hands of the Federal Government, a situation he said had made governance in the country less competitive particularly among the states.

President Buhari had on Monday told a delegation of Urhobo Traditional Rulers and Urhobo Progress Union, who visited him in Abuja, that the calls for the restructuring of the country was parochial and laced with self-interests, hence discussions and arguments on the matter failed to capture his attention.

But the former VP disagreed with Buhari, saying that the country must be restructured for Nigeria to rapidly move forward.

Atiku spoke in Asaba, the Delta State Capital, during his consultative visit to Governor Ifeanyi Okowa and leaders of the Peoples Democratic Party in the state on his presidential ambition ahead of the 2019 general elections.

He stated that he had been in the forefront of the calls for the restructuring of the country since 2004 while still serving as VP because restructuring would bring out the best among the federating units and lead to economic development across the board.

The PDP presidential aspirant also called on the Federal Government to review the current security architecture to meet the emerging security threats in the country, adding that he would always support any cause that would move the country forward.

Atiku, who also vowed to tackle unemployment in the country when he becomes President, noted that he was in the presidential race because of his burning desire to ensure that Nigeria made progress and was united irrespective of its religious and ethnic diversity.

He decried the situation where security agencies didn’t take orders from the state governors, saying “as an individual, I don’t think this is true federalism, we must restructure the security architecture.”

He said, “I will have a very small Federal Government with powers and resources devolved to the states to manage the affairs while they pay taxes to the Federal Government. With this, each zone can survive on its own without leaning on oil money.

“I’ll create jobs; you must liberalise the economy, support the private sector, create incentives to make the private sector boom and open up the economy to foreign direct investments. The security architecture of the country must be reviewed and decentralised to meet modern-day security challenges.”

He, however, thanked the people of the Niger Delta region, particularly Okowa, for the return of peace which in turn had led to increase in oil production, appealing that the peace in the area should be sustained.

Also speaking in a similar vein, Okowa stressed that restructuring would help to resolve the myriad of challenges currently confronting the country.

“I strongly believe that the way out of the challenges of the country is to have stronger states, stronger federating units,” he stated.

President Muhammadu Buhari on Tuesday faulted those who accused him of being silent on killings being carried out by suspected herdsmen in parts of the country.

He said there was injustice in such aspersions.

According to a statement by his Senior Special Assistant on Media and Publicity, Garba Shehu, the President spoke during an interactive session with stakeholders in Jos, Plateau State, over the recent attacks that left scores of people dead.

Buhari said people were blaming him for not talking to the herdsmen probably because he looked like them.

He appealed to Nigerians to avoid inflammatory utterances that could endanger peace or promote conflicts.

The President said, “Whatever is being given to the media, we have to be very responsible about it.

‘‘Take for instance the situation in Benue. The Benue subsistence farmer knows that the Nigerian cattle herder that he knows doesn’t carry nothing more than a stick, occasionally sometimes something to cut grass to feed his cattle.

‘‘But the present herder, I am told, carries AK47 and people are even blaming me for not talking to them because maybe (they say) I look like one of them.

‘‘There is some injustice in these aspersions.”

Buhari directed security chiefs in the country to remain vigilant and ensure the protection of lives and property.

He also urged traditional and community leaders to complement government efforts by persuading their constituencies to tolerate one another for peace and unity in the country.

The President added, “I will continue to pressurise members of the law enforcement agencies directly under me by the constitution as the Commander-in Chief.

“About eight days ago, we had five hours security meeting of the service chiefs and the Inspector-General of Police.

‘‘What happened here in Jos is very bad. The question of leadership, from your household to whatever you are, is justice. The bottom line is justice.

‘‘That is why wherever I go, I will always appeal to the leadership of the communities and the law enforcement agencies, to always have control over their constituencies.”

Buhari, who was accompanied to the meeting by Governor Simon Lalong of Plateau State and his counterparts from Kebbi and Niger, condoled with the affected families, the government and people of the state, and wished those injured a speedy recovery.

Others in his entourage were the ministers of Defence, Mansur Dan-Ali; Interior, Abdulrahman Danbazzau; and Information and Culture, Lai Muhammed.

Also with Buhari was the Chief of the Air Staff, Air Marshall Sadiq Abubakar and the Inspector-General of Police, Ibrahim Idris.

The major stakeholders in attendance were senior government officials, National and State House of Assembly members, traditional rulers, leadership of the Christian Association of Nigeria and the Ja’amatu Nasril Islam in Plateau State.

The President’s visit came less than 24 hours after a similar visit by Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo (SAN) who met with the stakeholders.

Earlier in his remarks, Lalong blamed parties in the conflict in the state for reneging on their agreement to maintain peace, leading to the recent upsurge in violence, after nearly three years of calm and normalcy in the state.

“We are concerned as a state that the sophisticated weapons used in these attacks, from the evidence on the ground and the narrations of victims, are not those conventional to our environment for self-defence but reflective of a terrorist invasion.

‘‘It, therefore, demands a justified response like that which was undertaken to address the Boko Haram insurgency,” he said.

The governor also requested that given the number of villages completely ravaged in the violence, the Federal Government should establish an Emergency Special Intervention Fund to help reconstruct the destroyed communities.

Killings, senseless, barbaric, says NLC

Meanwhile, the killings attracted more condemnations on Tuesday with the Nigeria Labour Congress saying that the government must design a framework for peace to end the bloodshed.

The congress said it was disturbed by the range of targets, the duration of the attacks and the scope of casualties and destruction.

The NLC President, Ayuba Wabba, said in a statement in Abuja that the statistics were numbing, describing the incident as senseless and barbaric.

He added that it threatened to shatter once and for all the bonds of brotherhood and peaceful co-existence.

According to him, the security agencies, though stretched, must be seen to do more to restore the confidence of the civil populace.

“If the emerging allegations are true that the attacks went on unchecked for hours, then something needs to be done about the reaction time of our internal security operations in the state.

“Beyond this, the Federal Government and Plateau State Government in consultation with the parties to this bloody conflict should design a framework for an enduring peace,” Wabba insisted.

He called on the governments to quickly move to rebuild the devastated communities and restore shattered lives while admonishing the victims against reprisals, stressing that it could not bring the much needed peace in the state.

Speaking in the same vein, the Nigerian Baptist Convention, FCT chapter, and the Christian Association of Nigeria, North-Central geopolitical zone, condemned in strong terms, the killings.

FG has failed, says CDHR

The Committee for the Defence of Human Rights said the killing was a sign that the Federal Government had failed.

The CDHR in a statement by its National Publicity Secretary, Henry Ekine, decried the state of insecurity in the country.

According to him, the right to life is guaranteed under Section 33 of Chapter IV of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999, as amendment, as well as under the African Charter on Human and Peoples Rights (Article 4); the International Convention on Civil and Political Rights (6) and the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (Articles 3).

The CDHR said, “The state has the primary responsibility to ensure the security and welfare of the people, as provided under section 14 (2) (b) of Chapter II of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999, as amendment.

“Such mass killing was apparently akin to genocide and indicative of a failing state. The government has indeed failed in its core responsibility to protect lives and property of citizens at all times and in all parts of the country.”

Atiku condemns killings

Also a former Vice-President, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, and a former Minister of Special Duties, Alhaji Tanimu Turaki, condemned the killings.

The two chieftains of the Peoples Democratic Party made the condemnation in separate interviews with journalists after their interaction with the Forum of PDP Former State House of Assemblies Presiding Officials in Abuja on Tuesday.

Atiku, a PDP presidential aspirant, who described the killings as unfortunate, stressed the need to adopt measures including community dialogue to address the lingering crisis.

He said, “I just listened to a former deputy speaker, a lady for that matter, and she made two points; hard and soft powers in resolving the crisis. I like that idea.

“It is not every security breach you can you use hard power on. You need to establish dialogue between the leadership of various communities that lived together over the years.”

On his part, Turaki, another PDP presidential aspirant condemned the killings saying every single life that was lost had the potential to do a lot for Nigeria.

He attributed the killings to the failure of the APC-led Federal Government and failure among various security agencies.

“If you recall, few months ago the National Security Agency had appeared before the Senate and disclosed that the greatest problem that the Nigeria security agencies have today is that the agencies work at cross purposes. There is no cooperation, there is no synergy.

“If critical security agencies are not sharing information or working together then how do you expect them to come up with tight security architecture that will safeguard the lives and property of Nigeria? And that is what is happening.’’

He commiserated with the people and government of Plateau over the loss of lives.

Buhari not doing enough to end killings – Reps

Also, the House of Representatives said President Buhari must take immediate steps to halt the killings by herdsmen in the country.

It noted that the country could not afford to continue to lose its citizens as if human lives no longer matter.

The Leader of the House, Mr. Femi Gbajabiamila, told The PUNCH in Abuja that to contain the killings, the President and the government should think harder about the appropriate measures to bringing a lasting solution.

Gbajabiamila added, “The President and the government will continue to do all they can to arrest these killings and surely more needs to be done.

“It is absolutely difficult to understand why human life should be so cheap.

“Christians are being killed; Muslims are being killed. What is important is that they are human beings and the killings must stop.

“This is a strange phenomenon in Nigeria. Perhaps, it requires government to think outside the box and do something extra-ordinary.

“It requires an urgent and surgical fix.”

PFN tells Buhari to stop killings, warns against reprisal

On its part, the Pentecostal Fellowship of Nigeria commiserated with the families of the bereaved and urged Nigerians to refrain from reprisals to enable the government to perform its constitutional responsibilities.

The National President of the PFN, Rev. Felix Omobude, in a statement on Tuesday, lamented that the lives of Nigerians had been cheapened by mindless criminals who swooped on unsuspecting residents and killed them without restrictions.

He, therefore, called on President Muhammadu Buhari to live up to his responsibility of ensuring the safety of lives and property, adding that “any government that cannot protect its people does not deserve to remain in office.”

The cleric stated, “President Muhammadu Buhari should immediately bring the mindless killings going on in the country to a halt because Nigerian lives, whether Christians or Moslems, are very important. The perpetrators of these dastardly acts must be fished out and punished appropriately.”

Omobude added, “Never in the history of Nigeria have the lives of Nigerians been so cheap. Today, people in any guise can kill with impunity and get away with it.

“Hundreds of people are being slaughtered at regular intervals and the criminal elements seem not to be brought to justice. There is the need for our government and security forces to be proactive instead of reactionary.

The President had after a closed-door meeting with government officials, security agencies and traditional leaders in Plateau State said he was committed to the protection of lives and property and would not run away from the responsibilities for which he was elected in 2015.

The President appealed to the people to bury their differences and work together for the peace of the state.

IG removes Plateau CP

However, Idris has removed the Plateau State Commissioner of Police, Undie Adie.

The removal of Adie followed the killing of more than 100 people by herdsmen in three local government areas of the state on Sunday.

The spokesperson for the Plateau State Police Command, Matthias Tyopev, a Deputy Superintendent of Police, in a statement on Tuesday, stated that a Deputy Commissioner of Police, Bala Ciroma, had replaced Adie.

Tyopev stated, “Today, 26th June, 2018, a new commissioner of police, Bala Ciroma, has assumed duty as the Commissioner of Police, Plateau State command.”

He also said the IGP had directed Adie to report to the force headquarters in Abuja.

The new commissioner, who is from Yobe State, was previously a deputy commissioner of police, criminal investigation and intelligence department, at the force headquarters in Abuja.

Osinbajo confirms arrests of suspects

Also on Tuesday, Osinbajo confirmed that some persons had been arrested in connection with the killings.

According to a statement by his Senior Special Assistant on Media and Publicity, Mr. Laolu Akande, the Vice-President disclosed this during a meeting he had in the state on Monday with the leaders and representatives of communities related to the conflicts.

Osinbajo did not however disclose the number of the suspects arrested.

APC govs to visit Plateau on Friday

The Imo State Governor and Chairman, Progressives Governors’ Forum, Rochas Okorocha, has indicated that the APC governors will visit Plateau State on Friday.

The governor disclosed this on Tuesday at the Sam Mbakwe International Cargo Airport on arrival from Abuja after the national convention of the party.

According to him, while on the visit, the governors will assess the situation and interact with the governor of the state.

He said, “I, with the rest of the governors of APC, condemn in its entirety these unwarranted killings of innocent souls, and shedding of blood. We have called them insurgents. We’ve called them Boko Haram, we have called them all kinds of baptismal names and because the situation is not properly defined, most people hide under the cloak of religion of Christianity or Islam to create harm.”

The National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Adams Oshiomhole, has called on President Muhammadu Buhari to ask for the refund of the $16 billion allegedly expended on the power sector under the administration of former President Olusegun Obasanjo.

He said Mr Obasanjo should be asked to pay back the money.

Mr Oshiomhole said this on Tuesday after the former chairman of the party, John Odigie-Oyegun, handed over to him at a ceremony held at the party’s national secretariat in Abuja.

He said Mr Buhari did well for calling out Mr Obasanjo over the alleged expenditure, but should go a step further to ensure the former president returns the money if there is no explanation for what it was used for.

“So, $16billion spent, the more dollars they spent, the more darkness the people suffered. Now the questions I had in my mind were, maybe because the president has not yet proceeded to now ask the follow-up questions.

Since we don’t find the power, then, you must bring the $16billion that you spent. If he doesn’t do that, then the accusations of limited anti-corruption may begin to have some currency.

“So, to assist PDP to overcome this their distinction, our president needs to do the needful. After all, it is already on record what other presidents didn’t do, with regards to the issue of MKO Abiola, and the criminal manner by which the election was nullified, and people pretended that, that was never an issue, the president showed courage.

“That same courage should not fail him, so that he can proceed to recover the $16billion back into the treasury from the man who superintended over the spending of that money.”

President Buhari in May criticised previous Nigerian administrations for “lack of imagination” and accused the government of Mr Obasanjo, who was president from 1999 to 2007, of spending over $16 billion on power without achieving much.

This was seen as a reprisal attack on Mr Obasanjo, a former supporter of the president. Mr Obasanjo is now one of the critics of the president and earlier this year wrote him a letter advising Mr Buhari not to seek re-election in 2019. He accused Mr Buhari of poor performance.

The former president also denied that his administration expended such money on power. He accused Mr Buhari of ignorance on the matter and said he had already been cleared of any wrongdoing on the matter by the anti-graft agency, EFCC.

Some civic groups, like SERAP and AFRICMIL, had earlier asked President Buhari to ask anti-corruption agencies to probe the power funds and prosecute anyone found culpable.

Mr Obasanjo, in June, also cried out his life was in danger and that there was a plan by the Buhari administration to send him to jail.

Reacting to this, Mr Oshiomole said “the man said they want to kill him. No! To kill is to prevent the investigation. He must be alive to account. That is a typical distraction, so, I think all of us should be ready to do anything we can to help Nigerians not to forget in a hurry.”

The chairman denied the report that APC changed its slogan from ‘change’ to ‘progress.’

He said the slogan remains ‘change,’ saying change is what goes in first to produce progress.

PREMIUM TIMES had earlier reported the denial of the slogan change by the spokesperson of the APC, Bolaji Abdullahi.

Speaking on the upcoming Ekiti State governorship election scheduled for July 14, Mr Oshiomhole expressed confidence that the APC will win it.

“Although we came on board at the eve of an upcoming election in Ekiti State, we won’t resort to using their own tactics because we promised to be different.

I am very confident Ekiti State will be won on the basis of our own record.”

In his speech, he also applauded the Odigie-Oyegun led administration of the party and promised to build on the foundation it laid.

He sought the permission of the former chairman to also seek advice and counsel whenever there was the need, saying Mr Odigie-Oyegun is an elder whose wisdom would help him move the party forward.

Noting some members of his NWC also served under Mr Odigie-Oyegun, the new chairman said his leadership is lucky to have them as it will ensure continuity. He also sought proper records and documents to ensure smooth takeover and better continuity.

Mr Oshiomhole said his leadership had come in to build on what they met and prepare the APC for the 2019 election.

“We are all very proud of what you have accomplished and we will try very hard to build on what you have put in place.”

“We will do everything possible to support the federal legislature and executive.”

Speaking about the staff of the secretariat, he promised to accord them priority and ensure fair treatment
“I will work with you to ensure the director doesn’t oppress you. We will re-visit your compensation. In this dispensation, you would be the most visited dispensation.”

He, therefore, announced he would be meeting with secretariat staff after the ceremony.

“I would want to have a meeting with the secretariat staff to deal with issues and matters arising.”

Emphasising the need for regular policy review, he said it is “to avoid deficit between promise and reality, in a world where the manifesto you wrote in the morning can become obsolete in the evening”.

Apologising for not resuming on Monday as promised, he said “the difference between Monday and Tuesday is in the details.”

Mr Odigie-Oyegun in his handover speech apologised for the delay in handing over and prayed the tenure of Mr Oshiomhole will be successful and make the party the smartest in Africa.

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