₦airaland Forum

vedaxcool:
[s][/s]

Did it stop Rochas assets from being frozen or Jolly Nyame from being convicted?

Former Aviation Minister, Femi Fani-Kayode, on Thursday, reacted angrily to insinuations that he defected to the All Progressives Congress (APC) for financial reasons.

He also explained why he was not bothered about his past criticisms against President Muhammadu Buhari and the APC administration.

Mr Fani-Kayode officially dumped the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) for the ruling APC on Thursday after years of criticising the party.

He was once quoted as saying “he would rather die than join the APC”.

The news of Mr Fani-Kayode’s defection went viral after Femi Adesina, a spokesperson to President Muhammadu Buhari, shared pictures of the ex-minister as he was welcomed to the party at the Presidential Villa on Thursday.

He was flanked by the president, the Chairman of the APC Caretaker Committee, Governor, Mala Buni of Yobe State and other dignitaries.

His defection came after months of speculations and denials.

‘I am not bothered by criticism’

Speaking on “Politics Today” a programme aired on Channels Television, shortly after his visit to Villa, Mr Fani-Kayode said he was proud of his decision to dump the PDP for the APC.

“I’m proud to be here, it doesn’t matter what people say or think,” apparently conscious of what critics would say.

“Let’s not focus on what FFK has done or said. Let’s focus on building our country, bridges to ensure that we don’t turn on one another as a people and end up having a civil war.”

He reacted angrily when the anchor of the programme, Seun Okinbaloye, read a comment from a critic linking his defection to possible financial incapacity or inducement.

Mr Fani-Kayode fired back, saying he did not expect such a ridiculous and absurd question from the programme host.

“I don’t expect that kind of ridiculous and absurd question from you, okay? I have never lacked for finances (sic). There are no financial inducements. Politicians don’t move because of finances. If I had wanted to move because of finances, I would have done that a long time ago.

“I have struggled and fought over the last six years more than any of the *little monkeys that said what you just said to me now and I stand proud and tall of the kind of family I come from, the kind of background I have, finance has never been an issue,” he fired back.

He told his supporters to trust his new decision as it was “in the best interest of Nigeria”.

Mr Fani-Kayode continued, “You can insult me from morning to night, it means nothing to me.

“What is important to me is my God and the fact that I am doing the right thing at the right time. I am considerably more wealthy than most people think and I don’t need anything from anybody.”

Mr Fani-Kayode wondered why his critics did not criticise him when he was fighting the government but chose to do so now that he joined the APC.

“When I was fighting the government you didn’t talk about financing or no financing but now that I am not fighting the government, you are talking about financing, it is an old narrative.

“It is an old story from Nigerians, especially from Nigerians from a particular segment of the society like to say about those of us that are from the elite and I am not prepared to respond to that kind of rubbish and I am surprised you would ask me that kind of question.”

PREMIUM TIMES once reported how Mr Fani-Kayode insulted a Daily Trust correspondent who had asked him at a press conference ‘who was bankrolling’ his frequent trips across the nation a couple of months back. He later apologised after the public backlash.

Regrets

Asked if he has changed his critical views on Mr Buhari and the APC administration, the former minister said the party was no longer the same as it was when he was criticising it.

“The leadership of the APC has evolved and that evolution has attracted people, intellectual people, sharp, focused, people that want to keep Nigeria together and want to treat Nigerians as one regardless of religion or ethnic differences,” he stated even as he spoke glowingly about as the ‘magnanimity’ of the party leadership and his reception by Mr Buhari earlier in the day.

He added, “The APC of today is a liberal party. It is not a hardline party, it is accommodating. It is a party that is prepared to take people that do not share the same view with others. That is how every political party ought to be.

“I didn’t just perceive it, I have built bridges with these people, I have worked with them and I am proud to be here.

“I will not say anything about the other side, I will not say anything negative about the PDP but let me put this to you, there are still lots of issues that need to be resolved in the PDP just as there are in any other political parties.

“The leadership of the APC has evolved and that evolution has attracted people, intellectual people, sharp, focus and that want to keep Nigeria together and want to treat Nigerians as one regardless of religion or ethnic differences.

“I will not die. I will live long because I made the right choices at the right time. I won’t just stay in the PDP because I said something in the past, I will move when it’s time to move forward.

His controversial politics

Mr Fani-Kayode, 61, hails from Ife in Osun State.

He once served as a special assistant on public affairs to former President Olusegun Obasanjo.

He was later appointed minister of culture and tourism and later minister of aviation by the former president.

He also served as spokesperson for the campaign organisation of former President Goodluck Jonathan, the PDP candidate in the 2015 presidential election.

Mr Fani-Kayode first dumped the PDP in 2013 for the yet to be registered APC until June 2014, when he returned to the former ahead of the 2015 General Elections.

As soon as he returned, the former minister, who commands a large following on social media, became prominent for criticising the APC and Mr Buhari-led government for its decisions.

The speculation of his defection first went viral on social media in February after a meeting with the Kogi State governor, Yahaya Bello, and Mr Buni.

Mr Bello’s public confirmation of Mr Fani-Kayode’s defection days later was countered as the latter denied ever making such a decision and reiterated his commitment to the PDP.

Amidst his denials and ‘dislike’ for APC style of governance, the former minister attended the wedding ceremony of Mr Buhari’s son, Yusuf, to Zahra Bayero in Kano in August this year.

He was in the company of Bello Matawalle of Zamfara State and Babagana Zulum of Borno State, the Minister of Communication and Digital Economy, Isa Pantami, among other dignitaries he had publicly criticised in recent times.

Mr Fani-Kayode was once arraigned alongside a former finance minister, Nenadi Usman and two others by the EFCC for alleged money laundering to the tune of over N4 billion.

Lalasticlala, Mynd44

JimmyDarmody:
No if the media like they should praise buhari and all his friends but it won't bring down the dollar from N550

Lai Mohammed, Nigeria’s information minister, has deflected blame for the poor image the country endures internationally on activities of the media.

The minister asserted “whatever image problem Nigeria is suffering from today is mostly due to the unflattering portrayal of the country by the country’s media”.

“If one picks up most newspapers, watches most television stations or listens to most radio stations in Nigeria today, he or she will be right to think Nigeria is a country at war,” Mr Mohammed said at the headquarters of the News Agency of Nigeria on Thursday.

However, President Muhammadu Buhari has often drawn criticism for demarketing the country and its people before international media.

In 2018, Mr Buhari, during an appearance with world leaders at a Commonwealth Business Forum in London, said the majority of Nigerian youth are lazy and uneducated.

In a recent interview with local broadcaster Arise News TV, Mr Buhari doubled down on his belief that Nigerians are to be blamed for the country’s economic woes.

He told Arise interviewers that the youths should ‘behave themselves’ if they wanted jobs, as their criticism of his regime scares investors away from the country. He cited the #EndSARS protests which rocked the country in October 2020 as one of those activities that cast his regime in bad light.

In making the assertion, the president took no cognisance of his regime’s low human rights ratings and incoherent economic policy.

Mr Mohammed said the media only gave perfunctory attention to the successes of the military in quelling separatist agitations in the South-East and South-West, and the current campaign against bandits in the North-West.

“Our security agencies have also successfully tackled the separatists in the South-East and South-West and the militants in the South-South.

“Unfortunately, these efforts have only been perfunctorily reflected in the reportage of the security challenges that we face.

“This is not only unfair, especially to those who are sacrificing their lives to keep us safe, it is unpatriotic,’’ he said.

Many of the military campaigns against self-determination groups have, however, been criticised by local and international rights bodies for blatant abuses.

Mr Mohammed emphasised that the media must be fair in its reportage.

“We are not saying the media should not report on the security challenges we face.

“All we are saying is, be fair and report accurately the efforts being made by the state and federal governments to tackle the challenges,” he said.

The Christian Association of Nigeria, CAN has suspended its Gombe State Caretaker Chairman, Rev. Sunday Congo.

Congo was suspended after he wrote a congratulatory letter to the Minister of Communication and Digital Economy, Isa Pantami, without the approval of the association’s National Executive Committee.

CAN State Secretary in Gombe, Apostle John Adedigba, in a letter on behalf of all the members of the caretaker committee congratulated Pantami on his recent reported “promotion to the rank of a Professor of Cyber Security” by the Governing Council of Federal University of Technology, Owerri.

They stated in the letter that they were “proud” of Pantami as a “son”.

However, CAN in a letter by its General Secretary, Joseph Daramola, dated September 15 2021, titled: ‘Letter of Suspension’, sent to CAN caretaker committee chairman in Gombe, stated that the congratulatory letter was issued without the consent of the mother body.

Part of the letter read, “Following the recent publications of your congratulatory message to the Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, Dr. Isa Pantami, CAN writes to inform you that your action has generated a lot of concerns amongst members of the Christian Association of Nigeria.

“This action of yours in publishing on behalf of the association is tantamount to unilateral decision of you and overzealousness on your part, which was done without authorization and clearance.”

CAN described the letter without its executive’s permission as provocative, adding that he does not represent their position.

“It is not only provocative but undermines the CAN NEC executive. It does not in any way represent their position.

“In view of this, you are hereby directed to relinquish your position in Gombe CAN executive with immediate effect and hand over all CAN’s property to your next in line in your bloc.”

CAN further advised that the body be consulted in future and an approval obtained from the authority of CAN national level in order for everyone to speak with one voice.

The Human Rights Writers Association of Nigeria, HURIWA has accused the Minister of works Mr Babatunde Fashola of being the ‘Devil’s Advocate’ against the person of President Muhammadu Buhari, stating that the former Lagos State Governor is attracting harsh criticisms for the president amongst the people of Southeastern Nigeria.

The popular rights group which hailed President Buhari for accepting Governor Hope Uzodinma’s invitation to commission some projects in Imo State last week called on the Nigerian leader to note that the minister of works is “clearly the Leading cabinet-level devil’s advocate against the president in South East of Nigeria going by even his recent clear marginalization of South East amongst the benefitting region to get the federal government emergency roads maintenance and rebuilding initiative announced he announced.

“We invite Mr. President to note that barely a few hours after he made a landmark statement and policy commitment on balancing the infrastructural gaps in the South East of Nigeria, the federal minister of works left out the South East of Nigeria in a huge roads repairs initiative thereby seeking to convince the 60 million Igbo speaking people of Nigeria that the current President suffers from IGBOPHOBIA”.

HURIWA, while reacting to Buhari’s speech in Imo on Thursday which said the “Igbos stand to benefit more from the ongoing development of infrastructure in the country because ‘‘they are more enterprising”, said Fashola was not truthful to the president on infrastructural development in the region.

In a statement issued and made available to DAILY POST on Wednesday, HURIWA recalled that the Works and Housing Minister had on Tuesday directed the immediate emergency repairs on failed portions of roads affected by floods in five states across the country, noting that no part of Southeast was included in the lists of roads billed for the repair.

The rights group said the affected roads for repairs include Ibadan–Ife road, Gombe–Bauchi road, Gombe–Darazo, Bauchi–Ningi, Bida–Lambata, and Tsamiya Bridge in Jigawa State.

HURIWA also listed the minister of Labour Chris Ngige as another member of President Buhari’s cabinet who has not told the President the “truth about the state of federal roads in South East of Nigeria when the minister falsely claimed that the federal road connecting Anambra through Arondizuogu has been upgraded whereas all Federal roads in Imo State are in a serious state of disrepair”.

President Muhammadu Buhari yesterday urged the banking and financial services sector to play stronger roles in ensuring that small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) become “fit for purpose” as well as provide them full support to excel.

He said such financial intermediation would be essential at the time like this when Nigerians are grappling with the adverse impact of the COVID-19 pandemic.

This is just as the Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Mr. Godwin Emefiele, revealed that the Infrastructure Corporation of Nigeria (InfraCorp) Plc established in collaboration with the African Finance Corporation (AFC) and the Nigerian Sovereign Investment Authority (NSIA) to raise N15 trillion for infrastructure development would be unveiled in October. Emefiele also hinted that the Nigerian International Financial Centre (NIFC) which would act as an international gateway for capital and investments, driven by technology and payment system infrastructure, would also be established within the next 12 months.

The president and the CBN Governor said this at the opening ceremony of the 14th Annual Banking and Finance Conference of Chartered Institute of Bankers of Nigeria (CIBN) in Abuja.

Buhari hailed institute and the entire banking and finance industry for the commitment towards charting a practical path for economic recovery and transformation of country and Africa in general.

Bihari who spoke virtually said: “I commend the financial services industry for its interventions and contributions towards the promotion of financial inclusion and literacy in our country. And more importantly, the roles played by the banks in fostering economic growth of the country.

“We need you, the banks to drive value creation by developing new technologies, scaling payment infrastructure to serve the diversified economies expected to benefit from this agreement.”

He said technological innovation was also important in the modern business terrain, noting that most transactions now take place online given the advent of the Internet of Things.

He said: “As we continue to progress towards the next frontiers of digitalisation, we must harness all opportunities while being mindful of the inherent risks. For example, the protection of data is now of utmost importance to provide users with more secure access to the online space.’’

Among other things, the president said ongoing efforts to reduce poverty in the country has continued to grow, with 1.6 million poor and vulnerable households, comprising more than 8 million individuals currently benefiting from the Conditional Cash Transfer programme, while N300 billion had been disbursed to farmers.

He also said the National Social Register of poor and vulnerable Nigerians had 32.6 million persons from seven million poor and vulnerable households identified, urging the banking sector to play a stronger role in improving livelihoods.

Buhari added: “From this number, 1.6 million poor and vulnerable households, comprising more than eight million individuals are currently benefiting from the Conditional Cash Transfer program, which pays a bi-monthly stipend of N10, 000 per household.”

He added that the National Social Investment Programme remained the biggest in Sub-Sahara Africa and one of the largest in the world.

However, at the conference, with the theme: “Economic Recovery, Inclusion and Transformation: The Role of Banking and Finance,” in Abuja, Emefiele further extolled the role of monetary policy as well as the banking sector in ensuring that the economy emerged out of recession by the fourth quarter of the year.

He also said the banking sector must pay attention to providing long-term finance for infrastructure development in the country.

He also said with the decline in revenues due to federal and state governments following the drop in crude oil prices, alternative ways of funding infrastructure would be critical if the country is to generate sustained growth of our economy.

He explain that upcoming InfraCorp would enable the use of mostly private capital to support infrastructure investment that would have a multiplier effect on growth across critical sectors.

He said the purpose of the N15 trillion being raised was to address some of the country’s infrastructure needs, while providing reasonable returns to investors.

The CBN Governor added: “We believe this well-structured fund can act as a catalyst for growth in the medium and long run. The support of the banking community will be important in achieving this objective.”

Emefiele, however, noted that the banking sector had been critical in ameliorating the adverse impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on Nigerians.

The CBN governor maintained that it was imperative from both an economic and security point of view that the banking and financial system continued to support growth in sectors that have significant growth potential, saying it would enhance the resilience of the economy in the face of external shocks.

He pointed out that to consolidate on the growth and resilience of Nigerian banks, the NIFC which he termed a new financial hub, would curate local and international banks to make them global champions.

He further explained that the NIFC would be a 24/7 financial centre that would complement London, New York and Singapore financial centers and enable an acceleration of home grown initiatives including the Infracorp Plc.

According to Emefiele, the NIFC would also complement initiatives on the Nigerian Commodity Exchange and the National Theatre creative hubs for youths as well as the e-naira project which would also debut in October.

Speaking further, he said the NIFC would take advantage of existing laws particularly the BOFIA 2020, Nigerian Export Processing Zone Authority (NEPZA) and other CBN regulations to create a fully global investment and financial hub where monies, ideas, and technology will move freely without hindrance.

Emefiele also said about $500 million had been invested in indigenous payment companies between 2015 and 2020, adding that the platform had continued to evolve towards meeting the needs of households and businesses in the country.

Nevertheless, the apex bank boss said despite the various progress recorded in the banking and financial sector, about 36 per cent of the adult population currently lacked access to financial services in the country.

He said improving access to finance for individuals and businesses through digital channels could help to improve financial inclusion, lower the cost of transactions, and increase the flow of credit to businesses

He was also upbeat about the proposed central bank digital currency, known as the e-Naira which is expected to be unveiled next month, saying it would foster greater inclusion using digital channels, supporting cross border payments for businesses and firms as well as providing a reliable channel for remittances inflows into the country.

Emefiele said when fully deployed, the e-Naira would ensure that Nigerians in remote areas conduct financial activities using their digital as well as feature phone devices.

He, however, pointed out that the support of the financial industry would be critical in the deployment of the electronic money, adding that efforts were ongoing to encourage continued partnership between the CBN and stakeholders in the financial industry.

The CBN governor also said the apex bank had been able to reverse rising headline inflation which fell to 17.38 per cent as of July 2021, and now in its fourth consecutive month of this decline.

He said, “Reflecting on several measures put in place by both the fiscal and monetary authorities, we do expect that the pace of inflation will continue to moderate in the following months as we approach the harvest season.”

“Let me add that while we have been able to contain some of the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on our economy, it is imperative that we work to build a more resilient economy that is better able to contain external shocks, whilst supporting growth and wealth creation in key sectors of our economy.

“Proactive steps on the part of stakeholders in the banking and financial system in supporting the growth of sectors such as agriculture, ICT and infrastructure, will strengthen our ability to deal with the challenges that have been brought on by COVID-19, and stimulate the growth of our economy.”

Emefiele also emphasised the important role the banking community could play in fostering greater growth and stability to sectors significantly impacted by the pandemic while also supporting investments in key sectors of the economy that could have a multiplier effect on growth.

The Vice President, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo, who stressed the need for banks to invest in housing and electricity projects, said the banks were not doing much in supporting the federal government’s efforts in the areas of housing and electricity.

According to Osinbajo, “It is either the finance sector is shy to invest in housing projects, or have not found the right housing finance model that will work for them. Nigeria do not have a functional mortgage housing system, which is the most reliable source of generating capital for individuals.

“Banks should come up with innovations such as housing financing, by supporting poverty reduction and economic growth. Ubiquitous housing for example will create employment and generate demand for related services.”

Osinbajo also stressed the need for banks to join forces with the federal government to address climate change.

“One of the cheap consideration, especially for developing countries is how to move from fossil fuel-based power sources to renewable energy. It is a significant challenge, and an enormous opportunity for developing countries.

“To achieve this, the federal government established an integrated Solar System for the electrification of five million houses, to serve about 25 million Nigerians, under the Economic Sustainability Plan of government. The CBN set aside N150 billion for the programme, made available through the bank’s initiated programme that is administered by the banks.

The programme has three core objectives: Expanding energy access to 25 million Nigerians; Increasing local contents; and Creating values chain experience. The programme is designed to supply cheap financing for developers, manufacturers and suppliers of electric components. The federal government is providing subsidy of between 20 to 30 per cent for each successful installation, through the rural electrification agency programme, to further de-risk each transaction and the project has been on in the last two years,” Osinbajo added.

Also, speaking at the occasion, the Governor of Lagos State, Mr. Babajide Sanwo-Olu called on financial institutions to focus on solutions that would cater to the vulnerable in the society and enhance inclusive growth.

He said, “The challenge of poverty, I am sure we all know predates COVID-19 and even as we focus on defeating the pandemic, we certainly should not forget that the entire world is so faced with a lot of poverty, inequality.”

He said more than ever, banking and financial institutions needed to step up with new innovative financing mechanisms and solutions that would focus on the marginalised and vulnerables in different parts of life.

“And they can help them and bring them out of poverty and all of the issues around inequality that we have in our environment. And help public institutions so that we can build a world class that we believe will be just, will be fair, will be equitable in all respects,” he said.

Sanwo-Olu added: “I commend the CBN for the initiative around the infrastructure funds that they are trying to put together, and I believe that it will help both the national and sub national to be able to build back quicker, better and faster.”

Also, President of Rwanda, Paul Kagame who graced the occasion virtually said the COVID-19 pandemic had affected every aspect of the economy, adding that the pandemic also presented an opportunity for Africa’s banks to play a leading role in making societies more resilient and responsive to the needs of the people.

He said, “Whatever affects business affects banking. Financial services, the engine of private sector and banks are crucial for getting the capital wisely for productive lead and Africa has the forces.”

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has accused hotel owners of providing an enabling environment for internet fraudsters across the country.

The commission said in a statement Tuesday that the action of the hoteliers amounts to deliberate sabotage and obstruction of law enforcement officers and is punishable by Section 38 (2) (b) of the EFCC Act.

“The commission has observed a worrying pattern of cold complicity by hospitality entrepreneurs who appear to be hands-in-gloves with suspected fraudsters by housing them over long spells and making internet facilities available to them.

“While the argument is being made in certain quarters that hoteliers as business people have no means of determining who a fraudster is before allowing them to lodge in their facilities, that position runs counter to the law.

“Section 3 of the Advance Fee Fraud And Other Related Offences Act, 2006 provides for a prison term of between five and 15 years without option of fine for any person who permits his premises to be used for any offence under the Act.”

The anti-graft agency’s statement came a day after it broke into guests’ rooms at MITROS Hotel and two other lodges in Abeokuta, Ogun State, and arrested 56 persons whom they accused of being internet fraudsters.

Our reporter who visited Mitros Hotel had observed broken doors, shattered plates, and damaged furniture on the premises.

In its statement on Tuesday, the EFCC accused hotel owners and managers of not only allowing their facilities to be used by fraudsters but also deliberately shielding them from arrest by frustrating law enforcement on such premises. The commission said it would no longer tolerate such situations.

“If the hoteliers are not enablers of the alleged crimes, as some have demonstrated by offering information to the Commission, they are under obligation to cooperate with law enforcement officers carrying out their lawful duties. To act otherwise would be tantamount to willingly becoming enablers to fraud.”

Arrested lodgers

The agency listed the names of those arrested during the raid in Abeokuta to include Garfar Olamide Taiwo, Fadimaye Habeeb, Badmus Idris, Samuel Victor, Seun Fuad, Alli Isaac, Oyeleke Mubarak, Bolu Soetan, Koleosho Eniola, Saheed Abidemi, Olaewe Tosin, Ayedun Idowu, Oniyitan Ayomide, Akinlabi Precious, Gbadebo Sultan, Adeyemi Habeeb, Balogun Hassan, Sulaimon Ayub Damilare, and Akinsola Usman.

Others are Ajibola Femi Sodiya, Ridwan Alani, Olusesi Lanre, Eniatimo Oludare, Taiwo Opeyemi, Akindele Kabiru Johnson Hammed, Idowu Gabriel, Adekanmi Adejumo, Peter Babatunde, Okeowo Sunday, Abudu Habeeb, Sabair Rasaq, Ademuyiwa Basit, Toriola Opeyemi, Babayode Abiola, Agbaje Habeeb, Sorinola Oluwatobiloba, Abiodun Elegbede, Kayode Daniel ,Lawal Alabi, Oyewole Korede, Aberuagba Gafar, Adekunle Emmanuel, Okunade Azeez, and Ojediran Sodiq.

“They were apprehended at their hideouts which happened to be popular hotels in the ancient city,” the commission said.

“The operation which was based on verified intelligence backed by weeks of surveillance was nearly frustrated by the hotel owners who employed various antics, including shutting down power supply, to enable some of the suspects to escape arrest.

“Despite the lack of cooperation by the hotel owners, the operatives demonstrated professionalism in ensuring that no one was hurt nor property damaged during the operations, contrary to the narrative in a section of the media.”

The agency said ten “exotic” cars, dozens of mobile phones, laptops and several incriminating documents were recovered from the suspected fraudsters.

“They will be arraigned in court as soon as the investigation is concluded.”

The Minister of Police Affairs, Maigari Dingyadi, says repentant bandits are Nigerian citizens and the Federal Government has a responsibility to reintegrate them “peacefully and honourably into the society”.

He also said the window is still open for bandits to surrender to the government and be reintegrated into the wider society.

The minister spoke on Tuesday when he featured as a guest on Channels Television’s ‘Politics Today’ current affairs programme monitored by The PUNCH.

Commenting on the ongoing onslaught against bandits in the North-West states of Katsina, Zamfara, Sokoto, amongst others, Dingyadi said the government will continue to record successes against bandits as long as the security agencies continue to work in synergy.

“You are going to see more successes coming up in the next couple of days,” he said, adding that the security forces were working more on the precision of their intelligence and the sophistication of their equipment to achieve greater victory against the marauders.

Asked whether the window of amnesty is still open for bandits willing to surrender, the minister said, “When you talk of amnesty, it is a relative term and what the Federal Government is trying to say is that: Let us see those who have surrendered their arms, let us listen to them, let us chronicle them, let us receive them, we cannot just throw these people away because they are all Nigerians.

“Of course, they are criminals, they have committed atrocities, they have committed crimes, but according to the international laws, when you surrender from a war zone, you are not killed, you are not maimed, you are allowed to have your say. We are listening to them to see how we can integrate them into the larger society.

“What we are trying to do is to get them settled in their various communities, to let them have a kind of means of livelihood so that they can integrate peacefully and honourably into the society.”

Asked the second time whether the window for bandits to surrender is still open, Dingyadi said, “With all pleasure, anybody willing to surrender and do it honourably and honestly, government is ready to listen, government is ready to see what they can do to settle them down without much cost.

“As a nation we have responsibilities to our citizens, to integrate them with the little that we can afford to give them and we will continue to monitor what they are doing in their various communities to ensure that they don’t go back to their old days of armed banditry and all of them. We will monitor them and ensure that they don’t go back to their bad old days of armed banditry and kidnapping.”

Despite public outrage, Zamfara State Governor, Bello Matawalle; his Katsina State counterpart, Aminu Masari; as well as Borno State Governor, Babagana Zulum; had offered amnesty to supposed repentant bandits and terrorists who had killed, kidnapped and maimed thousands of innocent lives.

However, many of the bandits and terrorists had gone back to their dishonourable and vicious ways weeks after surrendering their arms and receiving cash and vehicle gifts from the governors.

In April 2021, a notorious bandit, Auwalun Daudawa, returned to the forest about a week after he surrendered his weapons and was granted amnesty by the Zamfara State governor.

Daudawa was known for masterminding the abduction of over 300 schoolboys from a secondary boarding school in Kankara, Katsina State, in December 2020.

Daudawa had surrendered 20 AK-47 rifles, 20 Magazines, one General Purpose Machine Gun, one Rocket-Propelled Grenade and several ammunitions to the Zamfara State government on the day he repented with five of his comrades.

But the incorrigible criminal was later killed by a rival bandit gang when he went back to the trenches a week after he received Matawalle’s amensty deal, with many Nigerians knocking the governor and his other colleagues for rewarding bad behaviour with kind gestures.

Just this week, Matawalle said Zamfara was no longer interested in dialoguing with bandits as they rejected the olive branch stretched at them earlier.

Matawalle vowed that the only option was for the security forces to flush the bandits out of the state.

For years, Nigeria’s North-West and North-East zones have been plagued with the twin security challenges of terrorism and banditry with many of the marauders camping in the vast forests and ungoverned spaces in the two zones.

As part of its efforts to crush the daredevil marauders, the Federal Government recently shut down some communication sites in Zamfara and Katsina to truncate communication means amongst the bandits and aid the military’s onslaught against the criminals.

Lalasticlala, Mynd44

chatinent:
How far you see am?

Lostchild:
keep it up.

You will receive wages