₦airaland Forum

While the news of their release is heart-warming, it does not solve the underlying crisis. The real problem remains: nobody is held accountable. We rarely see the kidnappers apprehended or brought to justice. When there is no just recompense for criminality, there can be no respite from crime; we are left living at the mercy of criminals.

The Tinubu administration has currently failed on the security front; in many respects, the situation has regressed even further than during the Buhari era. While the President may claim to be doing his "best," the daily reality for Nigerians is that his best is simply not good enough.

To turn the tide, the President must move beyond rhetoric and start biting. He must hold his leadership to account and read the "riot act" to security personnel. There must be a clear mandate: any lapse in responsibility or failure to protect the people will be met with immediate and serious consequences.

Let assume what he narrated is true, this pose a great danger to him. What if the ex decides to infect him with a disease as a way to getting back at him.

The NNPC remains one of the greatest hurdles to our economic stability. Since the Dangote Refinery came online, we have already begun to see the Naira appreciate—a trend that should accelerate as we stop hemorrhaging over 80% of our foreign exchange earnings on fuel imports.

Imagine a Nigeria with multiple functional refineries of this scale. The economic benefits would be enormous: stabilized currency, lower logistics costs, and massive job creation. To get there, the primary duty of the government must shift; they must move away from direct control and instead focus on creating a conducive environment for the private sector to thrive.

Historically, the NNPC has operated in a way that feels anti-progress. They seem fully aware of how systemic corruption impacts the Nigerian populace, yet they have consistently prioritized institutional inertia over national reason. As a citizens, we must remain vigilant against any institution that appears more committed to our impoverishment than our growth.

muykem:
I support electronic transmission but we need to ask ourselves some question. For example, if saboteur cut Anambra state off of Internet on election day, what happened to results there?

You’re asking a valid question about internet sabotage, but why single out Anambra? What about Lagos or Adamawa? Network challenges are not peculiar to one region.

The real issue is this: why do we always reduce national reforms to ethnicity, tribe, or religion? Electoral transparency is not about Tinubu, Obi, or Atiku. It is about Nigeria.

If we truly want credible elections, we should focus on strengthening systems — redundancy, offline backups, satellite links, and secure data storage — rather than framing reforms around personalities or regions.

This is a golden opportunity to deepen trust in our electoral process. Let’s approach it from a national perspective, not a sectional one.

I have observed that some people are resorting to abuse and unfair language. This course benefits every Nigerian—except those who choose not to be patriotic.

Election results should reflect the will and choices of the people, not manipulation. Leadership must be based on a genuine mandate; if anyone is to lead, it should be by the consent of the governed. Sadly, some individuals within the so-called executive are pulling strings, believing they are acting on behalf of the president.

We must take the process of leadership recruitment very seriously. Otherwise, as has always been the case, the consequences will eventually affect everyone.

To those insulting the Obedient movement today, this is bigger than politics—it is about the future of our country. We must rise above division and unite to build a strong, collective citizens’ voice for the benefit of tomorrow.

This situation isn’t just about one man’s property documents — it speaks to a much bigger trust problem between banks and their customers.

When a bank holds onto someone’s collateral 25 years after the debt was fully repaid, and then ignores repeated visits, letters, and enquiries without any clear explanation, it undermines confidence in the banking system. A bank’s core promise to its customers is security, transparency, and respect for contractual obligations. When those basic expectations aren’t met, it makes ordinary people question whether they can trust financial institutions with their money and important documents.

Customers need to feel assured that once they fulfill their obligations, the bank will fulfill its own. The longer the bank avoids a clear resolution — especially after decades of silence — the more it fuels suspicions of incompetence, indifference, or lack of accountability. That’s bad for corporate reputation, bad for customer confidence, and ultimately weakens trust in the entire financial sector. A simple, prompt, and transparent resolution here would go a long way toward maintaining the credibility of the institution involved.

OP your pixel doesn't come with the original screen. Order original screen from ifixit.com, they ship to Nigeria. I've been using pixel for quite a long time and the experience can be compared to when I was using Samsung.

the judgement should be made to trend, discuss on radio station, social media, in that way we will reversing the anomaly in this country.

Natural I don’t understand why the Nigerian police behave so aggressively and put lives at risk. The police hierarchy must take responsibility and discipline officers who act this way. Treating anyone with a gun as inherently superior to someone without one is dangerous. There should be strict, public punishments for such actions to deter others.

THE NEED FOR PANIC EDUCATION

The tragic story of the Arise News correspondent who lost her life after jumping from a storey building when armed robbers invaded her estate should awaken us to a deeper issue — not just insecurity, but panic ignorance.

In that moment of fear, she acted on instinct — to escape. But panic can cloud judgment, distort perception, and make us take actions that endanger our lives even more than the threat itself. We need panic education — a deliberate effort to teach people how to respond in moments of intense fear or crisis. Just as we learn first aid, we must learn first response to panic.

Yet, beyond this, another tragedy unfolded. Reports say the hospital she was taken to refused her treatment. That, to me, was the real cause of her death. Our hospitals must return to the fundamental oath of medicine — to save life first, before asking questions. No human being should die at the gates of a hospital because of paperwork, protocol, or police report.

Her death is not only a lesson in insecurity — it’s an indictment on our healthcare system and a call for national reorientation.

We need panic education in schools, workplaces, estates, and churches.
We need emergency compassion in our hospitals.
And we need common humanity in our policies.

Because when fear meets ignorance, and compassion meets bureaucracy, lives are lost.

In every nation, there are institutions and organizations that should serve as guardians of the people’s collective wealth, protectors of economic stability, and partners in development. Sadly, in Nigeria, certain unions and associations within the petroleum sector have consistently shown themselves to be the opposite – wreckers of progress, saboteurs of stability, and economic terrorists in disguise.

The Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (PENGASSEN), the National Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG), and the Depot and Petroleum Products Marketers Association of Nigeria (DAPPMAN) have, for decades, wielded their power not to advance national prosperity, but to hold Nigeria hostage. With the strike of a pen or a sudden shutdown of operations, they paralyze the economy, cripple businesses, and unleash hardship on ordinary Nigerians.

The People as Collateral Damage

Each time these unions and associations flex their muscles, the victims are not the wealthy few who drive government policy. It is the ordinary Nigerian worker, the trader in the market, the commuter in the bus, and the small business owner trying to keep the lights on. By weaponizing fuel scarcity and strikes, they inflict pain on over 200 million people, while enriching themselves in negotiations struck behind closed doors.

When fuel queues stretch for kilometers, when transportation costs skyrocket, when generators fall silent because of scarce or overpriced fuel, who suffers? The masses. And yet, those who trigger these crises enjoy their privileges, salaries, and insider deals.

The Shameful Attack on Dangote Refinery

The most recent and shameful example was the joint action of NUPENG and PENGASSEN in shutting down the Dangote Refinery – a project that has brought succour to Nigeria, reduced dependence on fuel imports, created thousands of jobs, and contributed massively to our GDP.

Here is a refinery that has offered hope of cheaper fuel, a stronger naira, and a new industrial age for Nigeria. Yet, instead of supporting this landmark achievement, the unions chose to sabotage it. By shutting down operations, they not only undermined Nigeria’s march toward self-sufficiency in petroleum products but also sent a chilling message: that vested interests would rather see the country in perpetual scarcity than allow progress that benefits all Nigerians.

This reckless action is not labor activism; it is economic terrorism. It is not the pursuit of workers’ rights; it is a direct attack on Nigeria’s economic sovereignty.

Unions or Cartels?

Instead of acting like responsible labor bodies, PENGASSEN and NUPENG have morphed into cartels, protecting the interests of a few elites at the expense of national progress. DAPPMAN, on its part, consistently operates like a shadow government, manipulating supply to maximize profits while ordinary Nigerians bleed. Together, they form a triumvirate of economic terrorism, holding a nation hostage to fuel their private ambitions.

Mr. President, Enough is Enough

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, history offers you a chance to break this cycle. Nigerians cannot continue to live at the mercy of groups that have weaponized essential services. Just as no responsible nation allows terrorist groups to dictate the pace of its economy, Nigeria cannot continue to bow to the whims of petroleum unions and marketers who thrive on disruption.

Disbanding these unions and associations will not be easy, but it is necessary. Replace them with transparent, accountable, and people-oriented frameworks that prioritize the welfare of the nation over the comfort of a few. Let Nigerians see that leadership is strong enough to confront and dismantle the entrenched systems of sabotage.

Towards a New Order

Nigeria’s petroleum sector must be restructured for efficiency, not held captive by threats of strikes and supply manipulation. The rule of law must prevail over the rule of unions. And those who use essential commodities like fuel as bargaining chips should face the full weight of the law.

Mr. President, Nigerians elected you to fight for them. They did not elect PENGASSEN, NUPENG, or DAPPMAN. Stand with the people. Break the cycle. Disband these economic terrorists.

Only then will Nigeria truly begin its journey towards energy stability, economic freedom, and national renewal.

One of the most enduring questions in Nigeria’s political and economic life is: Why does corruption continue unabated, despite decades of “wars” and promises to end it? The answer, though uncomfortable, is clear—there is no just recompense for bad behaviour in our system. Chief among these behaviours is corruption itself.

In a society where crime is punished, the fear of consequence serves as a deterrent. But in Nigeria, corruption not only goes unpunished, it is often rewarded. Individuals accused of looting public funds are recycled into new political offices, celebrated at social events, or quietly allowed to enjoy their ill-gotten wealth. This cycle sends a dangerous message: that dishonesty and exploitation of the system pay better than honesty and integrity.

Government institutions appear toothless in the face of this rot, not necessarily because they lack the tools, but because they often lack the will. The suspicion among many Nigerians is that those tasked with fighting corruption are themselves entangled in it. After all, how does a government prosecute corruption effectively when its own hands are not clean? This complicity creates complacency, and complacency ensures continuity.

The ghost refineries in Port Harcourt, Warri, and Kaduna are a perfect example of this entrenched failure. Billions have been budgeted and spent over decades, yet not a drop of refined product has consistently come out of them. Who has been held accountable? Who has refunded the wasted funds? Instead, Nigerians are asked to endure more sacrifices while those responsible continue to live lavishly.

Until Nigeria embraces true accountability—where corruption leads not to profit but to real pain and consequence—the cycle will continue. As long as bad behaviour is tolerated, corruption will remain not just a problem but a way of life.

The question is: Do we as a people have the courage to demand a system that bites, or will we continue to accept a government that only barks?

The primary duty of any government is the protection of lives and property. Unfortunately, in Nigeria this obligation has been consistently undermined. What we see today is not merely a failure of capacity, but a failure of will. Security has been reduced to a political tool, where leaders downplay threats or shift blame depending on who is in power, while supporters echo excuses instead of demanding accountability.

The long-term consequences of this approach are grave: unchecked insecurity weakens economic activity, discourages investment, deepens poverty, and erodes public trust in state institutions. When citizens begin to see the state as incapable of protecting them, they turn to self-help, which only accelerates instability.

Government must therefore treat security as a non-negotiable priority, above politics and partisanship. Anything less will come at a cost too high for the nation to bear.

Ali Baba may have believed that since the case involved AMCON, a federal government agency, the original owners stood little chance of winning. He likely assumed that the weight of federal authority would prevail. However, the outcome proved otherwise, as the court’s ruling backfired against AMCON and, by extension, against his interests. This should serve as a lesson to everyone to be circumspect when caught in situations like this.

A governor does not have the constitutional right to unilaterally ban the sale of any item without a law passed by the appropriate legislative body. Actions like this, made without due process or legal backing, set a dangerous precedent and contribute to the rise of authoritarianism. Rule of law, not personal discretion, must guide governance in a democracy.

Akpakomiza2:
But the itsekiris are majority in Warri na

Do you live in warri to this?

Matthew 7: 15- 16 "Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravenous wolves. 16 You will know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes from thornbushes or figs from thistles? "

The corruption at the state level is very mind boggling. We so much concentrate on the centre forgetting the federating units.

I expect the EFCC is to be involved although I expect little or nothing as the outcome but at least...

Governor Sheriff Oborevwori of Delta State has ordered the immediate suspension of the state’s Commissioner for Agriculture and Natural Resources, Perekebena Omoun Perez.

The governor also ordered the ministry’s Permanent Secretary, Bennett Agamah; Assistant Director, Agricultural Engineering, Oki Yintareke; and the Chief Accountant, Gabriel Idiatacheko, “to proceed on compulsory leave until further notice in line with civil service extant rules.”

This was made known on Wednesday in a statement made available to journalists in Warri by the Secretary to the State Government (SSG), Dr. Kingsley Emu.
Oborevwori also set up a probe panel to investigate the suspended government officials.

The suspension, it was reliably gathered followed a report by SaharaReporters on the illegal transfer of N280million meant for agriculture programme into a private bank account.

SaharaReporters had last week reported that Perez Omoun, Delta State Commissioner for Agriculture and Natural Resources and the Permanent Secretary, Ben Agamah and workers in the ministry were accused of illegally transferring N280million meant for agricultural programmes to a private account.

This violates the Public Procurement Act.

Raising the alarm, sources in the ministry had told SaharaReporters that the N280 million which was meant for an agricultural programme called “Accelerated Agricultural Development Scheme (AADS), was illegally transferred in tranches and to a private account by the commissioner in connivance with the permanent secretary.

One of the sources had said, "Since this illegal transaction came to our notice, it has been a topic in the ministry where staff discussed it in hushed tones. The commissioner and permanent secretary have committed the same offence committed by the suspended Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation, Betta Edu and apart from that, the civil service rules and the financial regulations policy of this country actually frown on this kind of transaction which encourages corruption.

“It is illegal to send public funds to private accounts. The N280 million was illegally transferred into the private account of one Engineer Oki in three tranches. This is how the commissioner in connivance with his permanent secretary illegally transferred the money into the private account of Engineer Oki. N100 million was first transferred in the first tranche, the second tranche was N80 million and the third tranche was N100 million making the N280 million. There was no committee set up; nothing was set up for the money before this financial crime was carried out.

"I am using this opportunity to call on the state governor, His Excellency Rt. Hon. Sheriff Oborevwori to set up a panel to investigate the commissioner and the permanent secretary who are currently boasting that nothing will happen. I am also calling on the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to come into the matter as well." the source had stated.

Another staff member of the ministry privy to the transfer had called on the state governor, Sheriff Oborevwori to keenly monitor all the ministries, government agencies and parastatals to curb corruption and fraudulent activities adding that "The ministry of the agriculture and natural resources is one of the powerful ministries where huge funds are allocated to carry out agricultural programmes. Millions of naira are always allocated to the ministry and if there are no mechanisms to check the usage of such public funds, you will see commissioner, permanent secretary and senior staff looting the funds left and right. The illegal transfer of the N280 million to a private account by the commissioner in connivance with the permanent secretary is the talk of the ministry and it must be investigated.

"I’m not surprised and we can't forget in a hurry what happened in December 2020, when this same commissioner for agriculture, Perez Omoun, who was the then-chairman of Patani Local Government Area was remanded in Ogwashi-Uku Correctional Centre by a magistrate court sitting in Asaba for allegedly attacking the then-state commissioner for energy, Basil Ganagana. Omoun was arrested and charged to court by the police on four counts bordering on intent to cause grievous harm, unlawfully wound, maliciously damage and attempting to commit suicide but he pleaded not guilty to the charges.

"Following his plea, the prosecutor, F. O. Itua, urged the court to remand him since the court lacked the jurisdiction to adjudicate on the suit. Subsequently, the presiding magistrate, V. O. Okonta, ordered the remand of Omoun at the Ogwashi-Ukwu Correctional Centre till December 30, 2020 pending the determination of his bail application and the issue of jurisdiction raised by the prosecutor. However, some top politicians in the state especially his colleagues under the umbrella of ALGON had to beg Basil Ganagana to forgive him and the matter was withdrawn. He was set free and we hope he leads the ministry well as a commissioner. It's unfortunate though.", the staff had stated.

It was gathered on Tuesday that the commissioner, permanent secretary some others had been holding a series of meetings in the ministry since news about the transfer broke.

When contacted, the permanent secretary of the Ministry of Agriculture and Natural Resources, Ben Agamah, had sounded nervous and after questioning, he had said: "Please give me some minutes, I will call you back to speak with the person in charge of that schedule to explain to you better.” However, he did not call back.
When contacted, the state commissioner for agriculture and natural resources, Perez Omoun, had declined comment and simply said "Please write me a letter officially, and after my approval, I will give you a date you can come to my office for this interview."

Workers in the ministry have called for an in-depth investigation into the matter and the immediate sacking of those connected to the transactions to serve as a deterrent to others.

https://saharareporters.com/2024/01/31/delta-governor-oborevwori-suspends-commissioner-permanent-secretary-others-after

As a country we can not move forward if we have a total disrespect for the rule of law. This APC government has shown the capacity severally to undermine our common equality, the law, and sadly some of us are cheering them on. It most unfortunate.

We must stand with the law at all times even if it's against our sentiment, otherwise we will all be casualties of the big man system we have created.

Progress is prescipitated on the absoluteness of the rule of law.

We should be careful of the things we say, tolerance should be a virtue.

Obasanjo is an elderstate man, his service to this nation Nigeria and Africa is beyond estimation. We should not because of politics or hatred rubbish his services, in fact his services tower far above all presidential candidates.

President Obasanjo like every other Nigerian has endorse his candidate, we should be fine with it, because it is his own right, after all this will not be his first, so this bullying should stop hence forth.

Nairaland, I wish the government can clamp down on members especially moderators because the amount of ethnic hate been display here is very worrying.

See ehn this country it seems president Buhari is not in charge, for certain persons to challenge policies that the president has consented to, and even plotting to truncate and undermine these policies without thinking of the consequences from the president shows president Buhari has lost it.

The president needs to bear the full weight of his office to restore sanity to governance.

Well meaning Nigerians should constantly called a spade a spade, we should have no place for indiscipline and big man syndrome. Nigeria is our only country and should be protected and sustained for the next generation.

Please president Buhari exert the full weight of the presidency, enough of this show of disrespect, and 'who dey there mentality'.