₦airaland Forum

Ekumankama Nkama has written to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on his decision to withdraw as the surety of Anyim Pius Anyim, former secretary to the government of the federation (SGF).

Nkama, commissioner of investment & Abuja liaison, Ebonyi state government, disclosed this in a letter dated November 30 and addressed to the anti-graft agency.

Anyim, former senate president, is under investigation by the EFCC for reportedly using firms in which he had interest to award contracts to the tune of N13 billion from the Ecological Fund Account domiciled in his office.

The commission is also investigating how Anyim spent the sum of N520 million he allegedly collected from the office of the national security adviser under Sambo Dasuki on the eve of the 2015 presidential election.

He was arrested in November 2017 and later granted bail, with Nkama standing as his surety.

But the commissioner said recent events have compelled him to withdraw as surety to Anyim, citing the case of Ali Ndume, senator representing Borno south, and Abdulrasheed Maina, former chairman of the Pension Reform Task Team (PRTT).

Maina is being prosecuted by the EFCC for alleged money laundering to the tune of N2 billion.

Ndume had agreed to stand as surety for Maina who is facing trial on 12 counts of alleged money laundering, a decision he would later regret.

One of the terms of the bail is for the senator to accompany the defendant to court on every date fixed for trial.

But Maina, who was released on July 28 after spending nine months in Kuje prison, went into hiding and refused to appear in court since his trial resumed on September 29.

In November, a federal high court in Abuja ordered that Ndume be remanded over the disappearance of Maina.

Maina was eventually arrested in Niger Republic on Monday and extradited to Nigeria.

Nkama said his decision to withdraw as surety for Anyim would avail him the peace of mind he needs to discharge his duties.

He also cited “recent events” in his state as reason for his decision.

David Umahi, governor of Ebonyi, and Anyim have been at loggerheads since Umahi defected from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the All Progressives Congress (APC).

Last Wednesday, Umahi sacked his political appointees from Ivo local government area of the state where Anyim hails from.

“I, Ekumankama, Joseph Nkama, commissioner of investment & Abuja liaison, Ebonyi state government, wish to formally withdraw as surety for his excellency, senator Anyim Pius Anyim,” Nkama wrote.

“You may recall, sir, that senator Anyim Pius Anyim was detained while under investigation and when granted bail conditions by commission, I availed myself as his surety knowing fully well the adverse effect his action and inaction could impose on my constitutional rights should he decide to act in a manner devoid of the expectations of him by the commission.

“Sir, I regret to inform you that recent events in the last two weeks in my state has given me food for thought and my conscience could no longer allow me to continue to stand as a surety for senator Pius Anyim.

“I have also considered the recent event involving Senator Ali Ndume and Mr Abdulrasheed Maina, former chairman of the defunct pension reform task team, I am most particularly convinced that my decision to withdraw as surety will best grant me the needed peace to function effectively in all responsibilities demanded of me.”

The Defence Headquarters says the decision to engage mercenaries to assist the military in defeating the Boko Haram insurgency is squarely for the Federal Government to take.

It noted that the security forces cannot challenge the initiative, stressing that it was up to Nigerians and the government to contract the private army.

Following the killing of over 43 rice farmers in Zabarmari, Borno State, by Boko Haram insurgents last Saturday, Governor Babagana Zulum had demanded the engagement of foreign mercenaries to tackle the militants.

Endorsing Zulum’s demand, the governors of North-East states said the thought of hiring mercenaries to fight Boko Haram should be taken seriously.

But responding to a question from The PUNCH during the weekly briefing on the security operations across the country in Abuja on Thursday, the Coordinator, Defence Media Operations, Maj. Gen. John Enenche said the military had no business debating the proposal, adding that it was diligently prosecuting the war, and focused on victory.

He stated, “Request or proposal to engage mercenaries, that is at a very high level. The kind of armed forces and security agencies you have now is normally determined by the people.

”It (engagement of mercenaries) is not in our powers. It is a kind of force package; it is what the government wants. It is not for the military to begin to contend.”

“No armed forces anywhere will tell the people, ‘this is how we want to operate.’ The legislators, National Security Council, will decide on it,” he added.

When asked if the military was overstretched and overwhelmed as stated by the Chairman, Nigerians Governors Forum, Governor Kayode Fayemi, on Wednesday, Enenche said it is for the authorities to decide if this was true.

“It is not for the military to say, we are overstretched; I am not overstretched. If I say, I am overstretched, that means, I don’t want to work. And if I say, I am not overstretched, that means, I am under-utilised”, the general noted.

The media Coordinator said the armed forces and other security agencies have continued to deal deadly blows to insurgents and bandits in the North-East and North-West regions.

Senate Committee on Finance, Customs and Public Procurement has been mandated by the Senate to consider among others the taxation of the premium bouquet of PayTv, diversification of economy among other and report back in one week.

The resolution of the Senate followed consideration of the Finance Bill for a second reading by senators who canvassed various positions on how to fetch more revenue for the 2021 budget.

Senators argued that oil revenue dims and are not likely to rebound in the next few months, the only option left is to tax the system but this they maintained must not be oppressive.


Earlier in the debate, the premium bouquet of the Paytv, Digital Satellite Television (DSTV) was considered a luxury item to be harvested into the tax net as the Federal Government seeks to expand revenue sources to fund the 2021 budget.


This came to the fore on Wednesday at plenary when Senator Yusuf Yusuf Taraba Central (PDP) told the Senate that a great part of foreign reserve is lost in luxury items and services rendered in Nigeria.

He cited digital Paytv services offered by DSTV to fall into this category.

He said the Premium bouquet which cost between N16,000 and N18,000 should be taxed especially as over one million Nigerians use this bouquet.

Yusuf said the Bill should serve as a tax reform that should protect local industries to grow the economy as he recommended a 5 per cent support in this direction.

He said this has become imperative as Nigerian poor have been subsidizing the rich whereas in other danger climes, it is the rich that subsidizes the poor.

According to Senator Yusuf: “In this country I dare say that the poor is subsidizing the rich because , the rich are always in a position to protect their interest by ensuring that the tax they pay is actually not commensurate with the revenue that they have.


“As I look around sir, 80 to 90 per cent of what we wear is foreign and that has been draining the meagre foreign exchange that we have. So this tax reform bill, I want to see it to discourage our own interests in foreign goods textiles and services that we earn.

“Therefore it is absolutely necessary that we should use them as example, sir. We have so many luxury items, for example, is the DSTV. For me it is a luxury item, they are nearly over one million subscribers and many of them are subscribing between the rates of N15,000 and N18,000 monthly.

“That is one area that we need to look into to tax those high brackets of subscribers. Also, this tax reform bill by looking at all those areas will be kind of a way of using the tax reforms to diversify our economy.

“We have been trying to do this since 1979 but we have not gotten it right because the rich are protecting themselves to the extent that they do not want diversification of this economy, so we must use the tax reform bill to diversify our economy otherwise as we continue to rely on crude oil we will continue until we get stickers and we can’t get out,” Yusuf stated


Earlier in his submission, Senator Abdullahi Aliero Kebbi South called on the federal government to review its import duty rate to a rather friendlier rate so as not to push importers to the old practice of berthing their goods at neighbouring ports for onward transportation into the country.

He said high duty rate leads the nation to lose the revenue derivable from the imports, thus the Customs service should act accordingly.

Senator Ike Ekweremadu, in his consideration of the bill pointed out that care is taken to avoid oppressive taxation on Nigerians.


He asked the Senate to find out the depository account of stamp duty on every transaction with the bank.

Ekweremadu said the Senate should not hurry on the bill especially as it would outlive the 2021 budget, therefore, it should hasten to pass the bill but subject but to public scrutiny.

The executive bill seeks to amend the Capital Gains Tax Act; Companies Income Tax Act; Personal Income Tax Act; Tertiary Education Trust Fund (Establishment) Act; Customs and Excise Tariff, etc (Consolidated) Act.


It also seeks to rework the Value Added Tax; Federal Inland Revenue Service (Establishment) Act; Nigeria Export Processing Zone Act; Oil and Gas Export Free Zone Act; Fiscal Responsibility Act; Companies and Allied Matters Act 2020; and Public Procurement Act.

These being sought are in order to make further provisions in connection with Federal Government Financial Management; Public Revenue and other relevant matters.

The Senate leader who sponsored the bill said Amend certain aspects of the Fiscal Responsibility Act, to align this Act with the 1999 Constitution (as amended), as well as to enhance fiscal efficiencies by controlling the cost-to-revenue ratios of key State and Government Owned Enterprises; and


Amend the Public Procurement Act, to implement key procurement reforms previously proposed by the National Assembly, in 2019, to extend the scope of the Act to the Federal Judiciary and Legislature, accelerate procurement processes, increase mobilization fee thresholds and provide for essential procurement reforms.

As such, the 2021 Appropriation Bill is based on the provisions of this Bill. The additional revenues will be used to fund health, education and infrastructure.

A critical component of the bill is that of the Value address Tax which had proposed changes that may have informed the caution by some Senators Ike Ekweremadu and Aliero.


“Section 4 of the VAT Act has been amended by increasing the value-added tax payable by consumers from 5% to 7.5%. Section 19 increased the penalty payable by a taxable person for non-remittance within the specified period from 5% to 10%.

“Under section 28, the penalty for failure to give notice of change of address or permanent cessation of business was increased from N 5000 to N 50, 000 in the first month and N25000 in subsequent months.

“There is a new section 8 of the VAT Act to cater for the registration of a taxable person upon commencement of business. The penalty for failure to register has been increased from N10, 000 to N50, 000 in the first month and from N 5, 000 to N 25, 000 in the subsequent months. However, the time within which a taxable person is required to register with the service is not specified under the new law as the law simply hinged the time “upon commencement of business.” This is somehow ambiguous and may be subject for court’s interpretation.

“The new section 15 of VAT introduces a threshold for VAT compliance. Thus companies with turnover of N25, 000, 000. 00 or more shall render their tax on or before the 2lst of every month.

“Mr President, my highly respected colleagues, It is absolutely essential to intensify the revenue generation efforts of, this Administration and its commitment to ensuring that the inconvenience associated With any fiscal policy adjustments, is moderated, such that the poor and the vulnerable, who are most at risk, do not bear the brunt of these reforms,” Senator Yahaya stated.

The Federal High Court, Abuja, on Wednesday sacked Prof. Kemebradikumo Pondei, Mr Cairo Ojougboh, Dr Joi Nunieh and others from functioning on the board of the Niger Delta Development Commission, (NDDC).

In suit numbered ABJ/CS/617/2020, Justice Ahmed Mohammed, in a ruling on an application by a Civil Society Organization, Forum for Accountability and Good Governance, the court restrained them from parading themselves as Board members of the NDDC.

The court also granted leave to the applicant to apply for judicial review of the power of the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria or the Minister of the Niger Delta to appoint Pondei, Ojougboh and others in an interim capacity as members of the NDDC Board.

The judge also granted leave to the applicant to apply for judicial review for an Order of Mandamus compelling the ICPC, sued as the 9th Defendant in the Suit to investigate the Minister of Niger Delta, Sen. Godswill Akpabio and the 5 members of the Board over allegations of N3 Billion contract fraud.

By this order of the court, the members of the NDDC Board are restrained from performing the functions of the Board pending the hearing and determination of the Motion on notice which is fixed for Dec. 8, 2020.

The plaintiff in the suit said it has notified President Muhammadu Buhari, the Attorney General of the Federation, the SGF, the DSS, the EFCC and ICPC of the interim vacancy in the commission.

The plaintiff also urged that the most senior civil servant or administrator in the commission be appointed while praying that the suspended officers be stopped from accessing the commission’s offices and files as they could tamper with evidence which could be used by the ICPC in its probe.

Parties joined in the suit are the Attorney General of the Federation, the Senate of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Honourable Minister of the Niger Delta, Prof Kemebradikumo Pondei, Dr Cairo Ojougboh, Dr Joi Nunieh, Mrs Caroline Nagbo, Cecilia Bukola Akintomide and the Independent Corrupt Practices and other related offences commission.

Thomas Agboola

Barely a week ago, Justice Salami-led presidential panel investigating allegations against the suspended Acting Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Mr Ibrahim Magu, submitted its report to President Muhammadu Buhari without making its findings public.

Since then, there have been uneasy silence in the country on the issue – no one is saying anything or asking the panel to disclose if indeed Magu was found wanting, in any way, concerning all the allegations stacked against him. Is this a conspiracy of silence or brickwall mounted by a biting conscience?


Borrowing the word of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, “It’s every man’s business to see justice done.” All of us cannot be silenced on a matter of perceived injustice. The Justice Salami-led presidential panel seemed to have generated so much mudraking and a dash of politics. Salami has proven to be the agent that will nail the coffin on the anti-corruption war in the country with his panel’s ”out of order” recommendations on the EFCC which is Nigeria’s leading anti-corruption agency with unbeatable track-record.

The seven-man panel, inaugurated on July 3, 2020, with a 45-day mandate to conclude its findings and submit a report on the alleged infractions by Magu from 2015 to May 2020, took over three months to conclude its findings with lots of drama that followed the leaking of its activities to some online medium despite being done in secrecy.

For more than 90 days, the panel could not have a clear-cut direction or convinced observers that it was not established to persecute individuals regarded as enemies by some top government officials.

What is more appalling was that the Attorney-General of the Federation (AGF) and Minister of Justice, Mr Abubakar Malami (SAN), who is Magu’s accuser, dictated the proceedings and outcome of the Salami-led panel.

On October 6, 2020, Saharareporters reported that Malami has constituted an in-house panel to write a report for the Justice Ayo Salami-led investigative panel probing Magu. This report was neither countered by the Salami-led panel, the AGF nor the government in question.

The online medium, while quoting sources, said, the report by Malami’s committee will be adopted and submitted to President Muhammadu Buhari.

”It was further gathered that the AGF was using his closeness to the President and the inability of Justice Salami to function optimally due to age constraints, to turn the entire case on its head in a bid to nail Magu, ” it reported.

Now the panel had submitted its report in which it said it received 46 petitions and had 113 witnesses. But it failed to tell the Nigerian people and the global community the full outcome of its findings, if indeed Magu abused his office as alleged.

One cannot be condemned or declared guilty on a number of petitions and witnesses without proper investigation with proven evidence.

All that Salami said while presenting the report to President Buhari was that ”the Commission embarked on a nationwide physical verification of recovered forfeited assets, comprising real estates, automobiles, vessels and non-cash assets, ” which are part of the outstanding achievements of Magu. But Justice Ayo Salami in his panel report didn’t say what happened to the assets, if indeed Magu sold them to his cronies as alleged.

It is instructive to note that Justice Salami commended the President for the initiative to dispose of all forfeited assets ‘’because of the poor condition of the assets we saw during our physical verification nationwide.’’

Perhaps, it’s important to note that the said assets Salami commended President Buhari for approving their disposal, was the same Malami constituted a 22-man committee to dispose, without waiting for the Salami-led panel to conclude its findings.

In the recommendations of the report, the retired Justice of the Court of Appeal noted that the four chairmen of EFCC since inception were from the police.

The former PCA also recommended that ”in appointing a new chairman, consideration should be given to candidates from other law enforcement or security agencies and a core staff of the EFCC as provided in the EFCC establishment Act of 2004.”

The EFCC, by its establishment, is a law enforcement agency, therefore, cannot operate without the involvement of police or security agencies.

Salami expressed profound gratitude to the President for giving members of his panel, a wonderful opportunity to serve the nation.

At least Salamai should have told the President, Nigerians and the international community what they discovered in the EFCC from 2015 to May 2020 under Magu’s stewardship based on the allegations.

The panel had three areas of focus: mismanagement of confiscated assets, abuse of office and insubordination. But the Salami report did not mention anything on these areas or Magu, instead it went ahead outside its jurisdiction to recommend for the appointment of a new chairman, withdrawal of police and selling of the assets.

The Salami panel, which was set up by President Buhari to probe allegations of impropriety in the commission, recommended the appointment of new EFCC boss from outside the police and the disengagement of police officers from the agency within two years.

“It is also important to point out that at the moment, 970 policemen (114 drivers, 641 mobile policemen and 215 operators ), are on secondment in the EFCC. Therefore, an exit plan for the disengagement of the police and other personnel within two years from now should be considered. This will address the issue of no promotion of core staff for over nine years,” Salami told the president while submitting the report on Friday.

The irony of this whole drama is that while the panel was yet to submit its report the AGF Malami has constituted a 22-man committee for the sale of the seized assets.

Again, few days before the Salami-led panel submitted its report to the President, the Code of Conduct Bureau (CCB) invited the suspended Chairman of the EFCC to appear before it for questioning over alleged secret account which he allegedly failed to declare.

Magu was invited via a letter with reference number CCB/HQ/II&M/007/2093 dated November 2, 2020. He was asked to come along with acknowledgement copies of all asset declaration forms since joining the public service as well as his payslips and land documents.

Does it mean that the Salami panel which sat for over 90 days could not extend its investigation to assets declaration or what kind of probe did the panel did to have arrived at its recommendations?

Magu was also addressed as ‘former chairman’ of the EFCC in the CCB’s letter even though he had not yet been officially sacked.” What this implies is that the CCB is also doing the bidding of Magu’s accusers who might have been looking for another means to castigate him, seeing that the Salami panel couldn’t produce a substantial proof on his allegations against the suspended anti-graft czar.

Nigerians and the international community are watching and following keenly the unfolding drama in this case.

It is time for the federal government to disclose to the public the findings of the Salami-led panel on the allegations against the suspended acting chairman of the EFCC.

The presidency should adhere to international standards by constituting a committee to look into the report and produce a White Paper before President Buhari could make a pronouncement on Magu or is the federal government that prides itself as one that adheres to rule of law trying to jump the gun?

In all of these, so much depends on Buhari himself. He needs to live and be seen to live above board. As long as the core leadership is clean, any backsliding can be brought under control.

A damp muddle is hanging precariously over the President’s fight against corruption. Apart from the nasty allegations and counter-allegations emerging from the Ayo Salami presidential panel, which probed Magu, inter-agency rivalry in the fight against corruption has returned to the fore.

Discomfiting as the allegations are, they are generating more confusion because of the secrecy surrounding the probe of Magu and the top hierarchy of the EFCC.

This atmosphere of hypothesising creates distrust among the public on the true intentions of the regime’s anti-graft war, but openness can extensively repair the damage.

In the words of a public analyst: “Magu’s ill-treatment has shown that no one will be willing to sacrifice himself and his life to the fight against corruption in the future for fear of offending the political class who are using their evil machination to manipulate the president.

“Those in government stole billions of naira to embark on a nationwide property craze which the suspended chairman vowed to unravel. Some individuals also conspired to pull him out of the commission to hide their true nature. This is responsible for their current desperation to ensure he does not return to the commission for fear of reprisal.

“To understand the nature of the suspended chairman regarding corruption, only recently the National Assembly, during the Commission’s budget defence, discovered that a whopping N6 billion was left in the coffers of the Commission because of prudent management.”

There are many accusations against AGF Malami, including the allegation that he sold five oil vessels forfeited to the Federal Government to a company that was under trial for oil theft.

Malami was too embroiled in the investigation of the Magu-led EFCC. He should have stood down from ministerial duties to allow unfettered investigations into the activities of all the agencies connected with the anti-graft crusade.

According to Martin Luther King, “Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere. We are caught in an inescapable network of mutuality, tied in a single garment of destiny. Whatever affects one directly, affects all indirectly.”

Public affairs analysts and political pundits have said that President Buhari has been softened and weakened by the comforts of power, thereby allowing himself to be misled by some members of his cabinet.

Mahatma Gandhi said, “There is a higher court than courts of justice and that is the court of conscience. It supercedes all other courts.”

The President appears to be missing his tracks and also not providing that ethical leadership either, which is critically needed for his change agenda.

In order for President Buhari to bequeath a legacy of cleanliness, the anti-graft fight needs to be deeper and better coordinated. One thing will make the anti-graft crusade work: ethical and incorruptible leadership from him.

This compels a strategic initiative and a new beginning while Mr President should ensure that all those accused reasonably of corruption stepped aside for prosecution, exploiting the Administration of Criminal Justice Act to fast track their trials.

Everyone is keenly watching and waiting to see how President Buhari will act on the report of the Justice Ayo Salami report which of course has been doctored by the one who raised the allegations.

The Mozambican government has expelled two police training instructors after they were found guilty of impregnating a total of 15 students at a police training school.

Confirming the news, Minister of Justice, Constitutional and Religious Affairs in the Republic of Mozambique, Helena Kida said an inquiry into the incident had started.

Kida said it is unclear how many students the two impregnated but reports had it that 15 police trainees had been impregnated after they were “harassed” into having relationships with instructors.

According to reports, the two were accused of sexual abuse meted upon 15 women trainees at the Matalana police practical school, on the outskirts of Maputo town.

“The two have so far been expelled from the corporation and a culmination of the disciplinary proceedings instituted against them. They have been accused of sexual harassments which led to 15 trainees becoming pregnant,” stated Kida

Reports of female recruits’ harassment first popped up at the facility in August this year. Justice for the women has since been demanded by the Mozambique Police Association.

Despite having their training course cut short, Mozambican President Filipe Nyusi assured the 15 trainees that they will be allowed to continue with their training at a future date.

Suspected gunmen have abducted the wife and son of a security detail of former Vice President Atiku Abubakar.

The kidnappers were believed to have gone for the said aid to Atiku, whose name is not given but confirmed to be a police personnel, but took his wife and son when they did not meet the man.

Sources said Wednesday that the incident took place in the night of Monday in Yolde-Pate, Yola, when the target was believed to be still around after reportedly having come to town with Atiku for the weekend.

“The kidnappers believed that the police personnel, being so close to Atiku, would have money, so they went for him but took his wife and son when they did not find him,” a source said.

Our correspondent also learnt Wednesday morning that a brother of one of the state lawmakers was abducted about the same time elsewhere in Adamawa State.

Local sources said an elder brother of the state Majority Leader Hammantukur Yetisuri was abducted from his home in Jada Mbulo by gunmen who demanded N50 million as ransom.

The sources said the gunmen got to the community around 2am shooting into the area and breaking into the house of the lawmaker’s brother.

“They got away with the man, shouting that they would not return the man unless the family paid N50 million,” a source said.

The Public Relations Officer of the Adamawa State Police Command, DSP Suleiman Nguroje, confirmed the two abductions, including the aid to Atiku being a police officer, but he did not give names.

He gave assurance that the police would do everything to free the abducted people and bring the gunmen to book.

Minister of Information and Culture, Lai Mohammed, says the Nigerian economy is doing well compared to the economies of South Africa, Russia and other countries in recession.

He said the recession is inevitable due to the global collapse in oil prices occasioned by the coronavirus pandemic.

The minister spoke Wednesday on NTA Good Morning Nigeria Show monitored by The PUNCH.

The PUNCH had reported that amid a rising debt profile, inflation and unemployment, the Nigerian economy shrank again in the third quarter of this year.

This year’s recession is the worst in 36 years as data obtained from the World Bank indicated that the country’s Gross Domestic Product dropped by 10.92 per cent in 1983 and 1.2 per cent in 1984.

The National Bureau of Statistics, in its report for third quarter of 2020 released on Saturday, said the GDP, the broadest measure of economic prosperity, fell by 3.62 per cent in the three months up till September.

But speaking today, the minister said the government is optimistic that with its intervention measures, the recession will be short-lived.

Mohammed said, “It is true we are in a recession. Recession comes when a country records two consecutive quarters of negative growths. But we must go beyond that to understand that despite that, our economy is still very well in circumstances.

“The main reason why we have entered into this recession is the oil sector. The oil sector recorded -13.89% and that is the worst in 14 quarters. Of course, it is easy to understand why; with the pandemic, there is low demand for oil…but when you look at the non-oil sector which is about -2.51 % in Q3, it is far better than what it was in the Q2.

“Overall, yes, we are in a recession and it is inevitable but while our Q2 result was -6.1%, South Africa was -50% and as we speak today, Finland, Hungary, Spain, Mexico, Russia, Romania, Belgium, Austria have all fallen into recession.

“But we are very confident that with the intervention policies, with the fiscal and monetary interventions the government has put in place, the recession will be short-lived.”

The federal government yesterday said it was unperturbed by resolutions of the United Kingdom parliamentarians for sanctions against top Nigerian officials and security agents involved in the alleged violation of #EndSARS protesters’ rights as it did not represent the position of the British government.


Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, told THISDAY in Abuja that the UK government will not sanction Nigerian officials based on a fake report.

He was reacting to Monday’s resolutions taken after the parliamentarians had considered a petition signed by 220, 000 signatories in the aftermath of the alleged shooting of protesters at the Lekki Tollgate on October 20, calling, among others, for sanction against indicted Nigerian officials.

However, while the pan-Yoruba socio-cultural group, Afenifere, and the Pan Niger Delta Forum (PANDEF) hailed the decision of the UK parliament, the Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF) said it was losing confidence in the UK lawmakers.


Also yesterday, there was an uproar on the floor of the Senate as senators demanded the setting aside of one percent of proceeds from the Value Added Tax (VAT) to compensate Lagos State and others affected by the violence associated with the #ENDSARS protests nationwide.

Meanwhile, despite the federal government’s protest over its earlier report on the Lekki Tollgate shootings, for which it demanded a retraction, the CNN yesterday aired a second report on the incident, in which it analysed CCTV footage tendered before the Lagos State Judicial Commission of Inquiry probing the matter, to show that soldiers fired at the protesters.


The UK Parliament’s Petitions Committee had on Monday debated the motion “that this House has considered e-petition 554150, relating to Nigeria and the sanctions regime.”

Petitions debates are general debates, which allow members of parliament from all parties to deliberate on crucial issues raised by one or more petitions, and put their concerns to government ministers.

A member of the Petitions Committee, Theresa Villiers MP, opened the debate, while the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office sent a minister to respond.


However, Mohammed in an exclusive interview with THISDAY said there was no reason for the federal government to be worried by the UK Parliament’s resolution.

The minister stated that what the UK Parliament relied on to arrive at its resolutions were fake news and hearsay.

Mohammed said: “The federal government is not panicky at all. The resolution of the UK Parliament is not necessarily the decision of the UK government.


“And no responsible government will consider sanctioning the federal government based on fake news and hearsay without getting in touch with the government.

“Two issues – the resolution of the UK Parliament doesn’t represent the position of the government of the UK and only the government can sanction and parliament can only make resolutions.

“Secondly, we are very confident that no responsible government, no serious government, is going to consider imposing sanctions on other countries based on fake news and unverified videos.


“They will also do their own painstaking investigations and also ask for the side of the country. So, we have no reason to panic at all because we know that all the evidence before them is fake news- nothing of big news.”

Also reacting to CNN’s second report, the minister said he had watched the video and there was nothing in it to disprove Nigeria’s position that there were no fatalities arising from the Lekki Tollgate shootings as soldiers only fired blank bullets.


He added: “Nothing new – CNN is desperate and they are grasping at straws. I have watched the video. We have asked questions: where are the bodies they are claiming? And it is very important to do that. CNN was never at the gate on 20th October

“The BBC reporter that was there reported that the soldiers did not shoot into the crowd. And then the CNN is being clever by half.

“The same CNN on October 23 on its Twitter handle tweeted that 38 lives were lost. A month later after their so-called intensive investigation, they came out and said only one person was killed.


“And people are not even noticing this inconsistency. The truth of the matter is that CNN has been caught in the glare of its own fake news and misinformation and it is just struggling and you know we have written an official letter to CNN.

“The facts are clear. All the videos they are using, none of them can show us dead bodies. They claimed soldiers went and dumped the bodies elsewhere, so those people have no relations.


“They have no parents, and a month after they can’t come out and say my son and daughter went to the tollgate and did not come back. CNN was unprofessional, unfair and reckless.”

THE Police and vigilante group in Ogwashi-Uku, Aniocha South Local Government Area, Delta State, have caught two boys with a coffin of female pants and brassieres.

The suspects, who were apprehended in Agidiehe quarters of the community at about 9.30p.m. on Wednesday night, a dependable source told newsmen, were intercepted by the vigilante members, before policemen were invited.

The source said women and youths from the neighbourhood expressed anger over the activities of the boys suspected to be “Yahoo boys” (internet fraudsters).

According to the source, “The crowd would have mobbed the boys if not for the intervention of the police.

“Where did they get the pants and other female items in the coffin? The law should take its course to serve as a deterrent to others.”

Confirming the arrest, the Police Public Relations Officer in the state, DSP Onome Onowakpoyeya, said the boys were in possession of the coffin for alleged ritual purposes.

Onowakpoyeya said the female pants, brassieres and other items were seen in the coffin when the suspects were forced to open it.

She added that the Command had stepped up investigation into the matter.

The victim was seen gasping for breath and unconscious in a video obtained by SaharaReporters while one of his colleagues tried desperately to revive him immediately after the shooting.

A policeman attached to the convoy of Speaker of Nigeria's House of Representatives, Femi Gbajabiamila, has allegedly shot dead a newspaper vendor named Elechi Emmanuel at the Federal Secretariat in Abuja.

The victim was seen gasping for breath and unconscious in a video obtained by SaharaReporters while one of his colleagues tried desperately to revive him immediately after the shooting.

It was gathered that newspaper vendors upon sighting the Speaker's convoy gathered to hail him but the overzealous security detail opened fire on them, killing Emmanuel in the process.

A source confirmed to SaharaReporters that the victim was rushed to the National Hospital where he was confirmed dead.

Media aide to the Speaker, Lanre Lasisi, did not respond to calls and a text message from our correspondent as at the time of this report.

The incident comes weeks after Nigerian youth took to the streets across the country to demand an end to police brutality and extrajudicial killings especially by operatives of the now disbanded Special Anti-Robbery Squad unit of the Nigeria Police Force.

The Inspector General of Police, Mohammed Adamu, has said the loss of confidence between the Police and the Nigerians was one of the major challenges hampering effective discharge of the Force responsibility.

He said introduction of community policing was part of the efforts aimed at rebuilding the lost confidence.

Adamu, who was represented at a policy dialogue on policing organised by the House of Representatives to collate views on a bill to amend the Police Service Commission act by DIG Olushola Oyebande, said management of the Police was working on regaining public trust.

He said: “We all know that constitutionally, the police have legal rights to live and legally speaking, the constitution guarantees a position where they can even use their fire arms to defend themselves when the situation demands.

“Within all that, we have asked them not to do anything that will bring colossal loss to members of the public.

“Going forward, there’s a lot of confidence building mechanism that’s being put in place to retrain the police to bring back confidence.

“Now a major problem is lack of confidence between the police and members of the public.

“That’s why the present administration came up with community policing and we are trying to see how it will work.

“It’s the best form of policing and a global phenomenon. I was part of the team that went to do the research.

“There’s a lot of distrust and disconnect between the police and the public. So the community policing will try to bring this into focus and to bridge that gap.

“It’s going to be community driven and problem solving. We want to involve the community, the locals to be part of policing of the area.

“They know the culture, the language, topography and that’s why we’re having the community policing initiative to train the locals to join us. So we don’t prevent proactive policing, rather than being reactive.”

The management of Dangote Refinery and Petrochemicals has disclosed that the 650,000 barrels per day project will create jobs for not less than 250,000 Nigerians when completed next year. Group Executive Director, Strategy and Capital Projects, Dangote Industries Limited, Mr. Devakumar Edwin, told reporters at the site that the refinery had potential to turn around Nigeria’s economy with the employment of thousands of Nigerians for direct and indirect jobs.

He said the huge unemployment rate of Nigerian youths, the need to make the country self-reliant in fuel consumption and attract the much needed foreign exchange through export of the products were reasons that motivated the President of Dangote Group, Aliko Dangote, to venture into manufacturing.

The Dangote Group boss said he was very optimistic that the refinery would be a game changer for Nigeria and the rest of Africa. According to him, Dangote Industries Limited has succeeded in substantially reducing the high rate of unemployment in the country, with the conglomerate already recruiting youths in its various agricultural schemes and other subsidiaries. Dangote Industries Limited is the highest employer of labour in Nigeria outside the Federal Government. Also, Edwin assured that all things being equal, Dangote Fertiliser plant’s products would hit the market this month. He said that Dangote Fertiliser Limited had a well-equipped fertiliser soil testing laboratory to ensure efficiency of the product for farmers.

He explained: “The laboratory will enable us analyse and identify a particular soil deficiency. Applying the right fertiliser to soil will enable it yield maximum result. The goal of our soil testing is to provide an accurate assessment of the soil’s fertility to make fertiliser recommendations. “A proper soil test will help ensure the application of enough fertiliser to meet the requirements of the crop while taking advantage of the nutrients already present in the soil.” Edwin maintained that Dangote Fertiliser would make Nigeria become selfsufficient in fertiliser production and have the capacity to export the products to other African countries.

“Right now, farmers are forced to utilise whatever fertiliser that is available as they have no choice, but we need to know that the fertiliser that will work in one state may not be suitable in another state, as they may not have the same soil type and composition.

The same fertilizer you use for sorghum may not be the fertiliser you will use for sugar cane,” he added. Speaking on Dangote Refinery’s employment generation capacity, Director- General, Nigeria Employers’ Consultative Association (NECA), Olawale Timothy, lauded the promotion of the refinery, saying the potential to create 250,000 direct and indirect jobs on completion would greatly reduce crime and poverty in Nigeria. Olawale stated that the kind gesture by Dangote Refinery would greatly reduce the menace of insecurity, which, he noted, had become a major issue in the country.

“We have always said that gainful employment is a veritable way of reducing crime. When you engage the youthful population in a meaningful way, they will not take to crime. “It is worthy to note that the generation of 250,000 jobs by the refinery at completion will reduce youth unemployment. We also have the advantage of reducing poverty level in the country. This is because gainful employment will increase the purchasing power of the people. It will improve their style of living,” he added.

United Kingdom Parliament has responded to an online petition signed by about 219,743 people asking for sanctions to be imposed against the government of Nigeria and police officials involved in abuses and violation of human rights.

In its response to the petition titled: “Implement sanctions against the Nigerian Government and officials,” the UK Parliament said it will consider the petition for a debate, as it considers “all petitions that get more than 100,000 signatures for a debate.”

The Parliament said it was waiting for 22 days for a debate date on the petition, stating that there have been reports of a Nigerian police force unit (SARS) engaging in illegal activities and human rights abuses, and there have also been reports of police firing at protestors calling for SARS to be disbanded.

“Deploying sanctions would provide accountability for and be a deterrent to anyone involved in violations of human rights,” it said. Meanwhile, the UK Government also said it was waiting for the outcome of investigations into cases of police brutality in Nigeria.

The UK new ‘Magnitsky’- style sanctions regime will target those who have been involved in some of the gravest human rights violations and abuses around the world. In a response given on Wednesday, November 11, the UK Government said it was concerned with incidents of violence.

“We were concerned by violence during recent protests and await the outcome of Nigerian investigations into reports of police brutality. We do not publicly speculate on future sanctions designations,” the British Government said in a statement issued by Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office.

“The UK Government is deeply concerned by violence during recent protests in Nigeria, which tragically claimed lives. Our thoughts are with the families of all those affected,” it said. The statement added that the Foreign Secretary stated on October 21 calling for an end to the violence and for the Nigerian Government to urgently investigate reports of brutality by its security forces and hold those responsible to account.

“The Minister for Africa tweeted on 16 October, noting the Nigerian people’s democratic and peaceful calls for reforms, and again on 21 October, encouraging the Nigerian authorities to restore peace and address concerns over brutality towards civilians. “He reiterated these messages when he spoke to Foreign Minister Onyeama on 23 October. The British High Commissioner in Abuja has also raised the protests with representatives of the Nigerian Government and will continue to do so,” it said.

The UK Government said it welcomed President Muhammadu Buhari’s decision to disband the Federal Special Anti-Robbery Squad (F-SARS) and the establishment of judicial panels of inquiry to investigate alleged incidents of brutality by the security services. “They must investigate all incidents, including in Lagos, fully,” it said. According to the statement, the minister for Africa tweeted on 29 October, stressing the importance of the police and military cooperation with the panels. “He raised this and the need for the panels to urgently start investigations, when he spoke to the Governor of Lagos on 11 November.

“The UK Government will continue to work with the Nigerian Government and international and civil society partners to support justice, accountability and a more responsive policing model in Nigeria. “We will continue to push for the Nigerian security services to uphold human rights and the rule of law, investigate all incidents of brutality, illegal detentions and use of excessive force, and hold those responsible to account.”

The Human Rights Writers Association of Nigeria, HURIWA, on Wednesday, lambasted the presidency over its recent comment that End SARS promoters should be made to face the law.

HURIWA, a frontline Rights group said President Muhammadu Buhari’s Senior Special Assistant on Media and Publicity, Garba Shehu was bereft of the working of Nigeria’s constitution.

Following the hijack of the End SARS protests, Shehu had said those behind the protest that led to looting would be made to face the law.


However, the right group said Shehu needs to return to school to understand the workings of the country’s constitution.

National Coordinator of HURIWA, Emmanuel Onwubiko said Shehu needs to understand that the constitution allows citizens to protest.

In a statement, Onwubiko said: “The Special Assistant to President Muhammadu Buhari on Media and Publicity, Garba Shehu needs to return to a good School to learn lessons about the essence, import, significance and eternal values of constitutionalism and democracy, so he understands that peaceful protests by citizens against the misconduct of the members of the policing institution of Nigeria are lawful, constitutional.

“Shehu is bereft of deep knowledge of the workings of constitutional democracy which was why he told a television station those citizens who participated in the peaceful marches against police excessive deployment of force.

“For the avoidance of doubts, Garba Shehu needs to be told that democracy without peaceful protests is dead just as the Constitution in chapter 4 permits the citizens to demonstrate constructively against oppressive styles of governance.”


The rights group also criticised the Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN, Godwin Emefiele for equating promoters of the End SARS protests against police brutality with terrorists.

HURIWA said Emefiele was a “puppet and a stooge of President Muhammadu Buhari” who is “tormented and terrorized by the truth.”

The rights group also rebuked the CBN governor for deviating from his core duties and statutory obligations.

The statement added: “CBN GOVERNOR through his ineptitude and crass incompetence has driven the value of the nation’s national currency to hover around the same vicinity of disgrace and ignominy with the worthless wheelbarrow Zimbabwean currency.”

The Nigeria Army on Wednesday launched the fourth batch of the wanted Boko Haram terrorists in which Abubakar Shekau, Abu Mus’ab Al- Barnawi and 79 others made the lists.

Theatre Commander of Operations Lafiya Dole, Maj. Gen Farouk Yahaya disclosed this at Chabbal Super Camp in Maiduguri during the launch of the fourth batch of the wanted terrorists.

“We are here to witness the launching of four batches of wanted Boko Haram terrorists, as you know, this is not the first time, so we will lunch third batch of wanted terrorists shortly.” Yahaya disclosed.

In his remarks Borno State Governor, Prof. Babagana Zulum appealed to the outlawed groups to stop the destruction and embrace peace path.

After his remarks the banners which contains names of the suspects was handed over by the Chief of Army Staff, Lt. Gen. Tukur Buratai to Gov. Zulum.

Some of the names which appeared on the lists including Abubakar Shekau, Abu Mus’ab Al- Barnawi, Modu Sulum, Umaru Tela, Iman Balge, Abu Umma, Mallam Bako(Hisbah), Abu Dardda, Ibrahim Abu Maryam amongst many others.

US President Donald Trump is soliciting for funds to settle his election expenses.

The President has set up a GoFundMe account tagged ‘election defence fund’ to solicit money.

According to the UK Guardian, Trump spent a little more money than he had, seeking re-election.

He spent to the tune of $1.6 billion which he now needs help in repaying.

The newspaper reports that those donating may believe that the fund would go towards battling the outcome of the election in court.

It reports that the part of the donations would be used in settling election expenses.

Donations can be made to two different funds, Trump’s personal fund, and his joint fund with his party, the Republican Party.

“President Trump needs YOU to step up to make sure we have the resources to protect the integrity of the election!” the wording on both funds says, which is featured in a huge pop-up on Trump’s re-election webpage.

It continues: “Please contribute ANY AMOUNT IMMEDIATELY to the Official Election Defense Fund and to increase your impact by 1,000%.

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has disclosed that it does not have the power to investigate or disqualify candidates of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Edo during the September 19 election of Governor Godwin Obaseki, over alleged forgery of the University of Ibadan’s (UI) certificate.

It noted only a court order could disqualify a governorship candidate from participating in an election.

INEC stated that it could not investigate the originality, authenticity, or otherwise of the disputed UI’s first-degree certificate presented to the commission by Edo Governor because it was beyond its responsibility.

The electoral commission, as the first respondent in the petition filed by Action Democratic Party (ADP) and its governorship candidate, Iboi Emmanuel, at the Edo governorship election petitions tribunal in Benin, made the submissions in its reply, with a copy obtained on Sunday.

The reply was signed by INEC’s lead counsel, Chief Adegboyega Awomolo, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN).

The electoral commission said: “The information given by the third respondent (Obaseki) in the affidavit and documents submitted by him as a candidate at the election in INEC’s nomination form (Form C.F. 001) are presumed manifestly true or prima facie correct until and only if the contrary is proved and/or pronounced false by an order of the court.”

PDP, last week, admitted there were noticeable errors in Obaseki’s UI’s certificate, which it claimed occurred while filling the forms for the election in 2016.

It claimed the governorship candidate “mistakenly” wrote 1976 as his year of graduation, which ought to be his year of admission.

The PDP said: “At the time Obaseki was completing his Form CF001 in 2016, he deposed to an affidavit, stating that he had misplaced the originals of all of his certificates, while changing offices, with the intention to apply for a re-issuance if his certificates.

“The original certificate was issued in A5 size. In order for the photocopy of the certificate to be attached to Form CF001, the size was reduced to A4 and in the process, leaving out some information on the certificate.”

Five petitions were filed at the tribunal chaired by Justice Abdulrazak Abdulkareem against INEC; PDP; Obaseki and his deputy/running mate, Philip Shaibu; the All Progressives Congress (APC) and its standard-bearer, Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu.

Besides ADP and its governorship candidate, there were four other petitions from Action Peoples Party (APP) without joining its governorship candidate, Amos Areloegbe; Action Alliance (AA) and its governorship candidate, Ukonga Onaivi; Allied Peoples Movement (APM), excluding its governorship candidate, Igbineweka Osamuede, and Tracy Agol, without joining her political party, the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP).

The petitioners prayed the tribunal to nullify the September 19 election over forgery, perjury, and massive rigging as well as ordering a fresh election with the exclusion of PDP and Obaseki.

Former President Olusegun Obasanjo says the United States Vice President-elect, Kamala Harris, has Nigerian DNA because her father is from Jamaica where many slaves were taken to from Africa.

Obasanjo said this in a congratulatory message to the President-elect of the US, Joe Biden.

He wrote, “I felicitate with Vice President-Elect Kamala Harris as the first female Vice-President of the US. We in Africa are proud of her success. The first African-American President of the US, Barrack Obama, has Kenyan DNA in him and I am reasonably sure that the first African-American female Vice President-Elect of the US will have some Nigerian DNA in her as most of those taken to the Caribbean from Africa went from Nigeria of today.”

The former Nigerian leader described Biden’s triumph as that of good over evil.

“It is victory of good over evil and it is not victory for you and the people of America alone, but victory for most people of the world, majority of whom watch helplessly as the world that had been steadily and painstakingly built since the end of the Second World War was being pulled down.

“Not that the world was perfect and equitable but it was reasonably predictable with some measure of rule of law and respect for international agreements and treaties.”

There was a mild drama at the sitting of the Judicial Panel of Inquiry and Restitution for Victims of Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS) abuse and other matters yesterday as three Lekki protesters, identified as Victoria Oniru, Dabira Ayuku, and Perpetual Kamsiyuchukwu were presented by their legal counsel, Adesina Ogunlana.

Ogunlana prayed the panel to allow him cross-examine the Managing Director of Lekki Concession Company (LCC), Mr Abayomi Omomuwasan, who had last Friday testified.

However, before they were presented before the panel, a lawyer to the Lagos state government, I. J Okechukwu, opposed the presentation of #EndSARS protesters, arguing that #EndSARS is not a legal entity and it is faceless.

Okechukwu said: “There is no entity called “EndSARS protesters. My learned friend is entitled to represent anybody that is known to law. We cannot have anybody appearing for a body that is not known to law, no leader, no structure. EndSARS protesters is a nebulous entity.”


Counsel to LLC, Rotimi Seriki also aligned with the government counsel, saying though the LCC was not an “interested party” in the matter, it got invited because “the panel feels it might have relevant evidence to assist it. We cannot allow every Tom, Dick, and Harry to represent.”
Ogunlana, however, held that he did not just appear at the panel without prior instruction of his clients.

He called out three persons, whom he said were part of the protesters and had hired him to represent them. “I am not representing spirits or ghosts. We’re here to tell the truth. These are part of the people running underground being threatened,” Ogunlana said in response to earlier objections.

Meanwhile, the panel yesterday commenced watching of the CCTV footage presented to it by LCC. The footage captured activities of the protesters before the shooting by Military officers on EndSARS protesters at Lekki tollgate.

At the last sitting on Friday, LCC boss, Omomuwasan had told the panel that the footage was presented to the panel to dispel claims that the CCTV cameras mounted at the tollgate were removed before the military officers attacked the protesters.

Following the approval of the panel chairman to show the footage, counsels to Lagos State Government, Mr Abiodun Owonikoko (SAN), and LCC lawyer, Seriki, argued that the footage be fast-forwarded to about two hours before portions of footage relevant to the incident.

But counsel to EndSARS protesters, Ogunlana rejected the appeal and demanded that the footage be viewed completely to ascertain if it had not been edited.

The 20-hour CCTV footage was, however, played for only four hours. In parts of the footage shown, the scenery showed the early hours of the morning with vehicles seen parked around the tollgate plaza and large clusters of #EndSARS protesters seen milling around.

Governor @jidesanwoolu today, presented the report of the recent coordinated arson in Lagos State to President Buhari at the Presidential Villa, Abuja. In the report were the images of public and private assets destroyed in the violence sparked by the hijack of #EndSARS protest.

Esper is also reportedly helping Congress prepare legislation to change the names of military installations that honour confederate leaders.

Mark Esper, the second Permanent Defense Secretary under President Donald Trump, has his resignation letter ready to go, NBC reported Thursday, citing three current defense officials.

Esper is also reportedly helping Congress prepare legislation to change the names of military installations that honour confederate leaders.

Esper intends to help lawmakers insert the measure into the National Defense Authorization Act, the annual law that funds the Defense Department, according to the report.

The defense secretary has drafted a written framework for the process, which may also rename ships and streets on military bases, NBC reported, adding that the framework suggests prohibiting naming bases after a felon or someone, who betrayed the country and instead establishing criteria for such names.

Senior US military leaders in recent months have floated the idea of renaming several military bases such as Ft. Bragg in Fayetteville, North Carolina, which is named for Confederate Gen. Braxton Bragg, and Ft. Lee in Prince George County, Virginia, which is named for Confederate Gen. Robert E. Lee.

An effort to rename the military bases would be at odds with Trump, who would have final approval authority on the annual defense bill.

Trump has publicly decried the campaign to change the base names, which has picked up steam in Congress as the country grapples with the Black Lives Matter movement.

"These monumental and very powerful bases have become part of a great American heritage, and a history of winning, victory, and freedom," Trump tweeted in June.

"The United States of America trained and deployed our heroes on these hallowed grounds, and won two World Wars."

Chief Pentagon spokesman, Jonathan Hoffman, downplayed the report, telling NBC News that Esper "continues to serve the nation as the Secretary of Defense at the pleasure of the President and is at the Pentagon today working on the irreversible implementation of the National Defense Strategy."

"The speculation about potential resignations of cabinet officials is a well-worn, D.C.-insider, post-election parlor game," Hoffman said in a statement.

No government is short of opposition. In a democracy, the residence of an animated opposition signals the buoyancy of the system. Where there is democracy, there is opposition. In fact, opposition is the mitochondria of a republican system – it keeps the government on the mill working according to purpose.

Why is the Buhari administration after the only opposition platform of all citizens?

Really, the principal task of the administration from its conception was dismantling instruments and institutions of check. The Buhari executive thwacked the judiciary and effectively broke its back when agents of the state attacked judges in their homes and when the administration contrived the removal of Walter Onnoghen as chief justice of Nigeria (CJN), asphalting the path for a CJN to emerge from the region where the president comes from.

The national assembly was not spared from the bludgeoning of the Buhari government. So, effectively the two institutions which naturally provide the functional wheels in a democracy were amputated and executivised. The dominant opposition party, which should have been a rallying point of all genuine voices of dissent, is sterile – owing to its own internal contradictions and loss of moral authority. The kettle cannot call the pot black.

Therefore, citizens have taken their destiny into their own hands. Social media offers all aggregates of the citizenry a platform to vent, to criticise, and to offer suggestions on government’s policies and actions. It is the only effective opposition platform. It has become an apparatus for calling out government’s incompetence and holding it to account.

As a matter of fact, the campaign by the government to regulate social media comes from a place of personal insecurity. To most Nigerians who have expressed their views on the government’s convulsion over this utility, including me, the reason for the rabid pursuit of censorship is: ‘’So, the favourites of the government can steal without questions. So, they can harass Nigerians without the consequence of an outrage. To escape citizens’ judgment on their failures. Just so they can get away with anything.’’

Nigerians, who are patrons of this important utility, say they do not want it regulated by the government; so, the administration will be acting against the wish of the people it purports to represent if it does otherwise. This will further indict the government of dictatorship.

Citizens do not trust the government to act in their interest. The government has not given them a reason to. They are not categorically railing against the censorship of the ‘’underworld contrivances’’ of social media but against the government wielding power as the expurgator of this device. Every citizen apparatus appropriated by the government has always been abused, corrupted and deployed in violation of rights and liberties.

Really, the government should not hold the console to social media. Regulating the social networks should be the business of the fabricators. And already, they are doing that. On Facebook, you cannot post violent photos or videos, and hate speech is censored. There are variegated means of reporting fake news and hate speech on this platform and others as well. We have seen Twitter censoring the tweets of US President Donald Trump. The machinery of censorship on social media is already in operation by the creators.

So, the campaign to regulate social media is simply to silence the voices of Nigerians given oomph by this platform. It is compelling to believe those in government do not understand the social media. They are befuddled by the utility like Homo erectus and fire. They are afraid to see the unity of voices making demands on the government. They do not understand how citizens in distant locations can come to purpose on a single platform, standing up for themselves.

The government secretes its agenda in the excuse that social media can cause the collapse of the country. This is patently false. Nigeria’s bloodiest epoch was decades before the accouchement of social media. We experienced a civil war, pogroms, religious riots and political riots – all before social media. The triggers of the collapse of Nigeria are the internal contradictions – not social media.

The seeds of the mass violence of the past are still potent and the fault lines have been made more palpable by the misconstrusion of governance by the Buhari administration. If Nigerians were divided by an invisible line in the past, President Buhari came and built a towering wall separating them according to religion and ethnicity.

The occasional bouts of ethnic exchanges on social media are implicitly because of the provincial bent of the Buhari administration – which accented our differences. When a government does not treat all citizens equally, it is only setting up a furnace of disharmony.

To silence social media is simple. It only takes Leadership. Deliver good governance to the people and watch the dissenters become praise singers, and hate speech becomes love letters. It only takes leadership.

The outgoing Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, will on Monday hand over to an acting Chairman who will pilot the affairs of the commission till the Senate confirms his re-nomination or otherwise.

While President Muhammadu Buhari has re-nominated Yakubu and sent his name to the Senate for confirmation, his first tenure expires on Monday November 9.

He is expected to hand over to one of the National Commissioners, among those whose tenure has not expired.

Five other commissioners have served two terms and are not eligible for re-nomination or appointment.

The Chief Press Secretary to the INEC Chairman, Mr. Rotimi Lawrence Oyekanmi, confirmed the development.

“The Hon Chairman’s (Yakubu) handing over ceremony to be held on Monday 9th November 2020 at the Conference Hall, INEC Headquarters,” Oyekanmi said.

Decision on bye-elections

Meanwhile, the commission said that it will meet with the Resident Electoral Commissioners (RECs) on Thursday, 12th November 2020 to decide on a date for the conduct of the 15 by-elections.

National Commissioner and Chairman, Information and Voter Education Committee (IVEC), Festus Okoye, said this Thursday night after the management meeting of the commission.

He recalled that the commission met on 22 October with the Resident Electoral Commissioners (RECs) to deliberate on the 15 outstanding bye-elections in 11 states of the Federation earlier scheduled for 31st October 2020.

According to him, due to the security situation in the country at the time, the commission decided to suspend the bye-elections and meet in two weeks to review its decision.

“The commission suffered extensive damage to and vandalism of its local government offices and facilities, including the areas where the bye-elections are scheduled to hold.

“It is important to consult all the critical stakeholders in the electoral process before deciding on a definite date for the conduct of the bye-elections,” Okoye said.

He said that the commission would consult with political parties and civil society organisations on Tuesday 10 November 2020 and then with the media and Inter-Agency Consultative Committee on Election Security (ICCES) on Wednesday 11 November 2020.

He said: “The commission will thereafter meet again with the RECs on Thursday, 12 November 2020 to decide on a date for the conduct of the bye-elections.”

The postponed 15 bye-elections in 11 states, earlier slated for October 31, were postponed over the #EndSARS Nationwide protests.

The affected districts and constituencies are Bayelsa Central Senatorial District, Bayelsa West Senatorial District; Nganzai State Constituency, Borno State; Bayo State Constituency, Borno State; Cross River North Senatorial District; and Obudu State Constituency, Cross River State.

Others are; Imo North Senatorial District; Lagos East Senatorial District; Kosofe II State Constituency, Lagos State; Plateau South Senatorial District; Bakura State Constituency, Zamfara State; Ibaji State Constituency, Kogi State; Isi-Uzo State Constituency, Enugu State and Bakori State Constituency, Katsina State.

Angry youths of Daudu community in Guma Local Government Area of Benue State, on Tuesday, set ablaze Divine Shadow Church in Daudu over allegation connecting its founder, one Prophet Joshua Uhembe, to disappearance of male genitals in the community.

https://content.dailytrust.com.ng/wp-content/uploads/2020/11/IMG-20201103-WA0017.jpg
Photo of the church burnt down

The youths had three days ago protested on the major Makurdi – Lafia highway over what they described as the disappearance of six persons’ manhood in the community within one month.

Our correspondent recalled that one young man accused of stealing the genitals committed suicide last month in a classroom in the locality which also hosts three Internally Displaced Persons’ (IDPs) camps.

But in the fresh arson of the church, the youths alleged that Prophet Uhembe and his accomplice, Noah Saka, were masterminds of the genitals disappearance.

Nongu Francis, who claimed to be a victim, told our correspondent that his genital was stolen on October,10 this year allegedly by the deceased who committed suicide.

Francis said he had worked in the farm of the deceased who later lured him to perform some bathing rituals with an instruction to stay away from sex for about six days, stressing that after obeying the command, he could no longer function sexually.

The victim further alleged that his situation was similar to many others who were bewitched by the deceased and his accomplice who would later recommend their victims to the accused prophet for deliverance and possible restoration of their organs.

Francis said his case was not a total disappearance but inability to get erection as it were before the ritual bath, adding that he now remains hopeless following the death of the accused man.

Another youth from the community, who simply identified himself as Jonah, said the continuing disappearance of the victims’ male organ propelled the burning of the church whose prophet the community suspected was instrumental to the alleged act unsettling youths of the community.

“We are surprised that someone who calls himself a man of God will stoop so low to be removing private parts of men for ritual purposes.

“The youths have done this to serve as deterrent to other people who may have such wicked intentions.

“We believed that if he [Uhembe] is not stopped, he may extend his activities to women too,” another angry youth alleged.

Our correspondent, however, could not traced the accused prophet for his comment at the time of sending this report, as some villagers alleged that he fled the scene of fire in his church.

Meanwhile, the Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO) for Benue Command, DSP Catherine Anene, has confirmed the burning of the church, adding that some persons were also arrested for destruction of public property.

“If you allege that somebody took your manhood, it is not a justification for you to go and destroy property.

“There is due process for everything.

“So, while they are at the hospital to confirm whether that is true, we will still handle them [the protesters] as people who have destroyed property,” Anene maintained.

The Federal Government on Monday attributed the delay in payment of salaries in some Ministries, Departments and Agencies to the fact that the 2020 Budget was passed into law before the conclusion of negotiation on the new minimum wage and its consequential adjustment.

It said the provision made for salaries of some MDAs based on previous salaries had been exhausted, hence the delay in the payment of October salaries of some workers.


The Director of Information, Office of the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation, Olawunmi Ogunmosunle, in a statement made available to journalists quoted the HOCS, Dr Folasade Yemi-Esan, as making the clarification.

The statement was titled “FG explains delay in payment of October salary.”

The clarification came amidst rising tension among the affected federal workers.

Some of the affected workers were said to have stormed the office of the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation at the Federal Secretariat Complex in the early hours of the day to demand the payment of their salaries.

Although Ogunmosunle denied knowledge of such protest, she admitted the delay in payment of October salaries and said a committee was already working to come up with the figure of what is needed to pay the salary.


She expressed the belief that the exercise will be concluded this week and the outstanding salary paid.

The statement read, “The Federal Government has given reasons for the delay in the payment of October, 2020 salary to civil servants, assuring that necessary steps have been taken to resolve the matter.

“The Head of Civil Service of the Federation, Dr. Folasade Yemi-Esan in a statement issued on Monday, November 2, 2020 explained that the delay is due to the fact that the 2020 Budget was passed before the conclusion of negotiation on the new minimum wage and its consequential adjustment.

“She went further to explain that a lump sum was however provided in the 2020 Budget for minimum wage and its consequential adjustment.

“Dr. Yemi-Esan also disclosed that a committee made up of representatives of the Federal Ministry of Finance, Budget and National Planning, the Budget Office and the Office of the Accountant General of the Federation has been set up to determine the shortfalls of Ministries, Extra- Ministerial Departments and Agencies.

“The shortfalls are to be paid from the lump sum already set aside in the budget for the minimum wage and its consequential adjustment.

“The committee is expected to conclude its work by the end of this week so that salaries can be paid.

“While appreciating civil servants for their patience, the Head of Service also informed them that she is in touch with the Director-General, Budget Office, who assured her that salaries will be paid by the end of this week.”

It was learnt that at least 428 MDAs in the federal civil service have reportedly exhausted their 2020 personnel costs and are therefore unable to pay salaries.

All is not well in the National Assembly Legislative Aides’ Forum as a lawyer, Mr Joshua Okah, who is Senior Legislative Aide to a member of the House of Representatives, Mr Ben Igbakpa, has dragged the Chairman-elect, Mr Salisu Zuru, before a court for allegedly maintaining two public offices and drawing salaries from them.

Okah is accusing Zuru, who recently won NASSLAF’s recent chairmanship election, of refusing to quit his earlier position as a member of the board of the National Orientation Agency before taking another appointment as SLA to Senator Sahabi Ya’u, who represents Zamfara North.

The President, Major General Muhammadu Buhari (retd), had in December 2017 appointed 209 chairmen and 1,258 members of the governing boards of departments, agencies, parastatals and corporations of the Federal Government, some of whom were later confirmed to have died before the appointments.

In the suit filed in the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory on October 26, 2020, with Number FCT/HC/BW/CV/311/20, Okah joined other legislative aides who played various roles in the conduct of the election, as defendants.

They are Idris Ejima Aruwa, Mon-Charles Egbo, Olushola Olugbani, Oyorokoto Ogheneruemu, Ndudi Nwagbara, Jackson Collins Ette, Haruna Abdullahi Kure, Bamidele Ajibola, Garbriel Garba Silas, Umar Farouk Ahmed, Yakubu Shano Garba and Okwudili Nwankino.

Among other reliefs, Okah is praying the court to issue an interim order directing Zuru to step aside as NASSLAF’s chairman-elect and/or substantive chairman, pending the hearing and determination of the motion on notice for interlocutory injunction.

Okah is also praying for an order of Interim injunction restraining the 2nd to 13th respondents, as well as the Clerk to the National Assembly, Olatunde Ojo, from “acting on or taking further steps in respect of the chairmanship election of NASSLAF held on 16th October, 2020, and/or accepting or giving any further recognition to the 1st defendant/respondent (Zuru) as the NASSLAF chairman-elect or substantive chairman or otherwise however called and/or issuing the 1st defendant/respondent a fresh Certificate of Return…”

The petitioner told the court, “The 1st defendant is a Senior Legislative Aide appointed by the National Assembly Service Commission on the recommendation of Senator Alhaji Ya’u Sahabi on the 27th of August, 2019, and also currently a member of the Board of National Orientation Agency appointed by the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria on the 29th of December, 2017. Sequel to the above, he has been receiving emoluments from both offices and the 1st defendant is a public servant and bound by the extent provisions of the Public Service Rules, 2009.

“It is not lawful for the 1st defendant to receive and/or be paid emoluments in respect of his office as Senior Legislative Aide appointed by the National Assembly Service Commission and at the same time as a member of the Board of National Orientation Agency appointed by the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

“The 1st defendant, who was elected as Chairman of the NASSLAF at the delegates election held on 16th October, 2020, has put himself in a position where his personal interest as Senior Legislative Aide appointed by the National Assembly Service Commission conflicts with his duties and responsibilities as a member of the Board of National Orientation Agency appointed by the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and, therefore, he is, in the eye of the law, not eligible to participate and/or contest in the NASSLAF Election 2020.”

Ukah argued that the chairmanship elections were void and ought to be nullified, adding that a fresh election should be conducted for the remaining chairmanship candidates.

The plaintiff, in the affidavit he deposed to, stated that upon appointment by the NASC, all legislative aides, as part of their conditions for appointment, are entitled to emoluments such as salaries, allowances’ payment of first 28 days in lieu of accommodation upon assumption of duty, severance gratuity at the rate of 300 per cent of annual basic salary for the completion of each tenure, and trainings among others.

The SLA also noted that all the 13 defendants had been receiving the emoluments except severance gratuity, while those who served in the 8th National Assembly had been paid all their entitlements.

According to him, as of the time Zuru contested the NASSLAF election, he remained a member of the NOA board. He also attached a copy of a letter from the Office of the Director General of the NOA, dated October 19, 2020, confirming the 1st defendant’s membership of the present board of the agency, as well as a photograph taken by the board’s members on April 5, 2018.

The affidavit partly read, “That the 1st defendant deliberately refused, failed and/or neglected to disclose the above stated facts of his membership of the board of NOA to the 2nd to 13th defendants during screening all in his desperation for power. That had the 1st defendant disclosed the facts under reference, he would not have been screened and/or cleared to contest for the NASSLAF chairmanship election.

“That the NOA is in Category ‘B’ under the categorisation of board of federal parastatals. Since inauguration of the board since 2008 to date, the 1st defendant, being a member, has sat four times and the fifth meeting in 2020 was done virtually due to the COVID-19 pandemic, and the 1st defendant has been receiving emoluments from the agency.”

A member of NASSLAF, who is an aide to one of the leaders of the National Assembly, told our correspondent that many members of the forum were aggrieved with how the electoral exercise was conducted. According to him, the electoral committee for delegates’ election is an equivalent of indirect primary by political parties.

The source, who spoke on condition of anonymity for fear of retribution, also alleged that Zuru was the preferred candidate of the National Assembly management, which did not go down well with some members.

The aide said, “There are over 4,000 aides in the National Assembly but only 48 delegates voted to determine the new chairman. There is a division among members. Since the suit was filed, the situation has become worse as some members want Okah to pursue the case to a logical conclusion, while others are warning against allowing the matter to degenerate into a crisis.”

A 40-year-old jealous lover, identified as Etifa Obukulubu, on Saturday in Igbogene area of Yenagoa Local Government Area, the Bayelsa State, allegedly set ablaze the home of his girlfriend over suspicion of cheating.

The deceased, a pastor working with the New Baptist Church and a female assistant were reportedly burnt to death in the fire.

While some residents claimed the burnt house was owned by the targeted girl’s family, others claimed it was rented by the deceased Pastor.

DAILY POST gathered that the incident, which occurred at about 3am on Saturday, led to pandemonium as attempt to rescue those inside the building failed.

DAILY POST also learnt that the exit door out of the house was jammed from outside when the targeted girlfriend, identified as Wilberforce, reportedly vacated her home for the deceased pastor and his assistant who came from outside the state on an evangelical mission.

Residents of Igbogene Community told DAILY POST, that the suspect, who is a commercial driver, had waited for his girlfriend to come home, “but maybe on sighting her with a man and another girl, he got angry and set the home ablaze.

“He waited for them to enter the house. And use fuel to set fire round the house. But he did not know that his girlfriend had left gone to sleep with another friend.”

Another resident, who described the suspect as a loner, said the incident shocked everyone in the area, “these lovers were staying three houses apart and no one suspected they were dating.

“It is unfortunate that the pastor and his assistant died in the fire. I was told the pastor was invited to preach in Yenagoa and the estranged girlfriend offered her home for them to sleep so for them to leave early.”

Contacted on the development, the Spokesman to the Bayelsa Police Command, confirmed the incident and said investigation is ongoing.

The Minister of Finance, Budget and National Planning, Zainab Ahmed, has urged parents to instill family values in their children as a way to save the country from degeneration.
The minister made the call on Saturday in Kaduna during a stakeholders’ engagement with 77 district heads, religious and community leaders from the 23 Local Government Areas of Kaduna State.

“We are calling the attention of parents that we have failed our children in the sense that the kind of values we use to have is no more.

“We need to remind ourselves that our children need to be upright and that this criminality going on, on daily basis, is not for their benefits and the benefit of the state and country.”

The minister appreciated efforts by the Kaduna state government in managing security issues in the state.

Ahmed told the stakeholders that the Federal Government has created a N75 billion entrepreneurship support fund, to enable youths in the country grow their businesses and be economically independent.

The minister explained that the fund would support the youth to actualize their innovative and enterprenueral ideas, be productive and employers of labour.

Also speaking at the event, the Minister of Environment, Dr. Muhammad Mahmud, called for collective efforts to tackle the security challenges in the country.

He urged the stakeholders to support government in addressing the security challenges and unemployment in the country.

The minister advised the youths to be self reliant, by focusing on skills acquisition and not depending on government.

Mahmud urged the leaders to be advocates of peace in their respective communities in order to bring about meaningful development.

Earlier, the Kaduna State Deputy Governor, Dr Hadiza Balarabe, appealed to the stakeholders to sensitise their communities on the need to always uphold the law in all their conducts.

According to her, the state government will remain resolute in dealing with any lawlessness and criminal acts.

She also condemned the recent spate of looting and destruction of public and private properties.

“These mob actions are unreasonable and intolerable,” the deputy governor said.

She expressed the hope that the interactions would lead to understanding and collective efforts to develop the state.

“As good citizens, it is part of our civic duty to support government in the development of the state.

“So, we need this interactions between the government, traditional and religious institutions that allow us to reason together.

“It is agreed that there are problems, but government is doing all it can to address them. I urge all on the need to join forces to save the society from those seeking to destroy it.

“This is a responsive government and we have listened to the demands of our people and are doing our best to address them,” the deputy governor added.

The stakeholders tasked the government to do more in securing the lives and property of the people.

They appreciated the government for its efforts so far in managing the security situation across the state, and requested that such interface be held quarterly, to address emerging challenges.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the Ekiti State Governor and Chairman of Nigeria Governors Forum, Dr Fayemi Kayode, and Governors of Sokoto and Jigawa, Aminu Tambuwal and Badaru Abubakar, respectively, attended the event.

The Police Service Commission (PSC) has denied that it threatened to dismiss any police officer who failed to return to work in the wake of the #EndSARS protests.

Head, Press and Public Relations of the Commission, Ikechukwu Ani, in a statement on Saturday, said they condemned the killing of Police officers on legitimate duties and had warned that any attempt to make the country lawless will be an ill wind that will blow no body any good.

“The Commission can only plead with the officers to, in the spirit of nationalism, return to work while the government works out enough protective programmes for them. The Commission will continue to do its best to ensure the police are motivated to do its job.

“The Commission, being the employers of the Police, is pained that Policemen were killed and Police Stations set ablaze throughout the country. It will be very insensitive at this point for anyone to say that the Commission will dismiss any policeman who didn’t return to work. The Commission is even at present mourning the deaths of its gallant officers who were killed in the crisis,” Ani said.