₦airaland Forum

THE Supreme Egbesu Freedom Fighters of Niger Delta, SEFFND, a militant group in the Niger Delta, yesterday, warned Igbo groups to cease further attacks on Niger Delta leader and freedom fighter, Alhaji Mujahid Dokubo-Asari.

It specifically mentioned the Ibo Lawyers Association, ILA, the Secretary General of Ohaneze Ndigbo, and the Human Rights Writers Association of Nigeria, HURIWA.
Leader of the militant group, Agadagba I, aka River Don, and other commanders, in a joint statement, in Yenagoa, Bayelsa State, said: “We will not allow the Ibo Lawyers Association ILA, HURIWA, Secretary General of Ohaneze Ndigbo, and other disgruntled personalities to go on with these demeaning insults, blackmail, and name dropping published on pages of newspapers and online media space any longer.”

“It is really disheartening for these groups to attack Dokubo-Asari while the entire South-East has been a zone of killing and kidnapping by the proscribed terrorist groups called the Indigenous People of Biafra, IPoB, and Eastern Security Network, ESN, which have made life unbearable for the people, killing thousands of their people.

“The proscribed IPoB group has unleashed terror and horror on the people under the guise of fighting for an unachievable and laughable independence agitation, and no call for the arrest Dokubo–Asari will yield any fruit, as it is just a sheer waste of time.

“We unequivocally warn members of the ILA, HURIWA, and others to desist from making frivolous, careless, provocative, inciting statements garnished with falsehood against our revered leader in the Niger Delta, and the face of the struggle of the emancipation of the Niger Delta people, Alhaji Dokubo Asari. a well-respected traditional title holder in the Kalabari Kingdom, and a pan -Nigerian leader.

“Disgruntled elements are hiding from the truth and unnecessarily heating the polity for their selfish gains in order to attract cheap popularity from the media space by attacking Dokubo- Asari.

“We, therefore, call on the security agencies not to turn their eyes from ILA, HURIWA, the Secretary General of Ohaneze Ndigbo, and some disgruntled elements because this was how the proscribed IPoB and the ESN group started.”

EKONGKING:
Why do I think that this is a propaganda hit piece ,by Western powers .

A source told , again a source told .

We have heard during invasion of Iraq and during Russia and Ukraine war that source will always tell.

But unfortunately we don't know the identity of the source

Northern Forum Berates Senate, Wants Kaduna Ministerial Slot Reserved For El-Rufai

The group, however, calls on the Senate to immediately clear and confirm El-Rufai like it did to other ministerial nominees.


A group, Like Minds Forum of Nigeria has criticised the Senate for withholding the confirmation of the former Governor of Kaduna State, Nasir El-Rufai, as a minister, describing it as procedurally wrong and politically defective.

The Forum including some political appointees who served in the El-Rufai administration, observed that the process of El-Rufai’s confirmation as minister after being nominated by President Bola Tinubu has taken the shape of a conspiracy against the former governor.

Addressing a news conference in Kaduna on Thursday, the convener of the Like Minds Forum of Nigeria and a former Commissioner for Education in the state, Professor Shehu Muhammad, wonders why security agencies have not arrested or charged El-Rufai to court based on the so-called petitions against him or the Senate being able to make the petitions public if indeed there is nothing fishy about the entire process.

Describing the treatment meted out against El-Rufai as a desperation of certain interests seeking vengeance against El-Rufai, the Forum commended the three senators from Kaduna State, for their testimonies and unanimous support for El-Rufai to be confirmed as a minister.

The group, however, called on the Senate to immediately clear and confirm El-Rufai as it did to other ministerial nominees in order to douse the rising tension and confusion in the North and other parts of the country.

Police confirm arrest, detention of amorous General Overseer, say investigation underway


The Abia state command of the Nigeria Police Force (NPF) has confirmed the arrest and detention of the General Overseer of Agape Evangelical Ministry identified as Bishop Timothy Otu.

It would be recalled that The Nation had reported that a female Evangelist attached to a Pentecostal church in Aba reportedly died during suspected rounds of sex with an unnamed General Overseer and Bishop whose church is in Aba, Abia state.

In a statement released by the Abia State Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), Maureen Chinaka, it was revealed that the deceased female Evangelist has been identified as Happiness Echieze, a mother of five.

The incident reportedly took place at a guest house in Ovom Village, Obingwa local government area of the state.

Chinaka, who stated that the suspect has been transferred to the State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID) for further investigation into the matter, also disclosed that the body of the deceased has been deposited at a missionary Hospital’s morgue located around the Ogbor Hill axis of Aba.


Giving police account of the incident, the PPRO said: “On the 13th of August 2023, at approximately 09:30 AM, Mr Godwin Akpan (male), residing at Jubilee Guest House in Ovom Village, Obingwa LGA, reported to the Isiala Ngwa Police Division that an incident had occurred.

Open Letter ESQ
“It was revealed that on the evening of the 12th of August 2023, around 09:25 PM, a clergyman named Timothy Otu (male), associated with Agape Evangelical Ministry at Obikabia Junction in Obingwa LGA, had checked into the guest house along with a woman named Happiness Echieze (female) from Isiala Ngwa LGA, Abia State. Happiness Echieze was 43 years of age.

“She was found unclothed, and a white substance was emanating from her mouth and nose.

The statement further read: “Regrettably, the clergyman was absent from the scene. We hereby inform the public that immediate preliminary investigations have been launched into this matter.

“The deceased’s body has been transported from the location and is currently at the SDA Mortuary in Aba, awaiting an autopsy examination.

“Additionally, we wish to convey that the suspected individual in this case has been apprehended. The case has been transferred to the State CID for discreet investigations.”

Former Warlord Fumes As Aso Rock ‘Bans’ Ex-Militants Over Asari Dokubo’s Visit

The division among some ex-militants has widened over planned visit to Aso Rock by one of the former warlords and alleged refusal by the presidency.…

This is coming after the June visit to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu at Nigeria’s seat of power by Asari Dokubo.

During the visit, Dokubo addressed State House correspondents from the press chamber. The picture of him sitting in front of Nigeria’s Coat of Arms triggered outrage.

Dokubo’s controversial remarks on oil theft and insecurity also generated backlash, after which the presidency allegedly barred all ex-militants from visiting Aso Rock.

This do not go down well with some other warlords who had planned to visit Tinubu as they blamed Dokubo over his “vituperations”.

Speaking with Daily Trust on Thursday, ex-militant leader who is also the Mayor of Urhoboland, Eshanakpe Israel a.k.a Akpodoro, called on the presidency to only bar and decline audience to Dokubo and not other warlords whom he described as reputable.

Akpodoro argued that Dokubo should be singled out for sanction since the leader of the Niger Delta Volunteer Force (NDVF) was not elected to represent the body of ex-militants.

“Dokubo flies his own flag. FG should not treat vicariously other former warlords who willingly surrendered arms at the end of the armed struggle in the Delta”, Akpodoro who is the leader of the Coalition of Niger Delta Ex-Agitators (NCNDE-A) said.

Ex-militants he noted, are quintessential, astute, eminent and top-notch peace builders who are hungry to add their quota to the growth and development of thei country.

The law enforcement agencies have the dosier of all ex-militants, he said, if anyone is found wanting there shouldn’t be hesitation to rein in such character who runs foul of the law at any time rather than punishing others for the sin of one element.

He also said rather than turning vicious in our criticisms of the policies and programmes of the government, the citizens should support the President to build a virile nation where the people will be better for it in short term.

dkidd:
Incorrect

Holiday enjoyment allowance: Lawmakers play ostrich as subsidy pains bite harder

Amidst the hardship caused by the removal of the fuel subsidy, TOPE OMOGBOLAGUN writes that senators’ allowances indicate that they are indifferent to the suffering in the country

In the fast-paced world of politics, a single misstep can reverberate far beyond its initial utterance. Such was the case when the Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, made a seemingly innocuous statement that set off a firestorm of controversy.

Akpabio, on August 7, before the Senate adjourned for a seven-week annual recess, told his colleagues that money had been sent to them to “enjoy” their holiday, apparently forgetting that the proceeding was being captured on live camera.

The Senate President said, “To enable all of us to enjoy our holidays, a token has been sent to our various accounts by the Clerk of the National Assembly.

“I withdraw that statement. To allow you to enjoy your holiday, the Senate President has sent prayers to your mailboxes to assist you to go on a safe journey and return.”

His words, whether offhand or deliberate, unleashed a cascade of reactions that dominated the social media space for days.

The few-second clip was greeted with heavy criticism as Nigerians particularly decried the recklessness of the parliament and its insensitivity to the pains and cries of Nigerians amidst severe hardships due to economic reforms made by President Bola Tinubu.

Nigeria has a bicameral legislature, consisting of the Senate and the House of Representatives. Lawmakers in both chambers receive various allowances in addition to their salaries. These allowances cover different aspects of their work and expenses, including housing, transportation, constituency outreach, and more.

In the past, there have been controversies and debates surrounding the transparency and appropriateness of the allowances received by Nigerian lawmakers, particularly because their allowances were often shrouded in secrecy.

Interestingly, Akpabio’s mention was the first time Nigerians became aware that lawmakers got any form of money, like a holiday allowance. Although one would expect that workers get leave allowance during vacation, the gaffe sparked the curiosity of Nigerians.

However, Akpabio, since he emerged as president of the tenth Senate, has been able to throw himself and his 105 colleagues into different controversies in successive manners.

The “holiday bonus” comment came weeks after the lawmakers were allocated N70bn to support their “working conditions” in an amended 2022 supplementary appropriation act.

The lawmakers said the N70bn was earmarked as ‘palliatives’ to support “the working conditions of National Assembly members.”

This came barely a few days before the “Let the Poor Breathe” comment, another viral debacle that came with apologies and clarification afterward.

While the amount allocated for holiday enjoyment had remained a mystery, lawmakers, having been fired at by their constituents, came out to disclose that they got the sum of N2m only.

One of them was a screenshot of a credit alert emanating from the Ondo South lawmaker, Senator Jimoh Ibrahim.

He stated that each lawmaker got N2m with screenshot evidence for his seven weeks’ leave.

Similarly, the Senate Chief Whip, Senator Ali Ndume, buttressed, stating that there was no “big deal” in senators getting N2m as leave allowance.

In an interview with the BBC Hausa on Saturday, Ndume remarked that distributing a total of N218m among the 109 senators to enjoy their vacation is not an extraordinary occurrence.

However, in an interview on Politics Today, a political discourse programme on Channels TV, one of the prominent female lawmakers in the tenth Senate, Ireti Kingibe, denied getting any allowance.

She said, “I did not receive any prayers, but I will check my emails for the prayers. Truthfully, I don’t know what he was talking about.


“Most people assume that our allowances are being paid; some statutory things that we are paid. I don’t think it was anything extra that we were supposed to be given. I certainly haven’t seen anything extra.”

Contradictorily, an activist, Timi Frank, claimed a source informed him that members of the House of Representatives reportedly received N30m each, while principal officers were allegedly given N45m each. He went on to claim that senators purportedly received N35m, with their officials reportedly obtaining N50m each.

Frank said, “I have been reliably informed that what Akpabio termed a token is actually in millions of naira, which belongs to taxpayers.

“According to a Senator from the North-West who confided in me, ‘each Senator received N35m while principal officers got N50m each.’

“He equally told me that each House of Representatives member got N30m while their principal officers received N45m each.

“The Senator said he had rejected his own largesse, saying, ‘Allah will not forgive me if I collect such an amount for vacation enjoyment while my constituents are in hardships. I will spend my vacation with my constituents in the village. I am not travelling to any other place, so I don’t need the money.’

“I know Akpabio and his cohorts will rush to deny this, but let them do so with evidence by publishing their bank statements for Nigerians to verify for the sake of transparency. I also dare the clerk to the National Assembly, Magaji Tambawal, to publish the vouchers with which he paid these slush funds into the accounts of legislators.”

Frank didn’t only reveal the conversation that he had with his source; he also called for the resignation of the Senate President.

“This is the biggest joke we’ve seen in recent times, and that is the main reason why I’m making it bold and very clear that Senator Godswill Akpabio must immediately resign as the Senate President. He cannot continue to make a mockery of our democracy and a mockery of Nigerians.

“This is the same man who made a mockery of the poor and made it very clear in the Senate chamber by saying, ‘Let the poor breathe’. Meanwhile, he was laughing because he knew they would never allow the poor to breathe; they’d continue to suffocate the poor, and that is what he demonstrated today (Monday) on live TV by sharing the resources that belong to the poor with their accounts.

“Akpabio has shown that since the inception of the Nigerian Senate, this is the most corrupt Senate President Nigerians have ever witnessed.

“I use this opportunity to call on President Bola Tinubu to end this joke and the Nollywood act of Akpabio. This is the time he, the President, must tell Akpabio to resign for this show of shame and national embarrassment. Nigerians can no longer take this in this APC government anymore,” he said.

Likewise, legislators are expressing frustration towards the Senate President for instigating Nigerians, especially their respective constituents, against them.


Ndume stated that the lawmakers would move against Akpabio if he continued to drag lawmakers into different messes and controversies.

“He created an impression as if we were given some special or huge amounts of money. What’s the big deal if I receive an N2m allowance in my capacity as a senator?

“He made a very wrong statement, and I warned him immediately that his comments were unbecoming of an elder.

“We are even planning to take drastic action against him if he continues making unguarded statements and acting as if we are kids,” the Borno South lawmaker stated.

Defending itself, the National Assembly, under the leadership of Clerk Magaji Tambawal, stated that it wasn’t involved in any form of frivolous spending as projected in the public space.

A statement by the Secretary, Research and Information for Clerk, Dr Ali Umoru noted that the National Assembly remained committed to transparency and accountability in the management of public funds. We appreciate the continued support and understanding of the Nigerian people as we work together to uphold the principles of democracy and good governance.

The statement read, “It should be noted that the N2m is part of the running cost of the office of each senator as provided for in the 2023 budget.

“The allocation for running costs is not a new development; it has been standard practice. These funds are utilised to facilitate various activities that directly contribute to effective representation, legislative activities, and other initiatives aimed at serving the interests of the people.

“For the avoidance of doubt and emphasis, the said allowances were budgeted for in the 2023 Appropriation Act as part of the running cost of the office of each Senator of the 10th Assembly. The allowances are therefore an entitlement and not a privilege or largesse distributed to the Senators.”

Surprisingly, the Senate President has some lending their voice to his support. One such is the Director General of the Unity Congress and lawyer, Essien Ita.

Ita said that Akpabio should be commended for enhancing transparency and not be vilified.

Ita noted that the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association’s Declaration on Parliamentary Openness requests that transparency be a crucial element in building trust between the public and democratic institutions like the National Assembly.

Ita further contended that making parliamentary information more accessible to citizens provides good governance and best democratic practices.

He added that countries like The Gambia, Seychelles, Australia, Wales, Barbados, Canada, and Singapore all enjoy holiday and travel allowances and wondered why Akpabio’s pronouncement of holiday allowance to Nigerian Senators should become an issue.

He said, “After all, this privilege was already in place before Senator Akpabio became Senate President.”

From online forums to television debates, the incident prompted an array of discussions. It shifted conversations from the specifics of the holiday allowance to broader themes of political accountability and representation. Many seized the opportunity to question whether public figures truly understand the realities of the citizens they serve.

In his comment, the Executive Director of the Civil Society Legislative Advocacy Centre, Auwal Rafsanjani, said instead of focusing on developing strategies to alleviate the socio-economic difficulties afflicting the nation, the lawmakers were preoccupied with “pocket-serving” actions.

On his part, the Chief Executive of Connected Development, Hamzat Lawal, lamented that leaders were not leading by example and that such a gaffe by the Senate President was insensitive.

Lawal noted, “I believe the Senate should prioritise their responsibilities over concentrating on the privileges that accompany their positions. This is precisely where a reevaluation of the governance expenses, the National Assembly’s operational costs, and the compensation package for our legislators becomes crucial.”

ECOWAS condemns deadly attacks on soldiers in Niger Republic

The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) has expressed its deep sorrow over a series of brutal assaults carried out by armed factions within the Republic of Niger.

Tragically, these heinous incidents have claimed the lives of numerous Nigerien soldiers.

In a statement today, ECOWAS vehemently denounced these reprehensible attacks and extended its heartfelt sympathies to the resilient citizens of Niger, as well as to the grieving families of the fallen soldiers.

ECOWAS called upon the leadership of Niger’s CNSP-military to promptly reinstate the constitutional framework, restoring stability to the nation. Niger’s security has grown alarmingly precarious, exacerbated by the unsettling attempt to overthrow the democratically elected President, H.E. Mohamed Bazoum.

Police clamp down on protesters demanding Kano Emir’s removal

The Kano State Police Command, on Monday, said it had declared a manhunt for some persons who chanted provocative slogans against the Emir of Kano, Alhaji Aminu Ado Bayero, on Sunday.

The state Commissioner of Police, Muhammad Gumel, disclosed this while briefing journalists in Kano.

Gumel said the affected persons caused public disturbance during the inauguration of Hasiya Bayero Paediatric Hospital, near the Emir’s palace on Sunday.

The protesters were said to have organised themselves disturbingly, chanting provocative slogans against the Emir who attended the event.

They chanted slogans, like “new governor, new Emir,” insisting that Governor Abba Yusuf should remove the Emir and install a new one since it is a new government in power.

He said, “Those people were not invited to the event. They were intruders who came on their own, and they must have been sponsored by somebody or a group of persons.

“Six persons have been identified. We used technology to track them down. We are still analysing the video footage, and we are making efforts to arrest all those involved. We are also making efforts to get their sponsors.

“Traditional institution is a respectable institution; anybody who messes around with the traditional institution is a saboteur and an enemy of the state.”

Gumel also said no fewer than 100 repentant criminals had surrendered to the police with their weapons in the state within the past three months.

Niger PM In Chad As US, Russia Urge Diplomatic Option In Crisis

Bazoum's ousting unleashed a shock wave around West Africa, where Mali and Burkina Faso have also suffered military


Niger’s military-appointed prime minister made an unannounced visit to neighbouring Chad on Tuesday as West African states set talks for mulling possible military intervention to reverse his country’s coup and the United States and Russia urged a diplomatic solution to the crisis.

Ali Mahaman Lamine Zeine, a civilian appointed by the military rulers who ousted Nigerien President Mohamed Bazoum on July 26, arrived in Chad for a “working visit,” the Chadian government said on Facebook.

In a statement issued after meeting Chadian President Mahamat Idriss Deby Itno, Zeine said he had brought a message of “good neighbourliness and good fraternity” from the head of Niger’s regime.

“We are in a process of transition, we discussed the ins and outs and reiterated our availability to remain open and talk with all parties, but insist on our country’s independence,” he said.

Deby, a key player in the unstable Sahel, had flown to the Nigerien capital Niamey four days after the coup.


Photos later showed him pictured next to the detained Bazoum and, separately, with one of the regime’s leaders, General Salifou Mody.

– Diplomacy call –
Zeine’s unannounced visit came hours after sources in the region said military chiefs from the regional bloc ECOWAS would meet in Ghana on Thursday and Friday to discuss possible intervention in Niger.

The meeting — originally scheduled for last Saturday but then postponed — flows from an ECOWAS summit last week which approved deployment of a “standby force to restore constitutional order” in Niger.

Analysts say military intervention would be operationally risky and politically hazardous, given divisions within ECOWAS ranks and fears of worsening the Sahel’s chronic instability.


But the option of force also came with the bloc’s insistence that it preferred a diplomatic outcome — a scenario that Washington strongly backed on Tuesday.

“I believe that there continues to be space for diplomacy in achieving that result,” US Secretary of State Antony Blinken told reporters.

“The pressure that’s been exerted by many countries including through ECOWAS on the military leaders responsible for disrupting the constitutional order in Niger is mounting.

“I think they have to take that into account, as well as the fact that their actions have isolated them from the region and the world.”


Russian President Vladimir Putin called for a “peaceful political and diplomatic” resolution to the crisis in a phone call with Mali’s junta leader, Assimi Goita, the Kremlin said on Tuesday.

Bazoum’s election in 2021 was a landmark in Niger’s history, ushering in the country’s first peaceful transfer of power since independence from France in 1960.

His ousting unleashed a shock wave around West Africa, where Mali and Burkina Faso — likewise battered by a jihadist insurgency — have also suffered military takeovers.

ECOWAS — the Economic Community of West African States — applied a tough roster of trade and financial sanctions, while France, Germany and the United States suspended their aid programmes.

The regional bloc gave the new regime a one-week ultimatum on July 30 to restore Bazoum or face the potential use of force, but the deadline expired without action.

Niger’s military regime has sent mixed signals since the crisis erupted.

At the weekend, the coup leaders said they were open to a diplomatic push after their chief, General Abdourahamane Tiani, met with Nigerian religious mediators.

Those talks came after the ECOWAS military meeting in Ghana was postponed for “technical reasons”.

But on Sunday night, Niger’s rulers declared they had gathered sufficient evidence to prosecute Bazoum for “high treason and undermining internal and external security”.

The legal threat was angrily condemned by ECOWAS, which lashed it as a contradiction of the regime’s “reported willingness” to explore peaceful means. Washington said it was “incredibly dismayed”.

The row overshadowed talks under African Union (AU) auspices that began on Monday in Addis Ababa, bringing together representatives from the regime and ECOWAS.

– Poor and unstable –
A landlocked nation in the heart of the arid Sahel, Niger is one of the world’s poorest and most turbulent countries.

Bazoum, 63, survived two attempted coups before being ousted, in the fifth putsch in the country’s history.

His ousting deals a huge blow to French and US strategy in the Sahel.

France refocused its anti-jihadist operations on Niger after withdrawing from Mali and Burkina Faso last year following a bust-up with their juntas.

International concern is mounting for the state of Bazoum, his wife and son, who have been held at the president’s official residence since the coup.