Nigerian Government on Monday 21 December ordered closure of all schools in the country till 18th of January, 2021. This became necessary following the 2nd wave of COVID-19 pandemic in the country. Chairman of the Presidential Task Force on COVID-19, Boss Mustapha, said this at a press briefing of the task force in Abuja.

Mustapha said schools in the country are to remain shut till announced date in order to enable new measures to take effect. “The PTF on the advice of the Federal Ministry of Education expects that schools would have vacated from the 18th December 2020 and remain closed till at least the 18th of January, 2021 to enable the measures introduced to take effect,” Mustapha added.

Government also directed that persons above the age of 60yrs and/or with comorbidities to stay at home and avoid crowded areas.

“Also all non-essential travels; both domestic and international during this holiday season are seriously discouraged.”

Former U.S. First Lady and Secretary of State, Hillary Clinton, on Monday renewed her call for abolition of the country’s Electoral College. She made the call in a tweet shortly after voting as an elector alongside her husband and former President Bill Clinton in New York.

“I believe we should abolish the Electoral College and select our president by the winner of the popular vote, same as every other office. But while it still exists, I was proud to cast my vote in New York for Joe Biden and Kamala Harris,” the tweet reads.

Hilary lost the 2016 presidential election to Donald Trump in spite of winning the popular votes. Trump was elected after securing 304 electoral vote to Clinton’s 227.

The Clintons were joined by Gov. Andrew Cuomo alongside 26 other electors on Monday who formerly sealed Biden’s victory in the Nov. 3 election in New York.

The U.S. Electoral College is a group of 538 presidential electors who converge in state capitals every December of an election year to ratify the election of the President and the Vice President following the recently concluded general polls on Nov. 3. The number of electors in each state is equivalent to the number seats in state’s legislature.

A candidate requires an absolute majority of 270 electoral votes to win the election. But if no candidate secures the 270 votes, Congress holds a contingent election to pick the president and Vice President. Biden’s election is expected to be ratified in the Electoral College held in all state capitals on Monday following the Nov. 3 general polls.

The former Vice President is projected to receive 306 electoral votes to be secured against Trump’s 232 electoral votes who is still contesting the election results.

I believe we should abolish the Electoral College and select our president by the winner of the popular vote, same as every other office.

But while it still exists, I was proud to cast my vote in New York for Joe Biden and Kamala Harris.

When the #EndSARS protest was on October 17 hijacked by hoodlums, who unleashed terror on Edo State, especially the capital, Benin, no one knew the dimension and magnitude the violence would take considering that the police, who were expected to provide security, were at the receiving end of the biggest protest against the institution. However, residents had hoped the violence would subside, giving police the chance to resume their duty of restoring peace and order in a state that has been thrown into great turmoil.

However, a month after, the state is still in great security distress with armed robbery, kidnapping and cult-related killings, which have turned major parts of the state capital into a ghost town, becoming the order of the day. Residents are scared to go out at all or leave home early for their places of work or business, while also opting to stay in other parts of the city whenever they stay out late.

Many have attributed the rising clashes among rival cult groups, especially Eye and Aiye confraternities, more to the jailbreak that occurred at two correctional centres in Oko and Sapele Road, Benin, where almost 2,000 prisoners were freed by hoodlums, who coordinated the attacks on the centres to free their gang members, who were being held in the facilities.

With the streets already boiling and arms stolen from police stations in the hands of criminals, it was only a matter of time before dissidents hiding under the confraternities would unleash mayhem and take over the streets of Benin. And when it started, it became a case of knowing when a war starts and not knowing when it would end. Many rival cult members and innocent citizens have been killed, with the numbers rising daily as over 40 people are alleged to have been killed in the last two weeks, with pictures and graphic videos surfacing on the Internet.

A resident of Uselu, where the ‘battle for supremacy’ between the cult groups shifted to last Friday, Rose Osaro, was surprised by the sophistication and brutality with which the gangs operated. She was also bewildered by the way they handled guns and other sophisticated weapons, wondering where they got their training from.

She told The PUNCH, “I am surprised by the way they operated. They were so brutal and were ready to kill anyone in sight. We had to run for our dear lives and I must advise that you (the reporter) don’t stay too long out here. These guys are dangerous and we can only call on the security operatives to swing into action and save Benin from descending into more chaos. Many people have been killed, while some have been maimed.

“I believe most of the problems began when prisoners were illegally freed by their cult members. There had been cult clashes in Benin before, but this one dwarfs any other and I hope that something will be done soon. If not, many people will be killed. I also feel that if the government had handled the #EndSARS protest well, it would not have been hijacked by hoodlums, who are now terrorising the state.”

However, before the battle shifted to Uselu, some parts of the city are reputed for criminal activities including, Upper Sakponba, Evbuotubu, Siluko Road, Ukhoro, Medical Store Road and parts of Sapele Road. In these places, rival gangs engaged themselves in open battles with guns and machetes, which also claimed innocent lives.

Gabriel Ogiebor, who lives in Sakponba, told The PUNCH that a neighbour’s son was killed while running errands for his father. He said he got home and saw many people condoling with the family over the demise of their son, adding that the late Churchill was an easy-going person.

“I was shocked to hear the sad news. I gathered that his father sent him on an errand and he was caught in the crossfire. He was not a cultist. He was an easy-going guy and it is unfortunate miscreants sent him to his early grave. I feel so sad because I viewed Churchill as a prospect, having finished in one of the tertiary institutions in the state. As it is now, I can say that 38 people may have been killed in these senseless confrontations,” Ogiebor added.

However, efforts to end the cult wars and other criminal activities may have taken a dent as some of the escapee prison inmates are already sending threat messages to policemen who investigated and prosecuted their cases. Commissioner of Police in the state, Johnson Kokumo, who revealed this, said his men were working within existing limitations to restore normalcy to the state just as he said 3 policemen shot by hoodlums were recuperating.

He said, “You can imagine what it means that 3 police stations along Sokponba Road were destroyed and burnt and patrol vehicles destroyed in several other parts of the state capital; all the officers in these stations now operate from the headquarters.

“The #EndSARS protest was hijacked by hoodlums and it took a violent turn in the state and prisoners were set free; what do you expect? Some of these escapees have been sending threat messages to policemen, who investigated and prosecuted them, while one of the escapees, who was convicted for murder, went on that same day to kill the prosecution witness in his village, but he was immediately rearrested.

“Everybody must be part of the restoration of sanity. People who know these escapees should avail us information about them. But I am assuring you that we are not sleeping, but with what has happened to the police in Edo, some of these hitches are expected. But we are not sleeping and we will continue to work to arrest criminal elements in the state.”

Last Friday, the army, the police with other sister agencies engaged in a show of force by taking over strategic positions in the state to stem security problems, especially the rising cases of cult clashes and killings.

General Officer Commanding 2 Division, Nigerian Army, Maj. Gen. Anthony Omozoje, said he was in the state to collaborate with sister security agencies to see how to consolidate on gains being made in curbing the rate of criminality witnessed after the #EndSARS protests. He said the military was embarking on a 7-day heightened security operation to fish out criminal elements in the state, adding, “We need to go actively after these criminals in order not to give them liberty to operate. The 7-day heightened security operation will involve all security agencies to arrest criminals and recover arms and ammunition.

“The operation has been carried out in Osun, Kwara, Oyo, Ekiti and now Edo. We will establish fixed checkpoints at very critical locations within the city. After the operation, an evaluation will be carried out to know the level of success. We have men in Ibadan and Akure, who will reinforce our effort if need be.”

Despite facing several battles on the political front, Governor Godwin Obaseki is optimistic that the state government’s effort will yield dividends soon. He stated that the government was playing its part to prevent the state from being thrown into anarchy through activities of cultists and other criminals in the state.

“We have a subsisting curfew in Edo, which is being breached. To support your 7-day heightened security effort, we are reinforcing the curfew from 10pm to 6am daily. The town should be on lockdown and anyone found outside within this period should be dealt with according to the law,” Obaseki told the GOC. The governor lamented that during the #EndSARS protest, Edo was a hotspot as hoodlums took advantage of the heightened anxiety surrounding the September 19 governorship election to cause mayhem.

Obaseki, who thanked the Chief of Army Staff and other senior security officers for refusing to be compromised and ensured that Edo had a free, fair and credible election, said their actions had saved and sustained democracy in the state and Nigeria.

A former Inspector-General of Police, Solomon Arase, said failure to punish past misdeeds had given rise to the present insecurity in the state, noting that the government must work with professional bodies and faith-based organisations as well as understand the need to make community policing organic.

He stated, “In 2015, when a similar problem of gang war and criminality took place and I was the IG, we moved into the state to sanitise it and arrested 15 persons, who were the top actors. It took us 3 weeks to mop up. We halted the state of social disorder and anomie, and then the case files were compiled and the suspects were arraigned.

“Unfortunately, the government did not go ahead with the prosecution and there must be consequences for crime. So, what is happening now is because there were no consequences for past misdeeds. We didn’t go for the foot soldiers, we went for the big shots, who were the organisers.

“Two years ago, I drew attention to it but nothing was done. Predictive policing shows that if you don’t prosecute people who have committed infractions, you are tacitly encouraging a repeat performance and see what has happened. The same people came out on the street now and took over the state. So, government should learn to ensure that people who commit crimes, despite their political leanings or standing in society, are dealt with. That is the only panacea for having peace in Edo State.

Arase added, “I don’t see a strategic approach the government has put in place to stop the criminals. If you say you are training constables for community policing, I must say that is a pedestrian way of dealing with security and policing issues. What is the profile of those you are training and giving uniforms to?

“We have to think outside the box and be strategic. People from the state, including me, are tired of all these. I am particularly worried about what is happening and our approach must change on how we fight crime. Though it is the Federal Government that controls the police, States must complement by providing patrol vehicles and other equipment to aid the police in doing their jobs.”

A former Provost Marshal of the Nigerian Army, Brig. Gen. Idada Ikponmwen (retd), said security operatives must be provided with needed tools to secure lives and property, while also calling on residents of the state to give vital tips that would help operatives arrest and rid the state of criminal elements.

He stated, “I can say that insecurity as well as the killings baffle me and other well-meaning people. It also baffles me that we cannot use our security apparatus to deal with these problems. All I will want to emphasize is that government must rededicate itself to providing proper security for everybody. It is the primary responsibility of government to provide security. The security situation has never been this bad and it leaves us all in constant state of fear on the roads, in our houses and everywhere.

“So, the government must rededicate itself to repositioning the security system. The people must also see themselves as partners, because security is everybody’s business and the people committing these crimes are not spirits, they live in different communities with the people and a situation where the people are not sufficiently committed, it will be difficult for security to be adequate.”

The Code of Conduct Bureau (CCB) will arraign Ibrahim Magu, suspended acting chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), before the Code of Conduct Tribunal (CTC) any moment from now, TheCable understands.

According to sources in the know, Magu is to be prosecuted for allegedly failing to list a bank account in his asset declaration form. TheCable understands that the First Bank account had not been operated by Magu for 5 years and gone dormant.

The CCB has also listed a property in Port Harcourt, Rivers state, allegedly owned by Magu as part of the evidence to be used against him at the tribunal. Magu had previously been accused of owning properties in Dubai, Lagos and Abuja — but it now appears there is no substance to the allegations. His team has maintained that he owns only one house and it is in Karu, a suburb in the federal capital territory (FCT).

“We thought they said he owned houses in Dubai and Banana Island but now it is a phantom property in Port Harcourt that is being linked to him,” a member of his team told TheCable.

Magu, who was named acting chairman of the EFCC in 2015 and was never confirmed until his suspension in July 2020, had been invited by the CCB to answer questions on his asset declaration. This came at the time he was also being investigated by the Justice Ayo Salami panel, which has now recommended his sack and prosecution for alleged corruption in office — an allegation Magu has consistently denied. Magu failed to appear before the CCB, citing his lack of access to the documents being requested.

In a statement issued on Sunday, Wahab Shittu, counsel to Magu, denied that the suspended chairman shunned the bureau. Below is the full text of his statement.

Our attention has been drawn to certain media reports where it was reported that our client, the suspended Acting Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Mr Ibrahim Magu, shunned the invitation of the Code of Conduct Bureau (CCB).

We wish to state that our client did not shun the CCC invitation as the media reportage did not reflect the true position of the narrative. We wish to state with high sense of responsibility that we have written 2 letters to the Chairman of the CBB, intimating him about the inability of our client to have access to the relevant documents as required by the CCB.

The letters, which were dated November 16 and 17, 2020, were addressed to the CCB Chairman. The letters were titled- Re: Investigation of Activities- Letter of Invitation, Breach of Code of Conduct for Public Officers. Please note that the letters were stamped and acknowledged by the office of the CCB Chairman on the said date of November 17, 2020. We also wish to state the said letters were copied to the Director of Intelligence, Investigation and Monitoring while the letters were also stamped and acknowledged by his office.

Explaining the inability of our client to honour the invitation, we stated as follows:

“Your letter dated November 2, 2020 with reference No.-CCB/HQ/II & M/007/2093 addressed to our client has been passed unto us to respond to as follows:

“In the referred letter, our client was requested to appear before your distinguished body on Tuesday, November 17, 2020 at 11am prompt concerning the above subject matter. We have firm instructions to inform your distinguished body that our client, regrettably will not be able to honour today’s invitation in view of certain circumstances beyond his control.

“Our client’s inability to honour your invitation is as a result of his inability to access his office and the requested documents since his suspension from office. We wish to inform you that the documents which you requested for and other personal documents are still in his personal office where he has been denied access up to date. The relevant documents include:

1. Acknowledgement slips of all Magu’s assets declaration to the Code of Conduct since he joined Public service.
2. Copies of his Appointment Letter, Acceptance, Records of Service and payslips from January to May, 2020.
3. All title documents of his landed properties both developed and undeveloped.

“We request that the invitation to our client be extended pending the conclusion of the exercise of the mandate of the presidential Judicial Commission of Inquiry set up against our client and the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC). This request has become necessary since most of the documents requested by your Bureau, were removed from our client’s offices by the Department of State Security Service (DSS) and the request of the Judicial Commission of Inquiry in the absence of our client while our client was in detention.

"Based on the foregoing, it would be impossible for our client to answer your questions and provide those documents which are in the possession of the Judicial Commission of Inquiry and the Department of State Security Service (DSS). We therefore kindly request your distinguished body to graciously extend the invitation extended to our client pending the return of our client’s documents (which you requested).

“We further wish to inform you that we are writing a letter to the Judicial Commission of Inquiry, requesting it to direct the Acting EFCC boss to allow our client access to the relevant documents. Please note that there is the need for our client to have access to the relevant documents in order to prepare for his defence to your invitation.

“In the circumstances, until such a time when our client gains access to his personal files in his office where most of the requested documents are, it is impracticable to honour your invitation, even if our client is willing to do so as an obedient and patriotic citizen.

"Thank you in anticipation of your cooperation in the above regard. Please accept our professional regards."

Yours Faithfully,

Signed

Wahab Shittu, Esq

jaydeevaa:
same way to locate a husband....

Three feared dead, shops looted as hoodlums clash in Lagos

No fewer than 3 persons have been feared dead after hoodlums clashed in some parts of Mushin and Surulere areas of Lagos State. PUNCH Metro learnt the fight, which started around 8pm Sunday between two groups at a party on Alaafia Street, extended to neighbouring streets in the area.

The fight, which extended till Monday, was said to be a supremacy battle between the factions. Among the affected streets were Daniel, Alafia, Morgan, Babalola, Sowunmi and Olusoga. Our correspondent learnt the fight left many injured, while over 200 shops were looted and many vehicles destroyed.

An eyewitness, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said the absence of security agents made the miscreants to have a field day. He said, “The fight started around 8pm yesterday (Sunday) between two groups fighting for supremacy on Alaafia Street and it extended to other streets. The hoodlums destroyed many things during the fight; over 200 shops were looted, while many vehicles were destroyed.

“The police could not quickly come to the scene because of what happened during the #EndSARS protest. The police area commander had to follow the local government chairman, who came to call for calm. But immediately they left, the hoodlums resumed their fight, leaving many people injured.”

It was gathered that policemen from Area D Command, Itire, Aguda and Surulere were mobilised to the areas. State Police Public Relations Officer, Muyiwa Adejobi, said no casualties were recorded in the fight, adding that 12 suspects had been arrested. He said, “No causality was recorded during the fight among some gangsters in the Mushin area of Lagos State. Twelve of them have been arrested, while normalcy has been restored in the area.

“The CP has deployed more police operatives to the area to beef up security. We will continue to monitor the situation.”