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Motorists and commuters plying Eko Bridge, Lagos State, have lamented increasing attacks by armed robbers on them. PUNCH Metro gathered that while robbers broke into cars and commercial vehicles in broad daylight and dispossessed people of their valuables, police were nowhere to be found. Our correspondents, who spoke to victims and eyewitnesses, learnt residents now prefer to take longer routes to their destinations due to the robberies.

A businesswoman, Opeyemi Adegbola, said she was robbed Wednesday around 2.30pm by hoodlums on a motorcycle. She said, “I took Uber with my aunt while coming from Lagos Island on Wednesday and when we got to Eko Bridge, there was traffic. It was raining, so the driver begged us that because he didn’t have much fuel, we should allow him turn off the engine and we obliged, so we had to wind down the windows a little bit.

“After a while, we didn’t know where these guys came from; we just noticed they got off a motorcycle and one of them pointed a gun at our driver and shouted at him to wind down the glass, while also threatening to shoot him. At first, it was like a movie to me; I didn’t know what was happening. The other guy went to the right side, where my aunt was sitting, and shouted at her to wind down and open the door. My aunt just quietly told me to hide my phone, so I hid it inside the car seat, pushed it down and sat on it.

“Before we knew what was going on, the guy opened his shirt, brought out a cutlass and smashed the glass in my aunt’s face. We were injured. The guy collected my aunt’s bag, asked her to remove her jewellery, wristwatch and ring, while the one with the gun came to my side and shouted I should open the door; I opened the door and gave him my bag.

“He ransacked my bag; my ATM cards were inside, but he didn’t see them. The other phone that I used for business transactions was inside the bag, so he took it, put it inside his pocket, took the money inside the bag and threw the bag in the floodwater.”

The victim explained that the robbers moved to other vehicles to rob passengers after they were through with them. She however noted that they were saved by a man, who drove with some escorts on the other side of the road. Adegbola stated, “the man being escorted stopped and shot in the air. When the robbers heard the gunshot, they took off. The escorts ran after them, but couldn’t catch up, because they didn’t know where they disappeared to.

“We didn’t see any policeman on the bridge; it was when the escorts shot in the air that some area boys came out to start looking for the robbers. After then, 2 police officers came on motorbikes and people booed them for coming after the robbers had gone. Those guys operated conveniently; no rush at all. They were going from one car to the other; nothing was stopping them, and the one with cutlass was ready to harm anybody who dared challenge him, so we had no choice but to surrender everything to them. I lost N20,000 and my phone to them.”

JOURNALIST EYE-WITNESS

A journalist, who witnessed a robbery on the bridge on Monday, Tolulope Adeleru-Balogun, said the robbers attacked passengers of a commercial bus around 5pm. Narrating the incident on her Twitter handle, Adeleru-Balogun said there was no security agent on the bridge while the incident lasted.

She tweeted, “I saw a bus getting robbed in front of me on Eko Bridge in broad daylight. One robber had a gun, the other a brand new cutlass. Lagosians are sitting ducks on bridges across the city. My colleague was still trying to get some work done on his phone when a hawker stopped by my window and said drop your phone, they are robbing. Not less than two minutes later, they went after a white bus, slapped people, pulled out a cutlass, broke one of the back windows.

“The driver tried to manoeuvre, but everyone beside and behind him was trying to escape as well. They circled round and that’s when another brought out a gun. Passengers started jumping down, even passengers from a bus behind. They tried to go after a car too.

“Lagosians are on here everyday sharing robbery incidents, yet they are continuing unabated and gathering steam. It’s not safe to move around Lagos, day or night; there’s construction on the bridge leading to stadium affecting Eko Bridge; there is construction at Ogudu, affecting the Third Mainland Bridge. Who makes these decisions in a city such as this? There was no police presence the length of the bridge till we got to the exit of Costain, I then saw 3 officers there.”

OTHER WITNESSES

Another commuter, Olufemi Anthony, who was almost robbed on Monday, said he left his vehicle and ran for dear life when robbers brandished different weapons. He said, “The robbery on Monday was around 5pm. Boys robbed the driver of a Camry that was in front of me and out of frustration, the driver bashed my car. I didn’t bother to come down, because those guys came with shotguns and cutlasses. The most amazing thing was that a bank’s van with escorts on the same Eko Bridge could do nothing and everybody had to run for their lives. I left my vehicle and ran too.”

In a video that went viral on Wednesday, a woman, who was allegedly attacked by the robbers, could be seen crying in her car as she drove slowly. The voice in the video could be heard saying the woman was attacked by robbers while in traffic, adding that the robbers had broken the side mirrors of several other vehicles.

A driver, who identified himself simply as Jide, told PUNCH Metro the police had been reluctant since the #EndSARS protest to rescue citizens from such danger, adding that many of the policemen were retaliating the attacks on police stations during the protest. Since #EndSARS happened, crime rate has been high. Security operatives have technically left us to ourselves. Some policemen have said since we didn’t want them, we can be on our own. They’re fighting back for what happened during the protest. We lack needed security,” he said.

According to a motorist, Adeyinka Omoh, the police watch while people are being robbed. He stated, “Even if you’re being robbed in front of the police, they won’t answer if you call them. Hoodlums usually rob people on the bridge when the traffic is intense. They make sure the other side of the road is free before they start their operation. They park a motorcycle on the other free lane to ease their escape after robbery. The bridge starts from Alaka to Apogbon. I don’t think people chased from under the bridge are the culprits. These notorious boys have chosen it as a full-time job.”

POLICE RESPONSE

State Commissioner of Police, Hakeem Odumosu, said the police were not aware of attacks on the bridge. According to him, construction works are ongoing at the end of the Eko Bridge, involving Costain, Alaka and Iponri areas. Odumosu said this was partly responsible for traffic on the bridge, adding that the command usually deployed personnel in mufti on the road during peak periods.

“I don’t have complaints of that (incessant attacks). I don’t have complaints like you called incessant. But I know that I have deployed my men on the Eko Bridge. If there is any information, we will double our efforts to protect everyone,” the CP stated.

However, state Police PRO, Muyiwa Adejobi, said later in a statement that the police raided some flashpoints in the state, including Agege, Seven-Up, Ojota, Surulere and Eko Bridge, and arrested 19 suspected traffic robbers.

“The RRS team, led by the Commander, CSP Yinka Egbeyemi, in the process hit notorious flashpoints in Agege, Seven-Up cum Ojota area, and Surulere to Eko Bridge, where notorious traffic robbers and miscreants had been terrorising innocent motorists and commuters, and arrested 19 suspected traffic robbers. The operation is ongoing and we are currently mounting surveillance on the Eko Bridge.”

Central Bank of Nigeria has condemned the rate at which Nigerians mutilate, deface, squeeze and even spray and sell the naira notes. The apex bank threatened that “abuse of the currency attracts a penalty not less than 6 months or a fine not less than N50,000 or both.”

Assistant Director at the Currency Operations Dept, Aladeen Badajo said this Thursday during commencement of CBN two-day sensitisation fair held in Abeokuta. The programme was meant to create awareness about its activities in relation to economic development initiatives.

In his presentation, Badejo urged the people to consider Nigeria’s currency as a symbol of national identity. Badejo who stressed the need to handle the banknotes with care and dignity expressed concern over huge amounts being spent reprinting them. He said, “Abuse of the currency attracts a penalty of not less than 6 months or a fine of not less than N50,000 or both.”

Acting Director, Corporate Communications Department, CBN, Osita Nwanisiobi said the bank attached great importance to sensitisation programmes. Nwanisiobi said the programme had become necessary to enable the bank acquaint the public with its economic development initiatives and to explain opportunities available and how every citizen could take advantage of them.

He added that the programme would also help to receive feedback from the public for consideration in development of other policies. The Director explained that the programme was in tune with the vision of the CBN Governor, which according to him is to operate a people’s Centred Bank

Nwanisiobi further explained CBN’s policies and initiatives were designed to address observed failures in some sectors and with a view to building a strong and sustainable financial system. He, therefore, urged members of the public not only to acquire info about the programmes but also take advantage of them.

The Development Finance Department of the CBN, Biodun Okunola explained that the bank had opened various fundings designed to boost the economy with the target to promote small and medium scale businesses.

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Academic Staff Union of Universities has called on the FG to resolve outstanding issues before suspension of its 10-month strike, to guarantee peace in universities. The union said government was indebted to many of its members in different universities, with between 3 and 14 months arrears owed.

ASUU President, Prof Emmanuel Osodeke, said these in an interview with Sunday PUNCH. Asked what would happen should government remain recalcitrant, he said he would continue from where his predecessor, Prof Biodun Ogunyemi, stopped.

“It is continuity, we run a collective leadership. So, it’s continuity from where my immediate predecessor stopped. It (the crisis) is not yet over. Government has the opportunity to ensure that crises are over. It is just to implement those things,” Osodeke said.

According to him, after developing the University Transparency and Accountability Solution as an alternative to the controversial Integrated Payroll and Personnel Information System, ASUU members are “bleeding” while people are being paid what pleases the office of the Accountant General of the Federation.

Osodeke said, “You know we were on strike till late last year. We reached an agreement on how to implement the outstanding issue with the government. We will expect the government to implement those issues with timelines.

“They have reneged on a number of them in line with the timelines. But, we believe it is not late; they can still resolve those issues for the peace and development of our universities. They cut your salary today, they pay those who they want to pay today, they withdraw those next week; they expect those people to come to Abuja to come and beg them or look for other things for them. So, these cannot continue in a university system.

“As a union, we don’t love strike because we have our children here. 99% of lecturers in Nigeria have their children in Nigerian universities, unlike the politicians who are actually destroying the system. How many of them have their children in this country?”

Central Bank Governor, Godwin Emefiele, has said the country will save about $3bn from petroleum imports annually when Dangote Refinery is fully operational. He said latest records show petroleum products took about 25% of imports.

Emefiele spoke when he paid a visit to inspect Dangote Refinery and Petrochemical Company in Ibeju-Lekki, Lagos, on Friday. Some banks chief executives were also part of the visit. During the visit, Dangote Fertilizer Limited disclosed the formal commencement of production of Urea in commercial quantity and plan to hit the Nigerian market on Monday.

The CBN governor said the bank was introducing initiatives to support indigenous producers to stimulate local production and preserve forex in the country. He added, “Imagine if this refinery comes to life, hopefully by first quarter of next year, where we have propylene, polyethylene, granules and other by-products from petrochemicals, we will be saving about $3bn worth of import annually.

“For me, that is extremely gratifying. Don’t forget that I keep asking what is the contribution of import to our GDP? Contribution of import to GDP is negative, and if we can reduce our import by about $3bn annually, imagine how our GDP will be growing. That is the science behind what we are doing. Reduce imports and produce things we can make locally and consume locally thereby promoting solid import substitution.”

Emefiele said Nigeria had the potential to export at least 3.5m metric tonnes urea to different parts of the world. He said, “Nigeria needs between 1 to 1.5m metric tonnes Urea to meet local demand. So, we have potential to export at least 3 to 4m metrics tonnes Urea to different parts of the world. With this latest development, Nigeria now ranks among leading countries in Urea production in the world. This, for me is a story no one would have believed will happen in Nigeria.”

Emefiele said the commissioning of the petrochemical and refinery plant would kick off by the end of the first quarter of 2022. Speaking on behalf of the bankers, Group Managing Director of Access Bank Plc, Mr Herbert Wigwe, expressed joy for the support they gave to Dangote to create a world class manufacturing enterprise in Nigeria.

President, Dangote Group, Aliko Dangote, appreciated the Nigerian banks for believing in his dreams and supporting his initiatives. He said, “This Phase 1 of the project, which is estimated to cost $2.5bn, is to manufacture 3mmtpa of urea per annum. This capacity will later be expanded to produce multi grades of fertilisers to meet soil, crop and climate specific requirements for the African continent.”

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Merchants Of Death: Tactics Criminals Use To Smuggle Guns Into Nigeria

Criminals are hell-bent on making Nigeria unsafe, with diverse methods being used to smuggle firearms into the country. The country is currently battling insurgents, killer herders, robbers, kidnappers and bandits using sophisticated weapons to cause mayhem across states in the country.

Security agents have been able to bust some of the gangs and their methods of smuggling firearms into the country while others albeit escaped their eagle eyes. There are viral videos on the arrested criminals, documenting strange methods adopted to smuggle in the arms. In one of the videos, one of the soldiers who apprehended a group of men of northern extraction transporting guns using motorcycles, said to his colleagues, “As dem dey pass, I fire dem. I lie down for ground and I fire dem.’’

As he spoke, he and other soldiers dismantled the motorcycles they confiscated from the suspected gunrunners. The motorcycles looked normal like others used for commercial activities. But upon scrutiny, the soldiers discovered that the special bikes were tailor-made to transport guns and ammunition undetected across states and [b]within Nigerian cities.

With measured expertise, the soldiers pulled off the seat of one of the bikes and thereafter used a hammer, a screwdriver and scissor to rip it apart. They removed nails used by the criminals to hold the bike seat and opened it. Inside the seat were an AK-47 rifle and a fully loaded magazine. The soldiers were surprised by the criminals’ ingenuity and one of them kept shouting ‘Jesus, Jesus, Jesus.’ Another soldier, who was equally shocked, screamed, “We think dem be mumu, dem no be mumu o. Dem go dey look us dey laugh.’’[/b]

Concealing firearms in bike seats is one of the ways criminals have adopted to escape prying eyes of security agents.

FIREARMS ACT
In February 2018, then Inspector-General of Police Ibrahim Idris in a statement ordered all commissioners of police in all states and FCT to immediately commence disarmament and recovery of prohibited firearms, ammunition and weapons.

He stated that all firearms in the possession of suspected militias, bandits, vigilante groups, neighbourhood watch and other groups or individual(s) or bodies, whether locally fabricated, modified or otherwise fashioned to kill or can cause harm or injury to persons, security breach anywhere in Nigeria, were to be seized.

After the announcement, a Police Joint Task Enforcement Team was set up at the Force Headquarters by the IG of Police, and Commissioners of Police of all states were mandated to set up similar joint task force enforcement teams in their respective states and zones. The order was backed by the Robbery and Firearms Act (2004), stipulating it is explicit and punishable to illegally possess or receive firearms.

It appears that 3 years after the mop up exercise, criminals all over the nation still run wild with guns and transport them across state borders and within cities largely undetected using various concealment techniques. The case is even more palpable with the recent increase in gun-related violence all over the country.

GUN CONCEALMENT TACTICS
Gun concealment tactics vary from one criminal group to another. In fact, criminally-minded Nigerians continue to change techniques to beat scrutiny of security agents around the country.

In another viral video few years ago, 5 members of a trans-border robbery gang were arrested by men of the Nigerian Police along Nigeria-Benin Republic border. Hidden under the seats of their motorcycles were AK-47 rifles together with 2 magazines fully loaded with 60 rounds live ammunition. The suspects while confessing said they were responsible for multiple car-snatching operations and other armed robbery attacks along Nigeria-Benin Republic border and they carried out operations disguising as commercial motorcycle operators.

This ingenious method of concealing guns is not new, there are many others uncovered by security agents on patrol in different parts of the country. Some of the methods are subtle while others are bizarre and mind-boggling.

For Nelson Yakubu, a robbery suspect, he and his gang devised an odd way to transport guns undetected across states in Nigeria where they go for robbery operations. In a video recorded during their confession to the police, he demonstrated how he and his team hid AK-47 rifles and ammunition between the car bonnet, windscreen and engine compartment of their vehicles.

According to him, they concealed their guns there to pass police checkpoints without being caught. Yakubu said he had carried out robbery operations with his gang in various states in the country and they transported firearms with ease, stowing them away in car bonnets. He said, “The police have no clue that we can hide guns in such parts of a car, so it helps us pass easily in and out of different states with our guns for robbery operations without getting caught.”

In 2020, operatives of the Federal Operation Unit of Nigeria Customs Service in Kebbi State intercepted a suspicious-looking truck. Spokesperson for the NCS, Joseph Attah, said when the lorry was examined, they found it was loaded with locally-produced rice and some sacks concealed under the bags of rice. On further examination, the sacks were found to contain 73 locally manufactured guns and 891 cartridges.

In January 2017, a Federal Operations Unit Squad of the NCS intercepted a truck in Lagos that had already been cleared by customs at Tin Can Island ports as having “steel doors” in the 40-foot container it was carrying. However, when it was thoroughly inspected, it turned out the truck was carrying 661 rifles.

In May that same year, Comptroller-General of the NCS, Hammed Ali, announced another seizure of firearms in the country. He said the 1,100 pump action rifles were disguised as wash hand basins for them to pass through Lagos ports. Also, in same month of May, 440 pieces of arms cleverly hidden in a container and about to be cleared as Plaster of Paris was discovered.

The criminal acts didn’t start recently. In 2003, members of NCS special anti-smuggling squad intercepted a lorry carrying illegal goods, noting that the smugglers abandoned the lorry and fled into the bush when they spotted a roadblock set up by the service’s men on the road between Lagos and Benin City. Searching the lorry, they discovered 170,000 live bullets hidden under empty cartons of beer and heaps of charcoal smuggled into Nigeria through nearby creeks leading to the Atlantic coast near Lagos from an unnamed neighbouring West African country.

OVER SIX MILLION ARMS IN CIRCULATION
Chairman, National Peace Committee and ex-Head of State, Abdulsalami Abubakar, said in Abuja during the committee’s key stakeholders meeting in May that proliferation of all calibre of weapons was not worrisome only in Nigeria but also in the sub-region.

He said, “It is estimated there are over 6 million such weapons in circulation in the country. This certainly exacerbated the insecurity that led to over 80,000 deaths and close to 3 million internally displaced persons.’’ Abdulsalami urged the nation’s security agents to find a way to resolve the security challenges confronting the country.

In 2016, then Director of United Nations Regional Centre for Peace and Disarmament in Africa, Ms Olatokunbo Ige, during a security meeting, gave a startling statistic. She noted that UNREC estimated that 70% of the 500m illicit small arms and light weapons in circulation in West Africa were at the time domiciled in Nigeria. She added, “The country is awash with illicit weapons which found their way into the hands of non-state actors, threatening the existence of the country as well as lives and properties of citizens.”

Police and allied agencies particularly the NCS intercepted and discovered countless methods used by criminal elements in society to conceal and transport guns within the country.

DANGEROUS TREND
For residents in states across the country, proliferation of firearms is a cause for concern. A resident in Mushin area of Lagos state, Adebimpe Ogundipe, noted guns were commonplace in the country. She said some hoodlums in the Mushin area used guns ostensibly bought by some politicians during electioneering. The guns were used to help the politicians win elections and afterwards, the hoodlums kept the guns, which they now use to terrorise residents. The situation is same in several areas in the country.

Ogundipe added, “These days, when there is unrest in the area, you just see young boys pull out guns from their bags and start shooting. Even with all the police checkpoints around, I wonder how they successfully move about without getting arrested. A lot of us live in fear because the boys are a threat.”

A trader in Oshodi market in Lagos, Sunday Igbokwe, said he had seen firsthand how some criminals concealed guns around the area. He said in 2019, during a clash between some cult groups in Oshodi, he witnessed how some boys majestically walked into some shops and brought out guns. He added, “They just casually strolled into some shops in the market.’’

Another trader in the state, Helen Ogunbiyi, expressed worry about how easily hoodlums in the Oshodi area had access to guns. She said there were days when one would see boys carrying bags and walking boldly without knowing what they had in them.

Ogunbiyi stated, “Not until there is a clash, you might never know what is in the bags. It is shocking how the police have yet to uncover the gangs. During one of the many cult clashes at Oshodi, I remember one of the cultists got ambushed by a rival group with machetes and knives. The guy calmly brought a gun out from his bag and started shooting at them and they all ran away. Looking at him, you would not even know he had a gun.’’

A resident in the Aguda area of Lagos, Rachael Eze, expressed fear over what she described as gun use in the area during cult clashes. She said the Aguda area, especially the part connecting Ijesha, was rife with cult clashes every year and it was a common occurrence for cultists to fight each other using guns and other dangerous weapons.

Eze said, “I am however surprised that no lasting solution has been found to check brazen use of guns in the area. Early this year, there was another cult clash between the rival cult groups. The boys live in the neighbourhood but I am shocked that they move about freely with guns without being detected or arrested.”

She said every day she lives in fear not knowing if there might be another fight between rival cult groups, noting that as they had perfected ways to move about freely with their guns, she did not see an end in sight for the reign of terror.

CENTRE FOR THE CONTROL OF SMALL ARMS AND LIGHT WEAPONS
In May this year, President Muhammadu Buhari approved establishment of a national centre for the control of small arms and light weapons. In the statement released by the Presidency, he said the centre would be for the policy guidance, research and monitoring of all aspects of small arms and light weapons in the country.

According to the Presidency, the decision to set up this centre is part of an ongoing restructuring of the country’s defence structure to address threats of small arms and light weapons in Nigeria. The rise in smuggling of small arms and light weapons into the country and border areas has worsened terrorism, human trafficking, organised crime and insurrection in West Africa and Nigeria.

SECURITY EXPERTS ’ VIEWS
A security expert, Oladele Fajana, said both government and citizens have roles to play in curbing the dangerous gun trend in the country. He said the ease with which firearms move freely around the country was a situation that should bother security agents and every Nigerian.

Fajana added, “Government must as a matter of urgency arrest this situation. Proliferation of firearms in the country, if not handled quickly and effectively by government, will blow up the powder keg we are already sitting on. Porous borders of the country remain one of the major reasons there are small arms and light weapons all over Nigeria. A lot of importers are culprits in the importation of weapons and they use various tactics to conceal and transport them around the country. Some rice importers hide guns in bags of rice and deceive custom officials at the borders.”

According to him, almost every criminal arrested these days is found with guns and even secondary school pupils are not left out of this growing gun trend. He added there were citizens who appeared normal but used by criminals to hide guns.

The security expert stated, “There was a socialite who was arrested for gunrunning years ago. No one knew of his criminal lifestyle until some of the criminals he worked with were caught and his name was mentioned and it was discovered he was an armourer for them.”

Fajana further said that the most effective method to curb spread of firearms all around the country was for government to encourage citizens to report strange happenings or people in their environment. Some people know their neighbours keep firearms for criminals but might be scared to report to security operatives for fear of being attacked by the criminals when released. Government can encourage citizens by creating reporting lines by which individuals can make anonymous reports to security agencies on anything that can cause harm in the environment, and these reports can then be substantiated by security operatives,” he said.

On the National Centre for the Control of Small Arms and light Weapons, Fajana said that it wasn’t only the duty of the centre to prevent spread of firearms in the country, stating that citizens also had a role to play. “After the #EndSARS protests, police rolled out citizen reporting lines through which people could report any form of police harassment and brutality. We need to collectively play our part to fight crime. If we do not play our part, it might affect us, families or friends. There’s no way the centre can succeed without public help.”

Another security expert, John Enweliku, linked influx of small arms and light weapons to Nigeria’s porous borders. He urged government, customs and police to join forces with immigration in halting entry of migrants with arms into the country. According to Enweliku, sometime ago, some smugglers used camels from Mali, Chad and Niger Republic to smuggle arms into Nigeria.

He added that members of terrorist groups in Nigeria and other West African countries such as ISWAP and Boko Haram take advantage of loose borders to smuggle firearms into the country. “It is only through checkmating of Nigerian borders that this problem can be addressed and these small arms stopped from getting into the country.”

Enweliku noted most of the guns in Nigeria and some West Africa countries were smuggled from the Sahel region. “When Libyan leader, Muammar Gadaffi was in power, arms were acquired and when he died, many dissident groups came up and use arms at their disposal to terrorise many,’’ Enweliku added.

He said the country needed political will to completely stamp out rapid proliferation of firearms in Nigeria. “Even in states where bandits hold sway in the North, there is need for political will to tackle them. It is only when political will of leaders is strong enough that the gun menace facing the country can be eradicated.”

Enweliku stated further that Amotekun and the ESN could be used to tackle the gun menace if well handled. He added, “Since they are both local units and members of their communities, they can easily detect and arrest residents who might pose a threat to safety of lives and property.’’

On his part, counter-terrorism expert and Senior Researcher for Lake Chad Basin Programme at the Institute for Security Studies, Dakar, Senegal, Dr Akinola Olojo, stated there would be no quick fixes considering the depth of challenges facing Nigeria. He nevertheless noted the current administration still had an opportunity to invest itself in the difficult but necessary process of redeeming the country.

Olojo said, “First, the current government needs to revamp its leadership posture and seek a more meaningful engagement with citizens. When a violent event such as a (mass) abduction or Boko Haram attack occurs, reaction of government and even the president often fails to reflect the mood and appropriate response towards affected communities. There is evident lack of a sense of urgency and empathy towards citizens. This points to the fundamental problem with Nigeria’s social contract that binds citizens and leaders and it needs to be revisited with view to redefining governance framework such that all citizens, irrespective of ethnicity, religion, gender or age, can feel genuinely part of the polity.’’

He identified the 2nd approach as need for accountability by Nigerian leadership on all levels, specifically ensuring accountability in bringing to justice individuals who perpetrated crimes of abduction and banditry across the country. According to him, government is treating the unfolding cycle of violence with levity and unfortunately, lives are still being lost and many citizens currently held hostage.

Olojo stated, “There should also be stronger sense of accountability by lawmakers in the National Assembly towards their respective constituencies or local communities where there are many governance gaps that push people towards extreme poverty and crime. 3rd, Nigeria does not really need to reinvent the wheel in addressing security challenges such as violent extremism for instance. There is already a ‘Policy Framework and National Action Plan for Preventing and Countering Violent Extremism’ launched in 2017. It contains most of the critical components capable of addressing the problem at hand.

Some of these components focus on strengthening rule of law and human rights, deepening community engagement and resilience building, and strengthening institutions and inter-agency coordination among others. The real question borders on why the Nigerian government fails to implement these components.’’
He concluded that in the light of the transnational character of violent extremism or terrorism, Nigeria should strengthen regional collaboration with its neighbours including Cameroon, Chad and Niger.

“In the present-day, all 4 countries are stakeholders of what is known as the ‘Regional Strategy for Stabilisation, Recovery and Resilience of the Boko Haram-affected Areas in the Lake Chad Basin Region.’ This strategy was launched back in 2018 and inspired by the Lake Chad Basin Commission with support of the AU and UNDP. The organisation I work with also supports this partnership. Rather than adopt a desperate posture towards the USA, Nigeria should focus on reinforcing existing intervention pillars of the LCBC’s regional strategy in order to ensure robust and urgent implementation in crisis-affected communities,’’ he said.

Besides, spokesperson for the Nigeria Police, Frank Mba, didn’t pick our correspondent’s call nor reply to a text message sent to his mobile as at time of filing this report.

The Central Bank of Nigeria has officially made the NAFEX Investor & Exporter forex window rate of N410.25 as its official exchange rate to the dollar. It confirmed this new official rate on its website on Monday night, after it had removed N379/$ earlier in May.

Few weeks earlier, the Punch had exclusively reported that the naira officially depreciated to N410/$, quoting the Central Bank Governor, Godwin Emefiele. Emefiele had said the drop in crude oil earnings and associated reduction in foreign portfolio inflows significantly affected supply of foreign exchange into Nigeria.

"In order to adjust for the decrease in supply of foreign exchange, the naira depreciated at the official window from N305/$ to N360/$ and now hovers around N410/$,” he said.

It would be recalled that in April 2017, the CBN established the I&E forex window as part of efforts to deepen the foreign exchange market and accommodate all forex obligations. The purpose of the window was to boost liquidity in the forex market and ensure timely execution and settlement for eligible transactions.

Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) is yet to implement the new minimum wage of N30,000 for its staff 2 years after it was reviewed.

TheCable understands that failure to adopt the new wage has unsettled the staff of the congress amid talks of a possible strike to push for the implementation. Workers at the NLC secretariat who asked not to be named because they were not authorised to speak on the matter confirmed that the Ayuba Wabba-led management still pays them their previous wage.

TheCable was informed at the secretariat on Monday that none of the congress’ leaders was available for comments as they are all in Kaduna, where they had directed a strike after accusing the state government of “anti-worker policies”. TheCable has contacted Ayuba for comments.

NLC ON THE FOREFRONT OF CAMPAIGN FOR MINIMUM WAGE
President Muhamadu Buhari had in May 2018 signed the wage bill, effectively raising minimum pay Nigerian workers can earn from N18,000 to N30,000. The bill is binding on all employers of labour — both in the public and private sectors.

But while NLC has been threatening industrial action against states yet to implement the adjusted minimum wage, staff at its national secretariat and state offices are still hoping for when they would enjoy such privilege. In April 2019, Wabba, the NLC president, had said that all employers of labour yet to effect N30,000 minimum wage — except those employing less than 25 persons — would be made to face the law.

In January, he criticised governors yet to effect the review, saying: “We call on all our state councils still struggling with their state governments on payment of the national minimum wage and consequential salary increase, and those whose state governments have unilaterally cut wages and are owing workers salary arrears to prepare for mass industrial action and protests this New Year.”

BUT THE NLC PRESIDENT RISKS CONVICTION AS WELL
Section 9 of the national minimum wage act criminalises failure of employers to comply with the new pay, with specified penalties including a fine and payment of all arrears.

Subsection 2 reads: “Any employer who fails to comply with subsection 1 commits an offence and is liable on conviction to pay – (a) a fine not exceeding 5% of the offender’s monthly wage; (b) all outstanding arrears of the workers’ wages; …

“And (c) an additional penalty of not less than the prevailing CBN lending rate on wages owed, for each month of a continuing violation, provided the power to order payment on account of wages under subsection (2) shall not derogate from rights of the worker to recover wages due to him by any other proceeding in a court of competent jurisdiction.”

The act also states that an officer authorised by the minister of labour shall serve a notice of enforcement to employers who fail to pay the minimum wage and where they still do not comply, in part or in whole, the matter shall be referred to the National Industrial Court.

Passport pain: Immigration officials profit from FG’s failure, feed fat on Nigerians’ nightmare

Despite the scorching sun, the crowd at the Nigeria Immigration passport office in Ikeja kept swelling with exasperated Nigerians. Many of the applicants who went with high hopes of getting their passports left in frustration.

One of them was John, who needed the document urgently. Worry and anxiety were written on his face as he called his father on the phone to lament his ordeal. When he was done, he told one of our correspondents how he had become frustrated after pursuing the document for over 3 months.

“I am not in a good mood at all. I've been coming here since February. They keep wasting people’s time. My parents paid for me through someone. Nobody applies online, because they will not attend to you. So many people are just sitting down and their files are unattended to. Documents for processing are not available; they say there are no booklets,” he said.

Another applicant, Patience, was also dejected when one of our correspondents approached her and introduced himself as a journalist. She sneered, wondering how the reporter could help her situation. After some persuasion, she opened up. “I gave up on Nigeria a long time ago. Nothing can be better. For the past 3 weeks, they've been asking me to bring one document or the other. My house is far away and I need the passport urgently. But they are saying there is no passport booklet.

“The officers said if I needed express (service), then I must add something to the fee they had already charged; they demanded between N10,000 and N15,000. But I am ready to even pay, except that there is a problem with my name I needed them to correct. You know how things are done in Nigeria. Online, the fee is N17,000, but I was asked to pay N40,000, and that was because I went directly to an officer I knew. And on top of that, they are asking for extra money for express.”

Several other applicants lamented how they could not secure passports because the officials claimed booklets were not available. The PUNCH, however noted that despite scarcity of the booklets, a few individuals seemed to be getting theirs. Some immigration officers around the security office near the main gate were also observed counting naira notes collected from some applicants.

While our correspondent could not tell the purpose of the payment, it was observed that many applicants paid directly to the immigration officers to ease the process of the application. Several applicants confirmed this to our reporter. A woman, who did not identify herself, said the process of the passport application had been hitch-free for her because “an uncle paid directly into the account of the officer handling it.”

The PUNCH also overheard an agent discussing with a client on the phone and talking about how he had been haggling the price for a 10-year passport for N95,000. He claimed his link in the immigration office was demanding N120,000.

A student of a private university, identified simply as Bimbo, said an intermediary who collected N50,000 from her for a 5-year passport, promised everything would go smoothly. She said the agent connected her with an immigration officer, who called her for data capturing.”

LONG WAIT, SCARCITY CHARACTERISE PASSPORT APPLICATIONS IN FCT
In the Federal Capital Territory, the situation is not different. Findings indicate passport applicants generally go through unofficial routes to obtain the booklets and pay exorbitantly. Checks show many NIS officers are taking advantage of the scarcity to engage in passport racketeering.

Many applicants have yet to get the passports weeks after going for biometric capture, after paying the stipulated fees. Officials blamed the scarcity on inadequate supply of booklets by the contractor, Iris Smart Technology Ltd.

A passport applicant, Anselm Ansadi stated, “I discovered getting the e-passport isn’t as easy as it sounds. After paying the necessary fees and doing biometric capture, I was informed the passport would be ready within a week. After waiting for over 2 weeks without getting any response, I contacted an immigration officer at NIS headquarters, who helped in fast-tracking the issuance. I had to part with additional money.”

A businesswoman, who was asked to pay N100,000 for the 10-year booklet, blamed government for giving room for unending exploitation of Nigerians by passport officials.

EXTORTION & TOUTING BY NIS OFFICERS AT PLAY IN ENUGU
At Enugu NIS passport office, an official asked one of our correspondents to pay N30,000 against the official N18,500, while an urgent passport application went for N35,000.

In a move to cajole our reporter to patronise him, the officer said, “If you want a passport, you must go through an immigration officer to get it in record time. Otherwise, if you apply online, you hardly get the passport. One person I know who applied online has not received it since November last year. Another one who applied since 1st week of February hasn’t obtained his passport till date. However, there is scarcity of passports now. But if you go through an immigration officer (unofficially), you will finish your application and receive the passport booklet.”

At Federal Secretariat Enugu, more than 5 immigration personnel accosted our correspondent, saying, “Oga do you want a passport? Is any immigration officer processing your passport?’’

The State Controller of Immigration, Mr Joachim Olumbah, promised to investigate and fish out those behind the passport racketeering in the command. He said such unprofessional acts could not be denied, but noted it was not an official endorsement from the command.

TRAVEL AGENTS & NIS OFFICERS LEVY PASSPORT APPLICANTS IN BENUE
Nigerians seeking to obtain the e-passport have decried non-availability of the travel document in Makurdi, Benue State. They also frowned on activities of middlemen and travel agents, who go about extorting money from intending travellers on pretext of assisting to facilitate issuance of passports from the NIS office.

When our correspondent in Benue visited NIS passport office located opposite High Court in Makurdi, some applicants were sighted in a queue waiting to collect their passport booklets. But their hopes were dashed as they were turned back and asked to come back another time.

One of the applicants, who identified himself as Donald, said he applied for the passport on 8 January 2021, to enable him to travel abroad for his education. At first, I was told to go to the bank and pay N18,000 into a designated account and bring the printout, which I did; since then, it has been one excuse or the other. I was asked to come today, but when I got here, an officer told me the passport control officer was not available and that I should come another time.

“This is not funny; some people who applied at same time as me, have collected theirs because they were able to grease the palms of officials. That is, after they paid N18,000 in the bank, they still came to the office and paid additional money to officials or travel agents to facilitate immediate issuance of the passport. Those of us who refused to bribe, the officials are unable to get ours.”

Another applicant, Mr Terna Suemo, said he paid for the 32-page booklet in the 1st week of March 2021 but could not get it due to non-availability of booklets. He stated, “However, an insider told me if I wanted to get it officially, it would take time, but if I needed it urgently and pay extra money, he could get the passport for me.”

NIS Public Relations Officer in the state, Mrs Ngufan Akaa, declined to comment.

LONG QUEUES OF APPLICANTS AWAITING MANDATORY BIOMETRIC CAPTURE FOR NIN ARE FEATURES OF RIVERS STATE PASSPORT OFFICE
Though the new complex donated to the service by the Rivers State Governor Nyesom Wike appears comfortable, it is usually crowded amid complaints of booklet scarcity and delay. No incidence of touting was noticed at the office located at No. 8 Aba Road, Port Harcourt.

Meanwhile, an applicant who simply identified himself as Chidi, said he travelled all the way from Awka, Anambra State, to Port Harcourt, where he was referred to after paying N50,000 as express delivery charges for the 32-page passport, which ordinarily costs N25,000.

“A passport of 32 pages that costs N25,000, I was made to pay N50,000 for express service, because I needed it urgently. I came all the way from Awka, because there was no booklet at the office. I had also gone to Owerri (Imo State) and Asaba (Delta State), but there were no booklets in those states.”

Checks indicated over 1,000 booklets had yet to be collected by their owners. It was also gathered that Rivers was the only state in South-South and South-East currently issuing the e-passport with a 5 and 10-year validity period.

PASSPORT SCARCITY, VIOLATION OF FREEDOM OF MOVEMENT – LAWYER & CSO
A lawyer, Deji Ajare, of the Sterling Centre Abuja, said failure of government to issue passport booklets was a violation of the constitutionally guaranteed right to freedom of movement of citizens. “Nigerians in Diaspora, who are reportedly facing some form of difficulty over processing of their passports, can benefit from a renewal by postal service and opening of more centres to cater to this need.”

Speaking in similar vein, Executive Director, United Global Resolve for Peace, Olaseni Shalom, argued that passport scarcity was artificial and meant to subvert due process and enrich pockets of a few corrupt officers.

NIS spokesman, Sunday James, failed to respond to inquiries about what the service was doing to curb unethical conduct by immigration personnel. He did not respond to calls and a text message sent to his phone on Wednesday.

Apparently roused from its slumber by loud complaints from angry Nigerians, the FG announced a policy statement it hopes would assuage the problem. Minister of Interior, Rauf Aregbesola, said all passport backlogs would be issued on or before May 31, 2021, adding that those with issues with their applications would be contacted.