Actual average daily fuel consumption in Nigeria today is between 32m and 40m litres a day. Bogus daily consumption figures of 57 to 92m the NNPC reports are made up of a combination of, perhaps, some ghost imports and real imported volumes smuggled across porous borders of Nigeria to neighbouring countries in West Africa. Countries whose leaders and people are very rational and smart enough to know the destructive impact of corruption-laden consumption subsidies, have fully deregulated their downstream oil and gas markets.

Thus, because their markets are fully deregulated and importing directly from Europe or Asia or the Middle East will make their costs high, they now depend on smuggled products from Nigeria which is led by uncaring leaders and vastly ignorant population who assume that petroleum subsidies favour the poor.

Consumption subsidies on white petroleum products favour mostly the rich, middle class and not the poor. The 100 million extreme poor Nigerians do not own cars, motorcycles, generators, etc. Out of the 5 million vehicles registered in Lagos State, which is 50% of estimated national vehicle population, only 200,000 are articulated commercial vehicles. The remaining 4.8m are privately owned by the top 5% Nigerians on the median and upper ranges of the socio-economic pyramid.

75% of daily PMS consumption in Nigeria is in Lagos, Ogun, Delta, Edo, Rivers, Cross River, Akwa Ibom etc. Locations that are not Petroleum Equalisation Fund subsidies-allowable. Most of the big trucks and articulated commercial vehicles that move food commodities around Nigeria use gas (diesel) and not PMS (gasoline).

Interestingly, food inflation is already at 23% within first quarter of 2021. I hope we are all aware that root cause of this rising food inflation is not driven primarily by hike in prices of petroleum products. It is driven by onslaught of bandits, terrorist herdsmen and killers against farmers across Nigeria and the atrocious exchange rate instability with continued devaluation of the naira against major convertible currencies.

I do also hope we are aware that prices of the more essential food commodities needed by the extreme poor in Nigeria, such as yam, 2.9 billion kg per annum; rice, 7.9b kg; garri, 7.2b kg etc are not subsidised in any form and manner by the FG.

If we continue to retain PMS subsidies, going by average price of the product over the last 4 months and projected price levels in 2021 and high daily import/consumption volumes occasioned by activities of smugglers and ghost imports, NNPC will practically spend all her dollar earnings and receivables from sale of crude oil to import and subsidise white petroleum products.

What this simply translates to, beyond NNPC’s inability to remit any more naira revenue into federation accounts to be shared by the 3 tiers of governments, is that there will not be enough dollar available for CBN to defend the naira.

Further implication here without any funds going into the federation accounts is that members of the Nigeria Labour Congress and Trade Union Congress, who are all part of the gangsters destroying Nigeria and who have refused to allow the refineries to work, even after we have squandered over N750bn on them, will not receive any salaries.

Nigeria will not use the blood of the masses to pay for their irresponsibility, profligacy and obstinate agenda never to follow the right paths. I see more danger and bumps ahead if we refuse now to deregulate the downstream oil and gas sector and privatise those unprofitable and loss-making refineries.

So, what will be the short, medium and long term implications of removal of petroleum subsidy, total deregulation of the market and privatisation of the refineries?

1. By fully deregulating the market, removing all forms of consumption subsidies, allowing marketers to import white petroleum as they deem fit, and privatising refineries, we shall be pulling the rug beneath the feet of smugglers and ghost iimports.

2. This will help reduce daily import and consumption volumes down to the true and actual level of 32 to 40m litres a dday.

3. This will cut down annual projected cost of $11bn we would have wasted in 2021 importing white petroleum products, to about $6bn.

4. This will free more dollars for CBN to defend the naira and prevent it going over the roof.

5. Total deregulation and removal of consumption subsidies will free excess of over N2.5tn into the federation account.

-- Dr Nnaemeka Obiaraeri, Ikoyi, Lagos. 08134441140

SOURCE (abridged): https://punchng.com/havoc-subsidy-consumption-causes-nigeria/

Despite the outbreak of a deadly variant of COVID-19 in major cities in India, many Nigerians are still jostling to get visas to the South Asian country. Findings revealed the consular dept of the Indian High Commission was still receiving huge number of applications from prospective Nigerian travellers.

One of our correspondents, who was at the Indian High Commission in Abuja during the week, saw many Nigerians waiting at the consular department for interviews. Sunday PUNCH also observed the consular staff taking biometrics of visa applicants while many Nigerian passports were seen lying on desks awaiting attention of consular officials.

The number of applications received by the mission could not be immediately ascertained. But a consular officer, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said the high commission was very strict with granting visas on account of the outbreak of deadly variant of COVID-19 which has claimed thousands of lives in India. He said, “We are surprised many Nigerians are still coming for visas despite COVID-19 deaths in India. Many claim they are going for business or tourism but we are giving visas only to those with medical emergencies.

“Some of the applicants do not seem to have genuine reasons for travelling to India at this point in time, so we are enforcing strict rules in granting visas. Only those travelling for medical reasons stand great chances of getting our visa.”

When asked about likely importation of the mutant COVID-19 from India, spokesperson for the Nigeria Immigration Service, Sunday James, said, “The Nigeria Immigration Service is doing everything possible to ensure all protocols on COVID-19 are followed at the nation’s entry points. We are also committed to ensuring all those who do not report as stipulated in the protocols will have their passports revoked.”

Meanwhile, a fire in a COVID-19 hospital ward in western India killed 18 patients on Saturday, as the country grapples with a deadly second wave of the coronavirus, the Associated Press reported. The Asian country on Saturday set yet another daily global record with 401,993 new cases, taking its tally to more than 19.1 million. Another 3,523 people died in the past 24 hours, raising overall fatalities to 211,853, according to the country’s health ministry.

The fire broke out in a COVID-19 ward on the ground floor of the Welfare Hospital in Bharuch, a town in Gujarat State, and was extinguished within an hour, the police said, adding that the cause of the fire outbreak was being investigated. 31 other patients were rescued from the blaze by hospital workers and firefighters and their condition was stable, police stated.

A similar incident occurred in April in an intensive care unit when a fire killed 13 COVID-19 patients in the Virar area on the outskirts of Mumbai. In another incident, 12 COVID-19 patients, including a doctor, on high-flow oxygen died Saturday at the Batra Hospital in New Delhi after the hospital ran out of oxygen supply for 80 minutes. The hospital director, S Gupta, said the facility had been facing irregular oxygen supply from manufacturers for more than a week, but it exhausted it completely for the first time. Gupta said the hospital tank was refilled with enough oxygen for 12 hours and it would again be looking for replenishment.

Several nations such as the USA, Singapore, UAE and Bangkok have since been rendering medical and human support to India.

SOURCE (abridged): https://punchng.com/nigerians-jostle-for-indian-visas-despite-deadly-covid-19-variant-outbreak/

Prominent Nigerians have berated the President, Major General Muhammadu Buhari (retd.) over growing insecurity in the country. They spoke at different events across the country.

President of the Pentecostal Fellowship of Nigeria, Bishop Wale Oke, said the President had failed to secure Nigerians and should be removed if it would bring desired peace and security to the country. Oke, who is Presiding Bishop of Sword of the Spirit Ministries, Ibadan, capital of Oyo State, said these in a message he delivered in the early hours of Saturday at a vigil organised by his church.

A statement by the PFN president’s media aide, Mr Kayode Oladeji, quoted the cleric as saying this during a vigil held at Precious Cornerstone University, Garden of Victory, Ibadan. The university is owned by the church. With killings going across the country on daily basis while security agencies remain helpless, Oke said Nigeria had become a war-ravaged country.

He said, “The President should be removed if that would pave the way for the desired peace in the country. In the 1960s when Nigeria fought a civil war, the eastern part of the nation was the theatre of war. Sadly today, everywhere in Nigeria is a theatre of war with killings and bloodshed going on in the country every day. Some wicked people kidnapped some students and demanded N800m for their release; they killed them. The government did not lift a finger and you are telling me the President has not failed. Buhari has failed. For the first time, I have found myself praying that God should remove Buhari.

“They kidnapped students without the government doing anything and you are telling me that the government has not failed. Are you saying we cannot move against an incompetent government whose security apparatus has collapsed?” The cleric accused the Buhari regime of treating killer herdsmen, with kid gloves. He said the Fulani people who were less than 10% of the population of Nigeria were being fingered in most of the killings across the country and the President did not do anything about it.

The bishop further said, “It is a shame that government could not protect those in Internally Displaced Persons camps which led to the massacre of a number of them in Benue State. The Presidency is now attacking Governor (Samuel) Ortom who was weeping over his people that were slaughtered. Give us peace by all means even if it means removing an incompetent and failed President. Oh God, do it quickly and give us peace by all means. Give us a quick change at the top level of government of Nigeria.”

He invoked the wrath of God on the troublers of Nigeria and their sponsors in a congregational prayer he led.

NIGERIANS DYING, OUR LEADERS’ STATEMENTS SAYING NOTHING TO US – KUKAH
Catholic Bishop of Sokoto Diocese, Matthew Kukah, on Saturday said Nigerians were dying in the face of hardship and insecurity, and the silence of leaders, whom he said had not shown empathy for the plight of the citizens.

Kukah, who made this known while speaking on the topic, ‘We need to exhale,’ at the May 1 edition of The Platform organised by The Covenant Christian Centre, lamented that Nigerians no longer get the sense that their leaders understand their pain.

“A government must develop a sense of empathy and I have said it several times and I do not mean anything negative. Everywhere you turn, this is what Nigerians are saying, that people are dying and we don’t get a sense that those who govern us understand and feel our pain because we have not seen them at our funerals; we have not seen them at condolence visits; we’ve not seen them whether by telephone call or whatever.

“Empathy is not sympathy; empathy is at the heart of who we are as human beings. That is, it is what makes you go to greet somebody who is dying and you put your hand over their shoulder and you tell them it will be okay. Empathy is the feeling of the sorrow, the pain of the other person – indeed, entering the skin of another person,” the cleric said.

Kukah said the agony faced by suffering Nigerians had been increased by “just simple statements” from their leaders “that really say nothing to us. It (empathy) does not bring healing immediately, but there is a certain kind of psychological comfort it brings. A woman who has just lost her husband, for example, you go to her to tell her it is okay, she will nod (her head) but she knows that it is not okay. But, at least, if you tell her as a priest it is okay, she knows that somebody feels her pain.

“And the point I am making on the issue of Nigerians dying, the government has come up very short and this is what is increasing the pain, the agony, the sorrow of people, that we are dying alone, burying our people alone and all we get are just statements that really say nothing to us. I want to end by saying the lack of empathy and the deployment of empathy has consequences.”

PRESIDENT NOT SHOWING CONCERN AS EX-GENERAL, SAYS IGHODALO
Meanwhile, Pastor-in-Charge, Trinity House Church, Ituah Ighodalo, has criticised Buhari for his alleged lack of interest or concern despite mounting insecurity in the country.

Ighodalo, who spoke at a press conference on the State of the Nation organised by the Africa Leadership Group, in conjunction with the Nigeria Leadership Series in Lagos State on Saturday, expressed bewilderment over the rampant herdsmen killings and kidnappings, saying the buck stopped with the President.

The cleric said, “Let me say it boldly, loud and clear: The problem of insecurity in Nigeria lies on the table of Muhammadu Buhari. If Muhammadu Buhari is ready today to stop all this insecurity, he has the power and ability, and he knows what to do.

“The reason he is not doing it, I really don’t understand. The reason he is not showing enough energy, effort, direction, interest, and concern in this, I really don’t understand. For a person who was a general in the Nigerian Army, he looks a little bit too complacent and lackadaisical concerning this issue of insecurity.” He described it as worrisome that despite human and technological resources available at present, the abduction of schoolgirls was possible without punishment for the perpetrators.

“How can you capture 257 girls and we don’t know where they are? It is not possible in this day and age with technology and everything (we have today). Do you know the amount of effort it takes to move 250 people across a certain place and nobody saw them? And you can’t find them? And they disappeared? For the last 4 years, you had a bunch of security leaders who were disunited, quarrelling among themselves. They couldn’t agree on anything. They couldn’t fight behind one common purpose and a lot of them were just doing whatever they wanted, and the gentleman, Buhari, was looking at them,” he said.

Ighodalo lamented that despite numerous allegations that the recently replaced security chiefs lacked a team spirit and had different agendas, Buhari did nothing about the complaints. The cleric added, “Now, we have a new set of security leaders. Let us hope these ones can come together and face this problem. They say this girl, Leah Sharibu, is captured, she’s having babies every year and you can’t find her? What does that mean? What nonsense is that? And you’re telling us she had babies? Who made that announcement? Where is the person?

“Why don’t we bring him and say, ‘Where is the baby that you saw and where is the girl? We can’t find her, yet we cross our arms and we are looking, because we are not really serious about these things. People go into a village and rape 20 of them, carry the women and children, and we cannot find them. Who does that in this day and age? They pick up a man, take him into a forest and cut his head off; 8 of them are filming it. We are seeing them and not one person says, ‘Where are we going to look for these people?’ There was no call for these people. They filmed it, they sent it to us, we saw it, and nobody did anything. How can that happen?”

He also condemned the proliferation of attacks and killings by herdsmen and kidnappers in forests. The cleric said, “The police know them and know where to find them, but nobody is engaging or crying out. It’s a business; people are making money from this thing. People are selling arms to these people. People are making money from security votes. People are making money from the pain and death of these innocent people. That is why this problem is not being solved and, somehow, we are looking away.

“Nobody who has authority is really concerned. We can solve this problem if, together, we say we want to solve this problem. It shouldn’t have descended to this level.” According to Ighodalo, Nigerians must no longer grumble. The cleric stated that if they did not change the leadership, the leadership would not change. He urged them to talk to one another to ensure the country becomes better.

NIGERIANS LIVING IN FEAR - GOV FAYEMI
Meanwhile, Ekiti State Governor, Kayode Fayemi, has decried the spate of insecurity in the country, saying that Nigerians are living in fear. Fayemi said the various challenges facing the country speak to the fundamental issue of restructuring and devolution.

‘I don’t know anyone in APC who is committed to public good who is not worried about the situation we have found ourselves in. Nigeria is too big to fail, but Nigeria cannot be managed unitarily. Nigeria has to be restructured in such a manner that more responsibility, more revenue and more accountability must issue from the national to lower levels,” he said.

The governor said the nation must do all within its power to ensure its people are safe through manpower and technology to deal with criminals. He added, “All these must be done as a short-term goal, as the nation must deal with the long-term goal which is the root cause of our challenges as a nation. It’s good to be tough on crime. But we must also be tough on the root causes of these things we are dealing with.’’

Also speaking, former Minister of Aviation, Osita Chidoka, called the President to address Nigerians on rising cases of killings across the country.

A former President of the Nigerian Bar Association, Dr Olisa Agbakogba SAN, said Nigeria’s foundational structure was not strong enough and needs to be addressed. Agbakogba also said though the National Assembly could initiate the process, Nigerians should be involved in constitution-making.

SOURCE (abridged): https://punchng.com/insecurity-worsening-nigerians-dying-buhari-should-go-pfn-president-kukah-ighodalo/

A farmer in Ayete in the Ibarapa North LGA of Oyo State, Oluwafemi Oyedepo, has recounted his nasty experience in kidnappers’ den where he spent 4 days. Oyedepo and his 2 partners were travelling to a farm around Felele village last Friday when some gunmen ambushed their van in Konko area, Ibarapa.

His partners were said to have escaped but Oyedepo was not lucky as the abductors caught up with him and took him into the forest. Oyedepo told our correspondent the kidnappers initially demanded N100m ransom but eventually collected N600,000, adding that they tortured him before he was released on Tuesday. The incident is said to have been reported at the Ayete Police Division.

He said, “I left Ayete town in a van with two other people before 7am. The incident happened around 8am. Some kidnappers came from behind and started shooting. Three others appeared in the front. We quickly came down from the vehicle and tried to escape.

“They chased after us and caught up with me. They said I was their target. We walked inside the bush and slept wherever the night fell. We could feel the presence of the police and vigilantes where they kept me but they warned that if the police attempted to rescue me without paying ransom, they would waste my life. It was a bitter experience. They beat me up anytime they wanted to ask something from me. My face got swollen from beating; it was too much. They were cooking rice but I could not eat it.”

The farmer further explained he was not given water on his first day in the den and had to lick drops of water on leaves on the second day when he became extremely thirsty. He said the kidnappers, in the course of negotiation, told his family to say the last prayer for him, adding that the kidnappers “from the language they speak are Fulani.”

He stated, “They eventually collected N600,000 ransom. They gave me N500 and asked me to pray for them. I prayed for them that they would find favour. They started from N100m and later insisted on N5m. I saw it as a favour that they eventually collected N500,000 so I prayed that God will favour them. The favour may be death or repentance. I am grateful to God for my life. I have little children and a wife to take care of.”

One of Oyedepo’s partners who escaped the attack, Michael Olawumi, said the gunmen struck a few minutes after they left a police checkpoint in Konko village. Olawumi, who drove the vehicle, said he stopped when he heard a loud noise, thinking a tyre had busted.

He said, “Mr Olufemi (Oyedepo) asked me to stop. The 3rd person at the back sighted two men with guns from the back but we thought they were hunters. As we wanted to continue the journey, we saw a group of gunmen wearing masks. Others were wielding cutlasses. We disembarked and ran inside the bush but they caught one of us. They went away with my phone that I was charging inside the van. But when they released the man, they returned my SIM. I suspect insiders gave those kidnappers information about us.”

Spokesperson for Oyo State Police Command, Adewale Osifeso, who confirmed the incident, said investigations had commenced to apprehend the suspects.

SOURCE (abridged): https://punchng.com/my-abductors-got-n600000-ransom-gave-me-n500-and-requested-prayers-oyo-farmer/

The Nigeria Police has continued to assign cops to VIPs (including entertainers and businessmen) for personal security, despite rising insecurity in the country and an order that such escort duties should stop, Saturday PUNCH has learnt.

While checks by Saturday PUNCH showed at least 269 people, including security agents, were killed by bandits and terrorists in April alone, Kaduna State Commissioner for Internal Security and Home Affairs, Samuel Aruwan, said on Friday that no fewer than 323 persons were killed and 949 kidnapped by bandits in Kaduna State alone in the last 3 months.

Saturday PUNCH arrived at the figure of 269 persons killed in April alone by collating figures from several reports published by 5 national dailies, including The PUNCH, in the month. However, the figure does not include persons killed in communal clashes, by armed robbers, and by cultists. The killings, news reports showed, mainly took place in Kaduna, Benue, Zamfara, Borno, Nasarawa, Imo, Ebonyi, Anambra, Niger and Yobe states.

THE STATISTICS
On 1 April 2021, five soldiers and 2 villagers were killed in Shiroro LGA of Niger State while on same day, bandits killed two persons, including Dayyabu Jaafar, a former Councillor in Ungwan Fada of Gaywam Ward, in Birnin Gwari area of Kaduna State.

On 3 April, Chairman of Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association of Nigeria in Nasarawa State, Mohammed Hussaini; as well as the MACBAN chairman in Toto LGA, Mohammed Umar, were killed. Expectedly, their murder was condemned by the President, Major General Muhammadu Buhari (retd.)

April 6, not less than 8 persons were killed in a church in Kasuwan Magani in Kajuru LGA of Kaduna State while two policemen were shot dead at a checkpoint in Takun LGA of Taraba State. On April 9, about 10 soldiers were killed in Konshisha LGA of Benue State, while 6 civilians were killed by Boko Haram during an attack on a United Nations hub in Mobbar, Borno State on April 10. Terrorists also killed 7 in Kwapre, Hong LGA, Adamawa the next day.

April 14, about 10 persons were killed by Boko Haram in Damasak, Borno State while 3 were murdered at a burial in Izzi LGA of Ebonyi State. Approximately 60 persons were killed during coordinated simultaneous attacks in several Zamfara communities on April 21. On April 23, three persons, including a monarch, Hyacinth Ason, were killed at Tse Zoola community in Benue while the next day, 3 students of Greenfield University, Kaduna, were murdered by bandits.

Perhaps, the deadliest attack was on April 26, wherein 40 persons were killed in Anambra, Imo, Kebbi and Rivers, a day described as ‘Black Monday.’ Two soldiers and three policemen were among the casualties. On same day, 11 Tiv farmers were killed in Doma LGA of Nasarawa State while 7 others were slaughtered in the Abagana Internally Displaced Persons’ camp in Benue. Two days after, 21 persons were murdered in Ebonyi, Enugu, Benue and Katsina. About 19 herders were also killed in Anambra on April 24.

POLICE STILL ON ESCORT DUTIES
The police had on October 22, 2020, ordered immediate withdrawal of policemen from VIPs except senior elected officials and government functionaries due to the low number of police personnel. However, checks by Saturday PUNCH showed the order was only obeyed partially and for a short while.

In an interview with Saturday PUNCH, the Programme Manager, Amnesty International Nigeria, Mr Seun Bakare, said the number of policemen available for policing duty was inadequate. Bakare added that government had an obligation to protect its population and “the rising death toll in all parts of Nigeria shows just how badly the authorities are failing in this responsibility.”

He added, “There is no doubt that rising insecurity across the country has left thousands dead and many more at risk of further human rights abuses and violations. Amnesty International’s previous research has shown that government’s failure to protect people, especially people in rural areas, is largely responsible for these increased attacks by bandits and other criminal groups. Available figures show the number of policemen available for policing duty is grossly inadequate. This is unacceptable. Priority of the police should be protecting all Nigerians.”

The Police Service Commission had said in 2018 that over 150,000 policemen were attached to VIPs and unauthorised persons in the country, and the number of policemen in the country estimated at 370,000. This means about 40% of personnel in the Nigeria Police are attached to VIPs.

However, a former Commissioner of Police in Lagos and Benue, Fatai Owoseni, said the pressure from politicians made it difficult for the police high command to withdraw police escorts. Owoseni said, “When it comes to withdrawal of policemen from VIPs, it is very easy to blame the IGP or leadership of the police but it takes political will.

“The IGP may decide to withdraw policemen from VIPs but before you know it, every political appointee, including special advisers, would claim their lives are being threatened and that they cannot perform their duties without security. And that is why I say without political will, nothing will change. Even councillors and LG chairmen ask for police security. He who pays the piper calls the tune. Even cooks who work for political office holders now have police escorts.”

323 KILLED, 36 AK-47 RIFLES, 1,959 AMMUNITION ROUNDS RECOVERED IN KADUNA
According to Kaduna State Commissioner for Internal Security and Home Affairs, Aruwan, 323 people were killed in 3 months across the state. He said 292 of the casualties were males, 20 females and 11 minors.

Aruwan said military troops, however, neutralised 64 bandits and arrested several gunrunners in Kaduna State. The commissioner gave these figures while giving the security report of the state for the 1st quarter of 2021. According to Aruwan, the report covered cases of banditry, kidnapping, cattle rustling, attacks and reprisals.

He said, “The report also captured the aerial missions conducted over identified bandit hideouts and locations across the state, during which multiple scores of bandits were engaged and neutralised, with their camps destroyed. Deaths linked to banditry, violent attacks, communal clashes and reprisals in the first quarter total 323 across the state.”

Aruwan said the report revealed that 236 of the deaths occurred in Birnin Gwari, Chikun, Igabi, Giwa and Kajuru LGAs. “Birnin Gwari recorded the highest figure of 77 deaths, followed by Chikun with 52, Igabi, 45, Giwa, 42, Kajuru 20 deaths in the 1st quarter. Southern Kaduna Senatorial District had 68 deaths in total, of which 5 were women and 2 below the age of 18.

“Kajuru had 28 deaths, followed by Zangon Kataf with 14 and Kagarko with 12. The Northern senatorial zone is the least affected, with 19 people killed and Zaria has the highest casualty of 6. As earlier highlighted, 64 armed bandits were neutralised during engagements with ground forces. Meanwhile, some bandits were neutralised by the military through about 150 targeted aerial missions conducted by the Nigerian Air Force."

Aruwan declared that during the period under review, scores of gunrunners were intercepted while 36 AK-47 rifles, 1,959 rounds of live ammunition and one rocket-propelled grenade were recovered. He added that the onslaught against the bandits “were initiated based on credible intelligence of bandit activities and locations of camps, which were targeted and destroyed.”

“Vigorous investigations are ongoing towards dismantling more gun-running networks and blocking arms routes into the state, as these are central to the perpetuation of violence and armed banditry, through the trade in small arms and light weapons,” Aruwan said.

The commissioner added the Kaduna State government “reiterates its empathy towards individuals and groups who have suffered terrible losses and untold hardship as a result of violence and insecurity, and of its resolve to intensify efforts towards enduring peace and security across the state.”

KIDNAPPERS OF 65 ADARA NATIVES, OTHERS DEMAND N350m RANSOM – SOKAPU
Meanwhile, Southern Kaduna Peoples Union said on Friday that kidnappers of 65 Adara natives abducted from Libere Gida, Kalla Ward in the Kajuru LGA of the state, have demanded N350m as ransom to free the victims. SOKAPU’s spokesman, Mr Luka Binniyat, who made this known in a statement, said the kidnappers contacted the community on Thursday to make the demand.

The kidnappers, he said, told members of the community that they held 77 persons hostage. SOKAPU had earlier reported that 10 of the 65 abducted villagers were able to escape a day after they were kidnapped. Going by latest village headcount, 72 persons – 16 males and 56 females – are being held by the kidnappers.

Binniyat said, “Six days after 65 Adara natives were abducted from Libere Gida, Kallah Ward in Kajuru LGA in the southern part of Kaduna State, their abductors made contact with the community. The kidnappers said they have 77 persons in detention. They are asking for N350m in exchange for the freedom of their captives. Surprisingly, Kaduna State Government that has made a habit of churning out daily updates on the security situation in Kaduna State has not made any mention of this mass abduction, which occurred in Libere Gida around 11.30pm of 22 April 2021.”

BUHARI MEETS SERVICE CHIEFS, CONSULTATION CONTINUES TUESDAY
Meanwhile, the President, Major General Muhammadu Buhari (retd.), on Friday presided over a security meeting at the Presidential Villa, Abuja. Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo; Secretary to the Govt of the Federation, Boss Mustapha; Minister of Defence, Maj. Gen. Bashir Magashi (retd.); and National Security Adviser, Maj. Gen. Babagana Monguno (retd.), attended the meeting with the President.

Others in attendance were Chief of Defence Staff, Gen. Lucky Irabor; Chief of Army Staff; Lt. Gen. Ibrahim Attahiru; Chief of Naval Staff; Vice Admiral Awwal Zubairu; Chief of Air Staff, Air Marshal Oladayo Amoo; and acting Inspector-General of Police, Usman Baba.

The meeting was held amidst the spate of violence and insecurity that have rocked the nation recently, with many concerned citizens calling for drastic action by the President. Irked by the development, the House of Representatives had during the week called on the President to declare a state of emergency in the nation’s security sector.

On Thursday, the opposition Peoples Democratic Party added its voice to the call for the President to declare a state of emergency on security. The party urged Buhari to convene a national conference on security to proffer solutions to the security crisis bedevilling the country.

State House correspondents were not briefed on the outcome of the Friday meeting with the President. Usually, the Minister of Defence or the NSA briefs reporters on the outcome of such meetings. The Presidency had also yet to issue a statement on the meeting as of the time of filing this report.

But a source told journalists that the meeting was adjourned to reconvene on Tuesday. “We have not finished. We will reconvene on Tuesday,” the source said.

SENATE WON'T CALL FOR EMERGENCY DECLARATION, SAYS SPOKESPERSON
The Senate, on Friday, ruled out the call for declaration of a state of emergency as part of measures to tackle worsening insecurity in the country. The House of Representatives had at an executive session Tuesday passed a 12-point resolution asking the President to declare state of emergency on security, following recent taking over of 42 communities in Niger State by Boko Haram terrorists.

But the Senate said it was not considering the option for it believed an engagement with the President and military authorities would give it better info to work with. Senate spokesman, Dr Ajibola Basiru, told one of our correspondents that being a bicameral legislature, both the Senate and House of Reps were at liberty to address same issue from different perspectives.

He said, “The Senate has its own resolution passed on Tuesday and it does not include declaration of a state of emergency. That is why we have a bicameral legislature in the country. The House of Representatives has its reason for demanding a state of emergency but I don’t have the details. However, my understanding of the state of emergency is that appropriation processes should be supported while extraordinary actions must have to be taken.

“We have asked the leadership of the Senate to book an appointment with Mr President so that concrete decisions on how to tackle insecurity and put it behind us as a nation would be taken because we are tired of lamentation. This is the time for action.”

WAIT UNTIL TUESDAY BEFORE THINKING ON DECLARATION OF STATE OF EMERGENCY – PRESIDENCY
The Presidency Friday said Nigerians should wait for the outcome of a security meeting convened by the President, Major General Muhammadu (retd.), before talking about declaration of emergency in the security sector. Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity, Garba Shehu, stated this in an interview with The PUNCH.

One of our correspondents had sought to know from him if the Presidency was considering the call for state of emergency by the House of Representatives, and specific steps towards addressing security challenges. Shehu said “There was a marathon security meeting today and it continues on Tuesday. You have to await the outcome”.

BUHARI’S REFUSAL TO ADDRESS NATION, RESIGN SHOCKING – PDP
National Chairman of the PDP, Prince Uche Secondus, said the incompetence of the Buhari-led administration was telling on the entire nation. Secondus said Buhari should have addressed the nation or even resign. He said, “It is shocking that such number of people would be killed in one month and the FG would be shifting blames. Under a normal clime, the President would have voluntarily resigned or be impeached by the National Assembly.

“Refusal of the President to resign and failure of the National Assembly to show the President the way out is also appalling. It is evident that the President is not competent and there is nothing to show he would change from his many wrong ways.” Secondus said Buhari’s attitude showed that he did not care that Nigerians were being killed.

“We have unprecedented number of killings, massive sacking of workers, strikes by labour unions and professionals, inflation and lack of care by the government. The President does not even care. You will recall he abandoned the country when doctors were on strike and went to London to attend to his failing health. We just pray there would still be a country called Nigeria by the time Nigerians would be ready to vote the government out in 2023.

“Nigerians should appeal to the President to sit up, act like a true father and if he doesn’t have a solution to the many crises facing the country, he should resign. He was not born to be President; after all, he had been a military ruler before. He should be contended with that.”

WE'LL INVESTIGATE THOSE BEHIND KILLINGS – APC
The APC said on Friday that it would investigate those behind the killings in the country. The ruling party said members of the main opposition party should pray none of its members would be indicted after the investigation. National Secretary of APC Caretaker/Extraordinary Convention Planning Committee, Senator John Akpanudoedehe, who spoke with one of our correspondents, however declined to state when the investigation would commence.

He said it was wrong for PDP to blame the ruling party for the killings, adding that love for Nigeria should supersede love for any political party at this critical period. He said, “We are investigating the killings to know if they are politically-motivated or not. The APC government will carry out the investigation discreetly because intelligence reports are not gathered on the streets or in the open.

“They (PDP members) should pray none of its members are linked with them. All hands should be on deck at this critical period. This is because these killings affect everyone and not members of any of the political parties. The love for country should be higher than that of being a member of any of the political parties. We should all join hands with the President and our security agencies to get out of the mess.”

SOURCE (abridged): https://punchng.com/police-continue-vip-duties-as-bandits-terrorists-kill-over-269-in-april/

CBN has directed the Oba Otudeko-owned Honeywell Flour Mills to repay a loan to First Bank within 48 hours, according to a memo seen by TechCabal.

In the letter seen by TechCabal dated 26 April 2021, the CBN stated, “Consequently, the company (Honeywell Flour Mills) is required to fully repay its obligations to the bank within 48 hours, failing which the CBN will take appropriate regulatory measures against the insider borrower and the bank.”

Insider lending is when a bank makes a loan to one or more of its own officers or directors. Oba Otudeko serves as Chairman of FBN Holdings Plc, the holding company which owns First Bank. Otudeko also served as Chairman of First Bank until 2010 and is also Chairman of the Honeywell Group.

While insider borrowing is legal, it is subject to several regulations. One such regulation is that insiders do not get any special treatment, incentive rates, or other benefits not offered to regular bank customers. But the CBN is alleging that First Bank gave special treatment to Honeywell Flour Mills in restructuring its loan facility.

OBA OTUDEKO'S FBN SHARES AS COLLATERAL
In the same memo seen by TechCabal, the CBN said it has previously written to First Bank about its interests in the Honeywell Group. One big regulatory concern was Honeywell Flour Mill’s collateral for the loan facility.

According to the memo, “We further noted that in four years, the bank is yet to perfect its lien on the shares of Mr Oba Otudeko in FBN Holdco which collateralised the restructured credit facilities for Honeywell Flour Mills, contrary to the conditions precedent for restructuring of the company’s credit facility.” In simple terms, First Bank does not have a binding document filed with the CBN that will allow it legally claim the collateral if there’s a default on the loan.

One report from 2017 claims the loan facility is in the region of ₦75b and was non-performing before a recent restructuring. Yet, the apex bank is concerned that First Bank may not have performed its due diligence in securing the collateral for the credit facility.

The apex bank has also asked First Bank to divest its interests in Honeywell Flour Mills Group and Bharti Airtel Nigeria Ltd. Otudeko was named Chairman of Bharti Airtel Nigeria after the Group acquired Zain around 2010.
This order to divest from the apex bank has its roots in yet another bank loan involving Ecobank, Oba Otudeko and some Airtel shares used as a collateral.

A LONG WINDING ISSUE OVER AIRTEL SHARES
In 2013, a N5.5b loan facility given to Oba Otudeko’s Honeywell Flour Mills by Ecobank became the subject of litigation and is in fact still ongoing at the Supreme Court. According to news reports, Otudeko’s Airtel shares were used as collateral for Honeywell’s Ecobank loan. Yet, in an interesting turn of events, those same Airtel shares as well as some Honeywell assets were also used as collateral for the credit facility from First Bank.

According to one banking insider, “In a round about way, First Bank now owns the assets pledged to Ecobank. So the same asset (Honeywell and Airtel) is allegedly pledged to Ecobank and none of the banks can move in on these assets. First Bank has an equity position while Ecobank has a debt position.”

But Otudeko and Honeywell’s loan are not the only issues at First Bank this week. In a separate memo, the CBN has also taken issues with First Bank over its recent announcement of a new MD/CEO.

SHABBY TRANSITION PROCESS?
On Wednesday, the Board of Directors of First Bank of Nigeria Limited said it had appointed Gbenga Shobo as its MD/CEO. Shobo’s appointment followed the news that the former MD/CEO, Dr Adesola Adeduntan, had retired. But the CBN has now flagged that transition process and said it has no justification because Dr Adeduntan’s tenure has not yet run out, and there was no notification from First Bank to CBN over the transition.

In a memo seen by TechCabal dated 28 April 2021, the CBN stated, “The attention of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has been drawn to media reports that the Board of Directors has approved the removal of the current Managing Director of the bank, Dr Sola Adeduntan, and appointed a successor to replace him. The CBN notes with concern that the action was taken without due consultation with the regulatory authorities, especially given the systemic importance of First Bank Ltd.”

However, Nairametrics quoted a source within First Bank who said that the bank “followed its corporate governance framework in its leadership change and appointed new executive directors. No Managing Director in the 127 years history of FirstBank has ever attempted a tenure extension. Why now?”

Given the pace at which the CBN reacted to these developments and demanded action on a 4-year case, one has to wonder how many more systemic infractions the regulator has overlooked and managed all this while.”

SOURCE: https://techcabal.com/2021/04/29/cbn-first-bank-otudeko/

Senators and 3 governors Tuesday expressed concern about the nationwide ceaseless killings and kidnappings in the country, urging the President, Major General Muhammadu Buhari (retd,), to seek foreign help.

The lawmakers, while debating a motion on activities of Boko Haram in Niger State, described insecurity in the country as not only terrible, but also shameful. The motion was sponsored by Senator Sani Musa (All Progressives Congress, Niger East).

Borno State Governor, Babagana Zulum; his Niger State counterpart, Sani Bello and Samuel Ortom of Benue State, in separate interviews warned that insecurity in the country was getting out of control. The governors therefore urged the FG to act fast, as 21 people were killed across the country on Tuesday.

Zulum, in an interview with the State House correspondents Monday night, said the President should be told the truth about insecurity in the country. On his part, Ortom decried herdsmen attack on Abegana area of the state where 7 persons were killed on Tuesday. Bello, in an interview on the NTA on Tuesday, said Boko Haram was scaring people away from Niger State communities.

Insecurity in Niger State was brought to the fore at the Senate on Tuesday as Senator Musa in his motion corroborated the governor’s statement, saying many communities in the state were under the control of Boko Haram. He said, “About 42 communities across two LGAs of Shiroro and Munya have so far fallen under Boko Haram control with about 5,000 villagers already displaced in the last 3 days.

“They have kidnapped many and their wives seized from them and forcefully attached to Boko Haram members. Three military camps in Allawa, Bassa and Zagzaga in the two local government areas have been sacked and some security personnel killed by the insurgents in the last one month of renewed attacks.”

Contributing to the motion, Bima Enagi (APC, Niger North), said Nigerians could not continue to bear the pain of women being raped and forcibly married to Boko Haram terrorists. Enagi, who said insecurity in the country was terrible, stated, “We cannot continue to allow Boko Haram hoist flags in Nigerian territory. What is our army doing? What are all security agencies doing?

“It has become so shameful that a great country like Nigeria will be in this type of terrible situation. It seems the FG is handling insecurity with kid gloves. People are dying every day and nothing is being done. No serious, concrete situation on ground to confront these people (insurgents and bandits). I don’t know what else this Senate can do other than appeal to the government.”

I AM NOT CONVINCED BUHARI IS AWARE OF WHAT IS HAPPENING — SENATOR BAMIDELE
The contribution by Senator Opeyemi Bamidele drew murmurs from his colleagues when he said he was not convinced that the President was aware of the security situation in Nigeria.

He suggested that the Senate should, “mandate the leadership of the National Assembly to book an appointment with the Commander-In-Chief on behalf of the 109 senators…because I’m not convinced that Mr President is aware of everything that’s happening. And if you (Lawan) are meeting with the Commander-in-Chief, all the service chiefs and all the relevant people will be there.”

SEEK HELP, SENATORS TELL BUHARI
Also, Ike Ekweremadu, senator representing Enugu West, said any government that could not protect its citizens had lost its “legitimacy.”

He said, “Any government that cannot protect its citizens has lost legitimacy. We should not be ashamed to seek support. Time has come for Niger State to shut down and protect its citizens. It’s time to shut down this Senate and go into an executive session to find a solution to this problem.”

Similarly, Senator Matthew Urhoghide, (Edo South), supported Ekweremadu’s position, calling on the FG to seek external help in addressing the country’s security challenges.

Senator Smart Adeyemi (Kogi West) while making his contribution shed tears, but Senator Oluremi Tinubu, who sat close to him, was not moved by Adeyemi’s tears. Rather she described him as a “wolf in sheep’s clothing.” Remi, wife of APC leader Bola Tinubu, was obviously not comfortable with Adeyemi”s submissions.

Adeyemi said the country was facing the worst instability since the civil war. He said, “This is the worst instability we are facing. In fact, this is worse than the civil war,” he said. Tinubu, who couldn’t hide her anger, asked, “Are you in the PDP? Are you a wolf in sheep’s clothing?”

Adeyemi, however, ignored her and said amidst tears that, “We cannot pretend that we are capable of handling the situation in our hands. We shouldn’t pretend that we don't need foreign support now. Billions of naira have been voted for security services and nothing is coming out. I’m a party man and I’m supporting the APC, but it has got to a point that as supporters we cannot keep quiet.”

On his part, Senator Francis Fadahunsi said something drastic must be done, adding that Senate must do its work. Senator Seriake Dickson on his part stated, “Our federalism is only in name. Our security is structurally incompetent. We are about to lose the Nigerian dream.”

Biodun Olujimi said bloodletting in the country had got out of hand. “There is lack of political will to handle insecurity. None of us here can say we know the process this government is taking to handle insecurity. There is also lack of leadership. New service chiefs have come. Have we told them what to do and given them a timeline?” she asked.

EXECUTIVE HAS SHOWN INCOMPETENCE – SUSWAN
Gabriel Suswan lamented that the executive had shown clear incompetence in tackling insecurity. He said “Our lives as senators are in danger. Nobody is attaching any value to human life again. Maybe our President doesn’t know the magnitude of this situation.”

Senator Sabi Abdullahi said that the security situation should be addressed, noting that the next place after Niger State would be Abuja. Senate spokesperson, Ajibola Basiru, urged his colleagues to stop lamenting and take actions that would bring out results.

After the debate, the Senate in its resolutions directed its leadership to hold an urgent meeting with the President. The red chamber also agreed to summon the service chiefs and other heads of security agencies. It also agreed to invite Minister of Foreign Affairs, Geoffrey Onyema, and the Director of National Intelligence Agency, Ahmed Rufai Abubakar.

It also urged the FG to recruit more soldiers and other security personnel to boost the war against terrorism and forms of insecurity. Senate President, Ahmad Lawan, stressed the need to purchase necessary equipment to fight insurgency.

He said, “We need to request supplementary budget from the executive to procure more weapons for the military. We’ve spoken the minds of our people. We will not be discouraged with what is happening. Security requires manpower and procurement of weapons and platforms.”

Musa, who moved the motion, told journalists after the plenary that he refused to include Buhari’s impeachment in his prayers to avoid further crisis.

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES EXECUTIVE SESSION
Also on Tuesday, the House of Representatives held a 3-hour executive (closed-door) session to discuss the rising spate of insecurity across Nigeria. It called on the President to declare a state of emergency on security.

The lawmakers unanimously adopted 11 resolutions, which the Speaker Femi Gbajabiamila read to journalists after the meeting. The House stated, “Considering the security situation, the President should immediately declare a state of emergency on security so as to fast track all measures to ensure restoration of peace in the country.”

SECURITY SITUATION PATHETIC, BUHARI SHOULD BE TOLD THE TRUTH – ZULUM
Borno State Governor, Babagana Zulum, described the security situation in his state and the North-East as very pathetic. He regretted that many soldiers had been killed in the renewed onslaught.

Zulum disclosed these in an interview with State House correspondents after a meeting he had with Buhari at the Presidential Villa, Abuja on Monday night. The governor said he decided to meet with Buhari because he felt it was his responsibility to tell the President the truth. He said the North-East needed support if the war against insurgency must be won.

Zulum said, “In Borno particularly, brigade headquarters was attacked, many soldiers, men and officers of the Nigerian Army were killed. Let me use this opportunity to extend my condolences to the families of the deceased. May God, in His infinite wisdom, forgive them.

“I think it is my own responsibility to come and say the truth to Mr President. Let him know what is going on in the entire North-East sub-region. I think there is need for us to get support, to succeed in this war against insurgents. It is very pathetic. Few days ago, Damasak was attacked, hundreds of people started fleeing Damasak and now Geidam (in Yobe State) is almost deserted, many people have left Geidam.”

When asked what could have been responsible for the deteriorating security situation in the North-East, the governor said it appeared the military had yet to take delivery of some of the equipment ordered for.

BOKO HARAM HAS TAKEN OVER OUR CATTLE ROUTES, BELLO CRIES OUT
In a related development, Niger State Governor, Bello, on Tuesday said Boko Haram had taken over all the cattle routes and tracks in Kaure LGA of the state. He also said the insurgent group demolished a local church, abducted women and hoisted their flag in the local government.

Bello, while featuring on Political Update, a current affairs programme on NTA, disclosed that the insurgents had married the abducted women. Describing the situation as worrisome, the governor said the issue of insecurity in the state was not treated with kid gloves. He noted that he had sent out signals in the last two years, adding that the response he got had not been in line with the threats.

He said, “The modus operandi of these people is different from bandits. Boko Haram elements want to scare people away from their land and take over the territory which to a certain extent they have succeeded in doing. In Kaure for example they have dominated the area, they have demolished the local church that was there and they have hoisted their flag. They have also abducted women and allocated them to their men on ground.

“The number of insurgents cannot be ascertained as of this moment but definitely their number supersedes that of the military operatives we have in the area. This area is in the forest region although not too far away. They operate on motorcycles. They have taken over all the cattle routes and tracks.”

SOURCE (abridged): https://punchng.com/govs-cry-out-demand-action-from-buhari-as-21-more-nigerians-killed/

Mani Bajo is a 75-year-old farmer and father of a 15-year-old girl, Aishat, who was said to have been recently converted to Islam and forcefully married off without the consent of her parents in Ugwa DanDada, a sleepy agrarian community with a population of around 1,500 in Kafur LGA of Katsina State. The septuagenarian tells his story to OLAIDE OYELUDE in this interview conducted in Hausa

CAN YOU INTRODUCE YOURSELF AND WHERE YOU HAIL FROM?
I am Mani Bajo. I am 75-year-old and a farmer. I was born here at Ugwa DanDada in the Kafur Local Government Area of Katsina State. I grew up here and I married here. I have lived my life here in the community.

WERE YOU BORN INTO CHRISTIANITY OR YOU CONVERTED?
I am a Christian and I accepted Christ into my life when I was 30 years old. I was never a Muslim. My wives and my children are also Christians and we all attend the Evangelical Church of Winning All here in Ugwa DanDada.

YOU MENTIONED WIVES, CAN YOU TELL US MORE ABOUT YOUR FAMILY?
What happened was that my first wife, who was Aishat’s mother, died 5 years ago. The development made me marry another wife. I have 14 children, seven males and seven females. Five of my female children are already married and they are with their husbands. Four of my children are in various classes in primary and secondary schools.

WHAT ABOUT AISHAT?
Aishat is my 7th child and she was in SS3 at Government Day Secondary School, Sabuwa Kasa, before this problem started.

WHICH PROBLEM AND CAN YOU TELL MORE ABOUT IT?
Sometime in November 2020, I observed Aishat was behaving strangely and noticed some changes in her movement. I investigated and found out a boy, Mohammed Samaila, of Sabuwa Kasa was dating her. I personally went to the community and met the boy’s parents. I told them they should tell their boy to keep away from my daughter as she was still in school and just 15 years old. The relationship was stopped for some time. A few months later, I discovered the two of them were still dating.

I discussed with Aishat’s elder sisters and we all decided she should be sent to Funtua to stay with one of her elder sisters in order to put a stop to the relationship. It was while at Funtua that the boy abducted her.

WHAT FOLLOWED?
When her elder sister reported that Aishat was missing from home in February, we contacted the police. It was later that Hakimi (district head) of Kafur, Abdulrahman Rabe, called and told me Aishat was not missing and that she had converted to Islam and that the same boy from Sabuwa Kasa wanted to marry her. I told Hakimi that my daughter was 15 and in secondary school. I pleaded with him that my daughter should be sent back to me, but Hakimi refused.

My church members and the executive of the Christian Association of Nigeria in Kafur rose in my support and met the Hakimi, but he refused to listen to their appeal that Aishat should be allowed to return home. My family also met the Area Commander of the Nigeria Police Force at Malumfashi over the issue. The Area Commander directed that Aishat be brought to his office at Malumfashi, while we should also come on an appointed day.

We were at the Area Commander’s office at Malumfashi on the appointed day only to learn both Aishat and the boy had been taken to the Emir of Katsina’s palace in Katsina for the marriage. Since then, I have neither seen Aishat nor the boy, and I have not heard anything from the Area Commander. I even learnt Aishat and the boy have relocated from Sabuwa Kasa.

IN VIEW OF THE DEVELOPMENT, ARE YOU CONTEMPLATING ANY OTHER ACTION TO ENSURE AISHAT RETURNS HOME?
I still maintain that Aishat’s purported conversion and marriage did not have the support or blessing of the family. I want my daughter back, at least, to complete her secondary education. I am appealing to well-meaning people all over the world to assist me in getting Aishat back. She was in SS3 before this boy truncated her education with the purported marriage. I have five other female children, who are happily married and living with their husbands.

But since Aishat showed interest in education, she should be encouraged instead of being forced into a marriage. I don’t have any influential person to fight for me, but I know the Almighty God will fight for me and assist me in ensuring that Aishat returns home.

SINCE THIS ISSUE STARTED, HAVE YOU BEEN RECEIVING THREATS OR WARNINGS TO SUPPORT AISHAT’S CONVERSION AND MARRIAGE?
No, nobody has threatened me. But my worry is that in this community alone, we have had instances of no fewer than 8 girls who were either forcefully converted or married off, but later these girls were either returned to their parents a few years after the so-called marriages either with one ailment or the other. There was even a woman from this community, who died after being forcefully married off.

What I observed is that after they might have forcefully married those girls, they would now start maltreating them and within a few years, the marriage would collapse. That is why I am saying that Aishat should complete her education first before talking of marriage so that she will be able to make up her mind and take right decisions concerning her future.

HOW TRUE IS THE CLAIM THAT AISHAT IS OVER 15 YEARS OLD AND THAT ONE OF HER ELDER SISTERS HAD EARLIER CONVERTED TO ISLAM?
The claim is not true. Aishat is 15 years old. She is my daughter and I know when she was born. It is also not true that one of her elder sisters has converted to Islam. We are all Christians in our family.

SOURCE (abridged): https://punchng.com/how-my-15-year-old-daughter-was-abducted-forcefully-converted-to-islam-and-married-off-at-emirs-palace-katsina-septuagenarian-farmer/

Hi Ndidi,

this is my sincere advice to you: Avoid travelling to that area, if you can. There have been several security incidents over the past months, and various portions of the highways are bad.

Prevention is better than cure.

Commuters on Lagos-Ibadan Expressway were on Sunday stranded for several hours as a fallen container on the Long Bridge caused gridlock on the road.

It was gathered that the driver of a containerised truck moving outward Lagos lost control on the bridge around 3pm and the container fell and blocked the entire outward lane, causing gridlock for vehicles going out of Lagos. However, some impatient motorists drove against the traffic and blocked the Lagos-bound vehicles.

Officials of the FRSC and Ogun State Traffic Compliance and Enforcement Corps were on ground to control traffic flow. Our correspondent learnt the container was later moved to one side of the road around 6pm by the response teams, but the backlog of traffic was slowly easing as of 8pm.

A motorist, Simeon Akpanyi, who lamented the many hours he spent in traffic, blamed the contractor handling reconstruction of the road, Julius Berger Plc, for the slow pace of work. He said, “I got to Kara area around 3pm and met traffic around Channels Road; I spent almost 20 minutes without any movement, so had to take the alternative route, heading for Fatgbems, and spent another 20 minutes there, till I was able to follow the untarred road down to Mikano.

“It was at Mikano I discovered there was a fallen containerised truck that barricaded the road and disrupted movement. I noticed a towing truck moving towards the scene, but as of the time I left, the container had not been lifted off the road. The traffic I experienced today is unwarranted, but as a result of panic driving, impatience on the side of the drivers by driving against traffic, there was traffic on both sides of the expressway.

“One of the issues we deal with on this Lagos-Ibadan Expressway is the slow pace of work by Julius Berger; we expected that by this time, they should have finished the work they are doing between Arepo and Wawa, which is taking almost forever. I normally spend 10 minutes from Berger to Arepo whenever there is no traffic, but today (Sunday), I spent over two and half hours on that stretch and it shouldn’t be.”

Another motorist, who spoke on condition of anonymity, told our correspondent he was weak by the time he got to his destination, as a result of the traffic. “There was an accident on the Long Bridge, where a container fell on the road, and it caused backlog of traffic from Berger, but when we got to Fatgbems, we had to follow the untarred road till we got to Arepo. We spent about 40 minutes on the earth road. The traffic caused a lot of weakness to my body by the time I got to where I was going and I even got there late as a result of the traffic.”

A passenger, who was travelling from Akure to Lagos, James Famori, lamented how the traffic disrupted his plans to get to his destination early. He said, “We met the traffic before Ibafo and it was at a standstill for one hour before it started moving at a slow pace. I had the intention of getting to Lagos early to rest and prepare for work tomorrow (Monday), but it truncated my plans when we met the traffic on the road.

“We spent about 4 hours in the traffic before we were able to get out of it. The traffic stressed a whole lot of us in the bus, because it was sunny and getting stuck in the traffic was just unbearable, but we thank God we were able to get out of it; it was when we got to the Long Bridge that we discovered it was a container that fell on the road that caused the traffic.”

Confirming the incident, Ogun State Sector Commander of the FRSC, Ahmed Umar, said the container was pushed to the side pending arrival of a crane that would take it off the road. He stated, “There was a lone accident involving a containerised truck; the accident was caused by excess speed on the part of the driver, who lost control and blocked the road outward Lagos. It is a fully laden container and is causing a lot of obstruction.

“The drivers of these trucks enjoy excess speed and they are causing a lot of unrest and obstruction, and it is indeed a quite worrisome situation, but we have been able to get partial clearance of the obstruction and vehicles are now passing.

“We are still on the operation of the total clearance but in the meantime, we have created an alternative road for drivers and the container has been pushed to the side pending arrival of the crane to remove it from the road and it is based on this that we are going to sustain our operation against the menace of these articulated vehicles and containers. Anybody involved in excess speed will be dealt with.”

SOURCE (abridged): https://punchng.com/stranded-commuters-lament-as-fallen-container-causes-gridlock-on-lagos-ibadan-expressway/

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Photos: This is Hiroshima, 65 years after the atomic bombing...she has risen from the ashes!

Photo: Koko Kondo, a survivor of the Hiroshima atomic bomb. In 1945, she was buried under rubble with her mother, who was holding the then 8-month-old child during the attack on Hiroshima. Koko Kondo has spent a lifetime campaigning for the abolition of nuclear weapons...

Photo: Tricycle belonging to 3-year old Shinichi Tetsutani, who was riding outside his house in Hiroshima when the atomic bomb was detonated over the city on 6 August 1945. Courtesy of the Hiroshima Peace Memorial Museum...

Photo: A woman and her child, after the bombing of Hiroshima....

The two atomic bombs dropped on Japan in 1945 killed and maimed hundreds of thousands of people, and their effects are still being felt today. By the end of 1945, the bombing had killed an estimated 140,000 people in Hiroshima, and a further 74,000 in Nagasaki. In the years that followed, many of the survivors would face leukemia, cancer, or other terrible side effects from the radiation.

Photo: Hiroshima after the bombing...

The Hiroshima Peace Memorial Park.....

Around 8:15am on the morning of 6 August 1945, Tsutomu Yamaguchi was heading to his place of work when he looked up and noticed a B-29 bomber soaring over Hiroshima. A small object attached to two parachutes dropped out of the plane and the next thing Yamaguchi remembered was a flash of light like a magnesium flare hurtling towards the city.

The 13-kiloton uranium atomic bomb, known as "Little Boy", destroyed much of Hiroshima. Just 3 km from the epicenter of the blast, Yamaguchi was violently pushed back before instinctively taking cover in an irrigation ditch. A nautical engineer, he’d been sent to Hiroshima 3 months earlier by his boss at Mitsubishi Heavy Industries to work on an oil tanker. It was supposed to be his penultimate day in the city and he was desperate to get back to his family.

Suffering a ruptured eardrum and badly burned on the upper part of his body, the then 29-year-old spent an anxious night at an air raid-shelter with colleagues. Passing through scenes of anguish and torment, he then headed toward to the west of the city the following day to get to the station. With bridges down, he had to cross a river full of bloated corpses of men, women and children, some of whom were stuck together. These disturbing images would remain with Yamaguchi until his death, yet at the time his main concern was simply reaching the other side. Wading through dead bodies, he eventually made it across.

Remarkably, the train was still running. Yamaguchi returned to his hometown of Nagasaki on 8 August. He went to the hospital to get his burns treated and within 24 hours was back at work. While in the middle of explaining to a disbelieving boss what he’d witnessed in Hiroshima the engineer was thrown back again by yet another explosion.

TWO DAYS OF INFAMY
"Fat Man", code name for the 2nd of the two atomic bombs used on Japan, was reportedly due to be detonated over Kokura in Fukuoka, but because of cloud cover, the destination was changed to Nagasaki. The number of people killed outright from the blast was somewhere between 35,000 and 40,000 while tens of thousands died later from long-term health effects.

Yamaguchi, who was again around 3 km from ground zero, survived along with his wife and 5-month-old son. In 2009, less than a year before his death, the Nagasaki native became the only person to be officially recognized by the government of Japan as a double hibakusha, "survivor of atomic bomb". As filmmaker Hidetaka Inazuka points out, though, there were many others, including Yamaguchi’s colleagues Akira Iwanaga and Kuniyoshi Sato.

“Mitsubishi had factories in Hiroshima and Nagasaki so numerous workers would have boarded the same train as Yamaguchi-san,” says Inazuka, who directed the 2011 documentary Twice Bombed: The Legacy of Tsutomu Yamaguchi (also on Netflix). “The majority of them would have perished in the 2nd attack, however, while it’s difficult to confirm exact figures, we know there were over one hundred survivors.

“Most chose to never speak about their experiences publicly. In his later years, Yamaguchi-san was very open about what happened and became like a spokesperson for hibakusha. What he went through was remarkable and I felt it was very important to make a documentary about it.”

FINDING HIS VOICE
For decades Yamaguchi’s story was unknown. In 1981 he listened to Pope John Paul II speaking in Hiroshima about war being the work of man and felt he wanted to get his own message across. Protecting his family, though, was more important. Hibakusha and their children faced extreme discrimination particularly when it came to work and marriage as people weren’t given a clear explanation as to the effects of radiation poisoning and many believed it to be contagious.

Another issue was Yamaguchi’s seemingly robust health. He lost hearing in his left ear and had his gallbladder removed, but after a few years his physical injuries weren’t as visible as some of the anti-nuclear peace movement leaders such as Senji Yamaguchi (no relation). So he felt, according to daughter Toshiko Yamasaki, it would have been “unfair to people who were really sick” if he’d joined the anti-bomb activities.

In 2005, following the death of his son Katsutoshi from cancer, Yamaguchi changed his stance, deciding to speak openly about what happened to him at the end of WWII. As well as writing memoirs, he appeared in 2 documentaries, Niju Hibakusha (Twice Bombed, Twice Survived) by Hideo Nakamura as well as Inazuka’s follow-up. At age 90, he got his first ever passport and flew to New York to address the United Nations. He also wrote to, and got a response from, former American President Barack Obama about banning nuclear arms.

“Still now, many people don’t know that there were survivors of the two atomic bombs,” Inazuka tells Tokyo Weekender. “The fact that Yamaguchi-san was so close to both blasts and lived was extraordinary. I first met him in 2005 and immediately sensed his warmth and humility. It felt like he had a profound impact on everyone he came across, including James Cameron who took time out from his busy schedule [while promoting the movie Avatar in Tokyo] to visit him in the hospital for our documentary. Two weeks later Yamaguchi-san passed away.”

THE PEACE MOVEMENT HAS NO BARRIERS
Another person the former Mitsubishi employee made a big impression on was Chad Diehl. Author of "Resurrecting Nagasaki: Reconstruction and the Formation of Atomic Narratives". Diehl helped out as an interpreter on the Niju Hibakusha documentary, and in the summer of 2009 moved into Yamaguchi’s house while translating his poems for the book "And the River Flowed as the Raft of Corpses".

“In spite of everything he went through, Yamaguchi-san always struck me as a man that was at peace with himself,” Diehl tells Tokyo Weekender. “I never saw him express any anger. His focus was the future; abolishing nuclear weapons and campaigning for world peace. I remember one time a reporter asked how he felt about someone from America, the country that bombed him twice, staying in his house. ‘The fact that he’s American has nothing to do with it,’ was his response. ‘The peace movement has no barriers.’

“Coming from a person who’d lived through so much pain, I felt his message carried much more weight,” adds Diehl. “Though it’s a shame he didn’t join the peace movement decades earlier, I’m glad he finally got into it. Peace activism gave him a catharsis and ability to cope with everything. He was on a mission to convey his story and pass on the baton to future generations to ensure something so horrific could never happen again. I think he was an incredible person.”

MORE THAN JUST A MEMORY
These are sentiments shared by esteemed journalist and author Richard Lloyd Parry, who interviewed Yamaguchi along with his former co-workers and fellow double atomic bomb survivors, Sato and Iwanaga back in 2005.

“They all told remarkable stories that remained with them throughout their lives, however, when Sato and Iwanaga spoke it felt like I was listening to distant recollections, whereas with Yamaguchi it was more than just a memory,” says Parry. “It was something deeply burned into his core that he’d been living with every moment of his life. He must have spoken about the bombings on countless occasions, yet made it sound as if it was his first time and they’d only happened the other day. Whether you considered him the luckiest or unluckiest man alive, it was truly gripping hearing what he had to say.

“It has become harder for people to imagine the terrifying realities of nuclear war and that’s a potentially dangerous thing,” continues Parry. “In illustrating the awful physical suffering caused by such destructive weapons, atomic bomb survivors have, in my opinion, played a key role in helping to ensure that a similar catastrophe hasn’t occurred since. To prevent it from happening in the future, it’s important that testimonies of hibakusha like Yamaguchi are kept alive and shared with younger generations.”

SOURCE (abridged): https://www.tokyoweekender.com/2020/08/tsutomu-yamaguchi-man-who-survived-atomic-bombs/

Media personality Bolanle Olukanni has shared her thoughts on people who live drama-filled life and constantly get into trouble. The TV girl took to her Twitter page to share her thoughts on the topic and mentioned that anyone who lives a drama-filled life needs to speak to themselves.

She shared that the problem is usually with the person, as they are not the only person around but drama constantly finds its way to them. Fans of Bolanle certainly agreed with her as they also opined that people need to learn to live a drama-free life and focus on the important things in life.

If drama always follows you, you need to ask yourself why. Sometimes the common denominator is the problem.
— Bolanle Olukanni (@bolanleolukanni) April 21, 2021

SOURCE: https://koko.ng/if-drama-follows-you-you-should-ask-why-bolanle-olukanni/

Connecting Lagos and Ogun states together is a 6-km bridge that emboldens criminals to brazenly disregard the rule of law during nocturnal hours. Under cover of darkness pervading the entire stretch, robbery, kidnapping and murder, among other heinous crimes, have been recorded with motorists, commuters and residents of surrounding communities at the receiving end.

This displeasing state of affairs goes on daily on the Long Bridge end of Lagos-Ibadan Expressway that is in between Ifo and Obafemi Owode LGAs of Ogun State, with attendant loss of lives and property.

On March 5, 2021, a cab driver, Ahmed Adepoju, was conveying 4 passengers to their destination in Berger area of Lagos when his car broke down abruptly around 5.50am on the Long Bridge. While trying to examine the car, 8 armed herdsmen stormed out of their hideout under the bridge, broke the windscreen of the faulty vehicle and attacked Adepoju and his passengers.

“The only man among my passengers escaped with wounds inflicted on his head and arm,” the 50-year-old driver said, adding that a desperate attempt to flee the scene of the attack made him jump from the bridge.

Adepoju said, “Immediately I jumped down from the bridge, 5 guys also jumped down and apprehended me. The other 3 also got down from the bridge and they all led me into the forest. We walked for an hour and got to a well from which they fetched water and drank. Afterwards, they tore my cloth, used it to cover my face and also used my singlet to tie both of my hands. We walked for another hour until we got to their hideout, where they started torturing me with cutlasses and cane. They also used a heavy stick to hit my head and the impact of the stick pressed my skull inward.

“They demanded N50m ransom and I was instructed to contact people who could pay the money. So, I called my pastor but his pleas were ignored. They were all Fulani; the oldest of them is about 25 years and they said it was either I pay or die. The father of five said only one of the suspects could read and speak pidgin English, adding that the rest partially communicate in Hausa, but speak in a language they used in communicating with cows.

Adepoju stated, “It got to a point they said they would kill me and move on, but I pleaded for my life as I had no money. They later concluded with my sister, Adijat, to pay N500,000, but through the support of my pastor and family members, N200,000 was raised. I was with them for 21 hours and was released March 6 around 2.37am on the Long Bridge, after they received the ransom from my sister. The bush is wide; its entire stretch reaches Itasin in Akute, Sote, Igboko, Ori Iyanrin in Orimerumu, Ajiyan and Gasline at Iju Waterworks. The kidnappers are used to the bush.

“Even after my case, other people were kidnapped on the Long Bridge and are nowhere to be found till date. In fact, policemen came from Abeokuta to search for them but could not locate the victims. If the Fulani herdsmen get to know that the police are looking for them, they will kill the victims.”

Aside Adepoju, the Chairman, Warewa Security Council, Olanrewaju Falade, said the family of another victim also paid ransom after he was kidnapped on the bridge, adding that in a bid to curb the insecurity on the Long Bridge, the community partnered the Ogun State Police Command.

Falade stated, “A young man was coming to Lagos and his car developed a mechanical fault at Arepo around 2am. So, he called his friend who stays in Magboro for assistance and the friend decided to assist him by using a rope to tow the vehicle to Lagos. On their way, the rope snapped on the Long Bridge. While they were trying to fix it, hoodlums appeared from nowhere and kidnapped the friend, who was assisting the other person whose car broke down.

“The owner of the faulty car escaped; initially, we thought the two of them were kidnapped until the other person came to the station the following morning and explained that he escaped. So, the person who offered to help was kept for a number of days, but was eventually released after ransom was paid.”

Falade, however, said the bush surrounding the Long Bridge had been aiding the daredevil hoodlums to launch onslaughts against unsuspecting members of the public, adding that the insecurity was common, because both sides of the bridge were partially built up.

He said, “We cannot continue to be living with our hearts in our mouths just because we have to drive through the Long Bridge every day. We have had a meeting with the state Commissioner of Police, and we are looking at getting all stakeholders involved to address this menace. Whether it is Yoruba, Hausa, Igbo, Fulani or foreign bandits, we just want to upgrade security around the Long Bridge such that no bandit from anywhere will be able to operate there. But we need resources and manpower; we want to light up the entire Long Bridge from end to end so that if our men are patrolling, it will be easier for them to see and act accordingly.

“We also commissioned the cutting of the bush under and around the bridge because those hoodlums hide in the bush to launch their attacks. These hoodlums usually stone our patrol team from their hideouts in the bush and also stone vehicles moving on the bridge. So, if they stone you, and you get angry that somebody broke your glass and you park, they will attack you”

Falade urged people to be aware of the antics of the hoodlums to avoid being robbed or kidnapped on the Long Bridge, adding that when the bush was cut, the stoning reduced drastically. He however appealed for support from corporate organisations and approval from government so that projects needed to strengthen security on the bridge could be executed.

When contacted, the state Commissioner of Police, Edward Ajogun, said the command had been working assiduously to curb insecurity on the Long Bridge. He however urged government to light up the bridge, assist in clearing the bush around it and also provide drones for surveillance of the bridge’s surroundings.

Ajogun stated, “As a command, we are doing all to improve security on the Long Bridge; we have deployed more personnel on the bridge; we have also deployed more vehicles and motorcycles with a view to enhancing our visibility on the bridge on 24-hour basis. We also took the initiative of identifying what is facilitating commission of crimes by these criminals and we discovered that the bush around the bridge is a cover the criminals are using.

“DPO Warewa Division, CSP Folasade Tanaruno is in charge of that Long Bridge, took the initiative of clearing the bush, but along the line, the community came in, commended her efforts and took over the financial responsibility of doing that and also returned the money the DPO initially expended to clear the bush.”

Ajogun explained that members of communities around the bridge had presented a template to improve security on it, adding that it was the belief of residents that if a drone was deployed for surveillance on the bridge, it would curb the situation.

He added, “The community members also have a project on lighting up the bridge, but it is such that it will require government support. They also said the Federal Government had a project of lighting up that particular bridge, but pending the time contractors will finish construction; and in addition to efforts we are making, a temporary arrangement should be made through installation of solar panels to light up the bridge to deter criminals.

“So, if government can support us in lighting up the entire bridge, ensuring that grass around the bridge is lowered and enhancing surveillance by way of deploying a drone, I think those will go a long way in improving security on the bridge.”

During a visit to the Seriki Hausa Awori land, Isheri-Olofin Market, Muhammadu Gbadamosi, he said, “I recently had a meeting with the Commissioner of Police regarding armed robbery and kidnapping incidents on the Long Bridge and told him the suspects are not from this market. They come from somewhere else to commit crime on the Long Bridge and run away.

“I have over 20 policemen here in Kara Market. I told the DPO Warewa Division that I have directed all herders to return their cows to the market before 7pm because I don’t want any cow around the Long Bridge from 7pm and any cow and herder seen should be arrested.”

SOURCE (abridged): https://punchng.com/ogun-long-bridge-where-kidnappers-hold-sway-unleash-reign-of-terror-tears-and-blood/

Kaduna State Governor, Nasir El-Rufai, has said the only way to stop banditry is for the military to bomb the forests where the bandits are hiding and kill all of them. El-Rufai, who spoke at a dialogue with the theme: “Financing Safe Schools: Creating Safe Learning Communities,” in Abuja on Tuesday, said his brother governors are in alignment with his position.

He said: “Our position as governors and we are unanimous in this because we, the northern states’ governors, met with the President on this subject, our unanimous position is to wipe out the bandits. We must go into these forests, nobody living in that forest is innocent, and just kill them all. It is the only way to end this. We need the combination of air power, and we need troops on the ground augmented by local expertise and knowledge.

“We need just one, two, three months operation to just try to kill all the bandits. It’s the only way to stop this. So long as these bandits are being paid, it’ll remain a business. So the only option that we have is to ensure that we kill them all. I’m very happy that the chief of air staff has been bombing them. So, you’ll see there’s a decline in banditry. What you see is the coordinated action with air power, use of drones.”

El-Rufai, however, demanded acquisition of advanced weapons for operational efficiency. He said: “I think the security agencies also need more advanced technology. The Air Force needs more drones. Drones are much cheaper than planes and there are drones now that can carry missiles.

“Because they (bandits) know when they hear the sound of the aircraft and hide in the bushes. But drones can be more targeted, more selective and quiet. And drones can also fly in circumstances that airplanes cannot due to bad weather.”

On the accusation that he was not negotiating with bandits who kidnapped students in his state because his child was not involved, El-Rufai said: “People ask if my child was kidnapped and I say that I won’t pay, it is a personal decision, which we do not all support. So, the only way to stop banditry is to kill them all.

“For Southern Kaduna, we didn’t understand what was going on and we decided to set up a committee under General Martin Luther Agwai (retd) to find out what was going on there. What was established was that the root of the problem has a history starting from the 2011 post-election violence.

“Fulani herdsmen from across Africa bring their cattle down towards Middle Belt and Southern Nigeria. The moment the rains start around March, April, they start moving them up to go back to their various communities and countries. Unfortunately, it was when they were moving up with their cattle across Southern Kaduna that the elections of 2011 took place and the crisis trapped some of them.

“Some of them were from Niger, Cameroon, Chad, Mali and Senegal. Fulani are in 14 African countries and they traverse this country with the cattle. So, many of these people were killed, cattle lost and they organised themselves and came back to revenge. So, a lot of what was happening in Southern Kaduna was actually from outside Nigeria.

“We got a hint that the late Governor Patrick Yakowa got this information and sent someone to go round some of these Fulani communities, but of course after he died, the whole thing stopped. That is what we inherited. But the Agwai committee established that. We took certain steps. We got a group of people going round trying to trace some of these people in Cameroon, Niger Republic and so on to tell them there is a new governor who is Fulani like them and has no problem paying compensations for lives lost and he is begging them to stop killing.

“In most of the communities, once that appeal was made to them, they said they have forgiven. There are one or two that asked for monetary compensation. They said they have forgiven the death of human beings but want compensation for cattle. We said no problem, and we paid some. As recently as two weeks ago, the team went to Niger Republic to attend one Fulani gathering that they hold every year with a message from me.”

Speaking at the forum, the Minister of Finance, Budget and National Planning, Zainab Ahmed, said the country was sitting on the precipice of socio-economic disaster and a full education crisis, calling for urgent multi-stakeholder solution to remedy the situation. Ahmed stated this against the backdrop of sustained attacks on vulnerable schoolchildren by terrorists.

She said it was important for government and private sector to immediately join forces to stop the attacks on fundamental rights of children to a safe learning environment. She said if the current fractured state of education is sustained, the country would have failed to guarantee a safe learning environment, secure and protect the dignity of children, their teachers, and school administrators.

She said: “Parents are increasingly more nervous about sending their children and particularly their young girls to school, with some choosing to withdraw existing students. The time to act is now. Even before the pandemic, Nigeria accounted for approximately 20% of the Global out-of-school population. With an estimated 13m children currently out of school in the country, we sit on the precipice of a socio-economic disaster and a full education crisis, if we do not act in a coordinated manner to stop the current wave of systematic attacks on the fundamental right of our children to a safe learning environment.”

Ahmed said the COVID-19 pandemic and the resulting economic crisis have posed unprecedented challenges globally and in Nigeria. She said government has been proactive in its response to the pandemic, and has established and implemented the Economic Sustainability Plan and other interventions, including scaling up of social safety net programmes.

SOURCE (abridged): https://theeagleonline.com.ng/stopping-banditry-requires-killing-all-bandits-where-they-are-hiding-el-rufai/

Nigerians woke up on Wednesday to a disturbing video dubbed #SecureIkoyi which suggested that the affluent area of Ikoyi, Lagos has been infiltrated by poor Nigerians.

A voice said in the video that Turnbull-Onikoyi Road and Banana Island Road residents are “hit with a stark reality. They live in a ghetto. They are now overrun with street hustlers, squatters, unregistered taxis yelling out destinations. It’s basically a scene usually found at overcrowded bus stops reminiscent of Ajegunle,” the male voice said.

It continued that there are multiple food sellers, barber shops, thugs and gambling stations at every turn. “No one knows who these trespassers are. Where they came from or what their mission is?” it added.

In reaction to the video, some Nigerians on social media have said the affluent cannot feel safe if the poor are not asleep.

If your neighbor is hungry, your chicken is not safe. #SecureIkoyi https:///X0N7EWXwjq
— *Pablo Martini* (@PabloHoggs) April 21, 2021

Welcome to nigeria�����#secureikoyi #RIPGeorgeFloyd #naijalibrary pic.twitter.com/yHBdW3KByz
— De_oyin (@Oyindaprecious2) April 21, 2021

When I opened this #secureikoyi video, I didn’t know I was opening a senseless documentary. � https:///SWQwuNEDO5
— Tobby Joseph (@realtobbyjoe) April 21, 2021

Yahoo boy don go looseguard ��#secureikoyi Harry Maguire Jesus Christ Asylum to IPOB DM or WhatsApp pic.twitter.com/oCCxyYigfG
— Brytophobia (@brytophobia) April 21, 2021

Looks like some #SecureIkoyi employer to me.
— 'Tunji Badru (@tjbadru) April 21, 2021

The #SecureIkoyi outcry has been around for a long time. Not just Ikoyi, its neighbouring affluent areas are also under siege.

Absence of a people's oriented economic growth and development plan continues to hunt the mega city aspirations of the Lagos ruling house
— Samuel Adedoyin �� (@originaldrsam) April 21, 2021

#secureikoyi:
Yes, inclusive security but more importantly, inclusive growth that put young folks in decent employment. Let's not gloss over the fact that there are actual "miscreants" among those guys in that documentary, many thrown into the street of despair by harsh economy. https:///QoCgapq6iN
— Oladeinde Olawoyin (@Ola_deinde) April 21, 2021

I shaa thank God say @NaijaBet no dey restricted to any area, whether Ojuelegba Mushin or Ikoyi
Anywhere you dey, you fit login, play and win#secureikoyi Jesus christ pic.twitter.com/L4YQblls1O
— Dee juls (@dee_juls) April 21, 2021


SOURCE: https://www.qed.ng/secureikoyi-video-calling-poor-nigerians-trespassers-causes-stir-on-twitter/

Are you one of the Nairaland Chessmasters?

FarahAideed:
Even though his bravery made good tales , it's very reckless and irresponsible for a president to be at the front , there is a reason the king is at the rear in chess

1. UBER.
2. Keke NAPEP.
3. Barbing/hair dressing salon.
4. Merchandizing.
5. Agric value chain.
6. Oil and gas.
7. Quarrying.
8. Tools /equipment hire.
9. Business centre.
10. Tutoring for WAEC/JAMB, with handouts.

livinbygrace:
This country is on fire .Abeg what business or investment can some do in nigeria with at least 2m and make a good profits daily?

What is the name of the stock broking firm?

deity:
Pls how do I retrieve my shares, I just found out they have been sold, how do i investigate it was registered under a stock broking firm but they the firm has gone under

3 persons were on Sunday shot by gunmen who invaded Koka village in Obokun LGA of Osun State. A resident of the village, who spoke on condition of anonymity, told PUNCH Metro she was already in bed around 11.30pm, when the gunmen numbering about 8 entered the village.

She said the attackers divided themselves into 2 groups, with the first set of 4 men entering houses and bringing out residents, while another set mounted surveillance on the road leading into the village. A villager escaped from the gunmen and called a member of the Hunters’ Group of Nigeria to inform of the incident.

The resident stated, “I was already asleep when I heard a noise from outside and rushed out. 4 men bearing guns asked us to come out. They spoke a language we were not familiar with, but we understood they wanted us to come out of the house. I could also see about 4 other men with guns watching the road leading into the village to ward off any attempt to stop them. But a villager was able to sneak away from the gunmen and called some hunters, who immediately responded.”

Another resident, identified as Tayo Ola, said the building the gunmen first entered when they got to the village was riddled with bullets. Ola said 3 villagers were shot but none taken away by the gunmen, adding that arrival of hunters put the attackers under pressure and made them flee into the bush.

When contacted, the spokesperson for the state police command, Yemisi Opalola, confirmed the incident. “Some herdsmen on Sunday attacked Koka village in Obokun LGA of Osun State and attempted to abduct some villagers. Villagers and hunters mobilised and engaged the attackers in a firefight and liberated themselves. 3 villagers sustained bullet wounds. Those injured are responding to treatment at Asubiaro State Hospital, Osogbo.

“The command has drafted operatives to join locals on a search operation to apprehend the fleeing suspects.”

SOURCE (abridged): https://punchng.com/hunters-engage-gunmen-in-gunfight-compel-invaders-to-flee/

You are right. The article is actually a satirical piece, with its 4 elements:
-- Exaggeration,
-- Incongruity,
-- Reversal, and
-- Parody.

feelme3:
It's quite astonishing the number of people that are mentally lazy and yet they are the ones that will be screaming out their lungs out of sheer ignorance. No wonder Nigeria keep getting the kind of leaders we get.

Just imagine how many people condemning and lambasting article just because they have biased with DailyTrust when they didn't even attempt reading just up to the second paragraph.

Tufiakwa