₦airaland Forum

For three consecutive years, President Muhammadu
Buhari has presented budgets that are more reckless and ridiculous than his predecessor’s.

Buhari did not only adopt the budget template of Goodluck Jonathan, whom his administration has consistently accused of financial profligacy, he has presented more outrageous budgets than the defeated PDP leader did while at the helm.

The most inexplicable item in the 2018 budget is the reappearance of N5.4 billion for repair and rehabilitation of office buildings at the State House headquarters, Presidential Villa, Abuja.

In 2016, Buhari earmarked N4.5 billion for the repair and rehabilitation of residential and office buildings, while in 2017, N5.6 billion was budgeted for repair of residential houses in the Presidential Villa.

In three years of budgeting, Buhari has earmarked over N15 billion to repair and rehabilitate buildings in the State House.

This outrageous expenditure on repairs of buildings is unbelievably coming from Buhari, who had just five houses and two mud houses in Kaduna, Kano, Daura, and Abuja before he became President in 2015.

In contrast, Jonathan earmarked N2.1 billion in 2014 for repair of both residential and office buildings, and N1.1 billion in 2015 for all repairs and rehabilitation at the State House.

Buhari’s first budget for 2016 attracted public outcry but he blamed the inflated figures on “budget padding” by unnamed civil servants. However, the 2017 and 2018 budgets are not better than the “padded” 2016 budget.

Buhari’s State House is more expensive than the Jonathan’s. The 2017 budget for State House headquarters was N11 billion, lower than N11.5 billion in 2016 but N11.5 billion again for 2018. The same budget under Jonathan in 2015 was only N5 billion and N8.7 billion in 2014.

Comparing Buhari and Jonathan’s budgets in figures may not be realistic because of naira devaluation. However, Buhari has nearly doubled the figures on all the budgetary items in the State House and made provision for suspicious items.

Buhari has earmarked N66 million to the ever-changing residential rent in the Presidential Villa. In 2017, the rent was N77 million and only N27 million in 2016. The same residential rent in the last two years of Jonathan’s presidency was N22 million in 2015 and N41 million in 2014. It seems there is nothing as fluctuating and elusive as this annual rent paid to the Presidential Villa landlord or probably a landlady.

Read more: https://www.icirnigeria.org/figures-buharis-state-house-is-more-expensive-than-jonathans/

If Salihu Yakubu had his way, Charles Oputa, renegade entertainer better known as ‘Charly Boy’ or ‘Area Fada’, would have been dead by now.

It almost happened on Tuesday, though — only that when Charly Boy was attacked at Wuse Market there were a few people who were not thinking like Yakubu.

Charly Boy was attacked at the market by northern traders opposed to his #OurMumuDonDo protests demanding the resignation or return of President Muhammadu Buhari from the UK, where he has been receiving treatment since May 7.
Although traffic wardens fled from the scene of the violence, south-eastern traders at the market came to his rescue, before security agents mobilised to prevent what was threatening to degenerate into a Hausa-Igbo crisis.

When Saharareporters posted its report of the attack on its Facebook page, it drew lots of comments, with Yakubu’s arguably the harshest.

"I wish I was there, let me lynch Charlyfool and Co to death.” Yakubu said. “I love Buhari and nobody can ridicule or humiliate my hero, Nigeria’s Messiah, Mohamadu Buhari.”

Strangely, 244 people (as of 5pm when the ICIR took a screenshot) had expressed support for Yakubu’s wish by using either of Facebook’s ‘like’ and ‘love’ buttons.

Yakubu’s comment also sparked a heated exchange of counter-comments from other users of the social media platform, with both supporters and opponents of the comment using unprintable words to advance their points.

Hopefully, security agents are on the alert.

https://icirnigeria.org/spotted-salihu-yakubu-wants-to-lynch-charly-boy-and-244-people-are-behind-him/

Ifeoma Ezeanaka, an Eco bank staffer based in Aba, Abia State, almost lost N30,000 to an unknown withdrawal from her account on Thursday, July 27, 2017 but the bank’s security apparatus came to her rescue.

According to a security report seen by the ICIR, Ezeanaka received a debit alert of N30,000 when she was certain she had not sent anyone to the ATM.

Therefore, she immediately rushed down to the bank branch where the withdrawal had been made and entered a complaint.
“It was thanks to the Close Circuit Television (CCTV) camera that it was revealed that the withdrawal had been courtesy of Nwaobi Maxmillian, a security guard attached to bank where Ifeoma works,” said the report.

Maximillian had removed Ifeoma’s ATM card from her handbag while she was in the bank’s vault, and then proceeded to an ATM machine not very far from the bank to withdraw N30,000 from her account.
“He then hurried back and carefully returned the ATM card without her notice and perhaps was congratulating himself on a well-executed operation before the alert came in and ruined his party.”

When confronted, Maxmillian confessed to the crime but explained that he was pushed to the act because his mother was “ill and required money urgently for an operation”.

Further probing revealed that Ifeoma had also compromised her PIN in the past, as she usually sent security men and cleaners to make withdrawals for her from the ATM.
An official of the bank, who did not want to be named, told the ICIR that the bank would “discipline the security guard”, as it “does not tolerate acts of dishonesty from staff, no matter the circumstances”.
Source : https://icirnigeria.org/ecobank-security-guard-steals-staffers-atm-card-withdraws-n30000-to-treat-ill-mother/

Ever heard the saying “if one wants something, he’ll find a way”? Well that aptly summarizes the inspirational grass-to-grace story of John Paul Mwirigi, who just broke Kenya’s record for the youngest elected member of parliament. He is yet to turn 24.

Mwirigi ran against veteran politicians who are members of established political parties, yet he managed to secure a resounding victory, polling a total of 19 366 votes (39.39%) and will soon be headed off to represent his people in Nairobi, Kenya’s capital city.

POOR FAMILY, ‘POOR’ CAMPAIGN
Mwirigi is the sixth child of eight children from his parents. He still lives in his family home – a local granary in the community.

His campaign may well be the cheapest in the history of Kenyan politics. Reports had it that the youngster printed no campaign posters because he was broke and could not afford it.

To make up for his lack of cash, Mwirigi opted for a door-to-door campaign and according to reports, he knocked on the doors of almost every household in his Igembe South constituency.
Also, Mwirigi told reporters that he carried out his campaign home visits on foot until he received support from his former colleagues – commercial motorcycle operators also known as boda boda (or in Nigeria, okada) riders.

Mwirigi said he usually rode boda boda whenever he was on holiday in order to raise money.

I HAD A DREAM
Speaking to newsmen shortly before the elections, Mwirigi said he first expressed interest in politics while in Form 3 (Nigeria’s equivalent of Junior Secondary three) at Kirindine Day Secondary School.

“I had a dream where I was tabling a motion in parliament while I was in Form 3. That is when I started asking my fellow students to start campaigning for me since I would need their vote in 2017.

“I have held leadership positions in school and in my neighbourhood. Since I come from a humble background, I understand the issues that affect the residents. My key agenda will be to transform the lives of the people.
Mwirigi said his first agenda would be supporting agribusiness activities, promote entrepreneurship and nurturing talents.

DEFEATED CURRENT DEPUTY GOVERNOR, RULING PARTY
Mwirigi’s victory can best be likened to the popular innuendo of man biting a dog. Among his many contenders was Raphael Muriungi, a veteran politician by all standards who is currently the Deputy Governor of Meru County.

Muriungi, a graduate of the University of London, was also former Member of Parliament between 2003 and 2007 as well as former Assistant Minister of Tourism from 2005 to 2008.

But all those counted for nothing as he finished fifth in the election with a paltry 2,202 votes, many places behind the undergraduate Mwirigi.

The closest challenger to Mwirigi was Joseph Mwereria of the Jubilee Party, which is President Uhuru Kenyatta’s party. He scored a total of 15 977 votes, more than 3000 less than Mwirigi.

NOT TOO YOUNG TO RUN
Mwirigi’s electoral victory has yet again added another fillip to the ongoing agitation for the removal or lowering of the constitutional age requirement for running for elective positions in Nigeria.
Nigeria appears to be the biggest African country where it is very difficult, if not impossible, for young people to run for elective positions.

In the recently concluded general election in Ghana, history was made when Francisca Oteng-Mensah, a female law student, defeated an incumbent lawmaker to become Ghana’s youngest ever legislator at the age of 22.

As it stands currently in Nigeria, one is not eligible to run for a seat into a state house of assembly or the house of representatives until one is 30 years old. To run for the senate, one must have attained the age of 35 and for Presidency, 40.

However, a constitutional amendment to reduce the age requirements has been approved by both chambers of the National Assembly. The amendments also include provision for independent candidature in the electoral process. The President is yet to sign the amendments into law.

Source: https://icirnigeria.org/hes-23-broke-jobless-and-an-orphan-meet-john-paul-mwirigi-kenyas-youngest-mp/

Lagos State, Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja and Rivers State top the list of states with highest cases of public complaints against the police, a report by the police has revealed.

Released by the Police Public Complaint Rapid Unit (PCRRU) and tagged ‘2017 First Quarter Report’, the document shows that Lagos State Police Command tops the state ranking with 90 complaints, which is 18.07 percent of total complaints reported, followed by FCT Abuja with 69 complaints (13.86 percent) and Rivers State with 59 (11.85 percent).

A total of 498 complaints were received and treated, representing a 52.8 percent decrease compared to the 822 complaints received for the last quarter of 2016.

In the last report, Lagos state with 153 complaints, topped the list of states with highest number of public complaints against the police. The Federal Capital Territory, (FCT), Rivers, Enugu and Anambra states followed Lagos on the list with 130, 116, 41 and 40 complaints respectively.
However, in the current report, Ekiti and Kwara States had no complaint against the police, while Kebbi recorded its first complaint of police misconduct since the inception of the unit in 2015.

The breakdown of the report shows that Lagos State has 22 cases of excessive use of force by the police, 28 cases of demanding money for bail and 38 cases for professional misconduct.
Abuja, on the other hand, recorded 18 cases of excessive use of force, 10 cases of demanding money for bail and 38 cases of professional misconduct, while Rivers had 10 cases of excessive use of force by the police, 33 cases of demanding money for bail and 16 cases of professional misconduct.
Source: https://icirnigeria.org/diezani-alison-madueke-appetite/

Yemi Osinbajo, Acting President, has “stepped down” the nomination of Maimuna Aliyu and Sa’ad Alanamu to the board of the Independent Corrupt Practices and other offences Commission (ICPC).

The action follows an exclusive report by the ICIR that two of the 14 members announced to the ICPC board were being investigated by the anti-corruption agency for alleged corruption in the region of N1billion.

Read more: https://icirnigeria.org/breaking-osinbajosteps-down-two-icpc-board-nominees-being-investigated-for-corruption/

The name ‘Gift Erhabo’ (on Facebook as Erhabo Mamus) is currently trending on social media platforms, and the reason is far from positive.

Who is she? Lots of Nigerians are punching her name into Facebook’s search bar to find out.

A UK-based woman is accusing the 18-year-old of having an affair with her husband, who works with a real estate firm in Warri, Delta State. But that’s not the real matter.

The woman claims Erhabo has employed witchcraft, in collusion with her mother, to get her husband to periodically send her different sums of money in foreign currency, usually thousands of pounds sterling.

She said that even though she had been married to her husband for 18 years and has a child for him, her husband had never given her £1,500 at a stretch, he had already bought Erhabor a phone, a house and a car, sent her nearly £17,000 and set up a bakery for her mum — all within two years.

The two videos, which have since gone viral, are available below,
Watch Video: https://icirnigeria.org/video-how-gift-erhabor-became-the-most-searched-nigerian-on-facebook/

Many Nigerians on Twitter are unconvinced that Acting President Yemi Osinbajo actually met with President Muhammadu Buhari in London on Tuesday.

Osinbajo told journalists on Wednesday that he and the President spent “well over an hour” discussing “wide-ranging issues”, adding that Buhari was in high spirits and was recuperating fast.

But the doubters said if that was the case, the presidency would have published photos or even a video of the meeting.

Below are a number of the reactions on Twitter:
https://icirnigeria.org/a-one-hour-meeting-without-photos-how-twitter-doubted-osinbajos-visit-to-buhari/

Babatunde Fashola, Minister of Power, Works and Housing, says the Kainji Dam will run dry and the whole nation will be in blackout if the Federal Government stops selling electricity to the Republics of Benin and Niger.

According to a message on the Presidency’s official Twitter handle, Fashola spoke in Abuja at the State House during the 4th Presidential Quarterly Business Forum.

Explaining why Nigeria sells electricity to the two neighbouring countries despite not generating enough to meet domestic demands, he said “Nigeria sells the power in exchange for a guarantee that they won’t dam the rivers that sustain Kainji dam”.
The dam was designed to have a generating capacity of 960 megawatts (1,290,000 hp); however, only eight of its 12 turbines have been installed, reducing the capacity to 760 megawatts (1,020,000 hp).

It generates electricity for all the large cities in Nigeria.

In May 2017, the Federal Government disclosed that the Republics of Benin and Niger paid a total of $159,773,116.61 (N48.84 billion at the official exchange rate of N305.7 to a dollar) as electricity charges to the Nigeria Bulk Electricity Trading Plc (NBET).
It also stated the two countries had a combined balance of $92,315,986.20 (N28.22 billion) to pay to the NBET, adding that the payments were remitted to the power generation companies and service providers in Nigeria.

According to the tweet, Yemi Osinbajo, Acting President, presided over the Forum where Fashola also said work was progressing on eight power projects across the country: 450MW Azura Power Plant, 10MW Katsina Wind Power Plant, 240MW Afam Power Plant, 40MW Kashimbilla Hydro Power Plant, 215 Kaduna Power Plant, 40MW Gurara Power Plant, 29MW Dadin Kowa Hydro Power Plant and 700 MW Zungeru Hydro Power Plant
https://icirnigeria.org/fashola-nigeriall-be-in-blackout-if-we-dont-sell-power-to-benin-niger/

The House of Representatives has waded into the controversies surrounding the revised secondary school curriculum by asking the ministry of education to remove the religious components of the subject, Civic Education.

There have been debates over the merging of Islamic Religious Studies (IRS) with Christian Religious Studies (CRS) and other components into a subject called Religion and National Values (RNV), with the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) particularly screaming foul play.

When the matter came up at the plenary on Tuesday, Beni Lar, a Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) lawmaker representing Langtang North and South Constituency of Plateau state, argued against the compulsory inclusion of religious education in the revised curriculum.
In its order paper posted on its official Twitter handle, the House noted “that under the previous Secondary School Curriculum which brought a lot of discontentment, Civic Education was not a compulsory subject and Religious Education was taught as Islamic Religious Knowledge (IRK) and Christian Religious Knowledge (CRK), both of which were optional subjects;

“that the Federal Ministry of Education introduced a revised curriculum without due consultation with parents and stakeholders and the new nine-year Basic Education Curriculum on Religion and National Values consolidated Religious Education and Civic Education under National Values and made Civic Education a compulsory subject for Senior Secondary Certificate Examinations;
“that the curriculum for Primary 1 to 3, which is the formative stage of a child, does not provide for adequate teaching of the religious beliefs of the people but rather destructive half-truths which destroy the fundamentals of the religious beliefs and erode the essence of such religion being taught the children.”

It expressed concerns “that the new curriculum, which is in conflict with certain religious beliefs, also makes the teaching of those beliefs compulsory”.

It recalled that Section 10 of the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 makes Nigeria a secular state, and therefore religion should be separated from national values
Adopting a motion on the matter, the House resolved to “call on the Ministry of Education to remove the religious component from civic education as a subject”.

After Samson Ayokunle, President of CAN, claimed that CRS will no longer exist as a subject on its own while Islamic/Arabic Studies and French had been introduced, ICIR published a fact-check that revealed tat he was wrong, as CRS and IRS had only been merged together as part of Civic Education.
https://icirnigeria.org/breaking-reps-tell-education-ministry-remove-crs-irs-civic-education/

Orji Uzor-Kalu, former Governor of Abia State, says he will only support secessionist calls by Nnamdi Kalu, leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), if he goes nuts.

According to Kalu, who was speaking as a guest on AIT’s ‘People, Politics and Power’, it would be madness to endorse such move.

He said that rather than support the breakup of the country, he would push for the amalgamation of the Republics of Chad and Niger to be joined to Nigeria and called ‘The United States of Nigeria’.

“What I can’t understand is some intellectuals, some people supporting Biafra… It disturbs me because I have gone to the deepest part of the US government and they said they will never allow the country (Nigeria) to disintegrate,” he said.

“I have gone to the deepest part of the UK government and they told me that they will never allow the country to disintegrate. So why are we wasting our time?
“You need a government to back you up on whether you are disintegrating or not. These are world powers; it’s true, it’s world politics, it is true.”

Uzor-Kalu recalled that he predicted that former President Goodluck Jonathan may not win the 2015 election because some western countries didn’t back him. “They can influence anything,” he said.

On the ultimatum by some northern youths for south-easterners to leave the North by October 1, Uzor-Kalu said Nigerians should not take them seriously.

“The quit notice means absolutely nothing because the people that gave the quit notice are just side-by people who don’t know what this country means,” he said.

“Nobody should be disturbed. I am not disturbed. I’m still investing in my farm in Maiduguri till tomorrow morning. So this quit notice is not in agreement with the convention that guides the existence of Nigeria.”
He commended the governors from the northern and the south-eastern states, as well as Acting President Yemi Osinbajo, for their handling of the development.

Uzor-Kalu also pointed out that it was wrong to say that the ultimatum to the Igbo was supported by the northern elders. He insisted that no reputable northern elder endorsed call, except for a few who were “looking for cheap popularity”.

“No reasonable northern elder will do that,” he said.

“Did Adamu Ciroma do that? Did you question Adamu Ciroma? So I don’t know which people you call northern elders.

“Did Jibril Aminu say so? Did Ibrahim Babangida say so? Did (former) President Abdulsalami (Abubakar) say so?

“Did other young northerners who have a lot to do with the North and the South say so? Will Aliko (Dangote) support that? Nobody, no reasonable man will support that; only people who are looking for cheap popularity.
“It’s just like seeing me supporting secession of the country, you’ll know that from that day, you’ll know that my head has gone nuts. So that is what it means. The unity of the country is not negotiable by anybody.

“So when you say northern elders, I don’t know whether the Sultan, Emir of Kano, Emir of Zazzau are telling you that we should quit. If all these people tomorrow morning come out and ask us to quit, we will quit.

“We are not afraid of quitting and nobody should threaten us with quitting. We can build the best place to live, but Nigeria’s unity is more important.”
https://icirnigeria.org/orji-uzork-kalu-if-you-ever-see-me-support-secession-just-know-that-ive-gone-nuts/

Patience Jonathan, wife of Goodluck Jonathan, former President, has accused the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) of attempting to assassinate her twice between February and April 2017.

Patience, who made accusation in a petition to the House of Representatives against security agencies, alleged that the EFCC “repeatedly” bugged the telephone lines of Patience and her relatives.

“There have been assassination attempts, at least twice, between February and April, 2017, against our client ostensibly by the operatives of the EFCC along the Yenagoa-Mbaima road, Bayelsa state, in furtherance of its unlawful actions against the former first family,” read the petition prepared by Granville Abibo, her lawyer.
“The EFCC and its agents have repeatedly bugged the personal telephones of our client and her relations through its many operatives and has inundated her with numerous threatening calls and text messages.”

She accused the commission of seizing her bank accounts, and those of her relatives and NGOs, also claiming that officials of the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) vandalised property in her hotel in Bayelsa State.

“On May 3, 2017, officials of the FIRS, in a convoy of about 20 trucks and over 70 personnel, raided our client’s NGO – Aridolf Jo Resort Wellness and Spa Limited – situated at Kpansia expressway, Bayelsa state, and orchestrated a massive destruction of personal properties belonging to our client without any lawful court order or search warrant and caused mayhem there under the guise of trying to collect unpaid taxes without following any due process provided by law to do so,” the petition further read.
Patience implored the lower chamber to save her from the EFCC assassination attempts.

The ex-First Lady has recently been under investigation by the anti-corruption agency over possession of monies believed to have been proceeds of corruption.

In April, the federal high court in Lagos granted a fresh ex parte application ordering the forfeiture of $5.9 million belonging to her.

The following month, the same court refused her request for the unfreezing her accounts containing $15.5 million.
https://icirnigeria.org/patience-jonathan-three-months-efcc-tried-assassinate-twice/

Following the failure of the Nigerian Educational Research and Development Council (NERDC) to develop appropriate curriculum for pre-primary education, and that of the Ministry of Education to enforce standard, elitist private schools in Abuja have jettisoned Nigerian curriculum for American and British curriculums.

Investigations revealed that the rich children’s schools in Abuja are either using the American or the British curriculum, with few of them combining Nigerian with foreign ones.

If NERDC and Ministry of Education were doing their jobs, all the public and private schools in the country would be using one curriculum, as done in other countries.

‘OUTDATED AND IRRELEVANT’
Private school proprietors told ICIR that the Nigerian curriculum is abstract and outdated, and cannot be used to teach their pupils.

“Nigerian curriculum has things that are not relevant and current to what we need to be teaching our children,” says Emem Opashi, Managing Director of School Resource Centre.

Opashi, a psychologist and early childhood education specialist who also runs a nursery school, says she prefers the British curriculum because it is well-structured for the teachers to be able to follow, and it is regularly updated.

Other proprietors say the Nigerian curriculum was developed by people with limited academic and technical understanding of the expected components of pre-primary school curriculum.

And for them to use the curriculum, it should be reviewed by stakeholders who understand the concept of early childhood education to bring it up to international standard.
Swadchet Sankey, an early childhood education specialist with the United Nations children’s Fund (UNICEF), agrees that there is a lot of room for improvement of the curriculum but cautions that it is not a bad document.

“It is not excellent,” says Sankey. “But it is better than having nothing. There is the notion of the American and British curriculum but there is a lot of learning that goes on when you teach concepts that are indigenous and familiar to the children.”

The curriculum was developed in 2013 by NERDC with support from the UNICEF but it covers only one year of pre-primary school for children who have attained the age of five.

However, pre-primary school ideally should cater for children between the ages of three to five until they reach the official school age of six to start primary education.

PATCHING THE ROOF WHILE THE FOUNDATION IS LEAKY

While the merging of Christian Religious Studies, Islamic Religious Studies, Civic Education, Social Studies, and Security Education under a new subject called Religion and National Values for secondary school students have generated heated national debate and protest from religious leaders in the past few weeks, the pre-primary school curriculum is rarely mentioned.

Pre-primary education in Nigeria, which comprises day-care and nursery, is believed by early childhood development experts to be a crucial first learning experience that every child deserves to have.

Research has shown that children who have access to pre-primary education do better in primary school and they are less likely to drop out of school. Evidence also shows that people that had the chance to pass through quality pre-primary school earn more as adults than those who did not have the chance to attend quality pre-primary school.
Sankey says the whole idea of pre-primary education is to build in children concepts and skills that will make them ready for school.

Pre-primary education focuses on the physical, cognitive, emotional and social development of children.

Early childhood development experts, however, say that the quality of pre-primary education in Nigeria is very poor to prepare children for the primary school. This also denies them the life-long benefit of such early learning.

WHAT EXACTLY IS MISSING IN THE CURRICULUM?
Private school proprietors and early childhood development experts say the curriculum should be reviewed to incorporate concepts that enhance critical thinking and problem-solving skills in children.

Stella Uzochukwu, who is running science, technology, engineering, arts, and mathematics after-school, says the curriculum should have “the 21st-century skills”, which include, critical thinking, collaborative learning and problem-solving.

She says these skills should be inculcated in children in the early stage of their lives when their brains are developing at a faster rate than any other time in their lives.

“There is a shift in teaching,” she says. “We can’t continue to do things in the old ways. We have moved from chalk and board to allowing the children to even teach themselves.”
Uzochukwu is quick to point out that bureaucracy in government is making it hard to introduce the innovative concepts in the curriculum, and this is why she opted to start with the after-school facility when she came back from a post-graduate study in India.

Essienanwan Bangwell, who is children and teens coach and the team lead of Handz and Mindz, says both the curriculum and lack of educational tools are disappointing Nigerian children in learning.

“They are sitting in the classroom. The learning is redundant,” says Bangwell.

She notes that a curriculum for pre-primary school should focus on creativity, critical thinking and problem-solving, adding that Nigeria should make this adjustment in the curriculum and teaching to give children the finest education possible.

“Nigerian children can do a lot better,” she says. “They are more intelligent than the academic reflects but they are shaking of boredom. We have a doing generation and we need to make this kind of adjustment.”

It is the responsibility of NERDC and the Ministry of Education to come up with curriculum for a pre-primary education that is solid and regulates the private schools to ensure that they are using it.

Experts say that using the American and British curriculums by private schools is not in the best interest of the children because they are exposed to strange concepts that deprive them of indigenous and familiar concepts.
https://icirnigeria.org/private-schools-dump-outdated-irrelevant-nigerian-curriculum-for-uk-us-versions/

It is exactly two weeks since the Supreme Court sacked Herman Hembe, the lawmaker representing Konshisha/Vandekiya federal constituency of Benue State at the National Assembly, and ordered that Dorathy Mato be issued a certificate of return by the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC and be sworn in immediately.

But that court order is yet to be obeyed as Yakubu Dogara, Speaker of the House, has refused to swear Mato in for reasons best known to him. Hembe, who has had a seesaw legislative career, was a strong Dogara loyalist during his time at the lower chamber.

DESPAIR

Mato was at the National Assembly premises on Thursday, the last legislative day for the week, hoping to eventually get sworn in, but she left in apparent despair after being kept for long hours and nothing was done.

She refused to speak with journalists as she exited the premises, but one of the persons with her said they had complied with all the necessary requirements listed by the House leadership.
“We all came in anticipation of this swearing-in and they kept us waiting and dilly-dallying; at the end of it they said ‘wait we are in plenary session,”said Mati Acka, a member of the Benue State House of Assembly who accompanied Mato to the National Assembly complex.

“We all waited patiently, only for them to come out and nothing happened and we are wondering. Papers and things need to be filed and things need to be done; she has done everything that is required to have been done. I just pray and hope that this is not some kind of a game because it will not be right.”

She suggested that Mato was being persecuted because she is a woman.

“This issue of gender equality, empowerment and all of that, you intimidate us, we swim, we manage to swim across. When we swim, we get victory at the court, you now want to shove us back to drown.
“She was manipulated out of the election, just as I was by this same person whom God gave victory against him. I’m rejoicing with her and the women, and they are truncating our victory. There is no tangible reason that has been given.”

‘CERTAIN PROCESSES’ TO UNDERGO

However, Abdulrazak Namdas, Chairman of the House Committee on Media and Publicity, said the delay in swearing Mato in was to ensure that she complied with all due process.

“I’m not aware it has been done, I have to look at it and I can tell you that if all the right processes have been fulfilled, I don’t think there is any reason that she will not be sworn in”.
“But the truth is that as far as I’m concerned there are certain processes that if there is any pronouncements by the court, they are also some processes you have to undergo in the house before you are sworn in.”

NO WORD FROM DOGARA

When ICIR contacted Turaki Hassan, the Chief Press Secretary to Speaker Dogara, he said he was in a noisy place and could not comment. He asked this reporter to send him a text message; this was done but he did not reply.

Meanwhile, the judgement from the court is for Hembe to “immediately” vacate the seat for Mato, whose success did not come on a platter of gold.

With Mato still not sworn in, it is likely that Hembe still hasn’t returned all the money in earned in the position, which by the ICIR’s calculation, is approximately N198.5million.
Source: https://icirnigeria.org/question-how-long-will-it-take-dogara-to-swear-in-hembes-replacement/

How did a nation draped in delirium on October 1, 1960 find itself dripping with blood just under seven years later? Exactly 50 years after the kick-off of the Civil War of 1967, ‘FISAYO SOYOMBO, Editor of the ICIR, recalls the events that led to Nigeria’s lowest moment in history.

But now we have acquired our rightful status, and I feel sure that history will show that the building of our nation proceeded at the wisest pace: it has been thorough, and Nigeria now stands well-built upon firm foundations — Sir Abubakar Tafawa Balewa, Independence Day, 1960

A HAPPY BEGINNING
You could sense the joy of the people. In Lagos, then seat of power where hordes thronged the streets — and in other parts of the country — it was a once-in-a-lifetime moment of animated merrymaking exemplified by widespread wining and dining. Even in the far-flung villages, wine swigging and food gobbling were de rigueur, at least for the day.

Earlier at midnight, the small but rising clique of elites had clutched at their radios as devout Catholics would the Rosary, listening as the sonorous voice of Emmanuel Omatsola — a doyen of broadcast journalism — announced from Race Course: Nigeria is a free, sovereign nation.

Ask the primary school pupils at the time what the occasion was about and they would probably grope clumsily in search of the right words, but they sure had an idea: first, they holidayed away from school, and then returned to be served unusual rounds of sumptuous meals and handed lovingly petite green-white-green flags. As my father described it, at Independence on 1st October 1960, the mood all over the country was that of “naked excitement”.

FORESHADOWED CAPITULATION
Sir Abubakar Tafawa Balewa, the Prime Minister who delivered Nigeria’s maiden Independence Day speech, was one of the most brilliant and learned Nigerians of his time, at a time securing a scholarship to study at the University of London’s Institute of Education. And although he succeeded in earning a reasonable degree of notoriety for championing northern interests — a splotch that nearly all leaders of other ethnic groups equally bore — he cut an influential and likable figure outside the country especially because of his front-line roles in the founding of the Organisation of African Unity (OAU), the negotiations for the resolution of the Congo Crisis of 1960 to 1964, the condemnation of the South African Sharpeville Massacre of 21st March 1960 and quelling the attempted expulsion of South Africa from the Commonwealth in 1961.

Sadly, for all his education and intelligence, the two-time Prime Minister misjudged the country’s foundations at Independence, which were anything but “well-built”. It was a blunder he never recovered from; well, the chance itself never came. Six years after delivering that fervent speech, Balewa paid with his life — alongside those of some others who championed the quest for Independence. With the benefit of hindsight, it was a death that was always coming. It was foreshadowed.

TUSSLE FOR SUPERIORITY
In the early 1950s when Nigeria’s century-long crave for independence began gathering steel, each region — Northern, Eastern, and Western (as the country had been divided by the Richards Constitution of 1946) — championed its own agenda. To every region, there was a political party to advance self-serving needs: the Northern Peoples Congress (NPC) for the northern region, the National Council of Nigeria and the Cameroons (NCNC) for the eastern region, and Action Group for the western region.

It proved a grueling task to write a Constitution that was suitable to various interests. The north, the most populated of the three, considered autonomy from the other regions as well as a large representation in any federal legislature its birthright. In addition, it feared the fading of Islam — the dominant religion in the region — and worried over the economic might of the south. The west itself craved autonomy, dreading the redistribution of its cocoa wealth to other regions. Only the east dithered, not exactly due to nationalist orientations but because of its survival needs, which it felt would best be served by a powerful central government and the redistribution of wealth.
The Lyttleton Constitution of 1954 attempted a compromise, creating a federation out of the three ethnic regions, establishing a Federal House of Representatives and providing for the appointment of a Premier for each region. Yes, it inched Nigeria closer to self-governance. But did it fix the festering regional rather than national drive for self-advancement? Certainly not — and the impending implosion was always a matter of time.

Half-a-decade on, Nigeria was all but an independent nation. In December 1959, ethnicity-coloured federal parliamentary elections starring 10 political parties held — ethnicity-coloured because in addition to the three heavyweight parties (NPC, NCNC and AG), the names of the lightweights themselves easily gave out their ethnocentric orientations: the Northern Elements Progressive Union, which, like the NPC, was formed to advocate northern interests; the Igala Union for Igala people; the Niger Delta Congress; and the ostensibly chauvinistic Igbira Tribal Union.

As it was more of an inter-region contest than an inter-party affair, the most populated region — the north — expectedly stole the show. The NPC won 134 of the available 312 seats in the House, and then formed a coalition with five other parties and two independents to hold a summary 148 seats; at a distant second position with 89 seats was the NCN-led coalition, while the AG-led coalition had 75 seats.

INDEPENDENT BUT BELLIGERENT
Nigeria nicked Independence on October 1, 1960; and one of the defining incidents of the country’s early-independence years was the 1962 split of the Cameroon trust territories into two, the generally Muslim northern Cameroons voting to fuse with Northern Nigeria and the southern Cameroons electing to join the Federal Republic of Cameroons.

From then until the mid-1960s, the country carried on with seething but bottled-up tension. The controversial censuses of 1962 and 1963 spawned fresh north-south acrimony, owing largely to allegations of population falsification. While that of 1962 was cancelled, a second attempt the following year was accepted, notwithstanding its official population figure of 55.6 million, which, compared to the modest effort a decade earlier, implied an improbable annual growth rate of 5.8 per cent. The polity was charged with suspicion, each region thinking the other manipulated the counting for local and regional political gains.

As the rumpus surrounding the census raged on, a separate turmoil was unfolding. In 1962, the Balewa government accused Obafemi Awolowo, idolised leader of the westerners — alongside other prominent leaders such as Olabisi Onabanjo, Anthony Enahoro, Lateef Jakande, Alfred Rewane, Ayo Adebanjo, Michael Omisade, Chike Obi, and Oladipo Maja — of treason. Awolowo’s British lawyer E. F. N. Gratien (QC) was denied entry into the country on the orders of Minister of Internal Affairs in a prelude to his eventual sentencing to 10 years in prison. Although Awolowo was eventually freed after Yakubu Gowon, a general, ascended the country’s reins, his supporters were already harbouring deep-seated animosity against the government.

All these pent-up animosities across the regions considered, Nigeria was teetering on the brink of implosion by the time it became a Republic on October 1, 1963.
See more : https://icirnigeria.org/flashback-how-nigeria-went-to-war-exactly-50-years-ago/

When the Lagos State Police Command announced that it had arrested over 100 suspected members of the dreaded “badoo” cult in their various hideouts on Saturday, July 1, residents of Ikorodu and its environs received the news with a pinch of salt. It was not their first time hearing such announcement and things did not get any better.

Just two days later, their skepticism was justified.The Badoo cult has continued to terrorise the Ikorodu area of Lagos, and the police and even vigilante groups appear incapable of curtailing the gang. So, who are these killer, what do they want, how do they operate?

Below are 10 things of interest about the group, particularly for the purpose of public security.

1 BADOO IS LIKE SHEKAU, ‘HE’ IS NOT AN INDIVIDUAL
A criminal, described by residents as a “serial rapist and ritual killer”, was apprehended at Ibeshe in Ikorodu on June 12, 2016. His name was given simply as “Badoo”.
According to Ikorodu residents, after every attack, he would write “I am Badoo” and paste on the door of his victims. He continued in a seemingly invincible manner until he was caught after he raped and killed a 27-year-old woman and her nine-month-old child.
A resident told journalists at the time that they had been trying over the months to catch him to no avail. “In order to succeed this time, the community came together, performed sacrifices, made incantations and went out for him. That was why he was caught,” he said.
But it would later become clear that “Badoo” was not a single individual but a group of sick, gruesome murderers. Like Abubakar Shekau, we now know it’s not just one person behind the name.

2 THEY USE A WEIRD KIND OF WEAPON
The cult group carries no guns or machetes. Their weapon is primarily a stone. In addition, they use clubs, preferably household grinding stones and mortar and pestle.

3 THEY KILL THEIR VICTIMS BY SMASHING THEM
Their modus operandi is to sneak into targets’ homes in the dead of the night and smash their heads with grinding stones or mortars.
Israel Ajao, a retired Deputy Inspector-General of Police and Chairman of the Lagos State Neighbourhood Corp, said: “It has become a disturbing trend and their modus operandi is worrisome. There is more to it than meet the eyes.
“They come into a house with no weapon except a stone or mortar, which they use to smash their victims’ head. They are not spirits but they come at the dead of the night, 2am, and they use the grinding stone and mortar to smash the heads of an entire family.”

4 THEY LEAVE WITH THEIR VICTIMS’ BLOOD
“After they are done, they clean the blood with white clothes and they escape,” Ajao added. “This is bizarre and it is fetish and a ritual.”

5 THEY’RE LOOKING FOR OPEN WINDOWS AND LOOSELY-SHUT DOORS
Most of Badoo’s attacks have taken place in houses where the windows were open or ajar, or where doors could be opened with one kick. Badoos don’t come prepared to break down high-security apartments. If you live in Ikorodu, it’s time you took a second look at your doors and windows. Replace them if you need to.

6 SURVEILLANCE BEFORE ATTACK IS A RULE FOR BADOO
Badoo doesn’t just attack; it’s surveillance first. Among one of the many residents to have confirmed this is Alade Adesina, who said: “We noticed that before members of the Badoo gang strike any area or building, they would have done a thorough surveillance of the place during the day time.”
Time for everyone in Ikorodu, not just vigilante groups, to watch out for who’s coming in and out, and who is loitering around, both day and night.

7 THEY KILL MEN, BUT WOMEN ARE THE PRIME TARGETS
"The reason why they kill men is that they can tackle and overpower them; otherwise it is women that they really target,” a vigilante member once said. “We got this fact from some of those we have apprehended and handed over to the police.”

8 A ‘BLOODY’ HANDKERCHIEF COSTS N500,000
One handkerchief used to clean the blood of a female victim is bought for N500, 000 from the Badoo guys.,” according to another vigilante member.

9 BADOO MEMBERS CAN’T FACE A COUNTER-ATTACK
If a gang member attacks you, it is advisable that you fight back or a relative does. The accounts of the few surviving victims show that Badoo cannot withstand resistance. For example, Olawale Anthony, a minister with the Mountain of Fire and Miracles Ministry who was attacked by the gang on June 2, said his assailants escaped when his wife called for help.
“I was sleeping that night after a hard day’s job when one of the cult members came into the house around 2:00am through the window and hit my head with a heavy stone,” he said. “I lost consciousness immediately but my wife who managed to escape before the guy could overpower her, rushed out to call for help. The man escaped before people could come around.”
Caroline Orji, another Ikorodu resident, who almost became a victim, said: “We suddenly saw a man naked in our bedroom around 1am with a big stone. As he wanted to smash it on my husband, he shouted Jesus, and the man ran out. He dropped the stone on the premises, scaled the fence and escaped.”

10 CHURCHES ARE EASY TARGETS AFTER VIGILS
Badoo is on the prowl for churches where vigils have held and some members of the congregation are waiting back for the break of dawn. For example, when it attacked the Cherubim and Seraphim Church on Anibaba Street, Weigh Bridge, Owode Onirin, where it killed three people, including a woman and her nine-month-old baby, the raid happened around 2am, not long after the church rounded off a vigil.
Clearly, churches now know they have to bolster their security, especially for vigils.
https://icirnigeria.org/10-things-to-know-about-badoo-the-ritual-cult-terrorising-ikorodu-residents/

The Lagos State division of the Federal High Court has ordered the federal government to make known to the public, names of individuals from whom money has so far been recovered in the ongoing anti-corruption campaign.

The ruling was given by Justice Hadiza Shagari in a Freedom of Information (FOI) suit brought against the federal government by the Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) a civil society organization.

Justice Shagari held that “the Federal Government has a legally binding obligation to tell Nigerians the names of all suspected looters of the public treasury past and present”.

She therefore ordered that government must “immediately release to Nigerians, information about the names of high-ranking public officials from whom public funds were recovered and the circumstances under which funds were recovered, as well as the exact amount of funds recovered from each public official.”
Reacting to the ruling, Timothy Adewale, SERAP’s deputy director, said it was “a victory for justice, rule of law, transparency and accountability in this country”.

“The judgment shows the way forward in the fight against corruption and impunity of perpetrators. We will do everything within the law to ensure full compliance by President Mohammadu Buhari and Acting President Osinbajo with this landmark judgment,” he added.

Also, TransparencIT Nigeria, an anti-corruption non-governmental organisation, took to Twitter to celebrate the development.
Source : https://icirnigeria.org/court-orders-fg-publish-names-treasury-looters/

The House of Representatives has invited Goodluck Jonathan to appear before the ad-hoc committee probing the Malabu oil deal.

The summons was issued on Wednesday.

In April this year, Razak Atunwa, Chairman of the House Committee on Justice, who is also the head of an ad-hoc panel probing the case, said efforts were underway to invite the ex-president to testify during one of the committee’s sittings.

“We’ve summoned several former and present top government functionaries, including the Attorney-General, Abubakar Malami, to provide information that could help in our investigation, and they honoured us,” he had said.
“We’re still working out the details. Nigerians will know the time and modalities of our summons to the (former) president, including letter of invitation, very soon.”

In the deal, Shell and ENI, two oil giants paid the sum of $1.3 billion for Oil Prospecting License, OPL 245, which is believed to be one of Africa’s richest oil blocks.

About $1.1 billion of the money was allegedly paid directly into a Nigerian government account with JP Morgan while about $200 million had been paid by Shell as signature bonus.
But $801 million of the money allegedly ended up in the private account of the then Petroleum Minister, Dan Etete.
Source: https://icirnigeria.org/reps-summon-jonathan-over-malabu-oil-deal/

The National Association of the Nigerian Traditional Medicine Practitioners (NANTMP) says Olusegun Obasanjo, former President, is so strong at 80 years because he used products of traditional medicine.

Therefore, it said its products.are capable of curing President Muhammadu Buhari of whatever ailment is keeping him in the United Kingdom.

Adesunmiboye Fawawo, a national patron of the association, made this known on Tuesday during a chat with the Punch Newspaper.

“President Muhammadu Buhari is our national leader and we must guard him with all jealousy. We are a national body which is recognised by the Federal Government,” he said during an event to inaugurate the association’s new national executives.
“The association was established during the tenure of former President Olusegun Obasanjo and he used our products. You can see how strong he is even at his age.

“We have been able to treat patients whose families had lost hope on their recovery. Unfortunately, we have not been consulted to treat President Buhari.

“We can treat him and the government must realise that travelling abroad for treatment may not solve the issue.”

Fawawo said it is a pity that many Nigerians disregard the medicinal and therapeutic use of plants in favour of orthodox medicine
“If you get to mortuaries, many corpses found there are those of rich people because they don’t trust their health with local treatment. Many rich people believe in expensive drugs and treatment but this will go a long way to deepen recession,” he said.

He allayed the fears that the use of herbal medicine usually leads to kidney problems and other issues, explaining that there is nothing to worry about if the right dosage is taken.

He also said some herbal products from Nigeria are exported to Europe and the United States while some can be found in big hospitals across the country. For instance, Fawawo said that a certain herbal medicine called seleru agbo can be found at the Ladoke Akintola University Teaching Hospital, Osogbo.
Similarly, Ade Adeagbo, Assistant Secretary General of the association, lamented that Nigeria wastes huge sums of money annually on the importation of drugs while neglecting traditional medicine in the country.

He said the country will benefit more if government pays more attention to the development of traditional medicine rather than importing synthetic drugs, which come with many negative side effects.
Source: https://icirnigeria.org/obasanjo-so-strong-at-his-age-because-of-traditional-medicine/

Lai Mohammed, Minister of Information and Culture, has reassured Nigerians that President Mohammadu Buhari will soon return to the country.

Mohammed gave the reassurance via his Twitter handle on Wednesday, saying: “Let Nigerians be at rest. The president will be back soon. Even though i have not spoken with him. I know my Oga.”

Rumours of the President’s deteriorating health became rife after the broadcast of his recorded Eid-el-Fitri message to Nigerians. In it, Buhari sounded quite weak and was barely audible even though he spoke in his native Hausa language.

Days later, Ayodele Fayose, Governor of Ekiti State, claimed he had privileged information that Buhari was on life support.

But the Presidency denied the claims and, as usual, criticised Fayose.

On Sunday, Aisha, wife of the President, returned to London to spend time with him..

Buhari has been out of the country since May 7, which makes it 58 days now.
Source: https://icirnigeria.org/the-president-will-be-back-soon-i-know-my-oga-lai-mohammed/

Dino Melaye, the Senator representing Kogi West Senatorial District at the National Assembly, wants the Senate to compel the Executive to act on the recommendations of the upper legislative chamber which rejected the nomination of Ibrahim Magu as substantive Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

Melaye made this known during Tuesday’s plenary at the floor of the Senate after Bukola Saraki, the Senate President, read a letter from Acting President Yemi Osinbajo asking for the confirmation of Lanre Gbajabiamila as Director-General of the National Lottery Regulatory Commission.

Gbajabiamila had assumed office shortly after his appointment was announced, without being confirmed, and Melaye brought the issue to the knowledge of the Senate. Therefore, Gbajabiamila was asked to leave office.

But after the letter was read on Tuesday, all the lawmakers, who responded, criticised the executive arm of government for showing gross disrespect for the activities of the legislature.
“Enough of boju boju presentations,” Melaye said.

“In this same chamber, we invited Magu. Magu came for a job interview and failed; and as a result, he was rejected by the Senate of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. As I speak with you, Magu is still parading himself as the Chairman of EFCC despite rejection by this Senate.

“The same executive that has allowed Magu to continue to stay in office, now wrote in a letter this morning to say that we should confirm somebody on whom I raised my voice on this floor, who went to resume without confirmation of the Senate.

“Now they have brought that person for confirmation, and on the other hand, a man that has been rejected, [his rejection] has not been confirmed, and is still acting.

Melaye further noted that the Senate also passed some Resident Electoral Commissioners, RECs before it embarked on recess but the executive “chose to swear in some and refuse to swear in some.”
“Mr (Senate) President, it is time for you and this Senate to act. Democracy will continue to be government of the people, for the people and by the people.

“I am moving a motion that it becomes abominable for you to even read another confirmation request from the executive.

“They cannot do our job for us and we will not do their job for them. They are to appoint and we are to confirm; and once you come for confirmation, when you go for an exam, you either pass or fail. And those who have failed should go back.

“Magu is the not the last Nigerian Angel, they should bring another person, we will examine him.If he is qualified, we will pass him. But once you are not passed, you cannot be promoted. His (Magu) mates are area commanders and DPOs, he can serve this country in another capacity.”
Also speaking on the issue, Sam Anyanwu said the Senate had to take a stand and assert its powers of legislation.

“If the leadership doesn’t do anything on this matter within 48 hours, we’ll move against the leadership and I am serious about it,” he said.

“We must make sure that all those we have rejected are not working. And, Mr President, I will say that if anybody (in this chamber) is invited by the EFCC, the person should not go, because whoever that is there is not standing on a tripod.”

The Senate has twice rejected Buhari’s request for the confirmation of Magu as substantive EFCC Chairman, based on a damning report on him by the Department of State Services, DSS.

But the Executive insists that he is the right man for the job and has refused to remove him.
Source: https://icirnigeria.org/melaye-magu-can-not-be-efcc-chairman-his-mates-are-area-commanders-and-dpos/

pauljumbo:
As long as we permit him to stay in London

By "we" you are referring to?

Eastfield1:
He is Enjoying all the Infrastructure & facilities in London using Nnamdi Kanu's Visa

Did you see him with the visa

attackgat:
Theres a chance that nobody will see Buhari until his second term inaugration

That's not possible

Suspected members of the Badoo cult group have killed three persons, including a pastor’s wife, at Owode Ajegunle area of Lagos State.

This is in spite of a manhunt for members of the group by security agents in the state.

According to Punch, the attack occurred at a Celestial Church of Christ, Cherubim and Seraphim located at 4 Victoria Anibaba Street, Owode Weighbridge, along Ikorodu Road.

Witnesses said the cultists attacked the wife of the founder of the church and her two-year-old daughter, as well as another woman who lived in the church with her daughter.
One woman and the two girls were killed during the attack.

ICIR made attempts to reach Olarinde Famous-Cole, spokesman of the Lagos State Police Command, but his number was unreachable.

The police, in collaboration with members of the Odua Paoples Congress (OPC) and other local vigilante groups, had raided suspected hideouts of the cult group last week, arresting more than 100 suspects.
Source: https://icirnigeria.org/ezekwesili-i-saw-death-during-the-civil-war-we-didnt-learn-any-lessons/

Reuben Abati, former media aide to ex-President Goodluck Jonathan, has commended Acting President Yemi Osinbajo for his efforts at ensuring that Nigeria remains a united, but he believes the Acting President is not meeting with the right set of people.

In an article published on his website on Tuesday, Abati said the meetings that have so far taken place between Osinbajo and elders of both the Northern and South-Eastern regions of the country may not achieve the desired result because many of the elders do not believe in a united Nigeria.
He said: “The Federal Government under Acting President Yemi Osinbajo has been holding meetings with key stakeholders within the Federation. The consultations are in order, but the Acting President is yet to talk to the right people.

“He is talking to people who carry their international passports in their pockets because they don’t know what tomorrow promises in Nigeria. He is consulting persons whose family members are mostly one-leg-in-one-leg-out Nigerians; many of them in fact have dual nationality.

“Nigeria is their trading post, the place where they make the money they and their children spend in Dubai, UK and wherever.”
Abati said it would yield better results if Osinbajo was to engage with “the angry Igbo youths who now kneel down to greet Nnamdi Kanu and call him their god; the Arewa youths who have told the Igbos to get out of Nigeria and get away, and who have called the Yoruba names while further insisting that they are not afraid of the Nigerian government arresting them”.

“The people to talk to are the leaders of the various other groups who are taking sides,” he continued.
“Leaders of the Middle Belt and the South-South are holding talks; some Yorubas are planning to hold theirs this week in Ibadan.

“Draw the map of the emerging rhetoric in Nigeria today; what you have is a divided country. The scenario is so painfully reminiscent of the early 60s.

“Crisis management is an important part of nation-building. We have failed to manage most of the crises that have befallen our nation, on a sustainable basis, and that is why every proverbial snake that is killed suddenly resurrects.”
https://icirnigeria.org/abati-urges-osinbajo-to-engage-with-angry-igbo-youths-who-now-kneel-down-to-greet-nnamdi-kanu/

For how long can Muhammadu Buhari, Nigeria’s ailing President, stay in London for medical treatment? Is the answer indefinite, until the expiration of his first term in 2019?

After a 49-day medical vacation in London early this year, Buhari travelled to London again for an indefinite medical examination in May 7.

Buhari has so far spent 56 days in his second medical journey, with no definite return date.

This indefinite stay abroad has led to speculations that the president will be removed from office if he spends more than 60 days outside the country.

However, the duration his foreign stay is not specified in the 1999 Constitution as amended.

As long as he has duly transmitted power to the Vice-President, he can stay in London as much as he wants, unless he is impeached by the National Assembly.

PROCEDURE FOR REMOVING THE PRESIDENT

For the president to be removed from office on the ground of ill-health as specified in Section 144 of the Constitution, two-thirds majority of all members of the Federal Executive Council (FEC) must pass a resolution declaring that he is incapable of discharging the functions of his office.

This declaration by FEC will be verified by a five-man medical panel appointed by the Senate President.

The five members of the panel must be medical practitioners, including the personal physician to the president. The four others must be medical practitioners who have attained a high degree of eminence in the field of medicine related to whatever illness the president is suffering from.

This medical panel will then examine the president in accordance with international standards.
Should the medical panel certify that the president is incapable of discharging the functions of his office due to the illness, a notice signed by the Senate President and the Speaker of the House of Representatives shall be published in the Official Gazette of the Government of the Federation.

Immediately this notice is published, Buhari will cease to be the President of Nigeria and Yemi Osinbajo, the Acting President, will now assume the role of substantive President while a new Vice-President will be appointed.
Read More: https://icirnigeria.org/question-for-how-long-can-buhari-stay-in-london-and-remain-president-dicey/

Marotzke:
After this case of kidnapping, Dunu should prepare for a case of defamation , libel and giving wrong information to police.
First he said that while in captivity, he heard Emeka on phone ordering for goods to be loaded from warehouse.
Secondly he heard Emeka, asking why he (Dunu actually Duru ) has not been killed.
Based on these weighty allegations, Pharm Emeka Egbulugha was arressted and clamped into detention, his name circulated all over the world as a kidnapper and part of a violent criminal gang.
He would have been there for years, since kidnapping and conspiracy to murder are non bailable offences.
By God's grace, Evans was captured and leads for investigations opened up for the police.
First the officer in charge of ware house surrendered his books and physical stock of goods in the warehouse were taken.
There was no loss of goods. So where did the phantom seven million naira goods taken from? Which ware house was the goods stolen from?
Evans on physical parade denied knowing Pharm Emeka Egbulugha. He also stated that Emeka did not bring the job of kidnapping Dunu to him.
The police then pointedly asked the camp commander who the pharmacist was that comes to make phone calls and order the death of Dunu? No one the man answered. Is he here? (Emeka was standing in his front) no sir. The two allegations on which a registered professional pharmacist was arrested debunked.
Why would Evans protect Emeka? Or his prison keeper?
Dunu is just a sadist who wanted to punish an innocent man.
Thank God his shenanigans have been exposed.

Well I believe more investigations should be done on that e.g. the phone which was used to make those calls should be retrieved and they can trace the caller who was giving instructions for Duru to be killed.

Maitama Sule, former Minister of Petroleum, former Minister of Mines and Power, died in Cairo on Sunday, aged 88.

Although he spent extensive time in Nigerian politics, for instance being Mines Minister for seven years, he will arguably be most remembered for his post-political life.

Sule is popularly referred to as “elder statesman”, but he is also an accomplished orator.

Below are 11 of some of his most memorable quotes; in some there are lessons, in others just humour and wit.

Enjoy.

ON LAGOS
Lagos was my second home. In fact, I used to be more at home in Lagos than in Kano… I liked Lagos because people in Lagos liked me. I was the Onikoyi of Ikoyi (a chieftaincy title in Lagos Island) and the Bada of Lagos, as I was the Ada Ida Akei Igburutu of Calabar.


ON HUMILITY
If you are humble in life, it will not be difficult for you to mix. Coming from Kano [to Lagos], it was not difficult for me to settle down in any community.

ON DIVERSITY
Nigerians all over like me and I have no reason not to like Nigeria and Nigerians. I must like them. I am not a Kano man alone; I am Yoruba, Igbo, Ijaw, Itsekiri, Kanuri, Fulani, Ibibio, Tiv. I am all. I respect everybody.

ON MATHEMATICS, TO HIS TEACHER
Excuse me, sir, this trigonometry is a little bit of nonsense. What is a little bit of x and a little bit of y? ‘X’ is ‘x’ and ‘y’ is ‘y’.

ON HIS INTEREST IN POLITICS
The Sardauna called me and reminded me he told me to be his private secretary but I refused. He added that they selected me to go to London to study Law but I said I didn’t like it. He asked me, “What do you want to do, for God’s sake.” I replied, “What you are doing, sir.”

ON AWOLOWO
…you know Chief Awolowo was a proud man. He did what he wanted to do against my advice and he told me that there was a time the North rebuffed him. I told him to avoid certain things but he did not. He was a principled man, he would not lie. He would speak out his mind.

ON ILL-GOTTEN WEALTH
You can’t eat your cake and have it. The present-day leadership wants money. You can’t have money and honour at the same time. Our former leaders didn’t want money, they wanted to serve the country, and that is why they were respected.

ON NIGERIA’S NEEDS
I keep saying what we need in Nigeria is leadership, not rulership.

ON YOUTH AND EXPERIENCE
You must seek the experience of the old, because the best organization is the combination of the old and young.

ON LIFE
…because we are masters of our fate, we should be captains of our souls.


ON CULTURE
Our cultural values have been turn over board. Today we have abandoned our culture, and culture is the identity of people. People often mistake culture as mere dancing and singing. It is much more than that. Culture is the custom and costumes, the characters and characteristics, the manners and mannerisms, the philosophy and the ideologies of the people. Culture is the totality of the people’s experience.
https://icirnigeria.org/the-trigonometry-youre-teaching-us-is-nonsense-and-10-other-memorable-maitama-sule-quotes/

PointZerom:
This Duru may be playing a fast one here. He has issues with Emeka and he want to incriminate him. Hmmmm.

We can't really say for now.

Jimoh Moshood, Public Relations Officer of the Police, says it was the court, not the police, that released Emeka, the man initially thought to have betrayed Donatus Duru, his employer, to Chukwudumeme Onwuamadike aka Evans.

Moshood gave the explanation on AIT’s breakfast programme, Kaakaki, on Monday.

He said Emeka was granted bail because there was no proof that he actually provided the information that led to the kidnap of Duru.

According to Moshood, Evans himself confessed that he did not know who Emeka was, saying that it was one Baba Eko, an Igbo man who goes with a Yoruba alias, who provided information on the kidnap of Duru. Baba Eko is still at large.

“The case of Emeka has been mentioned before the court and there’s no reason why we have to still keep him after we have questioned his alibi and we have been able to find out from Evans that he is not part of the gang.
“We don’t have the right to release kidnap suspects; it is not bailable at the level of the police because it is a capital offence now in most of the states so we have to take them to court.

“So the court decided in its wisdom to use its discretion in granting him bail. Granting him bail is not the end of the matter; the matter is still coming up. He has not been discharged, he has not been acquitted. So if there are further evidences, why not we tender them in court.

“So we want Emeka to exercise restraint and to be patient that the full weight of the law will be visited on anybody responsible for the kidnap.”
When asked why he thought Duru accused his employee of aiding his kidnap, Moshood said: “I wouldn’t want to be dragged into this but since you have mentioned it I’ll just say a little about this. I believe that Emeka and Duru may have other issues; we wouldn’t know that.

“Because we believe Emeka is a pharmacist while Donatus is a business man, probably… I don’t have this responsibility so that somebody doesn’t take me to court and start asking for what have you.

“But we know that there are issues between them… our concern is to investigate the case of kidnapping.”

Moshood, however, stressed that “Emeka was not released before Evans was arrested. Emeka was released by the court, not the police”.
Asked if Evans was protecting Emeka, Moshood answered: “No, no, no. There’s nothing like that. Evans in custody protecting Emeka? No

“The matter is coming up on the 17th. If there’s any Nigerian even outside Donatus who has any additional information, they can make it available to the court.”

On provision of adequate protection for Duru, who escaped from Evans kidnap gang, Moshood said: “Donatus is very very vital to our investigation and we will do all our best to continue to protect him.

“But if he observes that the protection is not enough like I’ve said, he should meet the Commissioner of Police Lagos State and it would be improved upon because he is very vital to our investigation.”
https://icirnigeria.org/emeka-the-man-who-betrayed-his-boss-to-evans-released-by-the-court-not-police/
Source: www.icirnigeria.org

Many Nigerians are already wondering if Nnamdi Kanu, leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), has forgotten the conditions attached by the court to his hard-earned bail. Perhaps, he just chooses to ignore the 12 conditions given him by Justice Binta Nyako, who said she was convinced that Kanu was ill and needed more medical attention than the Nigerian Prisons gave him. Kanu received bail in April 2017.

The matter was adjourned till July 11 and 12, for definite commencement of trial. The bail conditions state clearly that Kanu must not hold rallies, must not grant interviews, must not be in a crowd of more than 10 people, must deposit his Nigerian and British passports with the court, must provide the court with monthly reports on the progress of his health and treatment, and must provide three sureties in the sum of N100 million each.

Also, one of the sureties must be a senior highly placed person of Igbo extraction, such as a senator; the second surety must be a highly respected Jewish leader since Kanu said his religion is Judaism; and the third surety must be a highly respected person who owns landed property and is resident in Abuja.

On how many occasions has Kanu violated the conditions of his bail?

MAY 13, 2017, CROWD VISIT
Since his release from Kuje prison on April 28, 2017, the IPOB leader has been seen frequently seen in the midst of crowd that easily passed for outright violation of the condition that he must not be in the midst of more than 10 people.

On May 13, 2017, the Igweocha Riverine zone of IPOB paid a solidarity visit to Kanu. Led by Mazi Onyebuchi, Mazi Samuel Nzeh, Mazi Thankgod and Mazi Tochukwu, the massive crowd chanted Biafra songs all round Umuahia.

The crowd was received by Nnamdi Kanu, his parents, wife, brother and the entire Royal family.

MAY 28, 2017, CROWD VISIT
On this day, Nnamdi Kanu was at his father’s compound in Abia State, where he addressed a crowd of his Biafra agitators. It was on the occasion of the Shabbat, a Jewish religious programme. The video of the event went viral on the social media. But his bail condition says he must not be seen in a crowd more than 10 people.

JUNE 20, 2017, SUPPORTERS’ VISIT
Again, on June 20, at his father’s palace, Kanu received a crowd of his supporters.

JUNE 22, 2017, OYI LG VISIT
On the 22nd June, 2017, Biafrans from Oyi local government area of Anambra state visited the leader of IPOB in his country home in Afara-Ukwu Ibeku in Umuahia, Abia State, in solidarity with him and to reiterate their support for the Biafra struggle.

Awkuzu, Ogbunike, Nkwere-Ezunanka, Umunna and 33 electronics market were represented. The solidarity visit was occasioned by kanu’s call for Biafrans in Anambra State to boycott the November governorship election. No sooner had kanu’s Oyi visitors left than another group from Asab thronged the palace.

JUNE 27, 2017, VISIT TO PORT HARCOURT
On Tuesday, June 27, Kanu was welcomed by massive crowd to Port Harcourt, Rivers state. He met with members of the Ijaw Youth Council in Port Harcourt.

INTERVIEW WITH THE SUN
Although the bail prevents Kanu from speaking to the media, He has granted interviews. In the latest, published by The Sun on Monday, he described Jonathan as a weak president, saying his wife would have performed better in that office.

DEUTSCHE WELLE INTERVIEW
In a recent interview with the German media outfit, Kanu threatened that “if the government does not agree to organise a referendum, there would be no elections in Biafra land. “No more elections here.They can put whoever they like in office. They can do whatever they like with their political positions. We will not engage in any political process.

When the case resumes in July, if Kanu’s conduct so far will play a role in whether he continues enjoying bail or he returns to detention.

Watch Videos: https://icirnigeria.org/seven-times-nnamdi-kanu-has-violated-his-bail-conditions/
Source: www.icirnigeria.org