₦airaland Forum

The National Assembly has kick-started the process of transmitting to the Presidency the Bill for an Act to establish the Nigeria Peace Corps with final harmonization of the Bill by the two Chambers.

The House of Representatives took the lead on Wednesday by constituting a six-man Conference Committee that would work with their Senate counterpart to harmonise and produce a clean copy of the Bill for onward transmission to President Muhammadu Buhari for assent.

Members of the House Conference Committee are Hon Babangida Ibrahim (Chairman) Hon Tijani Kayode Ismail, Hon Chinedu Ogah, Hon Ibrahim Umar Potiskum, Hon Abdulmumini Are and Hon Legor Idegbo as members.

The Senate followed with the setting up of its own Committee comprising Senator Kashim Shettima, Chairman while Senator Abba Moro, Senator Betty Apiafi, Senator Oriolowo Adelere, Senator Eyinnaya Abaribe and Senator Seriake Dickson are members.

The Conference Committee members are expectedly to look at discrepancies and harmonize them before forwarding the clean copy to the Presidency.

It will be recalled that the Nigeria Peace Corps (NPC) Establishment Bill passed in 2022 by the two Chambers was sponsored by the Chairman, Senate Committee of the Nigerian Army, Senator Ali Ndume while that of the House of Representatives was sponsored by the Chief Whip, Rt Hon Mohammed Monguno as HB17

Sources at the National Assembly confided in our correspondent that the harmonization would be completed before the National Lawmakers proceed on campaign recess next week.

One of the Lawmakers who did not want his name mentioned said that the harmonized copy of the Bill would reach President Buhari's table early enough so as to quicken Presidential Assent to it.

The Bill, among others, seeks to establish the Nigerian Peace Corps as a body charged with the responsibility to develop, empower and provide gainful employment to youths, facilitate peace, volunteerism,, Community Service, Neighborhood Watch and Nation building.

According to part Vlll of the passed Bill, when assented to by President Buhari, would give statutory backing to the existing Peace Corps of Nigeria.

The Peace Corps of Nigeria established over 24 years ago under the National Commandant, Professor Dickson Ameh Akoh is Incorporated in Nigeria under the Company and Allied Matters (CAMA) Act and accorded the Federal Government recognition through the Federal Ministry of Youth Development.

Due to the value driven programs of the Corps, aimed at the socio-economic empowerment of the Nigerian youths and its onerous contributions to peace building and advocacy, the United Nations in 2011 accorded the organization a Special Consultative Status while the African Union in 2016 accorded same status to the organization, thus, making it a member of the Social and Economic Councils of both the United Nations and the African Union.

So far, the organization has a well structured network of offices in the 36 States of the Federation and the Federal Capital Territory FCT..

It has a membership strength of over 187,000 comprising of both regular staff and volunteers.

For the landmark achievements and accomplishments of the organization thus far, the Corps and its National Commandant have received over 110 Awards Nationally and Internationally.


https://universalreportersng.com/national-assembly-set-to-transmit-nigeria-peace-corps-bill-to-president-buhari-for-assent/

Man Strangles Lover, Burns Self To Death In Rivers

A bizarre tragedy happened in Rivers State as a young simply identified Babe Face had strangled his lover and set himself ablaze at the Kom Kom axis of Oyigbo in Oyigbo Local Government Area of Rivers State.

According to an eyewitness account, the said Babe Face had invited his lover whose real name could not be ascertained at press time to his house located at Kom Kom axis of Oyigbo over the weekend.

The witness said trouble started when Babe Face questioned the deceased’s for cheating on him with another man. The source said that when the deceased could not offer a satisfactory explanation for the alleged amoral affairs, he pounced on her and strangled her to death.

The eyewitness pointed out that having strangled the deceased and in a bid to cover his track the young man set the apartment ablaze and was burnt to death alongside the corpse of his girlfriend.

The eyewitness said; “The incident happened at the weekend in Kom Kom axis of Oyigbo. A young boy who bears the name Babe Face had an altercation with his girlfriend over issues that had to do with her cheating on him in the relationship.


“He beat the deceased to a stupor and strangled her in the process. Having succeeded in killing the girl, the boy set his apartment ablaze as a move to cover his track but was caught up in the inferno which burnt him to death alongside the corpse of her lover,” the eyewitness stated.

The source said that the incident has caused panic in the area, as residents in the neighbourhood had deserted the area for fear of being arrested by the police.


When contacted Rivers State Police Command Public Relation Officer, SP Grace Iringe Koko said she is yet to be briefed on the incident.











Source: https://universalreportersng.com/man-strangles-lover-to-death-burns-self-to-deat

How Imo Police Command Anti-Kidnapping Unit Is Committing Atrocities, As Civil Society Group Calls On IGP To Begin Probe

The Executive Director of Rule of Law And Accountability Advocacy Centre (RULAAC), Mr. Okechukwu Nwanguma, has called on the Inspector-General of Police (IGP), Usman Alkali Baba, to intervene and urgently end atrocities going on at the Anti-Kidnapping Unit of Imo State Police Command at the Tiger Base.


Mr. Nwanguma stated this in a statement issued by RULAAC.

According to Nwanguma, the Imo Anti-Kidnapping Unit is doing every single thing that the disbanded F-SARS was doing that led to the ENDSARS uprising in 2020.

He noted that the current CP Imo State Command, CP Ahmed Barde, does not respond to complaints about the excesses of that “clearly rogue unit” headed by one Supol Ola.

He recalled that last December (2022), RULAAC received information concerning a case of 2 young men who were arrested one evening and taken to the Anti-Kidnapping Unit at Tiger Base, Owerri, and detained without being told what their offenses were.


Narrating the incident further, Nwanguma said: “Their statements were not obtained until the next day when they were brought out and asked to make statements.

“They stated that they didn’t know what offense they committed that warranted their arrest.


“They further stated that they drove to an ATM stand along Wetheral Road, Owerri, in the evening of the previous day to draw some cash and found themselves rounded up by two armed police officers who were part of a convoy.

“The Officers searched them and their vehicles thoroughly and found nothing incriminating and then ordered them into one of their vehicles and drove them to Tiger Base. Other officers drove in their own car.


“After reading their statements, the officer interrogating them asked them to write that they belong to a cult group but they objected and said they don’t belong to any cult group.

“One of the young men told the Officer that he’s a fresh graduate of law from Imo State university awaiting law school, and the other, his electrician who came and repaired some electrical fault in his house and they both drove to the ATM stand for him to withdraw cash to pay him for the work he did for him.

“The officer insisted and used different objects to brutalise them, including using machetes to flog them at their back, inflicting injuries on them, in order to intimidate and compel them to admit to a crime they did not commit.

“Meanwhile, the officers had seized their phones and never allowed them to contact anyone.

“The law graduate said he was lucky to have sighted a former school mate who turned out to be an officer at the station and he beckoned on him and he came, and he told him his story.

“He then gave him his elder brother’s number and he called and informed his elder brother of his whereabouts and ordeal.

“His elder brother contacted RULAAC and RULAAC called the O/C Anti-Kidnapping, Supol Ola and inquired about the case. Ola said he will check to find out and revert.

“Hours later, RULAAC called Ola back and he said he checked and found that the two young men were arrested in error. The Officers who arrested them said they suspected their movement and arrested them.”

Nwanguma , therefore, requested that he should release them and he agreed and asked their relatives to come to see him.

Efforts by the young men’s relatives to access the station, however, were frustrated as ‘people are not allowed into the station’, prompting Nwanguma to call and inform Ola, who asked for the detainee’s number and was promptly provided.

In the long run, the young men were released a day after, even after Ola confirmed that they were innocent, not to mention that they deserved an apology for unlawful detention, torture and intimidation.

Instead of an apology, meanwhile, they were forced to pay five hundred thousand Naira (N500,000) before they were released, though they ended up paying less.

The victims said they were later warned never to let anyone know that they paid money with a threat that they will re-arrest them and charge them for kidnapping.

When RULAAC personnel spoke with the young men after their release, they informed that many people they met in the cell are being held incommunicado without the knowledge of their relatives.

While some had spent weeks, others have reportedly spent months with gunshot injuries festering and smelling and in bad state of health and living in starvation.

Worse yet, they are never charged to court.

Nwanguma said that he forwarded this information to Imo State Police Commissioner but he ignored the messages and phone calls.

He, therefore, called on the IGP to intervene to sanitize Imo State Police Command


https://universalreportersng.com/how-imo-police-command-anti-kidnapping-unit-is-committing-atrocities-as-civil-society-group-calls-on-igp-to-begin-probe/

NDDC Board: We’ll Mobilize Our People Now Against Pervasive Injustice – Ijaw Groups


We write to draw the attention of the general public, multi national companies operating in the Niger Delta and Oil bearing communities over the deprivation of the indigenes of oil producing communities in the recently inaugurated Niger Delta Development Commission, NDDC, substantive board.

The fundamental reasons why the Izon and other oppressed people oil producing communities should rise up now are legion.

The deliberate and outright deprivation of the people and the oil producing communities, the continual breach of the NDDC Act to hijack it from actualising its core mandate, and to caution government not to view NDDC as an agency for political patronage rather than an important vehicle to cater for the sufferings of a peculiar people long denied of basic needs for survival.

Although we are particularly moved by the deprivation of Delta Ijaws in the just constituted substantive board of the NDDC.

We view the process of appointment as an intentional act to further frustrate and provoke our people especially the oil producing communities whose troubles have been made worse by the total absence of government presence over the years despite the massive contribution to the existence of the Nigeria State.

Ideally, equity requires that where resources are produced, part of such resources should be ploughed back to that area for its development and the people must get involved in other to align and negotiate with government for peace and speedy growth and development but there is no gainsaying that the oil producing communities are treated as if they don't exist by successive governments but became worse since the inception of the President Muhammadu Buhari administration.

NDDC was created specifically for the development of oil producing communities and the people in terms of staffing, appointments and development but the agency has now been systematically turned to an agency for settling politicians irrespective of their places of origin.

Such reckless appointments and breach of the NDDC Establishment Act usually serve as fuel for future agitations in the oil producing communities. It seems the government derive pleasure in creating the problems for people to agitate in order to send the military to crush and burn down our oil producing communities on the slightest provocation to protest against government injustice

It wasn’t an easy pill to swallow when Dr. Cairo Ojugbo from a non-oil producing community in Delta State was appointed Executive Director Projects in the Commission from the start of Buhari's administration. Cairo cornered the entire NDDC Delta State budget to his area that is not producing a litre of oil thereby completely marginalising and abandoning the oil producing communities to their fate. Just as we were about recovering from that suffocation, the appointment of Mrs Lauretta Onochei from that same non-oil producing area of Delta State has again, dealt another major blow unleashed to undermine and provoke the people and to further perpetually deny the oil producing communities of their rights.

Ironically, all the members of Committees supervising NDDC at the National Assembly are from non-oil producing areas in their states of origin. These same people are also saddled with the very important responsibility of drawing up the annual NDDC budget in conjunction with the NDDC Board.

Of course, their primary interests of projects to be captured in the budget will definitely be sited in their respective areas, while the oil producing communities would be left out. When people are provoked, the government will send troops to further suppress the people and burn down villages.

The suppression by government and the suffering of oil producing communities in the Niger Delta region of Nigeria is real and painful. Regrettably, Nigerians are politicising it and pretending it doesn't exist. It is a terrible situation where you are totally denied your God-given wealth at gun point, and the same wealth you are being denied of is affecting your overall health without medicare facilities anywhere near their communities.

To make matters worse, it is that same wealth you are denied of had totally destroyed your alternative sources of survival as a people even onto generations yet unborn.

The mind bugging questions are still begging for answers: Why is it that the most important decision- making positions in the NDDC are not always given to indigenes from oil bearing communities?, What has the oil producing communities in the Niger Delta done wrong in this administration to deserve these injustices? and why is the government always bent on frustrating the interest of the oil bearing communities?

The only probable answer is that there is a deliberate attempt to keep the oil bearing communities perpetually impoverished and underdeveloped, which is clearly against the objectives and Establishment Act of the NDDC that was established by the Chief Olusegun Obasanjo- led Federal Government a result of the bloody Ijaw struggle in the Niger Delta.

It is glaringly deliberate as same injustice in Ondo, Edo, and almost all the States for a Commission that was specifically created for only oil producing communities.

Though insecurity is a symptom of deprivation and frustration, despite the clandestine motives, we had, as intellectual agitators, resolved to only tow the noble and constitutional path of Pens for guns and books for bullets to demand for all round justice despite the fact that the system has no regards for pen agiators but it is ready to dialogue with those that use violent approach in agitating for justice.

Therefore, since oil producing communities have a commonwealth and common agony, we enjoin all oil producing communities mostly in Delta State to rise up against these injustices by sending leaders and representatives to attend an upcoming meeting slated for the end of January in Warri, Delta State, to kick-start a series of drastic measures in a language that the Federal Government understands, as we are left with no choice at this point than to fully mobilize ourselves irrespective of tribe, to take a legitimate but decisive line of action to stop the injustice as quickly as possible.

Letters and bulletins will be distributed to communities for urgent meetings to address core issues of NDDC and the 13% derivation funds the oil producing communities are denied of.

e-signed:
For: Ijaw Interest Advocates (IIA) &
Izanzan Intellectual Camp (IIC)

Arerebo Salaco Yerinmene SNR.
(National Coordinator)
16th January, 2023


https://universalreportersng.com/nddc-board-well-mobilize-our-people-now-against-pervasive-injustice-ijaw-groups/

All Progressives Congress, APC, Osun State Chapter has called on the Inspector General of Police, Alkali Baba to caution the state Police Commissioner, Kehinde Longe from becoming a willing tool of government to punish opposition party members in the state.
According to a statement signed by the State Acting Chairman, Tajudeen Lawan he alleged that the CP had after meeting with the PDP leadership concluded plans to redeploy Divisional Police Officers across the state with a view to imposing compromised ones to deal with APC members ahead of the general elections next month.

He added that the CP has agreed to help the ruling party muzzle opposition voices in the state by embarking on massive arrests using DPOs that will be deployed any moment from Monday.

The statement reads; “This is a serious problem that we are contending with which is capable of adding to the political upheaval in the state where the members of the opposition and their supporters are being attacked by suspected PDP thugs for no reason.

“We have the privileged information that the DPOs are to be transferred massively in order to give way to compromised ones who would always be ready to carry out any illegal orders of Governor Ademola and the PDP.

“We are appealing to the IGP to call the Osun CP to order. We are equally appealing to the other sister security agencies in the state to discharge their statutory duties with neutrality and desist from any assignment capable of impugning the image of their outfits.

“It is our resolve that acceding to illegal arrest of any of our members and leaders is an invitation to anarchy which will not do anyone any good.

In order to corroborate our allegation and fear, some of our members were invited by a section of the statutory security agencies in the state over their remarks on social media just last week”.

Meanwhile, the Osun State Police Command Spokesperson, Yemisi Opalola described the allegation of the State APC Chairman as baseless and lacking any substance.

She said; “I am not aware of any plot to arrest opposition party members nor the massive transfer of DPOs across the state. The CP is focused on the maintenance of law and order across the state.”



Source: https://universalreportersng.com/call-osun-police-commissioner-to-order-over-his-plot-redeploy-dpos-in-the-state-osun-apc-tells-igp/

]NSCDC CG Bids Goodbye To 7 Personnel Killed By Bandits In Kaduna


The remains of seven personnel of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), ambushed and slain in Birnin Gwari community on Monday, 9 January, 2023, by bandits while on routine duty of Protecting a mining site in Birnin Gwari LGA of Kaduna State, has been laid to rest.

Their corpses were handed over to families and loved ones at the NSCDC Kaduna Command after a brief interment ceremony.

The Commandant General of the Corps, Dr. Ahmed Abubakar Audi, mni, OFR, bids the officers and men goodbye when he paid his last respect at the lying in state ceremony, held on Saturday, 14 January, at the Kaduna State Command of the Corps.

Dr Audi expressed rude shock while consoling families, friends and loved ones on the sad loss and prayed for the repose of their souls.

Represented by the Commandant, Kaduna Command, Idris Yahaya Adah, the CG praised the efforts of the gallant officers who lost their lives in defence of the country and described them as “Heroes, never to be forgotten.”


Addressing people during the ceremony, Dr Audi said, “they died in active service, they fought a good fight with the last drop of blood in their veins to safeguard the country.

“Although the loss is painful and the tears are much, but God knows best.


“We cannot question God; therefore, let us live right, be in peace, love and harmony with our fellow men because one day, all of us will give account to God.”

He described the 7 personnel who died as committed and dedicated members of the Corps who will be greatly missed by colleagues and friends at work.


“They paid the supreme price for the nation, they died for us, they are our Heroes and we shall always remember them.

“The world is saddened, the President and Commander in Chief is saddened, Officers and men of the Corps are also saddened.

“What has happened has happened, we however, look unto God, and pray for forgiveness of their sins and for acceptance on the last day,” he said.

The CG assures families and next of kins of the deceased of timely dispatch of benefits accruable to them.

He thanked the President and Commander in Chief of the Armed Forces, Muhammadu Buhari, for remembering the Corps at this trying period.

According to Audi, “Mr President’s Condolence Message motivated us greatly, it renewed our strength and rekindled our hope that we are not alone.

“This means a lot to us as a service and we are grateful for the support we are getting from the presidency and we feel proud serving the nation.

He assured Mr President that, the Corps will not be deterred by the unfortunate incident, rather, it will spur the organisation into more aggressive action against the people’s common enemy.



https://universalreportersng.com/nscdc-cg-bids-goodbye-to-7-personnel-killed-by-bandits-in-kaduna/

The Labour Party (LP) presidential candidate, Mr. Peter Gregory Obi, is currently leading an online poll running on and published by NigeriansDecide on its website


The poll entitled “Who should be the President of Nigeria in 2023?“, has all the eighteen contestants listed while Peter Obi is leading the pack with 135,195 votes.

The All Progressives Congress (APC) presidential candidate, Alhaji Bola Ahmed Tinubu, followed at a distant second with 89,659 votes.

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) presidential candidate, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, is at third position with 74,601 votes.

Imumolen Irene Christopher of Accord Party is fourth so far with 2,582 votes, while Senator Musa Mohammed Rabiu Kwankwaso of the New Nigeria People’s Party (NNPP) is fifth with 2,463 votes.


The poll is still ongoing as at the moment of this report.
Interested persons can still participate here.


https://universalreportersng.com/peter-obi-leads-in-another-online-poll-ahead-of-tinubu-atiku-others/

Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) has urged the Senate President, Ahmad Lawan, and Speaker of House of Representatives, Femi Gbajabiamila, to “promptly cut the outrageous National Assembly budget of N228.1bn, including the N30.17bn severance payments and inauguration costs for members (the highest ever).”


SERAP urged them to “propose a refresh budget for the National Assembly that would reflect the current economic realities in the country, address the debt crisis, and prevent retrogressive economic measures.”

The National Assembly had increased its 2023 budget from N169bn proposed by President Muhammadu Buhari to N228.1bn. The approved budget shows an increase of about N59.1bn. The country’s budget of N21.83tn is based on a N10.49tn revenue, and N11.34tn deficit.

In the letter dated 14 January, 2023 and signed by SERAP deputy director Kolawole Oluwadare, the organisation said: “It is a grave violation of the public trust and constitutional oath of office for the members of the National Assembly to increase their own budget at a time when some 133 million Nigerians are living in poverty.”

SERAP said, “Cutting the National Assembly budget would reduce the growing budget deficit, address the unsustainable debt burden, and serve the public interest.”

Source: https://universalreportersng.com/cut-outrageous-n228-1-billion-nass-budget-or-face-legal-action-serap-tells-lawan-gbajabiamila

A Catholic Priest, Rev. Father Isaac Achi, saving in Niger State, has been killed by bandits who invaded his home around 3 am on Sunday.

Rev. Fr Isaac Achi, a Catholic Priest, has been killed by bandits who invaded his residence around 3 am on Sunday.

As learned by this medium, the killers couldn’t gain access to him due to the strong fortified security he has and they decided to burn down the building housing the Priest.

According to a source, armed bandits in their numbers stormed the uphill residence of the deceased Reverend Father and burnt it down after about an hour of fruitless effort to force their way into the house.

Source:https://universalreportersng.com/breaking-tragedy-as-bandits-burn-catholic-priest-alive-in-niger-state-shot-another-priest/

Universalreporters247.com correspondent in this special report can authoritatively unveiled that the famous Teachers College Obi now Government College Obi in Nasarawa State is in shamble including, findings by this medium indicates that structures and facilities, the famous school which was established on the March 1st, 1975 has become a home for Reptiles, Rodents and other animals alike.

This medium findings reveals that everything in the school is in a state of comatose in spite of the visit of Governor Umaru Tanko Al-Makura on the 3rd December, as there has not been any single support that has come the way of the school since after his visit, especially such a school that is in dire need of total rejuvenation.

Read More On This and to view more pictures of the decaying school on this link below
[https://universalreporters247.com/2017/10/exclusive-exposed-decaying-dilapidated-deplorable-condition-government-college-obi-nasarawa-state-photos-decaying-dilapidated-school-inside/]

The Redeemed Christian Church of God, RCCG, has commended the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, for being ” an agent of transformation.

This commendation was given on Wednesday by one of the regional Ministers of the Church, Pastor Mark Barango, while receiving a sum of N11, 984, 844, 11( Eleven Million, Nine Hundred and Eighty Four Thousand, Eight Hundred and Forty Four Hundred Naira, Eleven Kobo only), recovered and returned to the church by the EFCC.

Barango said that the EFCC has demonstrated that it can be relied upon and its work is perfect . ” My impression with the work of the EFCC is that it is perfect, perfect, perfect. The EFCC is an agent of transformation. Their work is perfect and the church is grateful that the money is returned to us”, he said.

Read more on the story here--[https://universalreporters247.com/2017/10/n11-million-stolen-redeemed-christian-church-god-churchs-account-officer-returned-church-efcc/]

Speaker of the House of Representatives, Hon. Yakubu Dogara, has commended President Muhammadu Buhari for signing the North East Development Commission Bill into law.

In a terse statement personally signed by the Speaker, he commended the President’s sensitivity to the plight of the highly traumatised people of the North East.

See More Here----[https://universalreporters247.com/2017/10/buhari-signs-north-east-development-commission-bill-dogara-hails-presidents-act/]

The Nigerian Air Force has announced that “human intelligence indicates that the wife of the leader of the Boko Haram Terrorists (BHT) Organization, Mallama Fitdasi, appeared to have been killed in recent successful airstrikes on DURWAWA settlement on the outskirts of URGA, near KONDUGA.”

NAF said Wednesday that Mallama Fitdasi was reported to have been representing her husband in a coordinating meeting with other terrorists at the location of the airstrikes.

It could be recalled that the Nigerian Air Force (NAF) had reported the successful aerial attack of a large number of BHTs at DURWAWA on 19 October 2017.

Damage Assessment had indeed revealed that the aerial attack set off a fire, causing damage to the BHT structures within the settlement and neutralized most of the BHTs with a few of them fleeing the location.

Efforts are ongoing to confirm the reported killing of Shekau’s wife, alongside other BHTs,the statement said.

[https://universalreporters247.com/2017/10/wife-boko-haram-leader-shekau-killed-nigerian-air-force/][/https://universalreporters247.com/2017/10/wife-boko-haram-leader-shekau-killed-nigerian-air-force/