Sahara Reporters Latest News Today Wednesday 29th January 2020
Sahara Reporters Latest News Today and headlines on some of the happenings and news trend in the Country, today 29/01/20
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Immigration Apprehends Six Traffickers, Victims At Seme Border
Nigeria Immigration officers
Nigeria Immigration officers
Officials of the Nigerian Immigration Service at the Seme Border have arrested six human traffickers and their victims.
The NIS stated that confessional statement supplied by the victims indicated that they were being trafficked for prostitution, but were deceived by their traffickers with job provision.
Public Relations Officer of the service, Mr Sunday James, in a statement said that Comptroller of Immigration Service, Mr Joshua Ajisafe, in charge of Seme Control Post, led the arrest of the traffickers and their victims after intensive investigation, which confirmed the status of their travels.
James decried that human trafficking illicit business had been on the rise under various guise in Nigeria, but noted that they had always been discovered by officials through timely intelligence and operational synergy between officers along the national borders and airports.
He added that the Comptroller General, NIS, Mr Muhammad Babandede, cautioned parents to keep eyes on their children especially teenagers whom he said were prone to fall victim to deceitful acts.
He noted that some of the traffickers are close family members, friends and even sources on the Internet that connect them to such criminal elements.
He advised parents to embark on proper guidance and counselling to prevent their wards from becoming victims of trafficking.
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Abandoned Power Installation Gutted By Fire In Ondo
An abandoned power installation station located at Okeagbe in Akoko North-West area of Ondo State has been razed by fire.
SaharaReporters learnt that the facility, which houses huge electrical cables, power feeder, sockets, transformers among other electrical gadgets, went up in flames on Monday evening.
It was gathered that the power installation was initially planned to feed some communities in Ondo State and boundary towns of Ekiti and Kogi states.
Several residents told our correspondent on Tuesday that the facility had been abandoned for over four years.
One of the residents revealed that the power installation was being monitored by the Federal Ministry of Power before it was abandoned.
He described the inferno as a disaster, noting that government had been beckoned upon on several times to save the situation.
He said, “The fire incident is very disheartening. We woke up to see fire everywhere in the facility on Monday with all the equipment razed.
“Government abandoned the facility at the mercy of the people in the community.”
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N30,000 Minimum Wage: Organised Labour, Female Footballers, Pensioners Storm Treasury Office In Bayelsa Over Unpaid Salaries, Allowances
Members of the Nigeria Labour Congress, Trade Union Congress, Bayelsa Queens players and pensioners on Tuesday staged a protest over non-implementation of the N30,000 minimum wage and unpaid salaries and allowances by the administration of Governor Seriake Dickson.
The groups led by their leaders stormed Bayelsa State Treasury building over non-payment of salaries, arrears and non-implementation of the new salary structure.
The protesting Bayelsa Queen players joined in the protest over the non-payment of N12m out N22m promised by the state government following the team’s emergence as champions of the Nigerian female football league.
Chairman of TUC in the state, Julius Laye, said that the current administration in the state was not considering the plight of workers.
He said, “Our situation is pathetic, we need assurance that we will be paid. Schools have resumed and teachers are expected to get their pay. Parents need their pay to settle bills of their wards in school.”
NLC Chairman in the state, Comrade John Ndiomu, said that all they wanted were assurances that their salaries will be paid.
He said, “The position of government is not acceptable, our own position is that we will get our pay, if not tomorrow all workers will come out in protest.”
In his reaction, Secretary to the State Government, Mr Kemela Okara, noted that government had made its point clear on the minimum wage issue and was committed to implementing the new structure.
He assured the workers of payment of their salaries next week before a new government takes over.
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Woman, Son Bag 12 Years Imprisonment Over $82,570 Fraud
The Federal High Court in Lagos on Tuesday sentenced Mrs Damilola Adeyeri and her son, Alaba, to three years imprisonment for defrauding an American to the tune of $82,570.
Justice C.J. Aneke convicted the mother and son of the four counts bordering on “fraudulent trick, business email compromise” filed against them by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission.
Mrs Adeyeri and her son had pleaded guilty to the four counts during their arraignment on Tuesday.
Prosecuting counsel for the EFCC, Bilikisu Buhari, told the court that the mother and son conspired with one Kareem Russel, still at large, to defraud the Chief Executive Officer of American Cranes Manufacturing Company.
Buhari said they committed the offence in June 2017 and were arrested on September 6, 2019.
In the charges, the advance fee fraud section of EFCC says that Mrs Adeyeri and her son were said to have carried out the fraud by “dishonestly representing yourselves as the CEO of American Cranes Manufacturing Company and thereafter you sent an email from personal@managements-securemail-office-portal.online with intent to gain advantage to yourselves.”
The EFCC through its counsel told the court that the convicts acted contrary to sections 27(1)(a) and 23(3) of the Cybercrime (Prohibition, Prevention, etc) Act, 2015 and were liable to be punished under Section 22(1) of the same Act.
The offence was also said to have been contrary to sections 421 and 422 of the Criminal Code Act Cap C38.
In his judgment on Tuesday, Justice Aneke said he would temper justice with mercy because the convicts pleaded guilty to the charges immediately rather than waste the time of the court.
He sentenced them to three years imprisonment on each of the three counts but said the sentences would run concurrently.
The judge said despite that the convicts immediately admitted guilt and showed remorse, he had the duty to punishment in accordance with the relevant laws to serve as a deterrent to others.
He said, “Consequently, I hereby sentence each of the convicts to three years on counts one, two, three and four. The sentences are to run concurrently.”
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Ndigbo Should Be Conscious Of Opportunity Cost Of Embracing Isolationism By Churchill Okonkwo
Per Malcolm Turnbull, in economics, one of the most important concepts is the ‘opportunity cost’ – the idea that once you spend your money on something, you can’t spend it again on something else. That’s why Igbos have a saying that a child that is consuming akara (bean cake) is consuming his money. People, therefore, for the most part, make decisions based on opportunity costs.
Unfortunately, in the past several years, while the sound of “go home, go home” has been growing louder from the megaphone of IPOB, many Nigerians and international investors, have expanded (and is still expanding) their investments across the Nigerian landscape. The opportunity cost of embracing isolationism is that Igbos are missing out on the countless opportunities that come with leading the charge or multiculturalism.
For example, sensing the huge opportunity in the downstream sector of the Nigerian Oil industry, Chief Aliko Dangote, through the Dangote Group, moved in to end Nigeria’s fuel importation. Dangote refinery took delivery of the world’s largest single crude distillation column, weighing 7,900 tons Nigeria last year. It is estimated that the project, expected for commissioning by the end of 2020, will save Nigeria about $10bn in Forex yearly.
Other multi-million/dollar investment in Nigeria in the last couple of years include a $450m cement factory in Sokoto due for completion in 2020 with a 45Mw power plant that will serve the company and the host communities; truck production plant in Lagos by Sinotruck; the $10bn Liquefied Natural Gas project by Daewoo and Saipem and about N30bn mining investment in Nasarawa by Multiverse. These are just a glimpse of the stories of massive economic expansion being undertaken by investors in Nigeria.
So, were the options for the attraction of investments and building a viable economy in Igbo states few in Nigeria, I would have been content with the choice of the political ideology of nationalism. But since the options for Igbos in Nigeria are practically infinite, the perfect choice for us, I believe, is embracing the countless opportunities somewhere out there. Choosing the path to isolationism in Nigeria is a lose-lose situation for Ndigbo.
Per Ryan, Lilly “The opportunity cost of an unlived dream is not only that dream but also the dreams the dream was meant to inspire. The reason why I see the idea of encouraging Igbos to shrink as detrimental for our economic viability is that we are unknowingly repelling investors to the Southeast region. We are also, making it more difficult for employers of labor to be fair to our sons and daughters in the selection process in companies and government agencies.
Which investor will invest in a region that is antagonistic to other tribes if they are seen as an oppressor? We can hide under the fact that the Nigerian system has never been fair to Igbos, to begin with. That’s correct, but embracing a philosophy of isolationism is worsening the opportunities for our sons and daughter at government agencies and multinational corporations.
For example, to put the Dangote-effect into perspective, Nairametrics reported that the Dangote Petroleum Refinery will create a $11 billion per annum market for Nigerian crude. What is the opportunity cost of agitating for secession? Do we think, as Igbos, that a chunk of the benefits from this huge market value will favor Igbos?
There is an opportunity cost for everything we do. In the comfort zone of isolationism, Igbos will regret potentially missing out on something better in Nigeria. This is why Igbos must have the awareness to ensure that what we are pursuing is really what we value because the pursuit leaves countless lost opportunities in its wake.
In Chinua Achebe’s Things Fall Apart, the main character Okonkwo has a fear of failure. Okonkwo’s actions all arise from fear that he will end up like his father Unoka, who was seen as lazy and useless among the villagers. It was this fear that drove him to succeed at everything that he did. We see business opportunities where others see challenges and difficulties. We are Igbos. We are dreamers. We are fearless.
Igbos should let the fear of marginalization; exclusion, victimization, and any other form of fear that is inevitable in multicultural society drive us to success. That success is in embracing the challenging nature of multiculturalism by; taking the time to build relationships and trust; learning about our differences; clarifying expectations and keeping open communication with all tribes.
A sign that was hanging in Albert Einstein’s office at Princeton University read; not everything that counts can be counted, and not everything that can be counted counts. What counts is that Igbos prepare for tomorrow, today. That preparation could not happen by going home, but rather, by rising above our fears, expanding our economic base and attracting investors to our backyards.
International investors that conduct proper cost-benefit analysis will come up with the conclusion that it is potentially risky to invest heavily in states that are moving towards isolationism. Wisdom is not a product of schooling but of the lifelong attempt to acquire it. Wisdom demands that what Igbos need is the attraction of investment from key players in Nigeria and around the world.
Per Winston Churchill, a pessimist sees the difficulty in every opportunity; an optimist sees the opportunity in every difficulty. We are Igbos. We are optimists.
In conclusion, William Arthur Ward said that opportunities are like sunrises. If you wait too long, you miss them. I hope that Ndigbo in Nigeria should not dwell long in the false comfort zone of isolationism. Per Chinua Achebe, “the rise of the Igbo in Nigerian affairs was due to the self-confidence engendered by their open society and their belief that one man is as good as another, that no condition is permanent.” We will not miss the infinite opportunity in open Nigeria because it is dressed in overalls and looks like work.
Together, we can.
On Twiter @churchillnnobi
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Churchill Okonkwo
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Northerners: Inept, Least Qualified To Govern Nigeria By Bayo Oluwasanmi
Every Northerner opposed the creation of Western Nigeria Security Network Amotekun, though similar security outfits exist in the North. Various Northern groups like Arewa Youth Consultative Council and Miyetti Allah castigated Yoruba race with unprintable epithets because of Amotekun.
National Secretary of Miyetti Allah herdsmen group, Alhassan Saleh, said: “It is not blackmail. Unfortunately, with very strong apology to my South-West friends, despite the education of the Yoruba people, they still remain the most primitive in terms of politics. They are not tolerant to opposition and if you allow them to have an ethnic army, definitely there will be fear from Nigeria.”
It is pointless to argue with Saleh. We know Yorubas the stuff they are made of and the stock they came from. But, who the hell are the Northerners?
Northerners have ruled Nigeria for 40 years of the almost 60 years of Nigeria’s independence. All these Northerners going by the way they governed have repeatedly demonstrated that they are barbaric, inept, brainless, backward, the least qualified to govern and they are the destroyers of our nation. You are all witnesses to the incalculable harm done to Nigeria by these Northerners. I need not provoke your anger by going into details of their tyrannical rule, reign of terror, nepotism, selective justice, and monopoly of power.
Character plays important role in the job performance of a president. The president wears many hats. His role is mostly affected by character. A president must be able to symbolise the hopes and aspirations of our people and where the country is headed. A president must represent our values. And most importantly, the president must embody the direction for a new Nigeria.
Northerners from Abubakar Tafawa Balewa, the first Prime Minister of independent Nigeria, to General Muhammadu Buhari, lack the following required presidential leadership qualities:
1. A strong vision to Nigeria’s future.
2. Ability to put their own times in the perspective of history.
3. Effective communication skills.
4. Courage to make unpopular decisions.
5. Crisis management skills.
6. Character and integrity.
7. Ability to make wise appointments.
Abraham Lincoln assumed the presidency when the United States was about to explode in civil war. The civil war would have consumed 600,000 Americans. Theodore Roosevelt was thrust into White House when the conflict between the rich and the poor had reached breaking point. Franklin Roosevelt came to power when the Great Depression had paralysed the economy and the spirit of Americans. Lyndon Johnson took office in the wake of John F. Kennedy’s assassination, when a civil rights bill was tied up in Congress, and when racial issues had torn the country apart.
Each situation cried for leadership. Each of the presidents was fitted for the times. All the four presidents were guided by a sense of moral purpose. They all rose to the challenge. They all healed the divisions which had torn the country apart. They all brought the country together. They all have a common purpose to the people.
The traits common to the four presidents are: humility, empathy, resilience, courage, ability to listen to diverse opinions, ability to control negative impulses, ability to connect with all manner of people and keep one’s word. All the Northerners that ever ruled Nigeria lack such traits. Truth be told, Northerners remain the greatest curse on Nigeria.
Time and time again, they have proven that they don’t have the capacity, intelligence, education, discipline, outlook, vision, and preparation to lead a country. All they want and all they are interested in, is to control the centre, control our collective resources, control federal agencies and bureaucracy, plunder and ruin the country.
They have never ever spearheaded any reforms that would transform Nigeria into a fair and just society. Which is why they vehemently rejected restructure, new constitution, state and local police, new derivative formula for revenue sharing, and other revolutionary ideas that could lead to a peaceful, progressive, and prosperity Nigeria.
To save Nigeria from sliding further into dark ages, we must do either of two things: Northerners must be prevented by any means necessary from ruling Nigeria again or we must dismantle the animal farm a.k.a Nigeria and let’s go our separate ways!
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Bayo Oluwasanmi
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Group Protests At National Assembly, Asks Lawmakers To Prioritise Electoral Reform
A civil society group under the aegis of Center for Advancement of Civil Liberties and Development has called on the National Assembly to focus on electoral reforms capable of bringing about democratic governance and social change in the country.
Addressing journalists on Tuesday in Abuja during the peaceful protest, Co-Convener of the group, Ariyo-Dare Atoye, said this would give way to free, fair and credible elections in the country.
The group said recent elections in the country has exposed the inherent loopholes in the electoral system.
Atoye said, “There is urgent need for electoral reforms which we believe must be prioritised as a foremost legislative focus before the next governorship elections in Edo and Ondo states.”
The group also called on lawmakers to aggregate the general view of stakeholders including civil society organisations, political parties and international partners.
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UPDATE: Court Fixes February 12 To Hear Suit Against Buhari’s Daughter, MTN, DSS Over Abandoned SIM Card
The Federal High Court, Asaba, Delta State, has fixed February 12, 2020 for hearing of the lawsuit filed by a young businessman, Anthony Okolie, against President Muhammadu Buhari’s daughter; Hanan, MTN and the Department of State Services.
Human rights lawyer, Tope Akinyode, who is representing Okolie, made the disclosure on Tuesday.
The case with suit number: FHC/ASB/CS/3/2020 has been assigned to Justice Nnamdi Dimgba of Court 2, Federal High Court, Asaba, Delta State.
Akinyode maintained that the lawsuit serves as ‘an eternal caution against flagrant abuse of power by public officers’.
Okolie was arrested and unlawfully detained by the DSS for a period of 10 weeks because he lawfully bought an MTN SIM pack once belonging to Hanan Buhari.
The SIM became redundant after two years of inactivity and was recycled to the market for sale.
Okolie bought the SIM pack and was issued purchase receipts but did not know that the mobile telephone number was previously used by Hanan.
Upon Hanan’s order, the DSS, a government security outfit notorious for human rights violation unlawfully arrested and detained Okolie for 10 weeks without a valid court order.
The applicant is demanding N500m compensation and public apology from the defendants for the violation of his fundamental human rights.
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Plateau Governor, Lalong, Orders Arrest Of Fulani Leaders In Volatile Parts Of State After Killing Of Residents
Governor of Plateau State, Simon Bako Lalong, has ordered the immediate arrest of all Fulani community leaders in troubled areas of the state.
The directive followed the killing of more than 16 persons in Ruboi community under Bokkos Local Government Area by suspected Fulani herders on Monday night.
SaharaReporters had exclusively reported how herdsmen invaded an attacked Ruboi community, burning houses and killing several persons including a pregnant woman.
Reacting to the tragic incident on Tuesday at an emergency meeting of community leaders and stakeholders in the state, Lalong said, “I have changed, it is no longer business as usual, people cannot continue to die and we do nothing about it.
“Arrest all Ardos-Fulani leaders, community heads until they produce the killers.
“All community leaders should be in cell. Arrest them now, nobody is above the law. If they don’t produce the killers, keep them in cell. Nobody has immunity except me and the deputy governor.”
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Boko Haram: Memo To President Buhari On Service Chiefs By Yushau A. Shuaib
Dear President Muhammadu Buhari,
This open letter was actually intended to be an appeal to the service chiefs to turn up their letters of voluntary retirement after they have served their mandatory two-year tenures, and another two years of extension, which expired last year.
Since their stay in office is at the discretion of the President and Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces, I have rather decided to write this memo, appealing to you in the spirit of fairness, standard procedure and progression in the service, to allow the longest-serving service chiefs go after exceeding their run-out dates (ROD), which is the mandatory 35 years of military service, and the additional discretionary extension, which is generally time-bound.
As you are aware Mr. President, the Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), General Gabriel Abayomi Olonisakin from Ekiti was born on December 2, 1961. He enrolled at the Nigerian Military School, Zaria in 1973 and later joined the Nigerian Defence Academy (NDA) as a member of the 25th Regular Course. He was commissioned as a Second Lieutenant in 1981.
The Chief of Naval Staff (CNS), Vice Admiral Ibok Ete-Ibas from Cross River, was born on September 27, 1960. He enlisted into the NDA as a member of 26th Regular Course on June 20, 1979 and was commissioned a sub-lieutenant on January 1, 1983.
Chief of Air Staff (CAS), Air Marshal Sadique Abubakar from Bauchi was born on April 8, 1960 in Azare, Bauchi State. He joined the Nigerian Air Force as a member of the Cadet Military Training Course (CMTC 5) in November 1979.
The Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Lt. Gen Tukur Buratai from Borno was born on November 24, 1960. In January 1981, he attended the NDA as a member of the 29th Regular Course (29 RC). He was commissioned as a Second Lieutenant on December 17, 1983.
Meanwhile, the most senior military officer, besides the service chiefs, is Lieutenant General Lamidi Adeosun from Osun, who was born on August 22, 1963 and enrolled into the Army on July 4, 1983. He has also clocked 35 years in the service.
As you may be aware Mr. President, apart from attaining the ROD, the tenures of the defence and service chiefs have since expired, going by the revised Armed Forces of Nigeria Harmonised Terms and Conditions of Service (HTACOS) for officers.
In Section 09.08 of the said HTACOS, which is the authoritative and official service order in the military, it is stated that, “An officer appointed to the substantive appointment of the Chief of Defence Staff, Chief of Army Staff, Chief of Naval Staff and the Chief of Air Staff will hold the appointment for a continuous period of two years. The appointment could be extended for another two years from the date of expiration of the initial two-year period.”
The service chiefs were first appointed in July 2015 and their tenures were extended for an additional two years in 2017, which finally expired in 2019. It has always been the standard practice, since the return of democratic governance to Nigeria in 1999, for service chiefs to be in office for a maximum term of two years, except on a few occasions of discretionary extension by Mr. President, after which replacements are made.
The retention of the chiefs stagnates the careers of other senior officers and induces unfair early mature retirements, in the absence of vacancies at the topmost echelons of the services.
As in the practice in the past, the exit of a service chief automatically impels the departure of their course mates from the service, such that officers who are next in seniority, such as the chiefs of various corps and departments at the service headquarters; general officers commanding; commandants; brigade commanders; and directors then experience an upward movement in their careers.
As it is now, at least five sets, and generations of regular course (RC) members, including those in the 27th, 28th, 29th, 30th, 31st, 32nd and 33rd courses, with the exception of Lt. General Adeosun, have left the service without any of them attaining the highest military positions in their various services. There is likelihood that those of the 33rd and 34th courses may also not have the privilege of producing a service chief among them if this trend continues. With limited vacancy, only a few officers can be promoted, while several other brilliant officers would be forced to go on retirement.
Meanwhile, after staying for more than four years, with adequate resources provided to the military chiefs for procurements, recruitments and the training of personnel, they have performed to the best of their abilities, yet recent developments call for more strategic thinking, fresh ideas and a change in the administration and style of managing generations of military talents.
The international community has been raising concerns about disturbing trends from the end of last year into the beginning of the new year (2020) pertaining to the steady reversal in the fortunes of our troops in the hands of terrorists.
The European Parliament, the legislative branch of the European Union (EU), observed that there has not been any significant progress in the fight against the Boko Haram and ISWAP terrorists. The Parliament, in its resolution of January 16, 2020, remarked that the security situation in Nigeria has deteriorated significantly, with insurgents turning the Maiduguri-Damaturu and surrounding routes into an extended death zone.
In the same vein, the United Nations (UN) had expressed outrage over the scale and intensity of the attacks carried out by the suspected insurgents against its facilities and other targets in parts of North-East Nigeria. The UN Humanitarian Coordinator in Nigeria, Mr. Edward Kallon strongly condemned attacks on its humanitarian hub.
There is also the alarming Global Terrorism Index of the Institute for Economics and Peace (IEP), which ranked Nigeria as the third country with the highest level of terrorist activity in 2019, after Iran and Afghanistan.
Some of these reports are not only distressing in terms of the upsurge in the insurgency but have been very embarrassing, as terrorists are not only going for soft targets but staging ambushes against our gallant troops while attacking military facilities. In some instances, civilians, as well as soldiers, have been either abducted or killed by the cowardly but seemingly better armed and coordinated terrorists.
In other climes, including Mali, Burkina Faso, Chad and the Niger Republic, such incidents usually necessitate the replacement of service chiefs under whose leadership there are repeat assaults and losses of lives of troops in the hands of terrorists.
While I believe the service chiefs have good intentions and have done their best, I suggest they leave when the ovations are loudest and in order to allow fresh ideas to come into the management of our national security, whilst encouraging progression and the promotion of deserving officers in the armed forces. This will also inspire in a coming generation of officers, the hope of their finding ultimate career fulfilment in the armed forces, after decades of sacrifice.
The President can even promote any one of the military chiefs to the position of Chief of Defence Staff since the current CDS has remained the most senior and older officer in the military in the last four years.
Yushau A. Shuaib, is the Founder of PRNigeria and author “An Encounter with the Spymaster”
yashuaib@yahoo.com
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