Attorneys for Nnamdi Kanu, the arrested leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), are demanding that the prosecution present their client in court today.
At a press conference in Abuja yesterday, the attorneys, led by Ifeanyi Ejiofor, requested that their client be shown in court.
“That tomorrow, being October 21, should be sacrosanct. Our client, Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, must and shall be produced in court to face his trial,” Ejiofor , who spoke for the others, said.
Ejiofor added that the regular Monday sit-at-order in the Southeast was being observed “because people are yet to see and believe that Nnamdi Kanu is still alive.”
The lawyer claimed that over 20 indigenes of Ebonyi State, who travelled to the Federal High Court in Abuja to witness Kanu’s trial on July 26 had been arrested.
He urged security agents to allow lawyers and journalists to attend today’s proceedings.
“The show of shame openly demonstrated by the overzealous security agents on July 26 should never repeat itself,” he said, and advised IPOB members to “remain civil and be of good conduct as you have always been, because it is not everyone that will be able to access the court room.”
Mrs. Beatrice Omotayo Tugbobo, who was elected chairperson of a parallel congress held in Lagos by a group loyal to former governor Akinwunmi Ambode, asserted that her party has genuine APC members.
It would be recalled that members of the group stormed the Baptist Academy, Obakoro, venue to execute the exercise under the umbrella of Akinwunmi Ambode Campaign Organisation (AMCO).
In the state, no fewer than four parallel congresses were held.
Tugbobo, on the other hand, stated yesterday that there are factions inside the Lagos APC and that the election was held in accordance with the party’s constitution.
She said, “According to the constitution of APC, you can conduct your congresses whether by consensus or by voting and the agreement from the national headquarters of APC constitutionally is that we hold our congresses in a consensus manner.
“Other factions can be holding their congresses elsewhere, yet we are holding our own here, which is AMCO, the group belonging to former Governor Akinwunmi Ambode,” she said.
In Abeokuta, Ogun State, there was outrage on Wednesday following the arrest of six loyalists of a former governor, Senator Ibikunle Amosun, over the violent Saturday’s parallel congresses of the party.
Our correspondent reports that hoodlums had disrupted a parallel congress organised by Amosun’s faction at Ake palace, leading to shootings.
The two major factions battling for the soul of the state’s APC are led by Amosun and Governor Dapo Abiodun.
Mai Mala Buni, the Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC) national caretaker committee and the governor of Yobe State, is under heavy pressure to discipline top party officials who encouraged parallel congresses during Saturday’s election of members of the State Working Committees (SWC).
According to party sources, governors of states hosting parallel congresses have been contacting the national caretaker committee to use the big stick against individuals who organized the events.
In 12 states, including Kano, Lagos, Ogun, Kwara, Osun, Plateau, Niger, Akwa Ibom, and Enugu, parallel congresses were held.
Parallel congresses were held in the states of Ibrahim Shekarau (Kano), Ibikunle Amosun (Ogun), Rauf Aregbesola (Osun), Rochas Okorocha (Imo), Akinwunmi Ambode (Lagos), Minister of Information and Culture, Lai Mohammed (Kwara), and Minister of Niger Delta, Senator Godswill Akpabio (Akwa Ibom).
The ruling party has become even more polarized as a result of this event, which comes before of the national convention.
In addition, despite the party’s and President Muhammadu Buhari’s warnings, Aregbesola’s camp has taken the party to court over the congresses.
According to a party insider, the committee is being pressured to censure them in order to act as a deterrence to others and avoid a repeat of the situation at the upcoming national convention.
“Governors are pushing that they should be punished but the committee is in a tight corner because the promoters of the parallel congresses are bigwigs that cannot be easily reprimanded,” the source said.
Another source at the party’s secretariat said members of the congress committee who sided with the promoters of the parallel congresses would be sanctioned.
“Yes, pressure is being mounted on the national secretariat on this matter but the first thing that will be done is the sanctioning of members of the congress committee who attended the parallel congresses. They aided it.
“Our constitution is very clear. The leaders of the party in states are governors. Congress committees are supposed to be with the governors, not parallel committees. The members of the Kano committee that went to parallel congress are going to be punished,” a party leader at the national secretariat said.
It was also gathered that the issue would first be presented to the appeal committee of the congress and the Senator Abdullahi Adamu reconciliation committee before it would go to the national caretaker committee for a final decision on the matter.
A chieftain of the party and former presidential candidate, Chief Chekwas Okorie, said the party should match its words with action by applying some disciplinary measures against those who conducted parallel congresses.
Secretary of the APC caretaker committee Sen John James Akpan Udo-Edehe had described the ‘parallel’ congresses as futile activities, saying the party will not hesitate to wield the big stick on perpetrators.
When contacted, the media aide to Governor Buni, Mamman Mohammed, said the governor is not under pressure.
“We are not aware of any pressure. The party under his leadership will meticulously follow due process in the administration of the party,” he said.
Ganduje hints reconciliation with Shekarau, others
Kano State Governor Abdullahi Umar Ganduje has said moves are on to reconcile with members of the party led by a former governor, Ibrahim Shekarau, who parted ways with his (Ganduje) leadership of the APC in the state.
This is even as the governor insisted that the national secretariat of the party recognised and accepted the emergence of Abdullahi Abbas, endorsed by him, as the only state chairman of the party.
The governor, according to a statement by Abba Anwar, his chief press secretary, said this on Wednesday before the commencement of the State Executive Council meeting.
The statement said Ganduje noted that “Politics is all about this kind (reconciliation) of development, anyway.”
Recall that former governor of the state, Ibrahim Shekarau, had led a group now called the G-7, comprising of Senator Barau Jibrin (Kano North), four House of Representatives members and a party stalwart, to challenge Ganduje’s leadership of the party.
The abduction of 13 passengers by gunmen at Konar Barau village in the Rafi Local Government Area of Niger state was verified by the Niger Police Command on Wednesday.
In an interview with newsmen in Niger State, the state’s Commissioner of Police, Mr Monday Kuryas, verified the occurrence.
Kuryas said the matter was reported to the police by Mubarak Idris of Kwanawa village, Sokoto State, the driver of an 18-seater bus with registration number LGT 12 XWX loaded with 18 passengers from Yauwuri, Kebbi state, predominantly fisherman traveling to Yenagoa, Bayelsa state, on fishing activities.
He said Idris stated that suspected bandits in military uniform kidnapped 13 of his passengers and his motor boy as they approached Konar Barau sharp bend under Rafi local government area along Tegina Minna route.
He added that the gunmen also took the driver’s N131,500.
The commissioner stated that an active quest for the hoodlums had already begun, and he asked locals, particularly those in rural regions, to help the police by providing accurate information that could lead to the miscreants’ arrest.
“We appeal to residents to volunteer reliable information that could aid in apprehending miscreants in the state. “We are doing everything humanly possible to ensure the protection of lives and property in our area of supervision.
“All we require from residents is vital intelligence information that could aid the security personnel deployed across the state on movement of dubious characters in their midst for necessary security action,” he said.
… Says This Will Allow Military To Decimate Them Without International Repercussions
Kaduna State Governor Nasir El-Rufai has urged the federal government to label bandits as terrorists.
He claims that this will allow the military to kill them without fear of international repercussions.
On Wednesday, the Governor made the remark after reviewing the state’s third quarter security report.
He claimed he requested the declaration in a letter to the federal government in 2017.
According to him, his administration supports the National Assembly’s resolution on the subject, and he plans to follow up with another letter of support to the government, urging it to declare the bandits terrorists.
According to him :“We, in Kaduna State Government, have always aligned with the declaration of bandits as insurgents and terrorists. We have written letters to the Federal Government since 2017, asking for this declaration because it is the declaration that will allow the Nigerian military to attack and kill these bandits without any major consequences in international law.
“ So, we support the resolution by the National Assembly and we are going to follow up with a letter of support, for the Federal Government to declare these bandits and insurgents as terrorists, so that they will be fair game for our military. This is the view of the Kaduna State Government,” he said.
The governor also called for a consensus between the Federal Government and the the 36 states on an emergency programme of recruitment into the security agencies, adding that government can change the game significantly by hiring 1,000 willing youths from each of the 774 LGAs in the country into the security agencies.
He said this will be a surge in numbers that is unprecedented since the civil war.
He said an influx of 774,000 “new boots on the ground” will be a significant blow on criminals and also serve as an employment boost.
He offered his sympathy for all the pains and sorrow insecurity is causing despite consistent efforts and investments of hard-earned resources, saying they are working hard to solve the problem.
He offered condolences to the security agencies and the families of the security officers that have been killed while trying to keep the people safe.
“I wish to appeal to all the citizens and residents of Kaduna State to remain law abiding and to uphold peace in their communities as best as they can,” he added.
The Minister of Transportation, Honourable Rotimi Amaechi has harped on the need for Port State Control Officers (PSCOs) to display high level of professionalism in carrying out their duties of inspecting foreign ships at national ports.
Amaechi spoke at the 11th Port State Control Committee (PSC) Meeting of the Memorandum of Understanding on PSC for West and Central Africa Region also known as Abuja MoU, in Lagos.
This was contained in a statement signed by the Director Press and Public Relations, Ministry of Transportation, Eric Ojiekwe.
In the statement, the Minister explained that the essence of PSC is, “the inspection of Ships, to verify their condition, equipment, and whether the ship is manned and operated in compliance with the requirements of international conventions and regulations to ensure maritime safety and security of lives, assets and to prevent pollution.”
Referring to PSCOs as ambassadors of the MoU, the Minister stated that continuous trainings are required to maintain set standards at Ports, and called on member states to work together in achieving set goals.
“Bearing in mind that Port State Control Officers are ambassadors of the MoU, it is therefore important that they constantly undergo continuous trainings which would impact on their knowledge and skills, as well as on their overall standard of inspections at the Ports. However, this cannot be achieved without the commitment, financial and otherwise of every Member State”.
“We must all join forces and strive to ensure that we constantly uphold the ideals and objectives upon which the MoU was established. For this reason, I urge all Member States to play their part in contributing towards the growth of the Abuja MoU, so that we can constantly meet with expectations and safeguard our marine domains,” he said.
Amaechi however thanked Member states for ensuring that the Abuja MoU performed well in the face of Covid19 and urged them not to relent in their commitments to inspections, trainings and overall contributions.
“I must thank most of our Member States for their performance and swift responses in declaring seafarers as key workers and in lending their support to ensure that the impact of COVID- 19 did not disrupt global shipping. While it is to be noted that the resulting effect of the pandemic slowed down inspection of vessels, nonetheless, based on our 2020 Report, the Abuja MoU performed relatively well in the inspection of vessels that called at our Ports,” he said.
In his opening remark, Ghana’s Minister of Transportation and Chairman of Abuja MoU, Hon. Kwaku Ofori Asiamah, said “Port State Control acts as an important safety-net to eliminate the operation of sub-standard ships to ensure the needed safety. It is therefore refreshing to note that notwithstanding the COVID-19 pandemic, our performance as Flag States have been very encouraging”.
He called on member states to “prioritise the vaccination of seafarers, their off and on signings, especially in the repatriation process, and ensure strict adherence to COVID-19 protocols to protect PSCOs and Crew of vessels visiting their ports.
He further stated that member states “must be guided by the IMO’s Code of Good Practice for Port State Control Officers and other relevant circulars and Statutory Documents in conducting inspections within the Framework of the Regional Memorandum of Understanding and Agreement on Port State Control,” while ensuring that their PSCOs are empowered to safely conduct inspections, “and to always aim at exceeding the agreed 15per cent minimum number of foreign vessels that call at our ports. States should also accept and endorse the IMO’s guidelines on Cyber Security as part of the Safety Management Codes,” he said.
The Ghanian Minister also called on women to explore careers in PSC and other related fields as according to him, “Women are great agents of change.” He tasked member states to create avenues for the participation of women as Port State Control Officers.
Other Ministers at the meeting include Sierra Leone’s Minister of Transport and Aviation, Hon. Kabineh Kallon and Nigeria’s Minister of State for Transportation, Sen. Gbemisola Ruquayya Saraki among others participating online.
The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) joined Nigerians throughout the country on Wednesday in remembering the fallen victims of the 2020 “EndSARS” rallies against citizen brutality and terrible governance under the All Progressives Congress (APC) and President Muhammadu Buhari.
The PDP has strongly denounced the continued brutalization of Nigerians by APC-controlled security personnel in many parts of the country, including the murderous assault on innocent youths at Wednesday’s EndSARS memorial procession.
EndSARS, according to the PDP, has become an epitaph of the APC’s and its administration’s obvious cruelty, terrible brutality, torture, illegal detention, mindless extrajudicial killings, gagging, and oppression of Nigerians during the previous six years.
“EndSARS has become the emblem of Nigerians’ resistance against the insensitive, inept, corrupt, divided, and decadent APC regime that has brought so much grief and pain to our dear nation,” PDP spokesman1 Kola Ologbondiyan said in a statement.
PDP, in a statement by its spokesman, Kola Ologbondiyan said, “EndSARS has become the emblem of the resistance by Nigerians against the insensitive, incompetent corrupt, divisive and decadent APC administration that has brought so much anguish and pain to our dear nation.
The statement read in bits :”It is shocking that, despite the promises to stop brutality and restore good governance, Nigerians who came out to march in remembrance of the victims of last year’s brutality were made to face the same trauma, if not worse brutality in the hands of security operatives.
“Our party weeps at the cruelty inflicted on the Lagos Uber driver and many other youths by APC-controlled security agents as well as non-state actors, hired to repress Nigerians who were out exercising their constitutionally guaranteed rights.”
The PDP, has, however, demanded that the Inspector General of Police, Usman Alkali Baba, should immediately arrest and commence the trial of all security operatives involved in the heinous act against Nigerians.
“Our party laments that most of the issues that led to the EndSARS protest in 2020, including bad governance and brutality of citizens, remain unresolved and charged the Federal Government to accelerate efforts into resolving them and bringing justice to the people,” the party said.
The PDP commiserated with the victims of 2020 and 2021 EndSARS protest and urged Nigerians to remain calm as they rally on the platform of the PDP to rescue the nation and return her to the path of justice, national cohesion and economic prosperity.
The Senate was taken aback on Wednesday when the Director General of the Nigerian Building and Road Research Institute (NBRRI), Samson Duna, revealed that the institute only generated N18 million in income each year.
Duna also announced that the institute’s budget for 2021 was N49 billion.
He revealed this while leading the NBRRI management team to the National Assembly’s Senate Committee on Science and Technology in Abuja.
Despite the N49 billion it received in its 2021 budget, the DG told the Senator Lilian Ekwunife-led Committee, NBRRI was unable to meet its goals for the year under review.
Duna explained that the institute only received 75% of the whole planned amount, with 18 million naira in revenue from journals and tender documents, and capital expenditure of 47 billion naira and personnel costs of 774 million naira.
Professor Duna revealed that the research institute has produced an alternative to cement while noting that it employs 530 people around the country.
According to him, the alternative made from waste items will lower the cost of construction and road construction.
He stated that the agency is working with the Ministry of Works and Housing, the Road Maintenance Agency, and other construction sector stakeholders to achieve decent and cheap roads across the country.
Professor Duna also revealed that N200 million had been set aside for the procurement of computer software to meet NBRRI’s mandate in a clause-by-clause explanation of the institute’s fiscal policy for 2021.
The program, he claims, will aid in the design of research prototypes as well as the monitoring of ongoing initiatives.
The Nigerian Building and Road Research Institute (NBRRI) was established as one of the research institutes under the Federal Ministry of Science and Technology to conduct research on local building and construction materials to determine the most effective and economic methods of their utilization;
In their reactions, the lawmakers urged the leadership of the institute to find alternatives to shore up its income.
They also mandated it to reducing the cost of constructing feeder roads by using rice sauce ash and other forms of waste including industrial waste earlier suggested by NBRRI.
…As Trade Volume Between Countries Hit USD2bn in 2020
On Wednesday, President Muhammadu Buhari welcomed Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan to the Presidential Villa in Abuja, where a series of important bilateral agreements were inked.
During the visit, both leaders discussed their shared interests and areas of mutual collaboration before signing eight key agreements/MoUs in fields such as energy, defense industry, mining, and hydrocarbons, among others.
They also agreed that implementation should begin as soon as possible.
“In the course of our conversations, we also reviewed the travel restriction list based on the new COVID-19 protocols and removed Turkey from Nigeria’s Travel Ban List,” President Buhari stated during a joint press conference.
Turkey has made significant progress in combating the COVID-19 pandemic.”
Buhari also praised Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan for opening his country’s borders to millions of refugees in desperate need of assistance.
He claimed that his Turkish counterpart has set an example for the rest of the globe in terms of refugee treatment.
‘‘I commend Your Excellency for your leadership and generosity in receiving and accommodating 4 million refugees fleeing from conflict areas particularly in Iraq, Syria and Afghanistan. You have indeed set an example to the rest of the world,’’ the Nigerian leader said.
President Buhari described the two-day visit of President Erdogan and the First Lady, Emine Erdogan, as a reflection of the ‘‘robust, warm and cordial bilateral relation’’ between Nigeria and Turkey.
He noted that it was the second time he has had ‘‘the pleasure of receiving my Brother in Abuja.’’
On the accomplishments from the visit, President Buhari said:
‘‘During the visit, we held very useful discussions on a number of bilateral issues, aimed at strengthening this cordial relationship between Nigeria and Turkey.
President Buhari said President Erdogan’s meeting with a Joint Session of the Nigeria and Turkish Chambers of Commerce and Industry, before departing Nigeria, would be another opportunity to engage and exchange views on more productive ways of pushing ahead the socio-economic ties between the two countries.
He thanked the Turkish President and the First Lady for commissioning the Turkish Cultural Centre in Abuja as well as opening the newly renovated Government Secondary School in Wuse, Abuja, undertaken by the Turkish Cooperation and Coordination Agency (TIIKA).
In his remarks, President Erdogan stressed that Turkey was determined to improve relations with Nigeria to ‘‘higher levels on all fields’’.
He said the trade volume between both countries reached 2 billion dollars in 2020, making Nigeria the outstanding and the biggest trading partner in sub-Saharan Africa.
‘‘However, we still believe that this level of trade we have achieved is far from being adequate. We hope and pray that we will be expanding our trade volume up to 5 billion dollars immediately.
‘‘We hope that the relations between the two nations will be further developed on the basis of a win-win scenario and mutual respect ,’’ the President, who spoke through an interpreter said.
Commiserating with Nigeria on the attack in Goronyo Local Government Area of Sokoto State, which claimed several lives, the Turkish leader pledged that his country would further cooperate with Nigeria on counter-terrorism as well as in the fields of military, defence and security.
‘‘We are ready to share our ever expanding capabilities with Nigeria especially in the field of defence industry and security, which has been praised by the entire globe.
‘‘This sensitivity that we have showcased in fighting terrorism, I hope will be reciprocated by our Nigerian brothers, sisters and counterparts,’’ he said.
The Turkish President announced that his country has increased its diplomatic presence in Africa to 43 missions, adding that the third round of the Turkish-African business forum will be held in Istanbul this October while the third Turkish-African partnership summit will follow in December.
President Erdogan expressed delight that many Nigerian students are currently studying in Turkey and benefiting from scholarships.
The Kaduna State Commissioner for Internal Security and Home Affairs, Samuel Aruwan has hinted that in Kaduna about 343 people were reportedly killed by bandits and 830 people are claimed to have been kidnapped during the period under review.
Samuel Arunwan made the revelation on Wednesday while presenting the State Governor Nasir Ahmed El-Rufai with the third quarter security report. He also revealed that 69 bandits were equally killed by troops during the period under review.
In the third quarter of 2021, roughly 343 people were slain by bandits in the state, he added.
It would be recalled that the Kaduna State Government’s second quarter security report, which covered April, May, and June 2021, revealed that 222 people were slain and 774 individuals were kidnapped by bandits.
Despite the fact that the rate of death and kidnapping has decreased, the alarming trend is the mass abduction of school children and the government’s discovery that bandits now levy levies to allow farming communities in 12 local government districts of the state to produce their crops.
Banditry has impeded farming activities, jeopardized education and healthcare delivery, and led to the near-total collapse of the economy in frontline areas, according to Aruwan’s security report.
