Four members of the House of Representatives from Zamfara State who were elected on the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) platform switched to the All Progressives Congress (APC) (APC) on Tuesday.
They justified their actions by citing a crisis within the party.
Bello Hassan Shinkafi, Ahmed Bakura, Ahmed Shehu, and Suleiman Gumi are their names.
The lawmakers said they were leaving the PDP because of a crisis within the party, which led to the national leadership of the party dissolving the state chapter, according to a letter written by Rep. Suleiman Gumi and read at Tuesday plenary.
Prof Wole Soyinka, a Nobel laureate, has criticized efforts for a Yoruba nation to be formed.
He stated that, he preferred a united Nigeria, but under certain “rigorous conditions”.
Describing the country as a “basket case”, he said the political arrangement was not working.
Soyinka spoke out against the raid on the Yoruba activist Sunday Igboho’s home in an interview with BBC Pidgin which our correspondent monitored .
On secession calls, he said: “I don’t like the sound of a Yoruba nation any more than I like the sound of a Tiv nation or an Igbo nation.
“The reason is this: there are certain pejorative overtones, chauvinistic overtones attached to it. That’s not the issue.
“When you talk about a Yoruba nation, are we talking about the creation of a nation within Nigeria alone or across colonial borders into Cotonou, Benin Republic, where Yoruba exists, moving on to Togo and even Ivory Coast?
“So, when we talk about Yoruba nation, I have to know exactly what you mean. Do we even talk about the Yoruba in the Diaspora?
“So, it’s a question which is not for me to answer at this particular moment.”
Speaking on the need for restructuring, he faulted the existing revenue-sharing formula.
According to Soyinka; “All I know is this: on a sentimental level, I will prefer us to mend and manage what we have, but under certain, rigorous conditions.
“The condition is decentralisation. We have to move away completely from this constitution which was imposed on us by an internal, neo-colonial force called the military.
“Now, if it had worked, if it were working, my position would have been different.
“My conditions are non-negotiable. We have to get away from the present political arrangement because they clearly are not working.
“They are creating internal overlords, they are creating a skewed, lopsided revenue-sharing system. They are robbing Peter to pay Paul.
“Right now, what we have is not a nation, but a basket-case, a real basket-case which is disintegrating all over the place, and all the contents are spilling over the basket.
Soyinka said: “All I know is this: on a sentimental level, I will prefer us to mend and manage what we have, but under certain, rigorous conditions.
“The condition is decentralisation. We have to move away completely from this constitution which was imposed on us by an internal, neo-colonial force called the military.
“Now, if it had worked, if it were working, my position would have been different.
“My conditions are non-negotiable. We have to get away from the present political arrangement because they clearly are not working.
“They are creating internal overlords, they are creating a skewed, lopsided revenue-sharing system. They are robbing Peter to pay Paul.
“Right now, what we have is not a nation, but a basket-case, a real basket-case which is disintegrating all over the place, and all the contents are spilling over the basket.
Professor Adedibu Ojerinde, the former Registrar of the Joint Admission and Matriculation Board (JAMB), has been remanded in prison detention by a Federal High Court in Abuja.
In a judgement issued on Tuesday, Justice Obiora Egwuatu ordered that Ojerinde be held in a detention facility until his bail application is heard on July 8.
Ojerinde was arraigned on an 18-count charge marked: FHC/ABJ/CR/97/2021, in which he was accused, among other things, of participation in the diversion of public monies worth over N5.2 billion, Justice Egwuatu issued the ruling.
The prosecuting agency – the Independent Corrupt Practices and other related offences Commission(ICPC) – said Ojerinde committed the alleged offences, contained in the charge, from 2003 when he served as the Registrar of the National Examination Council (NECO) till 2021.
Ojerinde pleaded not guilty when the charge was read to him.
His lawyer, Peter Olorunnishola (SAN), subsequently informed the court about a bail application he filed and served on the prosecution.
Olorunnishola however sought time to react to the counter-affidavit filed by lawyer to the prosecution, Ebenezer Shogunle, which the defence lawyer said was served on him late.
Shogunle, who did not object to Olorunnishola’s request for time, opposed the defence lawyer’s application that his client be allowed to remain on the administrative bail, earlier granted him by the ICPC, pending the hearing of his bail application.
The House of Representatives has passed a bill amending the 1999 Constitution to allow the construction of state police and the legalization of regional security outfits for a second reading.
By transferring police from the Exclusive Legislative List to the Concurrent List, the current police system will be decentralized.
The bill’s sponsor, Onofiok Luke, chairman of the House Committee on Judiciary, stated in the explanatory note that it intends to amend the Constitution “to provide for state police and other state government security agencies to promote security and preserve lives and properties in Nigeria.”
The bill especially proposes an amendment to Section 197(1) by inserting new Paragraphs ‘e’ and ‘f’ to provide for ‘State Police Council’ and ‘State Police Service Commission,’ respectively.
The Second Schedule to the Constitution will also be altered in Part I by deleting Item 45 from the Exclusive Legislative List; and in Part II by inserting after Item 30 on the Concurrent Legislative List, new Items 31 and 32.
The proposal reads, “(31) The National Assembly may make laws for the establishment of the federal police and other federal government security services;
“(32) A House of Assembly may make laws for the establishment of state police and other state government security services.”
The Third Schedule to the Constitution will also be altered by inserting new Paragraphs 9 to 12.
The new paragraphs read, “(9) A State Police Council shall comprise the following members: (a) the governor, who shall be the chairman; (b) the chairman of the State Police Service Commission; and (c) State Commissioner of Police.
“(10) The functions of a State Police Council shall include (a) the organisation and administration of a State Police Force and all other matters relating thereto (not being matters relating to the use and operational control of the Force or the appointment, disciplinary control and dismissal of members of the Force); (b) the general supervision of a State Police Force; and (c) advising the governor on the appointment of State Commissioner of Police.”
Leading debate on the bill, Luke said, “Many years after independence, Nigeria has continually been beset with insecurity ranging from terrorism, kidnapping, armed robbery and domestic violence. Granted that there is no society without crime or manifestation of criminal behaviour, our inability to bring to the barest minimum crime is a scathing indictment on the current security architecture and structure in the country.
“The federal structuring of our security does not encourage community policing or localisation of policing. Recruitment and subsequent deployment of police officers in their local area is one of the major ways of curbing crime. Such officers understand the area, terrain, language, behaviour and attitude of the people he or she is policing.
“Nigeria, a country with over 201 million people, is grossly under policed with about 400, 000 police personnel. This number falls far short of the United Nation’s recommendation of ratio 1 per 400 citizens.
“The Constitution envisages Nigeria as a federal state. Granting allowance to state governments to establish police force and other security apparatuses will bring Nigeria into original constitutional contemplation of a federal state.”
The Deputy Minority Leader, Toby Okechukwu, stated that creation of state police is long overdue with the current security crises across the country.
Dr. Faisal Shuaib, the Executive Director of the National Primary Health Care Development Agency (NPHCDA), has expressed concern over the spread of COVID-19 vaccination misinformation and disinformation on social media.
Any patriotic Nigerian who hears this will question how long the world’s mischief-makers want the world to be involved in the fight against the Covid-19 pandemic.
He announced this at a press conference to inform Nigerians about the COVID-19 vaccination, on Tuesday in Abuja.
He stated that ; “The creativity with which some people misinform others and spread misconceptions about COVID-19 vaccination calls for more deliberate, decisive, and consistent steps to counter as well as provide correct and accurate information that will help more people to make informed decision to get vaccinated against COVID-19.
“It is unfortunate that the right of the public to true and accurate information on matters of collective concern is being threatened by just a few others who are taking advantage of the social media to mislead people about their health. Let me quickly state here that this breach of public right to true and accurate information about COVID-19 vaccination is a challenge to the media, which should be taken seriously.
“It is evident that Nigeria has made significant progress towards utilizing the 4 million doses of AstraZeneca vaccine we got from COVAX facility, and that is why our vaccine roll out has been described as the best in the African sub-region. As the country prepares to receive additional vaccine supply to commence phase 2 of its strategic vaccination plan, our attention has been drawn to, yet another level of disinformation targeted at discouraging people from seeking vaccination against COVID-19.
“The anti-vaccination elements have come up with magnetic conspiracy, in which they claim, and are deceiving people with videos, that COVID-19 vaccine creates magnetic field around vaccination site and can cause the body to light up an electric bulb.
He continued; “As ridiculous as this and other conspiracy theories are, vulnerable people believe them and are therefore continuing to take the risk of avoiding COVID-19 vaccination. Although the people who are manufacturing conspiracy theories about COVID-19 are in the minority, the virulence of the social media increases their reach. For this reason, ladies, and gentlemen, it has become necessary for us to confront the false theorists if we really want Nigeria and the world to overcome COVID-19 and recover from its adversities.
“At the onset, it was claimed that COVID-19 was introduced to justify developing vaccines that would be used to depopulate Africans. Those who came up with this theory said that anybody who takes the vaccine would die immediately. Today, as we all can see, nearly 4 million doses of the vaccine have been administered in Nigeria and we have not recorded any case of death linked to the vaccination.
“On seeing this reality, the rumour mongers changed their narratives into saying that the vaccines used in Europe and America are not the same as the ones used in Africa. Again, as evidence have come to show, it is now clear that the COVID-19 vaccines used in Europe, America and elsewhere in the World are the same used in Nigeria and other countries in Africa. The conspiracy theorist went silent about this claim and are now saying that anyone who takes the vaccine will die after two years. Nigerians are predominantly a country of Muslims and Christians. We know that these religions are clear that no-one knows the year of the day they will die. So why would we even pay attention to such spurious claims?”, he explained.
Shuaib further hinted that,” this same falsehood of children dying after vaccination was spread about Polio vaccine, but after many years, children who took polio vaccine are still alive and have grown into adulthood and having their own children, as expected. There has not been any case of a child’s death that is linked to polio vaccination, and many more children have been born to discount another claim that polio vaccination would lead to infertility.
“Today as I speak, 2,495,632 people have been vaccinated with the first dose, while 1,370,130 have received their second dose of AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine in Nigeria. Overall, Nigeria has successfully utilized 3.9M doses, representing 96% of the 4,024,000 doses of the vaccines received in the country. Nigeria is poised to achieve 100% utilization of the doses of vaccine it has received in the next few days. This is to ensure that people are protected against COVID-19, and normalcy is restored.
“We must take informed steps to guard ourselves from being misled by those who are spreading misconceptions about COVID-19 vaccines. It is important for our media to understand that the TRUTH, which they hold so high in principle, is at war with falsehood, and therefore every effort must be made to ensure that people are vaccinated against COVID-19 if we want TRUTH to be victorious.
“Today I would like to make very clear and demonstrate publicly that COVID-19 vaccine does not create any magnetic effect around the vaccination site or any part of the body for that matter, neither does it cause the body to light up an electric bulb. It is also a well-known fact that persons with wet, moist, or sticky skin can have objects stuck to their skin especially in smooth areas. Strong friction also allows for objects to stick to the skin. COVID -19 vaccines do not contain any metal – this is another fact! So how can it generate magnetic field or light an electric bulb?”.
He ,however ,urged everyone to please do more research on your own using credible information sources so that we do not promote ignorance in an age of civilization.
NPHCDA boss, invited his team to publicly demonstrate the magnetic conspiracy theory is false, as COVID-19 vaccine does not create any magnetic field on any part of human body, neither can it cause the body to light an electric bulb.
He assured Nigerians that the Presidential Steering Committee and indeed the Federal Government is committed to providing safe and effective vaccination against COVID-19 in Nigeria. Their Excellencies, President Muhmmadu Buhari and Vice President Yemi Osinbajo and other strategic leaders, have taken their first and second doses of the COVID-19 vaccine. This is the leadership by example that Nigerians want to see, and our President and his team has shown demonstrated this unequivocally. It therefore behoves every one of us to seek correct and accurate information about COVID-19 from credible sources so that we can make the right decision to get vaccinated against COVID-19!
He also urge everyone to and continue to wear your face masks, wash your hands frequently, observe social distancing and take other precautionary measures against COVID-19.
Bangladesh High Commissioner to Nigeria, Mr. Masudur Rahman has called for collaboration in filmmaking between Bangladesh’s film stakeholders and Nollywood, Nigeria’s film industry.
The Envoy made the statements during a courtesy visit to the National Film and Video Censors Board (NFVCB) headquarters in Abuja on Tuesday.
The goal of Rahman’s visit, which was welcomed by the NFVCB’s Executive Director/CEO, Alhaji Adedayo Thomas, and his management team, was to enhance ties with the NFVCB, which regulates the Nigerian film and video industry.
He said such collaboration will further strengthen bilateral relationship between the two countries ,and also serve as a platform to further expose and grow both countries film industries, promote exchange and transfer of cultural heritage.
He added that both Nigeria and Bangladesh, as common wealth countries, have a lot of similarities in their journey to independence, history and culture, adding that collaboration in motion pictures will offer opportunities in telling their stories together.
According to him : “ Bangladesh and Nigeria has a lot of commonalities; as we are both secular countries colonized by the British, and then with similar historic and cultural heritage.
“Many Nigerians are going to Bangladesh for education, sport, and now I want us to strengthen our relationship through film and culture.”
The High Commissioner noted that the Nigerian story and culture as showcased through Nollywood films were widely accepted in his country.
He said the Bangladesh Film Development Corporation would be willing to champion collaborations in acting, production and distribution and capacity building.
Thomas, in his remarks, expressed delight in the High Commissioner’s visit, and pledged the board’s willingness to work with him.
He noted that the Nigerian film industry has grown exponentially over the last decade, as the industry was no longer for entertainment alone, but has offered great investment opportunities.
The Executive Director said the board under his watch was willing to champion collaborations between stakeholders in the Nigeria film industry and their foreign counterparts.
He however, decried the high rate of piracy as a major bane facing the evolving Nigerian moving industry, especially with the emergence of digital distribution platforms.
“All the foreign films that are being sold in our markets today did not pass through censorship and classification, so they are illegal, and the board has been carrying out raids to sanitize our industry of such products.
“A collaboration such as this will present the right opportunity for both countries to legally distribute their films.
“I strongly believe that Government should provide policies and enabling environment for players in the industry, and that is what President Buhari has done through the Ease of Doing Business initiative.
“As a board we will facilitate a meeting that will kick start the process where our filmmakers to link your professionals for a co-productions and other collaborations,” he said.
On Monday afternoon, gunmen abducted yet-to-be known numbers of passengers at Odo-Osun around Imesi-Ile in Obokun Local Government Area of Osun State
It was gathered that the commercial vehicle from Ekiti State was going toward Ikirun through Ila road when the gunmen waylaid it at Odo-Osun and took passengers to a nearby bush.
A security source revealed that the gunmen shot severally to force the vehicle to stop before all the passengers were whisked away
Another source said volunteers of Kiriji Heritage Defenders, Hunter’s group and the police were combing bushes where the passengers were abducted.
The DPO of Imesi Police Station was said to have joined in combing the forests.
The Director-General of Kiriji Heritage Defenders, Dr Ademola Ekundayo, confirmed the development to our correspondent.
He assured volunteers of the socio-cultural group were on the trail of the abductors.
Spokesperson of Osun Police, Yemisi Opalola said: “I have not been briefed. I will get back to you on the matter”.
The Minister of Information and Culture, Lai Mohammed has hinted that the government spends N60bn annually to repair vandalized pipelines.
Speaking yesterday in Abuja at a town hall meeting on protecting oil and gas infrastructure, he said Nigeria lost an average of 200,000 barrels per day to pipelines’ destruction.
He added statistics had shown that between January 2019 and September 2020, 1,161 pipeline points were vandalized across the nation.
Also speaking, the Minister of Niger Delta Affairs, Godswill Akpabio, said the destruction of pipelines in the Niger Delta had made a lot of oil investors leave to region to other countries for their oil business investments.
Akpabio said perpetrators should be punished and tried openly to serve as a deterrent to others.
The Minister of Environment, Mohammed Mahmood Abubakar, said Nigeria lost 43 percent of its revenues to oil theft, calling for prosecution of all pipeline vandals.
Group Managing Director, Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, Mele Kyari, said from January to May 2021, the NNPC pipeline segments had suffered 203 breaks with system 2B having 80 pipeline breaks and system 2E, 114 breaks.
He said all these had all led to a total cumulative loss of 39 million liters which amounted to N5.973bn.
Delta State, the southern governors set a timeline of September 1, 2021, for the promulgation of the anti-open grazing law in all member states.
Recalled that the governors had announced a total ban on open grazing in the region during the Asaba meeting.
On the state of insecurity, the southern governors re-emphasised the need for state police and urged the federal government not to be sentimental in the administration of criminal justice.
They also commiserated with families and loved ones of those who have fallen in the line of duty.
The forum also resolved that if for any reason security institutions needed to undertake an operation in any state, the chief security officer of the state which is the governor must be duly informed.
Responding to this part of the communiqué, Dr Baba-Ahmed said the position of the governors in demanding that they must be fully informed before security operations in their states take place was unacceptable.
He said there was nowhere in the Nigerian Constitution that said the president, who is the country’s chief security officer, must either get the consent or approval of a governor before exercising his responsibility.
“That is not the way to go,” he said. “The governors are members of the National Security Committee and a lot of these issues are matters that ought to be handled with some level of sensitivity and discretion and not to be thrown out in public as if they are demands which have no constitutional foundations. This particular decision taken by the southern governors has not been informed by the wisest decision-making process,” he said.
Some senior lawyers also said there was no constitutional provision for governors to give permission for security operations in their states. Prof. Paul Ananaba (SAN) said as the chief security officers of their states, the governors don’t control security agencies because security is not in the concurrent list but the exclusive list.
“They just want to cause trouble because there is no constitutional provision that would warrant them to say that,” he said.
“However, consistent with governance, there should be some understanding between the federal and state governments with respect to security. It is not fair and advisable to carry out security operations in the state without the permission of the governor.
“It ought to be down to the local government as the idea behind three-tier government, because it is the failure of the third tier that led to these insurrections in the country. Local government chairmen would have been able to take care of these things before they grow out of control,” he said.
Also responding, Sunday Ameh (SAN) said the states have only subsidiary powers to maintain security in their states although the constitution said security and welfare shall be the primary purpose of government.
“Security in Nigeria is like a unitary proposal so that the ultimate responsibility for national security lies with the president and he directs the Inspector General of Police, which is right from the top.
“Therefore, the governors cannot stop security operatives from operating in their states because when it comes to security, the president is ultimately responsible,” he said.
However, Prof Ernest Ojukwu (SAN) said the governors were right because as the chief security officers of their states, no security agency should be deployed to any state without their consent.
The Inspector General of Police, Usman Baba, has said no fewer than 5,000 police officers, alongside the military, are fighting the insurgency in the Northeast.
He made this known yesterday at the Force Headquarters in Abuja while receiving wives of defence and police officers’ association led by its president and wife of the Chief of Defence Staff, Mrs Victoria Irabor.
Baba said security personnel would not give the enemies a chance to breathe.
According to him; “Not less than 5, 000 policemen are fighting along with the military in the northeast. So, we’ve everything in common when it comes to supporting each other. The military supports the police very well in terms of civil unrest.
“The police is also called upon to support the military in or outside the country that requires reinforcement.”
Earlier, Mrs. Irabor had said the visit was to continue to encourage officers in the service of their fatherland.
