News
President of Dangote Group, Mr Aliko Dangote, says the availability of consumer credit facility is an important option in fighting corruption in the country.
Dangote said this on Saturday in Lagos at a consultative roundtable titled, “Going for Growth” with some economic stakeholders.
He said that Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) and commercial banks should develop consumer credit products to encourage low-income earners to engage in loan taking.
He also identified a lack of policy implementation as the biggest challenge in the country.
“How do you have economic growth without power? So, no power, no growth because without power there can’t be growth.
“Egypt increased its electricity by 10 gigawatts, which is equivalent to 10,000 megawatts in 18 months.
“In Nigeria, we have been struggling for 18 years without adding 1,000 megawatts and we have spent about three times above Egypt, why?
“So, I think we all need to be concerned about that.”
Dangote advised that the country needed to promote import substitution for foreign exchange accumulation through proceeds from exports.
He called for a public-private partnership to boost the non-oil sector of the economy and added that Nigerians should invest in the development of the non-oil sector which had been left in the hands of foreigners.
“Government needs to encourage non-oil sector growth rather than depending on proceeds from crude oil to pay salaries.
“Proceeds from crude oil sale should be for major investment in the country,” he added.
He urged federal government to improve more on the power sector, saying “no business will thrive with business owners generating powers themselves.”
Dangote said that all stakeholders must come together and support the government in finding a solution to power challenges in the country. Apart from power, Dangote suggested that government focuses more on three areas which include finance, manufacturing and agriculture.
According to him, Asian Tigers concentrated on these three sectors for them to be where they are.
He further urged the government to focus more on the fiscal policies for the country to move to the next level.
The business mogul said by next year, the country would have exported eight million tonnes of cement to African countries from the present six million tonnes.
Dangote added that Nigeria would also be the biggest exporter of fertilizers in Sub-Sahara Africa.
Also speaking, Chairman of Zenith Bank Plc, Mr Jim Ovia, noted that government policies had supported production of petroleum, cement and fertilizers.
Mr Ovia commended the government on broadband penetration in the country, saying it had boosted banking activities.
He supported Dangote on the need for consumer credit and said banks were doing their best on it.
Ovia, however. noted that the process had been slow because of the challenges associated with people given accurate data for Know-Your Customers (KYC) process.
Also, former Managing Director of Stanbic IBTC, Mr Atedo Peterside, urged CBN to continue with efforts taken in reducing inflation rate from 18 per cent to as low as 11.37 per cent as at April 2019.
Peterside said CBN should use the same pace to bring the country’s inflation rate to a single digit.
NAN
For declaring himself as traditional ruler of Iresa-adu, a community in Oyo state, which led to crisis in the ancient town last Wednesday, counsel to the Emiolu royal family, Mr. Abiodun Julius, has threatened to drag a member of one of the ruling houses, Mr Adeyeye Oyerinde, to court for contempt of court.
Julius who spoke with journalists in Ibadan, said by forcefully trying to impose himself as monarch, Oyerinde's action has violated existing court order on the matter as well as all known principles for the installation of monarch in the town.
It would be recalled that Oyerinde had last Wednesday, unilaterally declared himself as the next Aresa-adu of Iresa-adu without approval of kingmakers or any of the heads of the two royal families, an action which allegedly violated the Aresa-adu Chieftaincy declaration as approved by the laws of Oyo state.
His declaration was however, resisted by people of the town, both old and young, including family members, who all trooped out to the streets in protest against his action which they considered as sacrilege to the Aresa-adu throne.
The protesters barricaded the roads, burning disused tyres and also vandalised two vehicles to show their displeasure over the matter.
According to Julius, the failed attempt by Oyerinde to install himself as the Aresa using his brother as kingmaker was "a clear disobedience to a subsisting court order", declaring that it was an affront on a subsisting court order in suit no: HCI/04/2019, which restrained all the parties concern from going ahead with processes leading to the nomination, installation or otherwise of the next monarch for the town.
He expressed happiness that the whole town including all members of the Oshunbiyi ruling house where Oyerinde hails from resisted his action, stating that he has obtained the approval of the Emiolu royal family to initiate "Contempt of Court" proceeding against Oyerinde.
He further disclosed that Oyerinde had earlier written an undertaking with the police at Ogbomoso Area Command, where he promised not to parade himself as Aresa or embark on any other act capable of disrupting the peace in Iresa'du.
The legal practitioner also added that kingmakers of the town have also instructed their lawyers to follow suit so as to restore sanity and correct the wrong notion which Oyerinde has painted the entire town through his ambition.
News Scroll
Immediate past Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Mr Abubakar Malami, will on June 14 face the Disciplinary Panel of Legal Practitioners Privileges Committee over a prejudicial statement made against the detained former National Security Adviser, Mr Sambo Dasuki.
The Hearing Notice was signed by Mrs Patricia Orhomuru, Secretary, Disciplinary Committee Legal Practitioners’ Privilege Committee, with reference No: PET/LPPC/23/2018 and dated May 16, 2019.
The notice read in part: “Take notice that the above matter is fixed for hearing by Disciplinary Committee of the Legal Practitioner Privileged Committee of the Office of Registrar Supreme Court of Nigeria Abuja on June 14, 2019, at 11.00 o’clock in the forenoon.
Malami is expected to face the panel for investigation in a statement credited to him in Voice of America (VOA) Hausa Service on July 13, 2018, in which he was quoted that Mr Dasuki would not be released despite all subsisting court orders for his release on bails.
In the audio recording of the interview he granted VOA, Malami had accused Dasuki of being responsible for the deaths of over 100,000 Nigerians during Jonathan’s era.
In the interview, Malami had said; “Remember, we are talking about a person who was instrumental to the deaths of over 100,000 people. Are you saying that the rights of one person are more important than those of 100,000 who lost their lives?”
A Notice of hearing in the petition filed by Dasuki’s family against former AGF indicated that Malami would be interrogated by the committee of the Legal Practitioners at the Office of the Chief Registrar, Supreme Court of Nigeria, Abuja.
Dasuki family had petitioned Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) praying for an investigation and sanction of the minister over his unprofessional conducts and utter disregard to the rule of law likely to cause anarchy in the country through his promotion of disobedience to the lawful order of court by the federal government.
In the petition dated July 23, 2008, and received by NBA the same day, the family wanted Malami to be investigated in the resolve of the federal government not to comply with any order of court admitting the former NSA to bail and has been unjustly detained for almost four years.
Recalling how their son served Nigeria for 21 years as an officer in Nigerian Army; Managing Director Nigeria Security Printing and Minting Company (NSPMC) and later as National Security Adviser to the immediate past administration, they stated that Dasuki, in his lifetime, has not been convicted of any crime till date.
The petition signed by his wife, Mrs Bintu Dasuki; his son, Mr Abubakar Dasuki and his nephew, Mr Umar Dahiru explained how the ordeal of Dasuki started when Buhari’s government came on board with the invasion of his houses in Abuja and Sokoto during which his vital property, including vehicles, was carted away by operatives of Department of State Security Service (DSS).
The petition also chronicled how Dasuki was arraigned before four different High Courts and was granted bail by all the judges claiming that the charges were bailable offences under the Nigerian law.
They also added that the Court of Justice of Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) declared the detention of Dasuki as unlawful, null and void and subsequently ordered his immediate release in addition to imposing a fine of N15m on the federal government as compensation for the breach of Dasuki’s fundamental rights.
The family, however, informed NBA in the petition that rather than complying with the order of the court, the AGF as the Chief Law Officer of the Federation made remarks that the order of the court as relates to Dasuki would not be obeyed by the federal government. The family wondered whether a lawyer let alone a Senior Advocate of Nigeria ought to have engaged in such an unprofessional utterance capable of causing anarchy for the nation.
PT
Police have arrested four suspected bandits, including their informant, a woman said to have disguised as mad woman shortly after bandits attacked and killed 25 people in three villages of Rabah local government area of Sokoto state.
Rabah had been experiencing armed bandits’ attacks in recent time with scores losing their lives while many were rendered homeless.
The most recent attack took place in Rukunni, Tsage, Gi’ire and Kalfu villages around 5pm on Saturday and lasted till Sunday’s morning.
The attackers were said to have carted away hundreds of cows and sheep.
The state’s Commissioner of Police, Mr Ibrahim Kaoje, who confirmed the attack said four suspects had been arrested in connection with the attack.
Kaoje added that among the suspect was a woman disguising as a mad woman and had being feeding the bandits with information about their target.
He added that investigation was ongoing to fish out other attackers. While condoling with the victims and the district head of Rabah, Governor Aminu Tambuwal reassured them that the government was working assiduously to end banditry in the state.
Chairman, IDPs’ Welfare Committee, Mr Lawal Maidoki, said relief materials were taken to the victims yesterday.
Daily Trust
There were clear indications on Saturday that the election of presiding officers of the 9th National Assembly will be conducted by secret ballot method on Tuesday.
Management of the red chamber took the decision to avoid rancour on the day of inauguration. A senior member of the management team of the federal parliament told one of our correspondents on condition of anonymity on Saturday that the elected lawmakers had already been given House Rules stipulating the voting method.
He said, “There were attempts to amend the rules of both chambers to give room for a secret ballot but the idea was frustrated by the outgoing leadership.
“I’m aware that advocates of the secret ballot method mounted pressure on outgoing Senate President, Mr Bukola Saraki, and Speaker, Mr Yakubu Dogara, and stressed the need to amend the rules in line with global practices.
“There is no way management will come up with a voting method different from what is contained in the rule book distributed to elected members since April.”
Investigation revealed that members of Ahmad Lawan Campaign Organisation had soft-pedalled on their agitation for an open poll.
A member of the group, who spoke on condition of anonymity, on Saturday, said, “We are winning almost unopposed; so, there is no basis for argument over voting method again.”
Attempts to speak with Director of Information, Rawlings Agada, on the issue, failed on Saturday as calls made to his mobile did not connect. He had also not responded to the text message sent to him as of the time of filing this report.
But last month, Director of Public Affairs, National Assembly, Mr Yahaya Dan-Zaria, said Standing Rules of the chambers prescribed an open-secret system, which would be adopted for the next poll.
“Of course, an open-secret ballot; that is what their rule says. It is not from us; it is their rule,” Dan-Zaria had stated.
However, one of the aspirants to the position of Deputy Senate President, Mr Ovie Omo-Agege, told journalists on Saturday that he would resist attempts to adopt secret ballot method.
Omo Agege stated, “In 2015, to the extent that the 2011 rules were not amended that ought to be the operative rule for use in the 8th Senate because it is the valid and subsisting rule. I can tell you there was never a time when this 8th Senate amended the 2011 rules.
“So what that means is that the 2015 amended rule is a Saraki rule. It is Saraki Standing Order; it is not the 8th Senate Standing Order and I can assure you it would not be used on Tuesday because it is not valid.”
When journalists reminded him that the same Standing Order was used throughout the life of the 8th Senate, he said, “Well, anybody can distribute anything. Its use will be determined on Tuesday.
“I have support from APC caucus; I have the support of the leadership and the caucus of the party. I also have the support of the executive arm. As we go into this contest, I am very confident that come Tuesday, I will emerge as Deputy Senate President.”
99 senators’ll elect me Senate President on Tuesday – Lawan
Meanwhile, preferred candidate of APC for the position of Senate President in the 9th National Assembly, Mr Ahmad Lawan, said he had the endorsement of 99 senators-elect who would vote for him on Tuesday.
Lawan stated this on Saturday in Abuja where names of APC senators, who had endorsed him, were read out.
The implication of Lawan’s claims is that only seven senators-elect across the parties that have representatives in the 9th National Assembly might not vote for him. The endorsement list contained names of 60 APC senators-elect and one member of the Young Progressives Party, Mr Ifeanyi Ubah.
Lawan explained, after the list was read by secretary of his campaign organisation, Mr Barau Jibrin, that only two out of the 62 APC senators-elect had yet to endorse him. He also said about 38 out of the PDP senators-elect had promised to vote for him on June 11.
Lawan said he would not make public list of PDP Senators-elect who had signed up the endorsement list with him for obvious reasons.
He said, “For my colleagues in APC, this is the first time that members of the National Assembly, whether in the House of Representatives or in the Senate of a particular party, would come together in this unanimous way to endorse a candidate for the office of a Presiding Officer.
“APC, as of today, stands at 62 senators-elect and the PDP 44 members. “We have two cases undetermined in Imo State. But one was almost determined yesterday (Friday); that of senator-elect, Rochas Okorocha, when the court said INEC should give him his return certificate.
“That will take the number of APC senators-elect to 63; and of course, YPP, one. “Out of the 62 with returned certificates in APC, 60 have signed here. But you know, we will love to have the 62 signed.
“We are not prepared to fight each other. We will do everything possible to bring everybody on board because we don’t want distraction.”
He maintained that he was not imposed on the parliament. Lawan said, “The trouble we have gone through tells a story. We are not an imposition because everybody here wrote their name and signed.”
I don’t believe in endorsement, I’m concerned about votes–Ndume
But an aspirant to the position of Senate President, Mr Ali Ndume, has said he does not believe in endorsement. Ndume, who was reacting to claims by his co-contestant, Lawan, that 99 senators-elect had endorsed him, told journalists on Saturday that his colleagues would vote according to their conscience on Tuesday.
He said, “Well, I have said before that I am not looking for endorsement but looking for votes on election day.
“You know clearly that there is a difference between endorsement and election.
“Recall too that in 2015 that the story of endorsement was canvassed.
“He (Lawan) had the endorsement but what happened on the floor of the Senate was different.
“I believe that my colleagues shall vote according to their conscience and they shall vote for a candidate that is more suitable for the position of Senate President.
“I am not bothered about endorsement; rather am more worried about the election.”
Gbajabiamila offers 60 PDP Reps committee chairmanship, deputy slots
Meanwhile, as part of his strategy to clinch the Speaker’s seat, Majority Leader of House of Representatives, Mr Femi Gbajabiamila, has offered 60 PDP’s members-elect positions of chairmen and deputy chairmen of committees to vote for on Tuesday.
Director-General of Femi Gbajabiamila/Ahmed Wase Campaign Organisation, Mr Abdulmumin Jibrin, disclosed this in an interview with journalists in Abuja on Saturday.
Jibrin said the 60 PDP members had accepted the offer and had started working with their colleagues in the ruling All Progressives Congress to ensure that Gbajabiamila, who is the preferred candidate of APC, emerges victorious.
He said, “Before Femi’s endorsement by the party, the President, governors, the majority of us the lawmakers had agreed that he is the Speaker that we want. It was after that decision that other endorsements came.
“As it is today, he has a massive support across party lines. In 2015, APC was just only guarding its votes because we believed then that we had the number to win the election.
“But this time round, APC is more comfortable because we have more numbers with our 223. In spite of that, our campaign is more aggressive towards poaching PDP members than the aggression of PDP members trying to poach our members.
“But as a safety net, we already have over 60 members of PDP working with us. There is nothing you can do to change the minds of these PDP members because their support is based on their conviction that Gbajabiamila and Wase are the best to occupy those position at this time.
“On the aspect of responsibility in the parliament, we are always reluctant mentioning this but it is the reality, sharing of committees and the rest. We have offered 60 positions.
“If not that the party has been broken into two factions, it is what we would have offered to all of them, but since we have concluded with one faction, we have given them that offer and they have accepted it.”
Jibrin also boasted that the camp was not bothered about the voting method to be adopted for the election, whether open or secret ballot.
PDP decides preferred candidate Monday
Also, leadership of PDP will on Monday decide on who to endorse among those aspiring to be Senate President and Speaker of House of Representatives, PDP Deputy National Publicity Secretary, Mr. Diran Odeyemi, has said.
Odeyemi stated that the party leadership wanted to make the endorsement a last-minute affair.
He said, “They want to take the decision on Monday. They want (to make) it a last-minute affair but the horse trading and underground work are ongoing.”
Odeyemi, however, added that the possibility of PDP presenting candidates for offices of the Senate President and the Speaker of the House of Representatives should not be ruled out.
He said, “On whether we are likely to present a candidate, it depends on the situation of things generally. Anything can happen, anything can crop up. You do not rule out anything.
“In politics, 24 hours is still a long time. When Saraki became Senate President, was Nigeria expecting it that he would win the election or that he would become Senate President? No! Anything can happen, it depends on the strategy. We are keeping our strategy close to our chest. So we cannot say yes or no that PDP will be presenting candidates.”
He also denied any division among PDP senators, adding that the party had not decided who to endorse.
S’South APC backs Omo-Agege for deputy senate president
In the meantime, South-South zone of APC, on Saturday, said it had resolved to support the aspiration of Omo-Agege as Deputy Senate President in the 9th Assembly.
The party’s Zonal Working Committee in a statement by its National Vice-Chairman (South-South), Mr Hilliard Eta, and Zonal Secretary, Mr David Okumagba, said they took the decision after deliberating on the senators-elect from the zone that had shown an interest in vying for the position. The statement noted that after deliberating on the candidacy of Messers Francis Alimikhena from Edo State and Omo-Agege from Delta State, it settled for the latter because National Chairman of the party, Mr Adams Oshiomhole, is from Edo State.
Punch
Kano State Governor Abdullahi Ganduje and Emir of Kano, Mr Muhammadu Sanusi II, held a peace meeting in Abuja on Friday, indicating that reconciliation between the duo was in sight.
The pair have endured a frosty relationship since Ganduje won the governorship election in the state under controversial circumstances.
The former Central Bank Governor allegedly supported candidate of Peoples Democratic Party, Mr Abba Yusuf, for the poll in a bid to deny Ganduje a second term.
The governor then moved ahead to carve up the age-long Kano Emirate, creating four new emirates – Bichi, Gaya, Karaye and Rano – apparently to reduce Sanusi’s influence.
Last week, Kano State Public Complaints and Anti-Corruption Commission recommended suspension of the emir over alleged misappropriation of N3.4bn by Kano Emirate Council.
But a statement by Chief Press Secretary to Governor, Mr Abba Anwar, said a meeting to resolve the war between Ganduje and Sanusi was initiated by Kano-born businessman, Mr Aliko Dangote, and Chairman of Nigeria Governors’ Forum, Mr Kayode Fayemi.
According to the statement, President Muhammadu Buhari has nothing to do with the meeting. Anwar said, “As the two leaders met, they congratulated each other for the successful completion of the Ramadan fast and the Eid-el-fitr celebration.
“Sanusi seized the opportunity to congratulate Governor Ganduje on the victory in his second term in office. He also wished the governor successful tenure in office.”
Sanusi also, on Saturday, replied the query issued to him by the Kano State Government on the allegedly mismanaged N3.4bn in the emirate council. Acting Secretary of Kano Emirate Council, Mr Abba Yusuf, said Sanusi could not be held responsible for the alleged funds’ misappropriation since he was neither the accounting officer nor the council’s secretary.
Also, Yusuf said as of the time Sanusi was installed as emir in 2014, the council had only N1,893,378,927.38, an amount far less than the N3.4bn Kano State anti-graft commission said was mismanaged between 2014 and 2017.
Punch
A suspected kidnapper, Mr Sani Haruna, aka Gayu, arrested by Inspector General of Police special team has confessed that he had lost count of the number of people he killed for failing to pay ransom.
In an interview with our correspondent at one of the safe locations in Abuja where he is being held, the 20-year-old father of two said he did not take part in kidnapping, adding that he was in charge of the security of kidnapped victims.
He said he was the one detailed to kill any of the victims unable to pay a ransom as demanded by his boss.
He said since he was in charge of securing the victims and killing them if they failed to pay ransom. He was trained by his boss on how to handle weapons, especially AK 47 which he described as the choice weapon of kidnappers.
Katsina, Zamfara, and Kaduna-Abuja highway axis
Haruna, however, begged Federal Government to give him a second chance to join forces with the police to fish out other kidnappers operating in Katsina, Zamfara, and Kaduna-Abuja highway axis of the country.
“My name is Sani Haruna. I am the guard for kidnapped persons where they were kept in the bush in Katsina State. I have been doing that for one year. Before joining this, I was a herdsman. It was from herding cows that I was invited to be guarding kidnapped victims by one of the commanders.”
He said he was recruited into the kidnap ring when he approached one of the commanders to inform him that he was looking for a job after losing his cows to rustlers.
Haruna added that he was trained to handle guns, noting that he was given a military camouflage uniform in his new role as a guard.
I’ve lost count
Asked how many people he killed in the last one year while working as a kidnapper, Haruna said: “In God’s name, I have lost count because I don’t keep a record of the people I kill but I know they are many”.
He, however, said on the day he was arrested, he had already killed three people within the interval of three days. Asked why he killed them, he said his superiors told him that if the kidnap victims were not killed, they would kill him.
“Even when I didn’t want to kill them, I was always afraid because it could amount to disobeying the directive of my boss. I might even be killed,” he said.
He added that amongst the kidnappers, there was a sheik in charge of preparing corpses for burial according to Islamic rites.
“The mallam will prepare them according to Islamic rites, pray for their souls and we will bury them properly,” he said.
He said though he was married with a child, his wife was not aware of his criminal activities because he never disclosed them to her. The suspect said the military uniform he wore and the arms he carried were provided by his bosses.
Join hands with the police
He said he knew what he was doing was bad but he was afraid of leaving them because he would have been killed.
Asked what his appeal to government and the police was, he said if he regained freedom, he would join hands with the police to fish out other kidnappers since he knew their modus operandi and where they are based. It would be recalled that Haruna was earlier paraded on June 3, 2019, by the police as one of those arrested by Police Special Tactical Team (STS) led by Deputy Commissioner of Police, Mr Kolo and IGP’s Intelligence Response Team (IRT) commanded by Mr Abba Kyari.
The arrests were in pursuant to Operation Puff Adder launched to hunt kidnappers, bandits, cattle rustlers, and armed robbers.
During the parade, some of the suspects were alleged to have smuggled thousands of rifles and ammunition into Nigeria from Libya and Burkina Faso through Benin Republic and Niger Republic.
6,000 Rounds of Ak47 ammunition and several Ak47 rifles and pistols were recovered.
The suspects confessed to importing and selling rifles and ammunition to kidnappers, armed robbers and other criminals in Nigeria.
Vanguard
The Emir of Kano, Alhaji Muhammadu Sanusi II, has replied to a query issued him by Governor Abdullahi Ganduje of Kano State over alleged misappropriation of N3.4 billion.
The one-page reply with reference number KEC/CF/FIN/1/162, dated June 7, 2019, was signed by the Acting Secretary to the Kano Emirate Council, Alhaji Abba Yusuf.
The letter titled “Re-Report of the Kano State Public Complaints and Anti–Corruption Commission”, was addressed to the Secretary to the State Government (SSG).
According to the letter, at the time Muhammadu Sanusi was installed as the Emir of Kano, the exact amount in the accounts of the Emirate Council was N1,893,927.38:00k only.
The letter, however, explained that the Emir was not the Accounting Officer of the council but rather the Secretary of the Emirate Council.
The letter, therefore, appreciated the opportunity granted to the Emir to clear the air over the allegations as attached to the query.
The Kano State Government had on Thursday (June 6) queried the first class traditional ruler over alleged misappropriation of N3.4 billion by the Emirate Council under his (Sanusi’s) leadership.
The Emir was given 48 hours within which to reply to the query to enable the state government to take appropriate action.
The development caused anxiety and tension in the state.
However, an indigene of the state and business mogul, Aliko Dangote and Governor Kayode Fayemi of Ekiti State, on Saturday, brokered peace between the two feuding parties to restore normalcy in Kano State.
Policemen and operatives of the Department of State Services (DSS) are currently laying siege to the head office of DAAR Communications in Asokoro, Abuja.
Tony Akiotu, group managing director of DAAR Communications, disclosed this in a message sent to TheCable on Saturday morning.
Akiotu said heavily armed security operatives gathered around the station premises at 12:30am on Saturday.
The development comes less than 12 hours after AIT and Raypower FM went back on air following a court order.
The National Broadcasting Commission (NBC) had shut the stations on Thursday over what it described as breach of its rules.
But on Friday, Inyang Ekwo, judge of a federal high court in Abuja, ordered reopening of the stations. He also summoned NBC and the ministry of information and explain why the motion challenging the commission should not be granted.
DAAR Communications had filed an ex parte motion before the NBC suspended its operations.
Akiotu said the stations resumed operations in line with the directive of the court. “As at 12.30am this morning, the premises of DAAR Communications Plc is surrounded by security operatives of the Nigeria Police Force and the DSS,” he said in a message sent to TheCable.
“The motive for the siege is not clear at the moment.
They are heavily fortified and carrying out surveillance on the premises. The motive for the unusual surveillance is not clear.
DAAR COMMUNICATIONS PLC returned to the airwaves following an exparte motion granted by the Federal high court in Abuja.
“The station is still transmitting signals on its National and global beam. The management of DAAR Communications Plc wishes to alert Nigerians to this unwarranted threat to its operations by operatives of the State Security services.”
DSS operatives had first stormed the head office of DAAR Communications on Thursday night to effect the shutdown.
When TheCable visited the DAAR Communications premises on Friday morning, some workers said the security operatives blocked access to most of the offices on Thursday.
“They came in the night and some of the workers who were on night duty could not work. It was during that period that the transmission was shut down”, an AIT broadcaster, who preferred anonymity, told TheCable.
Another member of the staff told TheCable that most of her colleagues were left with no choice than to stay back at home because of the shutdown.
“This is against press freedom and can happen only in Nigeria. We all must condemn it,” she had said.
Before the clampdown, Raymond Dokpesi, founder of DAAR Communications and a chieftain of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), had raised the alarm that there were plans to shut the stations.
The Cable
Governors of the 36 states of the federation are yet to decide on state and local government police because the financial muscle of each state differs.
This is even as they have resolved to decide on quick ways to address the various security challenges across the country at the next National Economic Council (NEC).
Chairman of Nigerian Governors Forum (NGF) and Ekiti State Governor, Mr Kayode Fayemi disclosed this to State House Correspondents after an expanded security council meeting presided over by President Muhammadu Buhari.
Mr Buhari had during the submission of the report of the Presidential Panel on the Reform of Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS) headed by Mr Tony Ojukwu, Executive Secretary, National Human Rights Commission (NHRC), approved a three-man panel to work out modalities for the implementation of the report within three months.
The panel’s recommendations include: “Significant improvement in the funding, kitting and facilities of Nigeria Police Force; Strengthening Information and Communication Technology of the Force; Establishment of State and local government Police; and Institutionalizing a Special Investigation Panel to annually hear and determine complaints on alleged human rights violations against operations of Nigeria Police Force.”
Others are “Strengthening the Police Rapid Response Complaints Unit of the Nigeria Police and other internal complaints mechanisms of the Force to make them more responsive; Renaming the Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS) to Anti-Robbery Section (ARS) which was its original name and to make the section operate under the intelligence arm of the Police from the divisional, area command, state command, zonal command up to the Force Headquarters level.
This will also remove the stigma presently associated with the name SARS; and Ensuring the ARS limits itself to tackling armed robbery while other intelligence and operational units are strengthened to perform their various special tasks.”
According to Fayemi, who briefed journalists alongside his colleagues from Ebonyi, Messers David Umahi; Kebbi, Atiku Bagudu; Delta, Ifeanyi Okowa; Ondo, Rotimi Akeredolu; Plateau, Simon Lalong and Borno, Babagana Zulum, said while some state governors had disclosed their ability to support state and local government police, others are still battling with the challenge of paying existing workers salaries.
He said: “On whether state governors should be involved in state policing, the position of NGF on that is that we have not taken position because experiences vary. There are governors and states where their experience does not necessarily lend itself to more evolved policing to the states".
"There are also states where there are agitations for it, there are governors who have the views that that will work better in such states. And of course there are the economic issues relating to that. So we have the capacity at the state level to fund state policing, those are all issues that will come in play when we get to the national economic council meeting that has been called. Particularly because there is a committee that is looking into it after the submission of the report on SARS. So, we will take all of these together.”
NGF Chairman said they briefed the President on the security situations in their domains and assured him that they are ready to join forces with him to end the security challenges in the country.
He said: “the meeting was at our instance as governors of the 36 states collectively. It has to do with the security situation in the country, our concerns about what’s going on all across the nation.
“We had a very fruitful meeting with Mr. President. Of course he was not oblivious of the challenges, he gets security reports on a daily basis, he understands what the issues are. But we felt as chief security officers in our respective states, it is also important for us to at least keep him abreast of the enormity or the challenges we are facing and also highlight concerns of our citizens across board about rural banditry, farmers/herders clashes, kidnapping, militancy in the Delta, insurgency, cultism.
“So we discussed extensively all of these issues and looked at the various ways that we felt as governors we could assist Mr. President as commander in chief to curb these issues. Of course we were able to in the first instance look at the nexus between our economic challenges and the insecurity challenges as well. And the importance of tackling the causes of crime, not just crime on its own.
“We also looked at the criminal justice system that appears to give some room for impunity. For instance, when people commit crimes and they are not punished effectively in accordance with the statutes, it then creates an opportunity for replicating such crimes.
“And of course Mr. President was also equally concerned about that. He made it clear to us that we all knew that he campaigned on the basis of security, economy and accountability and these things are still the most germane issues on his agenda. And that he will also work with us to address questions of intelligence, of broadening community policing, of ensuring inter-service coordination among the various security agencies, of strengthening the criminal justice system, of working with our states innovatively on mechanism for addressing these issues. Be it security trust fund that brings the public and the private players together in other to fund security and increase resources available to security institutions.
“Already, all of us are involved in funding. There is no governor that is not buying security vehicles, ammunition for police, giving allowances to our security agencies, be they SSS, or police, or in some cases the military, where the military is involved. We are already involved. It is just to ensure that we have a better and much more coordinated mechanism for addressing this.
“In conclusion, we agreed that these issues will be much more comprehensively dealt with at a special meeting of National Economic Council of which governors are members, presided over by Vice President, in order to terse out specifically quick wins and quick responses that can reassure and build the level of confidence of our citizens. Because, even in areas where significant progress has been made, for example in the north east, we were clearly informed by governor of Borno, who spoke for the north east that even when you resolve issues militarily, the stabilization of activities that must continue is critical to eventual resolutions of these challenges. Rehabilitation, resettlement and all those elements of stabilization activities must be brought to bear in order for us to have sustained peace over a long time.
“The president expressed his concerns, we thanked the president for what has been done so far. And in our states we have received multiple support be it bailout funds to address salaries challenges, if that has not been dealt with the situation would probably have been worse. Support in terms of national food security committee, support on flooding, support in the north east for insurgency and related activities. But these problems are proliferating and we need to nip them in the bud as fields commanders of Mr. President if you like in our various states.”
On the $1 billion earlier taken from the excess crude account, Fayemi said that it must have been spent on addressing security challenges by the security agencies.
Sun
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Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has withdrawn from N25 billion fraud filed against Mr Danjuma Goje, former governor of state.
The case, which has been on for close to eight years, has been handed over to the office of Attorney-General of the federation.
Mr Babatunde Quadiri of federal high court II, Jos, is the judge handling the case.
When the case came up for an emergency hearing before Quadiri, EFCC counsel, Mr Wahab Shittu, told the court that the agency was withdrawing from the case and handing it over the office of the attorney-general for continuation.
“My Lord, this case was earlier adjourned for June 20 for the continuation of hearing, but then we are here today on the latest development on the matter,” he said.
“We as EFCC counsels are withdrawing from the matter and handing it over to the office of Attorney-General for continuation with the prosecution.
“As you can see in court today is a state counsel from the AGF’s office to formally take over this case from us.”
Responding, Mr Paul Erokoro, Goje’s counsel, did not object to EFCC withdrawal and handing over of the case to the Attorney-General.
“My Lord, we do not object to the anti-graft agency’s withdrawal and handing over the prosecution to the AG’s office,” Erokoro said.
Mr Pius Asika, counsel from the office of the Attorney-General, announced his appearance for the case.
Asika then applied for an adjournment to enable him prepare for the case proper “having come into the matter today (Friday)”.
Quadiri adjourned the case till June 21, 2019 for continuation of hearing.
The Cable
Closure of AIT, Raypower shocking, says NGE
Nigeria Guild of Editors, NGE, described the closure as shocking and unbelievable.
President of the guild, Mrs Funke Egbemode, said the action of NBC and Federal Government was unbelievable.
“This action is unbelievable. Why would government do this in a democracy? This action is unacceptable and will not stand,” she said.
In its reaction, Ohaneze Ndigbo said the action portends danger for the survival of democracy in the country.
Its President, Mr John Nwodo, said, “This portends danger for the survival of democratic rule in Nigeria. I’m sure that the courts will be alive to defend democracy. This action portends danger for freedom of speech in Nigeria.”
Peoples Democratic Party, said the action was an indication that dictatorship had returned to the country.
It said that President Muhammadu Buhari was behaving like a king, adding that he had forgotten that he was no longer a military ruler. National Chairman of PDP, Mr Uche Secondus, said Nigerians must rise up and defend democratic rule.
He said, “This action of the government is most undesirable and unfortunate. It is an indication of what to come as the government must be planning to arrest Nigerians indiscriminately.
“It is also an indication that the government has returned the country to military rule. Mr Buhari must know that he is not the king of the country. Rather, he should know that we are in a democracy.
“We are not in a jungle. He should know that there was a country before he assumed office and there will still be a country after he must have left. He should build, instead of destroying.”
We give FG 24 hours - NUJ
President of Nigeria Union of Journalists, Mr Christopher Isiguzo, said the shutdown would be resisted by journalists in the country.
He said, “This simply signposts the return to the dark days. NUJ will not accept any attempt by anybody, no matter how highly or lowly placed, to arm-twist or gag the media from freely expressing itself.”
Iziguso said, “If within 24 hours the decision is not rescinded, NUJ might be forced to act.
Also, the presidential candidate of PDP, Mr Atiku Abubakar; a chieftain of the party, Mr Femi Fani-Kayode; and Mr Shehu Sani faulted the suspension.
Atiku said, “The legislature has been challenged. The judiciary has been tackled. If we stand by as the press loses its independence, there will be little to differentiate us from a dictatorship. This should not happen.”
Fani-Kayode, on his part, warned that the worst was yet to come under the present administration.
Sani said, “The suspension of @AIT_Online is an utterly condemnable act.”
Earlier, founder of DAAR Communications Plc, Mr Raymond Dokpesi, alleged that its subsidiaries, Africa Independent Television and Raypower FM, were being persecuted by NBC on instructions from the Presidency.
The DAAR chairman lamented the imposition of N500m in licensing fees on private broadcasting organisations while government-owned broadcast stations paid N10m.
Punch
Governors of the 36 states of the federation will Friday (today) in Abuja meet with President Muhammadu Buhari to consider steps to tackle the worsening insecurity in the country.
Criminals have dominated the nation’s landscape in recent times, engaging in banditry, kidnappings and cattle rustling, even as herdsmen have run riot across the country, maiming and killing farmers.
The new wave of crime has aggravated the nation’s security already convulsed by Boko Haram insurgency.
Today’s meeting, with the president presiding, will also discuss debts inherited by the governors, which they claimed would make governance difficult in their respective states.
Data from Debt Management Office put sub-national debts at N5.376 trillion, as at December 2018, with Lagos’ over N1 trillion debt stocks topping the list.
The meeting followed a resolution of the governors during their first meeting after the election of Ekiti State Governor, Mr Kayode Fayemi, as chairman of Nigerian Governors’ Forum (NGF).
According to one of the governors, “This meeting is our first meeting with the President and Commander-in-Chief since our inauguration on May 29. It is basically on the worrisome state of insecurity in the country. He is the Commander-in-Chief. We are expected to present our findings on the state of insecurity in our respective states. The state of kidnapping and all sorts of violence is becoming worrisome.
“Also, most of us met several degrees of empty treasury when we assumed office on May 29. We met huge debts and backlog of unpaid salaries. Some of us may be asking for some sort of financial bailout from the federal government to enable states ensure good governance.”
However, the 15 governors elected on the platform of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) were expected to hold a pre-general meeting to harmonise their positions ahead of the gathering with the president today.
A statement by the Coordinator, PDP Governors’ Forum, Mr Osaro Onaiwu, said PDP governors would be hosted by Bayelsa State Governor, Mr Seriake Dickson, who doubles as chairman of PDP Governors’ Forum, at the state Governor’s Lodge in Abuja.
Apart from adopting a common ground on their meeting with Buhari, PDP governors would also discuss the party’s position on the forthcoming June 11 election of principal officers of the Ninth National Assembly.
PDP governors’ intervention might not be unconnected with the divided positions of PDP National Assembly members-elect.
It was gathered that for divergent reasons, the party’s federal lawmakers-elect might not ensure a block vote for the party’s choice of presiding officers. PDP National Assembly caucus is expected to meet Friday night to harmonise their positions for the voting on Tuesday.
Thisday
Some natives of Federal Capital Territory (FCT) have condemned a statement credited to President Muhammadu Buhari describing them as ‘necessary evil.’
The natives, under the auspices of Abuja Original Inhabitants Youth Empowerment Organisation (AOIYEO), in a statement by its president, Mr Isaac David, described the statement as hate speech.
Media reports had quoted the president as telling Mr Philip Aduda, senator representing FCT, who was part of an FCT delegation who paid him Sallah homage at Presidential Villa on Tuesday, that, “I have all the results of all constituencies. I am not threatening FCT because to make FCT secure is to make myself secure and the vice-president. I think they know that they are necessary evil that was why they decided to vote for PDP.”
David said the people took exception to the statement, adding that though the president said he was for nobody, “we believe he is for us as our governor and should direct our affairs with that unbiased mindset.”
He said the president lost the election in FCT due to several factors including complacency by All Progressives Congress (APC) in the territory.
He recalled that the natives also queried the fact that in 2015 Mr Buhari promised to appoint one of their own as minister of FCT, but did not, adding that he left no one to monitor the elections on his behalf.
“The president travelled to Katsina State to vote, Vice President travelled to Lagos State to vote and FCT Minister travelled to Adamawa State to vote, leaving the indigenes who constitutionally they represent as governor, deputy governor and acting governor in limbo and therefore amenable to influence by extraneous forces beyond their control.
“This is the more reason why the president should appoint Minister of FCT from the indigenes, somebody who speaks their language and knows them as is the case with governors in the 36 states,” he said.
Daily Trust