Headline

Mass Killings Making Nigeria ‘Irrelevant’, Buhari Blasts

Published

5 years ago

October 30, 2018

Eric

President Muhammadu Buhari on Tuesday said his government will take “strongest measures” possible to punish perpetrators of the latest killings in Kaduna state.

During a visit to the state, Mr Buhari expressed sadness at the loss of lives and property in Kasuwan Magani and the unrest around Kaduna metropolis, demanding an end to wanton killings.

More than 55 people have been killed in the state in the last one week in ethno-religious violence.

‘‘If in the past, they got away scot-free, we shall now hold everyone to account for these latest killings,’’ Mr Buhari said during at a meeting with senior government officials, security chiefs, traditional rulers, religious, political and community leaders at the Musa Yar’Adua Sports Complex.

‘‘It is unacceptable that criminal elements can visit on citizens the wanton killings recorded in the Kasuwan Magani incident of 18th October 2018 and the unrest around Kaduna metropolis a few days later. This must stop,’’ he said.

Mr Buhari has been criticised for his handling of recurring conflicts that have claimed thousands of lives across the country in the last three years.

Perpetrators of such attacks are hardly punished amidst rising levels of violence.

On Tuesday, Mr. Buhari said he will be firmer.

‘‘The Nigerian police are in the frontline of securing communities. For the judiciary, unless the investigations are credible and rapidly done, there is nothing they can do. From now on the Nigeria Police, you better watch it, I am going to watch you closely,’’ he said.

He appealed to community leaders to be closer to their people and not to shield those who are planning to wreak havoc on the community from law enforcement agencies.

Commiserating with the government and people of Kaduna State, and families who lost loved ones in the attacks, the president paid tribute to the late Agom Adara, Maiwada Galadima, eulogising the traditional ruler of Adara chiefdom for serving his community and Kaduna state with dedication.

Mr Galadima was killed by kidnappers last Friday after they abducted him.

Mr Buhari appealed to all who call Kaduna home to do their best to uphold peace in their respective communities, warning that chaos does not help.

‘‘Violence shatters and divides people and stifles the prospect of any community that succumbs to its tragic logic,” he said.

‘‘The Federal Government commends the efforts of the Kaduna State Government in responding to and managing the crisis. More Federal Security assets are being provided at the request of the Kaduna State Government to help uphold and keep the peace.

‘‘The Federal Government will continue to work to ensure that more security assets are recruited and deployed across the country to protect all citizens going about their lawful business and to reinforce the authority of the government,’’ he said.

President Buhari also welcomed the decision of the Kaduna State Government and its local governments to build and provide facilities for the take-off of more police divisions and civil defence offices in the state.

‘‘On their part, citizens also have a duty to be law-abiding in their conduct and within their communities. There is a need to avoid violence as a tool of negotiation or obtaining advantage, and learn to listen to each other and commit to resolving differences through peaceful means.

‘‘Kaduna, once the home of the Premier and home of the New Nigerian must not earn itself a new name – home of violence. The Federal Security Agencies will hunt and prosecute all those who sponsored these acts of violence,’’ he said.

Mr Buhari said his administration would continue to do its best to develop human capital and address poverty and inequality in all parts of the country.

‘‘Providing decent education and health are my priority goals. I am delighted with the successful collaboration between federal institutions like the Bank of Industry and the Kaduna State Government to provide vocational and entrepreneurship skills, and low-interest credit to expand economic opportunities,’’ he said.

Mr Buhari said mass killings in Nigeria had become of less significance to the rest of the world, because they seemed to be too rampant.

He cited the killing of Saudi journalist, Jamal Khashoggi, inside the Saudi consulate in Istanbul, Turkey, and how the tragedy drew the attention of the global community, whereas dozens died in Nigeria and nobody seemed to care.

‘‘I observed that more than 75 people were killed in Kaduna alone and I haven’t seen anything about it,” he said.

‘‘It means we are pushing ourselves as a nation and a people towards irrelevance, seen by the world itself,’’ he said.

Headline

Breaking: Wike Plans to Attend Thursday’s PDP NEC Meeting

Published

2 days ago

April 17, 2024

Eric

By Eric Elezuo

The immediate past Governor of Rivers State, and Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Mr Nyesom Wike, may have concluded plans to attend the much advertised National Executive Council (NEC) meeting of the main opposition party, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), billed to hold on Thursday, in Abuja.

Impeccable source, who is in the know, told The Boss that the minister, whose membership of the PDP is yet to be revoked even as he frolicks with the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), and serving in the President Bola Tinubu government as a minister.

The Source told The Boss that Wike’s impending presence at the NECeeting on Thursday is not unconnected with plans, already hatched with some governors, to weaken the opposition PDP.

“Yes, we have on good authority that FCT minister, Wike is planning to attend the NEC meeting tomorrow all in a bid to weaken the fabrics of the PDP, and pave the way for the continuation of the Tinubu administration come 2027, and by extension, relapse Nigeria to a full blown one party state.

“From every indication, Wike and his co-travellers, are bent on unleashing the same crisis ravaging the third force, Labour Party, and Senator Rabiu Kwankwaso’s Nigerian National People’s Party (NNPP) on the PDP for the APC to remain the only political party in the country, and ensure that Tinubu has no challenger, come 2027,” the Source said.

It would be recalled that Wike has boasted over and again that there’s no opposition against Tinubu’s re-emergence in 2027, and that they have made sure of that. He has been compensated with the Ministerial job after he withdrew support for his party, and supported the APC and Tinubu to emerge as national government.

The Source further revealed that in the attempt to actualize the intended one party state, a lot of funding is ongoing to ensure that concerned stakeholders are ‘settled’ handsomely.

Wike, prior, during and after the 2023 general elections, has been floating in between the two major political parties; the APC and the PDP. While he claim to still be a member of the PDP, he is functioning as a minister in an APC government, mocking the inability of his party to discipline him.

Political stakeholders have concluded that the outcome of Thursday’s PDP NEC meeting will determine the path Nigeria’s political trajectory will take, and that it may portend the end of multi-party system and political democracy if Wike succeeds in his plan.

Headline

Bribery, Corruption: APC Suspends National Chairman, Ganduje

Published

5 days ago

April 15, 2024

Eric

The All Progressives Congress ward in Ganduje, Dawakin Tofa Local Government Area, has suspended the party’s National Chairman, Dr. Abdullahi Ganduje.

The party ward legal adviser, Halliru Gwanzo, announced the suspension while addressing newsmen in Kano State on Monday.

Gwanzo cited allegations of bribery against Ganduje levelled by the Kano State Government as the reason for the suspension.

“We decided to suspend Dr. Abdullahi Ganduje from the party due to the seriousness of the allegations against him,” Gwanzo said.

Meanwhile, efforts to contact the Chief Press Secretary to the APC National Chairman, Mr Edwin Olufo, failed as his mobile phone was unreachable.

Headline

Akpabio Commits to Collaboration with Tinubu, Governor Umo Eno

Published

1 week ago

April 12, 2024

Admin

The President of the Senate, Godswill Akpabio, has stated his commitment to working closely with Nigeria’s President, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, and Governor Umo Eno to ensure the delivery of democratic benefits to the people of Akwa Ibom State.

Akpabio stated this in his country home, Ukana, Essien Udim Local Government Area of Akwa Ibom, while briefing his constituents on the journey so far as their representative in the red chamber.

He assured the people of Akwa Ibom North West Senatorial District of his commitment to their welfare in appreciation of their total support for him, President Bola Tinubu and the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) in last year’s election.

The Highpoint of the constituency briefing was the distribution of over 10,000 bags of rice and other essentials for his constituents from the wards, to the local governments.

A statement by his Special Assistant on Media, Jackson Udom, quoted Akpabio as saying, “I am here once again, to thank you for standing by me, our President and the party, before, during and even after last year’s elections. I have come to say thank you and also bring Renewed Hope to you all.

“As the President is doing his own, the Senate President is also doing his bit and being complemented by the state governor, Akwa Ibom would be the better for it. We have finished elections and politics, we are now into governance. The governor of the state must touch you, because he is the governor of all the people in the state irrespective of political affiliation.

” As I am touching you now from the political angle, I will also touch the state without any political party affiliation. Most of the projects we are putting in place would be used by people resident in the state. Relax, things are getting better.”

The former Governor of the state, assured his constituents that his current position as the Senate President would be used for the development of the state in collaboration with the President and the Akwa Ibom State Governor.

Hear him: This Senate President is not the one that would be fighting the state government. I will collaborate with , I will collaborate with , to make the state better for us all. We cannot be out of government for a long time. You have to go to a government that carries you along”

Akpabio promised to work for his constituents and Nigeria with all his strength, noting that, “as the President of the Senate, I am for the Southern region and the entire country. I may not come here regularly to tell you what I have been doing for you, but you will be feeling the impact on way or the other. Our unemployed youths would be gainfully employed. I will construct a mini stadium in all the local governments in the district, for our youths to develop their sporting potentials. ”