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Opinion: Policemen Behaving Badly: The Cases of IGP Idris and Chairman Magu

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By Reno Omokri

By now you must have watched the embarrassing video of the Inspector General of Police, Ibrahim Kpotum Idris, giving a speech somewhere in Kano. If you have not watched it, then do yourself a favour and please watch it. You can thank me later. Or not.

The video is beyond embarrassing. I am not even sure that the word to describe that video has been coined by linguists. I am still searching. I may be wrong.

But truly you need to watch the video to understand the ineptitude of the Buhari administration which has led to the unprecedented nationwide insecurity in Nigeria.

How can a man who cannot express himself be expected to expressly implement Nigeria’s policing plan? How did IGP Idris rise to his exalted position? Where his promotion examinations administered in his native language? Too many questions are begging for answers. Too many.

Now, we know the real reason why the Inspector General of Police failed to honour the Nigerian Senate’s summons. The poor man did not want to expose his inability to read and understand the English language. We have a President who preferred to hire 13 SANs rather than just provide his WAEC Certificate, an Economic and Financial Crimes Commission Chairman who wears a Muhammadu Buhari re-election lapel pin, a minister of finance who cannot perform elementary mathematics and now an IGP who cannot read a speech in simple English. How did we get here? This government looks more like Humpty Dumpty and the King’s clowns!

First, R. Kelly released the hit single IGNITION. Not to be outdone, Nigeria’s Inspector General of Police, who is also a budding rapper, Ibrahim Kpotum Idris, released his own rap single titled TRANSMISSION. The song is so hot that iTunes and other streaming music platforms crashed the moment it was released. I also received word that the Transmission Company of Nigeria has appointed IGP Ibrahim Kpotum Idris as its Brand Ambassador. Congratulations sir!

How many times do you have to say the word transmission? Z$ 1 million to the first person who can tell us how many times Nigeria’s Inspector General of Police, Ibrahim Kpotum Idris used the word ‘TRANSMISSION’ while rapping (or reading) his now infamous Kano speech. Nigeria urgently needs to solve this national dilemma!

But on a serious note, the case of IGP Ibrahim Kpotum Idris is a good lesson on why a State Commissioner of Police should not be promoted over his more capable seniors and made Inspector General of Police. The man is obviously not qualified for the job. Every sensitive security position does not have to be held by a Northern Muslim. It is this type of nepotism that has brought Nigeria to this sorry level under Buhari!

And it was rather comical for the Presidency, through Abike Dabiri, to say that IGP Ibrahim Kpotum Idris’ ‘TRANSMISSION’ rap video was doctored. Well again, it is not impossible. Since that is what the Buhari administration is claiming, can they please produce the original video before it was ‘doctored’? Or have rats eaten the original tape?

I think that rather than being embarrassed by the IGP’s video, the Buhari government should be proud of producing such a talented appointee. People keep saying Buhari’s cabinet lacks talent. Well, they can point to Idris as a talented rapper and shut the critics up!

The Idris video should be a wake-up call for President Muhammadu Buhari. After the Inspector General disobeyed (allegedly) the President’s orders to relocate to Benue state to personally take responsibility of bringing the state of insecurity there to an end, one would have expected the President to at least sanction the police boss for his gross insubordination and incompetence.

If the incompetence of the IGP was not clear to President Buhari then, it must at least be glaring now. It is sad to see the level of decay and morass that the Nigerian Police Force has fallen under because of the President’s penchant for nepotistic appointments.

As it stands now, there is no salvific value in the top leadership of the Force and it is not just the IGP. On the morning of Tuesday May 15, 2018, Nigerians woke up to the strange sight of the acting Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, giving an interview on ‘Sunrise Daily’, a breakfast TV show on Channels Television, wearing a lapel pin promoting the re-election of President Muhammadu Buhari.

Not since the dark days of General Sani Abacha have Nigerians seen this type of disturbing behaviour. Nigerian Civil servants are mandated by law to be politically neutral in order that all civil servants can render unbiased and loyal service to any government that comes to power legitimately, irrespective of the political party that produced such a government.

Furthermore, in a resolution adopted by the United Nations General Assembly regarding the International Code of Conduct for Public Officials, for which Nigeria is a signatory and bound by, the UN stated in the 11th principle that: “the political or other activity of public officials outside the scope of their office shall, in accordance with laws and administrative policies, not be such as to impair public confidence in the impartial performance of their functions and duties”. That being the case, how can President Muhammadu Buhari, who swore on the Quran to abide by the Constitution of Nigeria which produced our civil service, stand idly by while his political appointee brazenly and with impunity goes against domestic and international laws as well as the principles of natural justice? ‪

Someone should remind Ibrahim Magu that it was the PDP that created the EFCC and not Muhammadu Buhari. And in the 16 years that the PDP governed Nigeria, not one of the chairmen of the EFCC appointed by PDP ever wore a lapel pin promoting the re-election of the PDP President who appointed him. If they had done so, would the EFCC have survived long enough for Magu to perpetrate his shameful aberration? Just a little food for thought for Magu and his god, Buhari.

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, is meant to be a neutral enforcer of Nigeria’s laws on economic and Financial Crimes, but when the head of the body brazenly shows his partiality, how can those laws be applied impartially? How can an open sympathizer of the All Progressive Congress be expected to conduct a fair and balance war on corruption? Perhaps now, Nigerians and the international community will believe me when I say that the EFCC under Buhari is nothing more than the armed wing of the APC. The agency has in effect been ‘transmission’ (apologies to the IGP) to the Gestapo of the Presidency. And the sad thing is that, with the evidence of decay so glaring all around him, President Buhari insists on insulting the intelligence of Nigerians by claiming that he has performed better than the Jonathan administration.

Nigeria was the world’s third fastest growing economy under Jonathan. We are not even in the top 100 today. Nigeria was 136 in Transparency International’s Corruption Perception Index under Jonathan. We are 148 today. Yet Buhari has the guts to say he performed better than Jonathan? Perhaps it is not only his IGP that has Transmission issues! Obviously the President has Transmission problem. He is unable to see reality and transmit it to his mind for appropriate interpretation. Reno’s Nuggets Your co-workers are your colleagues, not your friends. They are not at the office because they are looking for friends.

They are there because, like you, they are looking for money. If you confide things to them, they are likely to betray you if it means they benefit financially. So don’t be deceived by appearances. Note that cakes arrive in a square box. When you open the box, the cake inside is round. When it is served, the piece of cake is a triangle. That‘s how people are. They present themselves to you in a well packaged box, but when you open and deal with them, you see triangles #RenosNuggets

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Samsung’s CEO, Han Jong-Hee, Dies at 63

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The co-CEO of Samsung Electronics, Han Jong-Hee, has died of heart attack on Tuesday. He was aged 63.

A spokesperson for the South Korean tech giant confirmed this.

Han, who oversaw Samsung’s consumer electronics and mobile devices businesses became the Chief Executive Officer of South Korea’s biggest company in 2022.

He had joined the tech giant in 1988 after earning a bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering from Inha University. Before he started to run Samsung’s electronics and devices division, he was in charge of the display operations.

In a tribute to the deceased, Samsung said Han dedicated more than 37 years of his life to leading Samsung’s TV business to become a global leader.

The company said, Han as the head of its electronics and appliances businesses, contributed to its growth amid challenging business environment.

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HURIWA Tasks Fagbemi, Onanuga to Prove Fubara’s Alleged Link to Militants

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The Human Rights Writers Association (HURIWA) of Nigeria has criticised the Attorney General of the Federation (AGF), Lateef Fagbemi, and Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, for alleging that Rivers State Governor, Siminalayi Fubara, is connected to militant activities in the Niger Delta.

The group described the claims as baseless and lacking credible evidence.

In a statement issued on Monday in Abuja, HURIWA’s National Coordinator, Comrade Emmanuel Onwubiko, addressed remarks made by Fagbemi last week, accusing Fubara of “tele-guiding militants” to sabotage oil installations.

Onanuga, in a separate opinion piece, supported the Federal government’s declaration of a state of emergency in Rivers State, citing intelligence reports suggesting militant threats linked to the governor.

“These are serious allegations that can destabilise not only Rivers State but the entire Niger Delta, yet no concrete evidence has been made public to substantiate them,” Onwubiko said, faulting the officials’ reliance on unverified intelligence.

HURIWA highlighted Governor Fubara’s denial of the allegations in an official statement earlier on Monday, where he rejected any ties to militant groups and labeled viral videos alleging explosions on oil and gas facilities in Rivers State as “fake and malicious.”

The group praised Fubara’s call for security agencies to investigate the videos’ origins and prosecute those responsible.
“Governor Fubara’s insistence on peace and constitutional governance has been clear in all his public engagements. It is disheartening to see such character assassination being perpetuated from the highest levels of the federal government,” Onwubiko stated.

The association questioned why federal authorities have not presented tangible evidence if it exists, arguing, “As far as we are concerned, the dissemination of these unproven claims is not just unprofessional but a dangerous precedent in the democratic space.”

HURIWA also challenged Fagbemi and Onanuga to avoid “pettiness and rumour mongering,” urging them to base their statements on facts.

“It is disgraceful that at a time when Nigerians are yearning for stability and good governance, top officials of the federal government are busy engaging in baseless accusations, further tarnishing Nigeria’s image before the international community,” the statement added.

The group further criticized the state of emergency in Rivers State as “unconstitutional, unnecessary, and politically motivated,” asserting that no evidence of war or a breakdown of law and order, as required by Section 305 of the 1999 Constitution, has been shown. “The AGF and other federal agents must be reminded that the Supreme Court judgment, which is now being used to justify executive overreach in Rivers State, does not license rumour-based governance,” HURIWA noted.

HURIWA urged Fubara to pursue legal action against those making the claims, stating, “even if the judiciary is seen by some as compromised, it is essential to set the record straight by taking advantage of available legal avenues.”

The association called on security agencies to launch a transparent forensic investigation into the allegations and incidents in Ogoniland and other parts of Rivers State, insisting it must remain free of political interference. “The dangerous game of labeling peaceful citizens as militants without evidence is not only reckless but risks plunging Rivers State into avoidable chaos. Nigeria’s democracy deserves better,” the group concluded.

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Dangote Cement Achieves Higher CDP Ratings for Climate Change & Water Security

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Dangote Cement Plc (DCP) has achieved a ‘B’ score in climate change and water security disclosures according to the recently released 2024 CDP results.

CDP (formerly Carbon Disclosure Project) is the world’s largest, most comprehensive dataset on environmental action which empowers investors, companies, cities, and national and regional governments to make earth-positive decisions. Dangote Cement has disclosed its environmental practices annually through the CDP since 2018.

CDP provides a voluntary framework for companies to report on Climate, Water Security, and Forests. It rigorously evaluates corporate environmental performance, assigning scores from A to D based on companies’ transparency, governance, and measurable actions towards sustainability.

Following the release of company scores in February, Dangote Cement’s score on water security which was C was upgraded to B. Similarly, the company’s commitment to supporting a climate resilient future was also demonstrated in its climate change score of B in 2024.

Managing Director/Chief Executive, Dangote Cement, Mr. Arvind Pathak speaking on the new rating said, ‘Dangote Cement leads in Africa as one of few businesses in six states and regions of Africa to disclose through CDP.’ He further stated that ‘the 2024 score is an outcome of ongoing efforts to reduce our carbon footprint, accelerate climate action and promote sustainability across our business and its value chain’.

The Head, Sustainability, Dangote Cement, Dr. Igazeuma Okoroba in her remarks expressed gratitude to all stakeholders who aligned with the Group’s Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) strategy overseen by the company’s Board which supported the achievement of an improved rating this year. She stated that ‘this year’s results are evidence that our contribution to create a world where people, planet and profit are truly balanced is paying off.’

Affirming the company’s commitment to decarbonisation, Dr Igazeuma stated that ‘Although this year’s score demonstrates our transparency on sustainability, DCP’s goal is to go beyond disclosure and take meaningful action through tangible solutions, innovations, and projects to close the gap between ambition and reality.’

Dangote Cement Plc is sub-Saharan Africa’s largest cement producer with an installed capacity of 45.6Mta across 10 African countries and operates a fully integrated “quarry-to customer” business with activities in manufacturing, sales, and distribution of cement.

The company is on track to meet its decarbonisation targets through energy efficiency measures, adoption of supplementary cement materials, carbon offsets and other sustainable practices.

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