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Tag: Government

  • 2019: Buhari, APC running divisive, incompetent govt – Lamido

    A former Governor of Jigawa State, Alhaji Sule Lamido, has described the President Muhammadu Buhari-led All Progressives Congress at the centre as incompetent, visionless, evil and divisive.

    Lamido, a presidential aspirant under the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party, made the allegations on Thursday when he and his entourage paid a consultation visit to Bayelsa State Governor Seriake Dickson at the Government House, Yenagoa, to solicit his support for his presidential bid.

    The former governor alleged that the APC government thrived on lies, noting that Nigerians now knew better the stuff the party was made of.

    Lamido stated, “They (the APC) said for 16 years, the PDP under Goodluck Jonathan was only there corrupting, stealing and killing. But today, it is up to us to reflect. Look at it, from 1999 to 2015 was PDP, while from 2015 till today is the APC. Look at it: Are we more united now? Are we richer now? Are we more secure now? Therefore, you can see that the APC is a virus of evil.

    “They demean the PDP, they blackmail us, they demonise us, using religion, and today, this party (APC) has turned lies as part of governance and they are lying for a purpose. It is a government where there is no focus; it is a government you do not know who is in charge, whether it is President Buhari or the Chief of Staff.

    “When they blocked the National Assembly for 10 hours and the House was under a siege, the Inspector General of Police said he was not aware. Buhari also said he did not know. So, who do you hold accountable for the siege?

    “So, Nigerians can see that the government has no vision, no focus, it is incompetent, it is divisive and it is evil. This country belongs to all of us; Nigeria is for all Nigerians.

    “Today, you can see the impunity in government. The level of theft in the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation is unheard of. They loot, they drain and they suck our blood like leeches yet they say we are the thieves.”

    However, in a swift response, the Publicity Secretary, APC, Bayelsa State, Mr Doifie Buokoribo, said Lamido’s allegations were baseless, unfounded and unfortunate.

    Buokoribo said, “During campaigns, people make all kinds of rhetorics. All the adjectives he used to describe our party best describe his party, the PDP. It is left to Nigerians to decides whether his allegations are true or false.

    “For 16 years when his party (the PDP) was in power in this country, it (PDP) had no redeeming features.”

    On his part, Governor Dickson appreciated Lamido’s steadfastness, courage in speaking up when it was the right thing to do, his views and for all he had done for the country and the PDP.

    He called on Lamido and other contestants to be ready to collaborate at the right time, “beginning from now to see how at the end of the day, when the delegates to the party’s presidential convention would have spoken, that all the leaders would join hands to rescue the country.”

     

  • Nigerian bishops have lost confidence in your government, Onaiyekan tells Buhari

    The Archbishop of Abuja, Roman Catholic Church, John Cardinal Onaiyekan, has said that Nigerian bishops have lost confidence in the government of President Muhammadu Buhari.

    He stated that they were hopeful that God would give Nigerians a government that would do the right thing.

    He spoke to journalists in Ilorin, the Kwara State capital on the sidelines of the ordination of Bishop Paul Olawoore as the Bishop of Ilorin Catholic diocese on Friday.

    He lamented the killings of people in Nigeria, adding that government had not lived up to its constitutional responsibility of securing lives and property in the country.

    He said, “One life lost is one life too many. It does not matter whether they are Christians, Muslims or nobody. Even one Muslim killed worries me as much as Christians killed. There are various reasons for wanting to kill. We should go to the root of that. That is the job of the government which it is not doing.

    “This is why we bishops of Nigeria have said we have lost confidence in the present government. We look to God to give us a government that will do the right thing.”

    The cardinal also urged politicians to avoid desperation and engaging in violence in their quest for political offices.

    He described the conduct of some politicians in the country as shameful, urging them to retrace their steps.

    The Catholic Bishop of Oyo Diocese, Bishop Emmanuel Badejo, also lamented the killings in some parts of the country, saying, “We are all looking for peace and we are seeking progress.”

  • Ask questions on how government spend your taxes – Oshiomhole tells Nigerians

    Former Edo Governor, Mr. Adams Oshiomhole has called for a review of Nigeria’s tax laws for an effective tax administration.

    Oshiomole, also a former President, Nigeria Labour Congress ( NLC ), made the call at the 26th Convocation Lecture of the Lagos State Polytechnic (LASPOTECH), Ikorodu.

    The lecture was entitled, “Crisis of Governance, Governance of Crisis: The Role of Education in Nibbling Governance Crisis in Nigeria.”

    He said the Federal Government must put necessary machinery in place to ensure that those who are expected to pay tax do so as and when due for improved infrastructural development of the country.

    Oshiomhole regretted that the only group of people who pay tax regularly are salary earners whose taxes were deducted at source.

    The former governor expressed disappointment that millions of taxable adults had devised means of evading tax.

    “How do we justify tax payment because most people say why do we pay tax when they will steal the money, what are they doing with it? Look at the roads they are bad, ” he said.

    According to him, such statement were mere excuses as the first step to be taken is to pay the tax to get moral and legal right to demand the judicious use of the money by the government.

    Oshiomhole urged the federal government to take a cue from the effective tax system of the Lagos State Government which had devised a means of identifying those who are expected to pay tax and ensure that they comply.

    “The developmental strides and successes recorded in Lagos State is a result of proper tax collection and judicious use of the fund.

    “Government must ensure that those who are at advantage pay their taxes and the fund generated should be used to deliver infrastructure for those who are at disadvantaged and everyone.

    “You can’t expect good roads, water and other social amenities if you don’t pay tax; once you pay then you can begin to probe the authorities and demand accountability for your money, ” he said.

    On the rights of the citizens, Oshiomhole noted that the logic of democracy enables citizens to have not only the weapon to vote once in four years, but to “police and interrogate” those they voted for in between the elections.

    He decried the poor state of the nation’s economy which he blamed on mismanagement of the country’s resources by the previous administration.

    “The manifestation of crisis in Nigeria include but not limited to corruption, failing public schools, security challenges, growing population, among others.

    “While it cannot be established that everybody is involved in corruption, its existence must be recognised by all and fought out of our system.”

    Oshiomhole noted that corruption had affected almost all the sectors of the country, adding that graft was not limited to only those in government.

    According to him, the poor state of infrastructure and absence of basic facilities such as stable power supply, potable water, good roads and functional refineries are caused by corruption.

    On petrol subsidy, the ex-governor he said rather than subsidising petroleum products the government should handover the refineries to competent private investors who would make manage and run them.

    “Rather than to lament and agonize, what we need do is to organize and tackle those things that have brought us down as a nation.

    “As Nigerians we must recognise the problems confronting the country so as to diagnose and prescribe solutions to fix them.

    “The responsibility of leaders is so fix the country rather than join the citizens to lament.

    “When one notices that an environment is oppressive, what is expected of the victim is not to sit down to lament but to devise a way out of the problem,” he said.

    He, however, hailed President Muhammadu Buhari on the war against corruption, saying it recorded remarkable results.

    “The era of impunity of do it and nothing will happen is almost over in Nigeria; this is an era bringing every offender to book no matter their status.”

    Oshiomhole urged Nigerian students to be interested in governance, saying you are the future leaders.

    “You must interrogate power, organise yourself decently and ensure that your leaders are accountable just like the NANS during the military era who demand answers for every action.

    “Unlike the NANS of today who go mute on burning societal issues and are giving awards and giving plaques to government officials and other influential people, ” he said.

    In his remarks, Gov. Akinwunmi Ambode of Lagos State lauded the former governor for honouring the invitation of the state polytechnic and expresses optimism that he would do justice to the lecture.

    Ambode, represented by Dr Abdullateef Abdulakeem, the Commissioner for Home Affairs, described him as a ‘protagonist and an antagonist’.

    He said the role played by Oshiomhole in crisis management as a labour leader and governor negotiating potential issues with government and in government could not be over emphazised.

    The Rector of the institution, Mr Samuel Sogunro, noted that government was all about service delivery and once it fails at any level, the entire society would be affected, stressing the need for transparency in governance.

    Sogunro said education in governance was key and if ignored could lead to crisis in governance because “education is the nation’s bulwark.”

  • Yobe attacks: Boko Haram on a mission to embarrass Buhari’s government – Lai Mohammed

    …Says FG not sure of precise number of missing schoolgirls in Yobe attack

    The Federal Government on Thursday said it cannot put an exact figure to the number of girls missing in the recent attack on Yobe State.

    It therefore called for more time to be able to assess situation of things.

    This was revealed by the Minister of Information, Alhaj Lai Mohammed.

    “On the issue of the number of missing girls, we cannot give what we are not sure of, until we hear from their parents, we cannot say this is the number,” Mr. Mohammed told reporters shortly after he arrived at Government Girls Science and Technical College, Dapchi, Thursday afternoon. “Give us a few more time please”.

    Mohammed arrived the community with Khadijat Bukar-Ibrahim, the Minister of State for Foreign Affairs.

    Governor of Yobe State, Ibrahim Geidam, was on ground to receive the team. The Theatre Commander, Operations Lafiya Dole, Rogers Nicholas, a major-general, was also on the scene.

    The minister and his entourage were briefed by the governor and the General Officer Commanding 3 Division, Damaturu.

    Shortly after the briefing, Mohammed told reporters that he was delegated by the president to visit the attacked community and commiserate with the victims.

    He said his delegation which also includes a representative of the minister of defence, was also to find out the true situation about the missing schoolgirls.

    On the issue of the missing students, the minister said it is still too early to determine their whereabouts.

    “We are still monitoring the situation and what I want people to understand is that since two days ago some of the students who fled to neighbouring towns and communities had returned and more have been returning.

    “When we arrived here we have been briefed by the governor and the GOC about the situation of the students. We know there are few students who are yet accounted for, but we don’t want to manufacture stories on this issue. But give us few days, we will be able to tell you exactly the real situation of things.

    “But you can see response of the military, the response of the state government is quite commendable. Since four days now we have been following the efforts being made to arrest the situation,” he said.

    He lampooned the Boko Haram and said the sect only attacked the school because it is in its dying days and craving media attention.

    “But we must understand that these are they dying days of the Boko Haram and what they intend to do is to embarrass the government because they have been degraded, they have been pushed out of Sambisa forest.

    “They have been starved out of oxygen and the oxygen they feed on is publicity so that they can grab the world’s attention. But I can assure you that with the determination of our gallant military, the days of Boko Haram are numbered.”

    Recall that Mohammed was amongst the three ministers that President Muhammadu Buhari asked to visit the state on Wednesday for a first hand information on the incident.

    Scores of girls are reported missing following a Boko Haram attack on the school Monday night. Conflicting accounts of both state and federal officials over the crisis have further confused and worsened the anxieties of parents and other citizens.

    Mohammed’s comments that the Buhari administration cannot immediately give any details about the situation came a day after the state government said some of the kidnapped girls have been rescued and handed over to the Nigerian Army.

    But that account now seems to be in dispute, as the Defence Headquarters said the alleged rescue could not be confirmed.

    “We cannot confirm” the statement by Yobe State that some of the girls have been rescued, Defence spokesperson, John Agim saidThursday morning.

    Similarly, a federal lawmaker who represents the community said the report that the girls had been rescued was untrue.

    “The military did not rescue any girls yesterday as being reported in the media,” Goni Bukar, the lawmaker representing Bursari/Geidam/Yunusari federal constituency, said in a telephone interview Thursday afternoon.

    “I am currently speaking with you from the school and I stand here with the governor and other top military officials, I can tell you that no girls were rescued,” he added. “We have only been able to locate some girls in one or two batches at different places.”

     

  • There is corruption in Buhari’s government – Amaechi

    There is corruption in Buhari’s government – Amaechi

    The Minister of Transport, Rotimi Amaechi on Thursday said there are corrupt officials in President Muhammadu Buhari’s government but this was insignificant compared to what was obtainable in the last administration.

    Amaechi said this in a chat with journalists on Thursday at his office.

    “I will nearly be a foolish man to say that there is no corruption in this government, but compare the magnitude if there is any,” he said.

    “Before it was with impunity. Now there are consequences for stealing.

    “For any reason we lose election, you the young ones are taking yourselves and Nigeria 10 steps backwards because the elites who left through PDP are waiting in the wind.”

    The former Rivers State governor also insisted that corruption will fully return to the country “automatically” if Nigerians vote out President Buhari in 2019.

    “Let me tell you, if we don’t win, corruption will come back automatically,” he said. “Nobody will beg it.”

    He said members of his former party, which is now the main opposition, the Peoples Democratic Party, have been “hungry” for four years because they are out of power.

    “They have been out for four years and they have never been out of government before; PDP never left government, so now they are hungry. Not hungry for power, in fact if you tell them that I want to keep power and I will give you money, they will say take power and give us the money,” he said.

    He said reelecting President Buhari will however not be an easy task because of the perception of Nigerians that the president had failed to meet the high expectations of Nigerians that led to his election in 2019.

    “It was not easy last time but it will be more difficult now. Why it would be difficult, more difficult? Expectations were too high, and a lot of people felt that we did not meet those expectation but they are not looking at what it takes to meet those expectation,” he said.

  • Killings: Don’t play politics with lives of Nigerians, CAN warns govt

    President of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) Dr Supo Ayokunle, yesterday said the killings and bloodshed across the country is without comparison in Nigeria’s history.

    The CAN leader, who is also the President of Nigerian Baptist Convention, spoke in Sagamu, Ogun State, in his sermon at the 13th annual New Year Thanksgiving and Memorial service organised by former Ogun State Governor Gbenga Daniel.

    He advised Nigerians to desist from politicising the killings and urged them to close ranks and prevail on President Muhammadu Buhari and his administration to take decisive steps to arrest the situation. The service, which took place at Abraham’s Tabernacle, Sagamu,was attended by prominent traditional rulers, eminent personalities and political bigwigs.

    Ayokunle lamented the almost routine clashes between herdsmen and farmers in some parts of the country, saying without peace, the nation would not experience genuine progress and development.

    Ayokunle said: “Things are not working in the best way we have thought of. This is a very difficult time in the history of Nigeria, especially the continuous bloodshed. Communities decimated and human beings killed like chickens. “The way it is happening now, it has almost not happened before. It is so barbaric, so unbelievable that in a nation with government, things like that will continue to happen with reckless abandon.

    It is so unacceptable. “We have been speaking about it. It is not a matter of politics, you don’t play politics with the lives of human beings. We have no other life to live. So, all of you (Nigerians) have to be praying that our government is going to do the best and what is right so that this nation can experience peace because without peace, there won’t be progress.”

    He urged politicians to respect and heed the admonition of the clerics. He said: “We are the conscience of the nation. Politicians need to humble themselves when we speak to them. It is because we look for the good of this nation. Not everything we say to you, you will want to hear. Not everything will be palatable but we are responsible to God and to all these people, we are accountable.

    “The life of every individual is very important. And God has created each person to live his life to His glory. Nobody can give life and nobody has the right to take it. Therefore, beloved people of God, let us say no to the evil in our midst. It is not a matter of politics. It is happening to some people now, who knows the next person? I pray that evil will not swallow us up.” Ayokunle, who revealed that yesterday (Sunday) marked the end of the one-week national prayer declared by CAN, appealed to Christians to donate to the association’s relief fund for victims of ethno-religious crises.

    In his remarks, Daniel said his experience during the campaign for national chairmanship of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) had further opened his eyes to different perspectives of the challenges confronting the country. He, however, pointed out that Nigerians must have the spirit of thanksgiving irrespective of the prevailing challenges.

    In Abuja, the President of the Youth Wing of the Christian Association of Nigeria (YOWICAN), Apostle Nyeneime Andy urged the President to end killings by herdsmen in some states. Nyeneime gave the advice in his address after he was elected. Other elected officers are: Vice President, Pastor Adegbegi Ayodeji, General Secretary, Abel Ogwuche, Treasurer, Ekom Lydia and Peter Galdzana as Assistant secretary. He urged Buhari to involved Christian youths in all his plans to bring about peace in the country.

    The YOWICAN leader expressed sadness the way at which youths are engaged negatively to perpetrate violence during elections, adding that he will soon tour all the 37 states of the federation to admonish the youth on the need to shun violence and reject being used as political thugs during the forthcoming 2019 elections.

  • Buhari running a difficult system of government – Akande

    Buhari running a difficult system of government – Akande

    A former Interim National Chairman of All Progressives Congress (APC), Bisi Akande, says the presidential system of government Nigeria is practicing can no longer sustain its growth and success.

    Mr. Akande made the remark while addressing a news conference in his country home, Ila, Osun state as part of activities to mark his 79th birthday.

    He said that multi-party parliamentary democracy was the best form of government for Nigeria, if it wanted to catch up with the rest of the civilised world.

    Mr. Akande, a former governor of Osun State, said that the American democracy system of multi-party presidentialism was too complicated and costly for a country of poor people with large illiteracy rate like Nigeria.

    According to him, the Nigerian nation is currently running a difficult government under an unworkable set up.

    “President Buhari is my friend and I want him to succeed but he is running a difficult system of government.

    “Nigeria’s democracy is a military democracy of sharing and if we continue like this, there is no how we can succeed.

    “Up to this present age, evidence based analyses has proven parliamentary democracy to be the most accountable transparent form of government in the whole world,’’ he said.

    He said that parliamentary democracy had helped countries like the United Kingdom rich, stable and respectable globally and also made the very young Israel very strong economically and militarily.

    “It is also transforming India from acute poverty and hunger into self- sufficiency and reliability virtually in all fields.

    “Apart from being transparent and accountable, parliamentary democracy is absolutely inclusive.

    “It appears to be the best form of governmental structure for Nigeria now,’’ he said.

    Mr. Akande maintained that anything less accountable and transparent would not help the development of the country.

     

     

  • Nominate credible candidates for appointment into my government, George Weah tells opponent

    Liberia’s President-Elect, George Weah on Monday (New Year Day) visited his closest opponent and incumbent Vice President, Mr. Joseph Boakai asking him to to suggest capable candidates for appointment into his government.

    Recall that the former football star won a landslide in the December 26, 2017 run-off election, which saw him elected as the next president of the country.

    Weah wrote in his Facebook page that he visited Mr Boakai on New Year’s Day as “a sign of solidarity and good will”, saying the election was over and that Liberia was the true winner.

    “I informed him that Liberia is the true winner, and that we must all work collectively in the best interest of our Country,” he wrote.

    “I further intimated that he’s a man of impeccable character and experience, and that his expertise will be needed in order to move our Country forward. I further assured him that he will be granted due courtesy according to the law as a statesman and outgoing VP.

    “Finally, I did suggest to him to put forth his people that he believes are capable of helping us move Liberia forward. Happy new year to you all,” he wrote.

    Mr Boakai conceded defeat to Mr Weah even before the final results of the election was announced. He explained that he did so because he wanted to prevent bloodshed.

    “I reject any temptation of imposing pain, hardship, agony, and uncertainty upon our people. My name will not be used as an excuse for one drop of human blood to be spilled in this country,” he said.

    Below is Mr. Weah’s Facebook post.

    “Earlier today, I paid a courtesy visit to the Honorable Vice President, Hon. Joseph Nyumah Boakai as a sign of solidarity and good will; and to wish him happy new year. I expressed to him that the elections are over now, and that there’s no winner here.

    “I informed him that Liberia is the true winner, and that we must all work collectively in the best interest of our Country. I further intimated that he’s a man of impeccable character and experience, and that his expertise will be needed in order to move our Country forward. I further assured him that he will be granted due courtesy according to the law as a statesman and outgoing VP.

    “Finally, I did suggest to him to put forth his people that he believes are capable of helping us move Liberia forward. Happy new year to you all.

    “May God bless you.”

  • Patience Jonathan’s $15.5m stolen from govt, agencies – EFCC

    The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has told the Federal High Court in Lagos that former First Lady, Patience Jonathan could not have genuinely earned the $15.5million which she claims ownership of.

    In its defence to her suit challenging the freezing of her accounts, the commission argued that Mrs Jonathan does not run any business from which she could have earned such huge sums.

    EFCC said its investigations showed that the money was allegedly stolen from the Federal Government and its agencies, and that it does not belong to the former First Lady.

    “There is no way the plaintiff (Mrs Jonathan) could have genuinely earned the monies. She is the wife of the former president, a civil servant and a retired permanent secretary in Bayelsa State.

    “She does not run any profit and interest yielding business venture to generate such money.

    “Investigation conducted by the first defendant (EFCC) revealed that the plaintiff is not the owner of the funds in the accounts of the third to fifth defendants (companies), which funds were discovered to be proceeds of fraudulent activities of Waripamo-Owei Emmanuel Dudafa,” EFCC said.

    Mrs Jonathan sued the EFCC, Skye Bank Plc and three companies – Pluto Property and Investment Company Ltd, Seagate Property Development and Investment Company Ltd and Trans Ocean Property and Investment Company Ltd.

    She is praying for an order restraining the defendants from tampering with her funds in the companies’ accounts domiciled in Skye Bank.

    She asked for an order of interlocutory injunction restraining the EFCC from transferring the funds to the Federal Government’s Treasury Single Account (TSA).

    Mrs Jonanthan said the funds in the companies’ accounts belonged to her, but she had been unable to operate the account after EFCC placed a “no debit order” on the accounts.

    The former first lady said representatives of the companies, who pleaded guilty to laundering the money, were unknown to her; nor were they authorised to represent them.

    “The plaintiff/applicant is the lawful owner of her hard earned funds,” she said, adding that her ownership of the money has not been controverted by a third party.

    Mrs Jonathan said she sought the assistance of Dudafa, former Special Adviser on Domestic Affairs to ex-President Jonathan, to open some accounts in her name.

    She said she was issued with four ATM cards after the accounts were opened.

    According to her, she protested the fact that three of the four accounts bore the names of companies she had no connection with.

    The bank, she said, promised to rectify the issue. She continued to operate the accounts pending when changes would be effected, according to the former First Lady.

    Mrs Jonathan said she went abroad in July 2016 for a medical check-up and discovered that she could not make payments from the accounts due to the “no debit order”.

    The former First Lady, in her written address, accused EFCC making moves to take her money from her through an order of forfeiture.

    She said the moves included the “procurement of some unknown persons who pleaded guilty to a charge and were convicted on November 2, 2016.”

    In urging the court to lift the “no-debit order” and grant her access to her accounts, Mrs Jonathan said she “needs her money to able to cater to her health.”

    But, EFCC, in its statement of defence, said its investigations revealed that between 2013 and 2015, “huge sums of money were stolen from the Federal Government of Nigeria and its agencies.”

    The agencies, it said, were the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) and the office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA), “etc”.

    EFCC said some of the funds “were converted to dollars and converted to the use of Dudafa”.

    The commission said between February 21, 2014 and April 19, 2016, Pluto Property “fraudulently received and retained” $3,096,377.38.

    The sum, EFCC said, was deposited by State House domestic stewards, Festus Iyoha and Peter Arivin, “using fictitious names on the instruction of Dudafa.”

    The commission said between November 14, 2013 and June 27, 2016, Seagate Properties received $3,624,998.78; while Trans Ocean received $3,765,711.87, “which are suspected to be proceeds of crime.”

    Another company, Globus Integrated Services Limited, was said to have received “a whopping sum of $5,119,021.45” in its account.

    EFCC said after it charged the companies, their representatives pleaded guilty to retaining $15,591,700.

    It insisted that after analysing the companies’ accounts, “it is crystal clear that the plaintiff was neither a director nor a shareholder”.

    The commission said it was Dudafa who allegedly procured the domestic stewards in the State House Abuja to deposit the monies “in an attempt to disguise the proceeds of crime using fictitious names”.

    EFCC said it obtained a valid court order to freeze the accounts, and that it did not need to inform Mrs Jonathan before doing so “as the funds in the said accounts do not belong to her”.

    It added that the firmer First Lady was not entitled to any reliefs, and that her case “is frivolous, spurious, speculative, vexatious and an abuse of court process and should be dismissed with substantial cost.”

    Justice Mohammed Idris had ordered parties to file pleadings in the case, indicating that witnesses, including Mrs Jonathan, may testify to justify the money’s ownership.

    The case will be heard on January 19.

  • Killings, communal crisis persistent in North because govt failed to implement our recommendations – Sultan

    The Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Muhammad Abubakar Sa’ad III, has attributed incessant killings and other crisis particularly in the Northeast, to government’s failure at both the local, state and federal levels to implement several recommendations of the traditional rulers.

    The monarch, who spoke on Monday in Kaduna State, at a meeting of the Northern Traditional Rulers’ Council, said issues affecting the people, good governance and justice to all would be discussed.

    He said: “I am the leader of Fulani in this country, and in the West African sub-region. I live with so many people and I know their problems, and I will never call on any Fulani to pick up arms to kill anybody.

    “I have said it severally, those killing are criminals, and whoever you are, whether Igbo, Hausa, Yoruba or Fulani, you have no right to take up arms and kill anybody.

    “If you see such things happening, then there must be a failure of government, but if the government wakes up to its responsibility, some of these things will not happen.

    “As usual, we will discuss issues affecting the country, and at the end of the meeting, a communiqué will be issued and sent to our political leaders to see if they will implement any of our recommendations.

    “We don’t have the power to force anybody to implement anything. As royal fathers and religious leaders, we can only recommend certain things and advise because leadership is not a monopoly of one individual, group or society; it’s a responsibility for all, both the lead and the leader. And people must listen to those leading so that we all can be on the same page as we struggle to build our Nigeria where no man is oppressed.

    “I want our brothers from the South to tell us things they are not comfortable with, which are being done here, because all of you here are representatives of your various communities living with us.

    “Tell us what you think we should do to make life better for everybody, and we will tell you too what to do to make life better for our people living with you, because we are a great family and we will continue to extend that hand of love to everybody, irrespective of tribe or religion or political lineage”

    “We keep on calling on everyone to maintain peace and allow the constituted authority take up this issues. We will continue to pressurise them, untill they find solution to this dastardly act.

    “We will talk about issues affecting our women and youth – drug abuse – it has been there and getting out of hand, we will discuss this during the meeting to see how we can assist the authorities on how to bring this to the minimum level.

    “Drug abuse by women and youth is a very serious issue, we will discuss that and other insecurity issues affecting this country.

    “We will also discuss issue concerning the IDPs, because I was told there is about 50,000 orphans in each camp. If we allow those children to grow up in IDP camps, without knowing their parents, then we have a big problem in our hands.

    “We will know how we can take some of them as our own children. We have started doing that, we have taken 150 children, and we will educate them to highest level.”