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Tag: Government

  • ECOWAS Commission condemns attempted Coup in the Gambia

    ECOWAS Commission condemns attempted Coup in the Gambia

    The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) Commission has condemned the attempted but foiled Coup d’état in the Gambia on Dec. 21, reiterating that ECOWAS’ rejection of an unconstitutional change of government.

    The ECOWAS Commission, in a statement made available to journalists, said that it was solidly behind the democratically-elected government of the Gambia. commending the leadership and personnel of the Gambia security services for foiling the illegal plot.

    The statement reads “The Commission of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) has received with utter dismay and shock the news of an attempted coup in the Gambia.

    “ECOWAS Commission strongly condemns the attempt to overthrow the democratically-elected government of the Gambia and underscores ECOWAS total rejection of all unconstitutional change of government in any member State.

    “ECOWAS Commission salutes the leadership and personnel of the Gambia security services for their adherence to their constitutional role and for foiling this illegal plot.

    “ECOWAS Commission stands firmly by the democratically-elected government of the Gambia and once again reiterates its total condemnation of the attempted coup plot.

    A statement from the Gambian Government on Dec. 22, disclosed that the Gambian Armed Forces (GAF) High Command, in a swift military operation conducted on Dec. 21, arrested four soldiers linked to the alleged coup plot.

    According to the statement, the arrested soldiers are currently helping the Military Police with their investigations.

    “The Gambia Government announces that intelligence reports have shown that some soldiers of the Gambian army were plotting to overthrow the democratically-elected Government of President Adama Barrow.

    “The GAF High Command, in a swift military operation, conducted on Wednesday, arrested four soldiers linked to this alleged coup plot.

    “Those arrested are Lance Corporal Sanna Fadera from the Gambia Navy as the alleged ring leader of the plot; Corporal Mbarra Touray from 1st Infantry Battalion, Yundum Barracks; Corporal Ebrahima Sanno from the Military Police, who is currently on study leave, and Sergeant Gibril Darboe from The Gambia Navy.

    “The apprehended soldiers are currently helping the Military Police with their investigations.

    “Meanwhile, the soldiers allegedly involved in the plot, either being pursued or on the run, are: Corporal Njie B from the State Guards Battalion; Warrant Officer Class 2 Jadama from The Gambia Navy and one Badjie from The Gambia Navy.

    “First names of Jadama and Badjie are yet to be established.

    “Investigations into this matter are continuing and members of the public would be accordingly informed of any developments as the situation unfolds.

    Citizens, residents and members of the Diplomatic and Consular Corps are urged to carry on with their normal activities as the situation is under total control and there is no need to panic,” the statement read.

    Newsmen reports that ECOWAS Presidents in the just-concluded 62nd Ordinary Session of the ECOWAS Heads of State and Government on Dec. 5 in Abuja, reiterated their commitment to prevent every form of unconstitutional change of government.

    They pledged to address likely root causes of unconstitutional change of government in the region, especially tenure elongation of democratically-elected presidents.

  • Emefiele: Don’t politicise security, DSS operations- Saraki cautions

    Emefiele: Don’t politicise security, DSS operations- Saraki cautions

    Former Senate President, Dr. Abubakar Bukola Saraki has advised the security agencies in the country to be wary and avoid being manipulated by politicians as the 2023 Presidential elections get nearer.

    Saraki in a statement from his Media Office in Abuja while reacting to the recent court case in which the Directorate of State Services (DSS) accused the Governor of Central Bank, Mr. Godwin Emefiele of terrorism and other sundry charges while seeking a court order for his arrest stated that what led to such an action by the secret service at this point needs further clarification so as not to create misunderstanding and wrong perception about the motive.

    He added that without holding brief for the CBN governor who he believes should be able to defend himself as he is not above the law, his concern is that as a victim of a similar wrong and politically-motivated accusation, he felt that there were some clouds around the DSS court action coming two months to the general election, particularly at a time the apex bank introduced tough guidelines on the cashless regime and change of currency which could work against those who had planned to resort to vote-buying in the election.

    “As somebody who had been wrongly accused of involvement in the Offa robbery by political opportunists and manipulators before their evil plots now begin to unravel in the court of law, I feel that a similar intrigue is being weaved by those who are bent on sabotaging the 2023 elections as the obvious outcome is not going their way.

    “In this court case in which the CBN governor is being accused of terrorism through a suit which the Federal High Court has now described as frivolous and without concrete evidence, my position is not to support Emefiele but to support democracy which is being targeted by the plotters.

    “With all the due respect that I have for the DSS as a very professional security agency, I still found it very difficult to understand what led to the charges, why concrete evidence that will enable the court to take a good decision was not provided and why the Department gave room for suspicion and speculations as the case file have gapping holes as noted by the Honourable Judge John Tsoho.

    “One of the suspicions this case has raised is that it is part of a grand plot by those who want to undermine and sabotage the coming general election because their calculation on vote buying, rigging, and excessive use of money is falling apart. The new CBN regulation on a cashless regime in which individuals can only withdraw N100,000 a week and N20,000 per day is sure to frustrate the partisan fraudsters, the mischievous politicians and unpatriotic elements who aim to win the election at all costs even when they are being rejected at the polls.

    “The CBN guidelines have derailed the plan of those who believe that they will not allow the ‘one man, one vote system’ in which the electorate freely choose their representatives in a fair and peaceful atmosphere. I urge the DSS, police, NSCDC, the military, and all security agencies to be wary of political manipulators, despots, and anarchists who may want to use the case to derail the free and fair election regime that the new Electoral Act, INEC and President Muhammadu Buhari have promised.

    “These same undesirable elements in the political process have attempted to use the National Assembly to scuttle the electoral process by frustrating the provisions on electronic transmission of results, use of Biometric Voters Accreditation System (BVAS), the new guidelines on currency change and cash withdrawal. They failed. They have also put pressure on the presidency to reverse some of these innovations. They did not succeed. Now, they are resorting to the use of the judiciary.

    “Their desperate resort to the manipulation of the judicial process and the use of security agencies who may be inadvertently lending support to the plot without knowing the full implication and ramifications should remind Nigerians of the antics of the Association for Better Nigeria (ABN) which was used by anti-democratic elements during the military transition programme in the early 90s.

    “I hereby urge the security agencies to distance themselves from the anarchists and anti-democratic elements masquerading as democrats or political players. With the current situation in the country, all the citizens, national institutions, residents, and foreign friends of Nigeria should commit to the goal of having free, fair, peaceful, and credible polls in 2023. It is my prayer that next year’s election should provide a positive turning point for rebuilding, refocusing, resetting, redeeming, restructuring, repositioning, and revamping our country”, Saraki stated.

  • EFCC is desperate to tarnish our image – Kogi Govt laments

    EFCC is desperate to tarnish our image – Kogi Govt laments

     

    … ask them what happened to bail-out probe’

    The Kogi State Government has debunked an allegation of money laundering levelled against it by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, describing it as a sustenance of the persecution of the government by the Abdulrasheed Bawa-led EFCC.

    The government in a sharp reaction to a statement by the EFCC on Thursday, observed that the Commission, with its present allegations, had shown clearly that it was desperately seeking to save its face after the Commission hit a road block in its N20bn Sterling Bank media trial.

    The Commissioner for Information and Communication in Kogi State, Kingsley Fanwo, however, noted that just as with the Sterling Bank affair when the commission went to the media before proper investigation, the EFCC was again set to embarrass itself and its legacy by again jumping to the media to continue its persecution of the Kogi government.

    While insisting that no money belonging to the Kogi State Government was laundered, the Commissioner insisted that Nigerians should ask the EFCC if its “biased” corruption searchlight was only meany for Kogi State.

    “The media trial by the EFCC is a calculated and orchestrated plan to embarrass the State Government by going after its Officials and Associates with trumped up charges to satisfy the destructive fangs of their paymasters,” Fanwo noted.

    The government in its reaction said that the inclination of the EFCC was against the acknowledgment of due process and financial accountability given to the Kogi State Government by international organisations. It particularly cited the recent honour accorded the Kogi State Government by the World Bank funded SFTAS project in which Kogi was lifted above peers in financial accountability.

    The statement reads, “Our attention has been drawn to a press statement on the website of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission to the effect that they arraigned some persons who they alleged were linked with laundering monies belonging to the Government of Kogi State.

    “Inasmuch as we would not want to delve into the depth of the matter which is now sub judice, it is pertinent to draw the attention of the general public to the fact that the desperation of the EFCC to crucify Kogi State at all costs may have landed them in another trouble. Unlike the EFCC that has been known for serial contempt of court under the current leadership; we are committed to allow the law to take its due course on the matter and our innocence, again, proven beyond reasonable doubt.

    “It would be recalled that this same EFCC once accused the Kogi State Government of stashing 20 billion naira bailout funds in a fixed deposit account in Sterling Bank. When the legal fireworks were about to ruffle their biased feathers, they quickly backed out and claimed the money had been returned to the Central Bank of Nigeria. Till date, they have not shown Nigerians any proof of the return even when Sterling Bank Plc has under oath denied the return of any monies belonging to the Kogi State Government. It is trite that what does not exist cannot be taken or returned.

    “The media trial by the EFCC is a calculated and orchestrated plan to embarrass the State Government by going after its Officials and Associates with trumped up charges to satisfy the destructive fangs of their paymasters.

    “Let it be on record that no money belonging to the Kogi State Government was laundered. SFTAS is a World Bank accountability project to ensure the Government stays accountable to the people. For many years, Kogi has won Awards as one of the most transparent State Governments in Nigeria. A responsible anti-graft agency would have made Kogi an example of transparency and excellence. However, with its endless wild goose chase, Nigerians would even wonder if EFCC’s obviously biased corruption binoculars are only designed for Kogi State.

    “It is not unexpected that the EFCC would feel disappointed that the monies they claimed had been stolen from the coffers of the state have been used to build Nigeria’s best hospitals, good roads, best schools that are about to be commissioned. We cannot help their descent into political pawn. We will continue to make the resources of our state work for our people.

    “Nigerians know that the recent Gestapo-like operation against the State was occasioned by EFCC’s failure to sell the “fixed” Bailout funds debacle to the people. They became desperate to save their face from the disgrace bestowed on them by their “Destroy Kogi” Agenda.

    “We urge our people not to take the laws into their hands as we are prepared in fact and in conscience for the legal battle ahead.”

  • 2023: Don’t vote for those who took us back to dark days – Okowa urges Nigerians

    2023: Don’t vote for those who took us back to dark days – Okowa urges Nigerians

     

    Vice-Presidential Candidate of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and Governor of Delta, Senator Ifeanyi Okowa, on Monday urged Nigerians not to allow the All Progressives Congress (APC)-led Federal Government that led the country back to dark days.

    He said that the prevailing level of decay in the socio-economic life in the country had never been recorded in its history, and blamed it on the gaping ineptitude of the ruling APC.

    Okowa stated this at PDP’s Presidential Campaign at the Tafawa Balewa Square in Lagos declaring that by its abysmal performance, which was common knowledge to Nigerians, APC had returned the country to “dark days”.

  • Osun community appeals to government over minning activities

    Osun community appeals to government over minning activities

    Awolumate Zone 3 Community in Ile-Ife, Osun State, has raised concern over the activities of some expatriate miners, alleged to be Chinese.

    They appealed to security agencies and the state government to come to their aid.

    A large portion of land close to residential buildings had been dug out by miners, in the affected community, putting over 20 houses at risk due to their activities.

    The chairman of the community, Abimbola Olafare, called on the relevant organs of government and security agents to come to their aid, and stop mining activities in the area.

    Speaking on the matter, Olafare said, “As many as 20 houses have been affected by the activities of these miners. There was no agreement signed with them before they commenced work in the area.

    “We have to rescue people whose houses are close to the river. An old woman fled from home because of the activities of these miners. We never consented to them working in our community. Security agents and government should come to our aid.”

  • NUJ CRS Town Hall meeting: Guber candidates roots for local govt autonomy

    NUJ CRS Town Hall meeting: Guber candidates roots for local govt autonomy

     

    Wevole Ezin

    Governorship candidates from three political parties in Cross River have said they will support local government autonomy if elected as governor come 2023 general elections.

    They gave the assurance yesterday during the Cross River 2023 Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) Town Hall Governorship Meeting, which was part of the activities for the media week at the Ernest Etim Bassey Press Centre in Calabar.

    The governorship candidate for People’s Redemption Party (PRP) Usani Usani said any government that has the interest of the people at heart should support the local government autonomy which has lingered for over twenty years.

    He wondered why local government autonomy which supposed to be the right of the people at the grassroots become a thing of debate.

    “for the local government autonomy, I can tell you that for anybody who wants to run a transparent government should not hesitate to support local government autonomy. What business do you have touching local government money?, Obviously it is something you should clamour.

    “whenever those bills go round the states by constitutional requirements for endorsement, you find governor’s telling their national assembly, don’t pass it and it has lingered for over 20 years, so I think local government autonomy is not something we should think about, we should , someone like me, I will promote it because I don’t seek to control another man’s economy.” PRP governorship candidate stated.

    In agreement, the governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Senator Bassey Otu who was represented by his running mate, Peter Odey, said twice as a member of the state House of Assembly, he had voted for local government autonomy.

    Odey who is the Leader of the House, explained that it is not true that the houses of assemblies are frustrating the passage of the local government autonomy law, nothing that Cross River was one of the few states that have voted and agreed that local governments should be autonomous.

    The APC governorship running mate said, “I support local government autonomy and that is why I voted for it twice. In my first tenure in the House of Assembly, I voted for it, two weeks ago, the house of Assembly voted in support of local government autonomy.

    We are one of the few states in Nigeria that has voted and agreed that local governments should have autonomy because they are the closest to the people in the grassroots.

    “However, it is also not true that the houses of assemblies have not supported local government autonomy. We all contributed in the last constitutional review and we all know that the President of the federal republic of Nigeria even issued an executive Order Ten, for the implementation of local government autonomy but a particular governor went to court to stop the executive order.” He stated.

    Speaking on the same issue, the governorship candidate for Labour Party (LP), Ogar Osim, said though it is a constitutional affair but states can frustrate the local government election process.

    Oeim opined , “Yes, it is a constitutional affair, however, government at state level do have a way of frustrating that process by also enthroning their stooge in local government and also trying to jeopardize the process of election.

    Photo: L-R; APC governorship running mate, Rt. Hon. Peter Odey, Labour Party governorship candidate, Ogar Osim, governorship candidate of PRP, Usani Usani and PDP governorship candidate, Senator Sandy Onor during the Cross River State 2022 NUJ Town Hall Governorship Candidates Meeting at the at the Ernest Etim Bassey Press Centre, Calabar.

  • Sokoto State Govt faults poverty rating

    Sokoto State Govt faults poverty rating

    The Sokoto Government has faulted the recent ranking of as poorest state in the federation.

    Alhaji Arzika Bodinga, the Permanent Secretary in the Sokoto State Ministry of Budget and Economic Planning, expressed the displeasure at a one-day Workshop on Dissemination of 2021 Multiple Indicator Cluster Survey (MICS)/ National Immunization Coverage Survey (NICS) 2021 on Tuesday in Sokoto.

    Newsmen reports that the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) revealed that 133 million about 63 per cent of Nigerians are suffering from multidimensional poverty, with children constituting more than half of poor people in the country.

    “We are pleading for more serious scrutiny on the figure, rankings, I dare the agency to come up with data of any person found dead on account of hunger along township streets including rural areas across the state.

    ”Go to the Specialist Hospital, Usmanu Danfodio University Teaching Hospital all in Sokoto and monitor how our people trooping in to donate blood.

    ” Welfare of citizens is not compatible to the related figure and we will continue to push for more positive results.
    ”We facilitated enactment of food and nutrition policies, the Conditional Cash Transfers Scheme, Water and Sanitation Health (WASH) facilities and many social protection policies, ” he added.

    The permanent secretary urged the relevant authorities to cross check thier findings, shun political infiltrations, foul play and other short changes that might subjunctive in the findings.

    However, the Permanent Secretary Ministry of Women and Children Affairs, Hajia A’Isha Dantsoho, called for immediate action to reverse the situation.

    Dantsoho said authorities needed to copy from other states how they go about in handling thier activities to overcome such challenges.

    The presented documents, she said, would serve as a parameter to such surveys and other considerations to achieve results.

    A Lead facilitator, Dr Danjuma Almustapha, presented documents and measures undertaken to achieve the MICS/NICS 2021.

    Almustapha presented comparative results of Kebbi, Sokoto and Zamfara states, and led participants into discussion mostly centered on the need for officials to redouble efforts on implementation of policies.

    Newsmen reports that the NBS disclosed this in its 2022 Multidimensional Poverty Index (MPI) indicated that 86 million poor people live in the North while 47 million live in the South.

    In the least-poor zone, the South West, the MPI of 0.151 shows that poor people experience 15 per cent of possible deprivations, while in North East and North West, the MPI of 0.324 shows they experience over 32 per cent of possible deprivations.

    According to the report, poverty levels across states vary significantly, with the incidence of multidimensional poverty ranging from a low of 27 per cent in Ondo to a high of 91 per cent in Sokoto state.

    Newsmen reports that a breakdown of the dimensions of poverty used for the MPI includes: Nutrition, Food insecurity, Time to healthcare, School attendance, Years of schooling and School lag.

    Others are Water, Water reliability, Sanitation, Housing materials, Cooking fuel, Assets, Unemployment, Underemployment, Security shock and others.

  • Akeredolu dares Presidency, says I’m buying arms to protect Ondo people

    Akeredolu dares Presidency, says I’m buying arms to protect Ondo people

     

    Disturbed by the response of the media aide to President Muhamadu Buhari, Shehu Garba on why would Katsina security outfit bear arms, Governor of Ondo state, Rotimi Akeredolu has replied declaring that he is buying arms to protect Ondo people.

    The Ondo governor queried the reasons adduced by Garba Shehu in his Press statement for the continued refusal to approve of the use of sophisticated weapons by state security outfits can no longer be plausible in the face of increasing security challenges being faced by the people.

    The assertion of the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity on the use of automatic weapons by State Security outfits betrays the current realities across the country.

    His attempt to justify the use of AK47 by the Vigilantes of Katsina State for training stands logic on its head.

    The report by the TVC News that went viral showed the Kastina State Vigilante training with AK47. This is the same weapon whose approval has vehemently been refused for the use of Amotekun Corps and other State Security Outfits.

    The questions Governor Oluwarotimi Akeredolu, SAN, asks are:
    i. Where did the guns come from?
    ii. Who approved their use?
    iii. Were the guns returned to the armoury after use?
    iv. The AK47, as seen from the TVC news report, was about usage. If not, what purpose does training with the guns serve?

    It is rather suspicious that Garba Shehu elected himself as the spokesperson for the Kastina State government. Whereas, the Katsina State has not come out openly to deny the statement of Governor Akeredolu on the use of AK47 by Vigilantes of Katsina State during training.

    Governor Akeredolu has reiterated that State Security outfits backed by law whether in Western Nigeria, Katsina, Borno, Benue or any Northern State must have access to the same sophisticated weapons that the criminals have. It is time to face down these enemies of the people.

    “It is illogical to continue to fight hardened marauders who bear sophisticated weaponry to kidnap and maim our people with bare hands. We cannot fight armed enemies of the people with our bare hands.

    “It is our firm belief that the government has a fundamental duty to protect the people. It is a task that must be accomplished without excuse.

    “Governor Akeredolu is determined to spare no efforts in protecting the people. He has vowed to explore every available legal and constitutional means to secure the state and its people.

    “The Southern Nigeria Governors Forum has called for the establishment of a State Police.

    “The 19 Northern State Governors and Northern Traditional Rulers Council have also supported the call for State Police.

    “The call by the sub-national should be heeded and change effected where necessary.

    “Every Governor was sworn to an oath to protect the state and the people. The sub-national must be allowed to put in place security forces as a counter-balancing force to face these marauders who have unchecked access to sophisticated weapons.

    “It is high time we tackled these conflict entrepreneurs and restore the confidence of the people. We can not do the same thing time and again and expect different results.

    Governor Akeredolu is irrevocably committed to the security of the people, particularly his state. He will continue to speak up in defence of the people. He is very much committed to the realization of a constitutional amendment to reflect the current realities.

    #

  • ICPC reveals how govt. agencies steal public funds

    ICPC reveals how govt. agencies steal public funds

    The Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Crimes Commission (ICPC) Thursday made damning revelations that some Ministries, Departments, and Agencies of government are habitually duplicating projects to siphon public funds.

    Chairman of the Commission, Prof. Bolaji Owasanoye, gave the revelation on Thursday before the Senate Committee on Finance sitting in Abuja.

    The anti-graft agency boss explained that the MDAs padded 2021 budget with N300 billion in duplicated projects, while the 2022 budget with N100 billion duplicated projects, adding that the Commission had tracked N49.9 billion ghost workers salary between Jan to June 2022.

    Detailing how some Chief Executives perfect their stealing strategy, the ICPC boss disclosed that projects worth N100 billion were inserted into the N17.12 trillion 2022 budget by some MDAs aside N49.9 billion tracked as salary for ghost workers between January and June this year.

    He said the commission was able to track the projected slush fund as a result of its thorough scrutiny of approved projects for the various MDAs.

    He said they were poised for proactive nipping of their plans rather than allowing funds to be stolen before going after them, stressing that funds already stolen were not easily recovered.

    He noted: “The same preemptive move saved the country from spending N49.9 billion for salaries of ghost workers put on fictitious pay rolls by the fraudulent MDAs between January and June this year.

    “Names of MDAs involved in project duplications running into intercepted billions of naira and fictitious pay rolls, are available and will be forwarded to the Committee.

    “The good thing about the preemptive moves made by us is that monies for the fraudulent acts were prevented from being released to the affected MDAs and it is gratifying that the Finance Ministry and Accountant General Office cooperated with us.”

    He advised relevant committees of the National Assembly to be on the lookout for such project duplication in the proposed N19.76 trillion 2023 budget to be presented by President Muhammadu Buhari anytime soon.

    Reacting, the Senate Committee Chairman on Finance, Senator Solomon Adeola Olamilekan lamented that leakages and waste has been the biggest challenge the nation has been facing.

    He vowed that the parliament would not give up to the antics of fraudsters, noting that they will stop at nothing to ensure that any Chief Executive found culpable was prosecuted.

  • Just In: Soldiers battle terrorists, kill many in Kaduna Forest

    Just In: Soldiers battle terrorists, kill many in Kaduna Forest

    Troops of the Nigerian army have killed scores of terrorists in Chikun Local Government area of Kaduna State where they recovered arms and motorcycles at the weekend

    The Kaduna State Government has praisesd the tenacious troops and called on citizens to give useful information on the activities of the hoodlums.

    The Commissioner of Internal Security and Home Affairs in Kaduna State, Samuel Aruwan said the security forces recorded a major success in ongoing operations against the terrorists.

    According to him, “scores of bandits were neutralized by ground troops and air assets during an operation in Galbi, Chikun local government area.”

    “This was conveyed in an operational feedback to the Kaduna State Government from the security agencies.”

    “According to the feedback, troops of the Operation Forest Sanity supported by assets of the Nigerian Air Force conducted clearance operations on an identified terrorist enclave in Galbi general area.”

    “During their advance, the security forces crossed River Kaduna and ran into stiff resistance from the insurgents.”

    “After a fierce firefight, scores of terrorists were confirmed neutralized as the military forces prevailed.”

    “Two General Purpose Machine Guns (GPMGs), three AK47 rifles and seven motorcycles were recovered from the enclave of the neutralized bandits.”

    “The Kaduna State Government expressed excitement at the feedback, and praised the troops for their tenacity in this significant victory against the enemy forces.”

    “The Government thanked the troops, air force crews, police personnel, intelligence operatives, and local vigilante members who contributed to the success of the mission. The Government urged the security forces to increase the momentum and vanquish the terrorists for good.”

    “Troops will continue clearance operations in the general area, and other identified areas of interest across the state.”

    “The Kaduna State Government hereby encourages residents to volunteer useful information on activities or movement of terrorists to security agencies. Citizens may also contact the Kaduna State Security Operations on 09034000060 or 08170189999. “

    END