President Muhammadu Buhari today, Monday, March 26, received in audience at the Presidential Villa, Abuja, family members of the African-American Human Activist Late Martin Luther Jnr.
during the visit, President Buhari was conferred with The First Black History Month National Black Excellence and Exceptional African Leadership Award 2018.
Photo by: Sunday Aghaeze.
Nigeria’s President Muhammadu BuhariPresident Muhammadu Buhari has signed Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) among the Government of the Federal Republic of Nigeria; the Swiss Federal Council and the International Development Association on the Return, Monitoring and Management of Illegally-Acquired Assets Confiscated by Switzerland and to be restituted to the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
A statement today, Monday, by the special adviser to the President on media and publicity, Femi Adesina said that the President also signed the Instrument of Ratification of the Agreement between the Government of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and the Government of the Republic of Singapore for the Avoidance of Double Taxation and the Prevention of Fiscal Evasion with Respect to Taxes on Income and Capital Gains.
The statement said that the signing of the two instruments was approved by the Federal Executive Council (FEC), adding: “with the execution of these instruments, Nigeria’s trade relations with Singapore and income therefrom are expected to rise, while the return of illegal assets will not only boost the administration’s anti-corruption drive, but also provide additional funds for critical infrastructure.” [myad]
Prince Uche SecondusThe Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has owned up to many socio-economic blunders it committed when it was in power for 16 years, from 1999 to 2015 and therefore apologized to Nigerians.
National Chairman of the party, Uche Secondus, who apologized today, Monday, on behalf of the party at a public national discourse on “Contemporary Governance in Nigeria,” assured that under his watch, there would be no imposition of candidates or any form of impunity.
“I hereby, as the National Chairman, do admit that the PDP made a lot of mistakes; we are humans, not spirits and the ability to admit is key in moving forward. We admit that we have made several mistakes; we have passed through all our challenges and have acquired the experience no other party can boast of.
“We were sanctioned by Nigerians at the polls in 2015; let me use this opportunity to apologize for our past mistakes. It is the honest thing to do, a legacy to transfer to our children; we cannot continue like that.
“When we make mistakes, we should come out boldly to the people and apologize. It is important to do so because we have learnt from our mistakes unlike the All Progressive Congress (APC) that will make mistakes and lie to cover it.
“We apologize to Nigerians that we have made mistakes, we have learnt our lessons and we are ready to begin on a new agenda; experience is the best teacher, no other party has it,” he said.
According to Secondus, when things are not positive and the mindset is negative, it is time to reset it, adding that the public discourse is an ample opportunity for the party members to collectively “press the reset button’’ and set a new agenda for the nation.
According to him, there is too much power at the party’s National Headquarters, and going forward, power will be devolved to the wards, states and zones.
In his contribution, a chieftain of the party, Chief George Bode, said that the position of the party leadership rekindled his loyalty even as he called on members of PDP who left it as a result of its past mistakes to return home from the “wilderness’’.
According to him, to err is human and forgive is divine, it was time to walk the talk for the repositioning of the country.
One of the panelists at the event, Ms Toyosi Ogunshiji, commended the party for toeing the line of honour, adding that Nigeria must move from praying to taking more serious actions for the progress of the country.
Ogunshiji said that the country needed statesmen “who think about the people and not politicians who think about the next elections’’.
According to her, Nigerians only voted against President Goodluck Jonathan in 2015 and did not necessarily vote for President Muhammadu Buhari.
She said that the electorate who would be seen in the 2019 general elections would be different from those politicians had seen in the past.
Source: NAN. [myad]
A 30 year old pregnant woman, Lauratu Abdullahi, has asked a Sharia Court at Magajin Gari in Kaduna State to dissolve her marriage because her husband has not been performing his sexual duties to her.
Lauratu Abdullahi also told the court that her husband, Yahaya Tanko, was always assaulting her and was also not providing for her.
The mother of five told the court today, Monday that Tanko had starved her of sex and food in the past four months.
“I want the court to dissolve our marriage because my husband does not love and care for me anymore. He beats me when he pleases.”
But, Tanko denied the allegations, saying that he still loved Lauratu, pointing out that the woman is carrying a four-month-old pregnancy.
“I want to inform the court that my wife is four months pregnant, so her claim of being sexually starved is incorrect.”
The Judge, Malam Musa Sa’ad, asked Lauratu if she was pregnant and the sex-starved woman said she was.
She said however, that the romance that resulted to the pregnancy lasted for only month.
The case was adjourned to April 3 for the two parties to present their guardians and witnesses.
Source: NAN. [myad]
President Muhammadu Buhari today, Monday, inaugurated the Food Security Council (FSC), with a vow that Nigerians must be able to produce enough to adequately feed themselves.
The President, who heads the Council, declared: “we shall stay focused, first and foremost on securing our food requirements and employment for our people, especially the youths. We shall feed ourselves and build an inclusive Nigeria for ourselves and for future generations.”
He expressed joy that the decision of his government to establish such Council at a Presidential level has become a reality, saying that the country’s need for critical job creating sectors which has been ignored for decades is now beginning to yield results.
According to Buhari, a key mandate of the Food Security Council is to continuously assess and enhance these infant but impactful programs, thereby guaranteeing they achieve their full potential.
He recalled that his administration had earlier introduced the National Social Investment Programs targeting millions of Nigerians who are living from hand to mouth, adding: “we launched agricultural programs focusing on import substitution, job creation and rural development thereby bringing socio-economic transformation to the millions of citizens living in some of the most remote rural parts of our country.
“We commenced the long term Pollution Remediation Projects in the Niger Delta with the hope of restoring dignity and normalcy to the millions of Nigerians impacted by decades of pollution in their communities. Fishing and farming will resume once blighted areas are rehabilitated.
“We intensified our participation in the Lake Chad Basin Commission with the goal of reversing the shrinkage of the lake, which impacts the livelihoods of over 45 million farmers, herdsmen and fishermen in the LCBC countries.
“We issued the first ever green bond that will act as a catalyst for investments in renewable energy and afforestation projects. This was oversubscribed, sharing market confidence in the country and our Government.
“We established the Agro Rangers Unit within the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps to protect the billions of naira of investments recorded in Nigeria’s agricultural sector across the country.
“We continued to equip the Nigerian Navy and Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency to fight maritime criminals such as pirates and sea robbers who adversely impact offshore and inland fishing activities in our waters.”
President Buhari said that these programs and many more, have started yielding results and if sustained, will transform the lives of millions of Nigerians across the country.
“We are well aware that the full results will not be felt or seen overnight. The journey is long. It is therefore our collective duty to ensure the actual and potential positive impacts of these programs are sustained, improved and expanded.”
He said that the government would develop new programs and projects that will protect and indeed, create more jobs in farming, fisheries, animal husbandry and forestry.
The President said that in carry out its assignment, the Council will not lose sight of the other issues that will impact the food production ambitions such as population growth, urbanization, industrialization, rural infrastructure development and climate change.
He acknowledged that these factors will also stress and stretch our land and water resources which means “we must invest in research and development to enhance yields and outputs.
“Moreover, we are not insulated from Global and Regional events. Accordingly we develop local programs, but not lose sight of events from a far and their impact on us. Specifically, issues such as smuggling and dumping, which is our responsibility to ensure we develop and enforce strategies to protect Nigeria from these illegal and unhealthy imports.”
The Food Security Council includes Governors representing the six geopolitical zones and key stakeholders representing the core sectors of the Food Value Chain.
The President promised that the Council will be a platform to further enhance the collaboration between the Federal and State Governments with which it would share success stories and collaborate to address common threats.
He recommended regular consultations which he said, will be held with investors, development partners, financiers, academia and our friends and allies abroad. [myad]
The West African Examinations Council (WAEC) has announced that it has registered 1.5 million students to write its 2018 West African Senior School Certificate Examinations (WASSCE).
The Council’s Director of Public Affairs, Damianus Ojijeogu, said today, Monday that the council had concluded arrangements for the conduct of the examination for school candidates, popularly refers to as May/June WASSCE.
“We have concluded all arrangements and deployed logistics in every part of the country for the conduct of a hitch-free examination.
“We have also taken cognisance of the upsurge of insecurity in some parts of the country.
“We are working in collaboration with the Federal Government and security agencies to ensure safe and conducive environments for the conduct of the examination.
“On our part, we will deploy professional examiners and supervisors that will protect the integrity of the examination.”
According to him, the examinations will begin with the regular subjects on March 28
Source: NAN. [myad]
U.S President, Donald TrumpThe Donald Trump-led administration has expelled 60 Russian diplomats and ordered European country’s consulate in Seattle to close down.
Trump’s administration officials said that all the 60 Russians were spies working in the U.S. under diplomatic cover, including a dozen at Russia’s mission to the United Nations.
The officials said that the administration took the action to send a message to Russia’s leaders about the ‘‘unacceptably high’’ number of Russian intelligence operatives in the U.S
“The expelled Russians will have seven days to leave the U.S,” said the officials. “They weren’t authorized to be identified by name and requested anonymity.”
United States and some European nations, including Britain, sought to jointly punish Moscow for its alleged role in poisoning an ex-spy in London.
The Seattle consulate is said to be a counter-intelligence concern because of its proximity to a U.S. Navy base. [myad]
Senator Ike EkweremaduThe Deputy President of the Senate, Senator Ike Ekweremadu, has said that he is being persecuted now through the Motion Ex-parte for assets forfeiture filed against him by the Special Presidential Investigation Panel for the Recovery of Public Property, because of the 2019 general elections
Senator Ekweremadu, in statement signed by his Special Adviser on Media, Uche Anichukwu, spoke to the people of Mgbidi community, hometown of the dismissed former Chief Judge of Enugu State, Justice Innocent, who paid him a solidarity visit over his latest travails in the hands of the Federal Government.
Ekweremadu told his constituents from Awgu Local Government area of Enugu State, who were led by the traditional ruler, Igwe Pius Uzochukwu, that the latest allegations would fail like the previous ones as they were not founded on truth.
“I want to thank you for the show of solidarity. I have been inundated with calls, messages, and visits by concerned constituents and well-wishers within and outside the country.
“But, there is really nothing to worry about because the entire thing is a well-oiled propaganda on lies and doctored will that include fictitious properties, just to cow me.
“It is also about 2019 politics. However, I will not be cowed or relent in my efforts to serve you and the country. So, please sleep with your two eyes closed. Tell others too that there is nothing to worry about.
“I am also happy that more people, courageous and well-meaning men and women are speaking up on the state of the nation. Rest assured that I will not refrain from speaking up in defence of democracy.
“As I said at the floor of the Senate a few weeks back, it is not about us, who are privileged, but about the country and future generations.
“So, I can’t afford to be intimidated or distracted. Like the previous attempts to silence me, this one too shall fail.”
He assured the people of Mgbidi of continued cordial relationship and development projects as he had nothing against them.
Speaking on behalf of the community earlier, the community’s spokesperson, Patrick Uba, who dissociated the Mgbidi from their kinsman’s actions, condemned in totality the allegations raised against Senator Ekweremadu by the former Chief Judge, describing it as spurious and malicious.
“The Mgbidi community, which former Justice Umezulike comes from has followed with concern the petitions written against you by our own son and we wish to categorically condemn it and dissociate ourselves from them.
“Our findings reveal that the petition is spurious, malicious, and self-serving.
“We have cordial relations with you because you have represented us effectively, going by the number of projects you have attracted and our sons and daughters enjoying our scholarships and bursary awards, among others”, he added.
Also speaking, a community leader, Chief Raymond Onyimba, decried what he termed the attitude of a brother trying to destroy another for selfish reasons.
He assured the Deputy President of the Senate of their continued prayers and support. [myad]
Socio-cultural organization of Jukun people, Jukun Development Association of Nigeria (JDAN) has thrown its weight behind its elder kinsman, Lt General Theophilus Yakubu Danjuma (rtd), who at the weekend, called on his people to rise and defend themselves against rampaging Fulani herdsmen and their colluding military partners.
National President of the association, Chief Bako Benjamin, who addressed newsmen in Lagos alongside top executive of the association today, Monday, said that majority of Nigerians are unaware of the calamity and atrocities that have befallen Jukun people in the last four years, adding that the nation’s press does not pay enough attention to report to the world the silent ethnic cleansing and genocide ongoing in southern and central Taraba.
He said that rather than lampooning Danjuma for his candid view which he said, was coming after a thorough analysis of the situation, the Nigerian military should have launched an investigation into the weighty allegation and fish out her culpable members.
JDAN, he said, demands for a Commission of Inquiry to look into several cases of atrocities, human rights violations and banditry committed by some security forces in Jukunland against the innocent people, who are being killed by herdsmen, whose homes and farmlands are being burnt with wanton impunity and whose lives means virtually nothing to the very people who have sworn to defend them and the nation against aggression.
Addressing reporters in Lagos, on developments in some parts of the country, especially Taraba State, the group’s President Benjamin Bako said the retired general was speaking exactly the minds of his people and out of frustration. He said Danjuma statements was a reflection of what presently goes on in Taraba and elsewhere around the middle belt, where several villages and town have been sacked and indigenes chased away by Fulani herdsmen who invaded their communities with the full backing of security operatives.
Rather than carpet our revered elder statesman, the Jukun people have been anxiously waiting for the time when Fulani herdsmen who have killed entire villagers in our land will be arrested and paraded. We are peace loving people, but our people are being arrested in our land and been killed by those who otherwise came for pasture for their cattle.
He said parading Jukun youths on Sunday, barely 24 hours after Gen Danjuma’s criticism of their handling of their roles for taking pictures of the ongoing violence in their land, is simply exposing the ugly underbelly of the Nigerian military and heir complicit in the whole tragic saga unfolding in Taraba State, adding that where that is the case, the people would be left with no choice than to defend themselves.
“We are anxiously waiting for when Fulani herdsmen that have killed and wiped off entire villages in our land would be paraded. We have not travelled to anybody’s land to look for trouble, but our people are been arrested in our land for snapping pictures,” Bako stated.
“What Jukuns expected”, he said, “is for the Nigerian military and the federal government to launch an investigation into the weighty allegations that General Danjuma raised not to be beating about the bush in denials without substance.”
He alleged that there are widespread reports of glaring bias and nepotism by the Nigerian military’s Operation Ayem Kpatuma particularly in Takum and Ussa local government areas since they arrived.
For example, there was no single presence of Fulani herdsmen in the two local government areas for over a year now since their last mass killings of our people, which saw them abandon the area and flee until the soldiers arrived on the same day with them in the name of Operation Ayem Kpatuma.
“No sooner had they arrived in the peaceful communities that burning of houses and killings resumed. As if that’s not enough, the soldiers went about unleashing a campaign of terror and intimidation against Jukun people, breaking into homes and confiscating hunting dane guns, cutlasses, bows and arrows, and left the Fulani herdsmen fully armed with their weapons to continue their campaign of terror in the countryside.”
We have evidences where severally attempts by our youths who were driven out of their villages to defend their communities against the herdsmen by soldiers until the herdsmen are done.
“Jukun Development Association of Nigeria (JDAN), is eagerly waiting for a commission of inquiry into the atrocities that was committed against our people in Takum and Ussa local government areas to clear the good name of the Nigerian Army and bring the collaborators and perpetrators to book,” Bako insisted.
Benjamin observed that close to 50 villages in southern and central Taraba exist only in name as Fulani herdsmen has wiped out the indigenous population and are presently commandeering the villages.
He said persistent plea on the government to come to the rescue of the people have fallen on deaf ears and atrocities got worse with each passing day.
“When operation Ayem Kpatuma was launched by the federal government, Jukun people jubilated and thought their misery has come to an end, only to discover that military operatives of the program started arriving together with thousands of Fulani herdsmen that had fled the area previously with their cattle.
“Our fear was confirmed when no sooner they arrived in the peaceful communities that burning of houses and killings resumed. [myad]
Senator representing Kogi west senatorial district Dino Melaye, has said that last Monday’s stage-managed parade of crime suspects in Lokoja by the Force Public Relations Officer, Jimoh Moshood, where a suspect was tutored to implicate him, was a continuation and expansion of the Police attempt to have him arrested at all cost and ultimately kill him.
“It is worrisome that the Police Headquarters has gotten itself entangled in the Kogi political crisis and has taken a side. It is however bizarre and unprecedented that the FPRO, Mr Moshood, will have to travel to Lokoja last Monday in order to act a script written by Governor Bello. A discerning mind will ask that how many times has Mr Moshood travel to Sokoto, Enugu or Lagos to parade suspects on behalf of a Police Commissioner?”
Melaye, who was reacting to social medium report yesterday, Saturday, that he had fled Nigeria, said that he did not go anywhere from Nigeria because of the allegations leveled against him by the Nigeria police.
Senator Melaye in a statement today, Sunday said: “I did not flee Nigeria and have no reason to flee my country leaving behind my family as the online paper wants Nigerians to believe. My attention was drawn to their lies this night, hence this public statement, lest the unsuspecting members of the public and my supporters believe the lies.
“The lies in the SaharaReporters’ so-called news report are nothing but to cause serious disharmony in the Senate and among united majority Senators, who are resolute in defending democracy and its institutions no matter whose ox is gored.
“For the avoidance of doubt, I have not received any court summon either in person or by proxy in my house or office for me to appear on March 28 as being insinuated by the Police regarding the latest allegation against me.
Senator Melaye said that he had taken up the issue with the international community, claiming that the Nigeria Police had a sinister motive in the matter.
“It has become expedient for me to issue this statement to the public and to let you know that I have taken the matter up with the international community in order to report this undue intimidation and harassment.
“Let me reiterate here for the umpteen times that no amount of intimidation, blackmail, arrests or threats will stop me from championing the cause of the masses,” said the senator.
But the police, in a statement by the Force PRO, Moshood, said that all efforts to make Dino Melaye come to court and face the charges brought against him had proved abortive.
“As we speak, Sen Dino Melaye despite the letter sent to the Senate President as mentioned refused to honour Police invitation till date and also refused to appear in court and has also continued to evade the service of criminal summon on him to appear before the Federal High Court, Lokoja on the 28th of March, 2018 to answer to the charge of Criminal Conspiracy and unlawful possession of prohibited firearms against him and Mohammed Audu.
“The Nigeria Police Force is, therefore, using this medium to advise Senator Dino Melaye and Mohammed Audu in their interest to comply with the order of the court and appear on 28th of March 2018 before Federal High Court, Lokoja to answer to the criminal charges against them.
“If they continue to be evasive and fail to comply with criminal summon issued on them by the Federal High Court, Lokoja to appear on March 28, 2018 to answer to the criminal charges of conspiracy and unlawful possession of prohibited firearms against them, the Force, will obtain warrant of arrest for the arrest of Senator Dino Melaye and Mohammed Audu and will definitely declare them wanted throughout the country and on INTERPOL platform for them to be arrested in any country where ever they are sighted and handed over to the Nigeria Police Force for continuation of their trial.” [myad]
