Buhari’s Family Loses 2 Members Within Hours; Atiku Sympathizes

February 10, 2018

President Muhammadu Buhari’s extended family has been struck by the loss of two senior members who died within a few hours of one another.

The Presidential spokesman, Malam Garba Shehu, in a statement today, Saturday, said that Hajiya Halima Dauda who was buried in Daura in the early hours of today, Saturday, is the President’s niece and younger sister to his close associate and nephew, Malam Mamman Daura.

He said that the President’s niece died at about the age of 56, leaving behind 10 children, four of them male and six female, including one of President Buhari’s Personal Assistants, Mohammed Sabi’u Tunde.

According to Garba Shehu, the burial of Hajiya Halima was attended by a Federal Government delegation led by the Chief of Staff to the President, Malam Abba Kyari. Others on the team were Senator Hadi Sirika, Minister of State in charge of Aviation; Alhaji Isma’ila Isa and Sayyu Dantata both of them businessmen; three Senior Special Assistants to the President, Sarki Abba, Ya’u Darazo and Garba Shehu; the Director General of the National Intelligence Agency, Ambassador Ahmed Rufa’i Abubakar, the Permanent Secretary, State House Jalal Arabi and the State Chief of Protocol, Ambassador Lawal Kazaure.

The Presidential spokesman said that Buhari family had yesterday, Friday, buried Hajiya Ai’sha Alhaji Mamman, saying that she was the wife of the President’s elder brother, Alhaji Mamman.

The statement said that Malam Mamman who received the delegation on behalf of the family and the Emir, Alhaji Umar Faruk for the people of Daura Emirate, thanked God for the lives of the deceased and all the visitors for sharing the moment of grief with them.

Among those received by the family in Daura are the Governor of Bauchi State, Mohammed Abubakar, the Inspector General of Police, Ibrahim Idris, EFCC Chairman, Ibrahim Magu and a former Military Governor of Kaduna State, retired Brigadier-General Jafaru Isa.

Meanwhile, the former Vice President and chieftain of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, has commiserated with President Buhari over the passing on of his sister in-law, Hajiya Aisha Mamman.

Atiku, who holds the traditional title of Waziri Adamawa, took to his Twitter handle @atiku today, Saturday to express his condolences to President Buhari.

He twitted: “@atiku On behalf of the Abubakar family, I commiserate with @NGRPresident @MBuhari over the passing on of his sister in-law, Hajiya Aisha Mamman. May Allah grant her Aljannah Firdaus, and grant the Danbaffale Mamman family in Daura the fortitude to bear the loss. Ameen.”

“@atiku Malam Yusuf Buratai, a World War II Veteran and father of COAS Lt. Gen. Tukur Buratai will be remembered for his services to keep country and the world safe and united. May Allah grant him Aljannah Firdaus. Ameen.” [myad]

PDP Chieftain, Jallo, Warns Against Perpetuation Of Impunity In The Party

Greenbarge Reporters

February 10, 2018

A chieftain of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Kaduna, Alhaji Hussain Jallo, has called on the party leadership to avoid impunity and imposition of candidates or be prepared to face worst defeat in 2019 elections.

Jallo spoke when some national and Kaduna State executives visited him at his residence in Rigachikun, in Kaduna on Saturday.

“If the main opposition party, the PDP engages in impunity and imposition of candidates for the 2019 general elections, it would suffer a worse defeat than it did in the 2015 polls.

“The PDP has bright chances of defeating the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) in some states and at the national level, such chances could be lost to impunity and imposition of candidates,” he warned.

Jallo, who was Special Adviser on Politics to ex-Vice President Namadi Sambo, appealed to members at all levels to unite and ensure that the party takes its rightful place as Africa’s largest political party. [myad]

Enugu Governor, Ugwuanyi Sacks 104 Aides For Poor Performance

Greenbarge Reporters

February 10, 2018

Governor ‎Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi of Enugu State has sacked 104 Executive Assistants over non-performance.

The Governor, who announced the sack today, Saturday, was angered by the sacked Executive Assistants from Enugu North Senatorial District of the state over their nonchalant attitude towards the ongoing voters’ registration exercise by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

The sacked aides represented the 104 wards in the Senatorial zone.

Governor Ugwuanyi declared the positions of the affected Executive Assistants vacant and directed them to go back to their various electoral wards to revalidate their mandate and obtain fresh endorsement from the people before being reappointed.

The governor regretted that some of the former EAs were not on ground and had not lived up to their responsibilities in the wards in terms of sensitization, mobilization and promotion of government programmes, policies and interests at the grassroots.

Addressing members of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) at the Enugu North Senatorial District Committee meeting of the party held at its zonal office in Nsukka, Governor Ugwuanyi said that the INEC voters’ registration is key to the fortunes of the party and state ahead of 2019 general elections.

He said that the exercise offered the people of the state and the zone in particular another opportunity to justify themselves as those who had always been known for their highest number of voters during elections.

The governor emphasized the need to involve those who are committed to the party and its government in political appointments and advised the stakeholders to allow the people at the grassroots choose those who will be appointed as Executive Assistants to manage the activities of his administration at the ward level.

The governor told the councilors, supervisors and other political office holders at the ward and local government levels to reside in their areas and participate actively in the affairs of the party and the government, adding that the council chairmen will be held responsible if they do not comply with the directives.

“The on-going voters registration is the key. It is very important to us. It is beyond election. It is about all of us.

“Unfortunately, the EAs appointed to drive this campaign for the government at the grassroots, have not done much in terms of sensitization and mobilization.

“I hereby declare their positions vacant in Enugu North Senatorial District. They should go back and get the endorsement of the people at their various wards for re-appointment.” [myad]

Who Is Audu Ogbe Working For? By Emmanuel Yawe

Greenbarge Reporters

February 10, 2018

One thing you cannot take away from Chief AuduOgbe, the Minister of Agriculture is his oratorical skills. He speaks with the conviction and vehemence of a salesman – reeling out suspicious statistics which cannot be crosschecked by his mesmerized ill equipped audience.

Often when I listen to him speak in public, I go away blaming whoever convinced him to go into academics and later politics for ruining the career of a successful street salesman.

My first close but brief encounter with the Minister was in 1983 when he was President Shehu Shagari’s Minister of Communications. I was a reporter with the New Nigerian at the time and Abba Dabo my Editor enjoyed giving me the toughest assignments he faced. He it was who sent me to Maiduguri in 1982 when the Maitatsine killer squad started an insurrection at the Bulunkutu quarters of the town. I saw holy hell there.

In 1983 when General Buhari, the GOC of 3rd Armored Division in Jos invaded Chad in hot pursuit of some renegade Chadian troops that had attacked and killed Nigerian soldiers, Abba Dabo tipped me to follow him.I did – the only Nigerian reporter on his trail. I was later told it was my report, lavishly carried on the front page of the New Nigerian and repeatedly relayed by the BBC Hausa and Africa service that alerted Shehu Shagari, the Commander in Chief that his troops were deep in Chad – fighting a war. Gen Buhari invaded another country without the knowledge of his Commander in Chief.

Back to Audu Ogbe in 1983, my brief was simple. There was a great controversy then involving a contract that was given by Gen Murtala Mohammed when he was Head of State. Known as the Aerostat Balloon communication project, it had consumed hundreds of millions of dollars without a single improvement of Nigeria’s telephone services. Abba Dabo delegated me to investigate the story. In Lagos, I met the Minister who referred me to one Engineer Mohammed, a director in the ministry.

It was Engineer Mohammed who gave me the details of the deal. He brought a huge file and let me peruse the details. Going through, I saw a Supreme Military Council document which revealed that Murtala Mohammed signed the contract on 12^th February 1976, a day before the whisky besotted Bukar Suka Dimka pummeled him to death in broad daylight on a Lagos Street. That was the biggest privilege I enjoyed as a New Nigerian reporter – having unfettered access to classified documents of the Supreme Military Council of Nigeria. I will always be grateful to the newspaper.

AuduOgbe started his political career when he left his job as a French teacher at the Murtala College of Arts and Science Makurdi to contest elections into the Benue State House of Assembly. He won and was in the House before President Shehu Shagari appointed him a Minister. Since then, I do not have any record of his contesting a direct election where ordinary folks vote. He has been in public service though, mostly through appointments. Under the Obasanjo presidency, he even got as high as the National Chairman of the ‘biggest political party in Africa’.

While these appointments may put him in public glare, they rob him of an essential ingredient of a successful politician: high up there without feeling the pulse of the people he is supposed to lead.Audu Ogbe was one of the prominent leaders of the APC from Benue at the time of the last general elections in 2015. But his performance in that election did not impress anybody except himself. Those close to him said he did not vote because he did not even register to vote.

The results of the elections in his own ward, Local Government and Senatorial Zone did not speak well of him as a leader of the APC. The party was thoroughly thrashed by the PDP, with David Mark as the Supreme leader in that part of Benue State.

It was President Buhari who came to his rescue by nominating him as Minister. It was a hard pill for the leaders of the APC in the two zones of the state who delivered victory to the party to swallow but they did. Still, in a frightening demonstration of human and political insensitivity, President Buhari again ignored the two APC senatorial zones in his next round of appointments. This time he did not only go for somebody in a PDP dominated zone, his choice for Ambassadorial appointment was an active PDP card carrying member.

If the President had gone ahead with sending the PDP hot head as an Ambassadorial nominee as he was insisting, he would have been disgraced by the Senate. The two Benue APC Senators who gave the party victory were determined to shoot the nominee down. Wise counsel prevailed and the President reluctantly found an APC man for the appointment.

The APC style of handling matters in Benue is that neither the party at the National level nor the President is sensitive to the true feelings of the people. Chief Audu Ogbe represents Benue in Buhari’s cabinet. But it is doubtful if he understands how his people feel especially on the controversy between sedentary farmers and the wandering cattle men.

Benue is a state where all issues and politics are often split along ethnic lines. But the rampaging herdsmen who have killed the Tiv, Idoma and Igede indiscriminately have brought unity to the squabbling ethnic men. Benue is united irrespective of tribe behind the anti-open grazing law passed by the State House of Assembly and signed by Governor Samuel Ortom.

Benue people today are under a frightening onslaught from herdsmen and many meanings are being read – wrongly or rightly – into the new found strength of their attackers. Audu Ogbe’s strange solution to this is ‘cattle colonies’.

Who is Audu Ogbe working for in Buhari’s cabinet with his queer theory of cattle colony?

Maybe he is working for President Buhari who against all odds appointed him Minister. But as an itinerant reporter, I often go to Daura where the President has a small ranch. If the President who employed Audu Ogbe believes so much in cattle colonies he should have established one and not a ranch that I know and have visited on several occasions. So, evidently Audu Ogbe is not even working for his employer.

At a point, I thought Audu Ogbe was working for cattle breeders whose leaders stunned the civilized world by rationalizing in a BBC interview the brutal murder of 73 innocent women and children on new year’s day in Benue; they said it was a reaction to their 1000 cattle that were stolen. But on 2^nd February 2018, Jibril Ibrahim reported in his back page column in Daily Trust a revealing meeting between the Nigerian Bar Association and the Benue State Branch of the Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association in its Abuja Headquarters on January 27^th 2018. He wrote:

“One of the highpoints of the meeting was the Associations passionate appeal on the Minister of Agriculture, Mr Audu Ogbe to drop the idea of cattle colonies. They explained that they are being falsely accused of being colonisers and the use of the term colony by government is being used to victimize them as agents of the said plan. They added that they are not colonisers and government should stop associating them with the concept.”

So if Audu Ogbe is not working for the Benue people he represents in Buhari’s cabinet; is not working for President Buhari himself and is not even working for cattle breeders in his energetic crusade for cattle colonies, who is he working for? [myad]

Those That Are Angry With Buhari Are Ex-Looters, Fraudsters, Kogi Governor Insists

Greenbarge Reporters

February 9, 2018

Governor Yahaya Bello of Kogi State has said that those that looted the nation’s treasury and those that carried the country’s money with Jet to South Africa are the ones angry with the administration of President Muhammadu Buhari.
The governor said that some religious leaders are also angry because avenues to loot money and take to the Churches and Mosques have been blocked by the Buhari’s government.
Alhaji Yahaya Bello, who spoke to news men at the Aso Rock Presidential Villa in Abuja, today, shortly after Friday Jum’at prayer with President Buhari was responding to the submissions of the Catholic Bishops under the umbrella of Catholic Bishops Conference of Nigeria (CBCN), in the meeting with the President yesterday, Thursday where the Bishops told the President that Nigerians were angry as a result of alleged bad governance and imbalance in the system.
“Yes, I followed it (the Bishops meting) keenly and one of the key statement there was that Nigerians are angry. Yes, it is very true that Nigerians are angry but the question is who are these categories of Nigerians who are angry?
“The categories of Nigerians that are angry are those who used private jets to cart away Nigeria’s money in dollars out of the country to South Africa. I’m sure you are away that our money is still locked down there; such money if you bring it into the economy, a lot of youths that are unemployed will surely be employed.
“And of course those that have looted the country dry and normally go to the Church and Mosque to pay tithe are no longing doing so, of course we these are the category of people that are angry.
“If you look at it critically, the farmers, those with real jobs are happy because the economy is improving. In no time we have come out of recession, our foreign reserve is increasing, no more bombing in Sambisa, no more bombing in the country, no more bombing in Embab plaza even as close as Abuja, no more bombing in Suleja and all over the country. I think those that are benefiting from these crimes and criminality will be angry and they are Nigerians. So it is important to define the category of people who are angry.
“I want to urge Nigerians to continue to appreciate Mr. President, pray for him so that the good work he has started he will complete it, so that Nigeria will be not of the woods.”
Governor Yahaya Bello said that the recent alteration of election time table by the two chambers of the National Assembly, will help to determine the popularity of the lawmakers, saying that some of the lawmakers at the national assembly rose on the back of the popularity of President Buhari to win election in 2015, but that the adjustment of the time table will help to weed out the “bad” members among them.
Yahaya Bello said: “I so much appreciate this. I think if you observe critically what happened in the last election where Mr. President was elected along with other members of National Assembly.
“Then, we called it Buhari Tsunami, where the good, the bad and the ugly were all put together and elected. It is either going to be in their interest that the Buhari Tsunami will return them or everybody will be on his or her own.
“Let Buhari return and let Nigerians select the good ones out of the bad ones to return to the National Assembly. Whichever order it comes in this upcoming general elections, I can assure you that Mr. President will win landslide and the good ones will return to the National Assembly.”
“They (the lawmakers) have the choice to make and they have made their choice that the good will of Mr. President should not rob on the bad ones. Surely, the good ones on their own account will return to the National Assembly at the appropriate time.”
On his plan to sell some important assets of the state and the criticisms that have trailed the plan, Bello said, “Well, to them you call it important but to us it is not important. It is not important because they are tying down the capital and good money of state that would have been used for other developmental projects.
“You don’t have an important project that is not adding values whatsoever to the lives of the people of Kogi State. And such projects can be converted and used to solve the problems that you are confronted with today. We are in deficit of road infrastructure, schools are in shambles, hospitals and the rest of them.
“So, why keeping an asset that is not yielding anything value all in the name of this is Kogi asset instead of use it for what will benefit the people more and add value to the system.
“You see, this is politics playing but we will not be deterred by some uninformed so called elites that are here in Abuja making noise. Let them come to Kogi State and compare two years of my stewardship with previous administration, then they will know that they are completely off the track. I think the people of Kogi State are with me and appreciate the much we are doing.” [myad]

One Statement, Many Ordeals, By Kassim Afegbua

Greenbarge Reporters

February 9, 2018

In the last six days, I have gone through traumatic experience when I was declared wanted by the Nigeria Police. By the strength of that unprofessional declaration, I was treated like a common criminal and fugitive until I showed up at the Police Headquarters Abuja to physically present myself. After what the Police termed a no case issue, they were apologetic and I took my leave. In the evening of that day, Wednesday 7th February, 2018 I got a phone call inviting me to the Headquarters of the Directorate of State Security (DSS).

I honoured the invitation on Thursday and spent 7 hours waiting for attention. I left the office at 6.50pm when it became clear nobody was ready to tell me what the invitation was meant for. I was informed to report back on Friday 9th February, 2018 at 11am. On arrival on Friday, having spent 2 hours, I was attended to by the Director of Operations and two others who interrogated me on the said statement I issued. My interrogation was recorded electronically and was made to write a statement affirming the issued statement, having collected all my personal details; house address, account number, international passport number and other information.

I find this whole episode quite nauseating and utterly condemnable. I cannot rationalise why just a statement would amount to subjecting me to rigorous interrogation especially when there was no complainant. The action of the Nigeria Police coupled with that of the State Security Service is at best that of a meddlesome interloper and sheer bullying, leaving serious developmental issues to chasing shadows with a view to intimidate, harass and embarrass me.

Let me state at this point that my life is in danger as we speak. I have been receiving series of unknown phone calls from people threatening me and my family. But I am resolute in the true spirit of a free born, that threats, intimidation, harassment and psychological torturing has never and will not stop me from exercising my right of free speech as enshrined in the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria; as well as carrying out my professional responsibility. I will not submit to intimidation, harassment and threats. Certainly not. I have just a life to live and no one under God will live forever.

Let me use this opportunity to thank my principal, General Ibrahim Babangida, GCFR and members of his family who were constantly in touch with me to share in my tribulations. General Ibrahim Babangida’s words of encouragement and assurances further bolstered my resolve to soldier on. I am eternally grateful to Nigerians especially the Media for their solidarity, support and espirit de corps. Words are not enough to convey my deep and profound gratitude. My thanks also go to my very adorable and supportive wife who stood by me throughout the whole process without betraying any sentiments. And to members of my larger Afegbua family, my reliable friends, associates and compatriots, I record my thanks and appreciation in million ways.

And to my very dependable and reliable lawyer, Dr. Kayode Ajulo and other lawyers who offered their voices to prosecute this case, I am eternally grateful. To take a Kayode Ajulo out on a stressful five days legal engagement without collecting a dime, is to me, the height of humanity. I am not only touched but humbled by this show of support and uncommon generousity. And my good friend, Emmanuel Ajibulu, such an efficient, and proactive media networker, I cannot thank you enough.

This experience to me is an eye opener in so many ways. I feel a sense of personal gratitude to several of Nigeria’s foremost legal luminaries who maintained a constant touch and gave useful legal advice throughout the period of this travails. I am most humbled. And the Almighty Allah will meet all of you in your hour of need. On a lighter note, the support, accolades and motivation I received during this period have given me added confidence to seek elective public office in no distant future.

Afegbua is Chief media consultant to ex President Ibrahim Babangida. [myad]

President Buhari Goes Tough On Who Become Judges In Nation’s Courts

Greenbarge Reporters

February 9, 2018

President Muhammadu Buhari has vowed to apply proper measures henceforth on who become judges in the Nigerian court.

He made it clear that those who would be appointed judges are persons recommended by the National Judicial Council (NJC).

A statement today, Friday, by the special adviser to the President on media and publicity, Femi Adesina, quoted Buhari as saying that judges would be those who are fit and proper, and who are not under any disability to function as Judicial Officers.

The statement said that the President’s position is in furtherance of the executive powers vested in him under Section 5 of the 1999 Constitution, which allows him as the appointing authority to exercise same reasonably, taking all relevant factors into consideration.

President Buhari then assured Nigerians that he will issue his approval or otherwise as soon as the process of the background verification is completed. [myad]

I Will Send You To Prison, Judge Threatens Lawyer For ‘Disrespectful Conduct’

Greenbarge Reporters

February 9, 2018

An Ikeja Special Offences Court Judge, Justice Mojisola Dada, today, Friday, threatened to send Professor J. N Mbadugha, the defence counsel to the Chairman of Innoson Motors Nigeria Limited, Mr. Innocent Chukwuma, alias Innoson to prison for what he called disrespectful conduct in the court.

Professor Mbadugha incurred the wrath of the judge when he reportedly shouted: “this proceeding is a clear abuse of court processes. The EFCC is a reckless arbiter.

“My Lord has refused to be bound by the rule of law and doesn’t want to be bound by the doctrine of Stare Decisis; my Lord wants to override the decision of the Supreme Court.”

Justice Dada, in response, said: “Your whole comportment, conduct, countenance smacks of disrespect to the court and rule of law. I will report you to the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA).

“You are insulting the court, this is clear contempt in the face of the court; you will go to prison from here, if you think the court is defenceless and powerless, you’d be surprised.”

Professor Mbadugha, who initially said he was ready to be charged for contempt, later tendered an apology to the court, saying: “I am sorry My Lord, I hope the court gives me a second opportunity.

“I want to urge the court to temper justice with mercy; to err is human, but to forgive is divine.”

The defence counsel profusely apologised to the court saying he withdrawn his earlier statements.

Shortly before the bench warrant for the arrest of the chairman of the Innoson company, the lead prosecuting counsel for the EFCC, A. B. C Ozioko, said that the automobile boss had been evading justice.

”The first and second defendants (Innoson and his company) took the EFCC before the Senate for public hearing and the first defendant who represented his company was physically there.

“The defendants have respect for the National Assembly and no respect for this court.

“My learned friend (Mbadugha) is a lawyer and he wants to demean the integrity of this court.

“Mr Onwukwe, a defence counsel for the first defendant, was here in court on Jan. 17; this is a criminal charge and proceedings cannot hold until the defendant is present.

“The first and second defendant are not here because my learned friend advised them not to come to court.

“I want Your Lordship to compel the first and second defendants to come to court, which is germane for a criminal charge.

“We have gotten across to the third defendant (Charles Chukwuma) and we are ready to change the charge to reflect only the first and second defendant.

“We shall be applying for a bench warrant for the first and second defendant.”

The defendants are being arraigned on a four-count charge of conspiracy to obtain property by false pretenses, obtaining property by false pretenses, stealing and forgery.

According to the charge sheet, the defendants committed the offences between 2009 and July 2011 in Lagos.

The EFCC alleges that defendants with intent to defraud, conspired to obtain by false pretenses containers of motorcycle, spare parts and raw materials property of Guaranty Trust Bank (GTB) from Mitsui OSK Lines Limited, Apapa, Lagos.

The defendants are alleged to have fraudulently induced staff of Mitsui OSK and Maersk Line to deliver to them via their clearing agents the goods which were imported from China in the name of GTB by falsely pretending that they were authorised by the bank to clear the goods.

The prosecution claim that the defendants, in order to facilitate the fraud, forged a bill of lading numbered 598286020 of Maersk Line Limited and 11007950841 of Mutsui O.S.K Lines by knowingly putting a false GTB stamp and signature of the bank staff.

The alleged forgery was in order that the forged documents be used or acted upon as genuine to the prejudice of any person within Lagos or elsewhere.

The offences, according to the EFCC, are in contravention of Sections 1(1)(b), 1(3), and 8(a) of the Advanced Fee Fraud and Other Related Offences Act 2016 and Sections 309(9), 388, 465 and 467(1)(j) of the Criminal Code of Lagos State 2003. [myad]

God Chose Me, First Born-Again Pastor, As Vice President, For A Purpose – Osinbajo

Greenbarge Reporters

February 9, 2018

APC Presidential candidate, Muhammadu Buhari and his running mate, Yemi Osibajo,

Vice President Yemi Osinbajo as told his fellow Christians not to be deceived by people that don’t wish this country well but to pray for the best to come out of the efforts he and President Muhammadu Buhari are putting together to correct all the past mistakes with a view to launching the country into the path of greatness.

“I believe very strongly that there is a reason for my being elected as Vice President, and possibly the first born-again Christian, the first pastor to have been elected as Vice President. “God is not the God of accident. He understands expertly what He wants to do. My role there is to add to the integrity, to do the right thing and make sure that we push our government in the right way.”

Professor Osinbajo spoke today, Friday, at the burial ceremony of Pa Daniel Olajide Adebiyi at Saint Peter’s Anglican Church in Otun-Ekiti, Ekiti State.

Osinbajo said that Nigeria is great and has the resources, adding that if its resources are not stolen and are used properly, it can be the greatest country anywhere in the world.

He assured that he and President Buhari are just ready and set to make the country great by using its resources prudently.

“So what I ask you for is prayers. This is a golden opportunity for us as Christians. When the two of us agree on anything, the Lord our God will bring it to pass. Agree with me that our country will be great and our country will be great.”

On allegation by the Bishop of the Diocese of Ekiti, Bishop Isaac Olatunde Olabowale, regarding the Aso Villa chapel, Vice President Osinbajo said that the chapel is being used very well, adding: “I attend services there, I preach there. All Christians, even non-Christians, I allow them to come into the chapel; that’s the chapel in Aso Villa.”

Responding to the Bishop’s call for prayers and also for action and activity on the part of the government, the Vice President stressed: “let me say to you that, on our part, we want to do everything that is necessary to bring peace everywhere, whether it has to do with herdsmen or not. Just yesterday, I was talking at a security summit hosted by the National Assembly on clashes and security situation generally and we said there that what the Federal Government is doing is to make sure that nobody can take land and give it to anybody.

“In places where there are grazing reserves we want cattle to be kept wherever they are kept, not necessarily wandering about the whole place. It is in the interest of those who own cattle too, that those cattle be kept in ranges or grazing reserves. That is the place where they ought to be kept so that they feed, but those places must also be paid for and government does not intend to take anybody’s land for any purpose at all.

“Those who are saying that they want to colonize or establish colonies, the government of Nigeria does not intend to establish any colonies. We are not colonizing anywhere or doing any such thing. And I want to say also that what we are trying to do as a government is difficult, and many of you know that it’s not an easy thing. Our country is a very big country, but we are determined to ensure that we do right for the people of this country.

“That is why in agriculture we are doing the very best we can and we are supporting farmers everywhere. And today rice importation is down by about 90%. We want to produce our own food in this country so that we can feed ourselves. We want to provide jobs for our young people everywhere. So far we have employed 200,000 graduates under our N-power programme and we want to employ 300,000 more before the middle of this year. We intend to continue to do these things.”

Professor Osinbajo greeted the family of Pa Daniel Olajide Adebiyi, sying that the passing of the Adebiyi is the celebration of the life of an important and distinguished educationist.

“Our nation needs men and women like Adebiyi. He devoted his time and existence to serving other people and he did so with integrity and honesty.

“When we write about and think about him, we think of only greatness and the way that he contributed to the life of others. And we know that here is a man who set an example of good character, an example of hard work and service to man and to God. This is why we are celebrating his life, that today he is with the Lord Jesus Christ enjoying peace. All we can pray for too is that, soon enough, whenever the Lord calls us we will also be with the Lord Jesus to enjoy peace in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ.” [myad]

As Army Boss Loses Father, President Buhari Sends Sympathy

Greenbarge Reporters

February 9, 2018

President Muhammadu Buhari has commiserated with the Buratai family over the death of Alhaji Yusuf Buratai, father of the Chief of Army Staff, Lt. General Tukur Buratai.

In a statement by the special adviser to the President on media and publicity, Femi Adesina, Buhari said that late Yusuf Buratai was an ex-serviceman and veteran of World War II, whose service to Nigeria will always be appreciated and remembered.

The President noted that Alhaji Buratai’s years of service to the nation epitomized by courage, skill, determination and devotion “has been rightly bequeathed to his son, who is diligently serving the country.

Buhari prayed that Allah will comfort all those who mourn the late patriot and to grant his soul eternal rest. [myad]

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