The President-General of Ebira Peoples Association (EPA), Dr. Musa Abdulrahman Adeiza has lamented that Kogi Central Senatorial District is now under security siege and called on the authorities to do something urgently to stop it.

Speaking today at a news briefing on the near-break down of security as kidnapping and unprovoked killings take centre stage in the Senatorial District, Dr. Adeiza insisted that there is no excuse why the security situation had gone down so low that people are no longer safe to move freely.

“Ladies and Gentlemen, we are under siege in Kogi Central.. The situation is so bad that nearly everyone in Kogi Central in particular, now lives in absolute fear. Sons and daughters of Kogi Central who live outside the state are now scared of coming home. For many other Nigerians, traveling through the state has become a fearful experience as security is not always guaranteed.
“The situation has also taken a heavy toll on businesses in an area generally regarded as the economic nerve-centre of the state.”
We reproduce here, the full text of Dr. adeiza’s news briefing:
Ladies and Gentlemen
Gentlemen of the Press
It is with sadness and a sense of foreboding that we address you today regarding the alarming rate of insecurity and criminality in Kogi State, especially in Kogi Central Senatorial Zone.
Members of the Ebira Peoples Association (EPA), the umbrella body of all Ebira people at home and in the Diaspora, are seriously concerned about the rampant cases of mindless killings, kidnappings, robberies and other violent crimes that have come to define every day life in our state.
Despite the efforts of governments at all levels, criminals seem to operate freely and unhindered by the presence of a combined forces of police, soldiers and para-military agents. In the last one year, no week has passed without incidents of kidnapping, abduction and even murder in the state.
Kogi state is geographically at the heart of this country as the only state that has land borders with as many as eleven states and the Federal Capital Territory (virtually a third of the country). If we dare to look the other way while criminal elements carve out a place for themselves as a forwarding operational base, the consequences may be too much for the entire country if another insurgency steadily brews in this area without check. This problem is not ours alone. The entire country must wake up to this danger, and help eradicate this virus from the very heart of this Nation.
Ladies and Gentlemen, we are under siege in Kogi Central.. The situation is so bad that nearly every one in Kogi Central in particular, now lives in absolute fear. Sons and daughters of Kogi Central who live outside the state are now scared of coming home. For many other Nigerians, traveling through the state has become a fearful experience as security is not always guaranteed.
The situation has also taken a heavy toll on businesses in an area generally regarded as the economic nerve-centre of the state.
Most abductions in Nigeria are done for ransom and the victims are usually freed upon payment of ransom or some form of extended negotiation. The situation in Kogi State has gotten so bad that even where the kidnappers have been paid or offered ransom, the victims are either killed or kept in the custody of their abductors with no further communication with relatives thus foreclosing chances of them reuniting with their families. Let it be on record that no abducted person has ever been successfully rescued, as those that have so far gained their freedom have done so after paying ransom.
EPA has followed with keen interest efforts made by the Kogi State Government and the Local Government Authorities of Kogi Central Senatorial Zone in combating the menace of kidnapping. But in the light of the worsening situation, there is an urgent need for a change of strategy.
While commending the security agencies and assuring them that EPA will continue to avail them of useful information that will assist them in wiping out criminal elements in our midst, we cannot also fail to observe that these security agents appear overwhelmed at present, largely due to logistical and manpower inadequacies. Intelligence gathering has also become ever so difficult as many residents fear to complain to the increasingly complacent security agents. Such level of distrust has further worsened an already bad situation. There cannot be effective policing when persons to be secured don’t feel safe enough to share credible intelligence with the agencies.
The majority of our people are peace-loving and law-abiding. We have resolved, therefore, not to fold our hands and allow a small band of evil people to turn our homeland into a fiefdom of criminals. We urge our people to be vigilant and to report suspicious persons within the community to the appropriate authorities.
We must also remain our brothers’ keepers by sustaining the goodwill, love for one another and good neighbourliness which we are well known for.
Let me also use this opportunity to commend the youths of Kogi Central particularly, members of the Ebira Youth Congress for their steadfastness and vigilance. I want to urge our people to remain steadfast and be ready to defend their communities at all times.
Members of EPA have agreed to continue to interface with the government at all levels and to support the security agencies with all resources at their disposal in addressing the security challenges in the area.
In the coming days, we shall deepen our partnership with the mass media, especially the local media organisations to raise the level of awareness and security consciousness among our people while also supporting other communal efforts to arrest these unfortunate incidents of kidnapping in our land.
We would like to specifically make the following suggestions to governments at all levels. Our suggestions consist of Short, Medium and Long Term measures, policies and strategies which we hope would be urgently considered and approved:
1. All police, soldiers and state security officers as well as para-military agents currently serving in Kogi Central should be redeployed immediately and be replaced with new ones. As a matter of fact, no security agent should spend more than six months in the area to avoid being thoroughly compromised as it is being largely suspected now. The total number of personnel in the state in general needs to be increased to effectively cope with the geographical peculiarity of the State.
2. Both Federal & State Governments should make concerted efforts to reinforce and review security measures in terms of material, personnel and modus operandi in order to safeguard lives and properties in Kogi Central.
3. Security should be intelligence driven by interfacing with community leaders, Ward Heads, local vigilante groups, Hunters, farmers.
4. There should be a coordinated tactical operation to smoke out criminal elements from their hideouts in homes, bushes, caves, hills, etc.
5. Security surveillance should be on 24-hour duty across the land, instead of the present situation whereby most hotspots are left unmanned through most hours of the day.
6. Operational strategy to security matters should be proactive in approach rather than reactive, while adopting a more effective method to unravel all already perpetrated damages.
7. Governments should as a matter of urgency explore and support the possibility of integrating “CIVILIAN JTF ” into the security system of the land to complement conventional security agencies.
8. Governments should provide toll free security numbers to report cases of security infractions.
9. Kogi State government should mobilise hunters into vigilante groups at various community levels
10. The state government should constitute a body of community based Organization heads to proffer solutions to various security threats and to enhance intelligence gathering.
11. The Federal Government should urgently complete the moribund Ajaokuta Steel Company to reduce youth unemployment, which is partly responsible for the rising crimes.
12. The state government should construct police posts at various dark spots in the District so that criminals will no longer hide there.
13. All issues of State Civil Service screening exercise should be concluded within the shortest possible time to reduce the frustration arising thereof and the insecurity that non payment of salaries portends.
I thank you. [myad]

Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Babachir David Lawal has said that those who have been wishing President Muhammadu Buhari to die as he takes his vacation in London, will die before him.

“Shamelessly, they accused the president of not performing. And in fact, some of them wished him dead. But, I can assure you that by the grace of God, he will outlive all of them.”

David Lawal, who was addressing hundreds of pro-Buhari protesters against some partisans who they accused of trying to derail the Buhari’s administration, ‎said that those fighting the Buhari administration are those who benefited immensely from past proceeds of corruption.

He stressed that no one can take Nigeria back to Jonathan Days after President’s eight-years.

The SGF said that by the time Buhari finishes his eight-year tenure of two terms, nobody would be able to take Nigeria back to 2015, even as he said that government is on top of the current situation in the country.

“As much as we understand the challenges that we are facing, there is no cure without medicine. It is for no reason that quinine is very bitter, but after you have taken it, you get well”. He however conceded that the president never envisaged the challenges, promising an economic turn-around in the next one year.

“Baba Buhari did not anticipate the problem that we are in. I am sure you are all aware. The people who caused this problem are the one challenging the government. I tell you that they will fail in the name of God.

“In fact, they have failed. You are aware of the economy that the president inherited, the economy in which revenue has virtually collapsed. The infrastructure is nowhere to be seen.

The roads were dilapidated. The schools were dilapidated. The hospitals were abandoned. The people who caused it are not worried at all.”
The protesters walked from the popular Unity Fountain in Maitama to the entrance of the Presidential Villa‎ chanting: “Nigeria can only change when we support the government and do our bit and not allow ourselves to be used as agents of destruction and political thuggery.” [myad]

The President Muhammadu Buhari has confessed that he is missing home, away from London where he has been holidaying since January 19 this year.

According to the senior special assistant on media and publicity, Malam Garba Shehu, President Buhari said that he would soon be returning to Nigeria from London any moment from now, as he is no longer “enjoying his stay’’ outside the country.

President Buhari, who proceeded on vacation to UK on January 19 for a routine medical check had indicated in a letter to the Senate, transmitted another letter to the Senate, on February 5, requesting extension of time to complete the medical check-up.

In an interview with the Channels Television in Abuja today, Tuesday, Garba Shehu said that the president would be returning to Nigeria soonest as he was no longer `comfortable’ with the extended vacation in London.

“As a matter of fact, we should be getting ready to see the president in fresh and that will be as soon as possible. The President (himself) is looking to being home to be with his people.

“I don’t think he is enjoying any longer with an extended vacation outside the country.’’

On the president’s telephone conversation with President Trump, Garba Shehu described as “undiplomatic’’ the request being made in some quarters for the release of the audio containing the conversation.

According to him, releasing an audio containing telephone conversation between two presidents is highly unethical and against modern day civilization.

“No, I don’t think so; I don’t think it is permitted in international diplomacy. I think if we had recorded Mr. Trump in this conversation, it would have offended our diplomatic relations. I think the Americans themselves would not have recorded this conversation of president to president.”

On the president’s test results being expected from his doctors, the presidential aide said he had no information on whether the president had collected the results or not.

“No, we have no information on that (test results). If he had received them, he would have been on the plane back home.”

Garba Shehu said that there was no enough time for the two presidents to discuss other continental and international matters, even as he expressed optimism that the conversation would boost the bilateral relations between Nigeria and the U.S.

“Well, there wasn’t enough time to talk about everything. I think the point at what will follow is in the invitation that President Trump has extended to our president (Buhari) to come over.

“That is the kind of opportunity that was presented to Nigeria to put all the issues on the desk.

“As for their immigration policy, I think our president has been clear about one thing- the choices made by the Americans as to who to lead them in this case, Mr. Trump, is entirely their own choice. We have no business interfering with their domestic affairs.

“As to the countries that have barred, it has been clearly specified and Nigeria did not feature in the list.”

Buhari had on Monday, in London spoke with Trump by telephone at the request of the American President.

According to the president’s Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Femi Adesina, the conversation was cordial and Buhari congratulated Trump on his election as President of the United States and on his cabinet.

Adesina said the two leaders discussed ways to improve cooperation in the fight against terrorism through provision of necessary equipment.

According to him, Trump encourages Buhari to keep up the good work he is doing, and also commends him for the efforts he has made in rescuing 24 of the Chibok Girls and the strides being taken by the Nigerian military.

“Trump assured the Nigerian president of the U.S readiness to cut a new deal in helping Nigeria in terms of military weapons to combat terrorism.

“Trump also invited Buhari to Washington at a mutually convenient date,’’ the statement concluded.

The American President has since been putting calls to other world leaders to inform them of his action plans towards the eradication of terrorism in America.

Nigerians have, however, been reacting to the statement with diverse views.

(NAN). [myad]

A Federal High Court sitting in Kano, presided over by Justice Zainab B. Abubakar today, Tuesday, ordered the forfeiture of the sum of $9.772 million and £74,000 recovered from a former Group Managing Director (GMD) of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, (NNPC), Mr. Andrew Yakubu to the Federal Government.

The order was sequel to an ex parte application by the EFCC seeking an interim forfeiture of the recovered money to the Federal Government. The ex parte application was made by Salihu Sani, counsel for the applicant.

In her ruling, Justice Zainab held: “that the sum of $9,772,000 (Nine Million, Seven Hundred and Seventy Two Thousand United States Dollars) and £74,000 (Seventy Four Thousand Pound Sterling) which are now in the custody of the applicant (EFCC) are in the interim forfeited to the Federal Government of Nigeria.”

It would be recalled that, on the 3rd day of February, 2017, operatives of the Commission had stormed a building belonging to the former NNPC boss and recovered a staggering sum of $9,772,000 (Nine Million, Seven Hundred and Seventy Two Thousand United States Dollars) and £74,000 (Seventy Four Thousand Pound Sterling) stashed in a huge fire proof safe.

On February 8, 2017, Yakubu reported to the Commission’s Kano Zonal Office where he admitted being the owner of both the house and the money recovered.

He is still in custody assisting the investigation, according to Head of Media and Publicity of the EFCC, Wilson Uwujaren. [myad]

President Muhammadu Buhari, today, Tuesday, spoke to the former Nigeria’s Head of the Civil Service of the Federation, Dr. Adamu Fika from London, to condole with him on the death of his wife, Hajiya Tasallah Fika.

The President expressed sadness over the death of Mrs. Fika, saying that her death is painful.

He told Adamu Fika, who holds the traditional title of Wazirin Fika that as a family man himself, he (Buhari) understood the depth of pain Dr. Fika is going through at this time.

He commiserated with the husband for “having lost a great and invaluable companion of many years and that the deceased was one of the most devoted wives who was the pride of the nuclear family.”

President Buhari prayed to Allah to grant the deceased eternal rest in peace, and wished Dr. Fika the fortitude to bear this enormous loss.  [myad]