Vice President Yemi Osinbajo has said that community policing through State Police is a cardinal program of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).

The Vice President, who was answering questions at a Townhall event where he interacted with US-based Nigerians in Houston, Texas in the US, said that such agenda on state police cannot be implemented until there is an amendment to the nation’s constitution.

He gave a scenario where a policeman from Bayelsa State is working in Borno State where he cannot even speak the language or understand the culture of the people he is policing, adding that such policing system can be counterproductive.

“The current situation where police activities are controlled at the federal level sure has some limitations. The federal government is currently working to introduce community policing that would be in line with the constitution.”

Vice President Osinbajo disclosed, while answering another question that Nigeria security agencies have so far arrested about 800 suspected violent herdsmen across the country, saying: “the President (Muhammadu Buhari) has given firm instructions to the security agencies to arrest not only herdsmen who are attacking communities anywhere in the country but anyone of them or anyone at all in possession of firearms.

“There are about 800 of suspected violent herdsmen in the country that are currently in custody.” The Vice President, who decried the slow pace of the criminal justice system that is affecting the prompt trial of such suspects, said that the issue of killings by such violent herdsmen has been a perennial one, especially as grazing lands continue to disappear over the years and the cattle feed on people’s crops on the farmlands.

He therefore kicked against the tendency by the people interpreting the herdsmen issue as a religious one, asking Nigerians to refuse to be drawn to such divisive narratives and tendencies.

He emphasized that there has always been a conflict between herdsmen and communities across the country and that people should disabuse the notion that the problem has just started because of President Buhari, who happens to be a Fulani.

The Townhall event, according to the senior special adviser to the Vice President on media and publicity, Laolu Akande, was shown live at the event and via the Internet.

He said that Professor Osinbajo fielded about thirty questions at a well-attended town hall event which was moderated by popular columnist, Rudolf Okonkwo and Professor Nimi Wariboko of Boston University. [myad]

Governor of Taraba state, Darius Ishaku and his Benue counterpart, Samuel Ortom, rose to the occasion today, Saturday to foil attempt by gun men to kidnap the district head of Chir-Akera in Lufu, Takum, Veyor Gbatu.

Recounting the drama to news men, the Counsellor of Fete ward, Mr. Andrew Titus said that about twelve heavily armed men invaded the community and forcefully captured the district head.

“I got a call this morning from the district head of Lufu who told me that the chief has been captured by some armed youth. I quickly swung into action and told the chairman of the local government who in turn quickly reached the governor.

“I later learnt that the governor promptly called his Benue state colleague, Governor Samuel Ortom, for coordination. This is how our governor has been doing this by always linking up with other stakeholders, especially the Benue state governor.

“It worked well because our youths were able to intercept the abductors as they were getting out of town. The monarch was tied up in the boot of the van they used.

“When we met them initially, they threatened to shoot me. They wore military uniforms and held sophisticated weapons. My worry is how did they get those uniforms to wear? Who gave them soldier uniforms? They said they are informers for the military. But informers shouldn’t be wearing uniforms I think. Eventually, the CO said we should release them to the police. So we freed the chief and took him back to his domain.”

The Takum youths expressed concern over the spate of invasions from Benue state, noting that the incidence to lead to crisis in the tense area.

Titus said: “l think they should be able to address this issues and take it seriously. How can you have a situation where people don’t respect boundaries? We are separated from Benue state by 16 kilometers distance. But they are always encroaching and even giving names to settlement. No one from here can dare do that in Benue. It appears our hospitality is being abused.” [myad]

Radio Biafra, the promoter of the Indigenous People Of Biafra (IPOB), agitating for the breakaway of Igbo people from Nigeria, has suffered a major setback as the Facebook shut down its account and the account of the principal officers of the IPOB itself.

The principal officers whose accounts were also shut were Uche Alphonsus Mefor, Clifford Iroanya, Uchenna Asiegbu, Austin Ofomah, et al. This was even as there were speculations that the shutdown is not unconnected with the recent visit to Nigeria by Facebook proprietor, Mr. Mark Zuckerberg.

Others reasoned that the shutdown was because of the overwhelming support by Biafrans, South Easterners, and South Southerners for Donald Trump ahead of the forthcoming U.S. Presidential elections. [myad]

Governor Abdullahi Ganduje of Kano State has said that he is aware of several probes of past governors by his colleagues in other states, but that he would not jump into the bandwagon of probing his predecessors.

Ganduje, who spoke to news men at an interactive session in Sokoto today, Saturday, said: “though there are so much issues of probe across most of the states and the country, but in Kano State, I will not probe the past administration.
“We are only committed to ensuring that all government’s uncompleted projects and programmes left by the past administration are put into use for the benefits of our state.
“Moreover, we will ensure completion of all projects that are due and genuine as well as initiate more in such direction for the overall development of the society.”
The governor said that their retreat in Sokoto was aimed at discussing issues relating to the party as an institution in order to design a change in the party administration.
“This is to change the usual tradition of party administration in Nigeria, as once election has held, usually, political parties go into hiding and become inactive.
“So, we are all here in Sokoto in order to deliberate on how we can strengthen our party in Kano State and address the demands of the masses.”
Governor Ganduje said that the political party leader will as well be educated in order to maintain the internal democracy in the system. [myad]