The Borno state Commandant of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), Alhaji Abdullahi Ibrahim, has confirmed that some of the Internally Displaced Persons (IDP) have abandoned their camps and turned street beggars in the state.

The Commandant who spoke to News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Maiduguri, the state capital said that the situation is an eye sore that he would do everything possible to stop the begging culture in the camps.
Abdullahi Ibrahim said that many of the IDPs who have embarked on begging for survival are those who are taking refuge with people in host communities.

Begging by the IDPs, he said: “poses danger to motorists and the beggars who can be killed or maimed by accident and even be kidnapped or infiltrated by the insurgents.

“They are also exposed to different health hazards because the beggars, mostly aged between four and seven, spend their whole day on the streets in rain and sun.

“If the ugly trend is not checked, it will encourage even the IDPs that have been relocated to liberated communities to come back and engage in begging.”

The commandant appealed to the residents of the host communities to help in checking the ugly trend before it gets out of hand. [myad]

Leader of the Senate, Ali Ndume, has said that the National Assembly is broke and experiencing difficulties in meeting its financial obligations.
Ndume told news men in a chat that the situation is so bad that legislators are not receiving their allowances as and when due.
“I know that the whole country is in financial difficulty, not only the National Assembly.
“I have been in the National Assembly since 2003, but things keep getting worse. I think they paid us last month’s salary on the 16th of the following month or thereabout.”
He, however, said that the situation is not peculiar to the legislature, adding that other arms of government, including states, are facing similar problems.

“It is not only with the National Assembly; some states have not been able to pay salaries for six months, one year.
“Some states were even asking their workers to go and farm for two days and work for the other three days in a week. Even in the Presidency, they have tightened their belts on their expenditure and so, it’s a general phenomenon in the country.
“We used to receive running costs or allowances quarterly but now it is monthly and it doesn’t come as and when due.”
The Senate leader complained that Nigerians have had a wrong impression of the workings of the legislature, adding that Nigerians appear to see the legislators as corrupt which he said is not true.
“If the National Assembly is so corrupt and you can make much money, then tell me one National Assembly member that is living in luxury after leaving office. Some of my colleagues who lost out in the 2015 election are struggling to pay their children’s school fees; some of them are even struggling to take care of their health.
“If the National Assembly was where you come and make a lot of money, how come one year after leaving you cannot meet your basic needs,’’ he asked rhetorically.” [myad]

President Muhammadu Buhari has vowedd that the anti-corruption crusade in the country will be deepened and institutionalized to last beyond the life of his government.

The President who received in audience on Wednesday in the Presidential Villa, Abuja, the American Secretary of State, Mr. John Kerry said: “we will insist on the standards which we are establishing. We are laying down administrative and financial instructions in the public service that must be obeyed. Any breach will no longer be acceptable.

“We will restrain our staff, so that they understand the new orientation. And those who run foul of these rules will be prosecuted, no matter who is involved. But we will be fair, just and act according to the rule of law. Anyone perceived corrupt is innocent till we can prove it. We will work very hard to establish documentation for successful prosecution, and those in positions of trust will sit up.”

President Buhari appreciated the intervention of the U.S before the 2015 polls, demanding free and fair elections in Nigeria, saying: “America did not do it because of what it stands to benefit from us. You did it for the Nigerian people. It tells so much what the U.S stands for in the world.”

On the Boko Haram insurgency, President Buhari thanked the U.S for both hard and soft military help.

“The training and intelligence that we could not muster ourselves, we received. The training has made Boko Haram less of a threat to Nigeria and the Lake Chad Basin region, while the military hardware has given our troops added confidence.”

Buhari said that though militancy in the Niger Delta has impacted negatively on the economy and affected the positive intentions of international and local investors, but that government is showing restraint not to use real force, “except when constrained to do so.”

On the economy, the President assured that the focus of his administration is on the diversification of the economy having learnt our lessons from years of over dependence on oil.

In his remarks, Mr. Kerry commended the courage of President Buhari in fighting corruption, saying: “we applaud what you are doing. Corruption creates a ready-made playing field for recruiting extremists.  You inherited a big problem, and we will support you in any way we can. We will work with you very closely. We don’t want to interfere, but will offer opportunities as you require.”

The American Secretary of State also pledged to assist in tackling the humanitarian challenges in the North-east, adding that his country would get the UK, France, and others to augment the support.

“Nigeria is priority for us. We won’t miss the opportunity to work together, because you are making significant progress,” Mr. Kerry said. [myad]