President Muhammadu Buhari has called on members of the Federal Executive Council (FEC), mostly ministers, to make sure that the generations coming are sufficiently motivated to be patriotic.

The President, who spoke at the breaking-of-fast dinner for members of FEC at the Presidential Banquet Hall, Abuja, on Tuesday, said that the Month of Ramadan is a special time when “God listens and answers prayers from the faithful.”
President Buhari added that the Ramadan period provides leaders the opportunity to be more conscious of their responsibilities to the people they are leading, saying: “It strengthens our resolve to build our country to make it stronger. It is no news that we are the biggest country in Africa and that we are the economic engine of Africa, which are true by the way.
“But we must always be patriotic in our dealings with others.
“In this (Ramadan) month of prayers and service to God, let us keep on praying all the times, believing that God in His infinite mercy will listen to our prayers, give us peace, security and better the economy once more, so that we can quickly rebuild and even do more for our country.
“Let me assure you that the time of Ramadan is making us more conscious of what leaders at every level ought to do.
“Leading the people is not a joke; it means accepting responsibilities for good or wrong.
“We need a lot of prayers, certainly, with the nation’s economy going down.
“We haven’t developed our agriculture.
“We are still trying to talk to those who will come and develop our solid minerals for us.”
President Buhari said that Nigeria needed a lot of prayers in view of the economic and security challenges facing the nation, citing the activities of the militants and those agitating for the state of Biafra, reminding such people and their sponsors of the calamities that befell the country during similar agitations between 1967 and 1970, when about two million lives were lost.
He said: “We need to reflect very seriously on what happened between 1967 and 1970 when over two millions Nigerians lost their lives.
“At that time, as young military officers, you hardly heard of anything about petroleum or whatever money you got from it.
“Look at what General (Yakubu) Gowon said: ‘To keep Nigeria one is a task that must be done’ and every soldier, whether he had been to school or not, knew what the General meant.
“But we were quarreling with our brothers, we were not fighting an enemy and now, somebody is saying that once again, he wants Biafra.
“I think this is because he was not born when there was Biafra.
“We have to reflect on the historical antecedents to appreciate what is before us now and what we intend to leave for our children and our grandchildren.”
Buhari thanked the ministers and other members of the cabinet for accepting to serve and identify with the All Progressives Congress (APC) led Federal Government.
Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo, who spoke on behalf of members of the FEC, thanked Buhari for inviting them for the breaking-of-fast dinner. [myad]

Worried by the growing crime rate in Kogi state, the Nigerian Army has concluded arrangement to deploy special force to control the rate.

The Chief of Army Staff, Lt.-General Tukur Buratai, on Tuesday said, when he paid paid a courtesy vistl on Governor Yahaya Bello at the Government House in Lokoja.

The army chief said that the special troops would be deployed to the affected areas in the state, adding: “I want to assure you that very soon we will deploy special forces to the state.

“That is why I came here with the Commander, Army Headquarters Garrison; he is getting them ready and by Monday they should be on ground.

“They will come with their vehicles; they will come with their sustenance, so very soon they will come in and begin the operation.”

Buratai expressed regrets that previous efforts to contain insecurity in the state had failed even as he assured the people of the state of the army’s commitment to tackling the security challenge.

He commended the efforts of other security agencies in the state in checking insecurity.

Responding, Yahaya Bello decried the rising cases of kidnapping and armed banditry in some parts of the state, adding that the situation was deteriorating as new cases of kidnapping were being reported on a daily basis.

Governor Yahaya Bello solicited the support of the Federal Government to help rid the state of criminals.

“With the support of the military and other security agencies in the state, the security situation in the state improved tremendously.

” But the situation has changed.  Recently, new cases are reported on a daily basis and this is frustrating. It is so bad that some travellers who hitherto pass through the state have started running away from the state.

”That is why we are soliciting the assistance of the Federal Government to help us with equipment and the force to clear the hills and forest where they are hiding.”

Governor Yahaya said that the state government had adopted measures to improve the situation in the state.

The governor said the state government recently launched a security awareness campaign known as “Operation Know Your Neighbour.’’

He emphasized the need for citizens to be conscious of happenings around them.

Bello added that all buildings linked to any kidnap kingpin would be demolished.

(NAN). [myad]

Vice President Yemi Osinbajo has admitted that Nigerians may be passing through difficult times, but that the Muhammadu Buhari’s presidency is working to ensure that the citizens benefit from the resources of the nation eventually.
Osinbajo, who received in audience on Tuesday, the Australian Foreign Affairs Assistant Secretary, African Branch, Mr. Mathew Neuhaus who was accompanied by the country’s High Commissioner in Nigeria, Mr. Paul Lehmann, remarked: “it is a difficult time, but we think it is an excellent opportunity to do right by the people so that our people are able to get the benefit of the nation’s resources.”
Professor Osinbajo took a look at the steps the presidency is taking in the areas of security, governance, anti-corruption and the economy, adding: there has been a liberalization of the oil and gas’ downstream sector.”
He added that the flexible foreign exchange policy just recently put in place would encourage foreign investment, adding: “we are looking forward to the benefits of the new foreign exchange policy.”
He commended the Australian government for its excellent support in the fight against insurgency in the Nigerian Northeast, even as he said that while significant progress has been recorded in militarily downgrading Boko Haram, the other challenge now is overcoming the ideology that motivates terrorist activities.
“We have already dealt with Boko Haram militarily. We now have to deal with the ideology (of terror) and this is something that the entire world has to also deal with. The terrorists basically reject any engagement, simply preaching hate and murder. it is a new kind of threat. The ideology and motivation is what we – the global community – have to find a way to deal with.”
Earlier, Mr. Neuhaus, who had earlier served as his country’s High Commissioner in Nigeria congratulated the Buhari administration for being “off to a good start.”
He also praised the steps that have been taken so far by the administration, some of which he said have not been easy.
He said that Australia looks forward to doing more business with the government and working very closely with Nigeria.
He made allusion to closer relationship in mining and investment and cooperation at the Commonwealth and the United Nations levels. [myad]

President Muhammadu Buhari has appointed the Assistant Inspector-General of Police, Ibrahim Kpotun Idris, as the Acting Inspector-General of Police.
The Acting Inspector-General, who hails from Kutigi, Lavun in Niger State, was born on 15th of January 1959, and was enlisted into the Nigerian Police Force in 1984, after graduating from the Ahmadu Bello University (ABU) Zaria with a Bachelors degree in Agriculture.
He also holds a degree in Law from the University of Maiduguri.
AIG Idris has served in various commands and formations in the Nigerian Police Force, working in the Police Mobile Force for 17years as Unit Commander, Squadron Commander, and Commandant. He served as Commissioner of Police in Nasarawa and Kano States and was also the Commissioner of Police in charge of Police Mobile Force at the Force Headquarters.
He was also at the United Nations Mission in Liberia and East Timor and was awarded “Medal of Merit” by the President of the Republic of East Timor in recognition of his service.
AIG Idris, who was in charge of Operations at the Force Headquarters before his appointment as the Acting Inspector-General of Police, will act in that capacity pending his confirmation.  [myad]

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has been put on the fast lane to introduce what has been called ‘Out of Country Voting” into its electoral process to avoid disenfranchisement of qualified Nigerians abroad.

This was one of the many recommendations made by Operations and Logistics Officers of the Commission following a one-week workshop and brainstorming at the Westown Hotels, Ikeja, Lagos. The workshop had its theme as “Developing Effective Electoral Operations.”

The Commission said that the Out of Country Voting should be predicated on the creation of a data base for Nigerians in Diaspora, provision of a legal framework, eligible criteria, a logistics framework, conduct of pilot schemes and the acquisition of necessary platforms and gadgets for its implementation.

It said that since procurement and timeous deployment of election materials are crucial to the conduct of free, fair and credible elections, some sections of the Electoral Act such as Section 78 should be amended to further extend from six (6) months to two hundred and forty (240) days to facilitate production of ballot papers and procure other materials necessary for the conduct of elections. Towards this end, the Commission should begin procurement of materials for the 2019 General Elections in 2017.

Other recommendations were that the Commission should also embark on general renovation, upgrade and expansion of existing stores. It should further, in addition to existing zonal stores, construct stores in all the states to facilitate seamless, and timely deployment of election materials across the country.

These were some of the many recommendations made by Operations and Logistics Officers of the Commission following a one-week workshop and brainstorming at the Westown Hotels, Ikeja, Lagos. The workshop which theme was “Developing Effective Electoral Operations” also recommended as follows:

• While acknowledging the impact of technology on our electoral processes and the tremendous value it has added to them, there should be further perfection of our Electronic Voters’ Register and improvement in the functionality of the Smart Card Reader (SCR). Also, Electronic (e)-Voting should be introduced but after due pilot projects.
• The Commission should review and firm up its MoU with the Nigerian Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW). It should involve the Federal Road Safety Commission (FRSC) to ensure compliance, standardization and sanctions. By the same token, the Commission should extend the sourcing of vehicles to NARTO, RTEAN and other federal government agencies such as the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC), National Population Commission (NPC), National Identity Card Management Commission (NIMC), Nigerian Postal Services (NIPOST), Tertiary Institutions etc. In addition, the Commission should explore the prospect of collaborating with the Nigerian Army, Navy, Airforce and Police on the provision of transportation for areas with difficult terrains and which are violence-prone.
• To make INEC staff proficient, especially in the use of modern technology deployed, they should be trained and certified on all electoral devices. In the meantime ICT technical staff should be trained continuously to bring them up to speed with all trends. Also, alternative power sources to all electoral devices such as PowerBanks, SolarPanels, Inverters etc should be provided as back up.
• Registration Area Centre (RACs) and Super RACs played crucial roles in the timely deployment of staff and materials and the success of the 2015 General Elections. Of late, however, these Centres have been targeted and attacked. There is the need therefore to fortify them by deploying not less than twelve armed security personnel per each RAC/Super RAC.
• Reverse Logistics is crucial to elections yet it is not being properly implemented. Henceforth, an official, particularly the SPO, should be charged with this responsibility and one of the three security personnel assigned to a PU should be mandated to accompany the SPO in retrieving/returning election officials. A review of the role of Poll Officials as it concerns Reverse Logistics should be reflected in the Election Training Manual.
• Operations, Logistics and Stores officers should be professionalized, trained and certified. The same should obtain for Electoral Officers (E.O.s). This should enable these aforementioned officers to be promoted to GL 17 without prejudice to any officer on Grade Level 17 occupying the office of Administrative Secretary.
• For effectiveness and coherence, two departments – Operations and Logistics; and Voter Education, Publicity, Gender and Civil Society Liaison should be revisited by the Commission. A department of Logistics and Transport should be created while Publicity and Civil Society Organisation should be excised from VEPGCSO.
• The Commission should, ahead of the 2019 General Elections, set up an Interdepartmental Committee on the creation of Polling Units. The Committee should be given a clear mandate to develop modalities/criteria for the creation of the PUs.
• The Commission should procure utility vehicles for the 774 LGAs across the country. The utility vehicles which should be procured between 1^st quarter, 2017-1^st quarter 2018, should be fitted with tracking devices. Also, the Commission should procure additional trucks for its operations. Ten trucks, with two fitted with cranes should be procured for head quarters while two trucks are procured for each of the states and FCT. One of the trucks for each of the states and FCT should be fitted with a crane.
• That in view of the increasing inconclusiveness of elections, the Commission should review the guidelines and regulations for elections. [myad]

The Presidency has dismissed as laughable the desperate attempt by Governor Ayo Fayose of Ekiti State to link President Buhari’s wife Aisha to US Congressman William Jefferson’s bribery scandal for which the American lawmaker was convicted in 2009.
Reacting to Fayose’s allegations in a press statement, the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity, Malam Garba Shehu, said ordinarily the presidency would have ignored Fayose because he is a man “childishly obsessed with the desire to grab the headlines and insulting people at will because of his incurably boorish instincts.”
Malam Garba explained however that the presidency chose to respond on this occasion for the sake of innocent Nigerians who might be misled by Fayose’s shameless and blatant distortion of facts.
He said ignoring Fayose carries the risk of giving traction and credibility to outright and brazen falsehoods inconsistent with the status of anybody that calls himself a Governor or leader.
According to Shehu, Aisha had no direct, indirect or the remotest connection with William Jefferson’s corruption scandal in the United States.
He challenged Fayose to tell Nigerians if the so-called Aisha whose pictures he proudly, but ignorantly shared, was the same Aisha married to President Muhammadu Buhari, or if the Aisha of his idle imagination had any relationship by blood or any relationship in whatever form, with President Buhari’s wife.
Shehu also challenged Fayose to produce evidence from the records of investigation and subsequent trial of Jefferson to prove that Buhari’s wife Aisha was in anyway linked to that scandal. He explained that common names alone are  not enough to automatically link innocent people to crimes or scandals, especially in an era of identity thieves.
He further challenged Fayose to show proof when and where Aisha Buhari was invited for interrogation in connection with Congressman William Jefferson’s bribery scandal, let alone indicted for a crime locally or abroad.
According to the Presidential Media Aide, free speech does not entitle Governor Fayose to falsely accuse innocent people of crimes they knew nothing about.
He warned Fayose that Aisha Buhari is entitled to protect her reputation from being recklessly maligned, adding that political opposition is not a licence to attack people’s reputation brazenly without legal consequences. [myad]