Identification Number Will Cover Weaknesses In Nigeria’s Security Structure – Buhari

May 6, 2021

President Muhammadu Buhari has said that synchronization of National Identification Number (NIN) with SIM cards across the country will cover the weakness in Nigeria’s security structure.

“The NIN will cover one of the weaknesses in our security structure. We will be able to easily identify and know the personality of Nigerians. We will identify people easily, including the crooks.”

The President, who, today, May 6, launched the National Policy for the Promotion of Indigenous Content in Nigerian Telecoms Sector and Revised National Identity Policy for SIM Cards registration, advised Nigerians to fully participate in the exercise, as it will provide a digital framework for improving security and strengthening of the economy.

According to the President, proper identification of all Nigerians and legal residents in the country and ability to conveniently access a data base will provide impetus for more effective planning and security oversight.

Describing the launch of the Revised National Digital Identity Policy for SIM Card Registration as timely, Buhari assured that his government will support efforts to enhance security and develop the economy.

“The National Identification Number is the foundational digital ID for the country; both Nigerian citizens and legal residents are expected to obtain the NIN. It will provide access to government services and will give government useful insights that will enable us to utilize scarce resources in a more efficient way.”

President Buhari noted that the first National SIM Policy was launched in February 202o, and the revised policies were in full alignment with the objectives of the administration in the areas of economic development, security and anti-corruption.

“The Digital Economy sector has made significant progress and recorded a number of unprecedented achievements since we expanded the mandate of the Ministry of Communications to include the digital economy mandate.

“The Information and Communications Technology sector was the fastest growing sector in both the fourth quarter of 2020 and the entire year 2020, based on the Report by the National Bureau of Statistics.

“The sector’s 14.70 per cent double digit growth rate played a principal role in supporting our country to exit the recession triggered by the COVID-19 pandemic. The growth rate of the sector exceeded four times the next fastest growing sector of Q4 2020, ICT Sector which had a growth rate of 3.42 per cent. This is truly commendable.”

President Buhari said the digital economy sector provided online options for activities that were hitherto restricted to offline channels, while minimizing the disruption to activities of both public and private sectors, and reducing cost of meetings.

Accordingly, he said the National Policy for Indigenous Content in the Nigerian Telecommunications Sector was in line with the administration’s commitment towards ensuring that Nigerians become active participants in the different sectors of the economy, including the telecommunications sector.

“The Federal Government embraced institutionalizing online meetings through the approval of the National Policy on Virtual Engagements in Federal Public Institutions. As a result of this, we now have virtual Federal Executive Council, virtual Council of State and virtual National Economic Council meetings, among others, even though this development was triggered by COVID-19.”

“As a country, our desire to produce what we eat, and consume what we produce is not limited to the literal meaning; rather we want to work towards being self-sufficient in every sector of the economy. For the telecom sector, we want Nigerians to play a major role in the design and manufacture of devices, in meeting the manpower requirements and in becoming an active part of the telecommunications ecosystem of the country.

“The policy aims to achieve this and I have earlier directed the Honourable Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, Dr Isa Ali Pantami, to develop the structure for its implementation and forward this to the Nigerian Communications Commission to implement. We are confident that the execution of the Policy will further enhance our economy and lead to the creation of jobs.”

President Buhari said there had been many futile attempts to promote the use of digital identity in the past: “Previous attempts have been unsuccessful due to a number of reasons, including sabotage. Our focused approach shows that this administration is dedicated to ensuring that we derive the benefits of a secure and robust digital identity system.’’

The President assured that his administration was fully committed to the safety of Nigerians and linking the SIM to NIN will significantly enhance security, aid in national planning and budget preparations.

In his remarks, the Minister of Communications and Digital Economy appreciated the President for the continuous support to the telecoms sector, including regulators and operators, thanking him for the keen interest in ensuring that the security sector gets a boost with more information on Nigerians and legal residents.

The minister noted that the NIN Registration had recorded a huge success with 54 million Nigerians already captured in the process, adding, “within six months over 12 million enrolled.’’

Dr. Pantami said it was now possible to have virtual ID cards that can be used in various transactions, assuring that the NIN and Sim card registration for Nigerians and legal residents will cover 99.9 per cent.

He said the buoyancy of the telecoms sector had given Nigeria many leadership roles in international organisations, listing the impact on education, training, health and welfare of many, including the establishment of 600 computer centres, and a world class sim card manufacturing company in the country.

CBN Boss Begs Youths To Embrace Agriculture: vows To End Maize Importation

Editorial staff

May 6, 2021

The Governor, Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Godwin Emefiele has advised youths in Nigeria to embrace agriculture, promising the Bank’s readiness to support youths that are willing to engage in agriculture.

This is even as the Governor reiterated the Bank’s determination to end the importation of maize into Nigeria.

Emefiele spoke in Katsina yesterday 6, during the unveiling of the first maize pyramid and flag-off of the 2021 Maize wet season farming under the CBN-Maize Association of Nigeria (MAAN) Anchor Borrowers’ Programme.

He expressed belief that Nigerian youth could leverage their talents, along with technological tools to improve farm productivity and delivery of agricultural produce to markets.

While noting that agriculture offered significant benefits for the youth, Emefiele reiterated that the Bank had put in place several measures to improve access to credit for youths interested in Agriculture under the Anchor Borrowers Programme and the Agri Business Small and Medium Enterprise Investment Scheme(AGSMEIS).

According to him, groups of youth with contiguous land for farming are eligible to seek the Bank’s support through the CBN prime anchor arrangement.

“The CBN will not only provide access to credit for these youths but will also provide guarantees that their produce will be purchased by a prime anchor at agreed prices,” the Governor assured.

Meanwhile, Mr. Emefiele said the CBN would resist attempts by those who seek to continually import maize into the country, noting that maize farmers in Nigeria had what it takes to close the maize demand gap of over 4.5 million metric tonnes in the country.

“With over 50,000 bags of maize available on this ground, and others aggregated across the country, maize farmers are sending a resounding message that “we can grow enough maize to meet the country’s demand,’” he declared.

Speaking further, Mr. Emefiele explained that the maize unveiled at the ceremony would be sold to reputable feed processors, adding that this would in turn impact positively on current poultry feed prices, as over 60% of maize produced in the country are used for producing poultry feed.

Justifying the Bank’s continued strategic intervention in the value chains of focal crops, he said the CBN was leading the revolution, because the impact of our monetary policy measures would be limited, if the monetary authority in collaboration with the fiscal authorities failed to address some of the structural constraints that limit productivity in key sectors of our economy such as agriculture. Specifically, he said the Bank’s intervention was in line with its mandate and aims at ensuring price stability as well as improved availability of staple food items.

He disclosed that the Bank and MAAN sought to increase the target hectarage for 2021 to 500,000 ha from the 2020 target of 250,000 ha, adding that to achieve the target, the Bank sought to introduce the use of contiguous land, high yielding seeds, mechanization, leveraging technology for land mapping and monitoring as well as expanding the Strategic Maize Reserve (SMR). So far, he said the Bank had released 100,000 metric tonnes of maize to the market, through the major producers.

Emefiele therefore urged all stakeholders to sustain the current efforts to galvanize agricultural production to meet the requirements of Nigeria’s growing population, stressing that the nation could not continue to dwell on the neglect of past years if it was determined to realize the national target of producing what Nigerians eat and eating what is produced in Nigeria.

Also speaking, the Katsina State Governor, Rt. Hon. Bello Masari, said that the state had suffered a setback in agriculture as over sixty thousand hectares of farmlands were uncultivated due to insurgency, which hindered farmers from gaining access to their means of livelihood.

The Governor of Kebbi state Senotor Atiku Abubakar Bagudu who represented President Muhammadu Buhari while unveiling the pyramids, reassured the farmers, processors and other value chain participants, of the support of government towards ensuring that they perform optimally. Hence, he said availability of inputs like high yield seedlings and fertilizers were being made available to farmers adequately in addition to prompt off-taking of produce.

He further assured the people of the area that government was taking the security challenge with every seriousness and had resolved to stem it. He therefore commended the resilience of farmers for quantity of maize produced amidst the insecurity.

In his remarks, Governor Badaru Abubakar of Jigawa state recalled with nostalgia that the historical groundnut pyramids he read about in history books were today being seen physically in rice and maize across the country through the help of the Central Bank of Nigeria. He also encouraged youths to take to agriculture for wealth creation by embracing the schemes put in place by the Bank.

Speaking at the event, The Emir of Katsina, AbdulMumin Kabir, bemoaned the security situation in the area and therefore pleaded for serious interventions in order encourage farming activities and sustain the success recorded so far.

Commending the CBN for injecting N50 billion into the Commodity Exchange initiative, the President, Maize Association of Nigeria (MAAN), Bello Abubakar, said MAAN had recorded about 80% loan recovery rate since the association began to participate in the Anchor Borrowers’ Programme in 2017. He nevertheless urged farmers to repay their loans to enable others also benefit from the scheme.

Which Salary Is Federal Government Planning To Slash? Labour Congress Asks

Editorial staff

May 5, 2021

“The question to ask is which salary is government planning to slash? It certainly cannot be the meagre national minimum wage of N30,000 which right now, cannot even buy a bag of rice!

“The proposed slash in salaries is certainly not targeted at the minimum wage and consequential adjustment in salaries that some callous State Governors are still dragging their feet to pay!”

The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), which reacted to federal government’s proposed cut in the salaries of civil servants as well as the number of federal agencies, said that it is most unthinkable that government would be contemplating to unilaterally slash the salaries of Nigerian workers at this time.

“It is public knowledge that the multiple devaluation of the Naira in a very short time and the prevailing high inflation rate in Nigeria has knocked out the salaries earned by Nigerian workers across board.

“Nigerian workers are only surviving by hair’s breadth. Indeed, Nigerian workers are miracles strutting on two legs. It is, therefore, extremely horrendous for a Minister of the Federal Republic of Nigeria to pronounce salary slash for Nigerian workers at this time.”

In the statement today, May 5, the President of the NLC, Comrade Ayuba Wabba said that the call for salary slash by the Minister of Finance, Budget and National Planning, Zainab Ahmed is tantamount to a “mass suicide” wish for Nigerian workers.

“It is most uncharitable, most insensitive, most dehumanising and most barbaric. Nigerian workers demand an immediate retraction and apology by the Minister of Finance.”

The Minister had directed the National Salaries, Incomes and Wages Commission (NSIWC) to immediately review the salaries of civil servants as well as the number of federal agencies in the country.

She spoke at a National Policy Dialogue on Corruption and Cost of Governance in Nigeria, organized by the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) in Abuja.

Buhari Celebrates Release Of 27 Students, By Bandits, Of Kaduna College Of Forestry

Editorial staff

May 5, 2021

President Muhammadu Buhari has expressed joy over the release of the 27 students of the Federal College of Forestry Mechanization, Afaka, near Kaduna by bandits who kidnapped them a forthnight ago.

A statement today, May 5 by the senior special assistant to the President on media and publicity, Malam Garba Shehu, quoted Buhari as congratulating the parents of the students, members of their families, government and people of Kaduna State for “the happy end to the saga.

“We are happy they have been released,” says the President. “We express our deep appreciation to all the actors who contributed one way or the other to this happy outcome, in particular the defence and security agencies, the officials of the Ministry of Environment and the government of Kaduna State. We thank Nigerians for their prayers.”

President Buhari called for steadfastness and security awareness on the part of citizens and the law enforcement agencies and deplores the increasing politicization of security in the country by opportunistic politicians.

He appealed for the release of the students of the Greenfield University and all other citizens held in captivity, expressing the strong determination of his administration to ensure that Nigerians lived in a country where everyone can move where they want, when they want without the fear of kidnapping and banditry.

Move To Impeach President Buhari: Don’t Try It, APC Caucus Warns PDP’s In Senate

Editorial staff

May 5, 2021

Members of the ruling All Progressive Congress (APC) in the Senate have warned the minority National Assembly caucus to stop threatening to impeach President Muhammadu Buhari over his failure to curb the worsening insecurity in the country.

The minority Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) lawmakers in the National Assembly had, yesterday, May 4 threatened, at a news briefing to impeach President Buhari which the APC Senate caucus rejected, saying that the utterances of the opposition lawmakers is capable of over- heating an already charged polity.

Chairman of the caucus and Senate Leader, Senator Yahaya Abdullahi said that while the APC Senators understand the role of the opposition in any democracy, the current situation of things in the country, require men of good conscience and patriotism to act as leaders and statesmen, rather than play politics with the lives of the citizens.

”In any democracy, the rights to present criticisms and concerns on the state of the nation’s affairs are unassailable. However, while we respect such rights; which come with obligation and responsibility, we are concerned that the statement issued by the Minority Caucus is capable of over- heating an already charged polity in which men of good conscience and patriotism are expected to act as leaders and Statesmen.

”While we acknowledge the natural disposition of playing politics, we are worried and disturbed that our colleagues are playing with lives. The unfortunate state of insecurity; for which the Senate has continuously debated and issued resolutions to support the actions of the executive under the leadership of President Muhammadu Buhari in the overriding interest of the public, is too delicate to play with.
”We reject and dissociate ourselves from all and any inflammatory statements that appear to threaten the authority of Mr. President and our party. We accordingly, wish to remind them that blame game and threats of “constitutional measures” are unwelcome and will not help in any form to address the challenges the nation currently faces.”

The Senator described assertions in some quarters that the President had not been efficiently manning the affairs of the country as false and cheap politics, adding that President Buhari and the Service Chiefs are busy every day and every night in deliberations with a view to addressing the security challenges across the entire country.
He recalled that the President also had always made statement to Nigerians on all major security incidences and assuring Nigerians and indeed the international community that he would continue to do his best in making sure that the security challenges are tackled head-on.
The Senate leader assured Nigerians that the President was in charge of government and was discharging his duties conscientiously and patriotically.
He called on the minority federal lawmakers and all Nigerians to join hands with the government to proffer solutions to the hydra-headed security challenges.
”It is a well-known fact that the Federal Government under the PDP refused to invest in the security infrastructure of the country while Mr. President under the APC led Government had massively invested in this regard more than any past governments and we are confident that the nation will surmount its current security challenges.

”Furthermore, it must be noted that the global economy is in turmoil triggered by the COVID-19 pandemic and Nigeria’s is not an exception. The Federal Government is aware of the challenges and is working to massively get the economy working for Nigerians through agricultural intervention projects, infrastructure development projects and social interventions to reduce the pains of the economic downturn on ordinary Nigerians. Finally, the APC Caucus strongly and unreservedly supports the administration of President Muhammadu Buhari as we continue to work in addressing the economic, health, social, security and other challenges that beset our nation. We sincerely seek the continuous support and understanding of all Nigerians in this regard.”

Bishop Of Enugu Catholic Diocese Behind My Ordeal, Father Mbaka Reveals

Editorial staff

May 5, 2021

Enugu priest, Rev. Father Ejike Mbaka has said that the authorities of the Enugu Catholic Diocese were behind his two days ordeal he went through.

Addressing his parishioners at the Adoration ground in Umuchigbo Nike, Enugu, Father Mbaka said that he was summoned by the Bishop from where he was kept incommunicado, adding that the plan was to keep him for 30 days.

He said that a lot of issues were presented against him after which the Church leadership, led by Bishop Calistus Onaga told him that he would remain indoors for one month, a period that would allow him pray and meditate over his activities.

The priest said that he requested to be allowed the opportunity to come and address his parishioners after which he would shut down, “but they said No. Allow me to and celebrate mass for my people just for today, I won’t even tell them that I am being punished, they said, No. I will just tell my members that I’m going for 30 days prayer, that after 30 days, we will come back and everybody will obey, they said, No.

“I also begged them to appoint another priest to come and celebrate mass for you today, they also said No.

“They didn’t treat me in a pastoral way. I was asking ‘am I being punished for what’?

“They said it was a meeting, but even before I reached the Bishop’s house, conclusion has already been made. What happened to me was like the day I was shot on the road.

“Unfortunately for them, even before the meeting, a woman was already going around bragging that the Bishop will call me for a meeting, and that I was going to leave my house here for 30 days, and that after the 30 days, I would be sent to Rome, and Adoration ministry will be closed.”

Mbaka cautioned that “in a time and cases like this, don’t give me a punishment that will cause troubles for us because I’m not alone.”

He said that Bishop Onaga upon seeing the protest over his predicament, allowed him to go.

Mbaka said one of things presented against him was that he blessed Nnamdi Kanu, the leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB, as well as his recent criticism of the President Muhammadu Buhari’s Government.

“Are you the owner of my mouth? You can’t tell me who to bless? If you are not happy that I blessed someone, you have your own mouth, you can curse the person.

“I cannot hate my brother because of some people who hatred is in their genes.”

There was heavy protest in Enugu earlier today, May 5, over the reported missing of the Catholic Cleric.

Inland Revenue Plans Direct Deductions From Tax Evaders’ Bank Accounts, Other Assets

Editorial staff

May 5, 2021

The Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) has served public notices to defaulters that the Service plans “to recover taxes due from the defaulters’ asset in the custody of any person, including but not limited to sums standing to its credit with a financial institution in Nigeria.

This measure, according a statement today, May 5, by the spokesperson of the Service, Dr. Abdullahi Ismaila Ahmad, has become inevitable following rising cases of wilful and illegal withholding of taxes collected by companies, corporations, Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) and other agents of collection.

He said that a notice to companies, corporate entities and other agents of collection by the Executive Chiarman of the Service, Muhammad Nami, said that they were required to pay all outstanding tax liabilities to the FIRS within 30 days from the date of publication of the notice. It would be recalled that FIRS had previously issued a similar notice to MDAs demanding payment of all outstanding tax liabilities to the Service within 60 days from the date of publication of the notice.

“It becomes clear, following these notices, that any MDA, company, corporation and other collecting agent that fails to comply with the directive stands the risk of having all outstanding taxes deducted directly from their bank accounts or statutory allocations, or have their other assets seized by the FIRS and turned over to the Government of the Federation in lieu of the withheld taxes. According to the FIRS, this move is in line with the Section 31 of the Federal Inland Revenue Service (Establishment) Act, 2007 (as amended).

The FIRS, drew attention to sections 78, 79, 80, 81 and 82 of the Companies Income Tax Act (CITA) Cap. C21, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria (LFN), 2004 (as amended) and Sections 14, 15 and 16 of the Value Added Tax (VAT) Act Cap. V1, LFN, 2004 (as amended) imposed obligations on companies, corporations and other relevant persons as agents of collection, to collect, deduct or withhold taxes (as the case may be) on supply of goods and services or payments and to remit same to the Federal Inland Revenue Service (the Service) within stipulated time frame.

It said that the Service shall, without further notice, apply the provisions of Section 31 of the Federal Inland Revenue Service (Establishment) Act, 2007 (as amended) to recover taxes due from the defaulters’ asset in the custody of any person (including but not limited to sums standing to its credit with a financial institution in Nigeria).

“In addition, the Service shall take all necessary steps to prosecute defaulters for wilful negligent, tax evasion, unlawful conversion of government property, etc. as the case may be.”

Thousand Afghans Flee As Fighting Breaks Out Between Govt Forces And Taliban

Editorial staff

May 4, 2021

File photo Afghans flee their villages after fighting intensified between Taliban militants and security | EPA-EFE/WATAN YAR

Thousands of Afghans have fled their homes in Helmand province as fierce fighting broke out between government forces and the Taliban erupted after the United States military began withdrawing its remaining troops.

Afghan forces pushed back a string of insurgent attacks on checkpoints across the southern province, where the US military on Sunday handed over a base to government forces as part of its formal pullout that began on 1 May.

Report has it that about 1,000 families have fled their homes to escape the fighting that erupted on the outskirts of Lashkar Gah, the capital of Helmand, and some other parts of the province.

The region’s director for refugees, Sayed Mohammad Ramin, said that the families had taken refuge in Lashkar Gah and had come from areas where fighting was intense in the past two days.

“We will survey their needs tomorrow, but many who still have not found shelter in the city need urgent assistance.”

The defence ministry said that government forces had killed more than 100 Taliban fighters in Helmand in the past 24 hours when the insurgents attacked some checkpoints on the outskirts of Lashkar Gah.

Another 22 al-Qaida fighters from Pakistan were also killed in the fighting, the ministry said.

Officials said the Taliban fighters initially captured some checkpoints but they were retaken by government forces who pushed back the insurgents.

“The enemy has now lost all the areas it had captured and suffered heavy casualties,” Attaullah Afghan, head of the Helmand provincial council.

The Taliban said dozens of Afghan troops were killed in the fighting. Both sides are known to exaggerate casualties inflicted on the other.

UK-based medical care provider Emergency said it is receiving large numbers of “war wounded patients” at its surgical centre in Lashkar Gah due to widespread fighting in the area since 1 May.

It said the hospital received 106 patients, of which 65 had to be admitted.

“These are very difficult days in Lashkar Gah … We have also put beds in the physiotherapy room to accommodate all the injured patients,” Viktor Urosevic, medical coordinator at the hospital, said in a statement issued by Emergency.

Emergency’s Afghanistan coordinator, Marco Puntin, said fighting in Helmand was not an isolated event.

“We have witnessed an escalation of conflict across Afghanistan,” he said.

Fighting was also reported in several other provinces since the US military formally began pulling out its remaining 2,500 troops.

The Pentagon has downplayed the fighting.

“We’ve seen nothing thus far that has affected the drawdown, or had any significant impact on the mission at hand in Afghanistan,” US Department of Defence spokesperson John Kirby said.

Nearly 20 years after US and allied Natotroops invaded Afghanistan and ousted the Taliban government as they pursued al-Qaida after the September 11, 2001 attacks, President Joe Biden ordered in April the final withdrawal today, May 4.

US officials said the military has completed two to six percent of the withdrawal.

“… we have a small favour to ask. Millions are turning to the Guardian for open, independent, quality news every day, and readers in 180 countries around the world now support us financially.

“We believe everyone deserves access to information that’s grounded in science and truth, and analysis rooted in authority and integrity. That’s why we made a different choice: to keep our reporting open for all readers, regardless of where they live or what they can afford to pay. This means more people can be better informed, united, and inspired to take meaningful action.

“In these perilous times, a truth-seeking global news organisation like the Guardian is essential. We have no shareholders or billionaire owner, meaning our journalism is free from commercial and political influence – this makes us different. When it’s never been more important, our independence allows us to fearlessly investigate, challenge and expose those in power.

Source: FP.

NatureNews Newspaper Names Emir Sanusi As Chairman Of Its Advisory Board

Editorial staff

May 4, 2021

Africa’s leading environment newspaper, NatureNews, has named the Emir of Dutse and Chancellor of Sokoto State University, Alhaji (Dr.) Nuhu Muhammad Sanusi, as chairman of its advisory board.

The Board, which was inaugurated today, May 4, has eight other members, including renowned environmental activist and laureate of the prestigious Thoroft Rafto Memorial prize, Architect Nnimmo Bassey and the consummate conservationist and Environmental Hero awardee of DW German TV network, Mr. Desmond Majekodunmi.

A statement by the Publisher/CEO of NatureNews, Aliu Akoshile, said that there are also six members of the advisory board that were drawn from across Africa includes Professor Mark Mwandosya, Chairman of Stanbic Bank of Tanzania who was a three-time Minister and head of the Climate Change Studies Programme in Tanzania as well as a member of the Steering Committee of the United Nations Environment Program (UNEP) International Resource Panel.

He said that the board also has as members, a former Special Representative of the UN Secretary General/Head of the UN Regional Office for Central Africa and a three-time Minister and presidential candidate of the Labour Party in Senegal, Professor Abdoulaye Bathily, as well as the Kenyan environmental activist and founder, Friends of Lake Turkana, a UNESCO heritage site in the East African Rift Valley, Ms. Ikal Angelei.

Aliu Akoshile listed other board members as Professor Salah Arafa, a member of the Egyptian National Committee on Climate Change and member of the Research Council on Environment and Development at the Egyptian Academy for Scientific Research and Technology and Ms. Hawe Hamman Bouba, Executive President of the African Indigenous Women’s Organisation – Central Africa Network and member of the Cameroon Human Rights Commission.

“Another esteemed board member, according to _NatureNews_ publisher, is the Harvard trained Dr. Namane Magau who was on the executive team of the South African Broadcasting Corporation (SABC). She was a Divisional Director at the Development Bank of South Africa and served as Executive Vice President of the South African Council for Scientific and Industrial Research.”

Inaugurating the Advisory Board, Aliu Akoshile said that the choice of members was to underscore the publisher’s vision of making NatureNews the authentic African voice on climate change and Sustainable Development Goals (SGD).

He thanked the members for accepting to lend their weights to the cause of development journalism which the newspaper, www.naturenews.africa, symbolises.

Akoshile said that the board has the historic duty to help Africa overcome the challenges of climate change and create a sustainable living environment for the 1,367 billion people in the continent.

Buhari Laments: Hate, Bigotry Destroying Nigeria

Editorial staff

May 4, 2021

President Muhammadu Buhari has lamented that hate and bigotry are gradually destroy the fabrics of Nigeria.

The President warned that if the Nigerians allow the culture of violence unchecked, such mobs would destroy law and order.

In a statement today, May 4, in reaction to the killings and counter killings in Benue and Anambra states, Buhari said that violence on innocent people by anybody and any group is unacceptable and indefensible.

“Hate and bigotry have eaten so deeply and violates the sanctity of life. If we allow this culture of violence to go unchecked, such mobs would destroy law and order.”

“I totally condemn this latest unprovoked violence and counter-attacks on innocent people that had nothing to do with the cause of the violence.”

President Buhari called on leaders of ethnic and religious groups “to play their own roles constructively in controlling their followers or members, in order to support the government’s efforts for sustainable peace.”

He cautioned Nigerians against the “temptations of taking the law into their hands in the name of revenge because there are no winners in the cycle of violence, only losers.”

The President sympathised with the families of the bereaved and the governments and people of Benue and Anambra States even as he commended the police and other law enforcement agencies for their prompt response in averting the escalation of the violence.

He advised them to put in every effort to apprehend perpetrators of the heinous attacks.

1...665666667...2,494 Page 666 of 2,494