US Won’t Support Nigeria Against Boko Haram Until… – Ex Ambassador, Campbell

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April 10, 2021

Former US Ambassador to Nigeria, John Campbell, has made it clear that his country and its allies will not render both technical and financial assistance in its fight against insecurity, especially Boko Haram, Bandits and other criminals until Nigeria addresses the problem of human rights abuses by the security forces.

He said that US laws prohibit the American government from providing technical expertise to security forces that are accused of human rights violations, and therefore, called on the Nigerian government to restore public confidence in the security forces, especially the police.

The ex-US envoy spoke during the maiden edition of ‘Grow Nigeria Conversation’ with the theme: ‘Reversing the Flourishing Economy of Kidnapping and Banditry: Immediate & long-term solutions’, which held in Abuja.

Campbell, who joined the event virtually, said: “the Nigerian government has to do its best to restore public confidence in the security forces, especially the police.

“Outside friends of Nigeria can provide technical expertise to the country in its fight against insecurity.

”However, under US law, we are prohibited from providing any technical expertise for security forces accused of human rights abuses.

“Human rights abuses are a huge barrier to a more cordial relationship between the US and the Nigerian security forces. And we know that addressing this barrier is a complex issue.

“There could be financial support to help build up the security forces; there could also be a transfer of technologies. If human rights abuses were to go away, the possibility of a deeper relationship is possible.”

Campbell argued against the payment of ransom to bandits as a solution to the problem of kidnapping, describing it as illegal both in the US and Nigeria.

“Payment of ransom is illegal in the United States, but it could be extremely unpopular, particularly to those close to the victims of kidnapping. It is also illegal in Nigeria but common in the country.”

This was even as a US Africa policy expert, Matthew T. Page, said the unwillingness of the Nigeria military to accept international military cooperation is another major hindrance to Nigeria accessing help, in the fight against insecurity, from the outside world.

He said, however, that seeking international assistance is not the way out for Nigeria but that ending impunity and holding security forces accountable would achieve more gains for the country.

“Ending impunity and holding security forces accountable for gross human rights violations could actually achieve more gains in the long run than any international assistance we could provide, because it would restore the trust of the local communities, end the radicalisation of the local population and rebuild the legitimacy of the state.”

Osun Gov Wonders Why Borno Gov Has Not Ran Away As A Result Of Growing Security Challenges

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Editorial staff

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April 10, 2021

Governor Adegboyega Oyetola of Osun has described his Borno counterpart, Prof. Babagana Zulum, as a man of strong character and conviction, who is determined to carry on notwithstanding the daunting security challenges in his state.

According to Oyetola, the enormous security challenges in the Borno are enough for anyone to run away and wondered that Governor Zulum’s strong character and conviction have combined to make him stay to face the challenges.

“From the documentary we watched, I can see that the governor in less than two years has done tremendously well.

A statement today, April 10 by the Chief Press Secretary to Osun governor, in the person of Ismail Omipidan, quoted Gov Oyetola as saying, at the 2021 Luncheon and Awards ceremony of the University of Ibadan Alumni Association, said that Borno Governor deserved the reward for hard work.

“I believe this award will spur him to do more great things for the people of Borno. I congratulate you on these honours. You truly deserve them.”

This was even as Governor Zulum thanked the Alumni Association for the award, saying the honour would encourage him to improve on the tempo of service delivery in the State.

We Won’t Depend Much On Grid In Effort To Electrify Nigeria – Osinbajo

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Editorial staff

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April 10, 2021

Vice President Yemi Osinbajo has said that the federal government will not heavily depend on grid for the rapid electrification of the country.

According to him, “President Buhari had emphasised that we could no longer rely solely on the grid if we were to electrify the whole country, which means that we had to develop an effective strategy for decentralizing power supply.

The Vice President, who flagged off the Solar Power Naija programme today, April 10, at Jangefe, Roni Local Government Area of Jigawa State, said that it is part of the plan to deliver electricity to about 25 million Nigerians whose communities are off the grid.

Osinbajo stressed the determination of the Buhari administration to ensure that millions more will now have access to cheap and environmentally friendly renewable power, under the Economic Sustainability Plan.
“The Solar Power Naija programme which is designed by the Rural Electrification Agency is an ambitious initiative that aims to create 5 million connections through a 140 billion Naira financing programme that will support private developers to provide power for 5 million households, which means providing electricity for up to 25 million Nigerians.”
Professor Osinbajo said that the solar power programme is a public-private sector partnership supported by concessionary lending via the Central Bank of Nigeria and commercial banks.

PDP May Boil As Ex Ekiti Gov, Others Reject Dino Melaye As Screening Committee Boss

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Editorial staff

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April 9, 2021

The main opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) may be heading to another crisis as a group in the Southwest, led by former Governor of Ekiti State, Ayodele Fayose, has rejected the choice of Senator Dino Melaye as Chairman of the Congress Screening Committee.

The group insisted on Senate Minority Leader, Enyinnaya Abaribe, earlier agreed upon by both parties, saying: “the sudden emergence of Senator Dino Melaye is suggestive of a planned hatchet job.”

In a statement jointly issued by Fayose, PDP governorship candidates in Osun and Ogun States, Senator Ademola Adeleke and Hon Ladi Adebutu respectively as well as the immediate past Zonal Chairman and aspirant in the next Monday, April 12th, Congress, Dr Eddy Olafeso, the group said: “What the party told us was that Senator Abaribe will be chairman of the screening committee.

“To us, this sudden use of Senator Dino Melaye is suspicious and we will not accept it.

“If Senator Abaribe is not available, there should be someone acceptable to the two parties to replace him, not Dino Melaye.

“Therefore, for equity, fairness and transparency, we call on the National Working Committee to replace Senator Dino Melaye with someone that is acceptable to both contending parties as Chairman of the Screening Committee.”

I Will Soon Kick Out Redundant Civil Servants, Kaduna Gov, El-Rufai Hints

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April 9, 2021

Kaduna State Governor, Nasir Ahmed El-Rufai has given hints of retrenchment of redundant civil servants in the services of the state government soon.

“The state government will not pay salary of people that are not working who are redundant, therefore, workers without proper qualification and those above 50 years including those who are not even going to work regularly and yet are being paid salary will be affected.

The governor, in a media chat aired across the radio stations today, April 9, also said that he would soon reduce political appointees in his government.

“We are looking at the possibility of reducing political appointees because if you reduce others and fail to reduce yours, that will be injustice. We will surely check and reduce some of our own in fact, we have already commenced the process.”

He advised those who will be affected to go and find another job, saying he was elected to serve the people of the state and that he will do to the best of his ability.

Nasir El-Rufai confessed that he had only one house at Unguwar Sarki area of Kaduna city and had no intention of building any other one because at the end of his tenure, he will leave the state.

“I don’t steal from public funds; we are not stealing public funds to build houses. I have only a house at Unguwar Sarki and till date it’s the only house I own in Kaduna because after my tenure, I will not stay in Kaduna. So, I’m not going to add another house in the state.”

My Husband Is Toast Of Any Woman, Aisha Buhari Confesses

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Editorial staff

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April 9, 2021

The First Lady, Aisha Buhari, has said that her husband, President Muhammadu Buhari is a toast of any woman, even as she said that at the time she got married to him in 1989 at the age of 18, the future seemed unsure.

In a book launched yesterday, April 8, titled ‘Aisha Buhari: Being Different’, the First Lady, however, said the marriage placed her on the path of greatness.

According to the book authored by the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Administration and Women Affairs, Daji Sani, the First Lady said her husband is the kind of man any woman would want to associate herself with.

“In many villages in northern Nigeria, educating a girl is not considered a priority. In fact, early marriage affects every eighth girl. According to UNICEF, one in seven girls is reported to give birth by age seventeen The easiest justification for this practice is that it serves as a strategy for reducing the burden on the family.

“It is also viewed as a way of protecting the sanctity of the girl-child. Another report shows that child marriage occurs more frequently among girls who are the least educated and poorest, and who are living in rural areas. The above scenario was the kind of social-cultural background that Aisha was born into and raised. Married at an early age, for her, the future seemed unsure.

“But the hope in her mind is massive. Interestingly, fate shone on her with the splendor of an enlightened gentleman. She married the kind of man any woman would want to associate herself with, a highly placed and responsible man. Even though this automatically placed her on the path of greatness, her family values have been the key influence in her life to this day.

“In 1989, the young lady, Aisha Halilu, got married to Muhammadu Buhari, a retired Major General and former military Head of State of Nigeria. Marriage as an institution moves at an undulating pace, full of uncertainties. The ability to surmount the challenges and move on to an unknown destination is crucial in marriage. Aisha, like any other girl-child married as a teenager, faced the challenges of adapting to womanhood.”

CBN To Freeze 194 Bank Accounts Of Bureaux De Change Firms, Others

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Editorial staff

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April 9, 2021

The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has obtained court orders from the Federal High Court, Abuja, to freeze 194 bank accounts owned by Bureaux de Change firms and other organizations to enable it conduct investigations into suspicious foreign exchange dealings.

The document, which was signed by the Presiding Judge, A.R. Mohammed, empowered the CBN to direct almost all the banks operating in the country to freeze all the bank accounts for a period of 45 days only, pending the outcome of the investigation.

The court papers said: “The order may be extended upon good reasons shown. Any person aggrieved by this order could apply to the court to have the order set aside, discharged or have the order reviewed for good reasons without waiting for the 45 days to lapse.”

Some of the firms affected are Seasons Bureau De Change Limited, Sethwealth Ventures Limited, Sani Polo Global Investment Limited, Romvic Ventures Limited and Blue Beam Capital Limited among others.

The CBN had, Wednesday last week, got an order to freeze 11 bank accounts to enable it to conduct investigations into suspicious activities.

The order follows an exparte motion, dated March 12 and filed on March 16, seeking the mandatory order of the court to direct First City Monument Bank (FCMB) Limited to freeze all transactions on the listed accounts and all other bank accounts of the defendants for 180 days pending the outcome of investigation and inquiry currently being conducted by the CBN.

New Police Boss Gives Marching Order To Officers To Restore Normalcy To South

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April 9, 2021

The new Acting Inspector-General of Police (IGP) Usman Alkali Baba, has directed Police Strategic Commanders – Zonal Assistant Inspectors General of Police, Commissioners of Police and Deputy Commissioners of Police (Operations) to quickly restore normalcy to the South-South and South-Eastern States of the country.

At a meeting today, April 9 with the officers, stressed the need for the officers to critically diagnose the security threats in the region and evolve new policing strategies and responses towards tackling the threats.

The IGP, who said that the Southeast and South-South geo-political zones of the country are very critical in the socio-economic stability and growth of Nigeria, said that no intelligence, operational and administrative efforts should be spared in ensuring that the security challenges in the zones are surmounted.

He gave the order that to rejig the security architecture in their Areas of Responsibility and work with relevant stakeholders in restoring law and order.

He directed the Command Commissioners of Police and their supervisory Zonal Assistant Inspectors-General of Police to return to their Areas of Responsibility and implement resolutions reached, especially on intelligence-led and community-driven operational strategies, to ensure security of lives and property in the region.

Usman Baba called for the support of citizens, even as he gave assurance that the operational strategies would be within the framework of citizens’ consent, trust and the rule of law.

Death Of Queen Elizabeth’s Husband, End Of Era, Buhari Consoles

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Editorial staff

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April 9, 2021

President Muhammadu Buhari has described the death of the husband of Her Majesty the Queen Elizabeth of England, Prince Philip as end of an era.

Prince Phillip died peacefully today, April 9 at the age of 99.

Reacting to the death of the longest-serving Queen’s consort, President Buhari said: “the death of the Duke of Edinburgh is the end of an era.

“Prince Philip was one of the greatest and publicly recognizable international figures whose contributions to the Commonwealth will be remembered for generations to come.”

According to the President, Prince Philip was a great man in his own right who made enormous contributions to philanthropic activities and charities, especially for wildlife conservation and youth development programmes in more than 130 countries.

President Buhari pays tribute to the Duke of Edinburgh as “a remarkable husband who had been happily married to the Queen since 1947,” saying: “this is an impressive record for any marriage at any level.”

The President also commiserates with the Government of the United Kingdom, members of the Commonwealth “for the sad loss of this royal and indeed global icon.”

NNPC Assures Kebbi State Of Commitment to Renewable Energy Project

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April 8, 2021

The Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) has restated its commitment to the partnership with the Government of Kebbi State for the production of biofuels, describing the project as viable and in tandem with the global transition to renewable energy.

The Group Managing Director of the NNPC, Mallam Mele Kyari, disclosed this while receiving the Governor of Kebbi State, Senator Atiku Bagudu, who paid him a courtesy visit in his office today, April 8.

He said that the rice production programme in the state was a definite boost to the biofuels project, adding that the linkage of the agricultural sector with the energy sector would facilitate economic growth and bring prosperity to the citizens.

“We will go ahead and renew the Memorandum of Understanding and bring in any necessary amendment that is required to make this business run faster,” the GMD said.

Mallam Kyari also hinted of plans for the Corporation to resume active exploration activities in the Sokoto Basin.

Earlier in his remarks, the Kebbi State Governor expressed appreciation to the NNPC for its cooperation on the biofuel project.

He said the cassava programme was well on course but the same cannot be said of the sugarcane programme as the targeted milestone was yet to be attained.

Governor Bagudu assured the GMD of his commitment to the success of the project.

Kebbi state is one of the states the Corporation is in partnership with for the development of renewable energy.