Crime Facts

Atiku candidacy worse than Muslim-Muslim ticket – Ex-APC spokesman

  A former Deputy National Publicity Secretary of the All Progressives Congress, Yekini Nabena, on Tuesday, says the Peoples Democratic Party has no moral right to criticise the presidential candidate, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, for fielding a Muslim running mate. Nabena’s statement was a reaction to the statement issued on Tuesday by a PDP group under the aegis of Umbrella Force. The group had faulted the choice of a former Borno State Governor, Kashim Shettima, as the vice-presidential candidate of the APC. Tinubu, a southern Muslim, had anointed Shettima, a northern Muslim, as his running mate on Sunday. The development has elicited backlash from Nigerians and religious bodies, which kicked against the move. A statement issued by the PDP group’s spokesperson, Tekena Alamina, and made available to The PUNCH on Tuesday, described the action of the APC as a slap on the face of Nigerians. Reacting to the statement, Nabena accused the opposition party of attempting to pull wool over the face of Nigerians by distracting them from its earlier sin of zoning its presidential ticket to a northerner, despite knowing that the current president is also a northerner. According to him, the PDP has no moral justification to raise dust over Tinubu’s choice of vice president. Speaking with newsmen on Tuesday in Abuja, the APC former spokesman also said a single faith ticket was not new in Nigeria according to history. Nabena further disclosed that Nigeria had Buhari-Idiagbon Muslim-Muslim ticket, Gowon-Adewale Christian-Christian ticket in the past and heaven did not fall. “I remember that when Action Congress of Nigeria fielded two Muslims, Nuhu Ribadu and Fola Adeola in 2011, there was no cry by the opposition because the ticket stood no chance of winning. “I believe Nigerians should be more worried about the reasons the PDP jettisoned the conventional power rotation between the North and the South, instead of Muslim-Muslim ticket. “How fair is it that we are agitating for fairness and equity to share power between Christians and Muslims while completely ignoring and alienating our African Traditional Worshippers? “Nigeria should worry more about the zoning arrangement which the PDP has just killed for their selfish interest and desperation of its presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar, because for Atiku, it is the last chance which will become one-chance for him by 2023,” he said. The APC chieftain stressed that the party had done the right thing by zoning the presidency to the South.

Buhari Meets Classmates In Daura

  President Muhammadu Buhari had a reunion with his primary and secondary school classmates in Daura, Katsina State, on Tuesday. According to a statement issued by his Senior Special Assistant on Media and Publicity Malam Garba Shehu, the President enquired about each individual’s wellbeing, their health and wellbeing of their family members. He said they prayed for the repose of those that died between last year, when they last met and this year. The presidential spokesman said President Buhari expressed his joy and happiness for the meeting, saying he got the same feeling that he used to have when they were young. He added that they chatted for a while, talked about the school days and shared a lot of memories. Shehu said the President thanked the schoolmates for their respect and feelings for him which they had retained for all the time. He said the leader of the class association, Senator Abba Ali commended the sacrifices the President had been making and urged him to maintain focus on the nation which he said was more important than all else. Shehu added that they presented a gift to the President and joined him in a memorable group photograph.

Kuje jailbreak: Osinachi’s husband, Wadume still in custody

  The Nigeria Correctional Service (NCoS) has dismissed reports that Peter Nwachukwu, husband of the late gospel singer, Osinachi, and a suspected kidnap kingpin, Hamisu Bala (a.k.a. Wadume), escaped from custody during Friday’s jailbreak at Kuje Custodial Centre, Abuja. The Public Relations Officer, FCT Command, NCoS, Mr Chukwuedo Humphrey, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Tuesday in Abuja that the two inmates were still in custody. Some media reports had claimed that Osinachi’s husband and Wadume escaped during Friday’s terrorists’ attack on the custodial centre. NAN reports that terrorists, who attacked the custodial centre, freed about 879 inmates. Humphrey said that the clarification became necessary in view of a publication by an online medium alleging that Wadume and Osinachi’s husband escaped. “The story is false, reckless and mischievous.They are still in custody. “Efforts are ongoing to recapture all fleeing inmates. “The Controller-General, NCoS, Haliru Nababa, is determined to continue to upscale inmates’ welfare and safety, ” he said. NAN reports that a Federal Capital Territory High Court had ordered the remand of Osinachi’s husband at the custodial centre in connection with the singer’s death in April. Hamisu Bala was arrested in August 2019 by the Intelligence Response Team over alleged supply of arms and ammunition to terrorists.(NAN).

ASUU Strike: Consider Briggs Committee’s report first, NAPATAN tells Buhari

  Parents under the aegis of the National Parents Teachers Association of Nigeria, NAPTAN, have called on President Muhammadu Buhari to first take a look at the report of the Prof. Nimi Briggs-led committee that met with the national leadership of the Academic Staff Union of Universities, ASUU, before appealing to Nigerians to prevail on the union to call off its strike. The association said it is when that is done that the government would be able to know which aspect of the committee’s recommendations it can implement. The National President, Alhaji Haruna Danjuma, said this in a chat with Vanguard on Tuesday. This is just as ASUU has described the call by the President as a sleep walk approach to governance that is highly unfortunate. Both were reacting to Buhari’s call on Monday that well-meaning Nigerians should prevail on the union to call off its over four months strike. Danjuma wondered when the federal government would consider the report of the Briggs Committee that was submitted to it over a month ago. “My advice for the government is to first attend to the report of that committee and see what it can do about it. Let the government first make its position on the report public and known to all. It is when that is done that critical stakeholders in the sector can see how they can come in. “If the President works on the report, no matter what the decision of the government is, that is what what will inform the intervention of those who want to mediate. The mediators will know what to do and what to base their actions on. “For instance, if the committee says ASUU is demanding N10 and it recommends that the union be given N5 and even if the government says it only has N3 to give, then NAPTAN or any other group will know what to go and plead with ASUU for. Yes, the future of our children is critical and should not be toyed with and we are calling on all parties to find a way out of the face-off as quickly as possible,” he said. ASUU, in a statement titled “President Sir: When and why enough cannot be enough,” said the strike has lingered because of inaction on the part of the government. The statement was endorsed by Dr Adelaja Odukoya, the Chairman,Lagos Zone of ASUU. It read in part,”It is with painful and heartfelt amusement that we received your comical statement and laughable call yesterday that “enough is enough” on the almost five-month old strike action of our union, the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), occasioned and forced on us by the crass insensitivity, non-chalant disposition, ineptitude and crass indifference to the fate of public university education in the country under your leadership. “That all other unions in the nation’s public university system as well as unions in other tertiary educational levels in the country are also on strike for similar reasons, belied and exposed the ridiculous disposition and propaganda to paint our union black in the face of the Nigerian public who has seen through the shenanigan, deliberate, systemic and orchestrated agenda of the present government. “This is not only to undermine but to comprehensively destroy public university education in unpatriotic obedience to the slavish and destructive command of the neoliberal high command to which the soul of this administration and her forbears seems to be irrevocably sold. “The fact that the president unfortunately and sadly taken and embraced an attitude of mute indifference and unedifying quietude in the face of calamitous consequences a neglected education sector could foist on generations of Nigerians, including those yet unborn is a clear signpost of leadership failure. Nigerian public university students remain at home while our dear president and his cronies lavish valuable time on partisan party political activities, family egoistic ceremonies and global junketing, and to have finally woken up to address the issue of the national strike in the nation public universities in a season of Eid Adha celebration – season that calls for utmost and supreme sacrifices exemplified by Prophet Ibrahim should elicits both spiritual and popular condemnation. “The choice of this solemn occasion to trade blames rather than making sacrifice as the season demands appears more of gross lack of understanding of the enormity of the crisis. The usual window-dressing and buck-passing and inability to rise up to serious occasion affecting our country particularly the nation’s education sector is rather unfortunate. “This is underscored by the sleep-walk disposition of the un-presidential response to an issue which has been prolonged and exacerbated due to presidential inaction. Mr. President sir, for ASUU this strike action should not have lasted beyond the first week after it was declared because the issues at stake were neither new nor do they require rocket science to resolve given that there had been MOUs and MOAs as well as a duly renegotiated ASUU-FGN Agreement completed way back 13th May, 2020 before your government which you and your administration neglected and refused to implement and signed. “Our Commander –in – Chief, if only your administration has taken the sacred responsibility for education and the future of the Nigerian youth seriously, this latter day unconvincing lamentation without doing anything would have been unnecessary. Your Excellency, your position is to be on top of issues and solve national problems no matter how tough the situation instead of hopeless lamentation and sermonizing.” The union said enough would not be enough unless the government does the needful. Recall that the Briggs Committee was set up by the government to renegotiation the 2009 Agreement with ASUU and submitted its report to the Education Minister, Malam Adamu Adamu, over a month ago. In a recent interview with our correspondent, the National President of ASUU, Prof. Emmanuel Osodeke, said the government promised getting back to his union immediately it gets the report but nothing has been done since then. Issues in contention include the payment of Revitalisation Fund, payment

UN: With 1.4bn people, India to surpass China as most populous country in 2023

  The United Nations says India will surpass China as the world’s most populous country in 2023, with more than 1.4 billion people. The UN said this in its world population prospects 2022 released on Monday, adding that the global population will reach 8 billion by November 15, 2022, and 9.7 billion in 2050. According to the report, China, with 1.43 billion people, is expected to experience an absolute decline in its population as early as 2023 — due to sustained low levels of fertility and emigration. The report added that by 2050, India’s population will reach 1.67 billion while China will decline to 1.32 billion. “The latest projections by the United Nations suggest that the global population could grow to around 8.5 billion in 2030, 9.7 billion in 2050 and 10.4 billion in 2100,” the report reads. “Population growth is caused in part by declining levels of mortality, as reflected in increased levels of life expectancy at birth. Globally, life expectancy reached 72.8 years in 2019, an increase of almost 9 years since 1990. “China is expected to experience an absolute decline in its population as early as 2023. “Further reductions in mortality are projected to result in an average longevity of around 77.2 years globally in 2050.” The report also projected that more than half of the population would be concentrated in Nigeria and seven other countries. “More than half of the projected increase in global population up to 2050 will be concentrated in just eight countries: the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Egypt, Ethiopia, India, Nigeria, Pakistan, the Philippines and the United Republic of Tanzania,” the report added. “Disparate growth rates among the world’s largest countries will re-order their ranking by size.   “The populations of 61 countries or areas are projected to decrease by 1 per cent or more between 2022 and 2050, owing to sustained low levels of fertility and, in some cases, elevated rates of emigration.”

Buhari ‘Should Urgently’ Approve N200bn For ASUU To End Strike – Falana

  Human rights activist and senior lawyer, Femi Falana, has asked President Muhammadu Buhari to submit a supplementary budget for the appropriation of the sum of N200 billion required to revamp federal universities across the country. According to Mr Falana, this will go a long way in ending the months-long strike of the Academic Staff Union of Universities that has paralysed public universities since February. Mr Falana said President Buhari’s recent lament over the prolonged strike was unnecessary. READ ALSO: Enough Is Enough, Buhari Tells ASUU He also faulted the Federal Government’s claim that it does not have the funds to meet ASUU’s demands, noting that the government has allocated trillions to address issues such as fuel subsidy and agriculture policy. ASUU’s demands ASUU embarked on a four-week warning strike on February 14. On March 14, the union extended the industrial action by another two months to allow the government meet all of its demands. A 12-week extension was announced on May 9. Since May 9, the union has remained on strike, vowing to persist until its demands are met. The academics are seeking improved welfare, revitalisation of public universities and academic autonomy among other demands. One bone of contention for the academics is the non-payment of university revitalisation funds, which amounts to about N1.1 trillion. But the Federal Government has said it doesn’t have the money to pay such an amount, citing low oil prices during the Muhammadu Buhari administration. The agreement was reportedly struck in 2009. Another is the issue of the Integrated Payroll and Personnel Information System (IPPIS). The academics have proposed an alternative payroll system, the University Transparency and Accountability Solution (UTAS).   Read Mr Falana’s statement below: TIME TO END ASUU STRIKE BY PRESIDENT MUHAMMADU BUHARI Four months ago, the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) commenced the current strike to compel the Federal Government to comply with the FG/ASSU Agreement on funding of all federal universities in Nigeria. According to the binding Agreement the total fund which the Federal Government ought to have provided to revamp the universities is N200 billion in line with its obligation under the Agreement. Before then, the warning strikes embarked upon by ASUU was ignored by the Federal Government. Thus, the ongoing industrial action which has paralysed the federal universities has lingered on due to the refusal of the Federal Government to meet its commitment under the FG/ASUU Agreement. However, in justifying the unwarranted breach of the Agreement the Federal Government has complained of lack of fund. Instead of addressing the outstanding grey areas in the prolonged negotiations, President Muhammadu Buhari who is the Visitor to all federal universities in the country has urged the Academic Staff Union of Universities, ASUU, to consider the long-term effect of the strike on students and the generational consequences on families, the educational system and the future development of the country. While lamenting that the strike was already taking a toll on the psychology of parents, students and other stakeholders, throwing up many moral issues that already beg for attention the President said that “We hope that ASUU will sympathise with the people on the prolonged strike. Truly, enough is enough for keeping students at home. Don’t hurt the next generation for goodness sake.” The claim of the Federal Government that it lacks the financial resources to fund university education has been taken with a pinch of salt by the Nigerian people. Having regard to the way and manner huge public fund has been expended on other projects it does appear that the Federal Government has not prioritised higher education. For instance, the electricity sector and the counter insurgency operations in two regions in the country have consumed not less than N6 trillion without any tangible result. The Asset Management Corporation of Nigeria (AMCON) claims that N5.4 trillion is owed by a section of the comparador bourgeoisie whose toxic debts were bought with public fund. Even though N443 billion was spent on the importation of fuel from January to June 2022 the National Assembly has approved N4 trillion for the same product from July to December 2022 due to the comatose status of the nation’s refineries. The Federal Government has also made available N100 billion for revamping the textile industry; N850 billion for rice production; N250 billion for autogas vehicle conversion and N228 for school feeding programme. Apart from its annual budget of N40 billion the Independent National Electoral Commission has received N100 billion as the first tranche of the 2022 budget to conduct the 2023 general elections. A government that can afford to spend trillions of Naira on the aforesaid projects cannot afford to ignore the funding of higher education. Therefore, the federal government should adopt concrete measures to end the ASUU strike without any further delay. Instead of lamenting over the strike, President Buhari should urgently submit a Supplementary budget to the National Assembly for the appropriation of the sum of N200 billion required to revamp the federal universities. This demand is in accordance with the FG/ASUU Agreement whose terms are binding on the Federal Government. The National Assembly, concerned parents, progressive civil society bodies and other relevant stakeholders should prevail on President Buhari to do the needful with a view to ending the strike without any further delay. Femi Falana SAN, Interim Chair, Alliance on Surviving Covid 19 and Beyond (ASCAB) July 12, 2022.

Ahmed Musa To Politicians: How Do You Feel Visiting Your Children Abroad While ASUU Is On Strike?

  Super Eagles star, Ahmed Musa, has tackled Nigerian politicians over the lingering strike by the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU). Students of many government-owned universities have been away from the classrooms since February when ASUU commenced strike. All efforts to make the lecturers return to the classroom have not yielded meaningful result. On Monday, President Muhammadu Buhari asked ASUU to stop keeping children at home. Posting on his official Instagram account on Tuesday, Musa said it was a shame that political office holders flaunt the pictures of their children who school abroad while those in Nigeria. He wrote, “To our political office holders whose children school abroad. How do you feel visiting your children abroad, taking pictures in their schools and posting online while ASUU is on strike? “Like seriously, how is it ok to you? You’re running a system that you don’t even believe in. Show me one Oyibo leader whose child is schooling in Nigeria. “E no day touch una? And when you return Nigerian youths will still gather and sing praises for una.[sic]” Musa’s post comes after pictures of the graduation of Governor Nyesom Wike’s son from a UK university flooded the internet. Aside from Wike, two other governors attended the graduation. They Governor Okezie Ikpeazu of Abia State and Seyi Makinde, his Oyo counterpart.

2023: Church should be involved in politics – Abe

  Former representative of Rivers South-East Senatorial District in the National Assembly, Senator Magnus Ngei Abe, has reiterated on the need for the Church to actively get involved in politics ahead of the 2023 general election. Abe, who made the call while addressing members of City of David International Church, Odani, Elelenwo, Port Harcourt, as part of the society, said whatever happens to the society affects the Church. He said: “A lot of times people feel that the Church should not get involved in what’s going on in the society. But the Church is part of the society and ultimately, what’s happening in the society affect the Church in every single way. “When members of your congregations keep having problems that they cannot get help, who will they call? When they are not able to meet up their obligations to themselves and their families where do they go to? “So, even the Church itself is helpless if we don’t work well for the people. So, part of your prayers is to have a society that works well for those who are following you to Church. That is how God will manifest himself in their lives. So, what happens in the society will affect you. “If the government does not work well, it is those who live in Rivers State that will suffer it and that will include our pastors and our Church members. If the society works well and people can prosper and be happy; is that not God answering our prayers? “So, the credit will still come to the Church. That is why I say that it is important for the church to get involved in what is happening in the society”. Abe stated that he attended primary and secondary schools both in Rivers State and then South-Eastern State free of charge because the government was working. He said: “My father was a pastor; he was earning about N96:00 a month at that time, which was far below minimum wage and we were five children. When we came back after the civil war, my last brother was born of my mother and we were now six. “But, because the government was working; because teachers were promptly paid, inspected and were given a pride of place in their jobs, you could feel a government that was working. “I was trained by the government of Rivers State, in St. Peters State School, Yeghe and at Boys’ State School, Okrika. I left there when my father was transferred to South-Eastern State, Calabar, which was then part of the Niger Delta Diocese, and I was still trained by the government of South-Eastern State free of charge. “So, I have benefited from the kindness of people at several times in my life, that’s why I’m here to seek for your support to partner with me in the ‘SMA project 2023’ together, we would be able to give back to the society what some of us have benefited in the past”. Earlier, Senior Pastor of the church, Bishop John Enojoh appreciated Senator Abe for his kind support to ministers of the gospel and churches in the state and assured him that they will keep on praying until he emerges as governor of Rivers State.

Muslim-Muslim ticket won’t be a problem – Pro-Tinubu group

  A group within the All Progressive Congress under the auspices of the Tinubu Mandate Group, Ondo and Ekiti States chapters has said there was nothing wrong with the presidential candidate of the party, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, picking a Muslim as a running mate. Tinubu, a former governor of Lagos State announced a former governor of Borno State, Kashim Shetima, as his running mate for the 2023 presidential election, amid criticism in some quarters. Speaking on the development, the Coordinator of the group, Pastor Olufemi Bakare, who spoke with our correspondent, at the meeting of the group, in Akure, the state capital, on Tuesday, said the APC presidential candidate would always be fair to all religions in the country. He described Tinubu as a man who has Christians around him and had been showing love for Christianity, saying he (Tinubu) was never a religion bigot, even though he is a Muslim. Bakare said, ” I trust him absolutely. Let me tell you one thing, this man is a Muslim, his wife is a pastor and I want to tell you sincerely and truthfully, myself and the wife were ordained as pastors the same day. So it is not a question of religion. “When somebody is sitting on top of a palm tree, he has a better horizon. The choice that he made I believe in it. I came from a muslim family. “My elder brother is an Alhaji and I’m a Pastor in the Redeemed Christian Church of God. So if you have a muslim man whose wife is a pastor, I believe any decision would take as a president, will be with fear of God.” He explained that the essence of their meeting was to review their programme, and plans to mobilise support for the APC National Leader, at the nooks and crannies of Ondo and Ekiti States. “We have to be at the grassroot to bring in a lot of people. Like so many people loves him (Tinubu) in other parties, PDP, ADC, everywhere, they are coming since they know this is a sellable candidate. “This is a man who has who has a template, this is a man who have done it before, this is a man who has reputation, this is a man who can create wealth., this is a man that turned the fortune of Lagos State for good. “He has lifted Lagos State from the position of slum to a position whereby it is now competing to be the economic leader of Africa. This is why I trust him and I know him as a friend. He has being my friend for 45 years and he has never failed,” he stated.

Matawalle to FG: Extend retirement age of security personnel to 70yrs

  Governor Bello Matawalle of Zmafara State, on Tuesday, urged the Federal Government to extend the retirement age of security personnel in Nigeria to 70 adding that the entry age limit for Direct Short Service should be extended from 30 to 32 years to accommodate more able bodied men and women that are willing to serve their fatherland to securing Nigeria. Governor Matawalle, who spoke at his country home in Maradun, said this will afford those of them that are not tired to continue to serve the country. He said this will help sustain successes recorded in the fight on terror and insecurity. Matawalle also promised to make Zamfara the most peaceful state in Nigeria. On the insecurity facing the state, the governor said; “As you know that we are facing the issue of insecurity in Zamfara. I want to make Zamfara the most peaceful state in Nigeria. I want to make the people of Zamfara secure.” On how to achieve the feat in the face of rampaging bandits, he said: “I will ensure that Zamfara is the most peaceful state, the most secure state in Nigeria. I’m working with some security to achieve this. I want to appeal to the Federal Government to extend the retirement age of the security personnel to 70 years just like it did to university lecturers and some teachers. My belief is simple, most of those to be retired are not tired.”