Kuje attack: CG presents N2.8m to family of slain NSCDC personnel

The Commandant General of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), Ahmed Abubakar Audi has presented a cash donation to the family of the slain officer killed during the attack on the Kuje Correctional facility in the Federal Capital Territory by some terrorists.

The CG handed a total sum of N2.8 million to the family of the late Inspector of Corps, Ilyasu Abraham.

CG Audi presented a cash gift of N2.8 million to the family of personnel killed during the Kuje attack. Photo: NSCDC Source: UGC

A statement signed by the director of public relations of the NSCDC, DCC Olusola Odumosu said Abraham died in the unfortunate attack on Kuje Medium Custodial Centre.

Odumosu also noted that the CG presented a cheque of N2.5 million and N300,000 in cash to Mrs ElizabethAbraham and her daughter, Abimiku Blessing at the Corps National Headquarters in Abuja.

He said that CG Audi consoled the family, over the loss of their breadwinner and encouraged them that the officer would be remembered as a hero, who died in active service.

Audi noted that the money given to the family was in fulfilment of his promise to ensure that necessary compensation is given to the family in due time.

He also stressed that the fund is an intervention from the government and the Corps to assist the deceased family in ameliorating some burial expenses.

Audi further pledged his administration's support to the family of the slain personnel and reiterate his unflinching commitment to the welfare of all officers and men of the Corps.

While assuring Abraham's daughter of automatic employment into the Corps as soon as the Federal Government gives approval for recruitment into the service.

Abraham died during the unfortunate incident of July 5, 2022, at Kuje Medium Custodial Center, where armed insurgents invaded the facility at the FCT.

The CG assured the nation that the Corps will not be deterred from protecting Critical National Assets and Infrastructure, lives and property of law-abiding citizens and regulation of private guards among other mandates of the Corps.

He also seized the opportunity to call on all zonal commanders, state commandants, area commanders, CG's special intelligence squad among others to continue to develop new strategies as they work in synergy with other security agencies in confronting all forms of security challenges affecting our dear country, Nigeria.

The CG renewed his call on all citizens to continue to assist security agencies with useful and timely information to nip criminal activities in the bud, noting with optimism that all challenges of insecurity affecting Nigeria are surmountable.

Nigerians across the country seem to be apprehensive following the growing rate of insecurity in Nigeria.

This increase in fear by citizens spiked with the recent attack on the Kuje Custodial Centre in the Federal Capital Territory by members of ISWAP.

Some residents in the FCT including top leaders have also expressed shock over the attack which led to the release of over 600 inmates mostly terrorists by the attackers. 

The Kuje prison attack occured on the same day that some terrorists attacked the convoy of President Muhammadu Buhari in Katsina state.

The attack by the terrorists caused fear among members of the area including a resident who said that they hid in the bush during the attack.

According to the resident they were in the bush until a long stretch of military troops arrived to clear the area.

“intelligence practice”, DSS replies former minister, Chidoka

Osita Chidoka, a former minister of aviation, has been asked not to comment on security matters by the Department of State Service (DSS) because he lacks the knowledge.

Chidoka, according to The Cable, a few days ago on Sunrise Daily, a Channels Television programme, opined that the “massive failure to manage our national diversity” has “grave implications” for the security agencies.

Osita Chidoka, a former minister of aviation : Photo Credit: @channelstv Source: UGC

The former minister added that the lopsided selection of security chiefs has an impact on the fight against insecurity.

“The security agencies — many people forget that they are recruited on a state-by-state basis, so every state is represented,” he said.

He argued that the selection of security chiefs creates problems in the sense that when the people from other sections of the country started to take an unnecessary attitude to work.

But in his reaction to the comment, the spokesperson of the DSS, Peter Afunanya, said the former minister lacks the competence to speak on “intelligence practice”.

“Mr Chidoka spoke as a politician and the DSS does not join issues with politicians,” the statement reads.

Osita Chidoka reveals the truth behind the rumour about Goodluck Jonathan's 2023 Presidential Ambition

The  fiormer minister of aviation under the former president Goodluck Jonathan while revealing truth behind the rumour about Goodluck Jonathan's 2023 Presidential Ambition. Osita Chidoka, stated that the ex-president has learnt his lesson from his first tenure as Nigeria's president.

Osita, in his reaction to the second coming of the ex-president rumour, noted that Jonathan would boldly make a proper declaration to run for the position if he was interested in the position.

The ex-minister's comment followed the social media claims that the former president would be contesting for the number 1 position in the 2023 general elections.

Obasanjo laments high cost of living

Former president of Nigeria, Olusegun Obasanjo recently joined millions of Nigerians to lament the high cost of living among many others.

Obasanjo said that he has been sweating profusely due to the high cost of diesel which is taking a toll on his business and other businesses across the country.

Chief Olusegun Obasanjo : Photo: Premium Times Source: Twitter

Obasanjo who is a farmer spoke at the southwest fish farmers’ congress held at the Olusegun Obasanjo Presidential Library (OOPL) in Abeokuta, Ogun state.

While decrying the rise in the cost of diesel, as well as the constant increase in prices of fish feeds, Obasanjo said Nigerian fish farmers will eventually run out of business should the situation of things continue. He added that unless they (the farmers) come together to agree on sustainable prices that could be adopted to keep them in business, things would definitely get out of hand.

His words:

“The price of diesel has gone high because the management of this country is not what it should to be. And it is as simple as that.

"Then, what will happen is that, particularly those of us who have to use a bit of diesel in producing fish, we will completely go bankrupt, and when that happens, Nigerians will still have to eat fish.

“Fish production will be out of reach and then, people will be producing fish outside Nigeria and be dumping it here.

"And you will go jobless, poor and indigent. So, what do we have to do? To come together…we want to sustain fish production and we must be able to take care of those who are going to eat and those of us who are producing.”

Turning to the farmers at the just concluded southwest fish farmers’ congress. Obasanjo asked:

“How many of you are using diesel in your production? Because I use diesel and I’m already sweating and sweating.”

Opinion: Time for Nigerians to RSVP by Jide Ojo

Editor's Note: Veteran political commentator Jide Ojo in this piece writes about the voters registration process ahead of the 2023 general elections.

According to an online source, The Spruce, the term “RSVP” comes from the French expression répondezs’ilvousplaît, meaning “please respond.” If RSVP is written on an invitation, it means the host has requested that the guest should respond to say if they plan to attend the party.” Comically, RSVP has been twisted to mean, Rice and Stew Very Plenty. However, I’m using the acronym in the context of election. It means Register, Select, Vote and Protect your vote.

Jideo Ojo, veteran political analyst,. Photo credit: Jide Ojo Source: Facebook

The ‘R’ has been going on for sometime now. The Independent National Electoral Commission flagged off the current Continuous Voters Registration exercise since June 28, 2021. The commission for the first time introduced an innovation called online pre-registration where prospective registrants will fill in their details online and choose a date for the capturing of their biometrics and facials at any INEC office of their choice. This was done by the commission to avoid overcrowding at the registration centres. More so, the country is still battling with the COVID-19 pandemic. Aside from registering to vote, registrants can review the status of their voter registration, request to update their information or transfer their voter registration to another polling unit.According to INEC Voter Registration Update for Quarter 4, Week 15 as at 7am, Monday, July 25, 2022. Fresh registrants stand at 10,487,972; completed registration is 11,011,119. Further breakdown shows that online registrants are 3,391,940; physical registrants, who went directly to perform the civic exercise at INEC offices, are 7,619,179. Of this number are 5,453,071 males while females are 5,558,048. Persons with Disabilities are 80,101 while youth are 7,828,570.

INEC had planned to stop the Continuous Voters Registration at the end of last month. However, the Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project dragged the commission to court; asking it not to stop the exercise. On June 21, 2022, the Federal High Court in Abuja stopped INEC from ending voter registration on June 30 as initially announced. Justice Mobolaji Olajuwon granted an order of interim injunction following the hearing of an argument on motion ex parte by SERAP.

The commission met in an extraordinary session on Friday, July 15, 2022, and discussed among other things, the suspension of the ongoing CVR. This followed the judgement delivered by the Federal High Court on Wednesday July 13, 2022 in which it dismissed the suit filed by SERAP which is seeking an extension of the exercise beyond June 30, 2022. The Court affirmed that INEC is at liberty to appoint a date of its choice to suspend the CVR, provided it is not later than 90 days before the date fixed for the general elections as provided in Section 9(6) of the Electoral Act, 2022.

I hereby reproduce the decisions taken by INEC at its July 15 meeting:

“The CVR is hereby extended for another two weeks until Sunday, July 31, 2022, thereby bringing the total duration of the extension to 31 days (July 1 – 31, 2022); The exercise has also been extended to eight hours daily from 9.00am – 5.00pm instead of the current duration of six hours (9.00am – 3.00pm) daily; and the exercise is also extended to include weekends (Saturdays and Sundays) as against only weekdays.”

To justify the suspension of the CVR exercise at the end of this month, the commission said it is expected to do a lot under the electoral legal framework in relation to voter registration and compilation of the register. For instance, the commission is required to clean up the register to remove multiple registrants using the Automated Biometric Identification System better known as ABIS; consolidate the national register of voters (existing voters and new registrants) and display the same on polling unit basis for each of the 8,809 registration areas (wards) across the 774 local government areas nationwide for public scrutiny. This lasts for a period of one week. On the basis of a new projection of 95 million voters, on the basis of 10 voters per page, the commission has to print 9,500,000 pages for the display.

Furthermore, the commission is expected to print millions of Permanent Voters’ Cards for all fresh registrants and applicants for transfer and replacement of lost or damaged PVCs; INEC is also to ensure that there is ample time for voters to collect their PVCs ahead of the 2023 general elections; print the final register of voters in triplicate for the 2023 general elections involving a projected 28,500,000 pages for accreditation and display at 176,846 polling units for national elections (presidential and National Assembly) on February 25, 2023 and state elections (governorship and State Assemblies) on March 11, 2023; and make copies of the updated national register of voters available to political parties not later than 30 days to the date fixed for the general elections.

Dear compatriots, if you know you’re 18 years and above and have not previously registered, you still have some five days to the end of the month to register. If you’re tired of the situation of this country and desire a positive change, if you want to participate in recruitment of new set of political leaders, if you want to show yourself as a law-abiding and patriotic citizen, please ensure you come out to register in the remaining days to the end of the month. Election is the way for a peaceful change of leadership and government. Peradventure you have registered previously and lost your PVC or it is defaced or damaged, you do not need to register again. All you need to do is to go online to INEC continuous registration dedicated portal and fill the necessary forms to request for replacement of your lost or damaged PVC. The same procedure could be followed for those who want to move their registration details from one polling unit to another. Also note that INEC’s PVC does not expire.

I must commend the Inclusive Friends Association and Youth Initiative for Advocacy, Growth and Advancement better known as YIAGA Africa for their targeted mobilisation of Nigerians to come out to register. The association decided to partner with INEC and National Commission for Persons with Disabilities to bring CVR exercise to the PWD communities. The exercise, which started on Monday, July 25, will end on Friday July 29, 2022. The Vote-Ability CVR Centres include: Pilot Primary School, Wuse Zone 5, Abuja; Abuja School for the Deaf, Kuje; Abuja Children Home, NyanyaKaru, after Karu Police Station; Government Girls Secondary School Dutsen Alhaji-Bwari; Disability Colony, Kalamajiji and Junior Secondary School, Gwagwalada. YIAGA Africa in partnership with the European Union on Saturday, June 11 and 25 in Lagos and Abuja respectively organized Youth Vote Count Mega Music Concert as part of efforts to encourage young Nigerians to register to vote.With voter registration winding down, what is next is for INEC to make good its promise to ensure that all those who have registered to vote get their PVCs before the 2023 general elections. Because that’s the only way they can participate in the other citizen-centric electoral activities which is to ‘S’ – Select, ‘V’- Vote and ‘P’- Protect their votes. INEC should therefore not disappoint the new and even old registrants. Those who have endeavoured to collect their PVCs should not ‘dull’ themselves (as it is said in local parlance) by not coming out to vote.

 A better Nigeria is possible if we participate in the election of good political leaders in the 11,082 elective offices in the country.

Twitter: @jideojong

Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed here are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of Transview magazine.

Area commanders, DPOs placed on red alert over threat to attack Lagos

 

The police in Lagos state have placed their personnel on red alert over threats of a planned terrorist attack in the state.

The commissioner of police in the state CP Abiodun Alabi urged officials of his command be remain proactive following threats of a possible attack on the city of excellence.

Nigerians in Lagos state have been asked to remain vigilant as police area commanders, DPOs are placed on red alert . Photo: Nigeria Police Force Source: Facebook

In a statement released on Sunday, by the spokesperson for the Lagos police command, Benjamin Hundeyin, the CP said the command is not unmindful of intelligence reports suggesting that Lagos State could be on the radar of some persons planning attacks across the country.

According to Hundeyin, CP Alabi has placed the State Intelligence Bureau (SIB) of the command on high alert.

The statement read:

“Also placed on alert are all Area Commanders, Divisional Police Officers and Tactical Commanders, in a bid to ensure that any planned attack is promptly and decisively nibbed in the bud.

“The Command is also working closely with other sister security agencies to ensure that no person or group of persons succeeds in destabilising the peace and serenity enjoyed by the good people of Lagos State."

Hundeyin also urged all Lagosians not to be afraid but to remain vigilant as all human, material and operational resources had been fully and optimally deployed across the state.

He also assured that surveillance has been mounted across all towns bordering Lagos as persons either coming in or leaving the state are being monitored.

This he said is to ensure that there is no breach of the peace and security currently experienced across the state.

He added:

“Consequent upon the carefully laid down security plans and strategies, all residents of Lagos State are urged to go about their lawful duties without panic or fear.

“Lagos residents are equally enjoined to remain very vigilant and report suspicious movements and persons to security agencies."

Meanwhile.Nigeria had been described as a safe environment for all forms of investment despite the growing killings, kidnappings and activities of Boko Haram terrorists.

The description of the security situation in the country was given by the minister of information, culture and tourism, Lai Mohammed.

According to Lai Mohammed, oppositions across Nigeria are only giving wrong narratives to demarket the nation.

Former Philippine president Fidel 'Steady Eddie' Ramos dies at 94

Former president Fidel Ramos. Photo: NOEL CELIS / AFP Source: AFP

Former Philippine president Fidel Ramos, who oversaw a rare period of steady growth and peace that won him the reputation as one of the country's most effective leaders ever, has died aged 94, officials said Sunday.

Known as "Steady Eddie" for his unflappable demeanour during the country's regular moments of upheaval, he was frequently pictured chewing unlit cigars as he guided the Philippines with a sure hand from 1992-1998.

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A career military man who never previously held elected office, his professorial conduct was unlike the bombastic image of many Filipino politicians.

He was also the first Protestant to win the top office in the overwhelmingly Catholic nation, despite opposition from some in the Church. He later made an aggressive push for family planning to rein in rapid population growth.

But like other top officials of his generation, Ramos played a role in the dictatorship of Ferdinand Marcos, which saw thousands killed and thousands more arbitrarily imprisoned.

"It is with great sorrow that we learn of the passing of former President Fidel V. Ramos," said Trixie Cruz-Angeles, press secretary for President Ferdinand Marcos Jr, the son and namesake of the late dictator, who took office last month.

"He leaves behind a colorful legacy and a secure place in history for his participation in the great changes of our country, both as military officer and chief executive."

Ramos's family is expected to release a statement later Sunday. The cause of death has not been released.

The European Union delegation in the Philippines expressed its condolences, describing Ramos as a "dedicated statesman" and "pillar of democracy". A graduate of the prestigious West Point military academy in the United States, Ramos had a lengthy career in the armed forces, including combat against communist guerrillas, and was deployed in the Korean War as part of the Philippine contingent.

He was later commander of the paramilitary Philippine Constabulary -- the key institution that enforced the brutal repression of dissent after Marcos declared martial law in 1972.

Ramos's moment of truth came in February 1986, when popular outrage was hitting its peak over the murder of opposition leader Benigno Aquino and massive regime cheating in a snap election.

Sensing Marcos's weakness, a group of young military officers and their leader, defence secretary Juan Ponce Enrile, plotted to seize power but were found out.

Facing arrest, Enrile and his allies holed up in the military headquarters in Manila and appealed to the public to protect them from an imminent government attack.

Ramos joined their rebellion, withdrawing his support from Marcos and inspiring many others to rise up as well.

Soon, millions were massing in the streets for the peaceful "People Power" revolt that sent the dictator into exile and ushered in Corazon Aquino as president.

Aquino promptly appointed Ramos as military chief and then defence secretary in gratitude.

He would prove to be a crucial ally to Aquino as the military rebels who sought to topple Marcos soon turned their sights on her.

He led the loyalist forces that helped quash the coup attempts against her from 1986 to 1989.

When elections came in 1992, Aquino gave her endorsement to Ramos, which was crucial to him winning the presidency despite the opposition of influential Catholic Church figures.

As president, Ramos solved a crippling power crisis caused by years of under-investment in energy, and broke up cartels in telecommunications, aviation, and shipping -- boosting a moribund economy that reaped a period of renewed growth.

He also made peace overtures to communist guerrillas, Muslim separatists and military coup-plotters.

In the end, only the communists refused to sign agreements with his government.

Ramos was also a key, early supporter of Rodrigo Duterte as he waded into national politics with his run at the presidency in 2016.

After Duterte's landslide victory, Ramos even served as the president's special envoy to Beijing to ease tensions over the disputed South China Sea.

But the relationship swiftly soured and he publicly criticised Duterte's expletive-laden speeches, his moves away from the US alliance and his anti-drug campaign that claimed thousands  of lives.

Ramos was also aghast at Duterte's decision to allow Marcos to be buried in the national Heroes' Cemetery despite the damage his dictatorship caused to the Philippines' economy and social order.

When a Marcos daughter tried to link Ramos to the abuses of her father's rule, Ramos said he had already apologised and made amends for his role.

"My atonement was leading the military and the police" in the revolt that toppled Marcos, he said.

Source: AFP

Bin Laden family donated £1m to Prince Charles charity: report

 

Prince Charles agreed to the donation at a 2013 meeting. Photo: HANNAH MCKAY / POOL/AFP Source: AFP

Prince Charles, the heir to the British throne, accepted a £1 million ($1.19 million, 1.21 million euro) donation to his charitable trust from the family of 9/11 mastermind Osama bin Laden, The Sunday Times reported.

Although there is no suggestion of any wrongdoing by the Saudi family members, the revelation increases scrutiny on the 73-year-old prince's charity organisations, which have been rocked by allegations of criminal wrong doing.

Several of his advisers urged Charles not to take the donation from family patriarch Bakr bin Laden and his brother Shafiq -- half-brothers of terror leader Osama -- according to sources cited by the paper.

Charles, 73, agreed to the donation to the Prince of Wales Charitable Fund (PWCF) when he met with Bakr, 76, at Clarence House in London in 2013, despite objections of advisers from the trust and his office, the paper reported.

Ian Cheshire, chairman of PWCF, said the donation was agreed by the five trustees at the time.

British police in February launched an investigation into another of Charles's charitable foundations over claims of a cash-for-honours scandal involving a Saudi businessman.

The head of The Prince's Foundation resigned last year after an internal investigation into the allegations.

Michael Fawcett, chief executive of the foundation, had initially agreed to suspend his duties following newspaper revelations about his links to a Saudi national.

The man, tycoon Mahfouz Marei Mubarak bin Mahfouz, had donated large sums to restoration projects of particular interest to Charles.  Fawcett, a former valet to the Prince of Wales who has been close to Queen Elizabeth II's heir for decades, is alleged to have coordinated efforts to grant a royal honour and even UK citizenship to Mahfouz.

Mahfouz reportedly denies any wrongdoing.

The Charities Commission, which registers and oversees charities in England and Wales, said in November it had opened a formal probe into donations received by Mahfouz's charitable trust which were intended for the prince's foundation.

The Prince's Foundation, set up in 1986, is not regulated by the Charities Commission but is registered with the Scottish Charity Regulator.

The Scottish body in September launched its own probe into reports that the foundation accepted cash from a Russian banker previously convicted of money laundering.

Source: AFP