Sowore Apologizes To Nigerian Army, Gives Reason
Activist and former presidential candidate of the African Action Congress (AAC), Omoyele Sowore, has apologised to the Nigerian Army (NA) for posting a video purportedly showing Okuama community in Ughelli South local government area of Delta State under military attack following the killing of 16 Army personnel of the 181 Amphibious Battalion in the State last Thursday. The viral videos show some houses on fire and was allegedly blamed on the Army as a reprisal attack on the community where the Commanding Officer of the Army Battalion, three other senior officers and 12 soldiers were ambushed and killed by suspected youths of the community. But, Sowore, who just returned to his family in the United States of America last week after about five years of being on trial in Nigeria for alleged terrorism, said he had discovered that the video was false as it depicts a different event that happened in the neighbouring Bayelsa State and not Delta State. Taking to his X handle (formerly Twitter) on Monday night, Sowore, who said he had since deleted the misleading videos, however, insisted that the Nigerian Army desist from further reprisal attacks against innocent civilians in Okuama and any other settlement in the Niger Delta region even as he called for impartial investigation into the killing of the Army personnel said to be on a mediatory and peace mission in the Okuama community. Sowore wrote: “I deleted my earlier videos that showed a burning village in the Niger Delta region that was purportedly from reprisal attacks against Okuama community by the Nigerian Army @HQNigeriaArmy upon new evidence that this was from an old different incident in Nembe, Bayelsa state. “I apologise for the wrong video. However, I insist that the Nigerian Army @HQNigeriaArmy desist from further reprisal attacks against innocent civilians in Okuama and any other settlement in the Niger Delta region, I call for an impartial investigation to unravel the real culprits involved in killing of Nigerian soldiers in Okuama. The Nigerian Armed forces must refrain from further reprisal attacks againt villages in the area. #RevolutionNow.”
BREAKING: Nnamdi Kanu Bail Appeal Denied
The Federal High Court in Abuja on Tuesday rejected the bail application by the leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra, Nnamdi Kanu. The trial judge, Justice Binta Nyako, however, granted an accelerated hearing instead. Counsel for the IPOB leader, Alloy Ejimakor, had at the last adjourned date urged the court to admit Kanu to bail before the commencement of the trial. Ejimakor stated that Kanu’s health condition was deteriorating, adding that his continued detention by the DSS was a threat to his life. Ejimakor also argued that the continued incarceration of Kanu would not enable him to put up a good defence in the matter. But the counsel for the FG, Adegboyega Awomolo (SAN), urged the court to dismiss the bail application and instead grant an accelerated hearing. He noted that the DSS has a medical facility that could take care of him. Awomolo also accused Kanu of once jumping bail, adding that he failed to declare on oath in the affidavit filed by his lawyer that if granted bail, he wouldn’t jump bail. He was earlier granted bail on health grounds on April 25, 2017, after spending 18 months in detention but he fled the country after an invasion of his residence by the military in September 2017.
Kwankwaso pays solidarity visit to suspended Bauchi senator, Abdul Ningi
Senator Rabi’u Musa Kwankwaso, the New Nigeria Peoples Party presidential candidate in the 2023 general elections, has paid a solidarity visit to suspended Senator Abdul Ahmed Ningi. Senator Ningi, representing Bauchi Central Senatorial district, was suspended by the Senate following his interview with the BBC Hausa Service, in which he alleged budget padding against the Senate leadership. The former majority leader of the Senate was suspended for three months after Senator Jimoh Ibrahim moved the motion. Senator Ningi’s suspension has since sparked debate and raised concerns about freedom of expression within the Senate. His allegations of budget padding have drawn attention to issues of transparency and accountability in Nigeria’s legislative processes.
FG To Create 5000 New Jobs For Nigerians
President Bola Tinubu’s government is set to create at least 500,000 new jobs for the teeming unemployed youths in the country. This is sequel to a new partnership with the U.S. Cybersecurity Institute, Lab Four, to generate 50,000 business process outsourcing (BPO) jobs over the next three years. Doris Anite, Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment, said this during the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on Monday in Abuja. The MoU was signed between Lab Four and the National Talent Export Programme (NATEP), the executor of the programme. According to the minister, the jobs generated through this partnership have the potential to annually attract up to $1.2 billion into the Nigerian economy. She identified the job categories as “telesales, customer service, virtual administrative assistant, marketing/social media assistant, and tech/cybersecurity.” “The jobs generated through this partnership have the potential to annually attract up to $1.2 billion into the Nigerian economy through remuneration for the employed. “In addition to about $60 million that it will provide to develop the BPO ecosystem through direct support to the individual BPOs,” Ms Anite said. The minister said the four-pronged objectives of the NATEP initiative were to deliver one million service-export jobs over the next five years and increase foreign exchange earnings and revenue for Nigeria. She noted that to successfully implement the mandate of NATEP, there was a need for strategic partnerships, both with institutions within Nigeria and those overseas. “As such, our partnership with Lab Four will be one of the many partnerships we will have to ensure that Nigeria becomes a global hub for thriving micro, mini, and mega BPOs,” she said. In his remarks, Femi Adeluyi, the national coordinator of NATEP, said the initiative would target the small and medium enterprise (SME) sector and that the selection process would be transparent.
Federal Government Seeks fresh World Bank loan
The federal government of Nigeria is seeking to obtain a fresh $1 billion loan from the world bank. According to reports, the loan will be used address the challenges facing Internally Displaced Persons and their host communities, as well as bolster rural access and agricultural marketing in the country. This was contained in a recent World Bank document titled, ‘Solutions for the Internally Displaced and Host Communities Project’ and ‘Rural Access and Agricultural Marketing Project – Scale Up.’ According to the loan breakdown, while the IDPs’ loan is put at $500m, the rural access and agricultural marketing project loan is estimated at $550m. The fund is expected to provide help to communities in Nigeria badly affected by insecurity. “The proposed project will utilise a three-pronged approach to develop sustainable solutions for IDPs and host communities in Northern Nigeria. “First, the proposed project aims to provide tailored solutions for each of the targeted states and communities, recognizing that each internal displacement situation is specific and localised, with conflict, violence and/or climate challenges presenting a different level and set of vulnerabilities for host communities. “Gender, age, and special needs of individuals also play a role, as well as the length of displacement, number of times displaced and other factors. “Thus, responses will be adapted to address the specific needs of vulnerable populations within displacement-affected states and communities. Second, the proposed project will follow a ‘People-in-Place’ approach, integrating the needs of the people and the impacts on the place where they settle,” the document stated. According to a review by a World Bank team, Northern Nigeria, especially Borno, Adamawa and Yobe, has experienced the highest numbers of internally displaced persons. This is primarily due to the ongoing conflict involving Boko Haram, as well as other factors such as banditry and conflicts between farmers and herders, leading to the displacement of over 3.5 million people. Since 2009, Boko Haram has continued to carry out heinous crimes on Nigerians, This is primarily due to the ongoing conflict involving Boko Haram, as well as other factors such as banditry and conflicts between farmers and herders, leading to the displacement of over 3.5 million people. Since 2009, Boko Haram has continued to carry out heinous crimes on Nigerians, while banditry has been described as a variant of Boko Haram.
Akpabio Gets 14 Days Ultimatum to Reverse Ningi’s Suspension
Constituents of the Bauchi Central Senatorial district in the state have given Senate president Godswill Akpabio a 2-week ultimatum to reverse the suspension of Senator Abdul Ningi. Ningi, a former majority leader in the upper chambers, was suspended for three months for expressing sincere concern about irregularities in the 2024 national budget. The constituents, under the umbrella of the Youth Coalition of Bauchi Central Senatorial district, said the Senate should instead investigate the irregularities with a view to addressing them in the best interest of the country. The coalition at a press conference addressed by its Chairman, Nazeef Abdullahi Rio in Bauchi, said, “We demand that the Senate should immediately reverse its decision of suspending our Senator. Recall him back to his seat so that he will continue representing our dear Constituency and the Country at large. “To our total dismay, instead of the Senate to commend Senator Ningi for his patriotic discovery investigate the irregularities with a view to addressing them for the best interest of the Country, it ended up unjustifiably suspending him thereby denying his rights as Senator and a Nigerian. “This is the highest level of injustice meted on any Senator and any Senatorial district in the history of our dear country. “As people of Bauchi Central, we declare our total support and solidarity to Senator Abdul Ahmed Ningi. We equally strongly commend him for standing firm to represent our views and fight for our rights and that of the entire Nigerians. “We also demand that the Senate should fully investigate all the alleged irregularities in the 2024 budget so that nobody will take Nigerians for granted and so that the image of the Senate will not be painted black in the eyes of Nigerians. “If the Senate fails to meet our demands within two weeks, as constituents of Bauchi Central Senatorial District, we will be left with no option than to take legal action so that our constitutional rights would be upheld.”j
Disaster Management: FCDO, MET Office, Others Join Forces On Flood Risk Communication
In a bid to address the pressing issue of improving the effectiveness of flood risk communication in Nigeria, UK Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO), and the UK MET Office, has commenced collaborative effort with various Nigerian disaster management agencies. Firther to this, experts and stakeholders have expressed optimism about the results of their engagement with vulnerable communities. During the high-level meeting held in Abuja recently, all disaster management agencies’ Directors and Directors General were presented with research findings and recommendations from a 6-month intensive fieldwork project that involved engaging with the most vulnerable communities across the country. Mr. Donovan Timothy, the Project lead from the UK Meteorological Office (Met Office), He stressed the importance of proactive disaster communication management strategies and urged stakeholders to work collaboratively to boost resilience and preparedness for potential disasters. “We are confident that the partners involved in this project will effectively articulate and implement the recommendations provided. We aimed to streamline the process, tailor the recommendations to each agency’s capabilities, and ensure they can be seamlessly implemented across all communication channels outlined in the report. By making the guidelines agency-specific and easy to follow, we believe they will facilitate an efficient and successful execution of the proposed strategies. “It is imperative to enhance the communication strategy in Nigeria to protect the vulnerable population from the destructive effects of frequent flooding, which result in significant loss of lives, damage to properties, and mass displacement of people. Addressing the communication gaps is crucial to ensure timely and effective dissemination of information, warnings, and instructions to those at risk. By improving communication channels and strategies, we can increase preparedness, response, and resilience efforts, ultimately minimizing the impact of disasters on our communities,’’ he said. According to the Director General of the Nigeria Hydrological Services Agency, Engr. Clement Nze, flooding is a serious threat to our nation, causing widespread devastation and loss of life. He said, ‘‘Effective flood risk communication is critical to mobilizing communities to take action and build resilience. We are grateful for FCDO’s support in helping implement key recommendations from a recent report.” The Steering Committee consisting of representatives of all disaster management agencies, Met Office, and the communication consulting firm, McEnies Global Communication jointly identified opportunities that need to strengthen inter-agency coordination, utilize innovative communication channels, deploy targeted messaging for at-risk groups, and improve monitoring and evaluation of communication efforts. With these recommendations, FCDO opines that The National Space Research and Development Agency (NASRDA), Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NiMet), Nigeria Hydrological Services Agency (NIHSA), National Water Resources Institute (NIWR), National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), National Orientation Agency (NOA), and other stakeholders will work together to implement selected recommendations from the report. Also present at the meeting was Dr. Matthew Adepoju, the Director of the Strategic Space Application Department of The National Space Research Development Agency, (NASRDA) representing the Director General, Dr. Halilu Shaba Ahmad, emphasized the importance of incorporating diverse media platforms in the implementation processes for enhanced efficiency. Dr. Adepoju highlighted that involving The Broadcasting Organizations of Nigeria (BON) would be beneficial in broadcasting these commendable initiatives effectively. Therefore, he urged for prompt inclusion of BON in the endeavor to ensure the attainment of significant success and wider recognition. The collaborative effort with media outlets such as BON, as suggested by Dr. Adepoju, aims to maximize the impact and reach of the agency’s endeavors. The UK FCDO remains steadfast in its dedication to assisting Nigeria in enhancing resilience against climate change and natural calamities. By prioritizing improved flood risk communication, lives can be saved through the empowerment of local communities with essential information necessary for adequate preparation and response during flood incidents. This collaborative effort not only underscores the importance of proactive measures but also demonstrates a shared commitment to ensuring the safety and well-being of all individuals affected by such disasters. It is through these strategic interventions that the UK FCDO and Nigeria can work together to mitigate the impact of environmental challenges and foster sustainable development for future generations.” The collaboration is part of the UK government’s wider support for disaster risk reduction in Nigeria, which includes projects focused on flood modeling and forecasting, data collection networks, and disaster risk management planning. By improving inter-agency coordination and adopting best practices in risk communication, this initiative aims to build a more robust and integrated flood early warning system for Nigeria.
More Attacks Imminent Unless Nigerian Government Negotiates With Bandits – Sheikh Gumi
Kaduna based Islamic cleric, Sheikh Ahmad Gumi, has re-emphasized the need for the Nigerian government to dialogue with bandits in order to stop incessant attacks on innocent citizens. The cleric stated that there is no military solution to end the insecurity problems Nigeria is currently facing. Speaking during an interview session with AriseNews TV on Friday morning, the Islamic scholar insisted that persistent military attacks on the terrorists were responsible for their latest lack of sympathy on Nigerians they abducted. He admonished the Nigerian government should emulate how the United States’ government negotiated with the Taliban terrorists by also having a dialogue with the bandits to prevent the insurgence in the country. “This thing (banditry) is turning into something else. We are turning them into monsters, more monsters as what they are. They are ignorant, they don’t have direction, they don’t have leadership, they don’t have empathy now because of the way we treat them too, we don’t care when we burn them,” he said “When we burn their children and women, in fact this very recent incident is just a tip of an iceberg; what has been happening in the bush, until we change our tactics and allow people who know, these politicians, I am tired of them. “I was a military man myself, but I don’t think there is a military solution, in fact I think it is humiliating military to think that the military should take care of civilian insurgency, what we need is a very good detective work, very good policing, very good social programme. We should leave our military off these issues. Our military knows fire for fire and these people do not have the fire power, they hide behind the civilians and do whatever they do. So don’t let us humiliate and disgrace our military. This is not their job, this is the job of politicians. This is the job of the police, this is the job of intelligence. “In fact I believe no ransom should be paid, I believe that but engage, engage these people. Give them hope. But not only in these children’s cases, be holistic. I heard when one military man said it is turning into a war, I am so sad to see that they are now realising that it is turning into a war. It has been war since, it has been ethnic war, it’s been class war, it is not just more than criminality. We have to accept that. “If we can see Israel and Hamas exchanging prisoners, I don’t see why we can’t negotiate. If Americans can negotiate with the Taliban, I don’t see why we can’t. They (foreign governments) can’t impose on us their own ideas when behind the door, they also negotiate with these terrorists.”
Ex Benue Governor Joins PDP Chairmanship Race
Former Benue State Governor, Senator Gabriel Suswam has thrown his hat into the ring for the national chairmanship of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). Suswam stated his intention to vie for the position, aiming to complete the tenure of ousted Dr. Iyorchia Ayu, asserting that it rightfully belongs to Benue state and the North Central region. Speaking in Katsina-Ala on Friday during a meeting with the Benue North East PDP expanded caucus, Suswam emphasized his consultation with key party figures in the state, including Samuel Ortom, David Mark, Abba Moro, and the PDP’s State Working Committee. Highlighting the constitutional backing and historical precedent, Suswam underscored the north central and Benue’s right to finish Senator Ayu’s truncated tenure, advocating for party unity and mobilization ahead of the 2027 elections. He urged reconciliation post-2023 polls, emphasizing the PDP’s role as the foremost vehicle for Nigeria’s progress.
After Ningi’s Resignation, New Northern Senators Forum Chairman Emerge
The Northern Senators Forum has appointed Senator Abdulaziz Yar’Adua as chairman. Yar’Adua’s emergence is sequel to the the resignation of suspended Senator Abdul Ningi. Senator Yar’Adua, represents Katsina central senatorial district and a member of the All Progressives Congress (APC). Also, Senator Tahir Monguno emerged as the spokesperson of the Northern Senators Forum taking over from Senator Ismaila Kawu. Monguno, a seasoned lawmaker representing Borno North Senatorial district. Monguno is tasked with representing the forum’s positions and articulating its stance on key policy matters to the public and stakeholders In his acceptance speech, the new chairman said he is aware of the challenges facing the Northern region which Include: Security, agriculture,education, healthcare, drug abuse and human trafficking. Others are so numerous to mention. “In advancing these noble objectives, I am committed to streamlined activities within the Northem Senators Forum. We shall operate with transparency, accountability, and integrity, upholding the trust placed on us by the electorate. “Our legislative discourse will continue to be characterized by civility, dignity, and adherence to the rule of law as we fulfill our lawmaking, policy-making,and oversight functions”, he added. The forum he also said will in consultation with other distinguished colleagues to preserve the unity and progress of the nation. The Northern Senators Forum, comprising lawmakers representing various constituencies across northern Nigeria, plays a crucial role in shaping legislative priorities and policies affecting the region. The forum serves as a platform for fostering unity, cooperation, and collective decision-making among senators from the northern states.