Nigerian President Muhammadu Buhari has returned to the country on Saturday after more than three months in the United Kingdom for medical treatment for an undisclosed “health challenge”.
The 74-year-old left for London on May 7.
His prolonged absence caused tensions back home where calls have grown for him to either return or resign. “President Buhari is expected to speak to Nigerians in a broadcast by 7am on Monday,” his office said.
In recent weeks, the office has been releasing photos of officials meeting with the rail-thin but smiling president in the hope of reassuring people back home.
This was Buhari’s second break for medical leave in London this year after a first that began in January and lasted nearly two months.
He reduced his working day to a few hours after returning to Nigeria from his first stint of medical leave on March 10, diplomats and government sources said.
His main opponents in the 2015 election that brought him to power claimed he had prostate cancer. He has denied that claim.
Buhari’s four-year term ends in 2019.
Challenges facing Nigeria
Nigeria’s ongoing challenges include deadly Boko Haram attacks, a weak economy and one of the world’s worst humanitarian crises, with millions malnourished in the northeast.
With Buhari away, Nigeria has been led by acting president and Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, who met with the president in London in mid-July and announced that Buhari would return to Nigeria “very shortly”.
Observers fear that political unrest could erupt in Nigeria, particularly in the predominantly Muslim north, should Buhari not finish his term in office. The previous president was a Christian from the south, as is Osinbajo.
The health of Nigeria’s leaders has been a sensitive issue since the 2010 death in office of president Umaru Musa Yar’Adua after months of treatment abroad.
August 25th to 27th will be an exciting weekend for art lovers as they gather by 6.00 pm at Thought Pyramid Art Centre, Wuse, Abuja to explore the beauty of art in the course of a 3-day ‘Innovation By Hanan’ photo exhibition.
Hanan Buhari sees photography as a tool to express herself and to communicate her ideas. The photo exhibition will vary from pictures of fashion photography, to portrait photography, documentary, nature photography, among others.
‘Innovation By Hanan’ photo exhibition will help both indigenous and international audience appreciate different genre of photography as she takes her audience on a 3-day photography journey. The opening event on August 25th is strictly by invitation while attendance on the subsequent days is opened to the public.
Former advisers to late Governor Yakowa of Kaduna State on Religious matters, Rev Joseph Hayab and Sheik Haliru Maraya have advised that no room should be given on the basis of any identity in electing candidates in future elections.
They noted that the use of religion, tribe, region or age identity has in the past done more harm than good to Nigeria thereby pitching Nigerians against one another and culminating to the present situation the country has found itself.
They explained that all Nigerians must see themselves as members of one Family under God, and should be allowed to elect the best candidate for any elective position for the overall unity, peace and development of the country.
They added, “Electing candidates on the basis of identity rather than individual’s ability to take the country out of its wilderness has been the bane of Nigeria progress in all spheres of life.
“Until we realize this, we may not make any headway in our democratic system. We will continue roaming within the circle of confusion like the children of Israel in the wilderness.
“We should not use religion, age or any other identity to elect people into elective positions but should be on the basis of the candidate’s ability that is responsive and responsible to the yearnings and aspirations of the people irrespective of tribe, religion, region or political affiliation.
“Our past experience in electing leaders on the basis of religion or other identities have proved us wrong as a people hence the need not to allow history repeats itself in 2019,” they stressed.
They call on Nigerians to be wise and not allow themselves to be deceived again under whatsoever guise.
Governor Nasir el-Rufai of Kaduna State, northern Nigeria
By Amos Tauna
A group, Concerned Southern Kaduna APC Youth, has apologised to people of the area for forgiveness over its role in ensuring that Nasir El-Rufai was elected governor of Kaduna State in 2015 elections.
The group said it never expected the kind of treatment meted to communities, religious and traditional rulers in view of their bargain prior to the election.
A statement by chairman of the group, Victor Asat, says never in the history of its existence have they had it this bad as a people than now.
“The insensitive way the governor managed the crisis of our region is audible to the deaf and visible to the blind. We didn’t bargain the endless closure of our tertiary institutions and the balkanisation of micro businesses around the affected schools environment, until El-Rufai came.
“We are terribly saddened that we used our thumbs to vote for this government that has taken the path of delaying the destinies of our younger ones.
“Princes and princesses are in regions, delaying the destiny of men, as it was with Daniel and the Prince of Persia in the Bible, persistence made it possible for him to get answer to his prayers, our younger ones should persevere as the El-Rufai they see today, tomorrow he won’t be governor.
“To our dethroned village and district heads, kindly find a place in your hearts to forgive us. If we were God, we would have aborted this disaster. As humans, we lack the third eye to see tomorrow. We pray for a responsive government that will come and restore you to your respective thrones to continue with the fatherly and stabilising role you have been playing in our communities.
“The responsibility of government, as enshrined in our constitution, is centered on protection of lives and properties and guaranteeing the welfare of her citizenry.
“Today, life has become worthless, People of Birnin Gwari are languishing in pains of needless murders and kidnapping, Kaduna-Abuja expressway is now a cash cow producing unquantifiable wealth for kidnappers having field day in the axis.
“People are living in fear in Chikun, Kajuru, Kaura Jema’a, Kauru and many parts of the state because of government’s inability to protect them.
“The government we voted has sacked more workers than the insignificant few she has employed. Pensioners are languishing in penury despite the quantum of funds the state received as either bailout or Parish club refund. This quantum of income hasn’t improved the lot of our people,” the statement explained.
Coalition of Northern Groups have called on the National Assembly to initiate the promulgation of a law to criminalize all forms of hate speeches in the country.
The coalition also noted that violent agitations should decisively be punished to serve as a deterrent to anybody or group(s).
At the end of their meeting in Kaduna, northern Nigeria, it supported Acting President Yemi Osinbajo’s decision that promoters of hate speech would henceforth be treated as terrorists.
The statement signed by its Spokesman, Abdul-azeez Suleiman and made available to media in Kaduna on Saturday observed that any law promulgated by the National Assembly to punish all forms of hate speeches in the country would be in the interest of peace and unity.
The statement said, “We find the all-encompassing address by the Acting President to the National Executive Council highly commendable and statesmanlike and hereby concur with and support the position of the NCS in its totality.
“Specifically, we support and concur with the Acting President’s firm position that henceforth all forms of hate speeches be termed as acts of terror and be dealt with accordingly.
“Importantly too, we support the strong statement of the acting president that the silence of some community leaders in the face of incitive provocations by their kith is responsible for the escalation of the current threats to national security and integration.”
They added, “It should be recalled that in subsequent correspondences particularly with the Acting President and the International community since the ‘Kaduna Declaration’, our Coalition has maintained that, the conspiratorial silence of all the Igbo, especially all their political, cultural and religious leaders was responsible for emboldening the unpatriotic and violence-prone actions of the Indigenous Peoples Of Biafra (IPOB) and its leader Nnamdi Kanu.
“It is indeed the concern of the inherent consequences of that implied endorsement of IPOB’s incessant threats of war and genocide by the Igbo leaders and elders that partly informed our pre-emptive decision to include the relocation of the Igbo clause in the ‘Kaduna Declaration’.
“We are happy therefore, that the Nigerian authorities have finally come to the same conclusion and call on all well-meaning and patriotic Nigerians to support and encourage the government in its renewed resolve to deal with war mongering, hate speeches and incitement to violence in all their manifestations everywhere in the country.
“We also call on the National Assembly to initiate the promulgation of a law to criminalize all forms of hate speeches as well as violent agitations and provide appropriate punishment thereto.”
The United Church of Christ in Nigeria, HEKAN, has described the reported arrest of some child traffickers with 40 suspected trafficked children, by personnel of the Federal Road Safety Corps, FRSC, as false.
The church said the 42 people arrested were 40 of its Sunday School pupils and two of their teachers, who were on their way to attend the National Sunday School Camp at the church’s headquarters in Kaduna.
FRSC had on Saturday last week, said it arrested a vehicle for overloading and broken windscreen, which was later discovered to be occupied by suspected child traffickers with minors heading to an unknown destination.
The Head, Media Relations and Strategy, FRSC, Bisi Kazeem, in a statement, said the vehicle, a silver Ford Galaxy with number plate LMU76XA, was travelling from Kano to an undisclosed location on Thursday at 11:55 am, when an FRSC patrol team in Kaduna State flagged down the driver, who refused to stop.
Meanwhile, the United Church of Christ in Nigeria, HEKAN, in a statement issued in Kaduna on Friday condemned in strong terms, what it termed, the arrest of 40 of its Sunday school pupils and two teachers who were arrested by personnel of the Federal Road Safety Corps Kaduna state command while on their way to attend the annual HEKAN National Sunday School Camp at the church Headquarters in Kaduna.
The statement signed by the Vice President of the church, Reverend Emmanuel Nama, said the children left their homes with the consent of their parents and their resident Pastors to attend the annual HEKAN Natioanl Sunday school camp.
According to the church, “The 42 persons were arrested along Ali AKilu road in Kaduna at about 4; 30pm Wednesday evening and were also been maltreated by the FRSC personnel.
“The FRSC had earlier held a press briefing and snap shots of the children stating that the children were taken for trafficking before handing them over to the Kaduna state Police command without confirming from the church authority despite all explanation by their teachers on their movement.”
Reverend Nama also said the children are presently at the Headquarters of the United Church of Christ in Nigeria HEKAN Katsina road for the Annual Sunday school camp.
The church authority however called on the authorities concerned to investigate the matter and also demanded for Public Apology from the FRSC Kaduna state Command.
“The church is calling on the general public to disregard the news given by the FRSC Kaduna command which says it arrested a vehicle for overloading along Kaduna-Zaria road, which was later discovered to be occupied by suspected child traffickers with 44 minors.
“We are stating categorically that, the story painted by FRSC is false and baseless. Those arrested are genuine members of the United church of Christ in Nigeria HEKAN DCC Gubuchi in Makarfi Local Government Area of Kaduna state,” HEKAN leader said.
The Nigeria Police Force, has refuted a report by the National Bureau of Statistics, NBS, and United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime, UNODC, alleging that Police Officers and Judges as the most corrupt in Nigeria.
The force said, “After a careful study of the report, wishes to state categorically that the report is entirely misleading, a clear misrepresentation of facts, essentially based on hearsays which made it unempirical, and the survey instrument absolutely inadequate and therefore a plain distortion of the improved situation in the Force as a result of the renewed commitment and determination to fight corruption, bribery and corrupt tendencies in the ranks of the personnel of the Force.”
The force headquarters in a statement issued by the Force Public Relations Officer, CSP Jimoh Moshood, explained that the report was claimed to have been based on a survey conducted in April and May, 2016 across the thirty-six States of the country and Abuja, the Federal Capital.
Nigeria police officers not corrupt as alleged, according to statement, said, “The deliberately ill-timed release of the findings from a survey carried out two years ago this week is coming at a time when the Nigeria Police Force has fully keyed into the change mantra of the Federal Government of Nigeria “Change Begins with Me” and total war against corruption.
“The Force has also established and repositioned the mechanisms of the Force responsible for fighting corruption, bribery and other corrupt tendencies within and outside the Force.
“For avoidance of doubt, since the inception of the present administration of the Nigeria Police Force in July 2016, after the reported survey has been conducted and concluded, the Inspector General of Police has introduced and implemented diverse internal reforms aimed at bringing corruption to zero level in the Force as follows:
“To ensure that Police Officers operate within the principle of the rule of law and respect the rights of Nigerians while performing their constitutional duties of protecting lives and property and to abhor corruption, the Police formulated a new set of directive principles titled “Our Creed” to reposition the minds and hearts of every Police officer.”
Amongst other things, launched by the force, said, “We shall police the country based on international core values of policing with integrity;we shall ensure that the rule of law prevails in our actions and activities, we shall respect diversity, display courage, show compassion and demonstrate professionalism, we shall operate within the principles of Democratic policing, we shall shun corruption and we shall make Nigeria safer and secured.
“Similarly, to further make police officers imbibe a culture where the rule of law forms the bedrock of our actions and activities, and give the fight against corruption the bite and new impetus, this administration has commenced the training of officers on the Administration of Criminal Justice Act, ACJA.
“The Act is considered an important legislation because of its innovative provisions, and every Police Officer has been enjoined to follow strictly the provisions of the Act. This will to a very large extent has reduced and eliminate, instances of unlawful arrests, illegal detentions and inhuman treatments in the police stations across the country that can tempt officers to corruption tendencies.
“The X-Squad Unit of the Force responsible for the arrest, detention, investigation and prosecution of any officer found wanting and culpable of corruption, bribery or corrupt tendencies has been reinvigorated, equipped and its personnel retrained with detachments in all the Thirty Six (36) States of the Federation and the Federal Capital Territory Abuja to deal decisively with corruption allegations made against police officers to eliminate corruption in the Force.
“The Re-launch of Complaint Response Unit (CRU) to a more broadened Public Complaints Rapid Response Unit (PCRRU) was carried out by the current Police Management Team to facilitate dynamism and to promptly address complaints against officers of the Force bothering on corruption.
“This unit is responsible for receiving and attending to reports of corruption from members of the public against Police officers, it was re-launched by the Inspector General of Police in Abuja in late 2016 and subsequently launched simultaneously by Commissioners of Police in all the Commands of the Thirty Six (36) States of the Federation and the FCT last year.
“Formation and take- off of Eminent Persons Forum across the Thirty Six (36) States of the Federation and the FCT to create public enlightenment campaign against corruption within the Force and inform the Public of the free and unhindered access to the Nigeria Police Force to report complaints of corruption against Police Officers.
“The Nigeria Police Force has been working with critical stakeholders in the Criminal Justice System in the country’ and other local and International Non-Governmental Organizations, NGOs, including International Human Rights Organizations to train and re-train Police Personnel to conform to international best practices to shun and detest corruption, bribery and corruption tendencies. This has engendered change of attitudes and good disposition in the conduct of Police Personnel throughout the country towards abstaining from corruption.
“However, it must be pointed out that the Nigeria Police Force sees the report as a clear demonstration of mischief and calculated attempt to promote campaign of calumny against Police Officers. Nowhere in the report were references made to either the improved transparency in the Nigeria Police Force or the sustained daily sacrifice being made by gallant officers and men of the force in confronting criminalities in the society.”
It reiterated the Inspector General of Police, IGP Ibrahim K. Idris, assurance to Nigerians and the International Community that the Nigeria Police Force would continue to fight, discourage and shun corruption, bribery and corrupt tendencies within and outside the Force, adding that it will continue to discharge its statutory responsibilities according to the rule of law despite the obvious distractions from the report.
“The renewed determination of the Force to adhere to International Police Reforms and conform to standard principles, building trust and confidence in the citizenry and above all comply and support the Federal Government War Against Corruption remained unequivocal and unwavering,” the statement assured.
IGP assures Nigerians and international community of sustained efforts based on international core values of policing with Integrity and the determination of the force to shun corruption and bribery in all its ramifications.
The Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) has charged a former chairman of Mkpat Enin Local Government Area of Akwa Ibom State, Mr. Ephraim Sunday Akpan, to court for allegedly embezzling N55.8 million belonging to the local government.
The Commission, in a 24-count charge filed before Justice Archibong Archibong of Akwa Ibom State High Court 4, sitting in Uyo, accused Mr. Akpan of office abuse while acting as Chairman of the local government area, contrary to Section 19 of the Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Act, 2000 which is punishable under the same section.
The ex-council boss, who was Chairman of the local government from June 2012 to June 2015 and later Caretaker Chairman of the same council from June 2015 to June 2016, was also accused of collecting a bribe of N3 million from a contractor in violation of Section 8 of the same Act and punishable under the same section.
ICPC’s spokesperson Rasheedat A. Okoduwa in a statement noted that the Commission, while acting on a petition on alleged fraudulent activities of Mr. Akpan from a Non-Governmental Organisation called Centre for International Peace and Development in Nigeria, found out that the former local government Chairman allegedly used N55, 670, 000 of the council’s funds between June and October 2014 to build the ‘Godswill Akpabio Gas and Oil Academy’ which has been abandoned.
According to the statement, “ICPC in the charge sheet told the court that Mr. Akpan allegedly offered bribes to some selected village heads in his local government to buy their support for the abandoned academy.
“It further alleged that Mr. Akpan, in his statement confessed to have awarded a contract for the construction of 14 solar-powered boreholes in 14 wards of the local government at the cost of N42, 500, 000 to a company called One Billion Trade, owned by his friend, Mr. Sebastine Essien, without the approval of the council. He also confessed to have paid N36, 500, 000 to the said company for the project which has been abandoned without following due process.
“The Commission accused Mr. Akpan of paying N21 million without approval of the council, as first instalment to the contractor and collected N3 million as kickback. He was again alleged to have ordered the contractor to pay N1 million each to 14 councillors of the local government as a bribe, but one of the councillors was said to have rejected the money”.
Mr. Akpan pleaded not guilty to all the charges.
Justice Archibong, in his ruling, granted the accused bail in sum of N15 million and two sureties in like sum. He added that the two sureties must deposit an affidavit of means and must not be below Grade Level 16 in the civil service or its equivalent.
The bail conditions further specified that the two sureties must bring letters of identification from two prominent citizens of Akwa Ibom State, as well as show proof of ownership of landed property within the jurisdiction of the court by presenting the original Certificates of Occupancy of the properties which must be deposited with the Registrar of the court.
The case was then adjourned to 25th October, 2017 for hearing.
Nigerian President Muhammadu Buhari has returned to the country on Saturday after more than three months in the United Kingdom for medical treatment for an undisclosed “health challenge”.
