KENYAN Police authorities on Friday reportedly arrested some officers notorious for the abduction, assault and extortion of foreign nationals in the country and framing them up with drug charges.
One of the Police officers identified as Corporal Diba had been accused of extorting $850 from a Nigerian named Emmanuel after abducting him on June 11, 2022. Emmanuel was abducted at gunpoint alongside another Nigerian identified as Anthony Anamonye.
The corporal reportedly confiscated their passports and detained them under harsh conditions.
Diba and his team were accused of also planting drugs in the apartments of their victims after the abduction to extort huge amounts of money from the foreigners by threatening them with a jail term or deportation.
In a report published by SaharaReporters, the officers were alleged to have demanded the sum of $3,000 from the two Nigerian citizens, but unfortunately, his request was turned down, before whisking them away in a government vehicle to Anamonye’s residence.
After searching the house of the young Nigerian without a search warrant, and finding nothing incriminating, the officers became furious and consequently drove the two Nigerians to the Police Station in Mtwapa town, Kilifi County, the newspaper reported.
“The two Nigerians were kept incommunicado under harsh treatment until one of them, Emmanuel, decided to pay a ransom of 850 US dollars before being released having spent over 24 hours in police custody” the report said.
However, Anamonye refused to pay the ransom and was released after two days under the pretext of a cash bail of 30,000 KSH through the intervention of a lawyer and went on to petition the Independent Policing Oversight Authority (IPOA), who intervened and got his money refunded.
Feeling dissatisfied with the manner in which the IPOA initially handled the complaints, and given the fact that the IPOA willingly concealed the identity of four officers who had assaulted him to a state of coma while in detention, Anamonye sought legal relief.
Following his petition to a Federal High Court in Mombasa, the IPOA made a recommendation to the National Police Service to have the rogue officers investigated, which led to interdiction and the case had been scheduled for mention on the 31st day of January, 2023.
THE Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPC Ltd) is set to start drilling the first oil well in Nasarawa State in March 2023, in continuation of its oil exploration activities in the country’s inland basins.
The company’s Group Chief Executive Officer, Mele Kolo Kyari, disclosed this when the Nasarawa State governor, Abdullahi Sule, led a delegation of prominent indigenes of the state on a courtesy visit to the NNPC Ltd. in Abuja.
Kyari, in a statement on Friday, January 13 by the Chief Corporate Communications Officer, NNPC Ltd., Garbadeen Muhammed, said the results of exploratory activities confirmed the presence of substantial hydrocarbon resources in the state.
The NNPC chief, calling for prompt action on the project, said, “This work must be done very fast because the whole world is walking away from fossil fuel due to energy transition.
“The earlier you go to the market, the better for you, otherwise, 10 years from now, no one will agree to put money in petroleum business except it comes from your cash flow.”
He described community support and a conducive environment as key to a successful operation in the area in order to avoid the experience of the Niger Delta.
In his response, the governor congratulated Kyari on the successful commencement of oil production and the Kolmani integrated development project, which was inaugurated in Novemner 2022 by President Muhammadu Buhari.
‘’I want to congratulate you, the management of NNPC and the federal government on what you have done at Kolmani. For those who don’t know what you have done for Nigeria, you have written your name in gold,’’ Sule stated.
He commended President Buhari for his support, while assuring the NNPC of a conducive environment.
The governor was accompanied on the visit by, among others, the Deputy Governor, Dr Emmanuel Akabe; National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), and first executive governor of the state, Abdullahi Adamu; and his predecessor, Senator Tanko Almakura.
YOUTH UNEMPLOYMENT in Nigeria is a serious challenge that has landed the country in some of the grave societal issues it is experiencing today.
Successive administrations since the beginning of the fourth republic have promised to address and adopt job creation as a foundation for pulling many Nigerians out of poverty, and as a pillar of their economic policy.
Unfortunately, their campaign promises have remained just that: mere campaign promises.
Many graduates with high hopes and many dreams of building careers had had their hopes and careers shattered as job and business opportunities ran lean.
Seeking ways of how the unemployment scourge can be addressed.
The ICIR interviewed human resource experts on steps that can be taken to bridge the unemployment gap, especially as it affects graduates.
As an unemployed graduate who wants to kick-start his career in 2023, here are the four things that sweep potential employers off their feet:
1) Prepare an Error-free curriculum vitae
As a young graduate intending to secure a job in an organization, your curriculum vitae is your image maker that speaks to a potential employer.
Reacting to the curriculum vitae issue, the Human Resource Manager, the International Centre for Investigative Reporting (The ICIR), Uju Ogo, said that a good CV must be simple, concise and detailed to easily enlighten your prospective employer on your ability, competence, certifications and experience.
Ogo stated a CV must also be straightforward and error-free to portray a good image before potential employers.
“As a recent graduate, you have to make your CV as clear and straightforward as possible, because before even you get an interview with any organization, the first thing the Hiring Manager sees is your curriculum vitae.
“Basically, you have to make sure it is free of spelling errors, even if you don’t have experience. Make sure your CV is as clear as possible,” she said.
2) Get Professional Certifications and Learn Soft Skills
There is no doubt that obtaining more certifications can provide you with a professional boost, although it comes with a hefty price tag.
Soft skills, on the other hand, are abstract skills that empower unemployed graduates to collaborate and work together in order to collectively meet company objectives, improve efficiency and heighten productivity.
Labour force participation shows that 87.7 per cent of workers have professional certifications and skills, which means that a substantially higher number of such people are employed.
The Managing Director of Dexter and Heroes Consulting Limited, Ome Amadi, emphasized the need for unemployed graduates to learn the soft skills that can help build strong relationships, problem-solving abilities and efficient operations.
Amadi said that soft skills are needed to improve leadership, enhance employers’ satisfaction, manage workplace communication and increase office productivity.
“A lot of young graduates lack communication skills, computer literacy skills, problem-solving skills, management skills, analytical skills, project management skills, interpersonal skills, website management-HTML, WordPress, Photoshop and technical skills, which are needed in everyday life.”
“Self-development is very important, and these skills are needed by employers. These cannot be overemphasised. A graduate who needs a job should learn any of these skills. But the problem is that most people are unwilling,” he added.
Amadi charged unemployed graduates to utilize opportunities created by free academic websites such as Udemy, Courseraand Allison to learn highly demanding and competitive free certifications.
3) Access All Opportunities
For the vast majority of the unemployed, the ultimate purpose of accessing opportunity is to secure a desirable job that will launch them into a successful career. Searching for opportunities may be tasking and cumbersome, but achievable.
Reacting to the need for unemployed graduates to access opportunities, the Coordinator, Sultan Maccido Institute for Peace, Leadership, Development and Security Studies, University of Abuja, Dr. Odogwu Celestine, advised them to access all relevant and useful career opportunities.
According to him, “unemployed youths needs to be creative about how they access opportunities despite the poor economic challenges and difficulties in Nigeria.
“The government is not creating job opportunities and there is virtually no job anywhere. So, unemployed graduates should skilfully access all available opportunities either through internship, volunteering or any entrepreneurial skill.”
4) Position and Network Upwards
Unemployed graduates who network with people that have more edge to advance in social and professional circles will be helping themselves a lot. Positioning is very important in the search for employment opportunities, especially on social media pages and platforms. Utilizing the benefits of social media is very important.
An unemployed graduate and job seeker can put up a decent profile complete with picture on LinkedIn and send requests to prospective employers.
A good example is leveraging on LinkedInto access opportunities and connect with people, especially professionals who will be helpful in pointing out leads.
A STATE High Court in Minna has sentenced a serving Deputy Director of the Niger State Ministry of Land Transportation, Umar Farouk, to seven years imprisonment.
This was contained in a news release signed by the spokesperson, Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC), Azuka Ogogua, and made available to The ICIR on Friday, January 13, 2023.
According to the anti-graft agency, Farouk was sentenced for demanding and receiving gratification of N11 million from a contractor for the award of a contract.
The commission had on July 2020 dragged Farouk before Justice Abdullahi Mikhail on a seven-count charge bordering on gratification and conferment of corrupt advantage upon self, an allegation he pleaded not guilty to, thereby setting the tone for a longer trial.
The ICPC prosecutor, Osuobeni Akpos, had told the court that “Farouk, while serving as the Deputy Director of Land Transport for the Niger State Ministry of Land Transportation in 2016, collected the sum of N11,000,000 as kickback from a contractor for the award of contract for the registration of Auto Mechanic Workshops.”
Akpos also explained to the court how the convict had received money on different occasions to the tune of N11 million, which was in contravention of Section 8 and 19 of the Corrupt Practices and Other Offences Act, 2000 and punishable under the same Act.
In his ruling, Justice Mikhail said that the prosecution had proven their case beyond reasonable doubt.
He, therefore, found the Deputy Director guilty on all seven counts and sentenced him to seven years imprisonment each for counts one to six, and five years imprisonment for count seven.
THE Edo State government has said two more victims of the train attack in the state have been rescued by a team of military, police, vigilante and local government security operatives.
The ICIR had reported that suspected gunmen attacked the Igueben railway station in Igueben Local Government Area in the state and abducted scores of passengers waiting to board a train to Warri, Delta State.
Addressing newsmen on Friday in Benin City, the state Commissioner for Communication and Orientation, Chris Nehikhare, confirmed that the two victims were rescued in the early hours of Thursday, while a police officer died after the operation.
Nehikhare said, “The president of the Customary Court Aigbonoga was rescued but, unfortunately, one of the policemen, DSP Michael Adams, died of natural causes after the operation. He wasn’t felled by a bullet.
“The state deputy governor and directors of all the security agents have paid a condolence visit to the widow and child of the deceased.”
The state Police Command Public Relations Officer, Superintendent Chidi Nwabuzo, confirmed the rescue.
He said that the police officer who died during the rescue of the Customary Court died of natural causes.
MINISTER of Works and Housing, Babatunde Fashola, has claimed that the All Progressives Congress (APC) presidential candidate, Bola Ahmed Tinubu, was the first governor in Nigeria to raise the bond for infrastructure and development in Nigeria.
Fashola, who succeeded Tinubu as governor in 2007, made the claim while speaking on TVC News on Thursday, January 12, 2023.
While defending whether Tinubu was fit and proper to rule Nigeria, the minister said Tinubu raised the bond despite a federal PDP opposition, which many states are now modelling.
“Let us remember that the first state bond for infrastructure and development in this country was raised during his term as governor. And it was raised in spite of a Federal PDP opposition,” he said.
He added that Tinubu’s initiatives, including his Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) style, have become a model today for many states of the federation.
Fashola’s claim was also uploaded to Twitter by a tweep @Osazenoo with a caption that reads:
“Fashola’s take on whether Tinubu has the capacity to lead Nigeria. Interesting facts”.
The video, which has wide acceptance among Tinubu’s followers on the social media site, was posted on Thursday, January 12. It has garnered over 1,737 retweets and more than 500,000 views as of Friday, January 13.
Fashola's take on whether Tinubu has the capacity to lead Nigeria.
Tinubu was the first governor in Nigeria to raise the bond for infrastructure and development in Nigeria.
THE FINDINGS
A bond, according to Investopedia, is a fixed-income instrument that represents a loan made by an investor to a borrower (typically corporate or governmental). A bond could be thought of as an I.O.U. between the lender and borrower, including the loan details and its payments.
Bonds are used by companies, states, and sovereign governments to finance projects and operations. Owners of bonds are debtholders, or creditors, of the issuer. Bond details include the end date when the principal of the loan is due to be paid to the bond owner and usually include the terms for variable or fixed interest payments made by the borrower.
The Nigerian Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) defined a bond as tradable security issued by the borrower (bond issuer) representing a formal agreement to repay the lender (the bondholder) the full amount plus interest over the lifetime of the bond.
In Nigeria, a bond may be publicly placed (i.e., listed on an exchange for trading) for trading by the public or maybe a private placement, sold to qualified investors, i.e., institutional investors (like Pension Funds, Banks, etc.) and high net worth individuals.
Findings by The ICIR revealed that in 1978 the old Bendel state government headed by Husaini Abdullahi, a military governor took a bond, this preceded Tinubu’s administration. The Bendel State Loan Stock valued at N20 million was taken to develop housing estate in the region. The bond matured in 1988 at a 7 per cent coupon rate.
Then there was a bond taken by the Ogun State Revenue Bond, which took a N15 million, 10-year bond in 1986 for the development of a water project. When the bond was taken, Raji Alagbe Rasaki was the state’s military governor.
Between 1987 and 1988, the Lagos State Revenue Bond issued a total sum of N90 million bond for the development of the Lekki Peninsula. Mike Akhigbe was the military governor then.
The first Oyo State Revenue Bond of N30 million for Adamasingba Shopping Complex and Gbagi Market Development in 1987 was a 12-year bond.
The Kaduna State Revenue Bond took a N60 million bond between 1989 and 1993 for the development of Ginger factory. Abdullahi Sarki Mukhtar and Lawal Jafaru Isa were the military governor and administrators, respectively, within these periods.
The Edo State Revenue Bond took a N1 billion bond in 2000 for the development of Ogba Riverside Housing Estate. Lucky Igbinedion was the elected executive governor. The same year, the Delta State Revenue Bond, which took N3.5 billion to develop the market, healthcare, water and education in the state. James Ibori was the governor.
In 2002, Yobe State Revenue Bond and Ekiti State Revenue Bond took bonds for various developmental projects in their states, respectively.
The Lagos State government under Tinubu in 2002 took N15 billion bond through the Lagos State Bond for the refinance of developmental projects in the state
As of 2015, Lagos State is leading other states with a total of N290.09 billion in bond issuance. The highest was N87.5 billion government Bond – Series 2 under the N167.5 billion debt issuance programme of 2013 for maturity in 2020.
The bond raised, which was issued at a 13.5 coupon rate, was meant for infrastructure developments (roads, rail, buildings and bridges etc), health facilities, Adiyan Water Project Phase II construction, and shoreline protection work.
Lagos had in 2012 issued a N80 billion bond under the Series 1 of the N167.5 billion debt issuance programme at a 14.5 per cent coupon rate for construction of Adiyan Waterworks (Phase II), infrastructure developments (roads, rail, buildings and bridges etc.), health facilities and redevelopment of Eric Moore Schools (Phase I).
THE VERDICT
Fashola’s claim that Tinubu was the first governor in Nigeria to raise the bond for infrastructure and development in Nigeria is FALSE. Findings by The ICIR had shown that before Tinubu, other states, including regional and Local governments, had raised bonds for various developmental projects in Nigeria.
Although some of the governments before 1999 were headed by military personnel, the first states to borrow from the bond market when Nigeria returned to democracy in 1999 were the Edo and Delta states governments headed by Lucky Igbinedon and James Ibori, respectively, not Tinubu, who was then Lagos State governor.
*UPDATE The bonds for Ogun, Oyo, Lagos and Kaduna mentioned in this report have been corrected to millions from billions.
The grant is intended to support investigative projects that break new grounds and expose wrongdoing – such as corruption, malfeasance, or misuse of power – in the public and private sectors.
FIJ has also launched two new grantmaking initiatives: expedited grants for urgent stories and follow-up grants for timely stories after initial investigations.
The maximum award is US$10,000, which should cover out-of-pocket expenses like travel costs, document collection, and equipment rental. The first half of the grant is given once an application is approved and the second half is paid when the project is complete.
Investigative journalists can apply for a reporting grant.
Proposals must come from U.S.-based reporters or journalists whose stories have a U.S. angle, involving American citizens, government, or businesses. Stories must be published in English.
Proposals must be submitted in English and include a detailed budget.
The deadline for the submission of the application is January 30, 2023. Interested applicants can apply here.
IT’S another election year when Nigerians choose who leads them in the next four years. This report takes a look at the Permanent Voters Card (PVC) collection process across seven states in Nigeria.
Since the country returned to democracy in 1999, the succession of government in the country has been through the ballot. Every government has a constitutional limit of four years and can run for another but a maximum term of four years.
Nigeria’s legal voting age is 18 years. However, prospective voters must have a Permanent Voter Card (PVC) after the country’s election umpire, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), has registered them.
The INEC has scheduled the 2023 polls for February 25 and March 11. Presidential and National Assembly elections come first, then the Governorship and Houses of Assembly polls. Read the process of conducting elections in Nigeria here.
The presidency is the most keenly contested, being the highest office in the country.
Eighteen political parties have fielded candidates for the office. Since the campaigns began on September 28, 2022, four candidates have led, with many citizens believing one of them will win the election and steer the nation’s affairs after the incumbent, President Muhammadu Buhari, leaves office on May 29.
The leading candidates are the flagbearer of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), Bola Tinubu, Peter Obi of the Labour Party (LP), Atiku Abubakar of the Peoples’ Democratic Party (PDP) and Rabiu Kwankwaso of the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP).
As part of its preparation for the polls, INEC continued the registration of prospective voters in 2021 and ended the process on July 31, 2022.
Media reports and diverse information on social media showed how citizens queued at registration centres created by INEC and across its offices for days to register for the card. Those who did the online part of the registration also had some hiccups but found the process easier.
Residents queue to collect PVC at the INEC office in Akko LGA Gombe State. Photo credit: The ICIR
According to the Commission, there are 84,004,084 registered voters in the country, representing over a third of the nation’s estimated 220 million people. The elections will take place at 176,846 polling units.
Since December, those registered have been trooping to the Commission’s offices in local government areas to pick up the card.
On Friday, January 5, the Commission moved from Local Government Areas to Wards for the PVC distribution.
The ICIR reports that increasing political awareness in Nigeria, occasioned by unprecedented insecurity, economic misfortunes, alarming poverty and growing agitation for secession among ethnic nationalities, compelled many citizens to register for the PVC.
A cross-section of residents at the Abuja Municipal Area Council (AMAC) who came to collect their PVC on December 29, 2022 believe that participating in the electoral process will enable them to elect a leader that can keep the nation as one, restore it to its past prosperous years and raise the hope of the citizenry.
The ICIR visited INEC offices in Sokoto, Gombe, Akwa-Ibom, Enugu, Lagos, Nasarawa and the Federal Capital Territory (Abuja), where scores of Nigerians either vented their anger or lauded INEC’s preparedness for the elections.
Findings by The ICIR among scores of people interviewed revealed that while some INEC offices have large crowds, others do not. For instance, the Abuja Municipal Area Council (AMAC) had a large crowd because the area council is big, having the size of several local government areas in the country.
A cross-section of residents at the Keffi Local Government Area Council, Nasarawa State, waiting to collect their PVC at the INEC office in the town. Photo credit: The ICIR
There are complaints of deliberate delays, lackadaisical attitude and rudeness to the public by the INEC officials, but most people interviewed commended the distribution process. They also said no INEC official demanded or took a bribe from them before giving the PVC.
Some people interviewed also suggested recruiting more hands at the INEC offices because of the large number of people that come to collect the card.
Generally, there were thousands of uncollected PVCs at the offices.
Officials of the Commission who spoke with The ICIR urged persons who registered for the card to come for them to enable them to elect leaders of their choice.
Everyone who got the card and spoke with The ICIR said they were happy and would vote.
The ICIR found that INEC has yet to produce the PVC for many registered Nigerians.
Here are the findings across the states and the FCT.
The state of PVC collection in Gombe state
Gombe State has many complaints over snags in the collection process.
Some people who spoke with The ICIR in Akko, Billiri and Gombe Local Government Areas got the card, and others who could not obtain the PVC decried the delay in its issuance.
Grace Yakubu has come severally to the INEC office at Akko LGA but has yet to get her card. Every effort she made to get into the office where the officials gave out the card failed.
She was perturbed that she might not vote if she didn’t get the PVC.
The woman claimed she registered, but officials told her her card was not ready and should keep checking back.
Whereas Musa Samson, 26, a student at the Gombe State University, registered in April 2022 and only came twice before getting the card.
He said it was not difficult for him to get the card, adding that he was ready to cast his vote for his preferred candidates.
Salatu Abraham
At the Billiri LGA, Salatu Abraham had come to collect the PVC, but INEC officials asked her to check back. She went for a second time and couldn’t get it.
Another resident in the local government, Murtala Saheed, met a large crowd when he got to the INEC office. He waited for hours before eventually getting it.
The state of PVC collection in Akwa Ibom state
The ICIR visited Abak, Akwa-Ibom and Eket Local Government Areas of the state.
While some residents who stormed INEC offices for the card returned home rejoicing, others got back in a sad mood.
The INEC offices in the three local governments witnessed crowds like other states visited by The ICIR.
Inibong Bassey, a seamstress in Uyo, said the process was stressful during registration and collection. She came with her baby during both periods.
But for her baby, she would have spent more hours than she sacrificed waiting for the card.
Akpan Blessing Stephanie is a 28-year-old resident who works at a mall in Uyo. She didn’t spend up to two hours before getting her card.
The collection process was arduous in Abak LGA, where a resident, Eno Idoreyin Eta, found the collection very difficult. She has gotten the PVC and is happy that she will be participating in the poll.
Sika Effiong
Sika Effiong’s card has yet to be made available. The officials told him on December 30 to check back in the second week of January. The 20-year-old lost his PVC and applied for a new one.
In Eket LGA, Ubong Udo had come many times before getting the card on January 3, a year after he registered. He was happy that he got the card despite the crowd at the INEC office.
Enugu state: Low PVC collection turnout in Enugu, Nsukka and Agbani Local Government Areas
Turnout is generally low in Enugu, Nsukka and Agbani Local Government Areas visited by The ICIR.
Residents, including one INEC officer, blamed the low turnout on poor sensitisation and fear of attack on INEC facilities in the South-East.
Isaac Eze was at the INEC office in Nsukka. He confessed the turnout was very low compared to the number he saw here during registration.
He also complained that INEC officials came late to work, alleging that they met him and others who had waited for hours at their office.
Eze blamed the low turnout on the lack of publicity by the INEC and the state government. He appealed to the Commission to do publicity on the media to sensitise the people on the need for them to come out and collect their PVC.
Ifesinachi Ezugwu
But another resident in the area, Ifesinachi Ezugwu, a lecturer at the University of Nigeria, Nsukka, said the collection process was peaceful. It took him only a short time to get his card.
According to him, how people conducted themselves during the collection proved that Nigerians were ready to vote during the elections.
It was also a mixed tale of disappointment and happiness at the Agbani Local Government area of the state.
Dickson Nnamani, a doctor, recounted his troubles in his bid to collect the PVC. He was at the Agbani Secretariat to get the card many times but failed.
“If INEC officials treat others the way they have treated me, I will say they have not done well at all,” he said.
Gloria Ede
Similarly, Gloria Ede registered in 2021 for the card but has been unable to get her card. She has come to the INEC office many times. They kept telling her that her PVC was not yet ready.
However, Micheal Okoro, an INEC official in Nkanu West of the state, said the turnout of people for the card could have been better in the state.
“The day before yesterday, we attended to only seven persons. Yesterday, we gave eight people. Today, we have reached up to 15.”
“The day before yesterday, we attended to only seven persons. Yesterday, we gave eight people. Today, we have reached up to 15.”
Large crowd at INEC offices in Nasarawa for PVC collection
Nasarawa residents contended with large crowds to obtain the PVC.
It was a mix of pain and joy in Keffi and Lafia, the state capital. While those who have spent hours or days could not lay their hands on the card, others who eventually got it leapt for joy.
Abubakar Yusuf who spoke with The ICIR in Keffi said INEC workers made the collection difficult. He often came to the Commission’s office but didn’t get the card. He advised that more staff be deployed to the office by the Commission to make the collection easy.
Grace Danladi found the collection challenging, but she eventually got her card.
She promised to go to the poll and exercise her franchise to make the nation a better country.
Abdullahi Suleiman
In Lafia, Abdullahi Suleiman got his PVC without stress. He encountered some hitches during the registration last year. But it was easy for him to get his card.
Suleiman was at the Nasarawa state office of INEC to collect his card. He spent about three hours before getting it.
But the story differed for Mantu Madaki, who works with the Federal High Court in Lafia. He had difficulty registering for the PVC. He eventually succeeded after many attempts.
He had visited the INEC office many times before The ICIR met him on January 5. He was yet to collect it as of the time the crew left the office.
State of PVC collection process in the FCT
The INEC office beside the Abuja Municipal Area Council (AMAC) headquarters at Area 10 was very crowded when The ICIR crew visited the office on Thursday, December 29, 2022.
Hundreds of people from different communities making up the LGA converged at the office to collect their cards.
Among them were Daniel Charity, Bakare Oluwabunmi, Amos Peter and Musa Aliyu.
INEC staff attend to AMAC residents who came to collect PVC on December 30, 2021. Photo credit: The ICIR
The ICIR observed that though INEC took the PVC distribution to political wards nationwide on January 6, many people spent days before getting the card at the AMAC’s INEC office.
Narrating her experience with The ICIR, Oluwabunmi, who lives in the Lokogoma area of Abuja, said that collecting the card was difficult for her, noting that she hadn’t gotten the PVC since 2016.
She noted that the INEC made the collection process difficult, stressing that there should be no difference between how people collect the card and the bank’s Automated Teller Machine (ATM) cards.
She was number 379 in the queue from her ward alone. There were people from 11 other wards.
Daniel Charity
Similarly, Daniel Charity, who lives at the Airport, was terrified by the sight of the crowd she met at the Commission’s office.
She registered for the PVC in May 2022.
She had visited the office earlier but was told her PVC was not ready. Charity had no challenge registering for the card, but she was unsure how soon she would get the PVC when she spoke to The ICIR.
The Commission’s office at the Kuje Area Council of the FCT had no challenge dealing with a crowd.
Many of the people interviewed said its officials were alive to their responsibility, but some people could not get their cards because they (the cards) were unavailable at the office.
Agbelusi Florence
Agbelusi Florence registered at the Area Council in April 2022. She had come more than three times to collect the PVC. The INEC workers told her that her card was not available and should check back in two weeks.
She was unhappy that she couldn’t get the card after coming for it many times.
But Oluwadiran Samuel expressed delight that he got the card without stress, unlike how he had challenges with a large crowd during registration.
Sokoto state – residents anxious, want to vote
Many residents in Sokoto are appealing to INEC to let them have the PVC to enable them to vote. Others, too, have got it and are ready for the elections.
The ICIR visited Bodinga, Tureta and Kware Local Government Areas of the state.
Twenty-year-old Rahanatu Abdullahi lives in the Runju community in Bodinga town.
She walked into the INEC office and collected her PVC without stress, unlike the long queues she faced during registration.
She is happy she will vote for her chosen leaders during the elections.
When The ICIR met Bilkisu Shehu, she had come to the INEC office many times and was still waiting to get her PVC.
She was anxious to vote but worried about the card she was yet to get.
The 24-year-old faced a similar problem during registration. She came many times before officials registered her because of a large crowd.
Sani Baba
The 22-year-old Sani Babaji received a message from the INEC that his registration was faulty. He came to the office three times before resolving the problem.
But getting his card did not give him any challenge. He is ready to vote in the February and March elections.
Rilwanu Dahiru is from Gidan Kare settlement in Imasa Ward, Tureta LGA headquarters.
He struggled to register for the PVC despite the insecurity that faced his ward.
When the reporter met him, he was at the INEC office for the fourth time to obtain the PVC.
The 24-year-old spent at least N1,000 to fuel his motorcycle daily and wondered if he would set his eyes on the card.
The 51-year-old Inno Adamu hails from Torawa village in the Tureta LGA. She was at the INEC office at Tureta seven times before receiving her card. She recounted how she spent three months coming to register for the card.
Sweet and sour PVC collection in Lagos state
The PVC collection goes on in Lagos state, but some residents who spoke with The ICIR at Ikeja, Agege and Ifako-Ijaye Local Government Areas of the state said they spend hours or days before getting it.
Adeyanju Oluwapelumi Mercy displays her PVC after collecting it at Ikeja.
Getting the card was easy for Adeyanju Mercy at the Ikeja INEC office. She did not encounter the stress she faced during registration, though she came to the collection centre twice.
She was pleased with the treatment she got from the INEC staff.
A businesswoman, Omolara Onitiri, said she registered on July 28 2022, at Ogba. She heard of the PVC collection two months back but was able to come to the INEC office in late December. She described the process as pleasing. She will be voting in Lagos State.
Akinade Hamza, a retired police officer, obtained his card at Ifako Ijaye LGA.
The 77-year-old encountered no problem getting the card as he did when he registered for the PVC.
Theresa Uche
Theresa Uche also got her PVC without stress from the local government.
Oredeyin Oluwatoyin spent about five minutes before collecting her PVC at the Agege LGA.
Similarly, to his amazement, Adebayo Emmanuel got his card five minutes after arriving at the INEC office.
He commended the Commission for the easiness of the collection process.
Matters arising on PVC collection
The INEC has extended the deadline for the PVC collection by a week. The exercise meant to stop initially on January 22 will now be Sunday, January 29, 2023.
The INEC National Commissioner and Chairman, Information and Voter Education Committee, Festus Okoye, said, “The Commission is determined to ensure that registered voters have ample opportunity to collect their PVCs ahead of the forthcoming election. For this reason, the timeframe for the collection of PVCs is extended by eight days.
Prior to the extension some stakeholders have raised concerns over the process.
For instance, the Labour Party had described the process as ‘snail pace’.
Although INEC has decentralised the exercise to ward levels for seamless collection, the LP campaign spokesperson, Yunusa Tanko said many Nigerians who registered for the PVCs “are still finding it difficult to collect their voter’s cards”.
Tanko said, “We have received reports from all the geo-political zones in Nigeria and the messages are all the same – people complaining of the snail pace at which the PVCs are being dispatched to collectors”.
The INEC said it has captured a total of 93,469,008 eligible voters in its voters register following the final clean-up of double registration and underage voters.
*Produced in partnership with the Centre for Democracy and Development (CDD) with support from Foreign and Commonwealth Development Office (FCDO).
THE Edo State government has embarked on the demolition of illegal structures in various locations in the Benin City metropolis.
The development, according to the Director of Physical Planning and Development Control of the Ministry of Physical Planning, Housing, Urban and Regional Development, Henry Enabulele, was part of the efforts to ensure a properly planned and sanitised environment in the state
Enabulele explained that the demolition exercise became imperative as defaulters failed to heed various warnings and notices issued to them.
The demolished structures included a fence built on an existing road by the Miracle Church of God Vision Faith Ministry at Osula Close; Uteh Ne Urekpoki Quarters, Upper Mission Extension; stores built on right of way at BDPA opposite the University of Benin; and a building under development on the right of way at Gospel Star Street, Ovbiogie Quarters.
“The exercise carried out today is about infractions that we have been complaining about in the Benin metropolis. People built on the right of way with impunity. Our going out today is to clear the areas that these infractions were noticed.
“We have told them severally, written to them and advised them to stop building on the right of way. This present government is not going to tolerate it,” he said.
According to him, the infraction at Ovbiogie was at the centre of the road, vowing that the department would make the owners pay for the removal cost.
“The infraction at Ovbiogie was on the centre of the road. We have discussed with the community and they said they were not the ones that sold that land and we have advised the man to remove the structure from the centre of the road, which he refused to adhere to.”
“We are going to make them pay for the cost of removing these infractions,” he said.
Enabulele called on builders and developers to verify before purchasing lands to avoid infractions.
“We have EdoGIS at your service, and you can write to us at the Ministry of Physical Planning, Housing, Urban and Regional Development to guide you. Please, don’t buy if you are not very sure that the land is not encumbered,” he advised.
He also advised the general public to stop wasting money on illegal developments, stressing that the state government would not tolerate any illegal building activity.
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