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Military court demotes, sentences four to 21-years imprisonment over misappropriation of cooperative funds

Vincent Ufuoma
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Military court demotes, sentences four to 21-years imprisonment over misappropriation of cooperative funds

THE General Court Martial of the Nigerian Air Force has sentenced four personnel of the Force to 21-years imprisonment for offenses related to misappropriation of funds.

The court which sat at the Nigerian Air Force (NAF) Base, Makurdi, found Sherifi Olawoore, a Flight Lieutenant (Flt Lt), Ademola Adekoya, Flying Officer (Fg Offr) , Michael Oyebanji, Master Warrant Officer (MWO) and Paul Atteh, Warrant Officer (WO) guilty of misappropriating the sum of N41 million.

Ibikunle Daramola, Director of Public Relations and Information, Nigerian Air Force, who made this known in a statement on Saturday said in addition to the prison terms, three of the officers also suffered demotion for the negligence of duty.

“Four executive members of the 151 Base Services Group (151 BSG) Multipurpose Cooperative Society, Makurdi, who were standing trial before a General Court Martial (GCM), sitting at the Nigerian Air Force (NAF) Base, Makurdi for criminal misappropriation of over N41,000,000.00, were, on 24 September 2020, awarded various sentences,” Daramola said.

“The four NAF personnel, who were arraigned before the GCM for Misappropriation of Cooperative Funds, amongst other offences, include Flight Lieutenant (Flt Lt) Sherifi Olawoore, Flying Officer (Fg Offr) Ademola Adekoya, Master Warrant Officer (MWO) Michael Oyebanji and Warrant Officer (WO) Paul Atteh. The personnel were sentenced based on their levels of involvement,” he added.

According to the NAF spokesperson, Nazib Aliyu, a Air Commodore and the President of the GCM,  pronounced the four accused personnel guilty of various charges.

Olawoore who was tried for negligently performing his duty as the President of the Cooperative was found guilty and awarded six months loss of seniority.

Adekoya was tried for negligently performing his duty as Secretary of the Cooperative. He was found guilty and awarded a one-year loss of seniority.

Michael Oyebanji, who was the Vice President of the Cooperative, was tried on a 46 count charge, including; Criminal Breach of Trust, Theft, Criminal Conspiracy, Criminal Misappropriation, Making of False Documents and Conduct to the Prejudice of Service Discipline, contrary to Sections 114 and 103 (d) of the Armed Forces Act Cap A20 Laws of the Federation of Nigeria 2004 and Sections 312, 287, 96 and 309 of the Penal Code Cap P3 Laws of the Federation of Nigeria 2004.

He was found guilty on all 46 counts and subsequently sentenced to serve 21 years imprisonment, cumulatively, as well as a reduction in rank to Corporal and ordered to refund all monies misappropriated.

In the same vein, Paul Atteh, who was tried for negligently performing his duty as the Treasurer of the Cooperative as well as for the making of false documents and criminal breach of trust, was found guilty of all three charges.

He was awarded a reduction in rank from WO to Sergeant, in the first instance, and then eventually reduced to the rank of Corporal. He is also required to pay a fine of N1million.

Meanwhile, the GCM has ordered the release of WO Atteh from detention.

The Defence Counsel while pleading with the court to mitigate the judgement of the accused persons,  urged the court to show leniency, describing the accused persons as first-time offenders.

However, while the accused persons can appeal the judgement of the military court, the judgement is also subject to the confirmation by the appropriate superior authority of the military.

FG warns against NLC, TUC’s protest, says civil servants must be at their duty posts on Monday

Vincent Ufuoma
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FG warns against NLC, TUC’s protest, says civil servants must be at their duty posts on Monday

ABOUT 48 hours to the protest planned by the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and Trade Union Congress (TUC), to demand a reversal of pump price of petrol and electricity tariffs increased recently, the Federal Government has warned all its civil servants against participating in the strike.

Folasade Yemi-Esan, Head of Service of the Federation gave the warning in a statement on Saturday, insisting that all government workers must report at their respective duty post on Monday which the two labour centres have asked all their members across the country to come out for the mass protest.

Yemi-Esan said the government was already engaging with the union officials over the issue.

“Accordingly, all officers on grade level 12 and above and those on essential services are hereby strongly advised to be at work to perform their official duties,” she said.

“Permanent Secretaries and Chief Executive Officers are, therefore, enjoined to bring the contents of this circular to the attention of all concerned officers and ensure strict compliance.”

The HoS argued that there is a court injunction granted by the National Industrial Court with suit number, NICN/ABJ/253/2020 issued on September 24 on the matter.

The court order, she noted, had restrained the NLC and TUC from embarking on any form of industrialisation action pending the hearing and determination of a motion on notice.

“Sequel to the Labour Unions for workers to embark on industrial action from Monday, Sept. 28, the office of the HoSF wishes to inform all public servants that the Federal Government team is currently engaging with the labour unions with the view to resolving all contentious issues and avert the planned industrial actions,” she said.

The HoSF’s directive comes 24 hours after Justice Ibrahim Galadima of the National Industrial Court in Abuja issued a fresh restraining order against the unions, following an ex parte application by the Office of the Attorney-General of the Federation.

The fresh order came a day after the same judge made a similar restraining ex parte order in favour of a group, Peace and Unity Ambassadors Association, on Thursday.

The judge ordered that both the NLC and the TUC joined as the defendants in the suit should be served with the fresh court order within seven days from Friday.

UN Secretary General calls for abolition of death penalty

Seun DUROJAIYE
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UN Secretary General calls for abolition of death penalty

ANTONIO Guterres,  United Nations Secretary-General (SG), has advocated that every country abolish extreme penalties for offenders, adding that every nation-state needs to abolish the death penalty in their respective justice systems. 

“The United Nations advocates for every country, in all circumstances, to abolish this cruellest of punishments,” Guterres said in a video message for the high-level side event on the gender dimensions of the death penalty, which held on Thursday.

“We should all be greatly concerned at the disproportionate and discriminatory application of the death penalty to women.”

Focusing on gender dimensions, Guterres said that it has become a point of worry that women were subjected to ‘disproportionate and discriminatory’ death penalty sentences.

“Research indicates that women, overwhelmingly from fragile socio-economic backgrounds, are sentenced to the death penalty for drug-related offences far more often than men,” he said.

“And as the Special Rapporteur on extrajudicial, summary or arbitrary executions has highlighted, it is rare for domestic abuse to be treated as a mitigating factor during capital sentencing.”

For many women, Guterres said this is a double injustice noting that laws that failed to protect them from domestic abuse were used to prosecute them to the fullest extent.

He further called on countries to set in motion a plan to abolish the law and repeal discriminatory laws.

“I invite you to support our call to States that retain the death penalty to establish an official moratorium, with a view to abolition.

“Pending full abolition, I call on States to ensure that the death penalty is not applied on the basis of discriminatory laws or as a result of arbitrary application of the law,” he said.

Countries like Nigeria are yet to abolish the death penalty from their justice system.

It could be recalled that a Sharia Court in Kano sentenced Shariff Sharifai, a musician to death for blasphemy.

Sharif was convicted to death by  a Kano State Sharia Court for insulting Prophet Muhammed in a song he shared on WhatsApp.

The judgement delivered by Aliyu Kani, the presiding judge of the Kano State Upper Sharia Court has generated criticism from Nigerians but has also gained support from the Kano State Governor and other stakeholders.

In August, Abdullahi Ganduje, the Governor of  Kano State said the State Government has accepted the death penalty on a Kano-based singer, Yahaya Sharif and the verdict would be signed in 30 days.

Similarly, Muslim Lawyers’ Association (MULAN), Kano branch  said there was nothing wrong with the death penalty passed on Sharifai.

“The honourable Judge of Upper Shariah Court Hausawa was right in his judgment in which he convicted and sentenced the accused to death for blasphemy against the holy prophet Muhammad (S.A.W.) without prejudice to the right of appeal of the convict,” MULAN said in the statement sighted by The ICIR.

Are prices of food items ‘coming down’ as claimed by Garba Shehu?

Samad UTHMAN
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Are prices of food items ‘coming down’ as claimed by Garba Shehu?

GARBA Shehu, the Senior Special Assistant for Media and Publicity to President Muhammadu Buhari, claimed on Friday, September 11th  while speaking on Channels Television’s Sunrise Daily, that there is a drop in prices of food items in the country.

Malam Garba who stated that though prices may differ across the country, stressed that there was a general drop in prices of food items. 

This, according to him, is as a result of President Muhammadu Buhari’s reforms in the agricultural sector.

CLAIM

That there is a general drop in prices of food items in the country.

FINDINGS

The ICIR visited the website of the Nigerian Bureau of Statistics (NBS) to get the Consumer Price Index (CPI) and inflation report for the month of August 2020 to verify the claim.

The CPI is an index of prices paid for goods and services by the public in shops, markets, etc. It is one measure of inflation that captures the list of the prices of products; it also shows how much prices have increased during a particular period of time.

It uses economic theory, sampling and other statistical techniques including surveys to produce a weighted measure of average price changes in the country.

According to NBS in its recent report on the country’s Consumer Price Index (CPI), Nigeria’s inflation rate increased by 13.22% in August 2020. The increase is 0.40 per cent points higher than the rate recorded in July 2020 (12.82 percent).

On a month-on-month basis, the index increased by 1.34 percent in August 2020. This is 0.09 percent higher than the rate recorded in July 2020 (1.25 percent).

In addition, the urban inflation rate rose to 13.83 percent (year-on-year) in August 2020 from 13.40 percent recorded in July 2020, while the rural inflation rate increased by 12.65 percent in August 2020 from 12.28 percent in July 2020.

On a month-on-month basis, the urban index rose by 1.42 percent in August 2020, up by 0.15 from 1.27 percent recorded in July 2020, while the rural index also rose by 1.27 percent in August 2020, up by 0.04 from the rate recorded in July 2020 (1.23 percent)

This statistics captures all food item indexes.

Prices of food items

Selected food price watch data for August 2020 also showed that the average price of 1 dozen of medium-sized Agric eggs increased year-on-year by 3.70% and month-on-month by 1.02% to N478.97 in August 2020 from N474.12 in July 2020 while the average price of a piece of Agric eggs medium size (the price of one) increased year-on-year by 5.44% and month-on-month by 0.76% to N42.78 in August 2020 from N42.45 in July 2020.

The average price of 1kg of tomato increased year-on-year by 29.48% and decreased month-on-month by -4.65 percent to N289.86 in August 2020 from N304.01 in July 2020.

The average price of 1kg of rice (imported high quality sold loose) increased year-on-year by 40.69% and month-on-month by 2.30 percent to N501.71 in August 2020 from N490.44 in July 2020.

Similarly, the average price of 1kg of yam tuber increased year-on-year by 34.74 percent and decreased month on month by -0.15% to N256.06 in August 2020 from N256.44 in July 2020

The rise in the food index is therefore attributed to increases in prices of Bread and cereals, Potatoes, yam and other tubers, Meat, Fish, Fruits, Oils and fats and vegetables.

According to SB Morgen’s Q2 analysis on the prices of food across some selected states in Nigeria, comments from citizens translate the rising figures released by the NBS. 

In the report, a woman quoted in Baruwa, Lagos, said that she typically spends N5,500 making a pot of jollof rice, up from N4,000. She, however, complained that even with this amount, the food does not go round enough for the entire family. According to this respondent, the most expensive ingredients are tomatoes, rice, chicken, and groundnut oil. Her family substitutes jollof rice with the new Jollof noodles and sometimes spaghetti. 

The report also noted a respondent based in Abuja said that during the period of the pandemic, the cost of cooking Jollof rice has doubled. She added that she now uses fish in place of chicken or beef as these protein sources are now out of reach for her. This has reduced the number of times her family eats jollof rice, and she substitutes spaghetti or beans for rice.

Buhari’s lament

In addition, President Muhammadu Buhari on September 3, 2020, eight days before Mr Shehu Garba made the claim, lamented the increasing role of middlemen in the hike in prices of food items across the country.

He said the government was engaging with food producers associations to tackle the issue of exploitative behaviour by middlemen which, according to him, was one of the factors responsible for the current high food prices.

“We are very mindful of the challenge of high food prices, at a time when the economy is already in a slowdown caused by the global coronavirus situation, and are doing everything in our power to bring down the prices of food items across the country,” Buhari said.

Verdict

Given the above findings, there is no attribution that can be made to the spokesman’s claim about the decrease in the prices of food which makes his claim FALSE. 

On the contrary, there is a sheer steady rise in the prices of food across the country with the figures published by the country’s National Bureau of Statistics (NBS). 

The report was produced during the 2020 Dubawa Fellowship attended by the reporter. 

Why I Support Okonjo-Iweala’s Candidacy for WTO DG

Editorial
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Why I Support Okonjo-Iweala’s Candidacy for WTO DG

By Hamzat Lawal

I AM supporting Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala for the role of Director-General of the World Trade Organisation (WTO). My belief in her capability to efficiently and creatively steer the affairs of the presently stressed WTO is founded on my understanding of her sound judgement, remarkable skills in navigating the most difficult of institutions in the affairs of a country, and her motherly and cerebral style of problem-solving. I am convinced that many young people share my view. 

To start with, as a young executive, I am conscious of how most of the decisions I take are based on acquired knowledge and not on personal experiences. Naturally, this makes the ecosystem even more volatile. The challenge is that people like me must constantly adapt; and in order to maintain a mental compass, we must identify relevant role models to learn from. Hence, we are like the pupa looking for where to cling until it is able to grow wings and fly.

For many of us, the search for credible icons is not an easy task. In many cases, we depend on secondhand mentorship from identified public figures of celebrated pedigree. We read their books, watch their news and digest their published thoughts. We become their followers online and offline, with a silent prayer in our heart that one day we might climb to a pedestal high enough to merit a handshake from these special ones.

This is why I consider it a divine favour that I was able to meet Dr. Okonjo-Iweala in person on two occasions. My encounter with her made me realize that the brains and virtues I saw from afar were just the tip of the iceberg. She is a gift to Nigeria, and indeed, Africa. As a matter of fact, with all her achievements and global recognitions, there is no air of intellectual aloofness about her. Her humility is natural and her concern for the development of the continent is contagious.

My first encounter with this icon was last year when Jack Dorsey, the co-founder and CEO of Twitter, visited Nigeria. I was one of the young leaders invited to meet the American entrepreneur. The first day was at a cocktail reception and, the next day, a panel discussion organised by the University of Science and Technology, Abuja, where I was scheduled to speak on the positive effect of social media on the economic growth of young people. There, I would share the story of how Follow The Money, at its inception, leveraged social media to amplify grassroots voices thereby accelerating the government’s reaction and the release of funds and resources needed for vital rural interventions.

That night at the cocktail reception, Dr Okonjo-Iweala who is also on the board of Twitter would host us. I was elated to be in the same immediate space as my role model. I suddenly felt a tinge of intimidation. However, when I summoned the courage to walk up to this global giant to introduce myself, I got the surprise of my life.

“Good evening, ma’am. My name is Hamzat Lawal from Connected Development, CODE,” I recited with all the confidence I could muster.

“You are THE Hamzat Lawal of Follow The Money! My son is your fan and speaks very highly of you. Hamzat, let me introduce you to Dorsey, the CEO of Twitter. You should speak to Jack. Tell him about the interesting work you do.”

That was how Dr. Okonjo-Iweala took me by the hand and introduced me to the world-famous Dorsey, who engaged me in a discussion for more than twenty minutes. My role model opened the door of the world to me. It was during my second meeting with her that I found out that unlocking doors of opportunities for others to walk through comes natural to this amazon. This is, undoubtedly, how she has added immense value to the many projects and organizations under her leadership.

Early this year, 2020, I was one of the ten development experts and thought leaders invited by SHOFCO to a consultative meeting in Kenya. The round-table was to deliberate on the first-of-its-kind Poverty Conference to be held right in the heart of Kibera slum in Nairobi: the largest slum in Africa and the third-largest in the world.

Dr. Okojo-Iweala chaired the meeting. Her brilliance and skills in guiding the deliberations on ending poverty in Africa were formidable.

To me, working with this International Development Expert and former World Bank Economist, who has had only commendations and no eyebrow raised for the success her tenure willed, was like being in a Development Temple. She masterfully led the conversation those three days. We deliberated on key issues and toured Kibera Slum. In the end, the team was satisfied with the proposed outcomes of the Conference which had huge prospects for significantly reducing poverty in Africa– until COVID-19 happened.

The highlight of that meeting was sitting at lunch with her to share the Follow The Money vision and also listen to her share experiences working with the Nigerian Government. I got to learn a lot more than what I had read in her best-selling book, “Fighting Corruption is Dangerous”.

Dr. Okonjo-Iweala represents what the WTO needs at this moment: a dedicated “redemptionist”. The international body is actually staging a swift contest to replace outgoing Director-General Roberto Azevedo who is stepping down a year early. The new WTO leader will be taking on an institution that was beset with huge challenges even before the pandemic-driven global economic crisis struck. As the global community now struggles to recover from COVID-19, the role of free and fair trade will be very crucial to the world’s recovery.

The two-time Nigeria’s Minister of Finance has bagged the experience of pushing a troubled developing country from the doldrums of economic mismanagement to the high pedestal of continental superstardom. It was under Dr Okonjo-Iweala’s leadership that Nigeria became the biggest economy in Africa.

I have looked at all the candidates for the WTO top job. With COVID-19 breathing down our necks, we need to rebuild. Okonjo-Iweala is a builder. With her experience, knowledge and networks (at Africa’s biggest economy Nigeria, World Bank, Twitter, GAVI, etc.), she is superbly positioned to lead the WTO at a time like this.

What is more, it is now time for women to lead. Not only are they showing exceptional leadership globally, the world just kicked off the Decade of Action for the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and we must make room for women to tie up all the loose ends before 2030. In her role as the WTO boss, Okonjo-Iweala will use global trade to lead the achievement of Goal 17 – Partnerships for the Goals – which will make it possible to achieve all the other goals. Who is better to lead the world as we fight for the survival of mankind more than women?

The game has changed. A new leadership style is emerging and that style is uniquely female. We have Amina J. Mohammed, the Deputy Secretary-General of the United Nations, who was part of the team that led the post-2015 development agenda rallying stakeholders and building Nigeria’s pre-SDGs infrastructure. There are others in the corporate world, from Meg Whitman of eBay to Marcy Carsey of Carsey-Werner and Oxygen Media, from Martha Ingram of Ingram Industries to Shelly Lazarus of Ogilvy & Mather Worldwide. There is now a spread of high-ranking female leaders across the globe who have not only carved a niche for themselves but are making tangible and replicable impacts.

Let me leave it to what a fellow woman said of the womenfolk. Esther Wachs Book, in her seminal work, “Why the Best Man for the Job is a Woman”, reveals how a new paradigm has emerged on the global leadership horizon. After incisive arguments and examples, she introduced the world to a new breed of leader: “The Female Leader.”

Indeed, with three women jostling for the WTO top job, it is evident that the world is catching up to this dynamic. However, among these women, Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala stands tallest. I believe she is the solution and should be given the job.

Hamzat Lawal is the Chief Executive of Connected Development (CODE) and Founder of Follow The Money. 

It is joke taken too far, Fayemi reacts to suspension by party’s faction

Vincent Ufuoma
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It is joke taken too far, Fayemi reacts to suspension by party’s faction

KAYODE Fayemi, Governor of Ekiti State has reacted to his purported suspension by a faction of the All Progressive Congress (APC) in the state.

The ICIR had reported on Friday how the party’s faction in the state led by Anthony Adeniyi in Ekiti announced the suspension of the governor from the party over alleged anti-party activities.

The faction particularly pinned down the suspension on the Governor’s role in the just-concluded Edo State governorship election where the party lost to Godwin Obaseki,  the candidate of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP).

Anthony Adeniyi’s led faction also described the Paul Omotoso-led state executives of the party which suspended Babafemi Ojudu and ten others on Thursday for disobeying the directive of the party’s National Executive Committee (NEC), as illegal.

However, while reacting to his suspension, Fayemi through Olayinka Oyebode,  his Chief Press Secretary, described his suspension as a joke taken too far.

Oyebode said the APC as a party is governed by laws, adding that members of the group cannot hide under their recent suspension to announce a dubious suspension they lack the locus to handle.

“While one would have dismissed their claims as another failed attempt to polarise the party in the state, it is also important to put it on record that the action of the group smacks of criminal impersonation as none of those who signed the purported suspension letter were executive members of the party at ward, local government or state level,” Oyebode said.

“The action is but a joke taken too far as they never had such power they want to arrogate to themselves while they were members of the party,  much less now that they have been suspended.”

He added that his boss “however remains unperturbed by this  antics of suspended members.”

While stating that Fayemi remains the leader of the party in the state, Oyebode urged members of APC in the state to disregard the news of the suspension adding that it only exists in the imagination of members of the group.

Meanwhile, the party’s national body has nullified the suspension of the governor and other purported suspensions in the state.

Yekini Nabena, the Deputy National Publicity Secretary of the party, in a statement on Friday stated that it was yet to receive any communication about all the purported suspensions.

“The attention of the National Secretariat of the All Progressives Congress has been drawn to a purported and widely-reported ‘suspension’ of the Governor of Ekiti State, H.E. Kayode Fayemi, as well as an earlier reported ‘indefinite suspension’ of some other party members in the state.”

“The actions are a nullity as the party’s National Secretariat is yet to receive communication from the state chapter on the purported ‘suspensions.’ We strongly advise all members to adhere to our party constitution,” he said.

He added that governor Kayode Fayemi remains the leader of the party in Ekiti State, adding that Paul Omotosho-chaired APC Ekiti State Working Committee is the authentic, valid, and duly recognised Executive.

APC headquarter nullifies suspension of Fayemi, Ojudu, others

Niyi OYEDEJI
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APC headquarter nullifies suspension of Fayemi, Ojudu, others

THE National Secretariat of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has nullified the suspension of the Ekiti Kayode Fayemi, Governor of Ekiti State and other purported suspensions in the state.

The party’s headquarter in a statement signed by Yekini Nabena, the Deputy National Publicity Secretary of the party, on Friday stated that it was yet to receive any communication about all the purported suspensions.

Nabena said, “The attention of the National Secretariat of the All Progressives Congress has been drawn to a purported and widely-reported ‘suspension’ of the Governor of Ekiti State, H.E. Kayode Fayemi, as well as an earlier reported ‘indefinite suspension’ of some other party members in the state.”

“The actions are a nullity as the party’s National Secretariat is yet to receive communication from the state chapter on the purported ‘suspensions.’ We strongly advise all members to adhere to our party constitution.”

He also stated that governor Kayode Fayemi remains the leader of the party in Ekiti State, adding that Paul Omotosho-chaired APC Ekiti State Working Committee is the authentic, valid, and duly recognised Executive.

“Governor Kayode Fayemi remains the leader of the party in Ekiti State. In line with the mandate of the Governor Mai Mala Buni-led APC Caretaker/Extra-Ordinary National Convention Planning Committee and the President’s admonition to party members to ensure and support ongoing amicable and rancour-free settlement of internal party disputes, we call on our esteemed party members and leaders in Ekiti State to be duly guided.

“For the avoidance of doubt, the Architect Paul Omotosho-chaired APC Ekiti State Working Committee is the authentic, valid, and duly recognised Executive as no factions or divisions exist in the State Chapter.”

It would be recalled that the faction of the party loyal to Governor Fayemi on Thursday, suspended a presidential adviser, Babafemi Ojudu, and the son-in-law to  Bola Tinubu National Leader of the APC, Oyetunde Ojo, and nine other party leaders for alleged disobedience to the directive of the party’s National Executive Committee.

In a swift response, a faction of the party loyal to  Ojodu issued a counter suspension to suspend the state governor from the party.

Nigerian lady plans virtual protest on Independence Day to demand good governance

Seun DUROJAIYE
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Nigerian lady plans virtual protest on Independence Day to demand good governance

NSIDIBE-Abasi Joy Una, a Nigerian lady has called on Nigerians to embark on a global scale virtual protest, in an attempt to demand accountability and transparency from the government on October 1 which marks the 60th independence anniversary of Nigeria. 

In a post shared on her Twitter page, Una implored Nigerians to join her in demanding better governance come October 1.

The lady who is also a blogger has already displayed flyers for the protest on her page where she stated the mission and goal of the virtual protest.

She added that anyone who wishes to be a part of it must upload a one-minute video sharing their thoughts about the country and areas in which they hope to see improvements, using the hashtags, ‘wearetired, wecandobetter’.

The young advocate told The ICIR that she desires for Nigerians to channel their inner patriotism and demand good governance from its leaders but wants them to do so in a civil manner.

“I know it’s hard to be a Nigerian but I hope people can manage to be civil in this virtual protest. There are ways to be assertive without being insultive,” Una said.

While protests are a common thing in Nigeria and a necessity in every democracy, the President Muhammadu Buhari administration has taken strict measures against critics both online and offline.

At different times in different states in Nigeria, police have clamped down and arrested protesters who have dared to resist unfavourable government policies.

Earlier in the month, Police in Lagos State reportedly arrested activists protesting against the recent hike in the pump price of petrol and electricity tariffs in the country.

Similarly, back in August, about 60 protesters were arrested in  Abuja, after police took over the protest which was staged to demand good governance.

In response to the clampdown of protesters, Femi Adesina, the Special Adviser on Media and Publicity to President Buhari once described RevolutionNow protesters as ‘irritants’, dismissing the protest as a mere ‘child’s play’.

“Well, was it really a protest? By my estimation, it just seemed like a child’s play because protests by their very nature are spontaneous things, mass things,” said Adesina.

Meanwhile, Omoyele Sowore, convener of RevolutionNow protest and publisher of SaharaReporters has urged Nigerians to come out en-masse on October 1 to fight against oppression and bad governance.

“Are u fighting for self-determination, against EndSARS, Insecurity, Extra-Judicial killings, Unpaid wages, high School fees, Shiites massacre, IPob Massacre, Economic Hardship, election rigging, high fuel prices, transparency..Let’s meet at the barricades on #October1stProtest,” a tweet pinned on his Twitter page reads. 

Let me and others serve 120 months in Nigerian prison, Auschwitz Memorial director writes Buhari over 13-year boy sentenced for blasphemy

Olayinka SHEHU
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Let me and others serve 120 months in Nigerian prison, Auschwitz Memorial director writes Buhari over 13-year boy sentenced for blasphemy

DR. Piotr Cywinski, the Director of Auschwitz Memorial Museum, Poland says he and other volunteers gathered from around the world are willing to serve the 1o years jail term on behalf of Omar Farouq, a 13-year-old boy, sentenced by a Sharia Court in Kano to 10 years in prison over alleged blasphemy against God.

Cywinski stated this in a letter written to President Muhammadu Buhari seeking his intervention in the sentence of Farouq.

“However, if it turns out that the words of this child absolutely require 120 months of imprisonment, and even if you are not able to change that, I suggest that in place of the child, 120 adult volunteers from all over the world, gathered by us — myself personally among them — should each serve a month in a Nigerian prison,” Cywiński wrote.

“In total, the price for the child’s transgression will be the same, and we will avoid the worst.”

Cywinski in the statement personally signed by him said regardless of what Farooq said, he cannot be treated as fully aware and responsible, given his age.

According to him, “he should not be subjected to the loss of the entirety of his youth, be deprived of opportunities and stigmatised physically, emotionally and educationally for the rest of his life. I am convinced that the authority you possess can still undo this sentence.”

The Auschwitz Memorial Museum director also pledged to finance the education of Farouq if his request is granted.

Farouq’s sentence has been met with public outcry and condemnation as the United Nations Children’s Agency, (UNICEF) on September 18 in a statement condemned the Kano court for upholding the 10-year prison sentence with manual labour for a 13-year-old boy convicted of blasphemy.

UNICEF said it firmly opposed the sentence, saying it contravened core principles of children’s rights and justice in Nigeria.

It called on the Nigerian Government and the Kano State Government to urgently review the case with a view to reversing the sentence.

“The sentencing of this child – 13-year-old Omar Farouk – to 10 years in prison with menial labour is wrong,” said Peter Hawkins, UNICEF Representative in Nigeria.

“It also negates all core underlying principles of child rights and child justice that Nigeria – and by implication, Kano State – has signed on to.”

It would be recalled that Yahaya Sharif-Aminu, a Kano-based musician was also last month sentenced to death for blasphemy against Prophet Muhammad.

The ICIR had reported how Sharif was sentenced to death by hanging by the Upper Shari’a Court in Kano after he was found guilty of committing blasphemy in a song against Prophet Muhammad.

Also, Mubarak Bala, the president of the Humanist Association of Nigeria, has been held incommunicado by the Police in Kano after he was arrested on April 28 at his home in Kaduna State for allegedly posting comments that were critical of Islam on Facebook.

Bala was charged under state law with violating a religious offence law and with cybercrime.

He has not been heard from since the day of his arrest. His wife Amina Mubarak, with whom he has a newborn son, told the Guardian in July: “At this point, I’m not even begging for his release, I just want his proof of life.”

No, I am not returning to APC, it’s not a good thing to do- Obaseki tells Buhari

Lukman ABOLADE
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No, I am not returning to APC, it’s not a good thing to do- Obaseki tells Buhari

GODWIN Obaseki, the Governor of Edo State has told the Nigeria President, Muhammadu Buhari that he would not return to the All Progressive Congress (APC) after his electoral success in the last Saturday governorship election.

Obaseki said this during his thank-you visit to President Buhari at the Presidential Villa on Friday.

“I couldn’t have contested on a party, won on that party’s platform, and then considered moving to another party,” he said.

According to the governor, returning to the APC would not be the right thing to do as he contested and won under the platform of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP)

“It’s not a good thing to do, it’s not the right thing to do and I’m sure you will not encourage me to do that,” he added.

During the visit, Obaseki was accompanied by Betsy, his wife, Philip Shaibu, the Deputy Governor of Edo State,  and some members of his cabinet.

Obaseki won his first term election as the governor of the state under the platform of the APC in 2016 but dumped the party in June 2020 after he was disqualified by the Screening Committee of the APC ahead of the governorship primary elections.

The Screening Committee Osagie-Ize Iyamu who would later lose to Obaseki, to participate in the party’s primary election while it disqualified the embattled incumbent governor over discrepancies in his academic credentials.

He renounced his membership of the APC on June 16 and later joined the PDP.

“I have officially resigned my membership of the All Progressives Congress (@OfficialAPCNg) after meeting with the CoS to@MBuhari. We shall continue the battle to protect the interest of Edo people and sustain good governance in the state,” Obaseki wrote on his Twitter page. 

After leaving the APC, the governor announced that he had joined the PDP.

“I have officially joined the @OfficialPDPNig to advance my ambition to seek re-election as Governor of Edo State, Obaseki wrote on his Twitter page on Friday.

“I, as always, remain committed to engendering good governance and sustainable development of our dear state.”

It would be recalled that Ayo Fayose, a former governor of Ekiti State had also cautioned Obaseki against returning to the APC after winning the election.

Fayose said this in a series of tweets adding that he has never been a fan of Obaseki and Oshiomole.

“My position is that, for obvious reasons, I am not a fan of either Governor Obaseki or (Adams) Oshiomhole. That notwithstanding, I believe Obaseki will win, but he should honour his agreement with the PDP by not returning to APC after assuming office for the second term for flimsy excuses,” said Fayose.

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