Nation
Angry APC Senators Declare Buhari’s Govt Incompetent
The kidnap of the students of Government Science Secondary School, Kagara, Niger State, has pushed some senators into uncontrollable anger against the Federal Government.
Senators Mohammed Enagi (APC-Niger South), Sani Musa (APC-Niger East), and Aliu Sabi Aliu (APC-Niger North) described as unacceptable, the worsening state of insecurity in Niger State and Nigeria in general.
In a brief debate on a motion sponsored by Musa, the lawmakers expressed worry that the state had become unsafe for education, agriculture, and other socio-economic engagements.
Musa, in defending his motion, informed his colleagues that the number of students in that school was more than 1,000, adding that the actual number of those kidnapped was yet to be known.
But a spokesman for Niger State Government, Muhammad Sani Idris, said that about 650 students were in the school when it was attacked.
Before the debate began, the Senate leadership had warned lawmakers against resorting to politics and political gimmicks during deliberations.
Consequently, all lawmakers who participated in the debate were from the APC as none from the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) spoke.
Use of hostile words and languages got to its peak when Enagi lamented that none of the resolutions that had been adopted by the Senate and sent to President Muhammadu Buhari was executed.
According to him, the Federal Government under the leadership of President Muhammadu Buhari was grossly incompetent.
The visibly angry lawmaker further noted that the government had been evasive on issues that ought to be given attention.
Enagi observed that it was unfortunate that the Federal Government was too incompetent to handle in such a way as to guarantee full employment for the nation’s teeming youths.
Enagi suggested the amendment of laws that would allow governors who are chief security officers of their respective states to take charge, insisting that the government at the centre has failed woefully.
He added that citizens might need to be allowed to bear arms through the amendment of laws if the situation persists.
“I’m sorry to say this, the government is grossly incompetent in the handling of security challenges in this country,” Enagi said.
“In my own zone, few days ago, terrorists went to two local governments, but fortunately, my people were able to repel and killed nine of them and in short everybody that is here has a story to tell about security challenges in this country.
“What else are we supposed to do that we are not doing? Are supposed to amend laws in this country to give every citizen the opportunity to carry arms? What else are supposed to do?
“Shouldn’t we amend Nigeria Constitution to give more powers to the governors who are the Chief Security Officers of their various states because; our government at the centre is so incompetent in the handling of security issues”, Enagi queried.
According to the senator, the situation with the parents of the kidnapped students is best imagined “if it is one of us that his or her daughter and son were kidnapped. I expect everyone in government to think like that.”
He lamented that “For over two years, our police and other security agents have been trying and for over two years, we discuss security challenges that we are facing, yet nothing has improved.
“We have a lot of youths who are undergraduates that are not employed or under-employed. What are we doing, the government is busy distributing palliative instead of creating economic activities that will engage the unemployed that will generate employment; that will improve the welfare of our people.
“Mr. President, my highly respected distinguished colleagues, the situation in this country is disheartening and something needs to be done”, Enagi submitted.
The President of the Senate, Dr Ahmad Lawan, halted the debate after Enagi declared that the kidnap of the students was unfortunate.
Lawan said the security agencies had challenges with personnel and funds.
“Abduction of students from school happen in the northern part of Nigeria,” the Senate president said, adding that ”With incidences like this, parents would be scared to take their wards to school and the efforts of the past as present leaders at providing education would be defeated.”
Also, Aliu, expressed dissatisfaction that the Federal Government has been unable to ensure the release of some 57 travellers kidnapped last Sunday within Niger State.
He called for more decisive action from security agencies to get the kidnapped persons released.
Sabi cautioned Federal Government to take extraordinary measures to halt the spate of insecurity which he feared could spread to the Federal Capital Territory.
The Senate urged the President to as a matter of urgency declare the state of emergency on insecurity in Nigeria.
It also urged Buhari to consider and implement “the recommendations of the Senate Ad-Hoc Committee on Nigeria’s Security Challenges dated March 17, 2020, and Senate Resolutions therefrom, as a holistic response to the mounting security challenges across the country”
The Senate sought a massive and combined operation to identify and destroy the camps and hideouts of these criminals wherever they may be situated.
The Borno State branch President of Nigeria Association of Resident Doctors (NARD), Dr Abubakar Kaka-Sanda, has lauded the announcement of malaria vaccine by World Health Organisation (WHO), which he described as a welcome development.
Kaka-Sanda told The Tide source in Maiduguri yesterday that “a vaccine against malaria known as a killer disease with high mortality, particularly among children in Africa is something worth celebrating.”
He, therefore, urged states and the Federal Government to start early mobilisation of the public on the vaccine to address the issue of vaccine phobia.
He said “government needs to start early public enlightenment on the vaccine so that whenever it is available, there will be no issue of phobia.”
He also reacted to the just suspended NARD strike, saying “doctors are all back and attending to patients in hospitals.
“Our members are at their respective duty posts offering the best we can.”
Maryam Audu, a woman living in Maiduguri, seen at the Borno Specialists Hospital whose two children were diagnosed of malaria, described
the development as a welcome one.
She said “if we have vaccine for malaria, I can assure you that more children will survive till adulthood.
“Most cases affecting children is malaria and that’s why some mothers in Borno have problem with polio vaccination officials .
“We use to tell immunisation officials that the problem of our children is malaria and they should not be bothering us with polio immunisation.
“We are really looking foward to the malaria vaccine.”
Tijjani Mohammed and Asmau Isa and Janet Ezekiel, all living in Maiduguri, also said they heard the news and hope it would be a dream come true.
Ezekiel said “70 per cent of illness affecting my family members has to do with malaria. If malaria can be contained in Nigeria, I can say
that we have solved a major problem.”
The World Health Organisation (WHO) has recommended widespread use of the RTS,S/AS01 (RTS,S) malaria vaccine among children in sub-Saharan Africa
and in other regions with moderate to high P. falciparum malaria transmission.The recommendation is based on results from an ongoing pilot programme in Ghana, Kenya and Malawi that has reached more than 800,000 children since 2019.
The WHO Director-General, Dr Tedros Ghebreyesus, said “this is a historic moment. The long-awaited malaria vaccine for children is a breakthrough for science.”
child health and malaria control.
“Using this vaccine on top of existing tools to prevent malaria could save tens of thousands of young lives each year.”
He added that malaria remained a primary cause of childhood illness and death in sub-Saharan Africa, noting that more than 260,000 African children
under the age of five die from malaria annually.
Justice Oyindamola Ogala of an Ikeja High Court yesterday remanded a 22-year-old labourer, Olanrewaju Opeyemi, for allegedly robbing a woman of N2,000 at a Lagos hotel.
The Tide source reports that Ogala ordered that Opeyemi, who has no fixed address, should be kept at the Ikoyi Correctional Centre after he pleaded not guilty to a three-count charge which was interpreted to him from English Language to Yoruba Language.
The defendant was charged with conspiracy to commit robbery, robbery and causing grievous harm.
According to prosecution led by Mrs A.O. Oluwasanmi, the defendant committed the alleged offences at 2.00 a.m. on April 14, 2020, at Intendo Hotel, Agboju, Lagos.
“Opeyemi alongside others who are at large, conspired to commit robbery, and while armed with a knife, he robbed one Ms Blessing Okoro of N2,000.
“He also grievously harmed Okoro by cutting her with a knife and inflicting serious injuries on her.
“The offences violate Sections 245, 297 and 299 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2015,” the she said.
The judge adjourned the case until November 25 for trial.
The Borno State branch President of Nigeria Association of Resident Doctors (NARD), Dr Abubakar Kaka-Sanda, has lauded the announcement of malaria vaccine by World Health Organisation (WHO), which he described as a welcome development.
Kaka-Sanda told The Tide source in Maiduguri yesterday that “a vaccine against malaria known as a killer disease with high mortality, particularly among children in Africa is something worth celebrating.”
He, therefore, urged states and the Federal Government to start early mobilisation of the public on the vaccine to address the issue of vaccine phobia.
He said “government needs to start early public enlightenment on the vaccine so that whenever it is available, there will be no issue of phobia.”
He also reacted to the just suspended NARD strike, saying “doctors are all back and attending to patients in hospitals.
“Our members are at their respective duty posts offering the best we can.”
Maryam Audu, a woman living in Maiduguri, seen at the Borno Specialists Hospital whose two children were diagnosed of malaria, described
the development as a welcome one.
She said “if we have vaccine for malaria, I can assure you that more children will survive till adulthood.
“Most cases affecting children is malaria and that’s why some mothers in Borno have problem with polio vaccination officials .
“We use to tell immunisation officials that the problem of our children is malaria and they should not be bothering us with polio immunisation.
“We are really looking foward to the malaria vaccine.”
Tijjani Mohammed and Asmau Isa and Janet Ezekiel, all living in Maiduguri, also said they heard the news and hope it would be a dream come true.
Ezekiel said “70 per cent of illness affecting my family members has to do with malaria. If malaria can be contained in Nigeria, I can say
that we have solved a major problem.”
The World Health Organisation (WHO) has recommended widespread use of the RTS,S/AS01 (RTS,S) malaria vaccine among children in sub-Saharan Africa
and in other regions with moderate to high P. falciparum malaria transmission.The recommendation is based on results from an ongoing pilot programme in Ghana, Kenya and Malawi that has reached more than 800,000 children since 2019.
The WHO Director-General, Dr Tedros Ghebreyesus, said “this is a historic moment. The long-awaited malaria vaccine for children is a breakthrough for science.”
child health and malaria control.
“Using this vaccine on top of existing tools to prevent malaria could save tens of thousands of young lives each year.”
He added that malaria remained a primary cause of childhood illness and death in sub-Saharan Africa, noting that more than 260,000 African children
under the age of five die from malaria annually.
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