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Gaddafi Should ‘Ve Been Spared –Zuma
President Jacob Zuma of South Africa, says the slain former Libyan leader, Col. Muammar Gaddafi should have been captured alive to face prosecution.
Zuma told newsmen last Friday in Pretoria at the reception for the visiting President Obiang Mbasogo of Equatorial Guinea that Gaddafi had been on the warrant list of the International Court of Justice (ICJ).
He said,”given that there was a warrant of arrest against Gaddafi, those who found him should have arrested him and handed him to ICJ.
“There is a trend across the world where former leaders accused of injustice are not given an opportunity to stand trial in a court of justice.
“That is surprising. I think even those who accused him would have wanted to see him become answerable.”
He expressed the hope that the death of Gaddafi would lead to a cessation of hostilities and the restoration of peace in Libya.
He urged the Libyan National Transitional Council to begin in earnest, the process of building national unity and reconciliation, disarmament of all combatants and their reintegration into society.
In his remark, Mbasogo who is also the Chairperson of African Union (AU), said Africa was concerned with further political developments in Libya.
“The AU was looking forward to a situation where it would play a major role in helping to create a government that will be totally inclusive.
“It is believed that the lasting solution is possible through an all-inclusive political process that will culminate in the holding of the first ever democratic elections,’’ Mbasogo said.
Archbishop Desmond Tutu in his comment, said, “the manner of the killing of Muammar Gaddafi last Thursday totally detracts from the noble enterprise of instilling a culture of human rights and democracy in Libya.
“The people of Libya should have demonstrated better values than those of their erstwhile oppressors’’.
Mr Jackson Mthembu, the Africa National Congress spokesperson, said Libyans needed help in rebuilding their country after the devastation caused during the conflict.
“We are as convinced now as we were then that a peaceful approach would have saved many lives in Libya,’’ he said.
The Congress of South Africa Trade Unions also decried the way the media reported and broadcast the images of Gaddafi’s body.
The congress spokesperson, Mr Patrick Craven said, “this `triumphalism’ is an example of imperialist barbarism at its worst.
“The only force which has the right to overthrow a dictatorial regime are the Libyans, not the military might of imperialist powers whose sole concern is to safeguard and promote economic interests.
“Gaddafi should have been charged to ICJ, he should not have been executed in a manner that resembled cold-blooded murder.’’
In a related development, the African Union Commission Chairperson, Dr Jean Ping, urged the new Libyan authorities to immediately commence efforts that would ensure the fulfillment of the aspirations of all Libyan people.
Ping made the call in a statement issued in Addis Ababa in reaction to the killing of former Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi.
“Today, more than ever before, there is the need for the new Libyan authorities to spare no effort in ensuring that those aspirations are fulfilled.
“From the onset of the crisis in Libya, the AU has called for, and tirelessly worked towards a solution that meets the legitimate aspirations of the Libyan people for democracy, respect for human rights and good governance’’, Ping said.
He reiterated AU’s conviction on the need for national reconciliation among all Libyans, in line with the stated commitment of the new Libyan authorities.
He said this would ensure stability and the establishment of viable, democratic and accountable institutions.
Ping further stressed the continuing commitment of the AU to support the Libyan people and to work with the new authorities towards genuine national reconciliation, respect for human rights and an inclusive transition leading to the establishment of a new democratic dispensation.
He said the Commission would soon establish a liaison office in Tripoli to be headed by a Special Representative.
“In line with the decision adopted by the Peace and Security Council (PSC) on 20 October 2011, the AU is taking steps for the early establishment of a liaison office in Tripoli to be headed by a Special Representative.’’
Ping said the step, together with the effective participation of Libya in the work of the AU organs, including the PSC, would go a long way in assisting the country to step up efforts aimed at completing all actions needed to bring about lasting peace, stability, security, development and democracy to Libya.
The Nigeria Immigration Service has officially ended passport production at multiple centres, transitioning to a single, centralised system for the first time in 62 years.
Minister of Interior, Dr Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, disclosed this yesterday while inspecting Nigeria’s new Centralised Passport Personalisation Centre at the NIS Headquarters in Abuja.
He stated that since the establishment of NIS in 1963, Nigeria had never operated a central passport production centre, until now, marking a major reform milestone.
“The project is 100 per cent ready. Nigeria can now be more productive and efficient in delivering passport services,” Tunji-Ojo said.
He explained that old machines could only produce 250 to 300 passports daily, but the new system had a capacity of 4,500 to 5,000 passports every day.
“With this, NIS can now meet daily demands within just four to five hours of operation,” he added, describing it as a game-changer for passport processing in Nigeria.
“We promised two-week delivery, and we’re now pushing for one week.
“Automation and optimisation are crucial for keeping this promise to Nigerians,” the minister said.
He noted that centralisation, in line with global standards, would improve uniformity and enhance the overall integrity of Nigerian travel documents worldwide.
Tunji-Ojo described the development as a step toward bringing services closer to Nigerians while driving a culture of efficiency and total passport system reform.
He said the centralised production system aligned with President Bola Tinubu’s reform agenda, boosting NIS capacity and changing the narrative for better service delivery.
The Federation Account Allocation Committee (FAAC) has disbursed N2.225 trillion as federation revenue for the month of August 2025, the highest ever allocation to the three tiers of government and other statutory recipients.
This marks the second consecutive month that FAAC disbursements have crossed the N2 trillion mark.
The revenue, shared at the August 2025 FAAC meeting in Abuja, was buoyed by increases in oil and gas royalty, value-added tax (VAT), and common external tariff (CET) levies, according to a communiqué issued at the end of the meeting.
Out of the N2.225 trillion total distributable revenue, FAAC said N1,478.593 trillion came from statutory revenue, N672.903 billion from VAT, N32.338 billion from the Electronic Money Transfer Levy (EMTL), and N41.284 billion from Exchange Difference.
The communiqué revealed that gross federation revenue for the month stood at N3.635 trillion. From this amount, N124.839 billion was deducted as cost of collection, while N1,285.845 trillion was set aside for transfers, interventions, refunds, and savings.
From the statutory revenue of N1.478 trillion, the Federal Government received N684.462 billion, State Governments received N347.168 billion, and Local Government Councils received N267.652 billion. A further N179.311 billion (13 per cent of mineral revenue) went to oil-producing states as derivation revenue.
From the distributable VAT revenue of N672.903 billion, the Federal Government received N100.935 billion, the states received N336.452 billion, while the local governments got N235.516 billion.
Of the N32.338 billion shared from EMTL, the Federal Government received N4.851 billion, the States received N16.169 billion, and the Local Governments received N11.318 billion.
From the N41.284 billion exchange difference, the Federal Government received N19.799 billion, the states received N10.042 billion, and the local governments received N7.742 billion, while N3.701 billion (13 per cent of mineral revenue) was shared to the oil-producing states as derivation.
The Governing Council of Kenule Beeson Saro-Wiwa Polytechnic, Bori, has decried the inadequate power supply and poor state of infrastructural facilities and equipment at the institution.
The Council also appealed to the government, including Non-Governmental Organisations, agencies, as well as well-meaning Rivers people to intervene to restore and sustain the laudable gesture, dreams and aspirations of the founding fathers of the polytechnic.
The Chairman of the newly inaugurated Council, Professor Friday B. Sigalo, made this appeal during a tour of facilities at the Polytechnic, recently.
Accompanied by members of the team, Prof Sigalo emphasised the position of technology, technical and vocational education in sustainable development.
He noted that with the prospects on ground, and the programmes and activities undertaken in the polytechnic, there is no doubt that the institution would add values to the educational system in our society and foster the desired development, if the existing challenges are jointly tackled.
This was contained in a statement signed by Deputy Registrar, Public Relations, Kenpoly, Innocent Ogbonda-Nwanwu, and made available to The Tide in Port Harcourt.
The chairman who restated the intention of his team of technocrats to ensure that KenPoly enjoys desirable face-lift, said the Council would deliver on its core mandates, accordingly.
Earlier, the Rector, KenPoly Engr. Dr. Ledum S. Gwarah, commended the appointment of Professor Friday B. Sigalo as Chairman of the KenPoly Governing Council.
He described him and his team as seasoned technocrats and expressed confidence in their ability to succeed.
The Rector pledged the management’s support to the Council to ensure that KenPoly resumes its rightful place in the comity of polytechnics in the country.
Facilities visited by the Governing Council include KenPoly workshops, laboratories, skills acquisition centre, library, hostels and medical centre.
Chinedu Wosu
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