Politics
Nationwide Harvest Of Corpses
Bandits, herdsmen, insurgents, professional kidnappers, hooligans, cultists and gangsters, religious fanatics, highway robbers and sea pirates: you just name them, are now holding the nation to ransom. There is no week that we don’t hear of reports of atrocities carried out by these miscreants in the country.
Prior to the 2015 presidential elections, the then opposition presidential candidate was touted as the best candidate that can handle the menace of Boko Haram, being a retired general and a former Head of State with vast experience in security matters.
But today as an incumbent president with all the instrument of coercion at his disposal, how have Nigerians fared with him being in power for four years? From reports across the country, nothing has improved but rather things are getting worse day-by-day.
Boko Haram is still very much active, herdsmen are still killing, our highways have become the playground of armed robbers, kidnappers and rapists with our rivers and seas a fishing pond for sea pirates.
In Zamfara State alone, it is estimated that over 11, 000 persons have lost their lives between 2011 to date to the activities of bandits, not counting those kidnapped or raped.
In virtually every state of the federation, these criminals are having a free run with the security forces looking helpless. The situation has been so bad that even retired generals who are supposed to live out the remaining part of their lives in peace are either shot dead at their homes or on their way to their farms.
We are indeed experiencing a harvest of corpses in Nigeria, with most people feeling unconcerned at the situation until the gale of violence hits their loved ones or communities.
In Nigeria, we don’t take criminal activities seriously, and tend to look at them from either ethnic or religious prism. If we recall prior to 1999, there was nothing like bandits, cultists, religious fanatics and other criminally minded miscreants rearing their ugly heads, but sadly some of these problems could be traced to the activities of politicians who employed some of these youths as thugs to do their biddings at all cost.
Today, the thugs have graduated to become gun totting menace to our collective peace of mind. Even our houses with series of gates and padlocks cannot stop their determined effort to harm us. And those privileged to have armed excorts are not totally safe even on the streets and highways.
It is too bad that people read political meaning into a lot of security issues in the country. Under former President Goodluck Jonathan, a group known as the Bornu Elders and the Northern Elders Forum vehemently opposed the call for a state of emergency in Bornu State because of the security challenges and some of them even went further to say that the fight against Boko Haram is a plot to reduce the population of the North. The then Chief of Army Staff, Lt General Azubuike Ihejirika was accused of carrying out a genocidal plan to wipe out people from these areas. They threatened to take General Ihejirika to the International Criminal Court at The Hague.
This is 2019, is there any improvement in the war against insurgents and their fellow comrades in arms? The answer is yet to be a yes! From May 2015 to date, more Nigerians have died than at any period of the country’s bloody history. We are not at war yet the body count is still mounting.
Let us do away with politicians’ security issues and look at it from just the professional and nationalistic point of view. In Sri Lanka, it did not take the government more than a week to identify the culprits of the Easter Day bombings and less than three weeks to discover the hideouts of some of the culprits and their sponsors. But in Nigeria, the response to such security challenge is always inept, delayed or never sees the light of day. This is 2019, yet, we are still waiting to hear the security services tell us how many of the masterminds or sponsors of the criminal activities have been identified or charged to court.
Although moves have been initiated by the National Assembly and State Governments to tackle the security challenges, but there must be sincerity on the part of the federal government if these problems could be tackled successfully.
While vigilante groups like Hisbah in Kano, Kaduna, Bauchi would be allowed to operate in the North, some State Governments in the South have made attempt to set up security outfits to lessen the burden of the regular police only for the army to disperse them and tag them as thugs. Yet we are in one country.
If the ruling class continues to see critical issues, from the prism of politics, then, where are we heading to? Security problems should always be a collective issue where every stakeholder in the Nigerian project makes his or her own contribution as we are all affected by the wave of killings, kidnapping, rape and destruction.
Just recently, one of the image makers of President Muhammadu Buhari, Garba Shehu opened his mouth too wide and insulted the sensibilities of Nigerians by classifying Miyetti Allah, Ohanaeze Ndigbo and Afenifere as belonging to one category.
This is just the problem with Nigeria, it is either we trivialise issues or we play the ethnic card. If we keep on playing these cards, the owners and masters of the Abuja/Kaduna highway of death, the East/West road and other major roads in the country will continue to have a field day while the high command of the security services will be busy touring state commands and having security seminars on how to tackle insecurity.
It is high time President Muhammadu Buhari wielded the big stick as those he has given the task of safeguarding the security of the country have failed in their primary assignment.
Let heads roll!!!
Tonye Ikiroma-Owiye
Governor Abba Yusuf of Kano State has approved the release of N15.6 billion for the payment of outstanding severance gratuities, accommodation, and leave allowances owed to over N3,000 former councillors across the State’s 44 local government areas.
The approved payment covers councillors who served during the periods of 2014–2017, 2018–2020, and 2021–2024 under the administration of former Governor Abdullahi Ganduje. The entitlements, which remained unpaid for years, will now be disbursed in three installments between April and June 2025.
In a statement issued by the Special Adviser on Information to the Governor, Ibrahim Adam, the administration described the move as a corrective measure to address the neglect of past leadership and fulfil a promise to ensure fairness to public office holders.
“The approval of N15.6 billion is in fulfilment of Governor Abba K. Yusuf’s commitment to ensuring that all outstanding entitlements owed to our dedicated public servants are fully paid. It is a matter of principle and justice to uphold the dignity of those who have served in elected positions”, Mr Adam said.
He noted that the financial intervention reflects the governor’s broader vision of governance rooted in fairness, accountability, and public trust.
“His Excellency recognises the sacrifices and dedication of these former councillors. This action is part of a larger effort to right the wrongs of the past and restore faith in public administration,” he added.
Local government officials and affected former councillors have welcomed the decision, describing it as long overdue and a step toward healing the financial frustrations of many grassroots leaders.
Governor Yusuf’s administration, elected on a different political platform than his predecessor, continues to draw commendation for its proactive efforts to resolve inherited liabilities and improve the welfare of public servants.
As the payment schedule begins, it is expected that this intervention will offer financial relief to thousands and stimulate local economic activity across the state.
Politics
Gunmen Disrupt Political Rally In Bayelsa ….As Turnah, Others Emerge New Associates’Leaders
Scores of spectators and political faithful were hospitalised after a yet to be identified gunmen invaded a rally organised by a group loyal to the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Chief Nyesom Wike and President Bola Tinubu in Yenagoa, the Bayelsa State capital.
Part of the activities scheduled to hold at the occasion was the inauguration ceremony of the Bayelsa State chapter of the ‘New Associates’, a pro-Wike political forum.
The Tide which monitored the event reports that trouble started just at the preparatory stages of the event, when the unidentified gunmen launched sporadic gunshots from a farm close to the venue of the event, injuring unsuspecting spectators and party faithful across party lines.
However, calm was restored after a swift intervention by men and officers of the Nigeria Police Force and other security formations which enabled the event to go on as planned.
Speaking to newsmen shortly after restoration of calm, factional South-South zonal Secretary of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and Chairman, Caretaker Committee of the State’s chapter of the party, Barrister George Turnah, commended security operatives for their timely response.
He noted that the plan of detractors had been defeated as forces loyal to certain individuals in the State never wanted the rally to hold as scheduled.
Turnah, who doubles as Convener of the ‘New Associates’ in the State, commended President Tinubu and Chief Wike for the appointment and facilitating the same for Ijaws across the Niger Delta region.
He said, but for the love of the duo for the Ijaw people of various extractions, the Presidency would not have given preferential political portfolios in the Federal Government’s Ministries Departments and Agencies (MDAs) to Ijaws even though the ethnic nationality produces bulk of the natural resources for the economic mainstay of the nation.
The PDP chieftain reiterated that the reason for the event which was attended across party lines was to say ‘thank you’ to the two political leaders, stressing that to ‘whom much is given, much was expected’.
“For me, I’m of the larger opposition party, PDP. But I’ve decided to support and work for President Tinubu for what he is doing for the Ijaw nation, Niger Delta region in particular and Nigeria in general.
“President Tinubu has given Bayelsans and other Ijaws across the Niger Delta region several juicy political appointments. He appointed our brother and son, Heineken Lokpobiri as Minister of Petroleum even though former President Muhammadu Buhari had previously appointed a Bayelsan as Petroleum Minister in his government.
“Apart from the Petroleum Minister, Tinubu has also appointed Ijaw sons, Chief Boma Iyaye as Executive- Director, Finance, and Dr Samuel Ogbuku as Managing-Director and CEO of the Niger Delta Development Commission.
“Though former President Buhari had appointed Ogbuku initially in Acting capacity, when President Tinubu came, even after sacking all board members of the Commission, he still kept our brother, the MD and upon the completion of his tenure in Acting capacity, the President again reappointed him as substantive MD/CEO.
“But there’s one man who has made all these appointments for Ijaws possible. He is the FCT Minister, Nyesom Wike. Ijaw people, Bayelsans are we not enjoying these appointments?
“Has the NDDC not lit up the entire Niger Delta region? Are you not feeling the impact of the Ogbuku-led NDDC? So for me and all the members of the New Associates we’ve decided to support President Tinubu for a second tenure so that our state and region can benefit more from his government”, he said.
“We want Governor Douye Diri to tell us his stand on the forthcoming 2027 general election. He should tell us whether he is supporting the President or not. If he’s supporting the President, we’ll work with him. After all, Diri was the first Governor from the South-South zone that benefitted from the President’s magnanimity during the 2023 elections and even in terms of infrastructure projects and appointments of Bayelsans at the Federal level”, Barr Turnah added.
In his remarks, Chairman of the occasion, and leader, Rivers Ijaw Peoples Congress (RIPCO), Senator George Sekibo, lauded President Tinubu and the FCT Minister for their love and friendship with the Ijaw people.
Represented by former Chairman of Akuku-Toru Local Government Area of Rivers State, Dr Roland Sekibo, Senator Sekibo said the ‘New Associates’ political forum was to galvanize support for the President for his 2027 election.
He said while President Tinubu had performed well as Nigeria’s leader, the FCT Minister had continued to show leadership from the federal level after showing the same in Rivers State while serving as governor.
“I like to thank the convener of the ‘New Associates’ political forum in Bayelsa State, Barr. George Turnah (MON) and the Coordinators for standing firm in spite of threats from highly placed political leaders not to hold this event.
“Love is not theoretically, but must be expressed, which explains why they have gathered to celebrate their Excellencies, President Tinubu and Barr. Ezewon Nyesom Wike for the various roles they have played and have continued to play to ensure the appointment of Ijaw sons and daughters to positions of trust and authority at the federal level.
“The ‘New Associates’ is in synergy with President Tinubu and will continue to follow directives from the FCT Minister who has openly declared support for Mr. President”, he said.
Ariwera Ibibo-Howells, Yenagoa
The Publicity Secretary of the Labour Party (LP) in Enugu State, Mr Titus Odo, has defected to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
Mr Odo defected to the PDP on Wednesday alongside the former Commissioner for Chieftancy Affairs in the State, Emeka Mamah, who was the state Coordinator of the Peter Obi Presidential Campaign in the 2023 presidential election.
The duo dumped the PDP during the 2023 general elections for the Labour Party.
Receiving the defectors at the party’s state secretariat, the state PDP Chairman, Martin Chukwunwike, expressed happiness over their decision to return to their former party.
He explained that Governor Peter Mbah gave them the directive to do everything possible to bring back aggrieved party members who left the party.
“We are happy to have them in our midst, and God has set this party on a good footing, as 2027 is already assured,” he said.
The PDP chairman, however, called for unity within the party to package themselves ahead of the 2027 elections.
Speaking during their presentation to the party state chairman, Mr Odo expressed joy for returning to his former party, revealing that Mr Mbah’s massive development in the State informed his decision.
“I am happy to tell you that I am back to my home. I came back because of the giant development strides of Governor Mbah and I say kudos to him.
“The second reason is the defection of my immediate boss, the LP governorship candidate for the 2023 election in Enugu State, Dr Chijioke Edeoga.
“Another reason is that the council chairman in Igboeze North, Mr Uchenna Ogara, is turning the council area into a township,” he said.
Mr Mamah also thanked the PDP leadership in Igboeze North, Enugu North Senatorial zone and the state chapter of the party for receiving him back to the party.
He extolled Mr Mbah for extending hands of fellowship to those who had left the party, saying, “Personally, I am pleased with the performances of our governor.”