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Declare State Of Emergency In N’ East …As FG Rejects Call -Clark
A former Minister of Information, Chief Edwin Clark has called on President Muhammadu Buhari to declare a state of emergency in Borno, Yobe and Adamawa States in view of the persistent terrorists’ attacks and insecurity in the states.
Clark, who is also an elder statesman, asked the President to remove the governors of affected states, saying their sacking would make the war on insurgency meaningful and easy.
Clark stated this in an open letter he addressed to the Attorney General and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami (SAN), which he read to journalists at his residence last Monday in Abuja.
He accused Governors Bindo Jibrilla (Adamawa), Kashim Shettima(Borno) and Ibrahim Geidam (Yobe) of frustrating efforts of the Federal Government in nipping the war in the bud because of what he described as the governors’ selfishness and what they stand to gain.
He alleged that the Borno State governor takes the advantage of being the Chairman, Northern States Governors’ Forum by always travelling out of the state and abandoning his people.
The foremost Ijaw leader explained that the state of emergency in the three states was necessary in order to allow the military clear the remnants of the insurgents in them.
He appealed to Malami to prevail on President Buhari to act fast and mandate the military to end insurgency within six months.
The ex-minister said the abduction of 110 Dapchi school girls was a clear indication that the Boko Haram terrorists were still very active in the North-East and ready to cause more damage.
He stated that insecurity in the country and particularly in the North-East should not be seen as a normal phenomenon, adding that pragmatic military and political approaches were necessary to stem the tide.
Clark noted that it has become imperative to put in place a state of emergency with senior military officers as the sole administrators.
He said, “Buhari should declare a total state of emergency in Borno, Yobe and Adamawa States. This will create conducive atmosphere for the military to clear the remnants of Boko Haram.”
Meanwhile, the Federal Government has dismissed calls for the declaration of a state of emergency in the North-East, explaining that the action would not be enough to win the war against Boko Haram insurgency in Borno, Adamawa and Yobe states.
The Presidency made the explanation in response to the suggestion made by a former Federal Commissioner of Information, Chief Edwin Clark, among other stakeholders.
Clark had asked President Muhammadu Buhari to declare a state of emergency in the three north-eastern states to check the escalation of the insurgency in the area.
The Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, Mr Femi Adesina, who reacted to the calls in an interview with newsmen in Abuja, said that a similar state of emergency in the past did not yield any positive result.
“Under President (Goodluck Jonathan), state of emergency was declared in those three states, what did it achieve?” he questioned, adding “that is already telling you that it goes beyond a state of emergency.”
While making the call, Clark had expressed optimism that declaring a state of emergency in the states would assist in curbing the activities of terrorists in the troubled North-East region.
He also condemned the abduction of 110 schoolgirls by the insurgents in Dapchi, Yobe State, and accused the state governor as well as those of Borno and Adamawa States of failing in their duties as chief security officers of their states.
But Adesina insisted that the Federal Government has a totally different approach to fighting the insurgency.
“What should happen is bringing a decisive and final end to the insurgency raving those states, and by the grace of God, we are almost there.”
The presidential aide, who announced earlier in a statement that President Buhari would be visiting some troubled states in the country, explained the rationale behind the visits.
“The President is going to those states to visit everyone; all stakeholders are going to be invited for meetings – traditional rulers, farmers, herdsmen, community leaders,” Adesina said.
He listed the states to include Rivers, Benue, Adamawa, Taraba and Jigawa.
Adesina denied claims that the visits were delayed for political reasons, noting that the President has decided to embark on the visits after studying the reports of the delegations he sent to the states.
Nobel Laureate, Professor Wole Soyinka, has called on Nigerians to reject silence in the face of extrajudicial killings and other abuses of human rights.
Soyinka stressed that accountability and civic courage remain essential to rebuilding public confidence in the nation’s institutions.
He made the call during the 28th Wole Soyinka Lecture held in Port Harcourt, last Friday as part of activities marking his 92nd birthday.
The lecture, themed “Reclaiming the Nigerian State through Accountability, Justice and Civic Courage,” drew participants from different sectors of society.
The renowned playwright and human rights advocate said the country’s greatest tragedy was not only the unlawful killings carried out by state and non-state actors, but also the silence that often follows such incidents, allowing perpetrators to evade justice.
According to him, indifference by citizens to abuses of power and violations of fundamental human rights has contributed to the persistence of extrajudicial killings and other forms of injustice across the country.
Soyinka said he dedicated this year’s lecture to victims of unlawful killings, noting that the event was intended to honour individuals who had lost their lives as a result of failures within the justice system and society’s inability to protect the sanctity of human life.
He stressed that the lecture was dedicated to what he described as the basic unit of every society – the human being, and urged Nigerians to place greater value on human dignity irrespective of ethnicity, religion or social status.
The Nobel Laureate recalled several incidents of violence, including the fatal shooting and killing of a young man in Ugheli in Delta State by a police officer, and the mob killing of Deborah Yakubu in Sokoto State sometime ago, lamenting that many of those responsible are yet to face justice.
He expressed concern that some perpetrators of violent crimes had openly admitted their actions without fear of prosecution, describing such situations as evidence of serious failures within the nation’s justice system.
Soyinka maintained that when justice is delayed or denied, public confidence in state institutions continues to erode, thereby encouraging further violations of human rights.
Responding to critics who accuse him of promoting religious or ethnic divisions whenever he spoke on such issues, Soyinka dismissed the allegations and pointed out that his advocacy has always centred on the protection of human life and the rule of law.
He urged Nigerians to remain vigilant and continue demanding justice in cases of alleged extrajudicial killings, including the recent shooting of a young man by a police officer, stressing that every life deserves equal protection under the law.
The literary icon also recalled an earlier pledge by a past incoming president to make public the files relating to unresolved assassinations and extrajudicial killings, questioning the status of the promised investigations.
He challenged citizens to continue asking questions about unresolved cases, insisting that justice, accountability and respect for human dignity are indispensable to building a peaceful, democratic and inclusive Nigerian society.
The Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) has clarified that there was no fire at Terminal 2 of the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos, contrary to its earlier advisory.
Earlier yesterday, FAAN had announced that a fire incident had occurred at Terminal 2 of the nation’s busiest airport, and assured that its Aerodrome Rescue and Firefighting Service had been deployed to contain the situation.
There were also reports that activities were briefly disrupted at the airport yesterday after smoke was seen inside parts of the terminal.
Videos circulating online showed passengers kept standing outside the terminal while firefighters responded to the incident.
However, in an update issued less than two hours later by the Director of Public Affairs and Consumer Protection, Henry Agbebire, and posted on FAAN’s official X handle, the authority said preliminary findings showed that the smoke seen at the terminal was caused by the discharge of the facility’s FM-200 fire suppression system.
“Further to our earlier advisory regarding the incident at Terminal 2 of the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos, the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) wishes to provide the following update,” the statement read.
“Preliminary findings indicate that there was no fire at the terminal. The smoke observed within the affected area resulted from the discharge of the terminal’s FM-200 fire suppression system. The reason for the activation of the fire suppression system is currently being investigated,” FAAN stated.
The authority said normal operations had resumed at the terminal while investigations were ongoing to determine the cause of the incident.
“Normal operations have since resumed at the terminal, while detailed investigations are ongoing to determine the exact cause of the incident,” the statement added.
The authority thanked passengers, airlines, airport users and other stakeholders for their understanding and cooperation.
FAAN appreciated the understanding and cooperation of passengers, airlines, airport users and all stakeholders, and reiterated its commitment to the safety and security of all airport operations.