Author: Ibrahim Abusadiq

By Shehu Danjuma
President Muhammadu Buhari has sympathized and commiserated with internally displaced persons (IDP’s) in eight local governments of Katsina state who were displaced by armed banditry.

Buhari, who sympathized with the victims on Wednesday in Batsari Local Government Area of the state, said that the victims deserved sympathy from the government and other well-meaning Nigerians.

Buhari was at the camp to sympathise with the victims from Batsari, Safana, Danmusa, Kankara, Jibiya, Sabuwa, Faskari and Dandume local government areas.

“I am here to sympathize with the entire people of the state over the unfortunate incidents that have been claiming lives of innocent people,” he said.

The president said that the bandits that have been killing people should not claim to be true Muslims.

“Islam did not give individuals the right to kill others without following due process in the court of law.

“The Federal and states government will do everything possible to eradicate all forms of insecurity in the nation as soldiers and police have been given all the necessary support by the government.

“We are doing our best to checkmate the activities of armed bandits and insurgents in the country.”

Earlier, Gov. Aminu Masari of Katsina said: “We have assembled some of the victims, and their representative comprising their traditional, religious and community leader before the president.

“The communities living along the fringes of Rugu Forest across these eight LGA’s had to contend with series of recurring incidents of armed bandits,” he said.

In his remarks, the Emir of Katsina, Alhaji Abdulmumini Kabir, called on the rural people not to hoard information’s about the bandits.

Kabir advised the rural people to always pass information about the armed bandits to their traditional rulers or the security agencies for action.

Eight local government areas of the state had been experiencing the activities of armed bandits and cattle rustlers for the past two years. (NAN)

The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) is set to host the Conference of African Telecommunications Regulators on Consumer Affairs (CATCO) in Abuja from Aug. 20 to Aug. 22.

The Executive Vice Chairman of NCC, Prof. Umar Danbatta disclosed this in a statement issued on Wednesday in Abuja by Mr Henry Nkemadu, the Commission’s Director of Public Affairs.

Danbatta said the 3-day conference with the theme: “Empowering the Telecom Consumer in an Era of Technological Evolution’’ is geared towards pursuing a continuous collaboration between African telecommunications regulatory Agency of individual country and their regional body.

He said the conference would look at how regulatory activities of the 54-member nations of African Union (AU) could be integrated for seamless connectivity to boost customers’ satisfaction.

Danbatta said bodies such as West Africa Telecommunication Regulatory Association (WATRA), East African Communications Organisation (EACO) among others would participate in the conference.

According to the EVC, the conference will provide the platform for Africa to establish unity, solidarity, collective self-reliance in the ICT sector.

“It will build on the principle of pan-Africanism within the Information and Communication Technology (ICT) space; and sustaining a robust collaborative regulatory environment where current and future challenges are addressed,’’ he said.

Danbatta noted that participants are expected to provide varying and fresh perspectives to burning issues affecting telecoms consumers and service delivery in Africa.

He said that vital discussions would focus on the current state of telecom industry in the continent, ways to improve it and how to sustain a healthy telecom industry.

The EVC said that other areas that will be looked into are; challenges confronting African telecoms regulators, international best practices, emerging technologies and their applications for the benefits of consumers.

He said stakeholders from various African countries, Legislators and Government officials, Consumer Advocacy Groups, African Telecommunication Regulators and Regional bodies are all expected to be at the event.

“This year’s conference will advance on the gains of CATCO 2013 because it has been specially designed and tailored towards improving Africa telecommunications Industry in the 21st century.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) recalls that NCC hosted the first edition in 2013, in Lagos with the theme, “Harnessing Regulatory Policies to Protect Telecom Consumers in Africa’’.

No fewer than 15 African countries participated in the 2013 CATCO conference.

By Chukwuemeka Opara

Football fans in Ebonyi have joined others across the country to celebrate former Super Eagles midfield maestro, Augustine Okocha who turned 46 on Wednesday.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the AFCON (1994) and Olympic Games (1996) gold medalist, was capped at both junior and senior levels for Nigeria from 1993 to 2006.

The fans in separate interviews with NAN in Abakaliki wished Okocha popularly known as `Jay Jay’ well in his endeavours.

The fans said that Okocha, a skilful player, who was touted by the great Pele as one of the greatest footballers of all times, a national asset.

Nobert Okolie, Media Officer of Enugu Rangers International, where Okocha commenced his march to stardom, said that the Rangers family would always be proud of ‘Jay Jay’.

“Okocha followed the footstep of his elder brother and former international, Emmanuel at Rangers before sojourning to play for foreign club sides such as Eintracht Frankfurt (Germany) Fenerbahce (Turkey) Paris St. Germain (France) and Bolton Wanderers, Hull City (England).

“He has served as a source of motivation for players who play for Rangers club sides across the globe; we wish him God’s protection and continued success in life.

Hilary Obiesie, former Secretary of Ebonyi Sports Council wished Okocha well, noting that he left a ‘big shoe’ in the Super Eagles creative midfield role.

“Several football commentators have used different adjectives to describe Okocha’s midfield ingenuity and none has been found aptly adequate.

“It is no wonder that since his retirement, the creative midfield role has been problematic in spite of the deployment of stars in that position.

“Some of the stars are Wilson Oruma, Kanu Nwankwo, Mikel Obi, Alex Iwobi,” he said.

Francis Nlemigbo, a Football Betting Operator, said that the feats recorded by Okocha during his playing career would be difficult to attain by Nigeria footballers both active and retired.

“Okocha’s wonder goal against Karlsruher of Germany after mesmerising Oliver Khan and other defenders is still considered one of the best goals in world football apart from winning an AFCON and Olympic Games gold medals.

“He scored 1000^th goal in AFCON history at ‘Tunisia 2004’, won the British Broadcasting Service (BBC) African Footballer of the Year in 2003 and 2004, AFCON 2004 tournament best player among other club and national honours,” he said.

Mrs Rose Chukwunenye, a Financial Expert and Soccer buff, noted that Okocha showcased his uniqueness by equitably managing his finances to stay ‘afloat’ after retirement.

“It is only Okocha, Nwankwo Kanu and few others that have remained financially stable after retirement unlike majority of Nigeria ex-internationals who are reeling in penury and other forms of hardship.

“The active footballers should learn from Okocha and others by effectively planning and managing their resources to remain relevant after retirement,” she said. (NAN)

By Ismaila Chafe

President Muhammadu Buhari says the directive to the Central Bank of Nigeria to stop providing foreign exchange for food importation was to improve agricultural production and attain full food security.

Malam Garba Shehu, the President’s spokesman in a statement, said Buhari stated this when he hosted All Progressives Congress (APC) governors to Eid-el-Kabir lunch at his country home in Daura, Katsina state on Tuesday.

According to the president, the foreign reserve will be used strictly for diversification of the economy and not for encouraging more dependence on foreign food.

“Don’t give a cent to anybody to import food into the country,’’ he said.

The President noted that some states like Kebbi, Ogun, Lagos, Jigawa, Ebonyi and Kano had taken advantage of the Federal Government’s policy on agriculture with huge returns in rice farming.

He, therefore, urged more states to plug into the ongoing revolution to feed the nation.

“We have achieved food security, and for physical security we are not doing badly,’’ he said.

Buhari said he was particularly delighted that young Nigerians, including graduates, had started exploring agric-business and entrepreneurship, with many posting testimonies of good returns on their investments.

He said the incoming ministers would be guided to meet the targets of the APC-led government for the people.

The president added that regular monitoring of their performances and scaling up of targets would be done by the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation.

Buhari gave the assurance of attending the Presidential Policy Retreat organized for the ministers by the OSFG.

He insisted on compliance with laid down targets on key sectors of the economy that would directly impact on the livelihood of Nigerians.

In his remarks, the Chairman of the Nigerian Governors’ Forum, Gov. Kayode Fayemi of Ekiti, said the President’s sense of justice and fairness had been inspiring to governors.

He said the challenges faced by states “were enormous”, but the governors had remained undaunted, assuring the President of strong support and “the very best effort” to overcome the obstacles.

The Chairman of the Progressive Governors Forum, Gov. Atiku Bagudu of Kebbi, appreciated the President for the unique leadership style of maintaining a healthy relationship with governors on individual and collective basis.

He stressed that they had been “energized’’ to do more in their states.

The governor commended the President for making bold and courageous efforts to reposition the economy for majority of Nigerians through inclusive policies.

“The country is more secure than in 2015, and the country is more prosperous than in 2015 because you are working for the majority of the people,” he added.

Bagudu said the party had been repositioned, after the 2019 elections, to work for the benefit of the majority of Nigerians, noting that “there will two elections this year and we need to work towards winning the two states.”

The Kogi Government has debunked the allegation of an attack by herdsmen at Big Joe motor park in Lokoja on Tuesday.

A statement by the Director General of Media and Publicity to Kogi Governor, Kingsley Fanwo, described the news as ”rumor peddlers who are on a mission to create panic and tension in the State”.

There were reports with pictures in social media that there was an attack by some herdsmen at the park.

“Our attention has been drawn to some gory pictures on social media platforms, purporting that some herdsmen attacked a popular motor park in Lokoja and killed all passengers found there.

“We wish to allay the fears of commuters and residents of the State that nothing like that ever happened as all motor parks in the state are safe and peaceful.

”Our security operatives are also ensuring security of lives and property in the state,” he said.

Meanwhile, a visit by the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) to the Big Joe motor park at Felele in Lokoja, showed that normal activities were going on at the park.

A food hawker at the park, who identified herself as Esther Nathaniel, said she was hearing the rumour for the first time from the NAN reporter.

”It is not true, nothing like that happened in this park. I sell drinks and water here always, and nothing like that ever happened here,” she said.

A member of the National Union of Road Transport Workers, Abdul Sule, also told NAN that nothing of such occurred there.

”You can see for yourself; if something like that happened here, you will never see anybody here at the moment. It is a big lie,” Sule told NAN.

NAN

The Coalition of Kogi State Indigenes, a group of concerned persons from Kogi state, has called on the All Progressives Congress (APC) to revisit its decision to conduct indirect primaries for the Kogi Governorship election.

The Group which staged a protest in Abuja to get the attention of the party leadership and that of President Muhammadu Buhari, said that indirect primaries was against the wishes of the people.

Speaking in an interview with News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja on Monday, Convener of the group, Comrade Richards Adebayo, pleaded with President Buhari to wade in to ensure the right thing was done.

Adebayo argued that direct primaries was the best way of choosing a candidate which the people truly want, adding that it is a more democratic process than indirect primaries.

He accused the APC leadership of plotting to force the wrong person on Kogi people, warning that if they carried on with their plans then the party risked losing the elections.

With particular reference to the Incumbent Governor Yahaya Bello, Adebayo stressed that the people of Kogi were tired of his bad leadership and would prefer a better candidate from APC.

“For the past three and half years, our good people of Kogi state have suffered under the heavy burden of bad leadership on account of the near- zero governance initiatives of the ill-fated Yahaya Bello’s administration.

“We, the indigenes of Kogi state have resolved not to allow a repeat of the leadership disaster which happened to Kogi state.

“Democracy is all about the people and their inalienable right to choose who would lead them. The plan by the APC to foist indirect primaries on the good people of Kogi is not and would never be acceptable.

“We reject it and whatever it portends. We are aware that it is a ploy to surreptitiously sneak Yahaya Bello back into Kogi government house.

“We demand for direct primaries because we believe it is a sure way to test the resolve of our people and what we want in leadership under APC.

The group challenged the governor to test his popularity in a direct primaries rather than hiding under an ‘undemocratic’ process to emerge APC’s candidate.

The group said that the people of the state would never stand for the return of Bello to the Government house, stressing that he had dealt them a bitter lesson.

“Kogi people had never known suffering of such magnitude as they have been made to undergo these past three years. This is the ‘curse’ we want to cancel and chase away through direct primaries.

“Of what use is a government that has demonstrated the highest level of insensitivity and irresponsibility by owing its workers for over twenty months?

“Now, the APC, the party we built trust upon and believe would bring succor into governance are playing ‘more papal than the Pope’. We say No!

“While commending the leadership of our great party, the APC, for their proactivity in determining the process of choosing the flag bearer for the forthcoming kogi state gubernatorial election, we implore them to reverse themselves and approve direct primaries which is a more democratic and people centered process.

“We are resolute that if they fail to do so, the party runs at the risk of losing the Kogi state governorship polls.

“We say enough is enough to leadership without human face: We say enough is enough to a leadership without followership: We say no to leadership of extreme selfishness: We say no to leadership without vision: We say no to leadership of retrogression,” the group said.