Ten months after election, Governor Godwin Obaseki has forwarded the names of 11 commissioner-nominees to the Edo House of Assembly for confirmation, just as he appointed two special advisers.
This was contained in a statement signed by the Secretary to the Edo Government, Osarodion Ogie, on Wednesday in Benin.
According to the statement, the two advisers are Crusoe Osagie and Sarah Esangbedo, appointed Special Adviser, Media Projects and Special Adviser, Strategy, Policy, Projects and Performance Management, respectively.
The nominees are Oluwole Osamudiamen Iyamu (SAN); Obehi Akoria; Joan Osa Oviawe; Osaze Ethan Uzamere; Monday Osaigbovo; Marie Edeko Joseph Eboigbe; Moses Agbukor; Isoken Omo; Andrew Emwanta and Otse Momoh-Omorogbe.
In September 2020, Obaseki had won reelection on the platform of the PDP after defecting from the APC after being disqualified as the party’s governorship candidate.
Obaseki defeated the APC candidate, Osagie Ize-Iyamu, who had defected to APC from PDP.
The Federal High Court has prohibited the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission from retrying former Abia Governor Orji Uzor Kalu.
Justice Inyang Ekwo gave the order while delivering judgment in an application filed by the former governor seeking an order of the court prohibiting the EFCC from retrying him on a charge for which he had already been tried and convicted.
“An order is hereby made prohibiting the federal government through the EFCC from retrying the applicant on charge no. FHC/ABJ/CR/56/2007 since there was no order in the judgment of the Supreme Court for the retrial of Kalu,” the judge said.
Dr. Chike Akunyili, widower of the late Director-General of the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control, Dora Akunyili, has been killed by gunmen at Nkpor, in the Idemili North Local Government Area of Anambra State.
Seven other persons were also killed in the incident, yet-to-be-confirmed reports allege.
The incident reportedly happened on Monday evening.
Our correspondent gathered that Dr. Akunyili was returning from a trip to Onitsha, where he had gone to obtain a posthumous award of excellence for his late wife, when he ran into the hoodlums at Nkpor and was shot and killed.
The hoodlums, it was gathered, were chanting, “No election in Anambra in November.”
The state Police Public Relations Officer, Ikenga Tochukwu, could not confirm the report, noting that he had yet to get details of the incident.
Our correspondent reports that the Agulu community, where the Akunyilis hailed from, is mourning; adding, however, that, “Nobody is ready to talk to the press.”
A former vice-president of Agulu community, who is also a retired Information Officer with the Federal Ministry of Information, confirmed the incident to our correspondent on the telephone, but asked for publication to be delayed without giving reasons.
The Anambra State Commissioner for Information also confirmed the incident but asked to be given time to obtain clearance to discuss the issue.
No fewer than six persons in Abuja have been reported dead following the clash between members of the Islamic Movement of Nigeria (IMN) and security operatives on Tuesday.
The unfortunate incident happened near Gwarimpa gate in the capital, where members of IMN, also known as Shi’ites, were chanting songs as they marched along the road.
They were observing the annual symbolic Arbaeen Trek when police officers opened fire on them. Two civilians reportedly sustained life-threatening injuries.
Secretary of the Academic Forum of IMN, Abdullahi Musa, confirmed the clash.
Speaking with Sahara Reporters, he said, “They are just shooting people. As I am talking to you now, six people have been killed. They even carried some dead bodies away.”
On Monday, the Nigerian Police had beefed up security in major areas of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja, in preparation for the Shi’ites annual procession.
The Lagos Police Command has confirmed the kidnapping of Air Vice Marshal Sikiru Smith in Ajah, Eti-Osa local government area of the state.
A spokesperson for the command, Ajisebutu Adekunle, told Peoples Gazette the police tactical teams were on the kidnapper’s trail.
The retired officer was kidnapped by unknown gunmen Tuesday morning when he was on-site supervising a project.
A witness said the gunmen arrived in a boat, attacked Mr Smith, who struggled with them before being whisked away to an unknown location.
Corporal Odiji, who was with him at the time, sent out a voice note alerting the authorities of Smith’s abduction.
In the voice recording, Odiji said, “This is an emergency. I am Corporal Odiji, attached to Air Vice Marshal Smith. They just abducted him from the site where we were working.
“Some gunmen who were wearing masks just came and snatched my boss now. They shot everywhere. I was near where I was fixing my boss’ vehicle.
“As I was coming, I saw them leaving in a boat, but I wasn’t armed so I just ran to the site, and I saw his glasses and where he struggled with them. Please pass this information. It is an emergency,” the witness narrated in the voice note.
The Presidential Steering Committee (PSC) on COVID-19 has accused Nigeria’s airport staff of taking bribes from travellers to evade mandatory quarantine at airports.
On Monday, the PSC decried the extortion by the airport workers.
“The PSC has noted with dismay, fraudulent activities at airports by employees who extort money from quarantine evaders,” said the chairman of the committee, Boss Mustapha, speaking at the national briefing of the PSC on Monday. “The authorities are conducting necessary investigation into various reports received.”
FAAN spokeswoman, Henrietta Yakubu, told journalists that the airport authorities needed time to find out the truth about the allegation.
“Honestly, our security is investigating so I cannot preempt them. Let them find out first. We need to find out if there is any truth to that statement, so you have to give us time, but I cannot preempt them. You can call again,” said Ms Yakubu.
Mustapha, who is also Secretary to the Government of the Federation, also explained that the PSC had taken note of challenges raised by travellers who visit the ‘National International Travel Portal’ in compliance with travel protocols.
“Notable progress is still being made in the area of vaccines. More than 3.5m doses of Pfizer COVID-19 vaccines are being expected from the USA this September, while about four million doses of Astrazeneca is being expected early next month,” disclosed Mustapha.
“Nigeria will be receiving more than one million doses of Johnson and Johnson vaccine shipment on a monthly basis. The PSC is committed to access enough vaccines for the 70 per cent eligible persons in the country in record time.’’
While warning against complacency, he explained that “global cases have been on a decline for some time now, but there’s need for more caution,” especially among Nigerians.
“The PSC has observed that caution is needed rather than over-confidence. To slide into complacency can be very fatal, hence the need for serious caution and adherence to non-pharmaceutical intervention measures,’’ he stressed.
On UK’s advisory on COVID-19 vaccines and changes to international travel rules, Mustapha stated, “The British high commissioner in Nigeria has stated that the UK government supports the vaccination programme irrespective of where the vaccines were manufactured.”
He further noted that “Britain will open up international travels using a standardised COVID-19 vaccination certification process” to allow for ease of travel from other countries, including Nigeria.
The Senate on Tuesday urged the Federal Government to, as a matter of urgency, consider an Emergency Intervention Fund of about N300bn for critical roads in Niger State.
It said the state links the economic corridors in the North and South, hence the need for the Federal Government to declare a state of emergency on major highways in the state.
The upper chamber said the intervention would facilitate the infrastructure rehabilitation efforts of government to support ease of business and economic recovery.
The Senate in its resolution urged the Federal Government to declare a state of emergency on the critical roads in Niger state linking economic corridors in the North and South.
It also urged the Federal Government to direct the Federal Ministry of Works to carry out emergency stabilisation of the failed portions of Bida – Lapai – Lambatta road to ease the current suffering and rate of accidents and loss of goods and investments in the road.
The upper chamber further urged the Federal Government to consider an Emergency Intervention Fund for the critical roads in Niger State to the tune of N300 billion to concurrently fix the roads as part of the infrastructure rehabilitation efforts of the government to support ease of business and economic recovery across the country.
It also resolved that a National Legislative Roundtable on the State of Infrastructure for Economic Development be convoked, so as to bring all critical stakeholders in the transport and logistics industries together with a view to identifying urgent actions to address the current challenges.
The resolution was adopted just as senators bemoaned the deplorable state of critical roads across the country.
This was sequel to a motion brought to the floor during plenary by Senator Aliyu Sabi Abdullahi (Niger North).
Abdullahi, said, “The Senate noted with disbelief and shock the very ugly scene playing out in Niger State since February 24 to September 2021 in which heavy trucks and tanker drivers blocked all entry and exit roads to protest the horrible state of Federal roads passing through the State;
“Recall that Niger State has the longest federal road network of 2,263km out of a total of 32,000km of national federal roads network.
“The federal roads in Niger state stretched from the Abuja – Kaduna end to the Jebba – Mokwa – Makera – Tegina – Birnin Gwarimpa – Kaduna road to the Mokwa – New Bussa – Agwara – Kigera end which lies to the border with the republic of Benin.
“Overall, the following are critical linkage roads within Niger state that provide logistical and vehicular movements between the North and South; especially the South West and North West Corridors.
“Because of the massive land area of Niger State at 76,363km (representing about nine percent of the total land area of the country), all movements from North to South substantially traverse the State.
“Indeed, the massive haulage of heavy industrial goods such as petroleum products, iron rods, cement, finished manufactured goods, machines and equipment, electronic materials and goods, building materials etc, in which trucks and tankers are overloaded pits great pressure on the roads and thus are seriously devastating to the state of the roads.
“Cursory observation and reports indicate that many trucks and tankers are loaded with up to 90,000 Tonnes of goods and all vehicles are consistently loaded well above their approved tonnage.
“All the major link roads have totally failed with fatal accidents occurring on a daily basis with loss of lives, goods and vehicles.
“A development that angered the truck and tanker drivers to begin the protest as the only available alternative route to exit the state is the Bida – Minna road which is currently undergoing construction. This road itself is a failed road with many portions that cannot withstand any heavy truck movement as it is.
“The only road portion that is substantially motors or is the Mokwa Junction – Bida road which is itself under intense pressure by the heavy duty haulage activities of trucks and tankers and may not last two years under the current scenario.
“The Kontagora – Yauri road is also motorable but hard to reach, hence the pressure on state roads.
“Disturbed that the current rate of funding of federal roads in the state is unfortunately dismal and cannot deliver, which has led to many of the projects abandoned by contractors. The result is continuous pressure on the few good ones.
“Indeed, it is very sad that the main trunk road from Jebba – Mokwa – Tegina – Kaduna has been completely abandoned even though contracts have been awarded for the Jebba – Tegina section 1 and 2 since 2028 without funds sufficient to even mobilise the contractors.
“This is true also for Makera – Kontagora – Yauri which has been awarded since 2013; Bida – Lapai- Lambatta awarded since 2018 also but poor funding means stalled work. The massive accidents and losses on this road were responsible for the current blockade in the state.
“Agrees that nee ways and means for funding infrastructure in Nigeria must be seriously considered while also strengthening enforcement in the issues of excess weight load by trucks and tankers considering that over 90 percent of haulage of heavy goods are by road transport; pending when the ongoing train projects are delivered to ease the pressure.
“Further agrees that the current blockade had seriously affected economic activities in the country with heavy losses by investors and enterprises.
“It is therefore, important that urgent and emergency measures are out in place to forestall further occurrence while also considering a legislative round table in the state of transport infrastructure and institutional strengthening to support the economic diversification efforts and growth of the Nigerian economy.”
The Northern States Governors’ Forum on Monday opposed the call by its Southern counterpart that the Presidency should move to the South in 2023.
The northern governors, who stated this at their meeting in Kaduna, said the call by the Southern Governors’ Forum was against the constitution of the country.
But groups including the Ohanaeze Ndigbo, the Pan-Niger Delta Forum, Afenifere and the Delta State Government said the northern governors’ position was against the unity of the country.
The southern governors at their recent meeting in Enugu reiterated their demand that the Presidency should shift to the South in 2023.
On Monday, the northern governors said although some of them had endorsed the Southern governors’ call for power shift to the South, the regional governors collectively condemned such a call.
They said the statement by their Southern counterparts contradicted the provision of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 as amended.
They added that the elected President must meet the requirements which include getting “the majority votes, scoring at least 25 per cent of the votes cast in two thirds of the states of the federation; in case of a runoff, a simple majority win.”
These were contained in a communiqué issued after an emergency meeting of the regional governors and the chairmen of Northern Council of Chiefs held in Kaduna on Monday.
Northern Governors Await Supreme Court Judgment On VAT
The Chairman of the Forum and Governor of Plateau State, Simon Lalong, who read out the communiqué on behalf of his colleagues, also said the issue of the collection of Value added Tax by states was before the court.
He said it would amount to subjuduice to take a decision on the matter.
Lalong insisted that it was the view of his colleagues that until there is pronouncement by the Supreme Court on the substantive matter between Rivers and the Federal Inland Revenue Service, “the matter is subjudice and Northern States Governors’ Forum would respect this.”
The 11-point-communique read, “The forum observed that some northern governors had earlier expressed views for a power-shift to three geopolitical zones in the South with a view to promoting unity and peace in the nation.
“Notwithstanding their comments, the forum unanimously condemns the statement by the Southern Governors’ Forum that the Presidency must go to the South.
“The statement is quite contradictory to the provision of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (1999) as amended that the elected President shall score the majority votes; score at least 25 per cent of the votes cast in two thirds of states of the federation. In the case of a runoff, a simple majority win.
“The Northern State Governors’ Forum considered the ongoing national debate on the collection of Value Added Tax. As responsible leaders while we are constraint by the fact that the matter is sub-judice, we however for the purposes of educating the public make the following observations:
“The judgment of the Federal high Court calls to question the constitutionality of VAT, withholding tax, education tax, Niger Delta Development Commission, National Information Technology Development Agency, 13% derivation, National Economic Development Council and many other currently levied and collected by the Federal Government of Nigeria, Federal Inlands Revenue Service.
“Rivers and Lagos state governments have enacted their own VAT laws and the Southern Governors’ Forum has expressed support for this course of action;
“VAT is being confused by these state governments as a sales tax. If every state enacts its own VAT law, multiple taxation will result in increase in prices of goods and services and collapse in interstate trade. VAT is not a production tax like excise, but terminal tax which is paid by the ultimate consumer;
“Another confusion is ignoring observation above and its “overall effect”. The reason Lagos accounts for our 50 per cent VAT collection is because most of the telecommunication companies, banks, manufacturing and other trading activities have their headquarters in Lagos with the resultant and wrongful attribution of VAT
“Until and unless the Supreme Court pronounces judgment on the substantive matter between Rivers State and Federal Government, the matter is sub-judice and Northern Governors’ Forum would respect this.”
The governors also lauded the current onslaught by the military on bandits and insurgents in the some part of the north.
Besides, the forum decried the high level of conspiracies being perpetrated by some judicial officers in releasing and granting bail to arrested criminals. “This attitude sabotages the fight against criminality, therefore, there the need to develop good and robust intelligence mechanism amongst States was identified as a panacea,” Lalong added.
Meanwhile, stakeholders in the South, including have taken on northern governors over opposition to power shift to the South.
On its part, the Delta State Government said it aligned with the decision of Southern Governors’ Forum.
The state Commissioner for Information, Mr Charles Aniagwu, who stated this in an interview with reporters on Monday in Asaba, said, “The Delta State Government has already aligned with the decision of southern governors, so it does not matter whether the northern governors are opposing it. We were there when the decision was taken and that is final as far as Delta is concerned”
Northern Governors Exercising Their Right Of Free Speech – Akeredolu’s Aide
When contacted, his Ondo State counterpart, Donald Ojogo, said, “They (northern governors) have expressed and indeed exercised their rights under the freedom of expression. No one can stop them from expressing themselves.”
Northern Governors Working Towards Nigeria’s Break-Up – Ohanaeze
But the apex Igbo socio-cultural organization, Ohanaeze Ndigbo, described the position of the northern governors as unfortunate.
It said the North benefited from the Nigerian union more than it contributed to it.
Spokesman for the Igbo apex body, Chief Alex Ogbonnia, who spoke to one of our correspondents on the telephone, warned the northern leaders to have a rethink if they wanted the Nigerian union to continue.
Ogbonnia said, “If there is any group of people that benefits from the corporate existence of Nigeria, it is the North. This is because what northerners bring to the table is far less than what they take from the table. So instead of looking for a way for Nigeria to remain united, develop and grow, they are looking at the way Nigeria will break up. It is simply inconceivable that the North that benefits the most from this country would like the country to break up.
“I have often said that if they are talking of constitutionality, as a matter of fact there is no place it is written in the constitution, but there is a gentleman agreement about power rotation between the north and south.
“The resolution was reached at the NUC (National Universities Commission) Event Centre at Abuja, and that was when Abdulsalami Abubakar was the Head of State and Commander in-Chief. It was agreed that power would shift from North to the South and that was why all the parties concentrated on the South and it was zoned to the South-West in 1999.
“After Obasanjo it went to Yar’Adua from North, to Jonathan from South and returned to North, Buhari. So now after Buhari, it is supposed to come down South. That is gentleman agreement. It is unconscionable for the North to begin to talk about the power remaining in the North now.
“So it is unfortunate that they will be trying to go contrary to the views expressed and demand by the southern governors. As far as I am concerned, the position of the Southern Governors is the Ohanaeze’s stand. Ohanaeze stands with the southern governors that power should come down to the South.”
Ogbonnia, however stated, “I don’t want to believe that the northerners are happy with what is happening in the country today. Only a person who is happy with what is happening will be talking about efforts that will bring about crisis and disunity. What is happening in Nigeria today is a result of injustice and inequity. Instead of trying to ameliorate the situation and bring about the desired the change based on equity, fair play and somebody will be very busy orchestrating more injustice.”
PANDEF described northern governors’ opposition for power shift to the South as most ridiculous, cowardly and irresponsible.
The National Publicity Secretary of the group, Ken Robinson stated this during a telephone chat with one of our correspondents on Monday.
Robinson said the attitude of the northern governors to the southern Presidency when they enjoyed massive support from the South for President Muhammadu Buhari to come to power was insensitive.
He stated, “The decision of the northern governors is most ridiculous and insensitive. It exposes them as hypocrites and cowards. That is what they are and they should be told clearly. Their decision is ridiculous.
“There is no sane person, nobody in his sane mind that should say power should not rotate after eight years of a northern presidency.
“Anybody, no matter how highly or lowly placed that says that there should be no power rotation in 2023 does not love Nigeria. He is one of those that does not want Nigeria to progress and to be united and does not want peace in Nigeria.
“Let it be known to the Northern governors and indeed the Northern community that there can be no peace without justice, and saying that there should be no power rotation is an act of injustice against southern Nigeria.
“Buhari was supported by southern Nigeria to become President. Our money was used to sponsor him and we can name the states where our money was used to sponsor Buhari to become President.
“After using our money and our votes to become President, they are saying that power will not shift. It is unfortunate, it is ridiculous and it is the most unreasonable, irresponsible statement from any group that exists in Nigeria,” the PANDEF spokesman added.
Northern Governors Paying Lip Service To Nigeria’s Unity – Afenifere
The National Publicity Secretary of Afenifere, Jare Ajayi, said equity and fairness demand that Presidency should come to the South in 2023.
Speaking in an interview with one of our correspondents on Monday, the group’s spokesman expressed surprise at the position of the governors, saying some northern governors had said before that power should come to the South in 2023
The Afenifere spokesman said, “ This new position by the governors indicated that the issue of forging unity in country is only on their lips and not in their hearts. It is true that zoning is not in the 1999 constitution. So are many other things that are done politically in form of convention.
“For example, it is not in the constitution that in a state with adherents of Muslims and Christians, the governor and his or her deputy should ideally be Christian and Muslim or vis-versa. It is also a matter of convention that two occupants of the said offices should not come from the same local government or senatorial zone.
“These are conventions and not necessarily constitutional matter. Such a convention is entrenched to forge unity and a sense of belonging.
Thus, while we, as Afenifere, concede that a presidential material can come from any part of the country, equity, fairness and justice demand that the next occupant of the exalted office must come from the South since the North would have occupied that office for unbroken eight years by 2023.
“As for a President needing at least 25 per cent of the votes cast in two thirds of the 36 states of the federation, the southern governors never said that the south can win the presidency without votes from the north. They are simply saying that their northern brethren should see the need to let presidential power shift to the South in 2023.”
The Afenifere spokesman asserted that restructuring should take place before the 2023 elections. “If this happens, most of what is causing brouhaha now would be a thing of the past.”
Panic this week gripped residents of Ogun State after the three highest positions of civil authority were left vacant for several days, Peoples Gazette has reported.
Concerns have flared across the state that Governor Dapo Abiodun, Deputy Governor Noimot Salako-Oyedele and House Speaker Olakunle Oluomo have all left the state to run without requisite constitutional authorities as they tour different countries in Europe and America.
Peoples Gazette reported that Abiodun was last seen two weeks ago when he reportedly departed for London and it was unclear when he planned to return to the state he was eventually elected to govern in 2019 after multiple attempts.
Multiple sources close to the governor informed The Gazette under anonymity that Messrs Abiodun, Salako-Oyedele and Oluomo still lingered abroad as of Monday night. The deputy governor is reportedly hibernating in London after a surgery; while the Speaker claimed to be running the state’s business in the United States.
Ogun State Government House
Sources said Abiodun was the first to travel and he asked Secretary to the State Government Tokunbo Talabi to run the state in his deputy’s stead. The governor’s action irked his deputy, who also “angrily travelled out of the country,” per a source familiar with the matter.
An official said Abiodun appeared to be suffering from an ailment about which he had been reluctant to publicly admit. The governor reportedly flew in doctors from abroad without disclosing how much was spent from state coffers to settle the bill.
Salako-Oyedele was also partly in London for a surgical operation and scheduled medical check-ups. Claims of the medical conditions of Messrs Abiodun and Salako-Oyedele has not been independently corroborated.
All our sources are state employees and sought exclusion of their identities from this story — which was granted in line with our editorial policy on anonymous sources.
The apparent vacuum was reported over the weekend by Ogun News Express and the opposition Peoples Democratic Party followed with a statement that condemned the development as illegal, dangerous and unprecedented.
“What Dapo Abidoun and his deputy have done is an embarrassment to the office and an insult to the people of Ogun,” rights activist Festus Ogun said in a message to reporters. “Their administration is setting a dangerous political precedent that seeks to outlaw the constitution and should be challenged.”
Abiodun’s spokesmen did not return calls and messages seeking comments about their principal’s disappearance from Ogun, one of Nigeria’s most viable federating units with about six million people.
A judicial workers’ industrial action crippled the state in September. Widespread protests have also enveloped the state over the deplorable state of the roads and the general decay of infrastructure.
On September 23, retirees and pensioners shut down the governor’s office seeking resolution on 10 years’ unpaid gratuities said to be accruing at N10 billion. Abiodun was seen in a photo-op with ruling APC bigwig Bola Tinubu in London at the time of the protests.
The Islamic Movement of Nigeria (IMN) popularly known as ‘Shiites’ on Monday in Abuja embarked on its annual Arbaeen Symbolic Trek amidst tension and traffic gridlock.
Arbaeen is a Shiite annual religious practice usually conducted on 20th Safar of Islamic calendar to mark the 40th day of the murder of Imam Hussein, the grandson of Prophet Muhammed who was killed on 10th Muharram.
The peaceful procession, which kicked off from Masaka in Nasarawa State ended at the Mararaba area leading to a gridlock in the area.
Members of the sect were seen with placards including portraits of the sons of their leader, Ibraheem El-Zakzaky who were killed during the ‘Zaria Massacre.’
According to a leader of the Movement, Sheikh Sidi Sokoto, who addressed journalists, said the purpose of the trek was to experience the trial and tribulation faced by the household of the Holy Prophet who was chained and dragged in the scorching desert, barefoot from Karbala in Iraq to Damascus in Syria after the killing of Imam Husain 61 years after Hijra.
“The fortieth day (Arbaeen) commemoration after the martyrdom of Imam Husain, the grandson of Prophet Muhammad (SAWA) is commemorated annually by the Islamic movement, following a symbolic trek by millions of people from across the country.
“Though we started with few people and confined ourselves to a particular place and recited some supplication, we thank Allah now; we trek in millions, an indication that people are gradually beginning to realise the lofty position of Imam Husain (AS) in Islam.
“Today, the general public have witnessed how the Arbaeen trek like those before ended without any attempt to curb the right of safe passage to other road users. No panic was created by our Arbaeen trek. Love for Imam Husain (AS) is not the exclusive right of Muslims only. But because of the gruesome attack on the Imam at Karbala, the fortieth day after is commemorated by and for all those who love justice and fight against oppression in all ages, including ourselves.
“That is why we always welcome our brothers and sisters whom of their own free will trekked with us today. This is not the first time they have identified themselves with Imam Husain; they have done it before and we thankfully welcome them. This is the handwork of Allah, and not the trick or influence of anybody as no one forced us to trek, it is out of free will and love for the family of the Prophet(s),” he added.
There was no incident of violence during the rally as passers-by and residents were seen going about their normal businesses.
Recall that the movement had on so many occasions lost its members across the country following the attacks by the security agents.
