The Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association of Nigeria (MACBAN) popularly known as Herdsmen, has called for the immediate arrest of the former president, Olusegun Obasanjo.
The demand of the pastoralists is in response to the open letter of the former president wherein President Muhammadu Buhari was called upon to decisively tackle the insecurity bedevilling the nation.
In his epistle, Mr. Obasanjo also called for a national dialogue where ethnic groups can be open about their grievances that have led to the insecurity in the country.
In reaction, the National Secretary of the Miyetti Allah, Alhassan Saleh, called for the arrest of the former Nigerian leader saying any group which has grievances against the Nigerian State should approach the National Assembly.
Mr. Saleh also said the Fulani extraction, which is often accused of spearheading insecurity, should not be blamed for unabated criminal activities.
Former president Olusegun Obasanjo on Monday wrote an open letter to President Muhammadu Buhari, saying, “Nigeria is on the precipice and dangerously reaching a tipping point where it may no longer be possible to hold danger at bay”.
Obasanjo, in the letter released by his media aide, Kehinde Akinyemi said, he intended to use the open letter to address weighty issues.
In the letter to Buhari, Obasanjo said, “I am constrained to write to you this open letter. I decided to make it an open letter because the issue is very weighty and must be greatly worrisome to all concerned Nigerians and that means all right-thinking Nigerians and those resident in Nigeria. ”
Addressing the issue of security Obasanjo said, “The issue I am addressing here is very serious; it is the issue of life and death for all of us and for our dear country, Nigeria. This issue can no longer be ignored, treated with nonchalance, swept under the carpet or treated with cuddling gloves.
“The issue is hitting at the foundation of our existence as Nigerians and fast eroding the root of our Nigerian community. I am very much worried and afraid that we are on the precipice and dangerously reaching a tipping point where it may no longer be possible to hold danger at bay.
The former president revealed that he was worried about the state of insecurity in the country, having fought in the Nigerian civil war and also having a son, who is fighting Boko Haram.
He said, “When people are desperate and feel that they cannot have confidence in the ability of government to provide security for their lives and properties, they will take recourse to anything and everything that can guarantee their security individually and collectively.
“For over ten years, for four of which you have been the captain of the ship, Boko Haram has menacingly ravaged the land and in spite of government’s claim of victory over Boko Haram, the potency and the activities of Boko Haram, where they are active, remain undiminished, putting lie to government’s claim.”
Obasanjo waved aside the recent explanation of Major Gen Tukur Buratai, who said victory over Boko Haram had not been achieved as a result of lack of commitment and motivation on the part of troops.
He said, “The recent explanation of the Chief of Army Staff for non-victory due to lack of commitment and lack of motivation on the part of troops bordering on sabotage speaks for itself. Say what you will, Boko Haram is still a daily issue of insecurity for those who are victimised, killed, maimed, kidnapped, raped, sold into slavery and forced into marriage and for children forcibly recruited into carrying bombs on them to detonate among crowds of people to cause maximum destructions and damage.”
Members of the National Assembly have been paid their welcome package, including accommodation and furniture allowances, The PUNCH has learnt.
It was also gathered that some of the lawmakers were not happy because the allowances fell below their expectations.
A credible source in the National Assembly management told our correspondent on Sunday that lawmakers started receiving their allowances and running costs in batches from July 5. The official disclosed that senators were paid over N30m each while Reps received over N25m each.
“The lawmakers have been paid. They were paid on Friday. Members of the House got over N25m each and those in the Senate got over N30m. They were also paid their monthly running costs,” he said.
The Senate and House of Representatives have 109 and 360 members, respectively.
At “over N30m” each, senators have received a total of about N3.3bn while members of the House have pocketed over N9bn, totalling N12.3bn.
Though the amount paid as running costs was not disclosed, a member of the Eighth Senate, Senator Shehu Sani, had announced that each member of the upper chamber received N13.5m monthly. The amount paid to members of the House is said to be slightly lower.
The official however said the amount paid in the Eight Assembly had been maintained for the Ninth National Assembly.
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A member of the House of Representatives, who spoke on condition of anonymity, confirmed the payment and the estimated figure quoted by the official.
Giving some details of the payments, he said, “The accommodation (allowance) is about N4m, the furniture allowance is about N3.9m, the car loan is about N7m. Everybody has been paid. The running cost is a normal (monthly) payment.”
When contacted, a member of the House Ad Hoc Committee on Media and Public Affairs, Mr Bamidele Salam, neither confirmed nor denied the payments.
“I have no authority to confirm who has been paid and who has not been paid,” he said.
A member of the House had earlier given an insight into how the allowances were paid to lawmakers.
He said, “When you come as a new member, you are given furniture and accommodation allowances; these will total over N9m. They will give you the money and it is left for you to go and get a house or hotel; nobody will be housed anywhere. You will only be given accommodation and furniture allowance.”
In the Senate, members started collecting their payment on Wednesday last week.
Investigation by one of our correspondents revealed that majority of the first-time senators expressed disappointment after receiving their alerts.
One of the new senators from the North Central geopolitical zone, who spoke on condition of anonymity, told one of our correspondents the amount he received was too small.
He said, “The amount we collected, which included our June salaries and other allowances, is nothing to write home about.
“There is no way we can fund our constituency offices and take care of other important needs, including our own accommodation and mobility.”
The Chief Whip of the Senate, Orji Uzor Kalu, also said some of his colleagues were lamenting their poor pay contrary to their expectations.
He said, “Let me address the issue of jumbo pay. I have received my salary for June and it is far below what you people are writing.
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“It is the money we use when we travel to Abia, Lagos, Badagry or Kaduna. You will now see that you are maligning and criticising the National Assembly for nothing.
“Most of my colleagues said they did not know it was going to be like this and I said we came to serve our country as senators.”
Justice Inyang Ekwo of the Federal High Court, Abuja, on Friday affirmed the suspension of the candidate of the African Action Congress (AAC) in the February 23 presidential election, Omoyele Sowore and another member of the party, Malcom Fagbiyi from the AAC.
Justice Ekwo in a judgement delivered yesterday, also ordered Sowore and Fagbiyi to stop parading themselves as the Acting National Chairman and Deputy National Chairman of the African Action Congress (AAC) respectively.
Delivering judgment in the suit filed by Dr. Leonard Nzenwa to seek the force of law on the suspension handed Sowore and Fabiyi, the judge granted the prayers of the applicant as prayed because they were not challenged by the defendants.
The National Executive Committee (NEC) of the AAC had in March suspended Sowore and Fabiyi for a period of six months over allegations of corruption and misappropriation.
The party had in his stead appointed Dr.Nzenwa as the Acting National Chairman.
Comrade Oladele Ade, Acting Director Communication, in a statement said Dr. Nzenwa was until then the National Secretary of the party.
The party recalled that at its second NEC meeting in Abuja, Sowore and nine other NEC members were accused of corruption and anti-party activities, hence their suspension.
To give effect to the suspension of Sowore and others, Dr. Nzenwa, through ex parte motion, asked Justice Ekwo to restrain the suspended Sowore from parading himself as the national chairman of the party.
In upholding the suspension, Justice Ekwo held that the failure by Sowore and Fabiyito personally deposed to an affidavitand enter defence in a case brought against them by the acting National Chairman Dr. Leonard Nzenwa was fatal to their claims.
Justice Ekwo agreed with the plaintiff that “by the community reading of the provisions of Article 50, 51,52 (k) and (n), 54,77,80 and 81 of the Constitution of the African Action Congress (AAC),2018 the suspension of the first (Sowore) and second Fagbiyi defendants as the National Chairman and Deputy National Chairman (Headquarters), of the African Action Congress (AAC) for six months by the National Executive Committee of the African Action Congress(AAC) is not valid , in total and / or substantial compliance with the Constitution of the party.”
He also agreed that the appointment of Dr. Nzenwa as the Acting National Chairman of AAC was in line with the provisions of Article 52(k) and (n), 76, 77, and 81 of the Constitution of the African Action Congress (AAC), 2018 , following the suspension of the first and second defendants.
The court in the judgment also granted a perpetual injunction restraining the Independent National Electoral Commission( INEC) and agents from recognising Sowore and Fagbiyi as the National Chairman and Deputy National Chairman of AAC.
Daughter of the leader of the Yoruba socio-cultural organisation, Afenifere, Pa Reuben Fasoranti has been killed by suspected herdsmen in Ondo State.
Mrs. Funke Olakunrin, daughter of Pa Fasoranti, was said to have been killed on Friday by suspected herdsmen as he was heading to Ore Junction from Akure, Ondo State, when she was attacked and shot dead.
Afenifere’s spokesman, Yinka Odumakin, confirmed the killing of the 58-year old Olakunrin on Friday.
According to Odumakin, who spoke with The PUNCH, “We have confirmed the death of Mrs. Funke Olakunrin (58), daughter of our leader, Chief Fasoranti.
“Eyewitness accounts say she died of gunshots from Fulani herdsmen who shot her at Ore junction in Ondo State earlier today.
“She was coming from Akure when the armed Fulani herdsmen came from the bush to attack her and other vehicles. Her domestic staff in the car with her also sustained gunshots.
“This is one death too many and a clear we-can-take-it-no-more death.”
Olufunke is the second child of 94-year-old Fasoranti to die. The elder statesman had also lost a daughter, Bunmi, some years ago.
Investors in the equities market of the Nigerian Stock Exchange saw the value of their investments decline by N265bn on Thursday.
After the listing of Airtel Africa Plc’s shares on the NSE on Tuesday, the market capitalisation of equities was lifted above N14tn as the market recorded a marginal gain at the close of trading.
The market shed N30bn on Wednesday and N265bn on Thursday as the market capitalisation dropped from N14.258tn on Wednesday to N13.993tn on Thursday.
Analysts at Afrinvest Securities Limited said the negative performance on Thursday was due to sell pressures in bellwether stocks, namely Airtel, MTN Nigeria Communications Plc and Nestle Nigeria Plc, which dragged the All Share Index lower by 186 basis points to settle at 28,712.90bps while the year-to-date return worsened to -8.6 per cent.
Activity level also declined as volume and value traded dipped by 0.2 per cent and 14.6 per cent to 188.4 million units and N3.2bn, respectively.
The top traded stocks by volume were FBN Holdings Plc (50.1 million units), Zenith Bank Plc (21.1 million units) and Access Bank Plc (18.9 million units) while MTN Nigeria (N724.9m), Zenith Bank (N404.3m) and Guaranty Trust Bank Plc (N380.7m) led the top trades by value.
Investor sentiment weakened to 0.6x from 0.9x on Wednesday as 18 losers outweighed the performance of the 10 gainers recorded.
The top five gainers were Sovereign Insurance Plc, Courteville Business Solutions Plc, GTB, Lafarge Africa Plc and Transnational Corporation Plc, which gained 4.76 per cent, 4.55 per cent, 3.27 per cent, 1.11 per cent and 0.99 per cent, respectively.
The top five losers were AXA Mansard Insurance Plc, Airtel Africa, Cement Company of Northern Nigeria Plc, Consolidated Hallmark Insurance Plc and Nestle, whose respective share prices depreciated by 10 per cent, 9.99 per cent, 9.77 per cent, 9.09 per cent and 4.83 per cent.
The price of Airtel Africa shares has dropped by 18.98 per cent in the last two days.
The share price, which rose from a listing price of N363 to N399.30 on Tuesday, dropped by 9.99 per cent on Wednesday to close at N359.40.
The telecommunications company’s share price dropped further on Thursday, shedding 9.99 per cent to close at N323.50.
Airtel Africa listed on the NSE on Tuesday, about two weeks after its listing on the London Stock Exchange, offering 3,758,151,504 ordinary shares, which makes it the third-largest company on the NSE by market value, after Dangote Cement Plc and MTN Nigeria Communications Plc.
Analysts at Meristem Securities Limited said Airtel shares could be mirroring its performance on the London stock market where it dropped as much as 15 per cent the day after it listed in London on June 28.
They said, “MTN Nigeria has been trading over-the-counter before its listing in May, unlike Airtel, but added that a tax dispute with the Nigerian government may have dented MTN’s valuation.
“MTN said it will sell more shares once the tax issue is resolved. Airtel’s listing valuation provides a comparable for MTN Nigeria, which has a return on equity of 93 per cent as against Airtel Africa’s 50 per cent.”
Commenting on the nation’s stock market performance, analysts at Afrinvest said, “While we expect the downward trend to continue in the near term, it presents opportunities to position in premium stocks.”
The Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund) has disbursed N208 billion as total allocation for 2019 tertiary institutions’ fund.
Prof. Suleiman Bogoro, the Executive Secretary, TETFund, made this known at the annual meeting of TETFund beneficiary institutions on Thursday in Abuja, NAN reports.
Bogoro said that universities got N826, 684, 392.00, polytechnics got the sum of N566, 701, 842. 00 and Colleges of Education received N542, 226, 346.00 each.
He said that 18 institutions drawn from six geopolitical zones in the country were to receive special high impact interventions.
Bogoro also explained that the 18 institutions that were critically selected in line with the provided guidelines, received N5 billion for the intervention.
He said that six universities would receive N3 billion each, six polytechnics N1 billion each and N1 billion each would go to six Colleges of Education.
TETFund boss said that the Fund had ensured that the beneficiary institutions, who are recipients of the education tax utilise them judiciously.
According to him, the agency is monitoring projects and programmes approved for them by Board of Trustees.
”The Fund had undergone some internal restructuring and realignment for better and efficient service delivery,” he said.
Bogoro said a total of 55 Colleges of Education have benefited from micro teaching laboratory, construction and furnishing.
TETFund boss added that the sum of N19, 977, 522, 916.59 had successfully been disbursed between January and June 2019 for physical infrastructure and library interventions.
He pointed out that the issue of stranded scholars abroad, which caused the nation and the fund embarrassment had been revisited promptly.
Bogoro, however, said that appropriate steps have been undertaken by the Fund to eliminate the lapses that led to the situation.
Meanwhile, Prof. Abubakar Rasheed, Executive Secretary, National Universities Commission (NUC) commended TETFund in the role played in ensuring the development of the country, especially as it concerns physical infrastructure in tertiary institutions.
Rasheed, however, said that the rising number of tertiary institutions was a challenge, which reduces interventions to the institutions.
He added that in 2019, the country has the largest number of intervention of the institution as more institutions were created.
According to him, Nigeria needs more universities, polytechnics and Colleges of Education but TETFund also needs to be protected so that the volume of intervention can be protected.
”The rising number of institutions is a challenge. Nigeria needs more institutions of tertiary education to provide more access to quality education.
”However, TETFund is also worry that with many institutions, the value of its intervention is minimised,” he said.
Rasheed, therefore, called on administrators of the various institutions to efficiently and successfully administer the funds while also urging them to be proactive in the processing of the fund.
He also called on Chief Executives of the institutions to engage other officials in their various institutions on utilisation of the fund.
It would be recalled that President Muhammadu Buhari approved N161 billion for varsities, others as 2018 Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund) intervention budget for 2019 intervention activities in accordance with the provisions of TETFund Act 2011.
Each public university in Nigeria got an allocation of N785,832,700; Polytechnic gets N536,703,502; and College of Education will get N510,084,900.
PIC. 1. MEN OF THE 115 TASK FORCE THAT RECAPTURED MUBI FROM INSURGENTS
AT THEIR BASE IN MUBI, ADAMAWA STATE ON MONDAY (8/12/14)
6172/8/12/14/YMU/AIN/NAN
The National Human Rights Commission has said it is investigating allegations of human rights violations against soldiers involved in the counter-insurgency campaign in the North-East.
The commission vowed that soldiers found guilty would not go unpunished.
PIC. 1. MEN OF THE 115 TASK FORCE THAT RECAPTURED MUBI FROM INSURGENTS AT THEIR BASE IN MUBI, ADAMAWA STATE ON MONDAY (8/12/14) 6172/8/12/14/YMU/AIN/NAN
A statement on Thursday quoted the Executive Secretary, NHRC, Mr Anthony Ojukwu, to have said this in Damaturu, Yobe State, on Wednesday at the opening of a two-day training in human rights protection for soldiers involved in the fight against Boko Haram terrorists.
The NHRC organised the training in collaboration with the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees.
Ojukwu was represented by the Assistant Director, Investigation and Monitoring, NHRC, Iheme Richmond.
He explained that the training was “aimed at brainstorming with the military on civilian protection,” in the ongoing counter-insurgency war in the North-East.
“This training is aimed at improving the knowledge of the military on human rights, humanitarian principles and civilian protection in the course of counter-insurgency operations.
“There have been allegations of human rights violation against the military in the course of their operations, ranging from extrajudicial killings, prolonged detention without trial, torture and sexual exploitation, among others.
“So we are partnering the UNHCR to ensure the integration of human rights standards and humanitarian considerations in the military operations in order to reduce the incidents.
“The allegations are being investigated and perpetrators would be held accountable,” Ojukwu said.
According to the statement, “more than 50 frontline military (personnel) and police officers attended the training.”
Indigenous rapper, Picazo wrote a heartfelt farewell to the YBNL family on twitter as he exits the record label.
“Thanks for the surpport,platform, I appreciate u endlessly,I thank you deeply.#YBNL has been a beautiful part of my journey and I hope you believe me when is say i’ll.never take for granted the blessings you brought me.🙏❤️❤️Baddo!!!
#newchapter
#PFM.He said
The talented rapper started expressing his passion for hiphop at a very young age.He has countless clips of freestyles and covers which he displays on his social which aided his rise to the lime light
His most popular freestyle video got him sign to YBNL record label.This was Chinko Ekun’s “Able God” freestyle.The freestyle went viral and caught the attention of YBNL CEO Olamide and the rest became an history.
Picazo is energetic, talented and lyrically endowed with his unique style of music and amazing vocal abilities.
Picazo Rhap is from the western part of Nigeria and grew up in Lagos Mainland. He is currently 22 years of age.He is studying Mass Communication at Lagos State University.
Kanye West says he’s many things, but crazy is not one of them.
The American rapper opened up about his bipolar disorder, which he called his “superpower,” to Forbes in a cover story published online Tuesday.
“ ‘Crazy’ is a word that’s not gonna be used loosely in the future,” the 42-year-old predicted to Forbes. “Understand that this is actually a condition that people can end up in, be born into, driven into and go in and out.”
West has previously been open about his mental health. In 2016, the rapper canceled the rest of his Saint Pablo tour to spend a week in a Los Angeles hospital due to exhaustion
The music icon has also spoken about his bipolar diagnosis, saying he views it as something that makes him more authentic.
“When you ramp up, it expresses your personality more,” he told David Letterman on “My Next Guest Needs No Introduction” in May. “You can become almost more adolescent in your expression. This is my specific experience that I’ve had over the past two years, because I’ve only been diagnosed for two years now.”
West told Forbes “being in service to Christ” has helped him overcome his obstacles.
West added many so-called “crazy” people still found success.
“And there’s a lot of people that have been called that ‘C’ word that have ended up on this cover,” he said.
