The Senate President, Ahmad Lawan, has blamed Nigeria’s poor standard of education for worsening insecurity in the country.
Senator Lawan made this assertion at the eighth matriculation of post-graduate students of the National Institute for Legislative Studies (NILDS)/University of Benin for the 2020/2021 academic session on Monday in Abuja.
Represented by Senator Degi Biobarakuma, Mr Lawan listed insecurity, rising criminality, anti-social behaviour and unemployment as problems facing the education sector.
“You are well aware of some of the challenges and deficits in this sector, including limited funding, lack of infrastructure and teaching aids, poorly-trained personnel and low level of commitment, among several others.
“These have adversely affected the productivity and output of our schools and centres of learning at all levels, the senate president said,” he said.
Senator Lawan added that the national assembly had amended the Universal Basic Education (UBE) Act to increase budgetary allocation for UBEC from two to three per cent.
It had been reported that aggrieved lawmakers accused Mr Lawan and House of Representatives Speaker Femi Gbajabiamiala of taking $2 million each in cash bribes to ram the PIB through despite protests from host communities.
“The Senate President received $2 million, and the Speaker received $2 million,” a senator told The Gazette under anonymity to avoid charges of breach of privilege. “Their greedy misconduct was recently exposed to us, and we will seriously take up the matter when we resume from the annual recess next month.”
El Salvador will on Tuesday make history as the first country in the world to make Bitcoin an official legal tender, the government announced in a statement on Monday.
In preparation for its adoption, the country has commenced installing Bitcoin ATMs to enable citizens to convert cryptocurrency into dollars and withdraw it in cash.
This followed lawmakers’ votes to legalise cryptocurrency in June.
Although the Central American country believes that the measure will boost its economy, many of the 6.5 million population who have little or no knowledge of how cryptocurrency works had kicked against it since it was announced, while others embraced it.
Nigel Green, the CEO of deVere Group, financial services firm, predicted that other countries would follow suit.
“Other countries, in particular other Central and South American nations, will be watching with great interest to see if the experiment works to shore up El Salvador’s shaky economy,” Mr Green said in a statement.
He, however, admitted that President Nayib Bukele’s adoption of cryptocurrency as national currency alongside U.S. dollars would come with risks.
Last week, Salvadorans took to the streets to protest against the possible risks.
The risks, according to him, are “a possibility that El Salvador could run out of dollars and that institutions, such as the IMF, might not look favourably on a nation that has adopted Bitcoin.”
Green, however, noted that he was giving the move a welcome because the country “chose to be reliant upon a major first-world currency, the U.S. dollar, to complete transactions. But this reliance on another country’s currency also comes with its own set of, often very costly, problems.”
He also stressed the Central American country’s reliance on dollars because it could not print its own money, noting that its economy cannot benefit from the U.S. Federal Reserve’s money-printing agenda.
“Therefore, El Salvador must either borrow or earn the dollars it needs,” he said. “A stronger U.S. dollar can have a crippling impact on emerging-market economies, such as that of El Salvador.”
He further pointed out that “central banks around the world have been devaluing their currencies, while Bitcoin’s supply is not only limited but also new coins are mined at a decreasing rate too.”
On the upside, he believed that El Salvadorans could “find their new adopted currency gives them more purchasing power when they buy from overseas.”
Nigeria’s Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, Dr Isa Ibrahim Pantami, has become a Professor of cybersecurity.
Pantami is among seven Readers (Associate Professors) promoted to professor by the Governing Council of Federal Univerity of Technology Owerri (FUTO) at its 186th meeting held on Friday, August 20, 2021, according to PRNigeria.
Other promoted from Readers to Professor are Dr Okechukwu Onyelucheya of Chemical Engineering, Dr Alex I. Opara (Geology), Dr Conrad Enenebeaku (Chemistry), Dr Chikwendu Okereke (Geology), Dr Lawence Ettu (Civil Engineering) and Dr Godfrey Emeghara (Maritime Management Technology).
Pantami who recently bagged the Security and Emergency Management Award (SAEMA) on Cybersecurity had lectured at Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University (ATBU), Bauchi, on ICT, before joining the Islamic University of Madinah as Head of Technical Writing in 2014.
He was appointed the Director-General and CEO of the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA) in 2016, before he was appointed the Minister of Communications and Digital Economy on 21 August 2019.
Pantami’s past call to Jihad and unalloyed support for murderous groups like the Taliban and Al-Qaeda portray him as a dyed-in-the-wool Islamic fundamentalist.
Yet, President Muhammadu Buhari appointed him as communications minister to control the country’s massive data and telephone infrastructure and other sensitive details of national intelligence.
The President also recently stood by the minister after his past support for terrorist groups became public knowledge.
“This jihad is an obligation for every single believer, especially in Nigeria,’’ Pantami said in one of his vicious preachings in the 2000s.
“Oh God, give victory to the Taliban and al-Qaeda (Allahumma’ nṣur Ṭālibān wa-tanẓīm al Qā‘ida).”
No fewer than three persons have been abducted from their home in Pegi community in the Kuje Area Council of the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja.
The incident, it was gathered, happened late Saturday.
The kidnapped persons were said to be mother and daughters.
Our correspondent gathered that the father, a pastor, was away when the attack happened.
A resident of the area, who gave his name simply as Eze, said the armed men scaled the fence and broke the door.
“The bandits came to pastor’s house at a resettlement area in Zone A. They were all women in the house when they came. They were heavily armed. They forced their way in and took them away,” he said.
The father and the husband of the victims, Pastor Gabriel Oladapo, said, “The bandits cut my fence’s barb wire and scaled the fence.
“They destroyed my burglar-proof windows, as well as the door to gain access to the house.
“The incident happened around 11pm on Saturday. They took away my daughters and wife. I was not in the house when the attack happened.”
Oladapo, who said the bandits had yet to reach out, urged security agencies to ensure the release of his wife and children.
The Chairman Pegi Community Development Association, Taiwo Aderibigbe, lamented the recurring cases of kidnapping in the area.
“It is worrisome that the kidnapping ravaging our community has yet to be crushed by security personnel. We are calling on all and sundry to come to our aid,” he said.
The spokesman for the FCT Police Command, ASP Daniel Ndiparya, confirmed the incident, saying, “Efforts are being made by the command to ensure that the victims are rescued.”
The Nigerian government has rejected Sunday’s toppling of the Alpha Condé regime in Guinea.
The country’s foreign ministry on Sunday said the putsch was a violation of the ECOWAS protocol to which Guinea is signatory to.
“The Nigerian government is saddened by the apparent coup d’etat that has taken place in the Republic of Guinea today, in clear violation of the ECOWAS Protocol on Democracy and Good Governance,” the ministry said in a statement.
“The government of Nigeria strongly condemns and rejects any unconstitutional change of government and therefore calls on those behind the coup to restore constitutional order without delay and protect lives and property.”
Also, in a tweet, UN Secretary-General, António Guterres, also condemned “any takeover of the government by force of the gun.” He called for “the immediate release of President Alpha Condé.”
Members of an elite military corp led by Mamady Doumbouya, a colonel, had opened fire on the Presidential Palace in the capital, Conakry, and taken President Alpha Condé into custody.
The military officials later said they had taken control of the French speaking West African country in an apparent coup.
The dissenting military official were believed to have staged the coup on the heels of a move by the parliament to increase the salaries of politicians while slashing the budget for security forces.
Others believe his alteration of the constitution to pave way for his third term agenda did not go down too well with the military echelon, in a country with long history of coup d’etat.
Some say the putsch was fanned by the level of poverty in the country despite being home to the world’s largest reserves of bauxite, the main source of aluminum for cars, beer cans and foil wrap.
In a video circulating on Facebook, Mr Condé flanked by masked men in military fatigues, was asked by a soldier: “Excellency, have we touched a single hair of yours?” A disinterested Mr Condé gave no response as he looked away from the camera.
In an address on state television, Mr Doumbouya said Mr Condé was in his men’s custody and he warned people to go home.
“If you see the state of our roads, of our hospitals — it’s time for us to wake up,” he said in the address, with Guinea’s red, yellow and green flag draped on his shoulders.
The colonel promised to broker a transition government that would not harm the nation but “make love” to it.
The coup in Guinea comes barely three months after military officers seized power in neighbouring Mali, marking the second coup d’etat in less than a year.
Super Eagles coach, Gernot Rohr, is worried the absence of UK-based players in his squad could make the team’s fixture against Cape Verde on Tuesday difficult.
The team is depleted ahead of playing away to Cape Verde due to COVID-19 red-alert UK restrictions on the Island country.
Rohr will not have the services of all the Britain-based players, including Leicester City forward Iheanacho, who was ‘Man of the Match’ against Liberia.
Others who would not be available for Tuesday’s tie include defenders Leon Balogun (Glasgow Rangers) and William Ekong (Watford FC).
The rest are midfielders Oghenekaro Etebo (Watford FC), Wilfred Ndidi (Leicester City), Joseph Ayodele-Aribo (Glasgow Rangers), and striker Alex Iwobi (Everton FC).
”We are going to play with another defence, another midfield, and without the goalscorer (Kelechi),” said Rohr. “It is a challenge for the staff and the players. But we have to show our solidarity, and with the 20 players going to Cape Verde, we would be able to make a good team.
But he admitted that they have a huge game in their hands against the Blue Sharks at Estadio Municipal Aderito Sena on the island of Mindelo.
“Some players are leaving because they cannot travel to Cape Verde, and it’s not going to be easy to build a new team in two days,” explained the 68-year-old Rohr. “We are going to play under two extreme conditions, after playing on heavy grass due to the rain (at the Teslim Balogun Stadium) and then another game on a dry pitch (against Cape Verde).”
Nigeria took command of Group C following a 2-0 home win against Liberia’s Lone Star, courtesy of Kelechi Iheanacho’s brace at the Teslim Balogun Stadium in Lagos on Friday.
Meanwhile, team captain Ahmed Musa will be looking forward to Tuesday’s match with relish since he will be in line for his 100th international cap for Nigeria.
Former Deputy Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, Dr Obadiah Malafia
A former Deputy Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Dr Obadaiah Mailafia has said Nigeria is not fit to be called a nation because of the many actors in control.
The former CBN governor said grace has left Nigeria, reducing the country to the most terrorised and impoverished country in the world.
Mailafia stated this at the Reconciliation House in Akure, Ondo State, during a symposium organised by Forum for Good Governance, of the Towards Revival for All Nations (TRANS 21).
The former CBN governor who spoke on the ‘The Role of the Church in Nation Building’, alleged that there is an ongoing plan to “islamise and Fulanise” Nigeria.
He noted that Boko Haram terrorists now control over half of Niger State, and that Abuja will be easily overrun should they fully take over Niger.
He said, “Nigeria has fallen from the grace to the most terrorised nation in the world. Nigeria cannot be described as a nation because the power is not concentrated in the hands of government alone. There are other blocs that now have power of coersion.”
“The kind of Islam that is coming from Sahara is dangerous. They want to take over your land and enslave you. Christians must rise to protect it.
“In the North East alone, more than 3,000 churches have been destroyed, more than 400 priests and pastors have been killed. And there is a pattern that is reserved only for Christians, and that is beheading,” he said.
South Africa’s former President, Jacob Zuma, jailed in July for contempt of court after snubbing graft investigators, was on Sunday granted medical parole, prison authorities announced.
Zuma has been hospitalised since August 6, at a health facility outside the prison where he was incarcerated for ignoring a court order to testify before a judicial panel probing corruption during his nine-year tenure which lasted until 2018, NDTV reports.
“The Department of Correctional Services (DCS) is able to confirm that Mr Jacob Gedleyihlekisa Zuma has been placed on medical parole,” it said in a statement.
The parole is effective Sunday and he will serve out the rest of the 15-month jail sentence outside jail.
“Medical parole placement for Mr Zuma means that he will complete the remainder of the sentence in the system of community corrections, whereby he must comply with specific set of conditions and will be subjected to supervision until his sentence expires,” it said.
The decision to accord him parole was compelled “by a medical report” the department received, it said.
The 79-year-old was admitted to hospital for observation on August 6 for an undisclosed condition, and underwent a surgical procedure on August 14.
He remains hospitalised.
His long-running corruption trial over an arms deal dating back more than two decades was last month postponed to September 9, pending a medical report on his fitness to stand trial.
Ali Ndume, the Chairman of the Senate Committee on Army, has said insurgents who have been surrendering would disclose their sponsors.
The lawmaker, who represents Borno South Senatorial District, hardly hit by Boko Haram insurgency, mentioned that the surrendered terrorists will be useful in providing information to security agencies in order to end the insurgency.
“Most of them will disclose those who were their sources or their sponsors if any, and where they are getting the equipment or the arms and ammunition they have been using and they will be useful in providing information to our security agencies in order to finish the business at hand and that is winning the war,” Mr Ndume said to reporters after meeting President Muhammadu Buhari on Friday.
He added, “I think we are getting there because they themselves had the number, the number coming up to surrender is always increasing. I know in Cameroon, over 1000 of them surrendered and most of them are Nigerians. The Borno State Government is making arrangements.
Senator Ndume said the surrendered insurgents cannot be assimilated back into the society with proper vetting according to global best practices.
“What I’m saying initially, and I still maintain this position, is that as much as we welcome the surrender of Boko Haram, it is very important that we follow the due process, according to the law of the land and the international law.
“That is to say, take them in, profile them, process them, investigate them, interrogate them and then those that are innocent, should be let go, and those that have blood in their hands, they should be appropriately prosecuted,” he said.
Senator Ndume emphasised that the Borno State Governor, Professor Babagana Zulum, alongside other stakeholders were working on how best to handle the situation.
“As I said, the governor is on top of the situation. The people are carried along, even the victims are being carried along.
Last week, Professor Zulum met with security chiefs and others Borno citizens to discuss how to handle the issue of the surrendered insurgents. At the end of the meeting, it was said that the Borno people had agreed to forgive and let go.
But Mr Ndume says the matter was beyond just forgiveness.
“It’s not the forgiving that is the problem, it is the issue of if you forgive somebody that has done something so horrendous like that, and you are not sure that he’s not coming back or see repentance and all that.
“Besides, as I said, if somebody has blood in his hand, and it’s not your blood, do you have the right to say, ‘go, you are forgiven?, he said.
Speaking further, Senator Ndume explained that the Nigerian intelligence services are well trained to obtain required information from the surrendered terrorist.
“That is what the intelligence agencies are trained to do. We have well-trained intelligence personnel in various armed forces and security agencies,” he said.
“In Nigeria, we have good intelligence officers that if they are given the chance and they are given the time, they will go deep into it to find out and that’s why I say as they surrender, they are taken in and be processed and attention should be on the victims,” the senator said.
