Reps ask FG to declare state of emergency on kidnapping.

   The House of Representatives on Wednesday called on the Federal Government to declare a state of emergency on kidnapping in the country to curb escalating kidnapping cases.

It said the police, the armed forces and telecommunications service providers should also convene a national security summit to find urgent solutions to rising kidnapping incidents.

   Aside identifying the harsh economic realities of today as a factor, members observed that criminals found kidnapping to be “more lucrative these days than armed robbery.”

A member from Ondo State, Mr. Babatunde Kolawole, had raised the issue on the floor under matters of urgent public importance to set a debate in motion.

   Leading the debate on his motion, titled, “Need for the Federal Government to declare a state of emergency on kidnapping in the country”, the All Progressives Congress lawmaker stated, “In the last 10 years, the incidence of kidnapping for ransom in the country has escalated to a very disturbing level and has reached a point where no one is safe anymore.”

   He said available statistics indicated that in 2013 for example, “Nigeria had the most kidnap attempts in the world, accounting for 26 per cent of all such recorded incidents, followed by Mexico with 10 per cent and Pakistan with 7per cent.”

    Kolawole reeled out a list of major kidnapping incidents in the country.

Members endorsed the motion in a unanimous voice vote at the session, which was presided over by the Speaker, Mr. Yakubu Dogara.

Recession result of military interference in governance – Akande.

   The former Interim Chairman of the All Progressives Congress, Chief Bisi Akande, has blamed the current economic crisis in the country on the military incursion into politics and governance which he said entrenched a  culture of laziness, corruption and lawlessness.

Judges arrest : Fight against corruption, not judiciary – Lai Mohammed

   The Federal Government on Wednesday said it was not unusual to step on sensitive toes in its current fight against corruption.

The Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, said this in an interview with State House correspondents at the end of a meeting of the Federal Executive Council presided over by President Muhammadu Buhari at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.

Declare state of emergency on workers’ welfare –NLC.

   The Anambra  State chapter of the Nigeria Labour Congress on Friday asked the Federal Government to declare a state of emergency on  workers’ welfare in the country.

Group urges Buhari to probe PENCOM over alleged fraudulent practices.

   The Centre for Public Accountability,CPA, has urged President Muhammadu Buhari to order an immediate investigation into an allegation of sundry fraudulent practices in the National Pensions Commission, PENCOM.

In a petition addressed to the president and signed by its Executive Director, Comrade Olufemi Lawson, the group stated that the petition is to bring to the president’s attention the long list of infractions, mismanagement and maladministration that is ongoing at the commission under the leadership of Mrs. Chinelo Anohu-Amazu.

Economy will bounce back, Buhari assures Nigerians.

   President Muhammadu Buhari has saluted Nigerians for their steadfastness in spite of the difficult economic times confronting the country.

Buhari, in his Eid-el-Kabir message to Nigerians released in Abuja on Sunday, gave the assurance that his administration would get the economy right.

Hunger will last longer than expected in Nigeria – Audu Ogbeh.

   The Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Chief Audu Ogbeh, on Tuesday stated that hunger as well as the economic recession Nigerians are currently experiencing will last longer than expected.

Ogbeh, however, noted that the situation might be salvaged if Nigeria pursues farming vigorously.

We are aware of your pains, Buhari tells Nigerians.

   President Muhammadu Buhari has said that he and members of his cabinet are aware of the pains Nigerians are going through.

The President, who said  ‘change’ was aimed at restoring the nation on the path of integrity and prosperity said this in Osogbo on Thursday at the

Senate will investigate IDPs’ hunger crisis – Saraki.

   Following last Thursday’s protest by hundreds of women from camps in Borno State, President of the Senate, Dr. Abubakar Bukola Saraki, on Saturday stated that the Senate will investigate the severe hunger and nutrition crisis in IDP camps in the North East.

Dwindling economy: Buhari should eat the humble pie and invite the likes of Okonji-Iweala – Hon. Kaze

   A former member of the House of Representatives and a chieftain of the Peoples Democratic Party, Hon. Bitrus Kaze, in an interview with Daily Post, has advised President Muhammadu Buhari, to eat the humble pie and reach out to the likes of former Minister of Finance, Ngozi Okonji Iweala, whom he said had distinguished herself globally, to help the nation come out of its current dwindling economy.

22 ex-militants qualify as aircraft engineers.

   The Presidential Amnesty Office on Friday said 22 beneficiaries of its foreign education programme had graduated as Aircraft Maintenance Engineers and had returned to the country.
The Special Adviser to the President on Niger Delta and the Coordinator of Presidential Amnesty Programme, Brig.-Gen. Paul Boroh, disclosed this in an interview in Abuja.

If we fix the Niger Delta, we have fixed Nigeria’s economy – Bayelsa SSG.

   The Bayelsa State government has intensified its protest against the exclusion of the state from the recent appointment of Ambassadors, saying such actions would not augur well for the Nigerian economy.

   The Secretary to the State Government, David Serena-Dokubo Spiff, made the observation during the just concluded 56th Bar Conference of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) in Port Harcourt, Rivers State capital.

Kaduna targets N3.5bn monthly IGR.

    The Kaduna State Commissioner  for Budget and Planning, Muhammad Abdullahi has said that the State Government is targeting N3.5 billion monthly Internally Generated Revenue.

Abdullahi said that the state generated N1.6 billion in July, which doubled the N700 million and N800 million generated in November and December in 2015.

   He said, “We think Kaduna State can generate N3.5 billion a month and we

Buhari clueless for seeking emergency power – Ekiti PDP.

   The Peoples Democratic Party in Ekiti State has criticised President Muhammadu Buhari for seeking emergency powers from the National Assembly to manage the economy.

The party said it was a “clear manifestation of the clueless and confused nature” of the people at the helm of affairs.

   It also noted that such an “embarrassing and authoritarian demand” was an indication that the ruling All Progressives Congress is incapable of delivering on its promises and is therefore seeking excuses for its poor

Retired Church leaders berate Buhari over killings by herdsmen, appointments.

   After Service Leadership Forum (ASLF), a body of retired leaders of major denominations in Nigeria, has reacted to some issues of national interest, with a call on office holders to make life more meaningful for Nigerians.

   In a communique issued yesterday after its inaugural meeting in Abuja to review the state of the nation and the church, the forum applauded the strides government is making to arrest corruption as a national lifestyle.

The communique hailed the relative containment of Book Haram insurgency

   Continuing, “We note the re-insurgence of the activities of the militants in the Niger Delta and call on Government to re-appraise its response to minimize loss of lives and property. We recommend that the various groups in that region be engaged proactively.

“We are concerned about the state of the economy of the nation and call on Government to take more drastic steps to reverse the trend and reduce the poverty and sufferings of our people. A virile and credible economic team should be put in place without further delay.

“We deplore and find grossly unacceptable the prevailing state of nonpayment of salaries and pensions across many states in Nigeria.

“We strongly deplore the slow response of Government to the activities of Fulani herdsmen and urge the Federal Government to be more transparent in containing the menace of this group.

“We note that the current appointments by the Federal Government do not reflect our national spread and religious persuasion. Government must be sensitive to Federal Character principle as enshrined in our constitution in the appointment of leaders of Government institutions and parastatals.

“We would work strategically for the unity of the church in Nigeria; the church shall develop and adopt a more strategic approach for the raising and nurturing of sustainable servant leadership within the church and polity in Nigeria.

“The Church shall become more deliberate in the biblical training of its pastors and the raising of kingdom minded Christians; and the church shall no longer tolerate further acts of injustice against its members and killing of innocent citizens in Nigeria”.

Ortom revokes amnesty granted to wanted criminal, Akwaza.

   The Benue Government on Monday revoked the amnesty granted to former coordinator of the state amnesty programme, Terwase Akwaza, on grounds of jettisoning the programme.

Dr Bem Meladu, the acting Secretary to the State Government (SSG), who addressed
journalists at the end of the Security Council meeting, said the actions of Akwaza, showed that he had renounced the amnesty granted him.

He said the former amnesty chief had been linked with various crimes in the state,

Corruption war: Probe all ex-public officers – Group tells Buhari

The Global Action Against Corruption and Bad Leadership Initiative (GAAC-BLI), an NGO, has called for mandatory scrutiny of tenures of former public officers.

Its Executive Secretary, Mr. Denis Aghanya, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lagos on Monday that such scrutiny of public officers’ performance would help to institutionalise the culture of accountability and transparency.

You lied, share pictures of militants killed in your Arepo air operation – Niger Delta Avengers dare Nigerian Military.

   The Niger Delta Avengers, NDA, has criticized the Nigerian Military over its recent raid on suspected militants’ base in Lagos and Ogun State respectively.

Recall that security forces in a combined operation had commenced attack on the hideout of suspected vandals and militants in some border towns of Lagos and Ogun State.

   The Nigerian Air Force also conducted a five-day air raid with footage showing how missiles from its jets were release into the enclaves of suspected militants in Arepo area of Ogun state.

   But the separatist group which has claimed responsibility for several attacks on pipeline installations across the Niger Delta region, challenged the Nigerian army to show footage of militants killed during its operation.

In a statement by its spokesman, self-styled Brig-Gen. Mudock Agbinbo, NDA warned that it cannot be intimidated by the military.

   The statement reads, “The Nigeria military is playing some war game on some illegal bunkering camps and showing video of how they carry out the bombardment. That is so unprofessional don’t think they can intimidate the NDA with those scarp jet bombers. They can deploy fourth generation jet-bombers that will not stop us from fighting for our people.

“We challenge the military to share with the public the militants killed in the so-called air strike. We are very sure they won’t share the images of militants killed because none was killed except innocent women and children.

“What we are saying is the country should be restructured. The call for restructuring of Nigeria has gone beyond the NDA. The only group of persons against the restructuring is the Villa. The federal government should just listen to the voice of the citizens instead of playing the deaf ear game.”

Mbaka attacks Buhari, says Nigerians are hungry

   Enugu Catholic priest, and Spiritual Director of the Adoration Ministry, Enugu State, Rev. Fr. Ejike Mbaka, has warned President Muhammadu Buhari that Nigerians will not vote for him in 2019 if he does not address the high level of hunger and suffering  in the country.

Mbaka has been one of Buhari’s most vocal supporters since he asked Nigerians to reject the incumbent, Goodluck Jonathan of the Peoples Democratic Party during the 2015 presidential pol and predicted Buhari’s victory.

   But, in a surprising turn of events, Mbaka attacked Buhari in a recent message, details of which were obtained by journalists on Tuesday night.

In the message, Mbaka noted that there was too much suffering in the country, and faulted the President for not appointing the right people.

He also accused the President of listening to the wrong advice.

The message partly read, “The issue is that Mbaka is speaking as the Spirit leads him – there is hunger everywhere.  My job is to tell leaders the truth, the landlords are crying, the tenants are lamenting, sellers are crying, buyers are lamenting – there is hunger on the streets.

“I can’t keep quiet when things are going wrong.

“I am telling the President to look around him and know those who are advising him rightly and those who are telling him that there is no trouble.

“The President should know that there is trouble – if things continue like this, in the next election, nobody will vote for him.

“Whether they like it or not, I am speaking the raw truth.

“If the President should have somebody like me and he cannot be talking with me, then there is a problem.

“There is a problem somewhere; somebody who can advise you without asking for anything and he is representing the poor masses in the country and he won’t tell you lies.

“He will praise you when you are doing well and when you are not doing well, he will look at you in the face and tell you.”

Continuing, he said, “I don’t need the President; I need God, I need the Holy Spirit, I need Jesus; there is suffering everywhere, people are suffering.

“To feed is now a problem, and an hungry man is an angry man.

“Hunger and anger will lead to danger.

“So, let him know whether he can do away with some advisers around him and bring in the people who are experts in economic revamp.

“There are people who are experts in that; let them begin to empower people, people are not empowered, they are still walking around in vicious circles, planning and planning and planning.”

Mbaka said there were  no spaces left in mortuaries across the country.

“Hunger is everywhere, many neighbours don’t eat again, many are being attacked by hunger, hunger is becoming a normal thing and there are people responsible for this.

“Mortuary and ambulance business is now thriving because many cannot afford drugs.

“In today’s Nigeria, many are becoming hawkers, who will buy from you, with what?

“Everyday, more pipelines  are being blown, the Avengers are at work and up till now, there is no solution.

“You know when certain things begin to happen, you begin to ask some questions, somebody like me will begin to ask – when will this end?

“If it continues in the next three months, there will be no money to pay salaries – the vicious effect is disastrous and when salaries cannot be paid, teachers will come home, students will stop going to school, there will be more kidnappings, more hooliganism, more armed robbery, more prostitution, immorality will be on the increase.”

   He urged Buhari to sit up and stop going after the leadership of the Senate.

Mbaka equally bemoaned the continuous depreciation in the value of the naira.

“So, the President should sit up – there is a red light blinking on the country.

“The issue of Saraki and Ekweremadu, nobody wants to listen to such stories any more, whether Saraki is the President of the Senate or Ekweremadu is not this or that, the countrymen are tired of such stories.

“We need economic experts, gurus, sages that are sincere, who can come in and think about our economic revamp and judicial reformation.”

‎Edo NULGE to begin indefinite strike Wednesday.

   The Edo State chapter of the Nigerian Union of Local Government Employees has threatened to embark on an indefinite strike on Wednesday over the non-payment of salary arrears of workers in the state.

The State Chairman of NULGE, Edward Ilenikhena, disclosed this to The PUNCH on Tuesday in Benin, the state capital. 

   He explained that workers in the 18 local government councils were owed salary arrears between two to 18 months‎, with Egor local government council having the highest backlog of unpaid salaries.

According to him, the union would stage a mass protest in Benin, after which the strike would commence.

“Effective tomorrow, we are ‎embarking on a mass protest in Benin, after which we will proceed on an indefinite strike,” he said on the telephone.

The state government had on May 1 promised to intervene in the payment of outstanding salary arrears of Egor workers, after the council was omitted from the bailout the state received from the federal government.

But Ilenikhena said, “Those were just statements; the promise started right from May 1. As we speak, even the seventh-month bailout he (governor) said he would apply for them, none has been implemented.

   However, with less than six weeks to the September 10 governorship election, he noted that ‎though the union would not influence the voting pattern of its members, they were not satisfied with the current development.

He said, “The decision is their own; we do not have permanent voter cards for the union. But I cannot even ‎visit them in any of their LGAs because of the anger they have over the salaries not being paid to them.”