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A NATION IN SEARCH OF VINDICATION.

Christmas 2020 Message

Matthew Hassan KUKAH

Bishop of the Catholic Diocese of Sokoto

  1. Another Christmas with Dark Clouds of Death:

Let me paraphrase the holy prophet Isaiah who said: “For Jerusalem (Nigeria’s sake), I will not be silent until her vindication shines forth like the dawn…..No more shall people call you forsaken, or your land desolate, but you shall be called my delight and your land espoused.” (Is. 62:1,4).

Against the backdrop of our endless woes, ours has become a nation wrapped in desolation. The prospects of a failed state stare us in the face: endless bloodletting, a collapsing economy, social anomie, domestic and community violence, kidnappings, armed robberies etc. Ours has become a house of horror with fear stalking our homes, highways, cities, hamlets and entire communities. The middle grounds of optimism have continued to shift and many genuinely ask, what have we done to the gods? Does Nigeria have a future? Where can we find hope? Like the Psalmist, we ask; from where shall come our help? (Ps.121:1).

Whatever the temptations to despair, we cannot to give up. When the Psalmist asked where help shall come from, he answered that it will come from the Lord. Therefore, like Zachariah, the father of John the Baptist, we Priests must stand before the mercy seat of God and plead the cause of our great country (Lk. 1:8). Like Abraham, we must plead for the Lord to save our nation because we have more than ten righteous men (Gen. 18: 16ff). Like Moses, we believe that as long as our hands are held up in prayer, the Lord will be on our side ( Ex. 17:11). These are trying but life changing moments in the history of our nation. Politics and Economics alone will not resolve our problems. There is enough hate and bitterness to go around. We need to pause, reflect, pray, be honest and courageous in facing tomorrow.

Yes, our dreams have been aborted. Yes, our commonwealth has been stolen. Yes, our cancer of corruption has metastasized. Yes, we have been guilty of patricide, fratricide and attempted even suicide. Yes, we are hungry, angry, thirsty and starving. Yet, we stand firmly with the unshaken belief that no matter the temptations, the world has known worst times. These may be the worst of times, but for men and women of faith, they could be the best of times. We must stand firm and resolute because, our redeemer liveth (Job 19:25).

2: Annus Mirabilis or Annus Horribilis?
The roads to the graveyards are busier than those to the farms. Amidst the wails and laments, I hear the congregants saying; the world is coming to an end, it has never been so bad. Yes, people are dying, but they are not dying more now than they did in recent years. It is the social media and its connectivity that has given us a sense of greater urgency and added to our seeming despair with the way things are. The social media is value neutral. It depends on what we make of it. Its instantaneous impact is often times dizzyingly traumatic, but the other benefits more than compensate. In a way, the choices we make will help us decide whether this year is our annus mirabilis or annus horribilis.

When Isaac Newton, at the age of 23, made the spectacular discoveries in the areas of Calculus, Motion, Optics, and Gravitation, the year of those discoveries, 1666, was referred to as, annus mirabilis, the year of joy. On the other hand, in 1992, when the marriages of three of her children collapsed, Queen Elizabeth in her Christmas address referred to that year as her annus horribilis, the year of horror. As such, notwithstanding all the earth shaking impact of the Covid-19, our own individual, communal and national tragedies, it is not just a choice between annus mirabilis and annus horribilis. At various levels, there have been grey areas of hope, flickers of light, achievement and so on. It to these flickers of hope that we must cling tenaciously.

For our son, Anthony Joshua, the loss of his title to Andy Ruis on June 1, 2019 after 25 fights without a loss, that year was his annus horribilis. When he pummeled Kubrat Pulev, this year became his annus mirabilis. Things change and, joy or sorrow, we must know that nothing lasts forever. What matters is how we handle failure.

3: Another Christmas in Cloud of Doom:
Not unexpectedly, this Christmas is again coming against a backdrop of so much pain, sorrow and uncertainty in our land. We all seem to have become sedated and inured to pain. Tragedy has been standing as our gate keeper. For over ten years now, at almost each Christmas, a dark pall of horror, sorrow and death has consistently hung in our horizon threatening to eclipse the promises of the joy of Christmas. Recall the bombing of St. Theresa’s Catholic Church, Madalla on Christmas day in 2011. In the wake of the Christmas day bombing, I issued a statement titled, An Appeal to Nigerians. In the statement which enjoyed a wide circulation, I stated: All of this should cause us to pause and ponder about the nature of the force of evil that is in our midst and appreciate the fact that contrary to popular thinking, we are not faced with a crisis or conflict between Christians and Muslims. Rather, like the friends of Job, we need to humbly appreciate the limits of our human understanding. Terror is a product of hate, but while hate tries to divide us, terror and death should pull us together.

4: Is Government in Suspended Animation?:
As our country drifts almost rudderless, we seem like people travelling without maps, without destination and with neither Captain nor Crew. Citizens have nowhere to turn to. After he assumed power, a delegation of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference had audience with President Buhari. In the course of our discussion, the President shared with us his frustration over the state of decay and rut that he had met. In frustration, I vividly recalled him saying that, from the decay and neglect, it seemed as if preceding governments had been doing nothing but just eating and going to the toilet! Looking back, one might conclude that those were happy times because at least there was food to eat and people could go to the toilet. Now, a journey to the toilet is considered by the poor an extra luxury. Our country’s inability to feed itself is one of the most dangerous signs of state failure and a trigger to violence.

5: Breaking the Ice: From Chibok through Dapchi to Kankara:
The sleepy town of Kankara, just 130 kilometers outside Katsina, like Chibok and Dapchi before it, has leapt into prominence not because they now have potable water, electricity or any dramatic improvement in the quality of their lives. Rather, it is because of large footprints of the evil men who have passed through their terrain. As always, we were unsure of how many children were missing: 80, 820, 800, 500, 520, 333, 320,no one knew. The numbers kept changing between the government and Boko Haram. The story of Chibok and Dapchi was for some time, a metaphor that exposed the vulnerability of the girl child. Kankara has added to the mix and now we have to face the mortal dangers of the Nigerian child in northern Nigeria. The Almajiri is the poster child of the horrible and inhuman conditions of the northern child. It is a best kept secret that the region refuses to confront but it has now exposed its underbelly. Now, what next for the children of the north? In another ten or twenty years, these children will be leaders in their communities. What will they remember and how will they remember? Their fate and future are a dream deferred, a nightmare that will be ignited by the fire next time.

We thank God that the children have been returned safely. This is the easy part. The challenge now is how to deal with the scars inflicted by a derelict nation which is still unable or unwilling to protect its citizens. Yes, we commend the federal and state governments for the rescue operation. The larger issues now are whether the federal government understands the evil web of intrigues into which Boko Haram has tied it. Will the federal government continue to reward and fund Boko Haram by playing its game? How long can this circle of deceit last for given that every kidnap merely strengthens their arsenal? The men of darkness have shown far greater capacity to shock and awe a forlorn nation by constantly blindsiding us all. When will it all end?

6: A Nation in Search of Vindication:
This government owes the nation an explanation as to where it is headed as we seem to journey into darkness. The spilling of this blood must be related to a more sinister plot that is beyond our comprehension. Are we going to remain hogtied by these evil men or are they gradually becoming part of a larger plot to seal the fate of our country?

President Buhari deliberately sacrificed the dreams of those who voted for him to what seemed like a programme to stratify and institutionalise northern hegemony by reducing others in public life to second class status. He has pursued this self-defeating and alienating policy at the expense of greater national cohesion. Every honest Nigerian knows that there is no way any non-Northern Muslim President could have done a fraction of what President Buhari has done by his nepotism and gotten away with it. There would have been a military coup a long time ago or we would have been at war. The President may have concluded that Christians will do nothing and will live with these actions. He may be right and we Christians cannot feel sorry that we have no pool of violence to draw from or threaten our country. However, God does not sleep. We can see from the inexplicable dilemma of his North.

7: Nepotism and the Worship of False Gods:
It is curious that President Buhari’s partisanship and commitment to reinforcing the foundations of northern hegemony have had the opposite consequences. For a long time, beyond the pall of politics, very prominent northerners with a conscience have raised the red flag, pointing out the consequences of President Buhari’s nepotism on national cohesion and trust. With time, as hunger, poverty, insecurity engulfed the north, the President’s own supporters began to despair and lament about the state of their collective degradation. Was this not supposed to be their song? The north that the President sought to privilege has become a cauldron of pain and a valley of dry bones. Today, the north itself is crying the most and why not? No one has suffered as much as they have and continue to. The helplessness is palpable and the logic is incomprehensible.

One Northern Imam after the other have posted videos of lamentation on the social media asking why, with all the cards of power in the hands of northern Muslims, everything is bursting in the seams. How come our region has become a cesspool of blood and death? Why did President Buhari hand over a majority of the plum jobs to Northern Muslims? Was it for efficacy and efficiency? What was the logic? President Buhari must pause and turn around because his policy of nepotism has been rejected by the gods.

During the Endsars Protests, the north pretended that it was ensconced from the pain that was driving the protests and that they had nothing to complain about. The northern elites claimed that the protests were part of a plot by Christians to overthrow a northern, Muslim government. Their sentiments false, but understandable. However, it turned out to be the lull before the storm. The dam soon broke as the bandits tightened their grip on the region as the spiral of kidnappings, abductions and killings of innocent citizens intensified.

The North spurn into denouement: the idea of a united north seems to have ended. The northern Governors’ Forum has split into the three zones. With the killings, kidnappings and abductions of Emirs and other traditional rulers in the north, the signals have gone out that no one is safe and nothing is sacred. In the wake of the Endsars protests, the traditional rulers across the country assembled to express solidarity with the President. Then it all changed. The Emir of Katsina, the President’s home state, only recently said; We cannot continue to live like animals. I have not seen this type of country. His Eminence, the Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Sa’ad Abubakar said that the north has now become the worst part of the entire country. The Senate whose leadership is almost totally dominated by Northern Muslims has raised alarm. The Northern Elders’ Forum has called on the President to resign. Has the politics of nepotism run its course? Perhaps, the spirit of Christmas should offer us an answer.

8: A People that Walked in Darkness has Seen a Great Light.
The rut and decay in our country today is evidence of a people who have not yet seen the light. The experience of northern Nigeria is evidence that nepotism is a counterfeit currency. The nation must therefore now pull together. It is not enough to blame the military. After all, they neither run the economy or the bureaucracy. It is not enough to blame even the political class or even the President alone. We found our way here by the choices we have made as a nation over time.

Indeed, the colonialists claimed that they were bringing light to a dark continent. In a way, despite the cost, we could see ingredients of their light; good education, running water, relatively good roads, security, among others. We finally accepted Democracy as the platform for actualizing these. However, today, there is evidence that we have literally returned to the cave, those times when life was brutish, nasty and short. Each and every one of us has contributed to the darkness of our nation. The light of Christ which we all received at baptism calls on us to act in the mind of Christ. To be a follower of Christ is to be in his footsteps. This moment calls on us as Christians to celebrate the simplicity of Christ represented in Christmas. Joy to the world, the Lord has come, the song says. Jesus has offered us a roadmap. We are challenged to bring light into the darkness of our society.

Darkness has its own logic. St Paul reminds us without Chris, our lives are characterised by; immorality, filthy and indecent actions, worship of idols and witchcraft. People become enemies and they fight, they become jealous, angry, and ambitious. They separate into parties and groups, they are envious, get drunk and have orgies (Gal. 5: 19-21). When it is dark, we cannot see our way and we stumble. Nigeria has stumbled so much. It is time to for us to turn on the light of the torch. Each of us can make a change.

9: Wailers and Redeemers:
Finally, today, amidst the pains and the trials, we can say with the Psalmist: Our tears have become our bread (Ps. 43:2). We have no reason to doubt that at the fulfilment of time, in His own time, the Lord will dispense justice to our nation. It will come as day follows light.

Our brother Femi Adesina, a Pastor of the Four Square Gospel Church was right when he referred to those who were calling attention to our situation as Wailers. The wailing started quite early in the day. To the herdsmen across Nigeria whose cattle have been lost to rustlers, bandits, or lightening, the Prophet Zechariah said: There is a sound of a shepherd’s wail for their glory has been ruined (Zech 11:3). To the thousands of widows left to mourn their husbands or children across our country, the Prophet Jeremiah is saying; Send for the wailing women, that they may come! Let them make haste and take up a wailing for us, that our eyes may shed tears and our eyelids flow with water (Jer. 9: 17). For our hapless nation overrun by bandits? Prophet Jeremiah still says; A voice is heard in Ramah, mourning and great weeping, Rachel weeping for her children and refusing to be comforted, because they are no more (Jer. 31:15).

So, Pastor Adesina was right. On the sad situation in Nigeria, the United Nations has wailed. The Pope has wailed. Cardinals, Archbishops, Bishops, Priests, Pastors have wailed. Emirs have wailed. Politicians have wailed. The Sultan has wailed. Surely, it is time for the Lord to hear the wailer as they have sung their redemption songs. With St. Paul, I say: The hour has come for you to wake up from your slumber because our salvation is nearer now than when we first believed. The night is nearly over the day is almost here, so let us put aside the deeds of darkness and put on the armor of light. (Rom. 13:11-12). Let us unite and seek the Lord in sincerity because the Lord will vindicate the righteous.

Happy Christmas to you all.

Controversies Trail Appointment Of 40 FCT Magistrates Without List In Public Space

The Chief Judge of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Hon. Justice Ishaq Usman Bello has reportedly sworn-in 40 persons as Magistrates which is conspicuously said not to be in line with due process.

BACKGROUND FACTS

TheNigeriaLawyer(TNL), gathered that the 40 persons were appointed as Magistrates without a public notice to that effect, thereby, making the entire process esoteric.

In addition, it was also gathered that they were sworn-in on Monday, 21st day of December, 2020 at the Multidoor Dispute Resolution Centre, Gudu.

As at the time of filing this report, there is no public notice regarding the appointment of these persons and their names are yet to be made public.

THENIGERIALAWYER’S REQUEST & RESPONSE OF FCT JUDICIARY STAFF

TheNigeriaLawyer in an effort to get the names of the appointed Magistrates, reached out to the SA to the FCT Chief Judge, Enenche Eleojo KSM, who stated that he was not in possession of the list and provided the contact number Office of the Secretary, FCT Judiciary Services Committee, Mr. Yusuf.

Meanwhile, in a telephone conversation with Mr. Yusuf, when he was asked to make the list available, he noted that “there are some documentations still ongoing regarding their appointments”.

He however added that “hopefully by next week”, it should be out after every appointed Magistrate has been handed a letter of appointment.

Also, reacting to why appointment letter may not have preceded their swearing-in, he said “they have been sworn in and after swearing-in, there is need for their documentation”, adding that one “can’t document them without being sworn in”.

Additionally, he noted that they would have been documented if not for the holiday but added that hopefully by next week, “their postings for attachment” will be done and thus, the authorization to release the list can be given.

NBA LACKS KNOWLEDGE OF THE APPOINTMENT

Findings by TheNigeriaLawyer revealed that the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) Branches in FCT, Abuja were not put on notice regarding the appointment nor were their inputs sought in attesting to the fitness and competency of the candidates.

NBA Abuja (Unity Bar), Gwagalada Branches all confirmed that they have no knowledge of the said appointment.

The Chairman of NBA Abuja (Unity Bar), Bulus Atsen, said he had no information about the appointment but he got to know about the swearing-in on the very day the event was ongoing at Multidoor Dispute Resolution Centre.

The Gwagalada Branch Chair, Isah Abubakar Aliyu, stated that although, he has not been to the office but if at all there is a notice to that effect, he would have been aware. But as at the time of this report, none has been given.

However, efforts made to speak with the Bwari Branch Chairman was unsuccessful.

A lawyer who does not want his name to appear on media noted, that the appointment is suspected to be laced with an element of nepotism since up till now the names of the newly sworn-in magistrates are yet to be brought to the public domain.

One of the members of the Excos, in FCT, stated:

“The appointment cannot be said to have fulfilled due process and in compliance with the relevant procedures. “This appointment might not have fulfilled due process and in compliance with the relevant procedures. This is because NBA is a relevant institution in the appointment of Magistrates and that the Branch had no input whatsoever in the process of appointment only speaks to the foul play which may have beclouded the entire process.”

A concerned Lawyer who prefer to remain anonymous, expressed his concerns as follows:

“Very unfortunate to hear that over 40 persons were sworn in as Magistrates in different occasions within 2 weeks in FCT without public notice, their names were not even made public for members of the Bar to make input and raise some questions if any. Even their names were hidden from the members of the press until after their swearing-in. I weep for Nigerian Judiciary.”

This, it is believed, a bid to also conceal the attendant public opprobrium likely to greet the appointment, if made public, TNL learned.

THENIGERIALAWYER CONFIRMS

A search conducted by TheNigerialawyer, on social media shows a  photo of Maryam Alhaji Muazu, who was one of the 40 lawyers that were sworn in.

Maryam Alhaji Muazu, whose photo was circulated on social media, was being congratulated by her friends and colleagues for the new appointment.

EARLIER CONTROVERSY ON FCT JUDGES APPOINTMENT VIS-A-VIS MAGISTRATES’ APPOINTMENT

TheNigeriaLawyer recalls that controversies had earlier greeted the recent appointment of some FCT High Court Judges, following a petition written by Open Bar Initiative, alleging that incompetent persons were appointed as Judicial Officers.

It may not be far from the truth that the hitherto appointment not being made public is to boycott the criticism that had earlier beset the appointment of the FCT High Court Judges.

Meanwhile, the retirement of the FCT, CJ will be on the 5th day of January 2021.

Saudi Arabia bans under 18 marriage

Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman. [PHOTO CREDIT: Foreign Policy]

The Saudi Ministry of Justice on Tuesday announced the prohibition of the marriage of persons under 18 years.

It has also set 18 years as the minimum age for marriage, the Saudi Gazette is reporting.

The Minister of Justice and Chairman of the Supreme Judicial Council, Sheikh Walid Al-Samaani, issued the new directive in a circular sent to all the courts in The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

Before now, child marriages are commonplace in Saudi Arabia with one in seven girls marrying before the age of 18. But, Saudi Arabia’s justice minister is changing things up.

In the circular released on Tuesday, the minister directed that marriage requests are to be referred to the specialised court to complete the formalities in line with the Child Protection Law and while implementing the established regulations.

Mr Al-Samaani’s directives are based on paragraph (16/3) of the executive regulations of the Child Protection Law, which says “before conducting marriage contracts one has to make sure that marrying a person under the age of 18 will not harm him or her and achieve their best interests, male or female.”

This is not the first time the Saudi authorities would move to curtail and regulate underage marriages in the country.

In January, the country approved regulations that prohibit marriage for children under 15 years of age. The ban followed a ruling by the kingdom’s Shura Council, which saw two-thirds of the advisory body vote in favour, according to Arab News.

But the new regulations had a few loopholes. It allowed for teens under the age of 18 to tie the knot, if granted approval from a specialised court. Tuesday’s ruling has, however, put a full stop to the marriage of persons under 18 years with clear cut penalties for defaulters. (premiumtimesng)

GOCOP members bemoan death of Bright-Mkpuma

•Ben Bright-Mkpuma

Online publishers under the aegis of the Guild of Corporate Online Publishers (GOCOP) have bemoaned the death of their member, Mr Ben Bright-Mkpuma, publisher of Watchdog Reporters.
Bright-Mkpuma, aged 52, died on Christmas Day in his sleep after battling kidney failure for five years. He was certified dead at Zenith Medical Centre, Gudu, Abuja, where he had been rushed to by his wife, Mrs Margaret Mkpuma very early morning on Christmas Day, when she noticed that he was no longer breathing around 3am.
The Founder/CEO of Sundiata Post Media Ltd, Mr. Max Amuchie, had broken the news of Bright-Mkpuma’s death on the GOCOP WhatsApp platform on Christmas Day.

In his reaction, president of GOCOP, Mr. Dotun Oladipo, said “May his soul rest in peace. So sad. He suffered so much.”
On his part, Mr. Olumide Iyanda, secretary of GOCOP, said “So sorry about this. May all those he left behind find strength and comfort.”
Mr. Collins Edomaruse lamented: “Oh Ben!!! May God give him eternal rest and send a comforter to the family, in Jesus Christ’s mighty name. Amen.
“Our first meeting was 2005 in Switzerland, courtesy of the Swiss government. I saw in him, during our stay, a man that loved good life. RIP, Ben.”

Mr. Horatius Egua noted: “Wow! He suffered for too long. May his soul Rest In Peace. May God comfort his family!”
Ms Maureen Chigbo, Vice President of GOCOP, prayed God to receive Bright-Mkpuma’s soul and give succour to his wife and children.

Mr. Emmanuel Malagu, commented: “So sad a news at this time. May God be with his family. May his soul rest in peace.”

National publicity secretary of GOCOP, Mr. Danlami Nmodu, mni, along with Mr. Victor Onyeka-Ben, Mr Kazeem Akintunde and Mr. Malachy Agbo, pioneer president of GOCOP, prayed God to grant Bright-Mkpuma eternal rest and comfort his family.
Mr. Isaac Umunna informed that: “Ben fought very hard. I can testify to that. He has done his best. Let him rest. My heart goes out to his family.”

Mr. Simon Iro Ibeh said: “The Holy Spirit will comfort all he left behind!! God knows best.”

For Mrs Yemisi Izuora: “May God rest his soul, and may HE Console and Comfort his wife, Amen.”

Segun Adeleye, Raymond Ukaegbu and Michael Simire prayed to God to rest Bright-Mkpuma’s soul.

Bright-Mkpuma was highly regarded and sought after as a financial journalist. Before setting up Watchdog Reporters, he had a glorious career in the media and at various times worked with Financial Standard, Financial Post, The Diet (defunct), Daily Times and ThisDay. He delved into international journalism when he moved to CNBC of South Africa.

Where Is Leah Sharibu, Does She Know It Is Christmas?

In the evening of February 19, 2018, 110 schoolgirls of Government Girls’ Science Secondary School, Dapchi in Yunusari Local Government of Area of Yobe State were abducted by Boko Haram insurgents and taken into grisly captivity.

See How Switzerland Firm Joined In Calling For Her Release
Leah Sharibu

Five of the girls died in the hands of their captors. But after weeks of negotiations between government and the abductors, 104 of the schoolgirls were released except one: Leah Sharibu.

Leah refused to succumb to the vile power of her holders. She refused to deny her faith in return for her freedom. She feared God, not man or weapons of death. She held on to her God and refused to kneel before Baal. Boko Haram held her for refusing to convert.

In April 2018, Leah sent out a message of despair; a desperate call for help. She said: “I am Leah Sharibu, the girl that was abducted in GGSS Dapchi. I am calling on the government and people of goodwill to intervene to get me out of my current situation.”

“I also plead to the members of the public to help my mother, father, my younger brother and relatives. Kindly help me out of my predicament. I am begging you to treat me with compassion. I am calling on the government, particularly the President to pity me and get me out of this serious situation.”

It is yet another Christmas — the third one – but Leah, who was 14 years old at the time of her abduction, will not be receiving gifts from Santa Claus. There have been speculations that the teenager has been killed; that she has been married off to a commander of the terror group and that she is with child. All these are still speculations.

Leah needs closure. Leah’s parents deserve answers; they need to be put out of their agony. Nigerians deserve closure. We cannot all move on when a young girl whose only offence is getting an education and whose government and country have failed.

Where is Leah Sharibu? Does she know it is Christmas?

In October 2018, the President, Major General Muhammadu Buhari (retd.), made a solemn commitment to bring Leah back home to her parents.

He said to Leah’s mother, Rebecca Sharibu: “I convey my emotion, the strong commitment of my administration and the solidarity of all Nigerians to you and your family as we will do our best to bring your daughter home in peace and safety.”

On July 6, 2019, during the Army Day Celebrations at Ikeja Cantonment, Lagos State, Buhari who was represented by Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo rehashed the same vow.

He said: “Let me use this opportunity to reassure the affected families and friends that the Buhari administration will not relent in our efforts to see that all the remaining girls, including Leah Sharibu, are freed and reunited with their families.’’

And on February 19, 2020, the second anniversary of Leah’s abduction, Buhari restated his vow to secure the release of the young girl – after previous failed promises.

He said: “Two years ago, 110 innocent children from the town of Dapchi were taken, against their will, by the terrorists of Boko Haram. 107 survived the ordeal.

Today, all but one – Leah Sharibu – are returned to their families. Now aged 16, Leah remains in the hands of the terrorists – they say because she refuses to renounce her Christian faith.

We say, as the government for and of all Nigerians, that no person has the right to force another to change their faith against their will and that all life is sacred.

“This government continues and seeks to secure the release of all children and captives of terrorists – and we do so regardless of their creed or the name of their creator. As we redouble our efforts for Leah’s return, we can never allow the terrorists to divide us – Christian against Muslim, Muslim against Christian. We are all Sons of Abraham. And all Nigerians have the same worth and rights before the law, and before God.”

Platitudes, sweet words and vacuous vows; that is all the Buhari regime has to show for its rescue effort.

Has the regime really done enough to rescue Leah? No. If she was a daughter of a member of the political class, would the regime abandon her to How come the Buhari regime that is notorious for paying ransom to bandits and insurgents has not been able to deploy all resources and assets to secure Leah’s freedom? Why is there a screaming silence by the regime on Leah? And when will she come home?

A few weeks ago, the United States deployed its elite security team to rescue its citizen – only one citizen — held by bandits in Nigeria. The captive was successfully rescued. A responsible government is one which places value and primacy on the lives of its citizens.

Really, the failure of the Buhari regime to rescue Leah, in particular, and some Chibok girls still in captivity, will remain a blot on the regime and will haunt it long after it is done and gone.

Leah deserves Christmas in the warm hands of her loved ones. How will she know it is Christmas when she is in death’s valley? How can she sing the Lord’s song in captivity?

Source: Punch

COVID-19 vaccine:NY health network faces criminal investigation

Abuja (Sundiata Post) – New York State Health officials said on Saturday they are investigating a Brooklyn-based healthcare provider on suspicion it violated s state guidelines for distribution of COVID-19 vaccine.

ParCare Community Health Network “may have fraudulently obtained COVID-19 vaccine, transferred it to facilities in other parts of the state in violation of state guidelines and diverted it to members of the public – contrary to the state’s plan to administer it first to frontline healthcare workers, as well as nursing home residents and staffers,” state Health Commissioner Howard Zucker said in a statement.

“We take this very seriously and DOH will be assisting State Police in criminal investigation into this matter,” he added.

ParCare said it is cooperating with the state authorities. In a statement the company said it was striving “to provide critical healthcare services and administer COVID-19 vaccinations to those qualified to receive them under the New York State Department of Health’s guidelines, which includes frontline healthcare workers and first responders.”

It posted on its Facebook page on Tuesday photos of the Moderna vaccine, saying its centers had received the treatments that morning, five days after posting that it had “been authorized to distribute” the vaccine for people meeting certain criteria.

“ONE SMALL INJECTION CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE FOR THE ENTIRE COMMUNITY!” it said. (sundiatapost)

Revealed! Why Reps dropped Buhari’s invitation, apologised to Presidency

The House of Representatives is no longer keen on inviting President Muhammadu Buhari to address it on the security challenge in the country, The Nation gathered authoritatively on Saturday.

The House leadership, according to sources, found that the initial invitation had assumed ethnic and political dimension.

It was also learnt that some of the lawmakers behind the motion to invite Buhari had apologised to the Presidency.

They claimed that their motion was not intended to embarrass the President, contrary to insinuations in some quarters.

Some members had sponsored a motion to seek the urgent intervention of the Presidency following the recent killing of 48 farmers in Zabamari, Borno State.

Those who demanded action were Hon. Ahmed Satomi, Hon. Mohammed Tahir Monguno, Hon. Zainab Gimba, Hon. Muktar Betara, Hon. Mallam Bukar Gana, Hon. Haruna Mshelia, Hon. Ahmadu Usman Jaha, Hon. Ibrahim Mohammed Bukar, Hon. Usman Zannah and Hon. Abdulkadir Rahis.

But Ahmadu Usman Jaha said the prayer to invite the President was omitted from the motion read on their behalf by Ahmed Satomi.

The motion to invite Buhari was later adopted by the House, leading to a follow up audience with the President by its leadership.

Although the President initially agreed to appear before the National Assembly, the Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Mr. Abubakar Malami (SAN), said the House lacked the power to summon the President.

The Senate leadership also sharply disagreed with the House and rejected moves to ask the President to address a joint session of the National Assembly.

Despite the legal opinion of the AGF and political stand of the Senate, the Presidency has not been forthcoming on what becomes of the invitation of the President.

Findings by our correspondent however revealed that the House decided to foreclose the invitation following what a source described as the body language of the Presidency.

The source said apart from disagreement between the two chambers, the invitation assumed ethnic and political dimensions in the House.

Some of those behind the motion were shocked at the political colouration given to it.

The House leadership was alleged to have a hidden agenda on the motion with a view to undermining President Buhari.

It was learnt that the invitation was almost sliding into a North-South divide, especially over security reports that the opposition lawmakers wanted to use the invitation to embarrass Buhari.

A principal officer said: “The House of Representatives has foreclosed or dropped any immediate or future plans to invite President Muhammadu Buhari over insecurity in the country because a harmless motion has become political.

“I can tell you that we will no longer revisit the invitation. But we will be interacting with Service Chiefs and other ministers in charge of the nation’s security.

“The opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and its lawmakers capitalised on the motion to cast aspersions on the administration of President Muhammadu Buhari. What we never intended became the issue.

“Some governors and strategists in government insinuated that the House leadership was working for a different political interest. That was why they pulled the strings from the Senate.

“At a point, the row over the invitation was turned into a North-South divide if not for the political dexterity of the House leadership.

“We also got intelligence that some of those lawmakers who sponsored the motion because of Zabamari rice farmers went through the back door to the Presidency to apologise over their insistence that the President must appear before the National Assembly.” (Sundiata Post)

Row as FG accuses Kukah, clerics of plotting Buhari’s removal

Abuja (Sundiata Post) – The Federal Government hit back at the Catholic Bishop of Sokoto Diocese, Dr. Matthew Kukah on Saturday for suggesting that there would have been a military coup or a war in the country if a non-Northern Muslim leader had practised a fraction of the alleged nepotism indulged in by President Muhammadu Buhari.

Information and Culture Minister Lai Mohammed said the statement did not only smack of instigating regime change outside the ballot box but also an open call to anarchy.

Although the minister mentioned no name in his statement, it was clear he was responding to the issues raised by Kukah in his Christmas message released on Friday.

Several groups and individuals joined the fray on Saturday, some supporting Kukah and others speaking in favour of the President.

The opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) believes that Kukah did not say anything new, and asked the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) to take the criticism as a wake-up call.

Mohammed, in his statement on Saturday, asked religious leaders in the country to “refrain from stoking the embers of hatred and disunity.”

He said while religious leaders have a responsibility to speak truth to power, such truth must not come “wrapped in anger, hatred, disunity and religious disharmony.”

He added: “It is particularly graceless and impious for any religious leader to use the period of Christmas, which is a season of peace, to stoke the embers of hatred, sectarian strife and national disunity.

”Calling for a violent overthrow of a democratically-elected government, no matter how disguised such a call is, and casting a particular religion as violent is not what any religious leader should engage in, and certainly not in a season of peace.

“Instigating regime change outside the ballot box is not only unconstitutional but also an open call to anarchy.

“While some religious leaders, being human, may not be able to disguise their national leadership preference, they should refrain from stigmatising the leader they have never supported anyway, using well-worn and disproved allegations of nepotism or whatever.”

The minister said whatever challenges Nigeria may be going through at this moment can only be tackled when all leaders and indeed all Nigerians come together; not when some people “arrogantly” engage in name-calling and finger-pointing.

BMO: Kukah’s ‘call for coup’ ungodly
The Buhari Media Organisation (BMO) expressed disappointment at Kukah’s allegation of nepotism against the President and condemned what it described as his subtle call for a coup in the country.

The group in a statement signed by its Chairman Niyi Akinsiju and Secretary Cassidy Madueke, noted that this was not the first time the Catholic Bishop had used the pulpit to sow division and discord and fuel an agenda of anarchy.

It said: “We condemn the remarks of Bishop Kukah where he made claims that the President was creating a Northern hegemony and that such could have been the reason for a coup.

“These comments are false, unreasonable and evil. They are anti-Nigeria and have no place in the kind of conversations Nigerians deserve to hear at a time that all are longing for peace and love.

“Time after time, the President Buhari administration has responded with clear facts, numbers and statistics on this allegation of nepotism, showing that in fact, the South-West has the most appointees in the government, while the South has more appointees than the North.

“Yet, no one has produced evidence to the contrary.

“Bishop Matthew Kukah has fallen far below the mark expected of godly leaders, again.

“He has used the pulpit where the messages of peace, of joy, of solidarity, of unity and love should be heard to rather preach messages of discord, disunity, anarchy, fear and worse, to tell blatant lies against the President.

“A man who prides himself as a Bishop of the Church should not be the kind of person that these untruths should be heard from.”

Kukah didn’t say anything new – PDP
In the view of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Kukah said nothing new and should not be crucified for saying the obvious.

Spokesman for the PDP, Kola Ologbondiyan, said President Buhari and the APC should face reality, do some self-examination and mend their ways.

“Bishop Kukah simply said the truth as it is. If Alhaji Lai Mohammed is unaware, he should visit the streets of Ikeja, Lagos; Ibrahim Taiwo Road, Ilorin; Bauchi Road, Jos and ask the opinions of ordinary Nigerians,” said Kola Ologbondiyan, National Publicity Secretary of the PDP.

He added: “The APC and the Buhari Presidency have stigmatised themselves before Nigerians, having failed wholesomely on all electoral promises made since 2015.

“Buhari and his APC should quit living in denial because Nigerians have had enough of that.”

Buhari should take responsibility for govt actions, says Ohunabunwa
Contacted on Saturday for his response on the controversy, the President, Pharmaceutical Society of Nigeria (PSN) Mazi Sam Ohuabunwa, said instead of dwelling on the emotional aspect of Kukah’s comment, government should acknowledge the facts in his statement.

According to him, the President as the Chief Security Officer of the country should, at all times, take responsibility for all government actions or inactions.

His words: “When you keep your subordinate on the job, it means you are satisfied with their performance.

“I won’t join those who say the President is not doing anything about the insecurity; I will rather say maybe he is seeing what we are not seeing and he is doing what we are not seeing.

“If they are not pleasing you, you ought to change them. With the service chiefs still in office, the President should tell us what we are not seeing.

“What Kukah said about security is the obvious. But his position about military taking over if Buhari had not been a Northern Muslim is another issue entirely.

“I don’t support forceful takeover of government or any call for such. I think it is just the way the Father put it. He probably said it in a way that could be misinterpreted.

“I know him as a democrat and he fought against military rule too. It is a matter of interpretations. I say it depends on the frame of mind of the individual.

“The worst civilian rule is better than the best military government.

“And to say it is because he is a northern Muslim, I say not really. Jonathan is a Christian southerner and the same security situation occurred under him, and so much said here and there. But the military didn’t take over.

“I think Kukah just expressed his frustration in a way open to misinterpretation. He didn’t mean to incite any take- over.

“If Nigerians are tired of the government, the change must come about democratically the same way we elected them.”

‘We should not vilify Kukah’
A former governorship aspirant on the platform of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) in Osun State, Dr Ayoade Adewopo, opined that Father Kukah merely expressed the current mood of the country in his statement.

Adewopo asked the President to address the issues raised and not vilify the messenger.

He did not share government’s view that the clergy wanted or intended that the military should take over the government.

He said: “The docility of the military in the midst of so much insecurity and nationwide outcry is disappointing.

“And let me say this: the docility of the military today about the lamentations around them is not about Buhari’s tribe or religion; it is largely about the fact that he is one of them, a General.

“They say once a soldier, always a soldier. Irrespective of party affiliations, Nigerians, not Kukah alone, have been lamenting and yet nothing is being done.”

Hassan: Govt should not respond to frivolities
Alwan Hassan, a chieftain of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), said government should not be responding to what he called frivolities.

He said Kukah’s statement and claims were in bad taste and dismissed government’s response as equally lacking in substance.

He said: “Government shouldn’t respond to everything. It is not the way to go. Instead, let us have what they are doing or want to do to address the issues affecting the country.

“I see Kukah’s statement as a badly delivered attempt to sell a northern Christian presidency. It was badly done and quite divisive.

“It is sad that such a respected person will be fuelling division between northern Christians and Muslims. That is not what we need at a time like this.

“However, I want to concern myself with the government and the Presidency. It is time to ignore some things and spend the time coming up with good deals for the people.

“It is when you lack things to tell the people that you become a defensive government that is always defending everything. It is time to stop defending and push out the good things being done by the government.

“Stop reacting. Come up with something good and the people will be glad to listen to you. This government is doing a lot that is not being communicated.

“Talking about insecurity, the military is doing great things that nobody is talking about.

“Just recently, we decided to start speaking out about some of these things.

“If the government concentrates on pushing out all these positive efforts at addressing the many problems facing the country, it will not have the time to be responding to frivolities and defending unnecessary things.”

‘Kukah’s statement unfortunate’
The All Progressives Youth Forum (APYF) said: “It’s quite unfortunate that a well-respected religious leader like Bishop Kukah would choose the very period of rebirth and healing to speak of coup and war.

“And it is even more worrisome that the outspoken bishop was blowing hot air over an issue that has been addressed over and over again, with the Presidency even publishing the names of all appointees from all parts of Nigeria.

“While all men of God and of good conscience who have the patriotic mindset to seek the betterment of Nigeria have sent out messages of hope and unity during this Yuletide, it’s unfortunate that Bishop Kukah, despite being a stakeholder in the National Peace Committee, chose that very period to instigate one faith against another.

“The same Bishop Matthew Kukah, who at every major elections would traverse the country to request aspirants to sign up for peace during and after elections, was the promoter of the statement painting a President and leader of a secular nation as hater of Christians.”

Ex-ACF scribe Sani to Kukah: Do fact checks on your allegations
The immediate past Secretary-General of the Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF), Chief Anthony N.Z Sani, challenged Kukah to conduct fact checks on his allegations of nepotism and underperformance against the President.

Sani also asked the bishop to help Nigerians with a trend analysis of what he considers as the indices that should attract a coup.

He said: “I personally do not consider what Bishop Kukah has alleged serious. This is because military regime is out of fashion not only in Nigeria but globally.

“What is more, the advent of GSM makes planning and execution of coup almost impossible.

“On his allegation of Christians being marginalised by the regime of President Buhari, I do not have the facts.

“I have also heard of allegations of ‘fulanization’ and ‘northernization’ to the exclusion of the Middle Belt by some people, however defined.

“I would therefore appeal to such critics to do some fact checks in support of their allegations for the benefit of the public.

“This is because a declaratory accusation without evidence do not necessarily make it the reality.”

“So, while I share the view that the present regime should do more by ensuring balanced development and secure the nation, considering governance is an art of balancing competing demands among not only the constituents but also among socio-economic sectors, one cannot say this regime has not tried to improve over what obtained in the past.”(Nation).

KILLINGS: THE SPILLING OF BLOOD MUST BE RELATED TO A MORE SINISTER PLOT THAT IS BEYOND OUR COMPREHENSION – KUKAH

The Bishop, Catholic Diocese of Sokoto, Bishop Matthew Kukah has said that killings and spilling of blood must be related to a more sinister plot that is beyond our comprehension.In his Christmas message titled, ‘A Nation in Search of Vindication,’ Bishop Kukah said Nigeria appeared to be heading for darkness under his administration.While lamenting the level of insecurity in the country, Kukah said Nigerians have nowhere to turn to.

“Are we going to remain hogtied by these evil men or are they gradually becoming part of a larger plot to seal the fate of our country?”President Muhammadu Buhari’s government owes Nigerians an explanation over the killings of innocent people in the country.

“This government owes the nation an explanation as to where it is headed as we seem to journey into darkness,” he said.

According to him, the country’s inability to feed itself is one of the most dangerous signs of state failure and a trigger to violence.

“As our country drifts almost rudderless, we seem like people travelling without maps, without destination and with neither Captain nor Crew. Citizens have nowhere to turn to.

The cleric described Nigeria as a rudderless country where the citizens travelled in a boat devoid of captain or crew and without any maps and destination insight.

He also accused President Buhari of nepotism, noting that there could have been a coup if a non-northern Muslim president does a fraction of what Buhari did.

For Bishop Kukah, President Buhari’s administration was institutionalizing northern hegemony by “reducing others in public life to second-class status”.

“President Buhari deliberately sacrificed the dreams of those who voted for him to what seemed like a programme to stratify and institutionalise northern hegemony. He has pursued this self-defeating and alienating policy at the expense of greater national cohesion.

“Every honest Nigerian knows that there is no way any non-Northern Muslim President could have done a fraction of what President Buhari has done by his nepotism and gotten away with it,” he added.

Bishop Kukah, however, asked Nigerians not to give up despite the pain, sorrow and uncertainty in the land, calling for prayers to save the nation.

“Yet, we stand firmly with the unshaken belief that no matter the temptations, the world has known worst times. These may be the worst of times, but for men and women of faith, they could be the best of times. We must stand firm and resolute because, our redeemer liveth (Job 19:25),” he said.(politicaleconomistng)

There Could Have Been Coup If A Non Northern President Practised Nepotism Like Buhari..Bishop Kukah

Bishop of Sokoto Catholic Diocese, Mathew Kukah, has lamented that nepotism characterised the regime of the President Muhammadu Buhari 

He explained that there could have been a coup or war in the country if a non-Nothern Muslim becomes a president and does a fraction of what Buhari did.

The Bishop made this known in his 2020 Christmas message titled, ‘A nation in search of vindication’, on Friday.

He said, “This government owes the nation an explanation as to where it is headed as we seem to journey into darkness. The spilling of this blood must be related to a more sinister plot that is beyond our comprehension. Are we going to remain hogtied by these evil men or are they gradually becoming part of a larger plot to seal the fate of our country?

“President Buhari deliberately sacrificed the dreams of those who voted for him to what seemed like a programme to stratify and institutionalise northern hegemony by reducing others in public life to second class status. He has pursued this self-defeating and alienating policy at the expense of greater national cohesion.

“Every honest Nigerian knows that there is no way any non-Northern Muslim President could have done a fraction of what President Buhari has done by his nepotism and gotten away with it.

“There would have been a military coup a long time ago or we would have been at war. The President may have concluded that Christians will do nothing and will live with these actions.

“He may be right and we Christians cannot feel sorry that we have no pool of violence to draw from or threaten our country. However, God does not sleep. We can see from the inexplicable dilemma of his North.”

There had been outrage over lopsided-appointments in the country under Buhari’s regime.

 In June, eminent socio-cultural leaders from southern and middle-belt Nigeria sued the President for N50 billion over marginalisation of the people of the region in the appointments to security, quasi-security agencies and “strategic agencies” of government.

cknnigerian.com

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