Controversy has continued to trail the death of Major General Olubunmi Irefin, who died on Thursday of COVID-19 complications.

Family sources said amid fears of spreading the pandemic, the entire household of the deceased General Officer Commanding the  6 Division of the Nigerian Army, as well those he came in contact with before departing for the Chief of Army Staff conference in Abuja, were subjected to test with a view to determining who was negative or positive.

The source said after the exercise, nobody was returned positive to the dreaded COVID-19 pandemic, thereby raising doubt to the report given by the Army authorities.

Nigerian Army spokesperson, Brigadier General Sagir Musa, said yesterday in Abuja, that the allegation by the Ayetoro-Gbedde Development Association (AGDA) and Ayetoro-Gbedde Traditional Council that the GOC did not die of COVID-19 infection was fake news.

The Ayetoro-Gbedde Development Association (AGDA) and Ayetoro-Gbedde Traditional Council, have jointly rejected the military claims that late Major General Olubunmi Irefin died of COVID-19 complications.

Irefin, the serving General officer Commanding six division of the Nigerian Army reportedly took ill on Monday while attending the annual Chief of Army Staff conference in Abuja, died in the early hours of Wednesday at a military medical facility.

In a statement signed by Aminu Abdulahi Adeyemi, the AGDA/ Ayetoro Gbede traditional council wondered that since the “incubation period of COVID-19 is two weeks after which the victim will start to show symptoms like high fever, severe headache etc, Irefin should not have died so soon.

“We should not forget that General Olubunmi Irefin was in Ayetoro-Gbede two weeks ago for the burial ceremony of his late mother.

“During the brief period of his stay at home, he was full of life, and, observers agree that every movement of his, was with military precision.

“Suddenly, a signal came to him from Abuja to attend Chief of Army Staff Conference which started last Monday, December 7, 2020, we did not hear of his illness until the sad news came to us on 10th December, 2020 that the General died of COVID -19; and the sudden rush for his burial on December 12, 2020”, the statement added.

Aminu said in the statement that “even if the symptoms mentioned above manifested in the late army general, COVID-19 has not been known to kill instantly.

“At the advance age of 80 years, the former Chief of Staff to the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, late Abba Kyari, battled COVID -19 for weeks before he died”.

The community also expressed dissatisfaction in what it described as the sudden haste in the burial of the General by the military authority.

“Not until convincing answers are provided by the military authority for the above questions, the Ayetoro-Gbede community will not be happy with the military establishment over the reason they claimed was responsible for the death of our son, General Olu Irefin.” 

However, the Army spokesperson, Brigadier General Sagir Musa, yesterday in Abuja, in a response to the reaction of the  Ayetoro-Gbede community, described the statement as fake news. 

Dailyasset

Katsina State Governor, Aminu Masari, yesterday confirmed that a total of 333 students of Government Science Secondary School, Kankara, are still missing.

The governor stated this while briefing the federal government delegation to Katsina led by Minister of Defence, Salihi Magashi, at the Katsina Government House. The delegation also included the service chiefs.

The governor also confirmed that the school has a total population of 839 students before the incident happened.

“Based on the available record we have, we are still searching for 333 students through either the forest or their parents to ascertain the actual number that has been kidnapped.

“We are still counting because more are coming out from the forest and we are calling through the numbers those parents that have phone numbers to find out whether or not their children have gone back home”, Masari said.

Magashi had also asked the armed forces, the police and other security agencies to move faster to ensure the speedy rescue of the students in the next coming hours.

“We are here also to sympathise with you over the recent abduction of secondary school students which is a more or less ruthless exercise conducted to temper with the education of the students.”

“With the brief, we received from the sister security agencies in the state, this task will be very simple to accomplish within the next few hours, we will ensure that these people are back without any collateral damage to the people of Katsina State.”

IGP Deploys More Personnel, Rescue Equipment

The Inspector General of Police (IGP) Mohamed Abubakar Adamu, has ordered the deployment of additional operational and investigative assets to support the ongoing search and rescue operations in Kankara and its environs in Katsina State.

The deployment is sequel to the unfortunate attack on Government Science Secondary School, Kankara, and Katsina State by heavily armed men on Friday which left some of the students missing.

A statement issued by the police spokesperson, DCP Frank Mba, said the deployment which includes personnel from the Police Tactical Squads and crack detectives from the Force Intelligence Bureau, would provide investigative support to the Katsina State Police Command.

Mba said the personnel are also to work in sync with the military and other law enforcement agents in coordinated efforts aimed at rescuing the students, hunting down the perpetrators and bringing them to book.

According to him, investigation has so far revealed that one of the attackers was killed and a policeman injured during the attack.

He said the exact number of students missing cannot be ascertained at the moment as massive operations including investigations, search and rescue exercise are still ongoing.

“Meanwhile, the IGP has ordered the immediate review and strengthening of security arrangements around educational institutions in the Country”, he said.

Report stated that the Shura Council of ISIS in West Africa, the Islamic State of West Africa Province (ISWAP) has appointed one Aliyu Chakkar as its new ‘Governor’ of the Lake Chad’ region.

He is to replace Amir Goni Maina, said to had been eliminated by the Nigerian Army and Nigerian Air Force coordinated bombardment.

The development came as the jihadists were in the process of conducting a strategic leadership and operational meeting at a location called Sabon Tumbu, on December 1 2020.

The damage assessment of the targeted aerial strike showed that it killed the former jihadist ‘governor’ Amir Goni Maina.

 While the other parallel precision air strikes at jihadists camps in Ingilwa, Tundun Wulgo, Jubularam and Abbaganaram fridges of the Lake Chad, led to the elimination of more than 100 jihadist.

Those killed, included several high-ranking insurgents’ commanders, foot soldiers and Hisbah police.

The information further added that most of the casualties were from the ISWAP faction, Abubakar Shekau faction and foreign mercenaries.

Sources further disclosed that the newly appointed ‘governor’ and Lake Chad basin warlord was spotted enroots to “debrief” Amir Ba-Lawan,  the ISWAP leader in a location revealed as KOYOWA, which is the known Headquarters and strongest hold of the ISIS-affiliated West Africa province branch.

IGP Deploys More Personnel, Rescue  

The Inspector General of Police (IGP) Mohamed Abubakar Adamu, has ordered the deployment of additional operational and investigative assets to support the ongoing search and rescue operations in Kankara and its environs in Katsina State.

The deployment is sequel to the unfortunate attack on Government Science Secondary School, Kankara, Katsina State by heavily armed men on Friday which left some of the students missing. 
A statement issued by the police spokesperson, DCP Frank Mba, said the deployment which includes personnel from the Police Tactical Squads and crack detectives from the Force Intelligence Bureau, would provide investigative support to the Katsina State Police Command. 

Mba said the personnel are also to work in sync with the military and other law enforcement agents in coordinated efforts aimed at rescuing the students, hunting down the perpetrators and bringing them to book. 

According to him, investigations has so far reveal that one of the attackers was killed and a policeman injured during the attack.
He said the exact number of students missing cannot be ascertained at the moment as massive operations including investigations, search and rescue exercise are still ongoing. 

“Meanwhile, the IGP has ordered the immediate review and strengthening of security arrangements around educational institutions in the Country”, he said.

Dailyasset

The Chairman, Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, on Thursday assumed office to commence his second tenure for a period of five year.

Yakubu at the expiration of his first tenure on Nov.9 handed over the affairs of the commission to National Commissioner, Ahmed Mu’azu, while awaiting senate confirmation for  second tenure.

Yakubu,  at a brief takeover ceremony at the commission headquarters in Abuja said  that  quick passage of the Electoral Act amendment remained a top priority.

“You will recall that I appealed to the Senate Committee on INEC during my screening two weeks ago  to conclude work for the passage of the Electoral Act amendment by the first quarter of 2021.

“I am glad that in his response, the Senate President has assured the nation only yesterday at the public hearing on the Electoral Act amendment that the National Assembly is committed to that target.

“He said that it is not only achievable but they will ensure that it is actualize.”

Yakubu added that the immediate area of attention for the Commission would be the resumption of Continuous Voter Registration (CVR) by  the first quarter of 2021.

He said that the exercise would continue for at least to six months to the 2023 general elections.

“We will also use the opportunity as required by law to clean up the register of voters.

“We are happy with our register of voters. It is robust but will continue to see ways by which we can improve the quality of the register.

“I am saying so because the credibility of any democratic election draws from the credibility of the register of voters.

He added that without clean register of voters , there could not  be a credible election, assuring that  INEC was committed to cleaning up the register of voters.

“In doing so, we hope to introduce a new technology for voters enrollment in 2021 drawing from the lessons we learnt in the last exercise in 2017 and 2018.”

Yakubu promised that in due course INEC would give details of other activities going to the 2023 election.

“We have exactly 799 days to the next general election holding on  Feb.  18, 2023 .

“We have identified 1508 activities that we must accomplish between now and election in 2023. Some will be carried out simultaneously.”

Yakubu the former acting Chairman,  Muasu and other national commissioners for holding fourth in the last one months and for the successful conduct of 15 by-elections in 11 states on Dec. 5.

Earlier in his remarks Mu’azu said that while holding fourth the commission was able to conduct 15 by-election successful.

He commended members and staff of the commission for their supports and successes recorded while awaiting Yakubu’s confirmation.

He also commended all stakeholders who made the by-elections a success.(NAN)

The Mutual Union of Tiv in America(MUTA) has called on President Muhammadu Buhari to urgently take measures to ensure the immediate return of thousands of  Tiv people leaving in internally displaced persons(IDPs) camps(IDPs) in Benue, Taraba and Nasarawa states,  to their ancestral homes.

MUTA made the appeal in an open letter to the President, signed by six members – Prof. Joseph T. Zume- Committee Chair (Pennsylvania)               Engr. Simon Kusugh, MUTA President (Texas); Dr. Orduen Abunku (New York);Mr. Jerome T. Hule (New Jersey);Dr. Yakubu Tor-Agbidye (Colorado);Mrs. Miriam Tivzenda (Georgia);Engr. Mathew Atim (Ohio) and

Engr. Charles Akure (New York) Liam Tony Ge, Attorney (Maryland)

In the letter,  a copy of which was obtained by DAILY ASSET, the Tiv residents in America said they were miffed by what they   described as “the coordinated murderous campaigns of existential proportions against several Tiv communities in Benue, Taraba, and Nasarawa states,” noting that  “today about a million displaced persons in the three states remain in camps or dispersed among the population.

“As we write, hundreds of thousands of Tiv men, women and children, remain in destitute conditions in IDP camps in Benue State, while dozens of Tiv towns and villages in Taraba State have been overrun and renamed by the Jukun equally displacing hundreds of thousands of people.

“In Nasarawa State, despite the strong efforts of the current governor to resettle the IDPS, rebuilding communities remains a challenge, and abject poverty reigns. In all three states, the problems were engendered by violent attacks resulting in mass killings, the burning and looting of homes, and the destruction of farms and property of the victims. Regrettably, efforts by your administration have fallen short of any desirable results.

“We demand urgent intervention to end the suffering of these citizens by returning them to their communities and economically empowering them to rebuild their lives,” the letter stated.

The group said the peaceful resolution of the IDPs issues was crucial to the success story of Buhari administration and therefore, should be treated with every seriousness.

Giving a state by state analysis of the IDPs situation, the group claimed that, hundreds of thousands of displaced families now occupied 27 IDP camps across the state, with many more cohabiting with relatives in unpalatable conditions.

“The Benue State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA) classifies eight of the 27 camps as official while the remaining 19 are unofficial. Official camps usually have SEMA staff on site while unofficial camps are not staffed, poorly resourced because they are barely receiving any official support,” the group stated.

The organization regretted that large swaths of the lands vacated by the victims have been occupied by their violators.

“In Kwande LGC for example, the communities of Moon have lost their lands to armed herders who graze their cows freely upon while the real owners languish in IDP camps. The story is similar in Guma and a few other local governments. It is verifiable that any IDP who attempts a return to these lands scarcely returns alive,” it claimed.

On the situation in Taraba state, MUTA observed that the ongoing crisis was  uniquely worrisome because “ the Jukun have also renamed about 30 Tiv villages and towns to obliterate their Tiv histories

 This, it submitted was a signal of the “intent to uproot Tiv people from their legitimate ancestral lands,” warning that “if not curtailed, these provocative acts risk igniting an all-out crisis with the Tiv race world-wide.”

Although the group commended efforts by the Nasarawa State Governor, Abdullahi Sule to resettle the displaced Tiv people in his state, it regretted that the returnees still faced monumental challenges without any financial assistance to restart their lives.

The group raised the alarm of an impending hunger in the land if the IDPs question was not immediately resolved.

“The lands left behind by the IDPs bear witness to the impending hunger beyond the immediate boundaries of the IDP camps. The economic impacts must not be ignored.”

“Throughout the history of Nigeria, there is no record of an indigenous group that has ever been permanently dislodged from their ancestral lands. To ensure a more sustainable path to Nigeria’s future, the Federal government must mobilize the affected states to return all IDPs to their ancestral lands and incentivize them to engage back in productive livelihoods,” the organization also wrote.

Dailyasset

By Jude Opara & Orkula Shaagee, Abuja

The senate yesterday  berated President Muhammadu Buhari over the security situation in the country which has resulted to massive killing and destruction of property across the country.

The Senators on the floor of plenary questioned why President Buhari should continue to remain in office as Commander-In-Chief if he cannot marshal the country’s security to protect the people.

The Vote of No Confidence in Buhari’s inability to secure Nigeria comes in the wake of Saturday’s brutal massacre of 43 rice farmers in Zabarmari District of Jere Local Government Area of Borno State.

According to the Senators, President Buhari has breached the 1999 Constitution as amended against the backdrop that has failed to adhere to section 14(1) of 1999 Constitution which has to do with the government and the people as well as stipulates that the Federal Republic of Nigeria shall be a state based on the principles of democracy and Social Justice.

The Senate said that Nigeria as a nation cannot move forward until the lives of every Nigerian is protected and secured, just as it stressed that the primary objective of government is the provision of security and the protection of its citizens, adding that protecting the lives and property of citizens is the primary obligation of government and any government that cannot discharge this basic obligation losses any iota of legitimacy.

Resolutions of the Senate Tuesday were sequel to a motion entitled, ” Beheading of 67 Farmers in Borno by Boko Haram insurgents: Need for Urgent Decisive Action” and sponsored by Senator Kassim Shettima, All Progressives Congress, APC, Borno Central and co- sponsored by 17 other Senators.

The Senate which read riot act to the President, asked him to immediately sack the Service Chiefs and appoint fresh ones against the backdrop that the present have lost their usefulness and have nothing to offer the country towards nipping in the bud, the security challenges in the country.

It asked the President to immediately initiate a way of sacking the current overstayed service chiefs and replace them with new ones with new ideas and solutions.

According to the Senate,   the time has come for  Chief of Defence Staff, General Abayomi Olonisakin; National Security Adviser, NSA, Major- General Mohammed Babagana Monguno; Chief of Army Staff, General Tukur Yusuf Buratai; Chief of Air Staff, Air Marshal Sadique Abubakar and Chief of Naval Staff, Vice Marshal Ibok- Ete Ibas to go because they have outlived their usefulness.

The Upper Chamber has also said that sixty- seven farmers were killed in very gruesome manner in Borno State on Saturday as against the forty- three being reported.

The lawmakers adopted these after almost an hour-long deliberation on insecurity across the country and the recent killing of 43 farmers in Borno State. Recall that there was Saturday mass killing of rice farmers in Zabarmari community in Jere Local Government Area of Borno State.

The victims were buried on Sunday and a delegation of the federal government led by the Senate President, Ahmad Lawan, paid a condolence visit to the state on Monday.

The Senate urged President Buhari to take immediate steps to restructure, remodel: and revamp the country’s entire security architecture and provide enough state-of-the-art weapons and equipment to effectively combat the belligerent power of the insurgents.

Reps in Rowdy Session, Invite Buhari over Insecurity

The House of Representatives was yesterday in turbulent and rowdy session over a motion to invite President Muhammadu Buhari to explain the Nigerian security situation, which has taken dangerous perspective in the last time.

The motion moved by Hon. Satomi Ahmed on behalf other 10 Borno State lawmakers on the floor, prayed the president to amongst other things, declare a State of Emergency on security matters throughout the country.

However, another Borno lawmaker, Hon. Ahamdu Jaha, who relied on Order 6, Rule 1 of the House, said the original motion to which all the lawmakers agreed on, was to call on the President to address the House on the security situation, especially in the north east region.

“My amendment is that Mr. President should be invited to come and explain the security situation in the country, especially in the North-East”, he said.

While his amendment got the support of the House, the Speaker, Femi Gbajabiamila, said it was not necessary, stressing that the “state of emergency prayer sufficed”.

Gbajabiamila’s ruling was rejected even though the majority leader of the House, Ado Doguwa added his voice, saying that security issues could not be discussed openly, pleading for the understanding of his colleagues not to summon the president.

His contribution was however greeted with a thunderous shout of no, no, no.

 However, the rising tension prompted the Speaker to suddenly call for executive session to resolve the matter.

On resumption from the brief executive session, which was held behind closed doors, the Representative Ahmed Jaha who is one of the sponsors of the motion moved an amendment to invite the President to brief on the security situation in the country.

The amendment was seconded and unanimously adopted. No date was, however, announced for the invitation.

Dailyasset

By Laide Akinboade, Abuja and Beauty John,    Lafia

No fewer than 13,000 children between the ages of 0 -14, were killed by the dreaded Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome (AIDS) in 2019, the United Nations Children’s Fund, (UNICEF), has revealed.

UNICEF disclosed this in a report to commemorate the 2020 World on Tuesday in Abuja. The report said every 40 seconds, a child was infected with the Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV).

“Approximately, every minute and 40 seconds, a child or young person under the age of 20 was newly infected with HIV last year, bringing the total number of children living with HIV globally to 2.8 million, UNICEF said in the report released Tuesday.

“In Nigeria, about 22,000 new infections occurred in children aged 0-14 years in 2019.

The UNICEF report warned that children were being left behind in the fight against HIV.

“Prevention efforts and treatment for children remain some of the lowest amongst key affected populations. In 2019, a little more than half of children worldwide had access to life-saving treatment, significantly lagging behind coverage for both mothers (85 per cent) and all adults living with HIV (62 per cent). Nearly 110,000 children died of AIDS that year. In Nigeria 13,000 children aged 0-14 years died of AIDS-related causes in 2019,” the report stated.

It further noted that despite some progress in the decades-long fight against HIV and AIDS, deep regional disparities persist among all populations, especially for children.

 “Paediatric coverage of antiretroviral treatment is highest in the Middle East and North Africa, at 81 per cent, and lowest in West and Central Africa (32 per cent). In Nigeria, it is 36 per cent,” the report lamented.

UNICEF Nigeria Representative, Peter Hawkins, said: “The world is still struggling with the ongoing global COVID-19 pandemic, but there is now hope for a vaccine. But we must remember that there is no vaccine for HIV.

“Hundreds of thousands of children continue to suffer the impacts of the HIV epidemic. Children are still getting infected at alarming rates, and they are still dying from AIDS. Even with improvements in recent years, HIV treatment access for children and adolescents is unacceptably low, and much more needs to be done to ensure children get the treatment they need and deserve.”

The report noted, “COVID-19 has interrupted vital HIV treatment and prevention services globally, putting countless more lives at risk.

“The COVID-19 crisis has also further exacerbated inequities in access to life-saving HIV services for children, adolescents and pregnant mothers everywhere.

“Almost 9 out of 10 children and adolescents of the estimated 2.8 million children aged 0–19 living with HIV are in sub-Saharan Africa”.

In a recent UNICEF survey of 29 HIV priority countries, one third responded that service coverage for children, adolescents and women living with and vulnerable to HIV is lower by 10 per cent or more, compared with pre-pandemic numbers.

UNAIDS’ HIV service disruption data, cited in the report, further illustrate the impact of necessary control measures, supply chain disruptions, lack of personal protective equipment, and the redeployment of healthcare workers on HIV services.

In the months of April and May, coinciding with partial and full lockdowns, paediatric HIV treatment and viral load testing in children in some countries declined between 50 to 70 per cent, and new treatment initiation fell by 25 to 50 per cent.

 WHO Raises the Alarm Over Rising Infections

The World Health Organization, (WHO) has raised the alarm that new HIV infections and AIDS-related deaths were not reducing fast enough to meet the Sustainable Development Goal target of ending AIDS epidemics by 2030 in the region.

The global health body said 1 million people were infected and 440,000 lives lost to AIDS in the African region in 2019.

In its message to mark this year’s World AIDS Day with the theme: ”Global solidarity and shared responsibility,”  WHO Regional Director for Africa, Dr Matshidiso Moeti disclosed that children living with HIV are not being adequately identified for HIV treatment.

“Girls and women aged 15–24 years account for 37 per cent of all new HIV infections, and stigma and discrimination, especially against key populations continues to create barriers to service access, Moeti stated.

She said globally, there are 38 million people living with HIV and 67 percent of them are living in the WHO African Region. Moeti said the more than 1 million people in the Region newly infected with HIV, account for 60 percent of the global total.

 Speaking on this year’s theme, Moeti said the COVID-19 pandemic revealed the need for the world to come together, with determined leadership from governments and communities to sustain and expand access to essential services, including HIV prevention, testing, treatment, and care.

 She added that the pandemic was making it even more challenging for countries to provide these services, particularly in areas affected by conflict, disasters, outbreaks, and rapid population growth.

“Despite these challenges, significant progress is happening in African countries. 2020 is a milestone year towards ending AIDS epidemics and 81% of people living with HIV know their status. Among them, 70 percent of adults and 53 per cent of children are receiving lifelong antiretroviral therapy (ART).

 “Eighty-five percent of pregnant and breastfeeding women living with HIV are on ART, which protects their health and prevents HIV transmission to their new-born infants.”

She commended governments, partners and communities who have contributed to the progress on HIV in the Region, and came up with innovative ways to keep services going during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Osinbajo Commissions Infectious Disease Centre in Nasarawa

Meanwhile, the Vice President, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo has commissioned a world class Infectious Disease Diagnostic and Research Centre in Lafia, the capital of Nasarawa state.

Osinbajo, while commissioning the edifice on Tuesday, described it as a phenomenal achievement, adding that he was impressed with the masterpiece, which is most likely the best in West-Africa.

According to him, “the Centre here comprises about fifty level three laboratory,  a molecular laboratory, an infectious disease isolation unit and epidemiology unit as well,” he said.

The VP said that the achievement recorded by the Nasarawa state government deserved commendation and celebration.

 “No question at all, anywhere in this world, this type of achievement deserves to be celebrated.

“Nasarawa state is not by any means the wealthiest state in the country but look at what the state have and what is allocated. It certainly does not come anywhere near the top states of the federation, but with vision the state has proved that vision is even more important than money” he stated.

Earlier, the state governor, Engr. Abdullahi Sule said on assumption of office in May, 2019, he made a solemn commitment to complete projects initiated by the previous administration in the State.

“We also resolved to improve on the living conditions of the citizenry through the provision of quality healthcare service.

 “It is for this reason that we have committed enormous resources towards the completion of the Nasarawa State Infectious Disease and Research Centre considered critical in the diagnosis of different viral infections,” he said.

Governor Sule said that the facility would be used for the diagnosis of several infectious diseases, such as Lassa fever, yellow fever, measles, cerebrospinal meningitis, as well as Covid-19.

 “However, with the establishment of the Centre and its full operation, the perennial diagnosis and management challenges of infectious diseases previously experienced will become a thing of the past and treatments of such ailments will be greatly enhanced,” the governor stated.

With the 2020 Christmas celebrations just a few weeks away, Nigerians are already in deep worries and fears that this may just be the worst Christmas experience in decades.

No thanks to combined factors of current economic recession, myriad of social ills and the daily deadly attacks by armed bandits, kidnappers and sundry criminals, who leave huge death toll on their trail.

Already, the federal government had sounded the alarm on the dangers lurking ahead of the yuletide when it warned citizens intending to travel this season to do a rethink. It cited reasons not unrelated to the conditions of the roads and the state of insecurity.

Apart from the government’s warning, Nigerians would be compelled to act on the side of caution due to the fast rising cost of commodities in the market.

Foodstuff are the worst hit in the country as the cost of transporting them to the markets had sky-rocketed following the hike in the pump price of fuel.

With the country entering its second economic recession in five years and the naira further weakening in the parallel foreign exchange market, this spells doom for Nigerian consumers.

As a result of this, traders of non-food items are going to face a hard time accessing the dollar. The burden will definitely be transferred to Nigerians who may, as well, forget any celebration this season.

Of course, Nigerians are already groaning under the burden of the recent hike in electricity tariff and pump price of fuel, which have heightened the poverty in the land.

More and more Nigerians have joined the millions of those who were already living below the poverty level.

As a former associate of President Muhammadu Buhari, Buba Galadima predicted at the weekend, “Nigerians will soon begin to pick food from the dustbin”.

The level of insecurity plaguing the country at the moment is another major cause for nightmare for most Nigerians this Christmas season. Presently, no region or state in the country is spared of the havoc wrecked by the deadly monsters holding the country and its citizens by the jugular.

Before the present government came to power in 2015, the country was grappling with the Boko Haram group, terrorizing mainly the north east and their activities was already overstretching the security agencies.  

Five years down the line, the entire country is besieged by, not only the Boko Haram terrorists, but a cocktail of kidnappers, bandits, herdsmen and armed robbers, having a field day terrorizing the citizens and smiling to the bank.

The Pan-Yoruba group, Afenifere, had heaped the blame for Nigeria’s current parlous state on the door mouth of President Buhari saying that his five years of governance has plunged Nigeria into abundant poverty.

The group made the assertion in a statement released weekend, reacting to the recession of the Nigerian economy.

The statement signed by its National Publicity Secretary, Yinka Odumakin, said the country had become ungovernable under Buhari’s administration.

“As Nigeria enters the worst recession in 33 years and the second in five years of Buhari, we are equally besieged by attendant poverty as well as insecurity worsening across the land with kidnappers, armed robbers and bandits on the prowl and government helpless and unable to govern effectively.

“The truth is that the country had virtually become ungovernable and unless we restructure and restore Nigeria to federalism, the country is on the brink of collapse and God should save us from the worst-case scenario”, the group stated.

Last week, a ruling party chieftain was abducted and killed in what the police said may be an assassination; a first class traditional ruler was killed during an attempted kidnap. The orgy of killings culminated in Saturday slaughtering of 43 farmers in Borno State by the Boko Haram terrorists.

The spokesman of the Northern Elders Forum (NEF) Hakeem Baba Ahmed, captured the insecurity mood of the country in a television interview at the weekend when he said the north is the most unsafe place in the world to reside. The Sultan of Sokoto had earlier expressed a similar view when he said no part of the northern Nigeria is safe to reside.

The Minister of Defence Major General Bashir Magashi (retd) in a statement on Saturday alluded to the security challenges of the country. The minister who was represented at the graduation of 21 Participants of Naval Warfare Course 4 by the Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) General Abayomi Olonisakin noted that;

“The country is currently beset with myriad of threats that has affected the overall security of the nation. He elucidated that these threats have seen the Armed Forces engaged in various operations across the country to curtail the myriads of security challenges especially the insurgency in the North East, banditry and rampant kidnapping in the North West as well as other agitations and violent crimes in all parts of our nation”.

Meanwhile, as part of measures to address the insecurity situation in the country this yuletide, the Inspector General of Police IGP Mohammed Adamu, has ordered Commissioners of Police (CPs) across the 36 States of the Federation and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), and their supervisory Assistant Inspectors-General of Police (AIGs) in the 17 Zonal Commands, to revamp the security architecture in their Area of Responsibilities (AOR) ahead of the yuletide.

The IGP assured the citizens of the renewed commitment of the Force towards ensuring their safety and security especially as the Christmas season approaches.

He, however, called for the continuous understanding, support and encouragement to the Police by the citizenry..

 The citizens of the country may be left with only one option; to shelve the 2020 Christmas celebration for reasoning ranging from their personal safety to their ability to spend this season.

Also, they should have hindsight that the COVID-19 pandemic also unleashed its own devastating havoc on their economy as well as the country’s economy.

By Martin Paul, Abuja

President Muhammadu Buhari has expressed deep grief over the gruesome killing of rice farmers at Zabarmari community in Jere Local Government Area of Borno state on Saturday night, calling the act as barbaric and insane.

The President, in a statement Sundayday in Abuja, said government had given all the needed support to the armed forces “to take all necessary steps to protect the country’s population and its territory.”

 In a statement by his Senior Special Assistant on Media and Publicity, Malam Garba Shehu, the President further added:  “I condemn the killing of our hardworking farmers by terrorists in Borno State.

”The entire country is hurt by these senseless killings. My thoughts are with their families in this time of grief. ”May their souls Rest In Peace.”

About 43 farmers were murdered while an unspecified number of others were unaccounted for when Boko Haram insurgents launched attacks on rice fields at Zabarmari.

Nine of the victims were believed to be settlers in search of greener pasture from Zamfara, seven from Kebbi and eight from Sokoto State, while the remaining were indigenes of Zabarmari town.

Zulum, Others Bury 43 Farmers

Borno State Governor, Professor Babagana Umara Zulum, was at Zabarmari early Sunday led by kinsmen and other residents, still in shock for the funeral of 43 farmers slaughtered by Boko Haram insurgents in Koshebe on Saturday night.

Though the victims lived in Zabarmari is a farming community in Jere local government area, famous for rice cultivation and local processing, they were attacked  at Koshebe village in Mafa Local Government Area of the state.

Zulum, during his visit was told that death toll was yet to be fully ascertained.

“Your Excellency, as you have seen here, 43 corpses were buried, but others have not been retrieved from the scene of the incident. Nobody can tell you the exact number of people killed. Some of the victims are still missing” a resident (name concealed, told the governor).

Addressing the community, Zulum said: “First of all, accept my deepest sympathy over this carnage that affects all of us and every human with conscience. I am told some persons are still missing. We have been discussing with the military since yesterday, Insha Allah the remaining people will be traced soon.”

He told journalists that “it is disheartening that more than 40 citizens were slaughtered while they were working in their farmlands. Our people are in very difficult situations, they are in two different extreme conditions, in one side they stay at home they may be killed by hunger and starvation, on the other, they go out to their farmlands and risk getting killed by the insurgents. This is very sad.

“We are still appealing to the Federal Government to ensure recruitment of more youths in the CJTF and hunters into the Nigerian military and the Civil Defence so that they can form part of the agro rangers that will protect farmers.

“We need many boots to protect farmlands and our youths understand the terrain. We will not lose hope because we have to remain optimistic about ending the insurgency” Zulum said.

 10 Women Still Missing –Amnesty International

Meanwhile, Amnesty International, has revealed that 10 women working in the Kwashaba rice farm were still missing.

In a tweet yesterday, Amnesty said 16 out of the 43 farmers were actually Internally Displaced Persons.

The tweet read in part: “Amnesty International’s findings show that, of the 43 farmers slaughtered by Boko Haram yesterday, 16 were Internally Displaced Persons resident at Farm Centre IDP Camp while 10 women working in Kwashabe rice farm are still missing after the attack.”

“Last month Boko Haram militants slaughtered 22 farmers working on their irrigation fields near Maiduguri in two separate incidents, AI stated.

Time to Review Nigeria Security Architecture – Atiku

A former Vice President, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar,  has called on the Federal Government to take a look at the Nigeria Security Architecture with a view to rejigging it to the present situation in the country.

Atku, who reacted to the murder of 43 farmers by Boko Haram terrorists, said the Nigeria’s security architecture was overdue for consideration.

He expressed sadness over the tragic incident, even as he condoled with families of those affected.

On his Twitter page, Atiku wrote: “Heart-breaking. Words fail me. The lives of our citizens should worth much more than this.

“The rejig of the nation’s security architecture is long overdue. May their souls rest in peace and may their families be comforted.”

The Spiritual Director of Adoration Ministry Enugu Nigeria (AMEN), Rev. Fr. Ejike Mbaka, has said that he was not aware of the presence of BBC reporters at the premises of the ministry last Wednesday evening.

There were reports that the three BBC reporters who were led into the premises of the Ministry to interview Mbaka by one Rev. Fr. Obiekezie Cajetan were attacked by the cleric’s faithful.

In his reaction, Mbaka, through the Adoration Ministry Spokesman, Mr. Maximus Ugwuoke, said the entire Adoration family was not aware of the presence of the BBC team on the Adoration ground with the mission to interview Mbaka.x

Ugwuoke narrated that what took place was that the BBC team swooped on Mbaka in espionage with a “detracting priest” from Anambra State and were confronted by the AMEN security operatives. He insisted that the BBC was never invited to interview Mbaka.

Ugwuoke said: “We make haste to state that the report was a carefully crafted, mendacious narrative calculated to tarnish the image of Fr. Mbaka who in his amiable nature could not have done or directed any of those alleged acts of assault on the BBC team or anyone as alleged against him.

“An eye witness account of what happened reveals that one Fr. Obiekeze (Cajetan) who estranged himself from the ministry and made a viral video with BBC recently, abusing Fr. Mbaka and his perceived romance with President Muhammadu Buhari, came to join Fr. Mbaka at the altar during his last Wednesday’s weekly ministry programme.

“The said Fr. Obiekezie persistently insisted that Fr. Mbaka should grant him an interview at his altar. Fr. Mbaka in his loving, forgiving and welcoming nature embraced the said priest but however declined the priest’s demand to interview him at the altar wondering when the said priest became a media practitioner and the organisation he was working for.”

He continued: “Unknown to anyone in the ministry, the said priest came with some persons with an unknown identity who were secretly recording the day’s programme until they were accosted by the ministry security suspecting them to be assassins on a surveillance mission. The said ministry security seized the equipment of the strange fellows and sought to know their identities.

“Later in the evening after Fr. Mbaka was through with the programme and retired to the parish house to continue his consultation with worshippers waiting to see him, altercations between the fellows and the security men at Fr. Mbaka’s parish house drew Fr. Mbaka’s attention and his timely intervention helped to save the situation.”

Ugwuoke said that Fr. Mbaka was surprised when the “unknown fellows” identified themselves as coming from BBC with Fr. Obiekezie.

“Surprised by such obvious betrayal and stage-managed visit from a fellow priest, Fr. Mbaka directed that every of their seized equipment be returned to them and made sure no one hurt either the priest or the unknown visitors he surreptitiously came with,” he explained.

Theguardian