Anambra State President of Ohanaeze Ndigbo, Chief Damian Okeke-Ogene has called on the Federal Government to remove the terrorist label on the Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB because, he argued, the organization does not threaten lives and property. Addressing reporters in Awka, Okeke-Ogene urged security operatives to concentrate more in the Northeast to end the unwanted killings by those who, he said, hate the unity of Nigeria.

He described as unfortunate and unacceptable the declaration of IPOB as a terrorist organization, while other agitating groups, especially in the northern part of Nigeria that specialize in kidnapping and killing of innocent Nigerians on daily basis were moving freely without trial and prosecution.

Okeke-Ogene, who is aspiring for the position of national vice president of Ohanneze in the election slated for January, 2021, said it was unfortunate that a group that does not carry arms could be labeled terrorist.

He wondered why the federal government has refused to prosecute the Fulani herdsmen, bandits and other dangerous groups responsible for the kidnapping and killings going on in the northern part of Nigeria.

He said: “Have you ever heard that IPOB kidnapped or killed anybody unjustly? Why should the government go to court within 24hrs after a misunderstanding between Operation Python Dance II of the Nigerian Army and IPOB without a proper investigation and declared the group a terrorist organization, while those with intention of tarnishing the image of the country before the international community are operating freely in the society without any government action?

“The Federal Government was totally wrong in declaring IPOB a terrorist organisation.” According to him, IPOB is a group of young men of Igbo extraction that do assemble when the need arises to deliberate on issues affecting their welfare and the region as enshrined in Nigeria Constitution.

“I think that what we should do as one people is for us to continue to pray and work together to ensure that the current security challenges tormenting the country come to an end and not to tag a particular group in a region that happens to be the safest region in Nigeria, as terrorist organization,” Okeke-Ogene said.

He, however, commended the effort of the Katsina State governor, Aminu Bello Masari and the security agencies on the safe rescue of theabducted school children of Government Science School, Kankara and urged the security agencies and other authorities to also checkmate the activities of Niger Republic and Lake Chad immigrants.

The Director-General of the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC), Prof. Mojisola Adeyeye, on Friday expressed confidence that Nigeria would soon start manufacturing its own vaccines, with the upgrading of existing laboratories across the country.

She disclosed that achieving the ISO 9001 in June 2019 which is the world’s most recognised Quality Management System (QMS) standard places the country in good standing to strive to get to the maturity level three which enables the country manufacture its own vaccines.

Adeyeye noted that the agency is leveraging technology to trace vaccines, especially when the covid-19 vaccines arrive the country. She explained that this will enable it track and trace vaccines received to ensure that they are safe and monitored for adverse reactions on patients.

Speaking during the NAFDAC’s Staff Recognition Award Ceremony for 2019 and 2020, where serving and retired staff were rewarded for excellence and dedication, Prof. Adeyeye said, “NAFDAC is a leading national regulator in Africa. The agency is driven by international standards and best practices.

“Our new normal started three years ago when we started quality management system that now makes us to focus more on the customers, the image of the organisation in order to ensure that we are a standard operating procedure-driven organisation. This led us to achieving ISO 9001 in 2019 June. We moved on to the global benchmarking where we adopted international best practices and we are still adopting international best practices.

“With regards to the establishment of the World Health Organization’s (WHO’s) global benchmarking and adoption of international best practices, we want to get to the maturity level three so that Nigeria can manufacture her own vaccines and we are all working on this every day.

“We are upgrading the agency’s laboratories to international standards using equipment that are compliant to ISO 17025. NAFDAC laboratories are changing very rapidly with improvements in new equipment and supplies.

“Our four laboratories that were accredited before I came have received re-accreditation. We have also gotten a new lab – the Yaba Biologies and Vaccines Lab accredited for the first time. And our two other labs will be accredited very soon.”

She added: “In similar efforts to enhance the local production of pharmaceuticals in Nigeria, the agency has renewed and updated its 5 + 5 validity policy because we want local content. We want more local manufacturing – to reverse it from 70 percent imports to 70 percent locally manufactured products.

“We are building traceability because our supply chain is chaotic to say the least. Now we have adopted traceability of track and trace that will make sure that the products that leave the manufacturers site is what the patient is taking. This is a technologically-driven initiative and NAFDAC is the second country in Africa to adopt this. We are using this for covid-19 vaccines when they come.

“NAFDAC is leading on the continent in terms of ensuring that the covid-19 vaccines can be tracked and traced to the patients and also adverse long reactions can be monitored. This is our new normal and it is because we are changing the way we think because we want to safeguard the health of our people.”

Concerning the Agency’s financial status, the NAFDAC boss said, “We created directorate for cost budgeting because part of quality management system is to have financial sanity. I inherited N3.2 billion debt.

“NAFDAC is now solvent because we have removed NAFDAC from insolvency by paying the debt of N3.01 billion in one year. We have learnt lessons, and we are still learning lessons of how not to be wasteful, and how to conserve for the rainy day.”

The Federal Government has described as senseless the claim in certain quarters that the abduction of some students from a boarding school in Kankara, Katsina State, and their release was stage-managed.

The Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, dismissed the claim on Saturday when he featured on a special edition of the Nigeria Television Authority programme, “Good Morning Nigeria’’

The special edition of the usual weekday programme dedicated to the rescue of the 344 school boys abducted from their school on Dec. 11 in Kankara was monitored by the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja.

NAN also recalls that on Feb. 19, 2018, 110 schoolgirls were abducted from Government Girls Science Technical College, Dapchi, Yobe.

When the government secured the release of 104 of the schoolgirls and two other children in March 21, 2018, certain groups, including the opposition Peoples Democratic Party, had also alleged that it was stage-managed to score cheap political point.

Reacting to the claim, the minister said it does not make sense for any administration to stage-manage the abduction of students or any of its citizens.

“What precisely does the government want to achieve? Is it to prove the deficiency of the military or what.

“In the case of Dapchi, we had all kinds of bizarre theories.

“You have to be in government to know how many sleepless nights the president, ministers and head of security outfits spent until the matter is resolved,’’ he said.

Mohammed said many people were disappointed that the Kankara abduction was resolved so fast just like that of Dapchi.

He said: “Many naysayers would have loved the incident to linger and become the igniting rod for their attacks

“Otherwise, how do we describe the spurious organisation like the Bring Back Our Boys that emerged within a few days of the capture of the students.

“Within a few days of the abduction, the so-called organisation had moved to Katsina.

“When you have a situation like this, naysayers who are bent at bringing down the government will come up with all kinds of theories that do not make sense.

“Dapchi abduction was in 2018, how come two years down the lane, nobody has come out to tell us how it was stage-managed?”

The minister admonished politicians and other interest groups to stop politicising and commercialising issues of security and national tragedy.

“In times of crisis and tragedy, people normally come together to address the issue.

“It is not a time to politicise and even trade or commercialise the misery and tragedy of a nation.

“We can have our differences but when it comes to issues of security, we should come together and fight it,’’ he said.

Mohammed noted that it was disappointing that days after the Kankara boys were abducted, some political groups had come to Abuja distributing vests and placing banners all over the streets.

He stressed that times of national crisis such as the kidnapping of children should not be used to denigrate the military, adding that people should rather come together to proffer solutions.

(NAN)

Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association (MACBAN) has denied entering into a discussion with anybody over the abduction of students of Government Science Secondary School, Kankara, Katsina State.

Katsina State governor, Aminu Bello Masari had last Wednesday, said that the state government had contacted Miyetti Allah to enter into discussion with bandits on how to free the over 330 students they abducted from the school.

The National Secretary of Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association, Baba Othman Ngelzarma, told Saturday Sun in a brief telephone interview that he was not aware of such discussion with MACBAN.

According to him, “ unless the governor was discussing with the Katsina State branch of the association, but definitely not with the national leadership.”

However, Ngelzarma later confirmed that he has spoken with the Katsina State branch of MACBAN, which also denied ever being approached by the state government to enter into discussion or negotiation with the bandits to free the school children.

In the same vein, the National President of Miyetti Allah Kautal Hore, Bello Abduallahi Bodejo, said nobody contacted them or discussed with them over the same matter. He said: “ We don’t know the bandits and we don’t want to know them and we don’t have anything to do with them. No member of Miyetti Allah Kautal Hore even at local levels knows the bandits.”

Katsina State governor, Aminu Bello Masari had last Wednesday, said that the state government had contacted Miyetti Allah to enter into discussion with bandits on how to free the over 330 students they abducted from the school.

The National Secretary of Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association, Baba Othman Ngelzarma, told Saturday Sun in a brief telephone interview that he was not aware of such discussion with MACBAN.

According to him, “ unless the governor was discussing with the Katsina State branch of the association, but definitely not with the national leadership.”

However, Ngelzarma later confirmed that he has spoken with the Katsina State branch of MACBAN, which also denied ever being approached by the state government to enter into discussion or negotiation with the bandits to free the school children.

By Aruga Joe Omokaro

The battle for next In­spector-General of Po­lice (IGP) is taking new dimension, as former IGP Sir Mike Okiro and other retired officers are stressing on the implication of appointing a junior officer as the next IGP.

Speaking with Crime Track­er on phone on Tuesday, Okiro said, “there is nothing wrong if the President picks from the rank of Deputy Inspec­tor-General of Police (DIG). Ir­respective of tribe or religion, he should pick a capable hand. But not a junior officer because those that may be forced to re­tire have the experience and it is not healthy to just ask them to retire.”

Also speaking in the same vein, a retired DIG from Katsi­na State, DIG Yakubu Moham­med said on phone that, “it is not healthy to appoint a junior AIG (Assistant Inspector-Gen­eral of Police) because many AIGs who are senior to the ap­pointed IG would be forced to retire The next IG should not be appointed based on ethnic or on religion basis but an officer who has the experience. There is genocide going on the north. I did not really want to talk because you can only give an advice when your advice will be valued. He opined that, if possible, “the judiciary system should be applied in appointing IGs.”

He noted that, in the judi­ciary, the most senior judge is appointed when the incumbent judge retires.

Toeing the same ideology, an aide to chairman of Police Ser­vice Commission (PSC), retired Commissioner of Police (CP) Dr. Yinka Balogun from Ogun State said:

“It is not ideal to appoint a junior AIG. Of course the Constitution states that an IG must be appointed not below the rank of an AIG. But it is not healthy to appoint a junior AIG because the new IG may want to retire all those ahead of him. And if he needs an advice in a particular area, he may not get it because one of those retired may be the one who has the an­swer to the problem.”

There had been intense lobbying for more than three months, over who succeeds the incumbent IGP Mohammed Adamu, who is statutorily due for retirement on February 1, next year 2021.

A lot of intrigues have been manifesting on the next IGP.

The crisis became height­ened last month, when Ada­mu promoted former Force Secretary, an Assistant Inspec­tor-General of Police (AIG) Us­man Alkali Baba to the rank of acting Deputy Inspector-Gener­al of Police (DIG), and deployed him to head “A” Department, the most senior department.

By his promotion, Alkali is heading existing DIGs.

We exclusively reported this supposed anomaly last month titled, Outrage At Police Force Headquarter As AIG Heads DIGs.

The DIGs are Aminchi Baraya, Taraba, who is due for retirement on February 1, 2021 Anthony Michael Ogbizi rep­resenting South South region from Cross River, due for stat­utory retirement on February 1, 2021.

Celestine Okoye, from Anambra representing South East due for retirement on De­cember 22, 2020. Another DIG is Lawal Shehu, from Katsina State, also due on December 24-12-2020.

Others are: Abdul Dan­wawu from Kano who has re­tired on 26-10-2020; DIG Adeleye Oyebade, from Lagos State due on, 01-02-2021.

However, Okoye, Oyebade and Ogbizi have submitted let­ters of retirement last month and have proceeded on retire­ment leave.

Investigations reveal that the new Police Act stipulates that only officers who have up to four years and above should be appointed IGP as contained on Section 7(6), while for retire­ment age or length in service is on section 18(8).

Among 22 AIGs on a seniority basis, Usman Alkali Baba from Borno State, has less than four years in service. He is due for retirement 01-03-2023.

He is followed by Tijani Baba who also has less than one year to go, 08-10-2021.

Others are Karima Hassan, Taraba – 08-01-2021; Ibrahim Lamorde, Adamawa – 01-02- 2021; Mohammad Mustapha, Borno – 01-02-2021; David Oye­banji, Oyo – 21-11-2021; Zanna Mohammed, Borno – 26-11-2022; Nkpa lnakwu, Cross River – 01- 02-2021; Moses Jitoboh, Bayel­sa – 10-06-2029; Jonah Mava, Adamawa – 01-02-2021; Olush­ola David, Lagos – 01-02-2021; Yunana Babas, Bauchi – 01-02- 2021; Dan-William Mohammed, FCT Abuja – 18-12-2023; Sanusi Lemu, Niger is 31-01-2023; Armed Iliyasu, Kaduna – 27-05- 2021; Zaki Ahmed, Kebbi, 15-02- 2022; Gwandu Abubakar, Kebbi – 01-01-2022; Zama Senchi – Kebbi – 05-10- 2022; Bello Zadiq, Kebbi – 20-11-2022; Austin Agbonlahor – Edo – 30-08-2021 and Lawan Ado, Kano, 27-03-2021.

Among the AIGs from the North, only Alkali Baba, Sa­nusi Lemu and Dan William Mohammed have up to three years more in service.

If Buhari has to appoint­ment any officer from the north, he will have to pick one of the three officers.

If he picks a junior AIG either from the north or from the south, over 35 AIGs would be forced to retire prematurely.

Another retired senior offi­cer from the north told Satur­day INDEPENDENT on phone that, “that idea is not helping the system, because many of them were trained and have proven ability to perform. And you just retire them, it discour­ages and does not encourage patriotism.”

And in the south, only Mo­ses Jitoboh has more than four years to serve among the first 25 AIGs on seniority basis. If he is appointed, only two AIGs would be forced to retire, or retain them. That will favour majority AIGs, who will still be in service.”

Meanwhile, the IGP Mo­hammaed Adamu last Friday paid unscheduled visit to the chairman of Police Service Commission (PSC) Alj Musiliu Smith a retired IGP, in his office.

Details of the closed-door meeting were not made public, but a source at PSC disclosed that, “it was a mutual meeting, both of them came out of the meeting with cheerful faces.”

Also at Force Headquarters, a senior officer who does not want his name in print con­firmed the meeting. He said, “we were very happy that he (IGP) was there. We are now confident that, those of us due for promotion that have been delayed since July will now be promoted. There is now peace between them.”

It will be recalled that the IGP and Chairman of PSC had been at loggerhead over power supremacy, especially in rela­tions to recruitment. The im­broglio resulted into litigation.

A source at Force Headquar­ters opined that, “the IG is al­ready aware that his tenure would not be extended maybe that was why he went to rec­oncile with the chairman, so that his candidates would be promoted next (this) week.”

Nigeria Deposit Insurance Corporation (NDIC) on Friday revealed that a limited understanding and the widespread misconception of the Deposit Insurance System (DIS) in Nigeria was largely responsible for the pool of unclaimed deposits following bank closures.

Executive Director (Corporate Services) of NDIC, Mrs Omolola Abiola-Edewor, made this disclosure on Friday while delivering an address at the opening ceremony of the 2020 Sensitisation Seminar for Judges of the Federal High Court in Abuja with the theme: The Challenges to Deposit Insurance Law and Practice in Nigeria.

In a statement issued by Director, Communication & Public Affairs Department, Bashir A. Nuhu, Abiola-Edewor explained the phenomenon had informed the efforts by NDIC to continuously collaborate with the judiciary and other stakeholders in promoting sound knowledge and understanding of the deposit insurance system over the years.

Abiola-Edewor, who said the situation was a global challenge to deposit insurance system, commended the collaboration by the judges of the Federal High Court and the National Judicial Institute in the last nine years that the corporation commenced the annual seminar.

She added that the current economic situation occasioned by the COVID-19 pandemic has further underscored the need to strengthen the collaboration towards enhancing the stability of the financial system.

While describing judgments against the corporation for liabilities of failed banks under liquidation as another challenge confronting the corporation, she noted that effective resolution of legal issues affecting the administration of the deposit insurance system was critical to the enhancement of safety and soundness of the banking system.

The Chief Judge of the Federal High Court, Hon. Justice John Tsoho has said the Asset Management Corporation of Nigeria (AMCON) requires radical complementary power in a bid to recover a N5 trillion debt.

He noted that the purpose for which AMCON was established was in order to regularize some misnomers in the banking system as a result of the 2008/2009 financial crisis, and to achieve this, there is a need for the institution to be vested with radical powers to achieve this mandate.

He was quoted in a statement by AMCON as saying this on Thursday, with the title ‘N5tn Debt: AMCON requires complementary radical powers – Justice Tsoho’.

The Chief Judge made this known at the 36th Annual Judges Conference while addressing Judges of Federal High Court at an interactive session with the management of AMCON in Abuja.

The Chief Judge highlighted 8 factors responsible for the crisis in the banking system, that led to the establishment of AMCON.

Justice Tsoho said “Eight factors were primarily responsible for the crisis in Nigeria. They include macro-economic instability caused by large and sudden capital inflows; major failures in corporate governance in banks;

“Lack of investor and consumer sophistication; inadequate disclosure and transparency about the financial position of banks; critical gaps in regulatory framework and regulations; uneven supervision and enforcement;

“Unstructured governance and management processes at the Central Bank of Nigeria as well as weakness in the business environment”, he said .

Besides, he said there is a need for the country to support AMCON’s quest in the debt recovery process and that the abnormalities leading to its establishment must be avoided.

Justice Tsoho also said that Nigeria responded by establishing AMCON to help in stimulating recovery of the Nigerian banking system through the buying of non-performing assets of troubled banks and recapitalise the banks.

He however added that the concerns for the country’s financial system is genuinely imperative because the crisis exposed other challenges in the financial system that needed urgent attention before relapse into a total collapse.

By Chuks Ekpeneru

The Governors of Katsina State and Zamfara State, Aminu Masari and Bello Matawalle, have been blamed for the upsurge of Kidnapping in the North-West.

A former Director of the Department of State Services, Mike Ejiofor speaking on Channels Television’s Sunrise Daily programme said the two governor’s laid the foundation for kidnapping in error by negotiating with bandits.

“The state governments –both Zamfara and Katsina States –mistakenly laid the foundation for what is going on now; they started negotiation with the bandits who were not even ready to give up on their activities and this is what we are witnessing now.

“Even this Kankara incident, the governor came out to say they are negotiating, that is unacceptable. And you give these people the boldness and courage to continue to perpetrate this act,” Ejiofor said on Friday morning.

The former director condenmed negotiation with bandits and called for strengthening of the security apparatus to crush the criminals.

“I am not a pessimist but these things will continue to happen unless we strengthen the security of these states and take decisive actions. The Federal Government should take decisive actions against these bandits operating in the North-West. These well-organised bandits are looking for money. Anytime they do such kidnap, they are paid, and they use such money to buy more arms.

“This definitely is not the work of Boko Haram but the work of bandits in the two states.

“It’s sad that they were moved from Kankara to Zamfara undetected by any security operative,” Ejiofor stated.