The Spiritual Director of Adoration Ministry, Enugu, Nigeria, Rev. Fr. Ejike Mbaka, says the President, Major General Muhammadu Buhari (retd.), is being fed with lies by the people he surrounded himself with.

Mbaka also accused security men in Enugu State of killing and dumping several bodies of some #EndSARS protesters into the Onyeama valleys.

The controversial Catholic priest, who disclosed this during his Sunday ministration, asked Buhari to apologise to the country, especially the youth, on behalf of himself and his predecessors, who had also caused Nigerians so much pain.

Mbaka, while delivering a message titled, ‘Impure Heart’, at the 2020 All Saints Day Holy Mass, stated that pure heart begets pure spirit while impure heart begets evil spirit.

He alleged that many youths were being detained in various correctional centres across the state and the country, declaring that it was rather the Nigerian leaders that should be in those correctional centres.

Mbaka warned that the detention and extrajudicial killing of pro-Biafra agitators should cease forthwith, saying, “They should not touch any of those Biafra boys o!”

Clarifying that his message was not targeted at any particular government or individual but bad governance in general, Mbaka added, “This is not about #EndSARS or IPOB. Nobody is fighting any government; we are fighting bad governance.

“Few days ago, at Miliken Hill, after New Market, (in Enugu), people discovered corpses of those that were shot and killed during the recent protest. They dumped people’s corpses there while families of those young men and women continued searching for them.

“That is why I am telling you that Nigeria can never be the same again. Did you expect these young men to keep watching the country being swindled and looted dry by the so-called leaders?”

He said, “Buhari, who could have been a solution to this, succeeded in encircling himself with criminals and hooligans. People, who do not just tell him lies but rather, they magnify lies; lies with NAFDAC number – and feed him.”

The Northern Governors Forum on Monday expressed support for the ongoing efforts to regulate the social media in order to check the spread of fake news in the country.

The forum expressed its support in a communique issued by its chairman and Governor of Plateau, Simon Lalong, after its meeting in Kaduna with traditional rulers and other key stakeholders in the region.

The meeting, which took note of the devastating effect of the uncontrolled social media in spreading fake news, called for major control mechanisms and censorship of social media practice in Nigeria.

It also expressed support for the reform of the police to strengthen their capacity.

“Forum appreciates the major reforms going on in the Police Force and pledges to support Mr. President on this course.

“The meeting resolves to support the Nigerian Police Force to serve the country better and calls for the strengthening of trust between the people and the Police,” it said.

The forum set up two committees to push for statutory roles for traditional rulers and engagement with youths and civil society organisations.

The Committee on Roles of Traditional Rulers is headed by the Emir of Lafia, Sidi Bage, with two representatives from the National Assembly and a minister as members.

The Committee on Youth and Civil Society Organisations has the Emir of Zazzau, Ahmad Bamalli, as Chairman

The forum has representative of elders, youths, women and persons with disability as members from each of the three zones.

Others are representatives of Muslim and Christian clerics, business community and police.

“These engagement committees are to commence work immediately,” it said.

It appreciated the roles traditional rulers played in containing the #End SARS protests in the region, and collectively agreed that traditional rulers be given formal roles in the governance architecture of the country.

The meeting rejected and condemned the subversive acțions of some #End SARS protesters and endorsed “the indivisibility, indissolubility and oneness of the nation.”

It commended the National Assembly and the Presidency for being proactive in addressing the issues of protests across the country.

The governors also called for an amicable resolution of the ASUU strike to enable students resume their studies.

The forum agreed to hold the meeting regularly and expand it to involve other critical stakeholders such as religious leaders, business community and youths leaders.

It appreciated the roles of religious groups, JNI and CAN, for their positive interventions in resolving the #EndSARS conflicts.

The forum called for collective efforts in addressing the lingering challenges of the region, such as Almajiri system, insecurity, illiteracy and poverty.

The forum also appreciated the youths in curtailing the spread of hooliganism, thuggery and other separatist
tendencies during the #EndSARS protest.

“The meeting expressed concern over the low level involvement of relevant of stakeholders in the implementation programmes of government and calls on the relevant agencies to review implementation strategies to make for maximum impact and benefits,” it said.

The meeting was attended by the Senate President, Ahmad Lawal, and Chief of Staff to the President, Ibrahim Gambari, among other dignitaries. NAN

Pascal Oparada

Nigerians are not happy that Modupe Odele, a lawyer and an #EndSARS promoter, who provided free legal aid to those detained during the protests, have been stopped from travelling by the Nigerian Immigration Service.

Modupe said she was due to travel to the Maldives to celebrate her birthday on Sunday when she was stopped by Immigration Service. She was detained and her passport seized.

But on Tuesday, Modele tweeted that she is fine and safe and has not been able to ascertain why she was stopped from travelling. According to her, she has been asked to report back with her lawyers.

“Hello everyone. Thank you so much. I’m fine and I’m safe. We haven’t confirmed yet why I was stopped on Sunday or by whom. But I’ve been invited back in with my lawyers today. I’ll update when I have more information but please don’t spread false news. That is dangerous,” she tweeted.

#FreeMoe has been trending on Twitter on Tuesday since the news of her brief detention and passport seizure became public.

Former minister, Oby Ezekwesili expressed worry that Moupe’s rights have been infringed upon and said she has written to the National Security Adviser, Babagana Monguno to immediately return Modupe’s passport and apologise to her.

“When at the beginning I saw how badly the @PoliceNG was handling the #EndSARS protesters, just out of the hospital, I went to meet the IG of police and advised against using brutality against citizens protesting brutality.

He promised to handle but failed. The rest is history,” she said on Twitter.

Social media users expressed concern that Nigeria is descending into dictatorship if people like Modupe, who was on the frontline of the #EndSARS protest could be detained.

“If they can detain Moe @Mochievous and withhold her passport, that simply means that we have been played.

The judiciary panel of inquiry is a scam and they will come for each of us.

Only solution is to get back on the street

#FreeMoe #FreeMoeDollars, @anyasi_emma said on Twitter.

Social media influencer, Wale Adetona said if the news about Modupe is true, Nigerians need to stand up for her and other organisers of the protest.

“If this news I’m reading about Moe is true, then we must do all we can to stand up for her and the entire @feminist_co team.

We shouldn’t fold our arms and watch her get bullied for nothing.

If nothing is done, they’d start picking up everybody one by one. #FreeMoe,” he said.

Modupe recounts experience

In recounting her detention on Sunday, Modupe said immediately she was stopped, the staff of NIS took her to the office and opened a computer and searched a portal upon which her picture came out with something that looked like a wanted person poster.

“I went to the airport, passed through immigration, and while I was putting my bags through the body and baggage scanner, the immigration officer who had previously cleared me, called me back. He told me he had orders from above to detain me.

“Okay, at this point I’m like excuse me, my flight is in an hour. On what grounds are you detaining me?” He didn’t respond. Instead, he goes to his computer where he typed in my name and something that looked like a ‘wanted poster’ popped up on the portal.

“He blocked my view so I couldn’t see most of it but I saw some of it. And it read something like – ‘This person is under investigation by XYZ Intelligence Agency. If seen, they should be apprehended on sight.’”

She wrote: “Since the #EndSARS peaceful protests started in Nigeria about three weeks ago, I and some super courageous women have been providing support to Nigerians as they came out to peacefully exercise their constitutional rights.

“I was specifically in charge of legal aid and so co-led www.endsarslegalaid.co where we succeeded in helping over 80 peaceful protesters who were arrested get released. It was back-breaking and emotionally tasking work but the joy that the family expressed when being reunited with loved ones made it all worth it.

“I’m not a full-time activist or human rights attorney. I am a corporate lawyer at the moment so dealing with police stations isn’t my area of expertise. I did what needed to be done in the face of gross injustice and had the support of over 800 wonderful volunteer lawyers”

PMB Urged to Order Public Inquiry on Humanitarian Affairs Minister’s Handling of COVID-19 Intervention Fund

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has urged Nigerians to be alert to the schemes by the minister of humanitarian affairs, disaster management and social development, Sadiya Umar Farouq, to create an impression that the CACOVID palliatives which hoodlums stole in the aftermath of the #EndSARS protests were the same federal government palliatives for which she is required to give account.

PDP said federal government officials want to use the invasion of CA-COVID palliative warehouses to escape investigation into the reported stealing and criminal diversion of funds and palliatives provided by the federal government to cushion the effect of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The opposition party’s statement reads:

“Our party wants to inform the minister that such infantile antics cannot sway Nigerians, as the public is already aware that CACOVID palliatives came from donations from wells meaning individuals and organizations which is completely different from the N500 billion voted by the federal government, which has not been accounted for.

“If anything, this attempt by the Minister to muddle-up issues and confuse Nigerians only goes to validate allegations of stealing and diversion of funds and palliatives provided by the federal government and placed under her purview.

“Of course, the CACOVID palliatives has nothing to do with the alleged stealing and diversion of funds in the cash disbursement of N20, 000 to undocumented beneficiaries leading to widespread outcry by Nigerians that bulk of the money may have been diverted.

“The embattled Minister has not explained the reason for the obvious circumventing of statutory public finance report system and appropriate documentations by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), leading to the alleged diversion of funds to private purses.

“Also, the CACOVID palliatives have nothing to do with the billions of naira claimed to have been spent on school feeding at a time the schools were shut and school children were in their respective homes in different locations across the country.

“It is revealing to state that our party had earlier gotten winds of allegations in the public space that some indicted federal officials compromised arrangements at CACOVID warehouses to trigger an invasion by agitating Nigerians, as a decoy to frustrate investigation into the alleged stealing and diverting of federal government palliatives by government officials.

“Indeed, the rush for self-exoneration by the minister as well as her forgiveness showboating, apparently in an attempt to posture a foreclosure of an investigation into the handling of Federal Government palliative funds, goes to validate the allegations.

“But Nigerians cannot be swayed by such antics as they hugely smacks of guilt and desperation to evade investigation and conceal corruption. Moreover, it is evident that the besieging of the CACOVID warehouses was further inflamed by bottled-up anger and frustration over the corruption that characterized the handling of federal government palliative funds by the Minister, who now postures for foreclosure of investigation into the manifest atrocities in her ministry.

“Our party holds that this particular attempt to cover corruption places a huge burden on the Buhari-led administration and we call on Mr. President to come clean on the handling of federal government funding on COVID-19.

“The Minister of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development should therefore end her unnecessary showboating and self-exoneration and get ready to give account of the allegedly diverted billions of naira provided by the Federal Government for COVID-19 palliatives instead of seeking to hide under CACOVID palliatives looting.”

“The Minister of Humanitarian Affairs should give account of how much was released to her, the specific purchases, with details of contractors; details of distribution of palliatives and agents in all states; as well as details of bank withdrawals and beneficiaries of her N20, 000 disbursements.

“Nobody should hide under CACOVID to foreclose investigations into the stealing of funds meant for the poor and vulnerable in our country.

“The PDP however restates our call for calm but urges the Federal Government to end such provocative antics being played by its officials to cover corruption,” the statement said.

*Religious leaders condemn killings, destruction of property

Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Malam Muhammad Bello, has said the Presidential Panel of Enquiry on the disbanded Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS) is set to receive complaints from FCT.

Bello urged the residents to use the opportunity provided by the panel to turn in their complaints.

He advised religious leaders and other stakeholders to engage youths in sustainable peace in the territory.

The minister spoke at a stakeholders’ meeting with leaders of Christians in Abuja.

The meeting, which was chaired by the minister, was attended by the Chairman of the FCT chapter of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), Dr. Samson Jonah; the State House Chaplain, Pastor Seyi Malomo and heads of the various Christian denominations in the FCT.

Also at the meeting were the Permanent Secretary in the FCTA, Mr. Olusade Adesola; the Chief of Staff to the FCT Minister, Malam Bashir Mai-Bornu; the Executive Secretary of the FCDA, Umar Gambo Jibrin; the representative of the FCT Commissioner of Police, Nendel Gomwalk, an Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP); the State Director of the Department of State Services (DSS) and relevant senior workers of the FCTA.

The presidency has again expressed concern over the circulation of fake news and misleading information aimed at causing social discontent and disunity in the country.

Femi Adesina, Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, stated this at a media parley with international journalists organised by the Presidential Media Team at the old Banquet Hall of the State House, Abuja, on Monday.

Mr Adesina condemned what he described as deliberate misinformation and incorrect reports by some international media outfits who reported the protests in some part of the country.

He explained that the meeting was part of the ongoing critical engagements with both local and international media aimed at ensuring better understanding of events in the country.

“There have been different kinds of reportage, particularly from the international media, some informed; some not quite informed and some downright incorrect.

“We just felt it was necessary to invite these international journalists so that we can share perspectives with them and it can condition their reportage positively, because if they have background information I don’t think journalists will set out deliberately to skew reports.

“At times, their reports end up being skewed because they do not have enough information.

“So, that is why we held this meeting so that the necessary background information that they can condition their reportage.

“There should be no end to engagements. We should continue to engage – engage with local journalists and engage with international journalists.

“Engagement should be a continuous process because through engagements we can forge better understanding,’’ Mr Adesina said.

Speaking at the forum, the Attorney General and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami, saluted the Nigerian Police Force (NPF) for the mature way it handled the #EndSARS protests despite the killing of its personnel in some parts of the country.

Mr Malami assured that the federal government would continue to ensure institutional provisions to the NPF to enhance the quality of policing in the country.

“How does the reform of police now translated into manifestation associated with the EndSARS incident.

“I think the answer is clear; for the first time in over past 20 years, we do not have incidences associated with massive loss of lives by way of reactions of the police.

“And in effect, we eventually have in our hands an incident where 20 policemen were provocatively killed by purported protesters without counter reactions by way of counter provocative attacks on the part of the public.

“What further evidence do you need of a reform of the police force in a situation whereby in as nation our security outfit, security personnel and indeed our security infrastructure are being attacked with impunity to such an extent that over 200 police stations were set ablaze without provocative reactions on the part of the police.

“I think I have made my point that we do not only have a reformed police force arising from the legislative frameworks that are in place, but we have an established proof of reform both in terms of attitude, sentiment and associated reactions on the part of the police,’’ he said.

The media engagement also featured questions and answers session where Mr Malami and the Minister of Defence, Bashir Magashi, debunked the allegation that soldiers were ordered to shoot #EndSARS protesters at Lekki Toll Gate in October.

Mr Malami disclosed that the federal government had directed that all cases of police brutality and maltreatments of innocent citizens by security personnel should be investigated and culprits should be brought to book.

On his part, Mr Magashi revealed that the Lekki EndSARS incident was being investigated by both the federal and Lagos State governments.

He, therefore, appealed to the media to always avoid speculative reports on the incident as government was doing all it could to identify and prosecute all those behind the crisis.

The Minister of State, Petroleum Resources, Timipre Sylva, who also spoke at the event, dismissed the assertion that the #EndSARS protests would affect the smooth consideration and passage of the Petroleum Industry Bill (PIB) by the National Assembly.

The Minister of Finance, Budget and National Planning, Zainab Ahmed, who highlighted the state of the nation’s economy, reiterated the commitment of the government to ensure full implementation of the 5-point demand of youths occasioned by the EndSARS protests.

She also expressed the readiness of the federal government to complement the efforts of those state governments that established Compensation Fund meant to to compensate families of victims of Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS) killings.

In his remarks, the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity, Garba Shehu, expressed the hope that the presidency would sustain the media engagements for the general good of the society.

Governor Nasir el-Rufai of Kaduna State has said he did not indict the National Assembly for not acting upon the report of the All Progressives Congress (APC) Committee on true federalism.

A statement issued by Mr Muyiwa Adekeye, Special Adviser on Media and Communication on Monday, clarified that the governor merely appealed for urgent action from the federal legislature.

The special adviser who was reacting to the comments of Senator Ajibola Bashiru, the spokesman of the senate, wondered “how can this public appeal for urgent action prompt the sort of diatribe attributed to the Senator in the newspaper report.”

The statement added: “The comments do not show that the person has read Malam el-Rufai’s speech.”

According to Adekeye, “the unnecessary defensiveness to an allegation that was never made against the National Assembly cannot be deemed as distinguished conduct.

“Neither can the attempt to portray the report of a party committee on which several governors sat as that of the individual who had the privilege of chairing it,” he added.

It will be recalled that Senator Bashiru said that that Governor el-Rufai does not know the workings of the National Assembly, by accusing the legislators for not acting on the report of the APC on true federalism.

The statement said that el-Rufai had “appealed to federal legislators to initiate the necessary constitutional amendments to secure restructuring using the draft bills that are contained in the report of the committee.

“Notwithstanding the comments attributed to the spokesman of the Senate, Malam el-Rufai believes that the entire National Assembly will play a positive role in helping our country meet the urgent demands of the moment,” he said.

Adekeye advised that “these times call for responsibility, not for a flourish of ego; for sobriety and utter focus on what is significant and consequential for the future of our country.”

Some angry Federal Government employees, on Monday, stormed the office of the Head of Service of the Federation (HoSF) over the delay in the payment of their salaries.

The workers drawn from different federal ministries and parastatals besieged the office at the Federal Secretariat Abuja, demanding to be paid what was due to them.

Consequent upon the action, the Federal Government has now given reasons for the delay in the payment of October 2020 salary to civil servants assuring that necessary steps have been taken to resolve the matter.

According to a statement issued by Olawunmi Ogunmosunle, Director Information, on behalf of the Head of Civil Service of the Federation, Dr Folasade Yemi-Esan, explained that the delay was due to the fact that the 2020 budget was passed before the conclusion of negotiation on the new Minimum Wage and its consequential adjustment.

She explained that a lump sum was however provided in the 2020 budget for minimum wage and its consequential adjustment.

According to the statement, Dr Yemi-Esan also disclosed that a committee made up of representatives of the Federal Ministry of Finance, Budget and National Planning, the Budget Office and the Office of the Accountant General of the Federation has been set up to determine the shortfalls of Ministries, Extra- Ministerial Departments and Agencies (MDAs).

The statement informed that the shortfalls are to be paid from the lump sum already set aside in the budget for the Minimum wage and its consequential adjustment.

It said the Committee is expected to conclude its work by the end of this week so that salaries can be paid.

While appreciating civil servants for their patience, the Head of Service also informed that she was in touch with the Director-General, Budget Office, who assured that salaries will be paid by the end of this week.

Democratic candidate, Joe Biden, has warned electorates against voting for his opponent, Donald Trump in today’s presidential election in the United States.He said that “our planet” will not recover if Trump rules for another four years.He made this known in a tweet on Tuesday.Biden tweeted, “If we give Donald Trump another four years in the White House, our planet will never recover.”The former vice president launched his White House candidacy – his third, following disastrous bids in 1988 and 2008 – in April 2019 in this blue-collar city.Biden has a slight lead in the pivotal state, which Trump won by less than a percentage point in 2016.But the polls have tightened in recent days, and after the brash billionaire’s shock victory four years ago.Biden earlier called on voters to “take back” American democracy from Trump.“It’s time to stand up and take back our democracy. We can do this,” the 77-year-old former vice president said as he wrapped up a boisterous drive-in rally in Pittsburgh in the critical swing state of Pennsylvania.“I have a feeling we’re coming together for a big win tomorrow,” he said to cheers and honks, adding that if elected president he would act to “get COVID under control on day one.”But Trump on Tuesday predicted a “beautiful victory” in his final reelection campaign stop hours before polls open across the United States.“We’re going to have another beautiful victory tomorrow,” he told a crowd in Grand Rapids, Michigan, the same place where he held the climactic rally of his 2016 campaign, when he upset the polls to beat Hillary Clinton.“We’re going to make history once again,” he added.(Sundiata Post)