The Southern Kaduna People’s Union (SOKAPU) has called on the authorities to secure and rebuild their communities affected by the series of attacks on their people, saying over 700 natives were killed and 100,000 displaced.

National Youth Leader of SOKAPU, Comrade John Isaac, said the southern region of Kaduna, comprising of Jema’a, Jaba, Kagarko, Kachia, Sanga, Kaura, Kauru, Zangon Kataf, Lere, Kajuru and Chickun LGAs, had been ravaged by criminal activities of armed herdsmen for years.

According to him, approximately 900,000 people had adversely been affected with about 100,000 Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs), spread in about 10 camps,   mostly in religious homes, with hundreds of millions worth of farm produce destroyed.

“Many of the   affected residents now live in IDP camps, with host families away from their original homes and in host communities.

 Many host communities are severely stressed, having to cater for the large influx of displaced people from places directly hit by the attacks.

“These attacks have also resulted in extensive damage to social, economic, health and market infrastructure. Numerous homes have been destroyed.  Many schools, hospitals, markets and places of worship have been destroyed or closed.  Many   communities have been completely abandoned, especially in parts of Chickun, Kajuru and Zangon-Kataf LGAs,” he told journalists.

The youth leader explained that while there was still a semblance of economic and agricultural activities in some parts of the affected communities, the economy of most of such communities were at the verge of collapse as farmers, for the fear of attacks, could no longer go to their farms.

While the SOKAPU youth wing commended the Peace Initiative of the Kaduna State Government under the leadership of Governor Nasir el-Rufai following the ‘House of Kaduna Family’’ peace initiative, it said achieving peace and tranquility in the region will require   bringing    an end to the killings, culprits  identified and brought to book and effectively    handling the humanitarian crisis and implementation of an effective reintegration and rebuilding programme as well as the effective reconstruction of social and physical infrastructures across the affected communities.

It solicited the   provision of adequate security and conducive atmosphere for agricultural activities to thrive.

“SOKAPU youth wing is against this backdrop urging both the Federal and State Governments and their agencies, the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), the Kaduna State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA), Kaduna State Ministry in charge of riots, damages, rehabilitations, and resettlements to, as a matter of urgency act fast in rebuilding ravaged communities and reintegrating families and persons displaced by this senseless acts of terror,” the group said.

Miyetti Allah Bans Children from Cattle Grazing

With a view to stopping destruction of farmland and agricultural produce in Southern Kaduna, the Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association (MACBAN) has called for a total ban on children grazing cattle in the state.

The association said the step was taken to prevent further destruction of farm produce, which on several occasions, had resulted in crisis.

The group also agreed to revert to  “our olden days relationship with our neighbouring communities in the area.”

In a communiqué issued at the end of its meeting held at the weekend in Kafanchan, MACBAN pledged full support to Operation Safe Haven’s (OPSH) efforts to restore peace and security in Southern Kaduna area.

It also called for the establishment of joint community peace and security committees at all levels to monitor and maintain peace among neighbouring communities.

The communiqué signed by the Kaduna State chapter Chairman, Alhaji Usman Haruna Tugga, State Zone III Chairman, Alhaji Abdulhamid Musa, Director, Media and Publicity, Ibrahim Bayero Zango and the state Zone III Secretary, Alhaji Shuaibu Mogauri Usman, stated that the meeting was attended by Ardos and others stakeholders from all the eight local government areas of Southern Kaduna Senatorial zone and beyond,

“We strongly commend the efforts of Commanders of Operation Safe Haven and all his officers and men for their tireless efforts toward the restoration of peace in southern Kaduna. We have never seen this kind of efforts from the military commander before.

“It was also attended by the Security Agencies, Kaduna State Government Officials. Distinguished Senator Danjuma La’ah and Chief Anthony Hassan (Dokajen Jaba) also graced the occasion,” the communiqué added.

Part of the communiqué read: “The summit, after all the deliberations, reached the following resolutions: That we have agreed to reverse to our olden days’ relationship with our neighbouring communities in the area.
“We are appealing to farmers to allow our cattle graze on recognized cattle routes “We have agreed to bury our differences and be our brothers’ keepers henceforth in order to foster development in the area.

“We call on our people to stop allowing the underage children from rearing cattle in order to prevent further destructions of farm produce of the farmers within the area and beyond.

“We also advised our people to be vigilant and hand over suspected criminals to security agencies that may be found within our communities.

“The summit strongly commended the efforts of Commanders of operation safe haven and all his officers and men for their tireless efforts toward the restoration of peace in southern Kaduna we have never seen this kind of efforts from military commander before.

“Based on this reason we pledged our total support to the security outfits and all its efforts to restore total peace and security in southern Kaduna.

“We also wish to commend all the security agencies working tirelessly to restore peace to southern Kaduna. We appeal to the federal and Kaduna State Government to assist those who have lost their cattle’s and other sources of livelihood in other to alleviate the hardship that the victims are facing.

“We call for the establishment of joint community peace and security at all levels to monitor and maintain peace among neighbouring communities”.

JIBWIS Backs El- Rufai Peace EffortsMeanwhile, a Muslim group, Jama’atul  Izalatul Bid’ah wa Iqamatul Sunnah (JIBWIS), has emphasized the need for peaceful coexistence among residents of Kaduna South.

National Chairman of the group, Sheikh Abdullahi Bala Lau, said without peace, there could be no religious practice.

 ‘’We are here to commiserate with the governor and people of Kaduna state, for what happened between the communities of the state’’, Sheikh Bala Lau said at  news conference after he had led a team on courtesy call on Governor Nasir el-Rufai  at the weekend.

“Religious leaders have a great role to play; they have value to add for the peaceful coexistence in Nigeria.  That is why the governor said that he had earlier received CAN leaders and His Eminence, the Sultan of Sokoto’’, he added.

The sheikh  also argued that “Allah created us from male and female, from Adam and Eve, for us to know each other, not to fight each other.

 “Inshaa Allahu, we have so many things to add value to the peaceful coexistence in Kaduna state”, he said.

The cleric promised to offer fervent prayers for the intervention of Allah (SWT), adding that “with prayers, we will achieve our goal”.

 The sheikh said that true Muslims  were being guided by the Holy Qur’an in whatever they do,  adding that “whosoever wants to preach, has to preach according to   the Quran and Sunnah. If you are following the teaching of the Qur’an  and Sunnah, you cannot preach anywhere and anyhow”, and admonished preachers to preach with wisdom.

In his contribution, Governor el Rufai said that the Izala leaders, essentially, came to be briefed about the security situation in Kaduna state and that ‘’they received briefings from the Commissioner of Internal Security as well as the Deputy Governor.

“We also solicited  their support and prayers to see the end of this crisis because we are of the strong view that at the bottom of this crisis is the reckless statements of some religious leaders.

“If religious leaders decide firmly that people should live in peace and preach that consistently, it will lead to peaceful coexistence in our state,’’ he said.

el- Rufai identified religion and ethnicity as causes of crisis in southern Kaduna and advised that religious leaders could play a very unifying or divisive role in solving the problems.

▪︎EFCC has always been headed by police officers; that is about to change…

A new bill seeking to amend Economic and Financial Crimes Act has weakened the Office of EFCC Chairman and created a new position known as Director-General of EFCC.

The bill, which is titled, ‘An Act to Repeal the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (Establishment) Act, 2004 (act no. 1 of 2004) and Enact the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission Act Which Establishes a More Effective and Efficient Economic and Financial Crimes Commission to Conduct Enquiries and Investigate All Economic and Financial Crimes and Related Offences and for other Related Matters.’

The bill, it was learnt, is being put together by Attorney Generalof the Federation and Minister of Justice, Mr Abubakar Malami on behalf of Federal Government for onward transmission to National Assembly.

The proposed law was initiated barely weeks after suspended acting Chairman of EFCC, Mr Ibrahim Magu, accused Malami of frustrating the anti-corruption war of President Muhammadu Buhari.

According to the proposed law, the director-general will be appointed by the President based on the recommendation of AGF and subject to confirmation by Senate.

The director-general, and not the chairman, will be in charge of the running of the daily affairs of the commission.

Section 8 of the bill reads in part, “There shall be for the commission, a director-general who shall be appointed by the President on the recommendation of Attorney General subject to the confirmation by Senate.

“Subject to the provisions of subsection (3) of this section, the Director-General shall be a retired or serving member of any government institution, including any security or law enforcement agency not below the rank of a director or its equivalent or a person from the private sector.

“A person shall not be appointed as a director-general unless he is of proven integrity and has 15 years cognate experience in security, forensic or financial crimes investigation; forensic accounting or auditing; or law practice or enforcement relating to economic and financial crimes or anti-corruption.”

The director-general, according to the proposed law, shall hold office for a period of four years subject to reappointment by the President for a further term of four years and no more.

The bill states that the chairman of EFCC shall be head of EFCC board.

Other members of the board shall include the director-general, a representative of Federal Ministry of Justice, a representative of Central Bank of Nigeria, Director of Nigerian Financial Intelligence Unit, two other Nigerians with 15 years cognate experience in legal, finance, banking or forensic auditing and Director of Administration who shall be the secretary of the board.

The proposed law states that the chairman and members of the management board shall be appointed by the President, on the recommendation of Attorney General subject to confirmation by Senate; and for a period of four years in the first instance, renewable for another period of four years and no more.

The EFCC board headed by the chairman will be in charge of establishing policy guidelines for the commission; review and approve the strategic plans of the commission; oversee the due performance of the functions of the commission in accordance with the provisions of this Act; and do such other things which in its opinion are necessary to ensure the efficient and effective performance of the functions of the Commission under this Act.

Secretary of EFCC, which is a creation of Section 8 of existing EFCC Act is not mentioned in the new bill, indicating that the position has been scrapped.

The current EFCC Secretary, Mr Ola Olukoyede, who has also been suspended by Mr Buhari pending investigation, is in charge of the secretariat of the commission and is responsible for the administration of the secretariat and the keeping of the books and records of the commission.

The proposed law not only restates the power of the AGF to discontinue the prosecution of criminal cases as guaranteed in Section 174 of the 1999 Constitution, it empowers the AGF to cancel the prosecutorial power of EFCC when he sees fit. Section 45 of the new bill states that the AGF may, after notifying EFCC, intervene in court proceedings, at first instance or on appeal,  where, in the opinion of AGF, public interest, the interest of justice and the need to prevent abuse of legal process so demand.

It further reads, “On receipt of the notice under subsection (2) of this section, the commission shall hand over to Attorney-General, the prosecution file and all documents relating to the prosecution and provide him with such other information as he may require on the matter within the time specified by him.

“The commission shall furnish returns of all cases handled by it annually and in such manner and at such intervals as the Attorney-General shall direct.

“Where the commission fails to comply with the provisions of this section, Attorney General may, subject to prevailing circumstances, revoke the power to prosecute from the commission.”

Spokesman for the AGF, Mr Umar Gwandu, said in a chat that his principal was not involved in the tinkering of EFCC Act.

He said there were Non-Governmental Organisations that were spreading lies about the AGF.

Gwandu said, “The Attorney General of the Federation was not in anyway responsible for the tinkering of any section of EFCC Act for any reason whatsoever.

“Nigerians are not unaware of the existence of NGOs that are notorious for mischief and can stoop too low to fabricate and concoct figment of imagination capable of spreading lies for attaining certain goals.”

Punch

THE Convener of the Open Bar Initiative, Mr. Silas Joseph Onu has called on the Body of Senior Advocates of Nigeria(BOSAN) to desist forthwith from its attempt to audit the concluded NBA 2020 National Elections, noting that the move is because a non-SAN emerged as NBA President.

This is contained in a statement issued by him which was Sighted by  TheNigeriaLawyer (TNL).

Meanwhile, he noted that BOSAN does not have a business to supervise or meddle in the affairs of the Nigerian Bar Association.

Thus, he called on the Body to desist immediately or get dragged to Court.

The statement reads:

Our attention has been drawn to the sinister activity of a group known and referred to as the Body of Senior Advocates of Nigeria (BOSAN), an independent incorporated trustee, with no connection to the NBA whatsoever, as it constitutes itself into a supervising body of the Nigerian Bar Association.

Today, they plan to announce a committee of that body to audit the just concluded NBA Election. It is evident that many Senior Advocates who personally felt defeated by a non-SAN are now working overtime to supplant the Nigerian Bar Association with a group formed only for the SANs.

This is not the only overbearing activity embarked upon by the group without any authority from Nigerian Lawyers. They have also constituted themselves into the drafters of the proposed amendment to the Legal Practitioner’s Act and therein attempting to give the body a statutory flavour.

This attempts to undermine the Nigerian Bar Association simply because a Non-SAN is the current President by promoting another platform that will speak for and on behalf of lawyers, is unfortunate and hereby condemned. It cannot stand and must be resisted by all well-meaning Nigerian lawyers.

Senior Advocates, like Young Lawyers, have the right to come together under a forum that is subject to the Nigerian Bar Association. However, incorporating an independent body with the aim of surreptitiously taking over the core responsibilities of the Nigerian Bar Association is, sadly, demonstrative of the rot that some of these Seniors have brought to this profession. The only reason for such a body is to show a distinction between “ordinary” lawyers and the “extraordinary” Senior Advocates, who have now surpassed the level of being called lawyers, or so we imagine.

The Body of Senior Advocates of Nigeria, being an independent incorporated trustee has no business whatsoever in meddling with NBA Election under any guise and should discontinue any attempt to so interfere forthwith. They can organise an election for their preferred candidates to lead their own body and it wont be our business at all.

Also, the body of Senior Advocates of Nigeria is not known to the legal practitioner’s Act and has no place in the proposed amendment of the said Act. If they have any input to make, it should be routed through the recognized body of lawyers, the Nigerian Bar Association. They cannot constitute themselves as a body acting for or on behalf of lawyers. Their entire membership is less than 600 and as such, they aren’t in any position to act or speak for the over 120, 000 lawyers in Nigeria. They are to desist from further usurpation of responsibilities that does not fall within their purview.

We are resolved to drag that body to Court if it insist on acting unilaterally in ways that undermine the core purpose and responsibilities of the Nigerian Bar Association.

We know that not all Senior Advocates subscribe to the objectives of this body and therefore call on the very respected Senior Advocates of Nigeria, properly so called, to dissociate themselves from this attempt to undermine the Nigerian Bar Association simply because a Non-SAN is presently the President.

Thank you.

VATICAN CITY (Reuters) – Pope Francis urged the faithful on Sunday to steer clear of gossip, calling it worse than the coronavirus and saying it could be used to divide the Roman Catholic Church.

“Please, brothers and sisters, let’s make an effort not to gossip. Gossiping is a worse plague than COVID,” the pope said during his weekly address from a window above St. Peter’s Square.

“The devil is the great gossip. He is always saying bad things about others because he is the liar who tries to split the Church,” Francis added in the off-the-cuff comments.

The pope has regularly warned of the risks of gossiping and has also railed against Internet trolls.

“If something goes wrong, offer silence and prayer for the brother or sister who make a mistake, but never gossip,” he said on Sunday.

The Chairman of the Sokoto State Ulama Forum of Izala, Abubakar Usman Mabera, has said any Muslim lawyer who defends the musician sentenced to death in Kano State, Yahaya Sharif-Aminu, has renounced Islam.

Sharif-Aminu was sentenced to death by hanging on August 10 after he was found guilty of blasphemy against the Prophet Muhammad.

TheNigerialawyer had reported how the development stirred an outcry among many Nigerians.

Despite the public outcry, the Supreme Council for Shari’ah in Nigeria asked Kano state government to execute the court judgment.

In response, the Governor of Kano State, Dr. Abdullahi Ganduje, said he would not hesitate to sign Sharif-Aminu’s death warrant if he failed to file an appeal within 30 days.

The convict has however appealed against the court’s decision.

Mabera, while speaking in Sokoto at the weekend, said blasphemy is a capital offence in Islam of which punishment is death, and that since a competent court has found the singer guilty, he cannot be pardoned.

He asked Muslim lawyers to be careful in defending the convict, adding that “any lawyer who comes out to defend him has renounced his Islamic faith”.

The cleric also asked the Muslim faithful to seek God’s forgiveness because the prevailing setbacks in the country are signs of wrongdoing.

”For all indications, God is not happy with us and we have to repent because he alone is the answer to our woes,” he said.

THE Asset Management Corporation of Nigeria (AMCON) has seized the assets of Hydro Hotels Limited over N600 million debt.

The takeover of the company’s assets was confirmed at the weekend by Jude Nwauzor, the Head of Corporate Communications Department at the government recovery agency.

Affirming the decision of a Federal High Court in Minna, Niger State, the Court of Appeal, through Justice Habeeb A. O. Abiru, Justice Abubakar Datti Yahaya and Justice Amina Audi Wambai, the court granted AMCON judgment against Hydro Hotels Limited and its Chief Promoter, Alhaji Isah Mohammed Ladan, on the debt.

The appellant court also ordered the forfeiture of moveable and immoveable assets of Hydro Hotels Limited and Ladan.

The court further granted AMCON full possession and outright power of sale of the properties. AMCON has been at work since President Muhammadu Buhari signed the amended AMCON Act into law. The amendment provides the government agency additional powers to go after its obligors, majority of who have remained recalcitrant for years.

Armed with the court order, AMCON, through its appointed Debt Recovery Agent, Ajunwa and Co., took effective possession of four top properties of the obligor.

These include the properties at Plot 165/166 MTP. 95A, measuring 0.300 hectares at Farm Center, Tunga Ward, Near New Secretariat, Minna, Niger State; Plots 173 and 174 MTP. 95A, consisting of 0.414 hectares; Property at 1 Wawa Road, New Bussa, Niger State, and property at 82 Garkuwas Residence, New Bussa, Niger State.

The case of Hydro Hotels Limited and its promoter has been prolonged as the loan was purchased by AMCON during the first phase of Eligible Bank Assets (EBA) purchases from Finbank (now FCMB) in 2010.

Due to the lack of adequate collateral, AMCON said its investigation on Ladan revealed other hidden properties belonging to the obligor in Niger State, which were hitherto not known to AMCON.

The agency’s move to expand investigation and trace additional assets, it stressed, is in line with Section 49 (1) & (2) of the AMCON Act 2019 (as amended).

Security agencies have stepped up surveillance of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) and the two contiguous states of Nasarawa and Kogi to forestall planned attacks by the Boko Haram and Darul Salam.

The security beef-up followed an intelligence report that suspected terrorists were planning a grand offensive on the FCT and the two states.

The Nigeria Customs Service, in a circular signed by Comptroller (Enf HQ), Mr. H. A. Sabo, and dated September 4, had raised the alarm that Boko Haram insurgents had camped in and around the FCT and planning to attack selected targets in the nation’s capital.

It had called on Customs personnel to be security conscious all the time.

The Defence Headquarters (DHQ), however, reassured the residents of FCT and other adjoining states that the armed forces and other security agencies were on the red alert to combat crime and ensure effective surveillance.

The FCT Police Command also said it had activated intelligence gathering mechanism and crime-fighting measures to protect lives and property in the FCT.

Our correspondent gathered at the weekend that massive troop deployment in the affected states, which began last Wednesday, had been intensified while enhanced security cordon was thrown around the nation’s capital.

Military checkpoints, jointly manned by police and intelligence officials, were mounted on Keffi, Lokoja-Abuja road up to Gwagwalada and other entry points into the FCT.

There was also more deployment of police patrol teams in strategic locations while plain-clothes detectives had been assigned to scan the FCT.

A statement by the Defence Headquarters reassured residents of FCT and other adjoining states that the armed forces and other security agencies were on the red alert to combat crime and ensure effective surveillance of the FCT and other states of the country.

It said: “This is imperative sequel to a purported memorandum from the Nigeria Customs Service warning its staff on a possible attack on the FCT. The Armed Forces of Nigeria, working together with other security and response agencies particularly the core intelligence agencies, hereby assure the general public that preventive and preemptive intelligence are ongoing. The general public is thus advised to go about their lawful businesses undeterred.

“Furthermore, the Armed Forces of Nigeria and other security agencies wish to assure the general public that the offensives against the common enemies of this nation will not cease until normalcy is restored in all parts of the country.”

The statement signed by the Coordinator of the Directorate of Defence Media Operations, Major General John Enenche, urged the general public to remain vigilant and report any suspicious activity to security agencies.

The FCT Police Command also said it had deployed intelligence gathering mechanism and crime-fighting measures to secure the FCT.

It said, in a statement, that the command was also working in synergy with other security agencies in its ongoing effort to strength security in FCT.

The command said it was committed to the protection of lives and property and forestall any act that could lead to a likely security breach.

The statement, signed by Police Public Relations Officer (PRO), Mr. Anjuguri Manzah, a Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP), urged FCT residents to report any suspicious persons or activities in and around their neighbourhoods at the nearest police station.