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Patrick Abba Moro, the senator for the Benue South Senatorial District, has accused the security authorities in Benue State of lacking intelligence in the fatal bank robbery that occurred in Otukpo over the weekend.

The daredevil robbers are said to have slain John Adikwu, the Otukpo Divisional Police Officer, three other police officers, and four civilians on Saturday, October 20, both inside and outside the bank site.

In an interview with media following the Senate floor, Senator Moro questioned how many armed robbers in a convoy of cars and motorcycles could have entered the town and fled for approximately an hour in the absence of intelligence and counterattacks from security personnel. The motion was titled “Otukpo Robbery Attack: Urgent Need for Investigation and Intervention.”

“We have multiple security checkpoints; the police, the Federal Roads Safety Corps, the Department of State Services, and the Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps have all joined the roadblock thing,” he stated. The fact that two Hilux cars carrying sixty armed men were en route to invade Otukpo escaped all of them. Where is the wisdom these days? None of the agencies was able to mobilize a counterattack when the attack occurred.

He clarified that his initial opposition to the call for the creation of state police was based on the fact that most states at the time were unable to pay workers salaries and meet the basic needs of the people, and that an additional police wage bill could have overburdened the state governments in response to a reporter’s question about the significance of state police for community policing.

Senator Moro said earlier, during the motion’s presentation, that the suspected armed robbers held the entire town hostage for more than an hour with little to no opposition.

He bemoaned, “Thousands of naira were carted away from the banks and arms and ammunition from the police command in addition to the bloodletting.”

The Nigeria Police and other pertinent security agencies were requested by the Senate in its resolutions to look into the circumstances surrounding the invasion and the murders of innocent persons very away.

It also exhorted the security services to solve the puzzle of why there was a deficiency in information and awareness on the day of the invasion.

The National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) was also encouraged by the Red Chamber to act quickly to supply relief supplies for the Otukpo Police Command’s rehabilitation.

On the House of Representatives floor, the bill aiming to raise the retirement age for National Assembly employees passed Second Reading.

Hon. Aliyu Sani Madaki, the deputy minority leader, was the sponsor of the private member bill.

The contentious bill faced significant obstacles during the 8th and 9th Assemblies due to opposition from a range of stakeholders who contended that raising the retirement age from 60 to 65 years old and the service requirement from 35 to 40 years old would result in worker attrition and stagnation.
Nonetheless, Hon. Madaki clarified in his lead discussion on Tuesday, 1111, that the purpose of the bill is to establish an independent and unified retirement age for National Assembly employees.

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A retirement age of 65 years or 40 years of service, whichever comes first, was also suggested in the proposed legislation.

He claimed that the National Assembly’s professional staff would function more efficiently as a result of this prolongation.

Hon. Ali Isa, who backed the bill, said that it will preserve the staff members’ specific knowledge in the National Assembly.

He said that the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), which is already in effect in many other countries of the world, has also urged for this universal extension.
Speaking as well, Hon. Abdullahi Rasheed contended that if the bill is signed into law, it will ensure that the National Assembly’s staff members fulfill the intricate nature of their duties and will raise their morale.

The bill was forwarded to the House Committee on Public Service Matters for additional legislative action following the discussion.

Remember that following the controversy surrounding the alleged plan by the former Clerk for the National Assembly (CNA), Sani Omolori, to unilaterally enforce a new condition of service, the Chairman of the National Assembly Service Commission (NASC), Engineer Ahmed Amshi, ordered that the status quo on the 35-year and 60-year-old age groups, whichever comes first, should be maintained.

On Tuesday, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu promised Nigerians and the international community that the country’s economy will soon recover.

President Tinubu gave the assurance while kicking off the two-day Green Economy Summit, ‘Sustainable Future: Harnessing Green Assets and Innovation for Niger State’s Prosperity,’ organized by the Niger State Government in Minna. He also pledged unqualified support for Niger State Governor Mohammed Bago’s Green Economy initiative aimed at unlocking the vast mineral resources across the state.

During the Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting on Monday, the President, who was represented by Minister of State for Solid Minerals Senator Abdullahi Sabi, provided insight into the newly approved solid mineral development policy.”President Tinubu is also another visionary leader, and we are grateful to Almighty Allah for bringing him to serve our country at this time,” he stated. To demonstrate the President’s dedication to the establishment of a green economy, a new solid mineral development policy was approved by the Federal Executive Council just yesterday.

“And this policy will undoubtedly align with and benefit the green economy that you have envisioned for Niger State, because the policy emphasizes the elimination of all forms of illegality that desecrate and destroy our environment.”

“It also intends to ensure a new principle of resource-use efficiency while allowing people who want to operate legally in the mining sector to do so.” And, as His Excellency, the Governor stated, Niger State is endowed with a variety of mineral elements.

“I want to assure you that the President’s commitment to enthroning the green economy over the next few years will align with the green economy vision you have for Niger State.”

“Finally, I want to assure you that the President is fully aware of all the difficulties caused by some of the difficult decisions that must be made at this time, and his charge is to simply say, Please pray for us, give us your understanding, and as we make this powerful sacrifice, the gains of our sacrifice are just a short minute or a few hours away from us.”

“Very soon, we shall begin to reap the benefits of these tough decisions, as our economy will bounce back and, for us, food security, which is his number one priority, will also begin to get the full attention it deserves,” President Barack Obama stated.

In his address, Niger State Governor Mohammed Bago, who convened the first subnational Green Economy Summit, stated that his administration has “produced its first Green Economy Blueprint, a strategic document outlining a visionary roadmap that will shape our development choices and steer our actions in alignment with the precepts of sustainability.”

“We are using this summit to present a draft to stakeholders for review and input, after which it will be formally launched and used in the preparation of our appropriation proposals for 2024 and beyond.”

Distribution of the first phase of the Gombe State Government palliative care program has benefited no fewer than 42,000 disadvantaged households.

At the same time as the distribution steering group sent the government its report.

Governor Muhammadu Yahaya’s representative, Professor Ibrahim Njodi, the Secretary to the Government of Gombe State, accepted the report on Monday and praised the committee for their excellent work.

Two bags of fertilizer, two liters of insecticides, five kilograms of rice, and a box of spaghetti or macaroni are among the supplies that were delivered.

Yahaya expressed her gratitude to the committee for their dedication, fortitude, selflessness, and devotion in carrying out their task.

But he pointed out that difficulties could have arisen throughout the distribution process, just like in any human endeavor, and he concluded by saying that “opposition politicians are the ones who are complaining about the exercise the most, because they are selfish.”

Informing the committee members that their services could be needed, he took the opportunity to declare that arrangements are in place for the distribution of the state’s portion of the federal government’s palliative care.

Governor Yahaya’s permission to serve the state in this way was expressed by Abdullahi Haruna, the Chairman of the Committee and Executive Secretary of the State Emergency Management Agency, as he presented the report.

He also praised the SGS for giving them the guidance and leadership they required, which allowed the distribution exercise to be completed successfully.

As for the committee’s suggestions, the chairman asked that the government “carefully study them for implementation in similar situations in the future.”

In spite of attempts by the All Progressives Congress (APC) leadership to mend the political division in Ondo State, the State Assembly has sent a new letter to Justice Olusegun Odusola, the state chief judge, requesting the formation of a committee to look into the charges of egregious misconduct against Lucky Aiyedatiwa, the deputy governor.
Recall that in order to settle disputes between Aiyedatiwa, the State Assembly, and Governor Rotimi Akeredolu, APC National Chairman Abdullahi Ganduje established a very capable panel.

However, the House stated that the impeachment process began again when the Federal High Court’s ex parte injunction expired in a letter signed by Speaker Olamide Oladiji.

“Request to establish a seven-member panel to investigate the allegations of gross misconduct against the Deputy Governor of Ondo State, following the expiration of the Federal High Court’s interim injunction in suit FHC/ABJ/CS/1294/2023 by operation of law,” read the letter’s title.

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The letter said, in part, that the Ondo State House of Assembly had, in accordance with Section 188(5) of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (as amended), on October 3, 2023, requested Your Lordship to form a seven-member panel to look into the charges of gross misconduct leveled by the House against the Deputy Governor of Ondo State, His Excellency, Hon. Lucky Orimisan Aiyedatiwa.

“Your Lordship acknowledged and cited Section 188 (10) of the Constitution in a reply letter dated October 6, 2023. This section says, in part, that “No proceedings or determination of the House of Assembly or the panel or any matter relating to such proceedings or determination shall be entertained or questioned in any court.”

But until the ex parte decision issued by the Abuja Judicial Division of the Federal High Court on September 26, 2023, prohibiting you from assembling the panel was either revoked or overturned, your hands would remain constrained, according to Your Lordship’s opinion.

But given the explicit language of Order 26 Rule 10 (2) & (3) of the Federal High Court (Civil Procedure) Rules, 2019, and the information and legal counsel available to the House, the aforementioned order has either expired or been superseded by the operation of law.

The order in question has expired due to legal processes, and Your Lordship acknowledges that this no longer stands in the way of Your Lordship carrying out the fundamental constitutional duty entrusted to your office by virtue of Section 188(5) of the Constitution, which is to assemble the seven-member panel.

“As a result, the 10th Ondo State House of Assembly hereby requests that Your Lordship promptly assemble the panel.”

Remember that the House had halted the deputy governor’s impeachment proceedings due to the intervention of the APC’s national leadership?

During the meeting in Abuja with prominent members of the APC, including National Chairman Abdullahi Ganduje, the Speaker declared that the House has put a halt to the impeachment process.

The House then demanded that Aiyedatiwa withdraw all of the lawsuits that were brought against Akeredolu and the MPs.

The Nigerian Association of Liquefied Petroleum Gas Marketers has charged terminal operators with continuously raising gas prices, taking advantage of Nigerians, and restricting gas supply.

Leading the marketers, Oladapo Olatunbosun, the president of the organization, informed the Senate on Monday that while Nigeria Natural Liquefied Gas has been a constant supplier, cabals have caused disruptions in the gas supply for Nigerians.

According to Olatunbosun, a few marketers were part of a cabal that was purchasing the goods at a reduced cost directly from the manufacturer and reselling it to them at an exorbitant price.

For the common Nigerian, getting gas is a challenge because of the cabals, Olatunbosun clarified. NNLG sells them gas for slightly less than N9 million, but these terminal owners are currently selling it for N16.8 million for 20 metric tons.

“There are a number of them, including Mobil, Pan Ocean Limited, NNPC, OLogbo, NSPC Apapa, SHELL, Dozzy LPG terminal, Shafa Energy, Techno Gas, StockGap Ltd, and NIPCOPLC, Matrix Energy Ltd.

The least that individuals get these days when they go to fill up their petrol tanks is N1,200 per kilogramme; just think of the suffering that Nigerians must endure. Is it really possible for a student or low-wage worker in modern-day Nigeria to pay N1,200 for gas and boil a cup of beans? he questioned.

It is not reasonable for Nigerians to purchase gas at this price, the marketer told the Senate.

Olatunbosun stated, “It is true that Nigerians produce more gas than people in Cote d’Ivoire, Ghana, and other nations, but our gas prices are lower here in Nigeria, where we are the second-largest gas producer in Africa after Algeria, and yet our people cannot afford to cook with gas.”

In comparison to imports, we produce more gas. Nigerians are actually not importing that much, but these cabals have made it impossible for them to benefit from the government’s efforts and the fruits of their labor.

According to the marketers, while transactions were conducted only in naira, terminal operators frequently cite foreign exchange as one of the causes of rising gas costs.

The Association President clarified, saying, “These cabals have also made it a habit to hide behind foreign exchange, but the question is, does NNLG get paid in dollars? Nope. Naira is used for all transactions. In this scenario, what part does forex play? The important evidence—where is it?

You pay N9 million in naira to NNLG for gas, which you subsequently sell for N16 million and use the proceeds as leverage against the government.

The government has made every effort to make life tolerable for the populace, but when people arrive at our plants and we inform them of the price, they begin to cry and curse at us.

By December, 12.5 kg of gas will sell for N25,000, the marketers further threatened, unless action was taken to appropriately solve these problems.

“The gas will become a luxury good accessible only to the wealthy if we don’t stand up and checkmate the whole thing,” Olatunbosun continued.

These gangs may begin selling 20 metric tonnes for N200 million by December. In other words, gas will sell for N25,000 for 12.5 kg and N2,000 each kilogram.

The marketers also expressed regret about Nigeria’s relatively low use rate, which they attributed to a number of issues including poverty.

According to him, we should be producing between 6 and 7 million metric tonnes annually based on our population, but we are only able to produce 1.2 million metric tonnes because of supply and cost constraints.

The amount of use decreased as gas prices increased; currently, annual utilization ranges from 750,000 to 900,000 metric tons.

People will enter the deforestation to obtain wood and charcoal for cooking, and our forest will suffer as a result.

Olatunbosun said, “This is the kind of hardship that the few cabals have subjected poor Nigerians to, which is worrisome, especially because it would continue to sell Nigerians’ false impression that this administration is not doing anything for the public.”

Although NNLG is aware of all of this, they have chosen not to take action. The difficulty is that there is no rule.

“We have come before the Senate to plead for assistance for the impoverished Nigerians because it appears that those without a voice have no one to defend them.”

He went on to say that in order to support our efforts to increase gas consumption, there needs to be room for profit-making investments that don’t violate public interest.

They are investors, and since they invested their resources, we have nothing against them making money, he said, but what is not permitted anywhere in the world is making enormous profits.

“These cabals oppose the expansion of the industry since more investors will enter the market and discover gaps as a result of growth.

In order to prevent investors from entering the market and to gain control over the industry, they aim to lower the utilization rate.

Marketers were given the reassurance that the Senate would not overlook the problem by Jarigbe Jarigbe, the Senate’s gas chairman.

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The problem, he said, was one of great national importance and needed to be given careful consideration.

On behalf of the committee and the Senate, Senator Jarigbe remarked, “I have listened to you.”

It is well known that the current administration has discussed ways to enhance the availability of LPG and Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) for automobiles, in an effort to mitigate the impact of the elimination of subsidies.

Regarding your complaints, which state that NLNG sells to terminal owners for roughly N7 million for 20 metric tonnes, and that they then sell to you at a margin of about N7 million, the Senate will not stand for this. This would have a negative multiplier effect for that to the final consumer. Because it is not Mr. President’s objective, I am also certain that the executive will not support it.

I want to praise you for your bravery because, at this point, it would have been easy for you to give in, but instead you chose to stand up for the average person, the speaker said.

Beyond what you have done, I would go above and beyond. Speaking in a more lighthearted tone, the Senate President stated that Nigerians need to breathe, not only the extremely impoverished.

All people use gas these days, with the exception of those living in the inner villages, thus we must give ourselves permission to breathe.

Since we were elected to represent our people and it is our duty to safeguard them, the Senate will do everything in its power to support you and Nigerians on the problem of climate change and greenhouse gas emissions.

He said, “We pledge to back up words with deeds.”