A former All Progressives Congress, APC, presidential aspirant, Adamu Garba, has said some politicians are sponsoring the EndBadGovernance protest to blackmail President Bola Tinubu.
Garba said the politicians were using the protest to prove to Tinubu that they have the key to peace and chaos in Nigeria.
He, however, warned that no politician would be allowed to succeed in using the protest to get political gains from the president.
Posting on X, Adamu wrote: “Nobody. I mean nobody should be allowed to blackmail the President. No political opportunist should be allowed to use the ongoing sponsored riots to corner the President to their political gains.
“The sponsors of the riots should be held accountable and not rewarded.
“The President is the commander in chief of the armed forces and he is the sole representative of the Nigerian Sovereign Authority.
“Blackmailing the President would amount to blackmailing the whole country into submission to the demands of a few disgruntled elements. They should not succeed.
“Granted there are genuine peaceful protesters and they have full right to their protest. It is their constitutional right and they should be protected by the authorities as they protest.
“However, some wrong headed politicians, some biased politicians think that they will use the riots they are sponsoring to prove to the President that they have the keys to peace and chaos in Nigeria. No they don’t.
“The only institution with the keys to peace and stability, the one that should have the full control of state instruments of violence like army, police, DSS, etc is the Federal Government of Nigeria under the leadership of President Tinubu. And that should be protected and enforced.”
EndBadGovernance: Politicians using protest to blackmail Tinubu – Adamu Garba
EndBadGovernance: Politicians using protest to blackmail Tinubu – Adamu Garba
Nigerian Army arrest officer who gunned down 16-year-old protester in Kaduna
The Nigerian Army has confirmed the arrest of its personnel who gunned down a 16-year-old boy, Ismail Mohammed during the ongoing EndBadGovernance protest in Kaduna State.
TVN reports that the young boy was killed on Tuesday when the troops of the Nigerian army stormed the Samaru community in Zaria to despers the protesters.
The security operatives were enforcing a curfew earlier imposed on the ancient city by the Kaduna State Government.
Confirming the incident, the NA in a statement issued on Tuesday night by its spokesperson, Onyema Nwachukwu said the officer responsible for the incident has been arrested.
The statement reads, “on 6 August 2024, troops of the Nigerian Army received a distress call that some hoodlums gathered in Samaru in large numbers, burning tires on the road and pelting stones on security personnel.
“The troops immediately mobilised and arrived at the scene to disperse the mob and enforce the curfew imposed by the State Government.
“On arrival at the scene, the hoodlums brazenly attempted attacking the troops prompting a soldier to fire a warning shot to scare the hoodlums away, which unfortunately led to the death of a 16-year-old boy, Ismail Mohammed.
“The soldier involved has since been arrested and undergoing interrogation as at the time of this report”.
Nigerian Army arrest officer who gunned down 16-year-old protester in Kaduna
EndBadGovernance: Group demands release of Michael Lennin, others
A group, Save-Public-Education-Campaign, Nigeria, SPEC, has demanded the unconditional release of Comrade Michael Lennin and other activists arrested alongside him amid the ongoing nationwide EndBadGovernance protests.
The group alleged that Lennin, an educational Rights Activist and others were abducted by security agencies on Monday, 5th August, 2024.
In a statement issued on Tuesday by the convener, Comrade Vivian Bello, he condemned the incident in strong terms.
The statement reads in part” The Save Public-Education-Campaign, Nigeria, SPEC has condemned in strong terms the abduction of Michael Lennin, an educational rights activist in the wee hours of Monday, the 5th of August.
“Lennin is a very committed and patriotic citizen who has vigorously championed the cause of access to education for youths and the masses of Nigeria.
“He is the national coordinator of the Education Rights Campaign, (ERC), a sister organization with which SPEC collaborates closely, in its works.
“Lennin has been actively involved in coordinating the peaceful Mass Protest in Abuja, going on to demand an end to bad governance in the country.
“Information reaching Save-Public-Education-Campaign, Nigeria, showed that Michael Lennin along with two other activists, Mosiu Sodiq and Sankara, were abducted in a gestapo manner from their abode by these security operatives, taken away and have since remained incommunicado.
“The Save-Public-Education-Campaign, hereby demand the immediate and unconditional release of Comrade Lennin and the other activists arrested alongside him.
“Lennin and his co-activists have not committed any offence and this brazen abduction and illegal detention represent yet another sad phase of state-sponsored repression against civic space.”
The group demanded that the detainees be released or charged to court if there is any case against them.
EndBadGovernance: Group demands release of Michael Lennin, others
Oil probe: Coalition hails Speaker, Abbas for disbanding Ugochinyere-led adhoc committee
A coalition of Civil Society Organizations, CSOs, in the oil and gas sector, on Tuesday, applauded the Speaker of House of Representatives, Rt. Hon. Tajudeen Abbas, for dissolving the House joint ad hoc committee on Downstream and Midstream Petroleum.
The joint committee, headed by Rep. Ikenga Ugochinyere (Imo) and Rep. Henry Okojie (Edo), was disbanded Monday morning, via a statement signed by the Spokespersons of the House, Rep. Akin Rotimi Jnr.
Until now, the committee was tasked with investigation of alleged importation of adulterated petroleum products, the non-availability of crude oil for domestic refineries, and other critical energy security issues.
But since inauguration, the committee has been enmeshed with controversies which culminated into serious divisions amongst the members of the 10th House, with some calling for the head of the Group Chief Executive Officer of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited, NNPCL, Mele Kyari, and Farouk Ahmed, the Chief Executive of the Nigerian Midstream Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority, NMDPRA, while others called for impartial probe and warned colleagues against being partisan.
In a press statement on Tuesday, the Coalition for Energy Transformation, Integrity and Transparency, CETIT, made up of over 28 leading CSOs in the industry, said Speaker Abbas has written his name in the “golden book of the National Assembly”, by rising to save the institution of the international embarrassment that was looming.
The statement was jointly signed by Engr. Godknows Joseph, Comrade Ayoola Daramola and Barr. Musa Akilu.
The Coalition bemoaned the perceived “partisanship of the joint committee”.
They noted that “it was also wrong for members of the House to preemptively take positions even before the probe could be done and concluded. This was going to set the entire House of Representatives on fire and it was of great danger to the institution of the National Assembly, so revered”.
They contended that, “under normal circumstances, the House Members should have been patriotic enough to place national interest above their personal interests, but everyone seemed to be speaking or acting according to what his or her interest was, while the committee was also perceived to be pursuing vendetta and the whole essence was defeated ab initio”.
“But for the swift intervention and the nationalistic approach of His Excellency, RT. Hon. Speaker Tajudeen Abbas, the whole thing would have snowballed into anarchy and the entire National Assembly institution would have been brought to international embarrassment, while the meat of the matter would have been left untouched, and the original intent why the committee was set up would have been defeated.
“The decision of the Speaker was timely. We had met at the weekend in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, and came to agreement to officially address the press on Tuesday and unearth what we felt about the joint committee and some members of the House and why the leadership of the House must, as a matter of urgent national importance, purge the House of such Committee and allow fresh and professional panel to handle the investigation. Failure to do this, we were going to mobilize thousands of our members in Abuja to occupy the National Assembly anytime the committee sits.
“But we woke up this morning, to the good news that the pragmatic and visionary Speaker Abbas, has disbanded the Committee. The Coalition and the entire Nigerians are grateful for this.
“The Speaker has written his name in the golden book of the National Assembly, and this goes a long way to reaffirm that Nigerians can trust the 10th House. It portrays a House that has integrity. The 10th House is indeed the People’s House”, the Coalition added.
While charging the Speaker to constitute a panel made up of neutral and impeccable members, that would handle the probe with transparency and with unbiased minds, the Coalition pledged total support for the yet to be constituted committee and the Abbas-led House, saying, Nigeria would be great under him.
Oil probe: Coalition hails Speaker, Abbas for disbanding Ugochinyere-led adhoc committee
Tom Cruise touted for ‘dystopian’ Olympics closing ceremony
With Tom Cruise widely predicted to engage in a death-defying stunt on the roof of the Stade de France, Sunday’s Paris Olympics closing ceremony promises a memorable passing of the five rings flag to Los Angeles.
Two weeks after the unprecedented complexity of the opening ceremony along the River Seine, there are big expectations for the show to wrap up the Games.
The closing ceremony will be a much shorter affair and will take place — in more traditional fashion — at France’s national stadium.
Artistic director Thomas Jolly has revealed it will combine “wonder” with “dystopia”, suggesting some darker elements than the joyful and impertinent tone of the opening ceremony that drew a record audience of more than a billion worldwide.
Offering a sneak peak to journalists recently, Jolly said he saw the Games as a “fragile monument” and wanted to imagine what would happen if they “disappeared and someone was rebuilding them in a distant future”.
One sequence features “travellers from another space-time who arrive on Earth and discover vestiges from the history of the Olympics”, with acrobats restoring the famous five rings of the Games.
It will reportedly feature more than 100 dancers, circus artists and other performers, with the promise of aerial displays, giant sets and spectacular lighting.
– Destination Hollywood –
The opening ceremony featured some huge stars including Lady Gaga, Celine Dion and Aya Nakamura, but some big celebrities are also expected Sunday.
Cruise has been at several Olympic events and the most daredevil of Hollywood stars would be a natural connection between Paris and the 2028 Los Angeles Games.
US media have reported that Cruise has been preparing a spectacular stunt to pick up the Olympic flag and transfer it to LA, with video sequences already filmed on both sides of the Atlantic.
There have been no shortage of Hollywood stars in attendance for the Games who might also play a role, including Snoop Dogg, Eva Mendes, Ryan Gosling and Sharon Stone.
There are unconfirmed rumours that Beyonce — a fervent supporter of the US team on social media — may perform.
Two of France’s biggest musical exports — Air and Phoenix — are already lined up to play, according to Le Parisien newspaper.
Organisers will be anxious to avoid a repeat of the controversy sparked by the opening ceremony, which featured drag queens in a sequence that some Christians and conservatives thought mocked the Biblical story of The Last Supper.
Organisers insisted it was a reference to Greek gods> But Jolly and other members of the team have since been victims of social media harassment, triggering police investigations and condemnation from French President Emmanuel Macron.
AFP
Food Sufficiency: Southern Governors’ Forum to promote regional trade – Abiodun
Ogun State Governor, Prince Dapo Abiodun on Thursday said southern states have decided to promote inter-state and inter-region trade to foster food security and sufficiency.
The governor also disclosed that Ogun State has decided to establish Farmers’ Markets across the state to ensure food security.
He spoke when he received in audience the newly constituted Governing Council of the Federal University of Agriculture (FUNAAB), led by the Pro-Chancellor and Chairman, Oba Abdul-Rasheed Ayorinde Olabomi.
Governor Abiodun, who is the chairman of the Southern Governors’ Forum (SGF), said that Southern States have no reason not to promote trade among themselves with fertile land and human capacity in the region.
“As a matter of fact, me and my colleagues in the Southern part of Nigeria have met and have said that we have no reason not to promote inter-state or inter-region trade.
“There is no reason why someone from the South East or South South is not buying yam or tomatoes from somebody in the South West. There is no reason why someone from the South West is not buying rice from Ebonyi.
“We should be able to attain food security and sufficiency within our region because we have the human capacity and the necessary arable land. There is nothing we do not have to ensure we achieve this objective,” he said.
Governor Abiodun said that the Farmers’ Market would be located at strategic locations across the state, inluding Asero in Abeokuta and Ogere along the Lagos-Ibadan expressway.
He also said plans have been concluded to move the Kara cattle market from its present location to Ogere, where the cattle merchants can have access to a good atmosphere.
He continued: “Our Ministry of Agriculture is working on establishing a few things, one of which is the Farmers Market at strategic locations across the state, and I think this is another initiative we can collaborate.
“One will be at Asero in Abeokuta. One will be somewhere around Lagos-Ibadan expressway, which is around the Ogere area, which we have also designated as our livestock and animal husbandry area.
“We are proposing to move the Kara market to somewhere along there where we have land, and we can provide them with additional land for expansion.
“We believe that with the number of small holder farmers we have in Ogun State, it will be an advantage to them if we have the farmers’ market located in strategic places.”
The Governor noted that his administration sees agriculture as a way of providing food security, create employment and generate revenue, adding that the Federal University of Agriculture should be at the forefront of championing food security, as the purpose for which it was established.
He also promised to collaborate with the institution in some ways, including cassava production, even as he promised that the Iyana-Camp to Alabata road is already under the radar of his administration.
Earlier, Oba Ayorinde Olabomi, while describing Governor Abiodun as one of the best Governors in the country, called for collaboration with the state government at a time when people were clamouring for food.
The royal father further said that the institution is poised to contribute it’s quota to ensure food security in the country, urging the state government to take advantage of the several training programmes, research and development that the institution has to offer.
The Pro-Chancellor appealed to GovernorAbiodun to assist the institution by reconstructing the Iyana-Camp to Alabata road, which had been destroyed as a result of activities of trucks.
Food Sufficiency: Southern Governors’ Forum to promote regional trade – Abiodun
Soldier shoots 16-year-old #EndBadGovernanceInNigeria protester dead in Kaduna
A soldier with the Nigerian Army, on Tuesday, shot dead a 16-year-old #EndBadGovernanceInNigeria protester in the Samaru community in Zaria, Kaduna State.
The teenage protester was identified as Ismail Mohammed.
The Director of Army Public Relations, Major General Onyeama Nwachukwu, confirmed the development in a statement on Tuesday titled “Unfortunate death of a protester by a soldier in Zaria.”
Nwachukwu explained that the incident happened on Tuesday when troops of the Nigerian Army received a distress call to help disperse some hoodlums, who had gathered in Samaru burning tyres and attacking security personnel.
Nwachukwu added that the mob attempted to attack the troops, which led a soldier to fire a warning shot to scare the hoodlums away, which led to Mohammed’s death.
According to the Army spokesman, the soldier involved has since been arrested and is undergoing interrogation.
The statement read, “On August 6, 2024, troops of the Nigerian Army received a distress call that some hoodlums gathered in Samaru in large numbers, burning tyres on the road and pelting stones at security personnel. The troops immediately mobilised and arrived at the scene to disperse the mob and enforce the curfew imposed by the state government.
“On arrival at the scene, the hoodlums brazenly attempted attacking the troops prompting a soldier to fire a warning shot to scare the hoodlums away, which unfortunately led to the death of a 16-year-old boy, Ismail Mohammed. The soldier involved has since been arrested and is undergoing interrogation as of the time of this report.
“Saddened by the unfortunate incident, the Chief of Army Staff, Lt Gen Taoreed Abiodun Lagbaja, has sent a high-powered delegation led by the General Officer Commanding 1 Division, Maj Gen Lander Saraso, to visit and condole with the family of the deceased.
“The deceased was buried according to Islamic rites with senior military officers of the Nigerian Army in attendance.”
Earlier on Tuesday, the Inspector General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, had said the police, military and other agencies involved in the management of the #EndBadGovernance protest did not use live ammunition during the protests.
Egbetokun disclosed this at a meeting of security agencies heads in Abuja.
He said, “The police and the military and indeed no other security agency involved in the management of this protest have not deployed excessive use of force. Instead, what we had were attacks on security agents during the protest. From our record, there were no shooting incidents by the police.
“The police or military did not use any live ammunition in the management of these protests. Instead, we have had cases where our officers were injured and are in critical condition as we speak.
“I will dismiss that as fake news and very wrong allegations. We didn’t use excessive force at all. We didn’t even deploy the whole of our strength in this protest even when it turned violent. We have water cannons we did not deploy, we have rubber bullets, we didn’t use. All that we have used is teargas and nothing more.”
Igbomustgo threat: Lagos Dep. Gov Hamzat frowns at ethnic bigotry
Deputy Governor of Lagos State, Dr Obafemi Hamzat, faulted the anti-Igbo slogan, saying there is no room for ethnic bigotry in the state.
Hamzat said this while speaking on Arise TV Programme, ‘The Morning Show’, noting that the Lagos State government has been engaging the youth across different sectors to get them involved in how things are done and run in the country.
He also said the state government would continue to engage, interact, and communicate with the youth believing that this would enable them to collaborate and partner with the government in achieving the set desired goals and programmes.
While condemning the comment made by “Lagospedia” on X formerly known as Twitter, with the hashtag #Igbomustgo#, the Deputy Governor said there is no room for ethnic bigotry in Lagos State.
He further stated that such a comment has no place in the policy direction of Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu, noting that Lagos is a place where people of divergent tribes coexist peacefully and the government will not allow faceless people to divide them.
According to him, though some people are trying to do whatever it takes to divide the state, the government will never allow that to happen.
He said: “These faceless people just came up and said the Igbo must leave, this is absolute nonsense; which is why the Governor immediately denounced it. Lagos is accommodating and that is who we are.
“Even when we were young, we’ve all lived together peacefully and there is no need for people to become ethnic bigots.”
The Deputy Governor highlighted some of the initiatives the current administration has put in place to ensure that the youth are engaged and unleash their potential for prosperity, noting that some of the youth in the state have been sponsored to different countries to see how things are done.
He said: “We think that we cannot be a metropolitan state without a rail and finishing the blue and red line is our target. Let us be able to move our people conveniently.”
He reiterated the state’s commitment to improving local agricultural production, which will foster economic growth, address food price inflation, and promote food security.
Igbomustgo threat: Lagos Dep. Gov Hamzat frowns at ethnic bigotry
Zamfara Govt denies budgeting N19bn for Gov Lawal’s kitchen
Zamfara State Government, on Tuesday, denied budgeting N19 billion for Governor Dauda Lawal’s kitchenware.
The State Commissioner for Budget and Economic Planning, Abdulmalik Gajam, at a media briefing on Tuesday in Gusau, described the information as mischievous.
He said, “I would like to clarify that the information being circulated in this regard on social media is unverified.
“A government that reduced its spending to save for the better future of the state cannot budget N19billion for the governor’s kitchen and other canteen equipment.
“Zamfara Government under Lawal is running an open door policy, we welcome media and other stakeholders to verify and access information on any issues instead of spreading unverified information.
“As a transparent government, we accept any challenge from any media outfit that sincerely scrutinises our administration with good intentions.
“Also, the media outfits need to be responsible for information concerning images of the government to be published.”
Gajam lamented that the information being circulated was capable of triggering the mind of Zamfara people to react to something that was mischievous.
He called on media houses to always verify information and ensure dishing out only authentic information to the public.
Gajam highlighted that Lawal’s 2024 ‘Budget of Rescue’, was to ensure more revenue generation, less expenditure and transparency in releasing public funds.
He added that the present administration in the state since its inception ensured that all its expenditures were in the interest of the people of the state, NAN reports.
Zamfara Govt denies budgeting N19bn for Gov Lawal’s kitchen
Protests: Onanuga condemns Atiku’s warning to security agencies
Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, has faulted former Vice President, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, for warning security agencies against using lethal force against looters and arsonists.
Onanuga, in a statement on Tuesday, said Atiku, “this evening tweeted the absurd: he warned security agencies against using lethal force against looters and arsonists who masqueraded as protesters.”
He said as a statesman, Atiku’s warning ought to be to the looting mob in Kaduna, Kano, Plateau, and Jigawa states, who hijacked what was advertised by organizers as a peaceful protest.
He said the security forces had remained professional, and even-handed, and observed every restraint in the face of extreme provocation by the rioters.
He expressed shock that Alhaji Atiku was still relying on Section 40 of our constitution (as amended) to justify a protest that is now clearly a riot, a rampage in some parts of the country.
According to him, Section 45 of the constitution says the right of assembly and the right of freedom of expression are not absolute, adding that they can be abridged and fettered in the interest of public peace, public safety, law, and order,” said the Presidential aide.
He said the Service Chiefs reiterated the rights of Nigerians to protest and gather freely.
“They, however, reinforced their constitutional duty, today, when they said they cannot sit idly by and watch hoodlums destroy the country and its democracy.
“The Service Chiefs and the officers and men of our security outfits should be commended for their patriotic duty to our country.
“As a supporter and enabler of the destructive ‘protests,’ Alhaji Atiku certainly wants the sinister protest to continue in spite of the red signals from the streets,” said Onanuga.
He said a tweet that condoned the destruction of private and public property and investments of citizens was unbecoming of a former vice president.
He said Atiku ought to have risen above the sentiment he expressed and put the country’s stability ahead of whatever advantages he hoped to reap from the insurrection on the streets.
“We encourage Alhaji Atiku to borrow a leaf from opposition figures in the United Kingdom, who have rallied behind the government to condemn the ongoing riots in the UK.
“They called for the arrest and prosecution of those behind the wanton destruction of public and private assets.
“Such nationalistic temperament as displayed by opposition figures like Rishi Sunak, the immediate-past Prime Minister of UK is expected of Alhaji Atiku,” Onanuga added.
Protests: Onanuga condemns Atiku’s warning to security agencies