Nigeria Breaking News
Sanusi Lamido and 51 others to face terrorism charges over attack on Ortom – BCD
The Benue Coalition for Democracy, BCD has called for the arrest of former Emir of Kano, Sanusi Lamido and other Fulani elites over alleged attacks on the state governor, Samuel Ortom. Ortom and the former Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN had traded blames over the unfortunate killing of over forty Fulani herders in Akwanaja, Doma Local Government Area of Nasarawa State.
Sanusi had in a viral video made an attempt to drag Governor Ortom to the unfortunate incidence where herdsmen were killed in an air strike attack.
According to reports, Sanusi and fifty-one other Fulani elders had written to President Muhammadu Buhari urging him to hold Ortom responsible for the killings.
Sequel to Sanusi’s remark and the letter to Buhari, Ortom on Thursday raised the alarm alleging that there were plots by some Fulani elites to eliminate him over the Nasarawa incident.
Wading into the matter, BDC in a statement issued on Saturday by its National Coordinator, Aloysius Gbakaan, said it is worried over the attacks on Ortom by some Fulani leaders led by Sanusi.
The coalition wondered why the Fulani leaders were after Ortom over “an action carried out by the military”, stressing that the attack “was a clear sign that they know what other Nigerians do not know and are out to execute their expansionist agenda to the finish
“The BCD expects a highly exposed and educated personality like Sanusi to know that a state governor has no power to direct a federal government security agency on what to do, especially when it concerns operations such as the one that took place on the said day.
“The former Emir is supposed to be a statesman in his own right, but his selective and sentimental concern over killings of Nigerians smacks of bigotry and insensitivity. This is a man that maintains deaf ears whenever the killings are perpetrated by his kinsmen, the Fulanis.
“That he has never condemned the killings in Benue and other parts of the country, especially those carried out by his fellow Fulanis, exposes him and his band of extremists as enablers and co-sponsors of the ethnic cleansing in Benue State.
“His video calling for Ortom’s head, and the interview he (Sanusi) granted BBC Hausa Service where he heaped unfounded allegations on Governor Ortom over the Open Grazing Prohibition and Ranches Establishment Law of Benue State also testified to Sanusi’s hatred for Ortom and their desire to see him eliminated by their foot soldiers.
“We are curious that highly educated Fulani elders like Sanusi, Professor Usman Yusuf, former Bauchi State Governor Isa Yuguda and many others are feigning ignorance of the constitutional powers of State Houses of Assembly to make laws for the good governance of their states. If not, why would they be against the open grazing prohibition and ranches establishment law of Benue state?
“The Fulani elders need to stop grandstanding and urged their kith and kin to embrace ranching, which is the modern trend in cattle rearing, if they must carry out their trade in Benue state, or choose elsewhere as the archaic mode of animal husbandry has been outlawed in the state.
“The law is not the making of Governor Ortom solely; the entire Benue people demanded for that legislation and it was given to them to curb incessant clashes between farmers and herders. But Fulani pastoralists have vowed to resist the law violently and they are doing just that as reflected in the constant massacre of innocent people in their communities and displacement of over two million others, thereby creating a serious humanitarian situation in the state.
“While we also agree that the bombing in Akwanaja be investigated by relevant authorities, we call on Sanusi and his horde of mischief makers to caution their brothers against disobedience to laws of places they found themselves and desist from taking laws into their own hands just because they are told to be law-abiding.
“We equally call on the federal government to beef up security around Benue communities in Gwer-West, Guma and other parts of the state where Fulani militia are threatening to launch more attacks on the people. These types of threats were issued by Miyetti Allah in 2017 but were taken for granted and the armed herders carried out the attacks which left 73 people dead on the eve of 2018 new year. The mindless bloodletting must not be allowed to continue.
“We maintain our position that Governor Ortom had no hand in that military operation which took place outside Benue state and should be left to carry out his functions without the barrage of attacks on his person.
“The BCD also wants relevant security agencies to call Sanusi and the other Fulani elders to order and beam searchlights on them and their foot soldiers especially at this time that they are desperate to eliminate Governor Ortom after seven previous failed attempts.
“The people of Benue also need to shun their differences and stand behind the Governor who has been made a scapegoat by enemies of the state due to his firm resolve to protect the lives and property of his people.
“We want to state emphatically that any attack on Governor Ortom is an attack on all Benue people. We will not fold our alms and watch extremists castigate the Governor and get away with it.
“Governor Ortom has our popular mandate and whatever he says regarding the security situation in the state, he does so on our collective behalf. He speaks our minds and we are solidly behind him.
“We reiterate our support for Governor Ortom and call on him to remain resolute in his burning desire to ensure that he leaves Benue state better than he met it despite the evil machinations of some unpatriotic Nigerians disguised as concerned statesmen”.
BDC called on security forces in the country to invite the alleged 52 Fulani leaders led by Sanusi for questioning, stressing that “there is something they know that the rest of the country is not yet aware of.
“Terrorism is one of the biggest challenges facing Nigeria at the moment, and if any group appears to tacitly support those who perpetrate acts of terror on the people, such a group of individuals surely have questions to answer”.
Source: Dailpost
Ogun State Commissioner for Women Affairs and Social Development, Adijat Adeleye, has harped on the need for proper documentation of children in orphanages residing in the state. Adeleye stated that improved data analysis is necessary to ensure accountability, safety, transparency, and efficiency in the administration of homes.
The commissioner made this known during a training program for social workers, organized by the Ministry in collaboration with Both Ends Believing (BEB) and the Association of Orphanage and Home Operators in Nigeria (ASOHON) at Oke-Mosan, Abeokuta, on Friday.She reiterated the state government’s commitment to the welfare and well-being of all children in the state, regardless of their status, noting that their rights must be protected and that they should have a sense of belonging.
Adeleye said: “I want you to know that the present administration in Ogun State is committed to the welfare of all children in the state, and the era of being complacent is gone; whether as social workers or orphanage home operators, this time there is a need for us to have proper documentation of what is going on in our homes, both for present reasons and for the future of the children and the homes we run.”
The commissioner urged the trainees to take advantage of the training to enhance their career paths and provide efficient services in their line of duties.
Speaking, the National President of the Association of Orphanage and Home Operators in Nigeria, Dr. Gabriel Oyediji, explained that the objective of the training was to ensure a paradigm shift in keeping children’s records from analog to digital, towards achieving accuracy and timeliness in the management of children’s welfare.
Delivering a lecture on creating child-first software for orphanage homes, the Country Manager of BEB, Mr. Silas Nyam, highlighted some of the benefits of the software application for orphanage homes, which include storing and tracking children’s personal, medical, and educational records, monitoring children’s progress, goals and outcomes, and managing counseling therapy, among other things.
Appreciating the Ministry and other partners, representatives of the social workers, Adesola Omobolaji and Talabi Olusesan, said the training would be beneficial in enhancing quality service delivery in the discharge of their duties.
Source: Dailypost
President Bola Tinubu said he is not thinking about the upcoming 2027 general elections but instead dedicated to restructuring the economy for the benefit of the Nigerian people.
This is coming as several prominent figures from the All Progressives Congress, APC, including former national chairman. Chief Bisi Akande, former Ogun State governor, Aremo Olusegun Osoba, Lagos State Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu, and governors from Ogun, Ondo, and Ekiti states—Dapo Abiodun, Lucky Aiyedatiwa, and Biodun Oyebanji, respectively—expressed their support for President Tinubu’s re-election and the success of all APC candidates in 2027.
Tinubu and the party leaders made these comments at the 2024 South West Assembly of the APC, held on Saturday at Victoria Island, hosted by Governor Sanwo-Olu, who serves as the zonal coordinator of the party.The event had in attendance party leaders and stakeholders from the South-West including senators, members of the House of Representatives, State House of Assembly members, local government officials, and top party representatives.
At the event, former Ekiti State governor, Kayode Fayemi, delivered the keynote address, praising the president as a “listening leader” with a strong determination to succeed.
Tinubu, who was represented by his chief of staff, Femi Gbajabiamila, urged Nigerians to be patient with his administration, which is committed to the genuine progress of the populace.
Source: Dailypost
In other news –
Nigeria’s tier-one bank, Zenith Bank has announced that its customers can perform transactions seamlessly on all its channels. The Bank disclosed this in a notice on Friday. This comes after the bank had earlier announced service disruption on Tuesday due to system maintenance.
In an update, Zenith Bank urged its customers that services have been restored across all its Channels, including Zenith Bank Debit, Credit and Prepaid cards, Automated Teller Machines, ATMs, Point of Sales terminals, POS, Mobile Apps, Internet Banking Platforms and Agents nationwide (Agent Banking).
This means that customers will not experience difficulties accessing services on its Channels.
“Dear Valued Customer,
We are pleased to inform you that you can now perform transactions conveniently, with the following Zenith Bankchannels:
Zenith Bank Debit, Credit and Prepaid cards
Zenith Bank Automated Teller Machines (ATMs), Zenith Bank Point of Sales terminals (POS), Zenith Bank Mobile App, Zenith Bank Internet Banking Platform Zenith Agents nationwide (Agent Banking). You can also visit any of our branches nationwide to perform your
transactions.
Source: Dailyspost