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The Federal Government is coming up with a new policy that will allow private jet owners to fly without Air Operators Certificate.

SUNDAY PUNCH leanrt that the new general aviation policy being put together by the Ministry of Aviation has forced government to suspend the importation of private jets for some months.

A draft of the policy is ready, according to a source close to the ministry.

The draft, the source said, contained a comprehensive review of the entire general aviation (private/business jets) policy.

The source, who pleaded anonymity, said the new policy had been completed, except for some legal details relating to the 2006 Civil Aviation Act.

Under the new general aviation policy soon to be unveiled, the source said, “Private jet owners would no longer be required to own an AOC to operate their private jets.”

He explained that since private jet owners were not into commercial operation of aircraft, it would be of no use asking them to get an AOC before they could fly their jets.

“The current situation where every private jet owner is required to get an AOC before they can operate their jet will no longer be tenable. The new general aviation policy is tailored towards the American system where aircraft operators are divided into various categories.

“And as in the United States, where we have various parts of the regulations governing different categories of operators, we will have a situation where heavy commercial operators like Aerocontractors Airlines will be placed under Part 121; light commercial operators like Overland and Bristow and chartered aircraft operators will be put under Part 135; then private jet owners who are just flying themselves, friends, and family members will be put under Part 91, which does not require the use of an AOC. Only part 121 and 135 will require an AOC,” the so0urce stated.

The ministry official explained that under the new regime, prospective private jet owners, after getting approval from the ministry and the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority would operate the aircraft as soon as the airplanes arrived in the country.

The official, however, explained that the new policy also included a strict oversight system where NCAA inspectors would have a close monitoring of the operations and activities of private jets owners.

According to the source, more team of inspectors will be deployed to monitor private jet owners.

Minister of Aviation, Mrs. Stella Oduah, had a few months ago confirmed that government was drafting a new policy for the general aviation sub-sector.

The Special Assistant (Media) to the Minister of Aviation, Mr. Joe Obi, however, stressed that the suspension of jet importation, following the policy review, did not affect commercial and passenger aircraft being used by domestic airlines.

He said, “The domestic airlines are free to bring in their normal passenger planes. But the suspension only affects private jets.

“The government is trying to work on a new policy for the private jets. You will agree with me that the current policy on private jets is old, and there is a need to renew it.  Pending that renewal, all applications for importation for now will have to hold on.”

Asked if there was a time frame for the lifting of the suspension, Obi had said, “There is no definite time for now. It depends on when the new policy is completed. Government is working on the policy. When it is completed, everybody will be informed.”

When contacted on government plan to exempt private jet owners from the use of AOC, the minister’s sp0kesman, Obi pleaded for patience until the new policy be unveiled.

In a text message to our correspondent, he said, “Please wait for the policy document to be released. It is still being worked out.”

Some stakeholders, however, reasoned that the new policy was part of government’s plans to grow Nigeria’s private jet sector, apart from building more separate private jet terminals at various airports across the country.

Private jet ownership in Nigeria grew by 650 per cent, from 20 jets in 2007 to over 150 jets in 2012.

Some wealthy Nigerians had acquired at least 130 private jets with a sum of N1.02tn ($6.5bn) in the last five years, it was gathered.

The private jets in Nigeria are owned by top politicians, oil magnates, business moguls and pastors.

It is difficult to get the real identities of owners of some of the private jets because they buy them through some foreign companies in North America, especially the US.

Stakeholders say such foreign companies lease them to companies in Nigeria.

About Post Author

Anthony-Claret Ifeanyi Onwutalobi

Anthony-Claret is a software Engineer, entrepreneur and the founder of Codewit INC. Mr. Claret publishes and manages the content on Codewit Word News website and associated websites. He's a writer, IT Expert, great administrator, technology enthusiast, social media lover and all around digital guy.

ionyclaret@gmail.com

https://www.codewit.com

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Commandant General of the Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps, Dr. Ade Abolurin, has warned his men not to avenge the death of their colleagues who were killed by policemen in the Ikorodu area of Lagos State on Wednesday.

Abolurin said this while briefing his men at the Lagos State Command headquarters of the corps on Saturday. According to him, the loss of the slain officers, Gabriel Adaji and Innocent Aigbe, had dealt a blow on the NSCDC but he  promised that the organisation would rise above it.

He said, “I want you all to see whatever that has happened as one of those things that happens in the course of nation building and stability of the corps. I beg you all in the name of God to go about your normal businesses knowing that the government has stepped in and has said justice must prevail.

“Let us justify the existence of the civil defence through our contribution and integrity. Let us remain resolute. Since President Goodluck Jonathan has requested that investigations be carried out, let us be patient and leave everything to God.

“When you see sister agencies, including the police, let us show them that we have a conscience. Forget what has happened, it is one of those things.”

Abolurin, who also visited the families of the deceased men, promised to continue to look after them, adding that all officers of the corps had been insured against such incidents.

The NSCDC boss, who also visited the area where the slain men were killed for an on-the-spot assessment, noted that pipeline vandalism had become the bane of the area.

About Post Author

Anthony-Claret Ifeanyi Onwutalobi

Anthony-Claret is a software Engineer, entrepreneur and the founder of Codewit INC. Mr. Claret publishes and manages the content on Codewit Word News website and associated websites. He's a writer, IT Expert, great administrator, technology enthusiast, social media lover and all around digital guy.

ionyclaret@gmail.com

https://www.codewit.com

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The Federal Government on Friday told our News Correspondent SUNDAY PUNCH that it would  not extradite a former governor of Bayelsa State, Diepreye Alamieyeseigha, to the United Kingdom to face money laundering charges.

 While reacting to a statement by the British High Commissioner to Nigeria, Andrew Pocock, the FG accused the envoy of challenging the sovereignty of the country.

The President Goodluck Jonathan-led administration stated that it was not willing to extradite Alamieyeseigha because the British government did not go through ‘appropriate channels.’

An highly-placed government official who pleaded anonymity because he was not authorised to speak on the matter said, “The UK cannot dictate to us. The government is not willing to extradite the former governor because of what they (UK) are saying on the pages of newspapers.”

Also, SUNDAY PUNCH learnt that the UK request to extradite Alamieyeseigha predated President Goodluck Jonathan administration.

Pocock was reported on Thursday to have said Alamieyeseigha, who recently got state pardon for his criminal conviction in Nigeria, still has an outstanding case of money laundering to answer to in the UK.

He said the UK government would not give up until Alamieyeseigha was brought to justice.

According to the envoy,  the UK had asked the Attorney-General and Minister of Justice for Alamieyeseigha’s extradition and was still awaiting his position on the issue when Jonathan announced the state pardon.

He had said, “The former governor skipped bail in the UK on a charge of money laundering and returned to Nigeria. So, he has an outstanding charge in the UK, which is there for him to answer.

“We have already discussed it and the Nigerian government knows our views. But we would like to see him return and answer charge in the UK.

“I am very sure we asked in the past. But I am not sure we got a formal response. So, we are still waiting for a formal response from the Nigerian government.”

But a government spokesperson, who pleaded anonymity, told our correspondent that the request which Pocock talked about was an old one that was made shortly after the former governor returned to Nigeria.

When asked why the present administration refused to take action on an old request, he said, “The request is an old one. It was not made under this administration, you can check the date. The request predates this administration.

“I am sure the request must have been made in 2005/2006 when the events happened. That surely was before the inception of this administration.

“In any case, it is inappropriate for the envoy to be addressing issues such as this on the pages of newspapers. There are established diplomatic channels to address such issues because diplomacy has its own rules.

“What is expected of a foreign diplomat in another country is to go through the Ministry of Foreign Affairs if he has such an observation to make.

“A diplomat is not expected to behave in a manner suggesting that he is interfering in the internal affairs of his host country. Diplomacy on the pages of newspapers is odd, it is almost like joining a protest movement.

“He is expected to go through the proper diplomatic channels. Reacting on the pages of newspapers amount to challenging the sovereignty of the country and meddlesomeness in the affairs of the country.

“The action also amounts to carrying placards and joining protest against the host country.”

When contacted, the Chief Press Secretary to the Minister of Justice and Attorney General of the Federation, Mr. Ambrose Momoh, said he was not aware of the UK request.

Momoh also said the minister, Mohammed Adoke, was not in town, and as a result, he could not immediately reach the AGF to get his (AGF’s) official position on the matter.

Similarly, the spokesperson for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Mr. Ogbole Ahmedu-Ode, said he was not aware of the request.

“All I can tell you is that normally, such request is routed through the foreign affairs ministry.

“All communication between foreign missions accredited to the country is through the ministry. For example, if an ambassador wants to visit the president or any minister, he writes the Ministry of Foreign Affairs for clearance. The same thing applies to correspondence.

 “Anything short of this is a breach of diplomatic procedure,” he added.

Meanwhile, the National Publicity Secretary, Action Congress of Nigeria, Lai Mohammed, has warned the Federal Government against endangering its ties with other countries. He said Nigeria might be ostracised in the comity of nations if government did so.

Mohammed said, “We live in a global world and there’s inter-relationship between countries. Without commenting on the rightness or wrongness of the recent pardon of Alamieyeseigha, we warn the government not to jeopardise the interest of Nigerians because of any man.

“There is supposed to be cooperation among various countries on issues such as terrorism, money laundering, drug trafficking, etc. To that extent, the government is not correct to say that the UK demand is an attempt to meddle in the internal affairs of the country.”

Also, the National Publicity Secretary, Congress for Progressive Change, Rotimi Fashakin, said Jonathan would be playing with fire, if he attempted to shield Alamieyeseigha.

He argued that Alamieyeseigha committed an offence in Britain and jumped bail to avoid prosecution.

He said, “It is within international law; Nigeria is a signatory to an international treaty. It is not about Britain meddling in Nigeria’s internal affairs, no. The UK has the right under a known international law to request that Nigeria extradites him. The judicial process of his trial has not been concluded.”

Similarly, the Executive Chairman, Coalition Against Corrupt Leaders, Debo Adeniran, said the Nigerian government shields corrupt leaders.

He said, “President Jonathan had declared that Alamieyeseigha is his benefactor. So, he has to protect him by all means.

“Nigeria has not been respecting the Mutual Legal Assistance Treaty it signed with the UK. That is why it could not give enough evidence against James Ibori, when the UK requested Nigeria to confirm that he was  wanted for criminal activities. The Nigerian government is practically and openly protecting corrupt leaders.”

Alamieyeseigha, then a serving governor, escaped from the custody of the British authorities when he fled back to Nigeria in September, 2005.

The pardon granted Alamieyeseigha by Jonathan had also led to a diplomatic row between Nigeria and the United States with the latter threatening to sanction Nigeria for Jonathan’s action.

About Post Author

Anthony-Claret Ifeanyi Onwutalobi

Anthony-Claret is a software Engineer, entrepreneur and the founder of Codewit INC. Mr. Claret publishes and manages the content on Codewit Word News website and associated websites. He's a writer, IT Expert, great administrator, technology enthusiast, social media lover and all around digital guy.

ionyclaret@gmail.com

https://www.codewit.com

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There are indications that the wife of President Goodluck Jonathan, Patience, has been flown abroad for medical treatment in an undisclosed German hospital.

Unconfirmed reports had it that the First Lady’s health might have relapsed, thereby necessitating her going abroad to receive fresh medical attention.

Mrs. Jonathan was conspicuously absent at a Good Friday service held at the Aso Villa Chapel on Friday although her husband attended with his mother, Eunice.

The President is currently in Lagos for the Easter break without his wife.

Her last public appearance was in France where she received a Global Women Leader for Peace Award 2013.

Our correspondent learnt that she returned to the country briefly after the event before embarking on a fresh trip.

But unlike the trip to France, a presidency source who pleaded anonymity, said Mrs. Jonathan did not embark on the current trip with her full entourage.

When contacted on the telephone, Mrs. Jonathan’s spokesman, Mr. Ayo Osinlu, confirmed that the First Lady was not in the country.

Osinlu however denied reports that Mrs. Jonathan is abroad for medical attention.

He said she was abroad attending to her foster mother who is sick. However, he did not disclose the country where the First Lady is attending to the ailing woman.

But investigations by our correspondent showed that Mrs. Jonathan may be in Germany.

It was further learnt that she is expected back in the country this week.

The source however could not say exactly when she will be back.

An online news medium, SaharaReporters, had reported on Saturday that Mrs. Jonathan  was sick again and was shuttling between Spain and Germany in search of treatment.

The report quoted a source as saying the First Lady was also contemplating receiving medical treatment from a United States hospital.

Mrs. Jonathan disappeared from the country for several weeks last year to attend to her failing health.

During the period, both the Presidency and Osinlu denied that the First Lady was receiving treatment abroad for an undisclosed ailment.

Specifically, Osinlu said Mrs. Jonathan was vacating abroad after the rigour of hosting a conference of African First Ladies.

But during a special thanksgiving service held in her honour recently at the Aso Villa Chapel, the First Lady admitted that she was sick and “died” for a week.

About Post Author

Anthony-Claret Ifeanyi Onwutalobi

Anthony-Claret is a software Engineer, entrepreneur and the founder of Codewit INC. Mr. Claret publishes and manages the content on Codewit Word News website and associated websites. He's a writer, IT Expert, great administrator, technology enthusiast, social media lover and all around digital guy.

ionyclaret@gmail.com

https://www.codewit.com

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Second Republic Minister of Steel and spokesman of the Northern Elders’ Forum, Dr. Paul Unongo, in this interview withALLWELL OKPI, speaks on the state of the nation, 2015 elections and the security situation in the North

The state of the nation has become a concern to many. Do you think Nigeria can survive the crisis that it is currently faced with?

This is a very serious question. And I say it because I was part of those who put this thing called Nigeria together. I loved Nigeria enough to have fought a war. We fought for the liberation and the unity of this nation. So, Nigeria is very sensitive to me. We were so sure that that was the best way we should fight for the good of our children and that was because we hoped to build a great nation. We lost about two million lives to tell the international community that these groups of African people are determined to be a nation state. Now, if you ask an old man like me, who went through the colonial days and the civil war, whether this is the kind of country we were fighting for? I will say no; this is not the Nigeria of our dream. So, I feel it’s either our children or the military; those people who have been running the country, have run it to the ground. As an active observer, I think the current rulers of this country are confused about the dream of Nigeria or what ought to be the goal of Nigeria. They have run the country like a business that was formed by a few individuals, that excludes every other person. It should not be so. Nigeria is for all of us. They have run down the little infrastructure that was left by the colonialists. Every administration that comes, tells us wonderful things about how it is going to solve the problem of power. I don’t know why we have not been able to solve the problem for over 50 years now. I’m confused. Since this younger people started running this country, after the old people such as (Nnamdi) Azikiwe, (Obafemi) Awolowo, Ahmadu Bello, everything that was working has collapsed. Everybody that goes into government thinks it is an opportunity for them to make a lot of money. If Nigeria becomes a failed state, what will happen to the other African countries?

But how do we as a nation handle these challenges?

Every country has its own challenges and most of the time, they apply certain scientific laws to overcome them. The problem with Nigeria is that everything is made to look like Juju. For certain reasons, Nigeria is a country that does not bring in the people who are qualified and then tasked them solve the nation’s problems. Instead, they bring mediocre people who are not qualified. Even when they get people who are qualified, they put them in an area where they are not qualified and then they lord it over the country. If you talk to them, it seems as if you are talking to an impervious wall. Government has become a cult in my country and this was not the dream we had. The problem in the Niger Delta has a background, it did not start today. There is nothing new about Muslims fighting Christians, it has been happening and we have been managing it as a nation state. We even survived a civil war. But the difference now is that people in government are dishonest. I believe Nigeria will not experience a revolution, but with what is happening in the country, if we don’t take actions quickly, we will push this nation to a second civil war. I read history; I have not seen any nation that survived two civil wars.

As an alternative to revolution and civil war, many have suggested a sovereign national conference. Do you support that notion sir?

There are two answers to that question. Nigerians must be clear in their minds about what they want to do with a sovereign national conference. In this country, when you are talking about sovereign national conference, people start thinking about disintegration, and they put a scare in the mind of people who lost everything in the first for the unity of the Nigeria state. Some people refer to Awolowo, because he wrote that Nigeria is a mere geographic expression. But no, it is not. It was correct in the 1940s when he wrote the book, but now, Nigeria is a sovereign nation state, with a solid base on the blood of two million Nigerian Africans, that were slaughtered to water the tree of unity. But the people who have been given the responsibility to build the nation state after the war have failed us. They have lost the vision. They have to call a sovereign national conference because we cannot afford another civil war. I’m from a part of the country called northern Nigeria and I have nothing against a sovereign national conference. We need to discuss how this country is being run. These people in government are just enriching themselves. They are so rich that some of them are even richer than the country. Things cannot continue like this. I just hope the people who are putting together the amalgamation of political parties are not doing it to continue in this insensible way the Peoples Democratic Party has been running the country.  There is no social welfare in this country, nothing. I believe that the PDP is not capable of running Nigeria and I’m a member of PDP. In fact currently, PDP is destabilised.

You were part of the Northern Elders’ Forum that met President over the insecurity in the North. What was the outcome of that move?

First, we were told that our suggestions were very good and that Mr. President would look into them and implement some. Second, we were told that the President would call us for a meeting in two weeks’ time. Then he said he was going to give our recommendations to a committee of ministers and he said the ministers would be from the northern part of the country. I think he did that, because I heard from the grapevine that they had finished and handed the recommendations to the President. But we are going into the ninth month now and we have not been called. And if they had implemented some of the things that are in the recommendation, the crisis would have reduced. But now it has escalated. Honestly, if I were the President and people like Maitama Sule, a Permanent Representative of Nigeria at the United Nations, myself, a federal cabinet minister and a teacher in the university and so many other technical people who had served in different capacities gave me a recommendation, I will read it carefully. If they are from the place the thing (crisis) is happening, I will take it more carefully. What made him (President Goodluck Jonathan) change I don’t know. They adopted one-line policy of killing people and giving too much power to the Joint Task Force. Yes, as the President, if anybody is threatening the peace of the country, you swoop on the person, but you need to talk too. The First World War ended by talking. The Second World War ended by talking. The Nigerian Civil War ended by talking. Are you going to kill everybody? I have not heard the President of the United States of America announcing that the government has voted several billions of dollars for security. I think the wisdom in not announcing that kind of money is that if the critical advisers of government on security hear the amount, they would think that going into government would be to make money. Ministers are making money; politicians are making money, and now security operatives are making money. Will the security situation improve, when there are trillions announced on television? It was wrong for the President to have announced the huge some budgeted for security last year. I recommend to the President, unfortunately through this medium, that he should convene the northern elders who volunteered to help. None of us is Boko Haram, but we know a bit about security; we know some theory about how to handle situations like this. We want a peaceful Nigeria.

Did your recommendations include amnesty for Boko Haram?

It depends on what you mean by amnesty. We said clearly that the President should talk to the leaders of Boko Haram. And at a point we were made to believe that there was a discussion going on between government and the leaders of Boko Haram, though not officially. But suddenly the President started saying that Boko Haram leaders are faceless and that he cannot negotiate with ghosts. That was not what he told us.

There has been expectations that a northern consensus candidate would have emerged by now for 2015 presidential election. What is happening in that direction?  

Since you said the North, I assume you are talking about the initial three geographical areas – the North, the East and the West. Now, tell me, who has been produced by the people of the West as their presidential candidate? Who has been produced by the people of the East as their presidential candidate? Why would the North produce a presidential candidate and announce it. I think the question is: are we, the thinkers of the North, satisfied with the way things are being run. And the answer is no.

So is it correct to say that the Northern Elders’ Forum would be supporting a northern candidate for the Presidency in 2015?

Yes, that would be correct and that is because the people of the North have suffered a lot under this administration and everybody seem to move towards their own people. So, the people of the North are likely to vote for a candidate from the North because they believe they would be better protected when a northerner becomes the President.

About Post Author

Anthony-Claret Ifeanyi Onwutalobi

Anthony-Claret is a software Engineer, entrepreneur and the founder of Codewit INC. Mr. Claret publishes and manages the content on Codewit Word News website and associated websites. He's a writer, IT Expert, great administrator, technology enthusiast, social media lover and all around digital guy.

ionyclaret@gmail.com

https://www.codewit.com

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THE new Assistant Inspector General of Police [AIG], Zone 9, Umuahia, Abia State, Mr. Tambari Yabo Muhammad, has called on the governors in the zone to set up security trust fund to assist in providing logistics for security agencies in the zone.

Muhammad, who spoke to journalists shortly after meeting with police commissioners in the zone, urged the governors under his jurisdiction, comprising of Abia, Anambra, Enugu and Imo states, to emulate Lagos State by setting up security trust fund in the states.
He said the initiative to be funded by  corporate bodies, among others, would help the states as the governors may no longer dip their hands into state coffers to provides logistics for security agencies in their area.

The  AIG also disclosed that the police investigation into the murder of former Kwara State Police Commissioner, Chinwike Asadu, has recorded 90% success, and hinted that, before long, the investigation would be concluded.

According to him, he came to the zone with renewed vigour to fight crime, but would require the assistance of the people  to succeed. He said that the people could help by providing information on crime and assured of the protection and confidentiality of informants and the information.

“We really need their [governors] support in the area of  logistics. Police  are doing their best within the meager resources available to them, but I believe that with support from the  governors, we will do more,”Muhammad said.

“Almost everything is anchored on security, without security there will be investment. So we are appealing to the Governors of the zone to come the assistance of the security agencies to do more. I suggest that they set up security trust fund in their states like in Lagos so that money  can be raised to buy equipment for security agencies. Lagos State has up to 300 patrol vehicles and every place is covered”.

The AIG also promised to resuscitate Police Community Relations Committees across the zone to encourage the people to volunteer information.

About Post Author

Anthony-Claret Ifeanyi Onwutalobi

Anthony-Claret is a software Engineer, entrepreneur and the founder of Codewit INC. Mr. Claret publishes and manages the content on Codewit Word News website and associated websites. He's a writer, IT Expert, great administrator, technology enthusiast, social media lover and all around digital guy.

ionyclaret@gmail.com

https://www.codewit.com

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The frequency of ethnic violence in Nigeria, especially northern Nigeria, which has now become the hotbed of bloody strife, is embarrassing. More embarrassing is the easy way life can be snuffed out with impunity. During the 1987 Kafanchan crisis and the 1992 Zangon Kataf communal violence, high profile public figures were judicially indicted and convicted. But because the indictment affected members of the elite, the government of the day didn’t have the political will or moral courage to implement the convictions passed on the instigators and perpetrators of violence in Kaduna State. Since November 2008, Plateau State has achieved notoriety for repeated violence, leading to needless death and destruction. Before the 2008 ethnic/religious crisis over the Jos North Local Government election, Plateau State had witnessed repeated orgy of violence and those found culpable in those incidents were never brought to justice. Just like Kaduna State, whenever members of the elite were found culpable in the Plateau crises, governments of the day were too timid to punish them. The law is not just for the weak and poor. Once regarded as a centre of serenity and peace, Plateau State is today a ghost of its former self. Travellers passing through Jos to neighbouring states now have to occasionally divert to safer routes to avoid being waylaid by mobs.

Such is the extent ethnic and religious bigotry has deteriorated in northern Nigeria. As violence overtakes other states, most people perceive Abuja as a safe haven because it is officially designated a no-man’s land. In fact, such relative stability gives Abuja a unique attraction to other Nigerians.

However, such confidence is being shaken by the recent violent clashes between the Fulani and Gwari aborigines over farm and grazing lands. A simmering cauldron, if ignored, can burn and burst out of control. A police report on the violence between Gwari and Fulani at Gwagwalada identified poor leadership, lack of cooperation and harmonious coexistence among the various groups and youth restiveness.

The FCT Police Commissioner, Mr. Adenrele Shinaba, who submitted the report of his fact-finding committee set up by the FCT Minister, Bala Mohammed, disclosed that leaders of the Fulani socio-cultural organisation, Miyetti Allah, had declined offers of assistance from other states and the Republic of Cameroon. He said the Fulani leaders rejected outside intervention or assistance on the grounds that it was a local problem which could be resolved by those involved.

The incipient spread of violence to Abuja is a disturbing development and is capable of sending a wrong message to foreign investors and other good friends of Nigeria abroad. Just like a cancer, if not checked in the early stages, violence can grow out of control. Although normalcy has returned to Gwagwalada after the violent clashes between Fulani herdsmen and the Gwari, it is important to highlight key factors that make violence apparently intractable.

The purpose of the law is punishment, deterrence and reformation. You cannot put a figure on the number of culprits arrested in connection with ethnic/religious violence in northern Nigeria. States such as Kaduna, Plateau, Bauchi and Gombe have witnessed clashes of this nature. It is, however, difficult to cite any reliable evidence of any culprits ever severely punished. Nobody is too big in the eyes of the law and, once impunity prevails anywhere, it is impossible to enforce the law. When you clip the wings of the law by impunity, outlaws become heroes!

One can safely argue that there is a direct relationship between impunity and repetition of criminal conduct. In most cases, eruptions of violence are instigated by leaders and the ordinary people are mostly their cannon fodder for these dangerous manipulations of our differences to achieve political objectives.

Divide-and-rule has been the tactic of politicians, especially of the present generation who are desperate to achieve and maintain power at all cost. In fact, some of them don’t care riding to power on the ladder of corpses. They exploit our differences to divert our attention from their failures, incompetence, greed and corruption. Poverty does not discriminate on the basis of ethnicity or religion. While the ordinary people are kept busy killing one another, the leaders also busy themselves stealing public funds without accountability.

It is on record that various committees and commissions were set up in Kaduna, Plateau and other states. Curiously, however, none of those indicted for their roles in violence has been brought to justice. Therein lies the problem. Impunity feeds the incitement to more criminal behaviour. As long as the culprits are not decisively punished, they will become more emboldened to commit further atrocities.

As CBN Governor Sanusi Lamido Sanusi once observed, Nigeria is the only country where you need courage to punish a crook or an offender no matter his status. Why should that be the case? If the ordinary people see the big men going to the gallows for inciting criminal violence, they may automatically refuse to participate in death and destruction. The absence of punishment is an incentive to further commission of crime.

Decisive action on the arrest of culprits connected with ethnic violence is the only way the government can send a strong message that nobody can get away with the destruction of lives. Paying lip service to the issue will not help. Tougher action is needed through speedy trial and stiffer punishments for culprits of violence founded on ethnic and religious intolerance.

If culprits get away with murder or criminality, they may feel they are above the law and consequently, endanger the well-being of society. Enough blood has been shed and the lamentation of violence without action to deal with the offenders is like shedding crocodile tears. The proximity of the FCT to violence-prone states like Kaduna, Plateau, Nasarawa and Kogi increases the urgency of dealing decisively with those behind previous incidents of brutal violence. With the recent violent clashes between Gwari farmers and Fulani herdsmen at Gwagwalada, there is real concern that the FCT may be in danger. Proactive measures through punishment and effective leadership at all levels can however stem the threat.

– Mr  Ekanem Okon writes from Gwagwalada, FCT.

.This article originally appeared in TheNEWS magazine of 04 February 2013

About Post Author

Anthony-Claret Ifeanyi Onwutalobi

Anthony-Claret is a software Engineer, entrepreneur and the founder of Codewit INC. Mr. Claret publishes and manages the content on Codewit Word News website and associated websites. He's a writer, IT Expert, great administrator, technology enthusiast, social media lover and all around digital guy.

ionyclaret@gmail.com

https://www.codewit.com

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0 0 %

Angry

0 0 %

Surprise

0 0 %