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A 14- year-old house maid, Otobong Edet John, had her buttocks seared with hot electric iron by her mistress, simply identified as Ekaette, on the suspicion that she was promiscuous.
Narrating her ordeal, Otobong said she was receiving a call on her phone when the madam operating a canteen asked her who was on the phone and she said it was one of her friends. “But madam did not believe me and started beating me. So I ran and stayed somewhere with my friend”,she stated.
According to her, she remained in that place until about 10p.m. when she went to sleep in a church close to their shop and the next morning “when I was about coming to the shop, a neighbour saw me discussing with a customer who was asking me where I was coming from so early in the morning and went to tell my aunty that I spent the night with the man”. The madam, she said, went to the police station at nearby Atimbo Road, Calabar and reported to them that the man abducted her housemaid.
But after the police interrogated the man, they let him go and this infuriated Ekaette following which she allegedly dragged Otobong to the shop, plugged the electric iron and when it was red hot, she used the scorched parts to sear the maid’s body including her buttocks and right arm. Not done yet, she allegedly put a basin of banana on the girl’s head, asking her to go to town and sell even as her arm and buttocks were bleeding. “It was a customer who wanted to buy banana that saw that my arm was bleeding and asked me what happened and, when I showed him my buttocks, he shouted and took me to the police”, she said. The mistress, while being interrogated by the police at Akim Police Division for causing bodily harm to a minor, justified her action by saying that Otobong was a rude and wayward girl.
“When she told me it was Mary that called her, I called back that number and it was a male voice that answered and she then changed the story that she did not know what the man wanted after she had discussed with the man for over two minutes”,Ekaette said.
She said there were instances when the girl had gone from home to stay with men even as she had repeatedly cautioned her to change her ways. “That girl you are seeing is a very wayward girl and, if I tell you her story, you would marvel”, she said.
The Public Relations Officer for the Cross River State Police Command, DSP John Umoh, said the action of Ekaette was unacceptable as it amounted to child abuse and “after investigations she would be taken to court”.
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.
The pronouncement by President Goodluck Jonathan on a new strategy by the Federal Government to remove fuel subsidy has sparked another round of controversy. While some stakeholders say the money allocated for fuel subsidy in the budget must be channelled into agriculture, housing and other sectors to reposition the economy for rapid growth and development, others warn government against the removal.
The Western Zonal Chairman, National Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG), Alhaji Tokunbo Korodo, speaks on the need for government to avoid any issue that may further worsen the security situation in the country, which, according to him, any attempt to remove the remaining subsidy on petrol portends. Excerpt:
The president recently declared that government will not continue to waste resources meant for the Nigerian people to pay fuel subsidy, which, government says, benefits the affluent and the middle class more than the masses. What is your position?
To start with, government should not be talking about fuel subsidy now, when the economy is dwindling due to perennial security crisis and increasing rate of poverty in the country. The issue of fuel subsidy now is not encouraging, because it can further provoke the people. Government should focus on economic transformation in the areas of providing security to stop incessant killings of innocent citizens, creation of jobs to tackle the alarming rate of unemployment in the country, especially among the youths, and infrastructural development. This is what Nigerians want to hear. Government should avoid anything that will pave the way for a strike action because that may even worsen the security situation in the country.
Have you also considered the explanation from government that subsidy money goes into the hands of few individuals to the detriment of the masses that you are trying to protect?
Well, the leakages in the system in terms of corruption, misappropriation of public funds and subsidy money going into the hands of few influential individuals in the country must be blamed on the inefficiency on the part of government to check the excesses in the economy. So, government should not blame its inefficiency on the people. For instance, government has been advocating the Subsidy Reinvestment and Empowerment Programme (SURE-P) which, they said, is designed to enhance immediate socio-economic status of our economy with resources realised from the partial removal of subsidy in January 2012, yet, we cannot feel the impact.
We could recall that by January 1, 2012, government took everyone by surprise, when they removed the subsidy without due consultation with the people and representatives of labour unions. They increased the pump price of fuel from N65 per litre to N141 but the week-long mass protests compelled government to shift ground by reducing the price to N97 per litre, which is still too high for some people to purchase. Government should be able to tell the people how they utilised the money that was removed from the subsidy to improve the economy for better productivity. What I mean here is the partial removal of the subsidy money.
Millions of Nigerians remain unemployed. We are still witnessing infrastructure decay and epileptic supply of electricity. Even few companies that are absorbing the work force now are using casual workers. We have a situation in this country where many Nigerians are employed as casual workers without any benefit. Also, our roads are so terrible. The state of the roads is posing a serious challenge to distribution of petroleum products across the country. For example, many of our members have lost their lives in fatal accidents due to bad roads.
Instead of subsidy removal to further impoverish the people, government should turn attention to power failure, which has also become a major issue in the country. The lingering power crisis is not good for a developing economy like Nigeria . We may not achieve tangible economic growth and development with erratic power supply that is almost crippling every sector of the economy. Even the operators of Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) in the country need constant electricity to remain in business.
Now, government is talking about Vision 20:2020, when the power sector is not generating sufficient capacity to meet the demand of electricity consumers in the industrial sector and for domestic use. For government to achieve its Vision, it must tackle power failure pragmatically and holistically within a stipulated period. The security situation must also be given attention, if we must move forward.
The report on fuel subsidy scam revealed that over $6bn was looted from subsidy funds in the past two years. Why is government not proactive about prosecuting individuals behind this fraud?
Well, they say the matter is in court already but let us see what will be the outcome. We have similar cases of people defrauding government and, at the end, nothing tangible came out of it. I hope the subsidy case will not go the same way. We are watching to see what will be the outcome.
At present, the official pump price of fuel remains N97 per litre. Why are some service outlets selling at N100 and above?
The reality is that our economy is not stable. As such, the prices of goods and services are not also stable. For instance, the pump price is N97 per litre, but the scarcity in the system makes if difficult for people to get the product at uniform price. Aside that, you know Nigerians with their attitude. When a product is scarce in the market, it must be made to attract increase in price. This is exactly what is happening. This is the more reason we do not want to hear anything about subsidy removal now. This is because such a pronouncement can even trigger artificial scarcity and panic buying. Some people immediately they hear fuel subsidy removal can begin to store petrol in their houses.
Beyond that, some of the people selling above the official pump price may also be getting their product through the black market rate. For instance, if some are buying between N97 and N100 per litre, what do you expect them to do? In business, people must make profit at least to improve their margin in order to stay afloat. So, you cannot also blame. What we are saying is that government should create an enabling environment for price stability and availability of product at all times as well as putting measures in place to find lasting solution to insecurity in the country, instead of subsidy removal.
Do you think that the Department of Petroleum Resource (DPR) is doing enough to check the problem of under-dispensing of product by the service outlets?
The DPR is doing its best at the moment, but the approach of sealing the filling stations across the country is not the solution to the problem. Rather, it may further aggravate the situation and increase the rate of scarcity in the system. This implies that the level of scarcity may increase and people can resort to patronising Jerry-can black marketers.
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.
The Police in Gombe State have confirmed the killing of two people when gunmen attacked Kumo Police Division in Akko Local Government Area on Friday night.
The Commissioner of Police in the state, Mr Mohammed Sule, told journalists in Gombe that the dead were among the attackers.
Sule said the police recovered one AK 47 rifle and two motorcycles from the attackers.
“As far as I am concerned, none of my men was killed.
“What I know is that two of the attackers were killed and we recovered one AK 47 rifle and two motorcycles,” he said.
Sule, however, said he was expecting details of the incident since it occurred in the night.
He decried the lack of information from the public to enable the police to prevent such attacks.
Some residents of Kumo town told reporters that they heard sounds of gunshots when the attackers came in the night.
They said they could not sleep in the night because of the exchange of fire between the police and the attackers.
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.
Hostility among some communities in Plateau State in the last two weeks spreading across about four local governments has again thrown up the issue of the effectiveness of the current security arrangement in the country . Many are wondering why the gale of violence has continued to escalate rather than abate.
At the last count, renewed violence in different parts of Plateau State has claimed close to 100 lives. From Riyom and Barkin-Ladi local government areas, which have been trouble spots for some time, the violence has spread to Wase LGA and lately Bokkos LGA.
The genesis of the skirmishes appear similar in many respects even though with peculiar circumstances – A disagreement between a local and (more often than not) a Fulani herdsman or other tagged ‘settlers’ degenerates into a sectarian dispute resulting in a cycle of violence. The side initially at the receiving end mobilizes for reprisals, then counter- reprisals, and so it continues. The common peace message – “violence begets violence – is thus having a free expression.
Expectedly too, the protracted violence, which has spanned over a decade, would seem to have increased the propensity towards violence. Supposedly in the quest for self-protection and the seeming failure of the security arrangement to safeguard them, many communities and individuals are believed to have acquired weapons which they deploy at the slightest opportunity. The situation is compounded by the growing army of ethnic militias which, buoyed by increasing youth unemployment, provide easy recruits for the prosecution of violence.
As in many parts of the country, the Fulani herdsmen, who are famed, rightly or wrongly, not to allow any aggression against them un-revenged no matter how long it takes, had settled in many parts of Plateau State for almost a century in some cases. However, the antagonism between them and the indigenous groups appears to be worsening. Various reasons have been adduced from different quarters, not least is the mutual suspicion and hatred generated by previous crisis.
Several peace advocacy programmes by government, traditional rulers, non-governmental organizations, religious bodies and even the Special Task Force (STF) deployed to maintain peace in the state have not done the magic. Rather, the problem appears to be spreading to areas hitherto seen as peaceful.
Concerned by the situation, a youth group, Northern Advancement of Peace , Harmony and Development, called on governors of states in the North to come together and discuss ways to end the growing violence. The group in a statement signed by its president Melvin Ejeh said this had become imperative because of the socio-economic and other toll the situation is exerting on the region.
Despite repeated attacks on communities in Riyom local government area for some years now, a part known as the Ganawuri area inhabited by the Aten ethnic group seems to have enjoyed relative peace. It has become a reference point of peaceful co-existence until violence spread to the area recently. Ironically, those displaced by the crisis from both sides are now living together in the same homes among the Aten people! Sunday Vanguard spoke to the President of the Aten Development Association, Mr. Chom Bagu, on what went wrong. His perspective provides another insight into the problem.
His words: “Ganawuri has been spared the violence that has been part of Plateau State since September 7, 2001. This was not by accident as the Ganawuri people have certain values and traditions that discourage violence. We don’t allow the shedding of innocent blood on our land, we don’t take booty during war, we don’t kill women or children or even the aged. Working with a body known as Community Action for Popular Participation (CAPP), our royal father, the Atar Aten, organized a series of peace activities five years ago to consolidate the peace using road shows, rallies and dialogue.
We also established peace committees to report any tension, rumour or threats to the peace. We are blessed with a traditional leader who believes in peace and dialogue and who has responded to every threat of violence by actively supporting dialogue.
”This has worked very well till last Thursday March 21, 2013, when some people imported violence from Fadan Atakar in Kaduna State into Ganawuri. When they burnt Fulani houses that sad Thursday, the Atar Aten invited the STF, the local government chairman, the Atakar and Fulani to help get to the root of the violence and find a peaceful way of ending the violence. Yet the very next day, the violence escalated. Presently, we are hosting both the Atakar and Fulani internally displaced persons (IDPs_, feeding and caring for them.
”What is very worrisome to the Aten people is the amount of arms displayed during this violence by both sides. Even the STF took some time before they could approach the theatre of this senseless war. The question we are asking is , were these arms meant to wipe out the Aten people or what? The world must know that the Aten people have been under tremendous pressures from their neighbors to join the violence, which we have staunchly refused because we truly believe that this violence is avoidable and will not help anyone. We are serious farmers and have no influence in government. Because of our small population, it has been easy to ignore us, so we take our farming very serious and we know as a fact that violence will not serve our interest.
”The Aten people have resolved to remain neutral in this conflict. First because we do not know the source or the justification for this violence, second, both the Atakar and Fulani have begged us to stay neutral. So who do those urging us to plunge into this senseless violence represent and whose interest are they serving? Must the entire Plateau State collapse into violence? We thought Ganawuri was showing the way to make the peace and return prosperity to the state, so why the gang up, why the scheming to flood the Ganawuri peace valley with the blood of the peace loving people of Aten?”
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.
It’s unfortunate, this article is coming in late. This is because I almost ignored the racket “ My Oga at the top” generated. However, because of some salient lessons in the whole joke, I have decided to hit you with this.
Even though, my ways may be very different from yours, I still believe we must be objective in our analysis, judgment, and conclusion about others. The NSCDC Commandant, Mr. Shem’s experience in the hands of Nigerians and the Channel TV personalities cannot be too different from what many of us face on a daily bases. Some of us have been arbitrarily judged, smashed, squeezed, criticized, and battered for several years because we have failed to be who they want us to be. Different darts and missiles have been thrown at us because they chose to judge us from the first impression they conceived about us. What insult haven’t we received? They will try to judge you by the few words they hear from your mouth. When you use signs and symbols to communicate national issues, they misconstrue every bit of it as you are either tagged the head of Nigeria Illuminati, or they may even try to put your sexuality to question. However, we still love them, and still fight for them even when they don’t really understand why we are here. Some have not even realized the need to hold on to the reality that confronts them today, instead, they are committed to producing gunpowder for the celebration of individual blunder, and they swiftly push national blunder aside.
Yes, the NSCDC Commandant goofed, he failed to give the correct NSCDC website, he wanted his oga at the top to announce that personally, hence he couldn’t go ahead to announce it, as his oga may end up announcing another one later. At first, it appeared to me as if he didn’t understand the question until he got to the point of providing the URL of the website, and then we all laughed when he was unable to provide the web address as demanded. We all laughed at his little or no IT knowledge, and not really because he is not competent enough to do his job. We all laughed because he had displayed some level of confidence right from the beginning of the interview till the point he was to give the website details.
However, is it enough to have made it a trending topic on twitter and on other social sites for days? I must say that we have all failed by pushing aside the lesson and the message of the controversial interview. If you don’t know, the message is simple; there is a systemic failure. We have all failed our country. We have even failed to channel our heavy online presence towards a more positive direction. We have failed to understand that the entire system has no structure as it stands now. If that is not the case, why were we not intelligent enough to see beyond Mr. Shem’s failure and begin to reflect over leadership failure, using the social media platform? It has always remained this way, where only few of us can speak our minds in a country where mediocrity reigns supreme. We have failed to see how mediocre now flood the civil service , but all we are now looking at ,is just Mr. Shem’s blunder. Why???
Members of staff in several organizations know little or nothing about their organization. They can’t even tell ‘categorically’ like Mr. Shem, whether they have an existing or functional website. How effective are various media units that are scattered across different Ministries in the country? NSCDC should even thank God that it was Mr. Shem who failed, and not their media unit, because such would have been possible. I know that majority of Nigerians that work in the civil service are not up to date with the internet social world, as they believe in doing things the old way. You won’t even blame Mr. Shem for not being able to give the correct web address or not being able to add dot.com, because the NSCDC Website, prior to the controversy was almost dormant. How would you expect one to know a website that doesn’t exist or non-functional?
But my pain is simply that we have all failed to tackle the most pressing issues of the day, falling into the trap and deception of the phrase “My oga at the top”. We have been so deceived and then became so careless about our safety, laughing hysterically; with our eyes gazed at “My Oga at the top” until the dreaded Boko Haram found a way to shoot us with their arrows. We laughed until we forgot that we have urgent national issues to address, and the faceless ones hit us hard again in the city of Kano. What a shame!
While we were busy gossiping, creating cartoons, producing T. Shirts, and cooking beats in the studio to ridicule just a single individual, we lost millions of naira at the Murtula Mohammed Airport, Lagos to some armed men who stormed the airport, harassing both Nigerians and foreigners. I heard they had a swell moment at the airport. You can’t just imagine that armed robbers could succeed even in an International Airport. Where is safe then? “Yet, we were busy with My oga at the top”
While we took the joke to another level, the Boko Haram militants also saw our weaknesses and carefree attitude, and they hit us hard, killing well over 60 people in the Kano bomb attack. They beat all security apparatus in place in the volatile city, because, we refused to watch our back as we were laughing at “ My Oga at the top”
In our usual carelessness, when some people were demanding for amnesty for some faceless people, we kept mummed, because we were only interested in “Oga at the top.” We refused to ask questions on why some people should be advocating for this group.
As good, committed, and patriotic citizens, couldn’t we have embarked on a campaign against violence using the social media platform for that purpose? How many of us are willing to laugh at some of the ogas in the North who have sold the future of our children in the name of leadership tussle? How many of us have been able to tell the Northern leaders that they have failed their people for giving some terrorists the supports they really do not deserve? Yet, we still talk about “My Oga at the top”
These are no time for such jokes as we have better and serious issues to address as Nigerian youth and children. Enough of this “My oga at the top” Stop the rubbish now! Let’s ask them some questions on why we must continue to bury our ourselves.
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.
RE: Kano Bus Attack. – it is better for the Igbo to be charged with carrying guns than to be killed with insult”.
Former governor of the old Anambra State, Dr Chukwuemeka Ezeife, on Wednesday, called on the Federal Government to immediately equip the Igbo people with weapons to defend themselves against aggression and their wanton killings in the Northern part of the country.
Apparently referring to the recent bombings of buses carrying Igbo traders to Lagos allegedly by the Boko Haram sect in Kano, Ezeife said that the government should forget about the warning to the Igbo against carrying arms and other self defence equipment, but must now recognize the special needs of the Igbo in Northern Nigeria to defend themselves.
He said that the President, Police, Army and other security agencies should now clearly understand and fully accept the compelling need for the Igbo to be in a position to defend themselves anywhere they are in large numbers.
Should the Federal Government refuse to hearken to the urgent call, the ex-Governor admonished the Igbo to personally and/ or collectively acquire whatever they need for group self defence . “as it is better for the Igbo to be charged with carrying guns than to be killed with insult”.
Ezeife however cautioned that the weapons so acquired by the Igbo for self defence must not be put to offensive use and reiterated that nobody or group of persons should feel intimidated that the Igbo equip themselves for group self defence.
The practical way to implement this, according to him, was the creation of special vigilante or security groups which would be adequately equipped to prevent attacks and deal with attacks they cannot prevent so that the people could help themselves. via Tribune
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.
That the interview granted Channels Television (Sunrise Daily) by the Commandant of the Lagos State Nigerian Security and Defence CMr Obafaiye Shem has gone virile is no longer news. MY OGA ON TOP saga has become the greatest joke of the year.
While it is being rumoured that he has been suspended because of the blunder, the Producer of that particular episode of the programme on the day MY OGA ON TOP featured on Channels Television Sunrise Mr Sulai Aledeh has taken full responsibility for the inciident. Sulai,a newscaster,producer and co anchor of Sunrise Daily had this to say .
" As the Producer I take full responsibility (for the Oga On Top saga). The show on the said day was on employment racketeering so we must have a genuine website to stop further exploitation".
Codewit Nigeria would ask,Who do we blame,Channels Television or a man that was not prepared for his job?
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.
The world’s acclaimed biggest singing talent reality TV show “The X Factor” which has been rocking Europe and the Americas has finally berthed in Africa, with Nigeria scoring the first, courtesy of the leading telecommunications company, Globacom, who has even gone a step further in offering a whooping N24 million as the star prize for the ultimate winner of the show.
The unveiling of the show took place at the Get Arena, Lekki, Lagos on Wednesday before a audience consisting of media executives, Glo Ambassadors, top management staff of Globacom and some members of the public who were invited to be part of the fun-filled launch which dragged on till late in the night. Highlights of the nights include musical interludes, jokes and open mic competition which got the audience dully entertained.
The ultimate winner of “ The X Factor” show is expected to smile home with princely sum of $150,000 (N24 million), purportedly the biggest purse among current reality TV shows. The winner will also win a recording contract with internationally acclaimed Sony Music for the recording of an album and professional management of the winning individual or group.
According to the company’s Head, Reality Shows, Sulyman Bello, Glo is proud to be the catalyst that brought about this development and the attendant buzz cum excitement it will generate across the continent. “Africa has been yearning for a programme of this optimum quality and we are privileged to have made it possible” enthused Bello.
He added that Glo needed to do something special to signpost the special year of its 10th anniversary, hence the gift of “The X Factor” to entertain and delight its teeming subscribers across sub-Saharan Africa and the larger public.
“This year marks the 10th anniversary of our operations and this programme is, in part, our modest way of thanking our subscribers for their loyalty and patronage” he said.
Commenting on the ultimate prize of $150,000 to the winner, Bello said that this is in sync with the profile of the show. “The unprecedented top prize is a reflection of the premium status of the programme; this is in addition to the coveted Sony Music contract with the attendant post-season super star status for the winner and international stardom which is not provided by any other music talent show in the country today”, he added.
The X Factor, a Syco-owned format, is produced and distributed worldwide by FremantleMedia. Speaking about the show’s upcoming debut in Nigeria, Jamie Lynn, EVP Sales and Distribution, EMEA at FremantleMedia said “The X Factor is one of the leading entertainment shows of this generation and we are absolutely delighted to be working with Glo to bring Nigeria its own version. The blockbuster show has enjoyed immense success all over the world and we have no doubt it will make the same impact in Nigeria as it has had around the globe”
“The X Factor” is a Reality TV singing competition to find new talents. It is contested by aspiring singers, drawn from public auditions and is open to all ages, sex, styles, solo acts or groups. A major difference between the show and others is that the judges also double as coaches for the various groups.
It is peculiarly split in stages, following the contestants from auditions through to the boot camp, the judges’ homes; to the grand finale. Dancers are also featured and contestants could accompany themselves on guitar, piano or any other musical instruments.
“The X Factor” has been successfully launched in major countries including United Kingdom, the United States, Albania, Argentina, Australia, Belgium, Denmark, France, Germany and Spain. Here in Africa, the month-long pre-auditions, which are the first stage, will kick off in Abuja on April 13th and later hold in Port Harcourt and Lagos. It will also run in Accra and Kumasi in Ghana.
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.
The leadership of Igbo Community Association, Kano yesterday afternoon declared that the Igbo speaking group was not the target of March 19th motor park bombing over which lives and properties were lost in Sabon Gari area of Kano state.
“We want to use this opportunity to say that the incident was not targeted at any particular ethnic group as the casualty cut across all tribes of Nigeria. Victims include Hausa, Igbo, Yoruba, ethnic nationalities from North central, and South South geo-political zones”, Chief Chi Nwogu, President, Kano chapter of Igbo Community Association declared.
Addressing reporters in Kano, Chief Chi Nwogu who spoke on behalf of Igbo federating states said that the figures jointly collated by the leadership of Luxury bus Union revealed that a total of 37 persons died during the blast while 75 other sustained injuries.
“We mandated the leadership of the luxurious bus park to carefully collate the data of the affected victims. Casualty figures now indicate that thirty seven persons died in the explosion, while 75 sustained various degrees of injuries”, Chief Nwogu said.
The Igbo leader disowned and regretted misleading reports earlier dished out to the public that tend to pitch them against their host in Kano, stressing that “the mischievous information was not from a credible source” and therefore enjoined the Igbos to continue to live peacefully with other non natives in their domain.
Chief Nwogu said that “there was clever attempt by disgruntle elements who take interest in making inflammatory statements and publications capable of inciting us against our host government. The reckless statement sent inciting signals to our kith and kins at home and in diaspora because of misrepresentation of facts about the attack”
The President of the ICA warned that “lives must not be used for politicking and as such, we must strive to be objective in our judgment and comments on delicate matters like this one. We also appeal to our people at home to remain calm and avoid any act that would aggravate the already tensed situation.”
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.
Central Bank Governor Lamido Sanusi says culture of impunity, much more than corruption, has hampered Nigeria`s development and promoted poverty.
Sanusi, who spoke at the 5th Bola Tinubu Colloquium in Lagos on Thursday, said the unpreparedness of the country to sanction corrupt persons had ensured the emasculation of the system.
He noted that corruption was a universal problem, but added that other countries were able to attain development because they had adequate punitive structures in place.
The theme of the colloquium, organised to mark the 61st birthday of Tinubu was “Beyond Mergers: A National Movement for Change”.
According to him, corruption is a big issue in the country today as in other parts of the world like Russia, China and others; but why are they eradicating poverty and Nigeria isn’t?
“It is not just corruption. It is the kind of failed interventions that are procured with the proceeds of corruption.
“Everyone agree that corruption is bad. It has economic cost. You take a bribe and pay subsidy to someone who hasn’t delivered the required goods. That is corruption,” he added.
Sanusi said that in Nigeria people collected money for contracts and they wouldn’t fulfil their own parts and nothing was done about it.
“What is destroying this country is that people are corrupt and nothing is done about it,” he said.
He said although the country had achieved certain macro-economic improvements, poverty was still high because certain fundamentals such as infrastructure were not still in place.
According to him as soon as those fundamentals are put in place Nigerians will begin to benefit from this macro-economic stability.
He urged the younger generation of Nigerians to begin to position themselves for leadership, saying the youths had a big role to play in the future development of the country.
Tinubu said the problem of pervasive insecurity in the country could be solved if the Federal Government offered the olive branch to extremists in form of amnesty.
He said since it was successfully used to douse tension in the Niger Delta, it could also solve the Boko Haram issue if well implemented.
Gov. Babatunde Fashola of LagosState also said it was time for the youths to begin to initiate and pursue efforts geared at repositioning the country.
Fashola said the destiny of Nigeria was in the hands of the youths, expressing the hope that sooner than later the youths would dominate the leadership of the country.
“Today, I see hope and the hope is perhaps born today. I believe that very soon youths will take over the mantle of leadership in the country,” Fashola said.
Governors Ibikunle Amosun (Ogun), Adams Oshiomhole (Edo) and Kayode Fayemi (Ekiti), were among notable Nigerians that attended the colloquium.
Other eminent personalities were Sen. Sani Yerima, Chief Tom Ikimi and ACN National leader, Chief Bisi Akande.
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.
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