President Muhammadu Buhari

By Ismaila Chafe

President Muhammadu Buhari has expressed optimism that the Judicial Panel of Inquiry set up by the Lagos State Government will assist the nation to give justice to peaceful protesters who lost their lives.

Buhari made this known in a statement by his Senior Special Assistant on Media and Publicity, Malam Garba Shehu, in Abuja on Sunday.

He also expressed the hope that the security men who were murdered and property owners whose assets were vandalised and looted would treated justly and fairly.

The Judicial panel of inquiry set up by the Lagos State Government to look into remote and immediate causes as well as the aftermath of the ENDSARS protests, particularly the Lekki Toll Gate incident, would commence sitting in Lagos on Monday.

The president, who said he had all along avoided going into a debate about the Lekki Toll Gate incidents until all the facts were established, appealed to the people all over the country to maintain peace and brotherhood.

He said the call became necessary as the machinery of the government and the wheel of justice had turned against the perpetrators of murder, arson, stealing, rape, assault and malicious damage to public and private property.

The president maintained that peace, brotherhood and inter communal harmony are central to our ethos.

He urged Nigerians not to turn against one another in hate, and stressed the urgent need for the police and other security agencies to move everywhere to restore calm and normalcy as quickly as possible.

According to him, his administration is working hard through many pragmatic ways to reduce the hardship of the millions of the unemployed, poor citizens and those whose lives have been thrown into disarray by the harsh economic effects of the COVID-19 pandemic.

He, however, warned that resort to widespread attacks and the organised looting and plundering of public and private property in many states were inimical to public good and stand condemned.

He said: A government that has launched a massive crackdown on corruption, brought in strong laws for a decisive battle against corruption, pursues loot recovery at home and abroad, and taken strong decisions against those who thought they were above the law, will not fold its arms when an otherwise legitimate and peaceful protest is turning into free-for-all vandalism and looting.

While the administration has, for its part, blocked so many means of looting public money in a war against corruption, it is the expectation that all civil authorities, community and religious leaders in the country must rise against the organized looting and plunder we are witnessing in parts of the country.

Families must turn back children who bring home unaccounted goods, in the same way wives must ask their husbands to return looted items brought home.

What is more is that criminal actions as we have so far witnessed can weaken and erode the confidence of our people and that of foreign businesses in investing in the economy.

Looting and vandalism will hurt trade and investment growth in our country, both large and small industries, as well as our hardworking people in the informal sectors of the economy.

These incidents do not reflect well on any society. They are wrong and condemnable and should not be supported by reasonable members of the society.

In line with this, Buhari commended the decision of the Lagos State Ministry of Justice to prosecute 229 suspects arrested by the police for allegedly using the#EndSARSprotest to destroy and loot public and private property.

The president, who reiterated that his administration had taken note of the grievances of the people, again said: We have heard you loud and clear.

He said already the Federal Government had shown a clear determination to take all necessary measures to address the complaints, adding that the violence must stop.(NAN)

Source: NAN News

Kaduna govt. orders arrest of looters of COVID-19 palliative

By Hassana Yakubu

Kaduna State Government, says it will trace, arrest and prosecute those who looted COVID-19 items in Kaduna on Saturday.

The state Acting Governor, Dr Hadiza Balarabe said in a state-wide broadcast on Sunday.

She said that security agencies had already arrested some of those involved.

There can be no other word but theft for describing the looting of food items donated by CACOVID, she added.

We have met community leaders and made it clear that what happened yesterday will not be tolerated. There can be no excuses for the crimes we have witnessed.

The state is obliged to find and prosecute those involved in the criminal actions that unfolded yesterday.

For the sake of every law-abiding and hardworking citizen, we cannot indulge those who think they are exempted from the obligation to respect the law and the right of others to their lives and property.

Those who instigated these actions and who sadly persist in incitement should also expect to hear from the law, the acting governor stressed.

Balarabe warned that much of the looted property is a threat to public health, including the expired and dangerous drugs that were taken from NAFDAC and the 8000 tons of chemically treated soybeans stolen from a private feeds processing company.

She thanked security agencies for averting the spiral of violence and arresting some of the persons involved in the looting.

I call on all the people of Kaduna State to uphold law and order, and to cooperate with the security agencies as they enforce the curfew.

We call on citizens to remain vigilant as security reports indicate that persons desperate for bloodshed and anarchy continue to seek avenues to shatter the state, using rumours, fake news and incitement.

We call on traditional rulers, community and religious leaders to assist security agencies to fish out the criminals involved in the regrettable spate of looting.

We acknowledge the citizens who have been active in verifying information and combatting fake news.

The acting governor explained that the 24-hour curfew imposed on the state was to prevent criminal elements from undermining the law and placing lives and property of the people in danger.

We commend the vast majority of the people of Kaduna State for being law-abiding and for not allowing criminal actions in their communities.

We regret the inconvenience that this statewide curfew might have caused for such persons. The curfew is a difficult but necessary step for containing the violence and preventing it from infecting peaceful communities.

She assured that the curfew will be reviewed based on the security situation in the state.

On the looted CACOVID palliative, the acting governor explained that the items were not hoarded by the government or any of its officials.

Rather, the government was ready to commence distribution in all the local government areas, after taking pains to arrange a fair and efficient system.

According to her, arrangements for distributing the items at ward level had been concluded, when the looters stole the items.

The items looted do not belong to the persons that stole them. They were meant to support the most vulnerable in our midst.

Mob action cannot replace the methodical steps taken to identify these persons and arrange for them to safely receive the items, she added. (NAN)

Source: NAN News

Sen. Bola Tinubu

By Oluwatope Lawanson

Mr Bola Tinubu, the All Progressives Congress (APC) party leader, has proposed that revenue from the Lekki tollgate, Lagos State, be donated to confirmed victims of the shooting that occurred during the #EndSARS protest.

According to him, other identifiable victims of police brutality in the state should also benefit from the proceeds.

Tinubu in a statement on Monday. also absolved himself from allegations of ordering the deployment of soldiers against peaceful protesters at Lekki toll plaza on Oct.20, 2020.

I propose to government that the tollgate be left closed for an indefinite period.

If it is reopened, revenues should be donated to the confirmed victims of the Lekki attack as well as to other identifiable victims of police brutality in Lagos.

Let government use the money to compensate and take care of those who have lost life or limb in the struggle for all citizens to go about the quiet, peaceful enjoyment of life without fear of undue harassment at this or that checkpoint.

On the allegations that he owned the Lekki toll gate concession, Tinubu refuted the claims, saying the toll gate was a public asset of which he had no business interest in.

On his involvement in the killings, he said: I did not order this or any assault against anybody neither do I have any prior knowledge about this sad event.

The present situation clearly does nothing to profit me politically or otherwise.

It has complicated matters for me because many people now wrongfully blame me for a violent incident in which I played no part.

Still, I stand strongly behind the people of Nigeria and affirm their right to protest peacefully, he said

The APC leader condemned the use of force on peaceful protesters.

The use of strong force against any peaceful protesters is indefensible.

It is completely outside the norms of a democratic society and progressive political culture to which I have aspired and devoted public life.

It is my firm belief that no one should be harassed, injured or possibly killed for doing what they have the constitutional right to do in making their contribution to a better, more equitable society.

He said: Along with all well-meaning, patriotic Nigerians, I want to see an end to all forms of institutionalised brutality and l shall do my utmost to see that this humane objective is realised.

For, if these protests can generate meaningful reform, our youths would have achieved a compound national success.

First, they would have ended the terrible matter of institutionalized police brutality.

Second, Nigeria would have made an important accretion to our political culture whereby government listened to and acted on the recommendations of ordinary people protesting against the wrongs done them.

This would establish a healthy precedent. Yet such durable progress can be made only if government respects the protesters and protesters actively negotiate with government, he said.

The APC leader said that government should not curtail protest activity as the people have chosen it as their preferred way to interface with government on this issue. (NAN)

Source: NAN News

A COVID-19 palliative warehouse being looted by hoodlums

By Gabriel Yough

The Taraba Government has imposed an indefinite curfew in Jalingo, following the invasion of government warehouses by hoodlums on Saturday.

This is contained in a statement by Alhaji Musleem Aruwa, the Senior Special Assistant to the Deputy Governor, Alhaji Haruna Manu on New Media in Jalingo.

Manu expressed worry that some hoodlums invaded government warehouses containing palliatives and carted away items meant for distribution to members of the public.

Government has carefully reviewed developments in the last 24 hours and decided to extend the curfew to safeguard lives and properties.

All law-abiding citizens are advised to stay at home and allow security agencies who are under strict instructions to enforce the curfew and equally protect innocent citizens.

However, government is not unaware of people on essential duties, who are similarly requested to carry with them official identification cards to show security operatives on demand to avoid embarrassment, he said.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the state government had imposed curfew on Jalingo on Saturday night but several places including the NYSC camp in the state were vandalised and looted. (NAN)

Source: NAN News

Christmas-market

The central German city of Erfurt has cancelled its Christmas market this year due to the coronavirus situation, it announced on Sunday after a crisis meeting.

The cancellation is part of a new general decree that the city plans to publish on its website on Monday and which will apply until Nov. 30.

The infection situation in the city leaves us no other choice, Mayor Andreas Bausewein said, explaining the decision.

Restaurants and bars will be under curfew between 11 p.m and 5 a.m., and the sale of alcoholic beverages will be banned during this time.

Cultural events in closed rooms are to be limited to a maximum of 25 people, and in the open air to 100 people.

All festivals or dance events including the St Martins Day festival and the Christmas market are prohibited.

Erfurt has been designated a coronavirus risk area since Saturday.

Private and family celebrations will be limited to a maximum of 10 people and they may not come from more than two households.

Sports events may only take place without an audience, and mouth and nose coverings will be mandatory at political and religious events.

Source: NAN News

Lewis Hamilton in #EndSARS T-Shirt

Six-time Formula One world champion Lewis Hamilton donned a T-shirt protesting against police violence in Nigeria for a pre-race television interview at the Portuguese Grand Prix on Sunday in Portimao.

Thousands of Nigerians have been demonstrating for several days against a police unit, the Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS), which has now been disbanded.

Rights groups have for years accused the police unit of extortion, harassment, torture and murders.

Ive got to show this, Hamilton, Formula Ones only Black driver, told Sky Sports television as he revealed a green T-shirt with #EndSARS written on it at the end of the off-grid interview.

The Briton reverted to his usual Black Lives Matter T-shirt for the officially-sanctioned pre-race anti-racism gesture on the starting grid.

Formula Ones governing body last month set out new pre- and post-race rules for driver attire.

This was after Hamilton wore a T-shirt on the Tuscan Grand Prix grid with the words Arrest the cops who killed Breonna Taylor on the front.

Taylor, a Black medical worker, was killed by police officers who burst into her apartment in Louisville, Kentucky, in March.

Lots of rules have been written for me over the years and that hasnt stopped me, Hamilton said when the new rules were announced. (Reuters/NAN)

Source: NAN News

Dr Ken Ukaoha, NANTS President

By Emmanuella Anokam

The National Association of Nigerian Traders (NANTS) has warned its members to avoid buying or selling any item stolen or unlawfully carted away by hoodlums, following reports of massive destruction and looting in some parts of the country.

The NANTS President, Dr Ken Ukaoha, in a statement issued on Sunday in Abuja, directed members of the association to report any suspected seller or buyer of such items to the market leadership or the nearest security agency.

No member of NANTS must be found culpable or associating with such stolen items, as any trader or market found in possession of the items will be excommunicated or made to face the full wrath of the law.

NANTS wishes to reiterate the need for all members to be detached from all forms of the ongoing brigandage and destruction of property of both individuals and government, Ukaoha said.

He urged members be security conscious and guard or close their markets, where necessary, to avoid any possible looting and arson.

The NANTS president called on government to take measures to arrest the situation and ensure that the looting spree did not escalate to markets and shopping malls.

He also urged government to investigate the unfortunate development, with a view to identifying the culprits and making them face the law so as to serve as deterrent to others. (NAN)

Source: NAN News

Petroleum Industry Bill (PIB)

By Edith Ike-Eboh

Oil companies operating in Nigeria are expected to incorporate a host community trust for social and economic benefit from petroleum operations in the host communities.

From excerpts in the new Petroleum Industry Bill (PIB) obtained by the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja, the aim of the trust is to foster sustainable prosperity within the host community.

It will be recalled that militants over the years had disrupted the exploration of oil in Nigeria over the inability of oil companies to develop the region.

Experts are of the opinion that a good legislation would help to ensure that both the oil companies and host communities work together to achieve required development in the oil host communities.

The new PIB said Settlors ( oil companies) shall incorporate a trust for the benefit of host communities for which the settlor is responsible.

Where there is collective of settlors operating under a joint operation agreement with respect to upstream Petroleum operations, the operator appointed under the agreement shall be responsible for compliance with the chater on behalf of the settlors.

For settlors operating in shallow water and deep offshore, the littoral communities and any other community determined by the settlor shall be host communities for the purposes of this act.

It added that the settlor would appoint and authorise a board of trustee that would be registered by the Corporate Affairs Commission as a corporate body under the Companies and Allied Commission Act.

It noted that the name of the corporate body to be registered would be Host Community Development Trust

The new bill noted that settlor would determine the members of the board of trustee and criteria for their appointment.

The membership of the board of Trustees of the host communities development trust shall be subject to the approval of the commission or the regulatory body, the Authority.

The settlor shall in determination of membership of the board of Trustees, include persons of high integrity and professional standing who may not necessarily come from any of the host communities, it said.

It added that the members of the board would serve a term of four years in first instance, and may be reappointed for another term of four years and no more.

It said that the board would also have as Secretary one that would be appointed by the settlor to keep the books of the board.

The new PIB revealed that the board of trustee would be responsible for the management of the host communities development trust, determine the criteria, process and proportion of host communities development trust fund to be allotted to specific development programmes.

It added that the board would approve projects for which the host communities development trust fund would be utilised adding that it would provide oversight of the projects for which the funds would be utilised.

It will approve the appointment of fund managers for purposes of managing the reserve fund, and set up the management committee of the host communities development trust and appoint its members, it said

It noted that allocation of funds to host communities would be based on the matrix provided by the oil companies.

The board of trustee shall in each year, and in pursuant of section 240 of this bill allocate from the host communities development trust fund , a sum equivalent to 75 per cent of the capital fund.

The board shall make disbursements for projects in each of the host community as may be determined by the management committee in furtherance of the objectives set out in section 234 of this bill.

20 per cent to the reserve fund, which sums shall be invested for the utilisation of host community development trust whenever there is a cessation in the contribution payable by the settlor, it said. (NAN)

Source: NAN News

Mr Nanbol Daniel, a Medical Laboratory Scientist and member of the Plateau COVID-19 Rapid Response Task Team

By Peter Amine

Mr Nanbol Daniel, a Medical Laboratory Scientist and member of the Plateau COVID-19 Rapid Response Task Team, says that low or no number of confirmed cases in communities does not mean absence of COVID-19.

Daniel, who is the Chairman, Plateau State House of Assembly Committee on Health, said this in an interview with News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Sunday in Jos.

Figures from Nigerian Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) on Sunday Oct. 25,indicated that 603, 611 samples had been tested with 61, 930 confirmed cases.

The NCDC figures showed that 57,285 were treated and discharged, and that there were 3, 516 active cases while 1,129 persons died of the virus.

According to the statistics, Lagos State has the highest confirmed cases of 20, 807, followed by FCT 5, 961 cases and Plateau is third with 3, 594 cases, while Kogi is the lowest in the country with only five confirmed cases.

The lawmaker, who is actively involved in the fight against the pandemic, stated that the figures were low in some states because of low level of sample collection and testing.

The reason for the increase in confirmed cases in some states, most especially in Plateau, is that the state is conducting tests.

You can only know the status of individuals only if you conduct tests.

According to him, unless you test a reasonable sample size of your population,you cannot make good policy decision.

The medical lab scientist stressed that there were still cases of community transmission and that only laboratory tests could confirm.

It is on this note thatwe always encourage citizens to voluntarily avail themselves for test.

And when testing is done and there are no confirmed cases, it still does not mean that the community is free.

They have to continually practice preventive measures in order not to be infected by the virus.

My advice is that people should be careful now that schools are reopening.

We should observe all precautionary measures to avoid upsurge because a child may pick the virus in school and then bring it back to the parents at home and who knows, it may even get to grandparent considered to be more vulnerable.

Daniel told NAN that members of the Plateau State House of Assembly were sensitising their constituents to safety protocols against the COVID-19 pandemic as schools prepare to reopen.

The House Committee Chairman on Health explained that the move was necessary to safeguard the children, teachers and the parents alike.

As you are aware, Plateau Government is planning to reopen schools after the Federal Governmenthad opened Unity schools.

We have seen what they have put in place to safeguard the students and the teachers of the schools.

My advice to the general public is that we are going to live with this virus for some time.

What is needed at this stage is risk communication and in risk communication, we should know that we are all potential victims.

The risk communication takes us to the safety protocols; wash your hands regularly, wear face mask, use hand sanitisers and maintain social/physical distancing, he said.

Daniel stated that Plateau and indeed Nigeria, could not continue with the life of lock-down.

According to him, with the economy now reopened, the general public should be aware of the risk everyone is facing.

Source: NAN News

APC logo

By Emmanuel Mogbede

The United Kingdom Chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has advised Nigerians to be mindful of the authenticity or otherwise of social media posts, saying that some are planted to whip up sentiments and create panic and hatred among the people.

Mr Ade Omole, the leader of the chapter, gave the advice in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Sunday in Abuja while speaking on the #EndSARS protest and the aftermath.

He said that the killings and destruction of both government and private property by some hoodlums who infiltrated the protest in major cities in the country could have been avoided.

Omole said that it was regrettable that the #EndSARS protest, which started peacefully, was later infiltrated by hoodlums who took advantage of it to unleash mayhem on innocent Nigerians in some states of the federation.

He prayed for the departed souls, empathised with the families of the victims and also called for full investigation by the authorities into all killings and infractions against the law.

He added that Nigerians in the Diaspora support peaceful protests as enshrined in the countrys Constitution but would not sit and watch the hoodlums and social media pranksters turn the country into a state of anarchy.

He maintained that the peace, tranquility and rebuilding of the country should, however, be the main consideration of all and sundry at the moment.

The #EndSARS protesters have sent their message loud and clear and President Muhammadu Buhari and his cabinet too have said that much in their various addresses to the nation.

It is, therefore, time to sheath their swords and exit the stage while the ovation is loudest and await the implementation of the accepted demands from the Federal Government.

Few have been implemented already while some will take a while. We are ready to partner organs to implement the #EndSARS agenda to ensure that implementation is carried out in a just manner.

If the nation descends into anarchy as a result of the wanton looting, God forbid, the youth will be the hardest hit, Omole said.

He added that there was, however, an urgent need for security agencies to take control now and maintain law and order at all costs lest the country be driven to the precipice by the actions of few miscreants.

Speaking on the possible influence of social media on the #EndSARS protest, Omole said Nigerians should not take every post on the social media hook, line and sinker.

This, he said, was especially so because some posts on social media were done to whip up ethnic, religious and tribal sentiments with the objective of inciting hatred among the people.

He, therefore, advised against forwarding pictures, audios and videos with ethnic colouration especially when they were capable of inciting people to violence and were perceived to have been sponsored.

He added that until we jettison ethnic colourations occasioned by bias and sentiments in our evaluations, assessments and overviews of the #EndSARS protest that may have been influenced by some posts on the social media, the countrys development would continue to be a mirage.

He stressed that attaining an enviable height and becoming the envy of other nations was not impossible only if we collectively and with determination embrace meritocracy, resilience and justice.

He noted that Nigeria like any other country in the world, was not immune to challenges.

Omole further noted that the U.S. and other great countries of the world also passed through some challenges before they became what they were today.

According to him, most of the developed countries that are today the delight of all, experienced even worse challenges after their independence.

He added that all that was required to tackle Nigerias challenges sincerely and objectively was the collaboration of both the leaders and the led to galvanise available resources and innovations for the collective prosperity of the people.

NAN reports that the #EndSARS protesters were demanding an end to police brutality and reform of the Nigeria Police Force among other things.

Source: NAN News