By Ismaila Chafe

President Muhammadu Buhari says security chiefs have received marching orders to go harder on criminals, including shooting anyone found to be in illegal possession of AK-47.

Mr Femi Adesina, the President’s spokesman, in a statement on Thursday in Abuja, said the president stated this during a meeting with the National Council of Traditional Rulers of Nigeria.

The Council is co-chaired by the Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Muhammad Sa’ad Abubakar III, and the Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Enitan Ogunwusi.

The president, who briefed the traditional rulers on efforts by the government to improve the security situation in the country, said his administration had recorded appreciable successes in the North-East and South-South parts of the country.

‘‘But what surprises me is what is happening now in the North West where the same people, with the same culture, are killing each other, taking their livestock and burning properties.

‘‘As a result of that, we had a four-hour meeting of the National Security Council attended by the Ministers of Internal Affairs, Defence, Foreign Affairs, Service Chiefs, Chief of Defence Staff, the Inspector-General of Police and others and we gave clear instructions.

‘‘One thing that got to the press, which I read myself, was that anyone with an AK-47 will be shot.

‘‘This is because AK-47 is supposed to be registered and it is only given to security officials.

‘‘We closed the borders for some years, but the intelligence report I’m getting on a daily basis is that those who are conducting the abductions, the killings and so on  are still not short of arms and ammunition,’’ he said.

The President expressed dismay over attacks on police stations and killings of security personnel by criminals, warning that ”no investor will invest in a country that is unsafe”.

Buhari also stressed the need for traditional rulers to use their roles and positions as bridge builders in each of their communities to complement government efforts at ensuring peace and security.

He appealed to the traditional leaders to deploy their reach and influence in the best interest of assisting the government to ”root out those whose sole objective remains to cause trouble and destroy livelihoods and families across the nation”.

The president, who listened to various interventions from representatives of the traditional rulers from each of the six- geo-political zones in the country, pledged that his administration would continue to support and work collaboratively with them to ensure peace and stability.

He restated his marching orders to the newly appointed Service Chiefs to bring the security situation under control.

He noted that closer control could only be achieved with the cooperation and collaboration of traditional rulers and authorities, who occupy a critical role in the society.

‘‘By your role and positions with history dating back hundred years, the people trust you implicitly and in return you provide them with comfort and guidance in accordance with our cultural heritage and traditions.

‘‘You are the bridge builders in each of your communities.

”No one is better placed with your strength of moral authority to ensure that people who visit your communities for either business, leisure or any honest and credible reason are protected and made to feel at home,’’ he said.

In separate remarks, the royal fathers stressed the need for the traditional institution to be assigned definite roles, particularly on peace and security, within the ambit of the Constitution as well as regular engagement with the National Assembly on multiple fronts.

The presidential aide disclosed that the Sultan of Sokoto, the Ooni of Ife, the Obi of Onitsha, Igwe Nnaemeka Achebe and the Etsu Nupe, Alhaji Yahaya Abubakar, spoke at the meeting.

Others speakers included King Jaja of Opobo, Dr Dandeson Jaja, Emir of Bauchi, Dr Rilwanu Adamu, Emir of Gwandu, Alhaji Muhammad Iliyasu and the Alawe of Ilawe-Ekiti, Oba Adebanji Alabi.

The meeting was attended by security chiefs including the National Security Adviser, retired Maj.-Gen. Babagana Monguno, and the Inspector General of Police, Mohammed Adamu.

The Director-General of Department of State Services, Yusuf Bichi, and the Director-General of National Intelligence Agency (NIA), Amb. Ahmed Rufa’i were also in attendance. (NAN)

By Emmanuel Oloniruha

Chairman of the Nigeria Governors’ Forum (NGF) and Governor of Ekiti, Dr Kayode Fayemi has said that federal salary structure should not be imposed on states.

Fayemi made the observation when he hosted pro-chancellors of state-owned universities on Thursday in Abuja.

Fayemi said that the same salary structure should not be imposed on states because federal and state governments do not have similar economic situations.

A statement issued by Mr Abdulrazaque Bello-Barkindo, the Head, Media and Public Affairs of NGF Secretariat, quoted Fayemi as making the observation when the pro-chancellors deliberated on solutions to problems state-owned tertiary institutions.

“You can’t impose a federal salary structure on states because we do not all have the same economic or financial situations.

” I, for example, do not have the resources of Lagos State, so you won’t expect me to earn the same salary as the governor of Lagos,” he said.

The NGF chairman added that it was true that no state had fulfilled payment of salaries to states universities, but states were not always solely responsible for this.

“The people you appoint as vice chancellors need to speak truth to power, they need to be able to bite the bullet, and not just be a YES person.

“We need to work together to confront these issues, we are running glorified secondary schools as universities by this system and you have to help us in insisting that the institutions too, do the right thing, ” he added.

Fayemi agreed with the pro-chancellors that politics should not be involved in the nation’s school system, even though he argued that there were very smart people in politics in Nigeria.

Earlier, the pro-chancellors led by Mallam Yusuf Ali, the Pro-Chancellor of Osun State university, said that the seamless educational progression that the country should be experiencing was being hampered by paucity of funds.

He also listed other factors such as unions like: Academic Staff Union of Universities, Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities (SSANU), Non-Academic Staff Union of Universities (NASU) and the students.

Ali also admonished the owners of state-owned universities to relegate politics to the backgrounds when considering their appointees.

He said that only the best and brightest with sound academic profiles should made to engage in matters relating to education.

The team which represents all the 48 universities owned by states pleaded with governors to take over the burden of payment of salaries of state universities.

They also called for the reintroduction of scholarships for indigent students and assist the committee of pro-chancellors of states universities to erect a secretariat of their own to facilitate their activities. (NAN)

By Chimezie Anaso

Gov. Willie Obiano of Anambra says the state has received 78,810 doses of Oxford AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine.

Obiano said this at the inauguration of the COVID-19 vaccine introduction to the state at the Chuwkuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu University Teaching Hospital (COOUTH) Amaku, Awka, on Thursday.

The governor urged residents of the state to obtain immunisation forms and make themselves available for administration of the vaccine in order to curb the spread of the virus.

He assured them that Anambra had a good storage facility for the vacciines.

“Residents of Anambra should fill the vaccine forms in order to be eligible for vaccination,” Obiano said.

The governor reiterated his administration’s commitment to ensuring that Anambra was rid of COVID-19 virus and other viral diseases.

Obiano also warned the people of Anambra to always observe the COVID-19 protocols at all times as the Oxford AstraZeneca vaccine does not guarantee 100 per cent immunity or cure for COVID-19 disease.  (NAN)

By Ismaila Chafe

President Muhammadu Buhari has expressed sadness over the passing of the Prime Minister of Cote d’Ivoire, Hamed Bakayoko.

Buhari in a condolence message released by his Senior Special Assistant on Media and Publicity, Malam Garba Shehu, in Abuja on Thursday conveyed his deepest condolences to the family of the prime minister.

He also condoled with President Alassane Ouattara, the government and people of Cote d’ Ivoire as they mourned Bakayoko.

Buhari said that the late prime minister, who was a close confidant of Ouattara, would be greatly missed in Cote d’Ivoire and West Africa at large.

He noted that Bakayoko would be fondly remembered for his deep commitment to strengthening unity and cooperation.

The president prayed for the repose of the soul of the deceased and comfort for his loved ones and all those mourning him. (NAN)

By Jessica Onyegbula

The Executive Secretary, Nigeria Christian Pilgrim Commission (NCPC), Rev. Yakubu Pam, on Thursday charged Nigerian youth to remain focused and peaceful.

Pam made the call in a statement by the Director, Media and Public Relations, NCPC, Mr Celestine Toruka, in Abuja during the visit of the newly elected National Executives of the Youth Wing of the Christian Association of Nigeria (YOWICAN).

He said that the future of the country was in the hands of the youth.

The NCPC boss admonished the youth to be solution providers and explore peaceful ways of resolving issues.

He advised the youth to shun anything that would disunite “us as a people and whatever will disunite us will be stopped.”

The NCPC helmsman cautioned the youth against hate speech.

He urged them to be circumspect with their utterances to be leaders of reputation.

Pam commended members of the association for their  proposed National Youth Peace Summit with their Muslim counterparts.

He affirmed that he would support anything that would promote inter-faith harmony.

The National President of YOWICAN, Hon. Belusochukwu Enwere, described Pam as a mentor and a nationalist with the interest of the youth at heart.

He commended him for his peace building initiatives across the country, especially his peace summit in Southern Kaduna which he said “yielded positive results”. (NAN)

By Douglas Okoro

Chief Elias Mbam, the Chairman, Revenue Mobilisation Allocation and Fiscal Commission (RMAFC), has commended the Federal Government for approving the construction of Eastern railway corridor.

The commendation is contained in a statement issued by Mbam and made available to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Thursday in Abakaliki.

Mbam said that approval and inauguration of the project by President Muhammadu Buhari was a demonstration of the immense love and regard the president has for the South-East geopolitical zone.

He said that the initiative would boost commercial activities and enhance timely evacuation of goods, especially agricultural produce from the South-East to other parts of the country.

He particularly appreciated the president for approving the redirecting of the rail line to pass through Abakaliki, the Ebonyi capital, adding that the development would trigger high volume of commercial activities in the state.

The RMAFC chairman noted that Abakaliki is strategically located on the corridor between the Northern part of the country and the rest of the South-East and serves as a major gateway between the South-Eastern part of Nigeria and the nearby Republic of Cameroon.

He said: “The transportation of goods especially agricultural products from Northern states of Taraba up to Borno to the South-East is possible through the Ogoja-Abakaliki trunk A route.

“Therefore, the new rail line passing through Abakaliki serves to bridge the gap between the South-East and the northern part of the country in areas of agro-businesses, commerce and trade.

“It is imperative to point out that Ebonyi is vastly known for its agricultural endowments especially in rice farming.

”In fact, the popular Abakaliki rice has the capacity, if well commercialised, to contribute greatly to improving food security in Nigeria.

”Ebonyi is also known for its rich solid mineral resources; lead, zinc, iron ore, granites among others, which are harnessed in high commercial quantity.”

Mbam, former Minister of State for Finance added that Ebonyi has the capacity to boost the Nigeria’s economy and contribute to its Gross Domestic Product (GDP) if wider market was provided through easy transportation of its agricultural produce and other resources.

“It is with utmost humility that I congratulate His Excellency, the President for approving and launching the Eastern Rail Corridor which passes through my home town of Abakaliki.

”Your Excellency has once again demonstrated great wisdom by launching this corridor which adds to a number of numerous projects of the federal government in the South-East.

“Projects such as the second Niger Bridge, the Enugu-Port Harcourt and Enugu-Onitsha expressway, the reconstruction of the Akanu Ibiam International Airport and numerous ecological projects in all the states of the zone are testimonies of your love.

“There is no doubt, Your Excellency, that these projects, especially the railway lines will endear you more and more to the people of our zone and make Nigeria a more robust economy.

”I, therefore assure you Mr President of the continuous support of Ndigbo, which will grow in popularity as we approach 2023 and as these projects come to fruition,” he added. (NAN)

Argentines took to the streets on Wednesday to demand what they say is justice for Diego Maradona after the soccer icon’s death in November sparked investigations into how he died and whether there had been any negligence in his care.

“He did not die, they killed him!,” the organisers of the demonstration said in materials sent out on social media prior to the march. “Justice for Diego. Trial and punishment of the guilty.”

The march kicked off at the emblematic Obelisco monument in central Buenos Aires, where protesters waved flags and sang songs in homage to Maradona, choking the streets around rush hour in the country’s capital.

Maradona’s ex-wife, Claudia Villafane, and two of his daughters, Dalma and Gianinna, led the early evening rally, with signs calling for social and legal justice in the case.

Maradona, a World Cup winner with Argentina who is regarded as one of the greatest soccer players of all time, attained almost godlike status in his home country in spite of long battles with drug and alcohol addiction and poor health.

A medical board, at the request of the justice department, met on Monday to analyse Maradona’s death.

The idol, who won the 1986 World Cup, had serious health problems and was recovering from brain surgery when he died in the suburbs of Buenos Aires.

Investigators are looking at whether members of Maradona’s medical team did not adequately treat the former soccer star, who played for teams around the world including Napoli, Barcelona and Boca Juniors. (Reuters/NAN)

By Abujah Racheal
The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) has recorded 394 new cases of Coronavirus (COVID-19), bringing the total number of infected people in the country to 159,646.

The NCDC disclosed this on its official Twitter handle on Wednesday.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that between March 1 and March 9, the country recorded fewer than 500 new COVID-19-related cases for the ninth time, except on March 4 when it registered 709 cases.

The NCDC, however, reported five COVID-19 deaths, taking total fatalities in the country to 1,993.

It stated that the new infections were registered in 17 states and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) in the last 24 hours.

The NCDC noted that most of the new cases recorded were found in Bauchi (75), Lagos (36), Akwa Ibom (33), FCT (32), Nasarawa (29) and Kaduna (26).

Others were in Rivers 25, Ogun 22, Oyo 21, Edo 20, Taraba 18, Imo and Ondo 17 each.

Borno recorded eight, Plateau seven, Zamfara four, Osun 3 and Kano 1.

The Nigeria public health institute said that 139,983 Nigerians had recovered from COVID-19, and these included 927 fresh recoveries.

The NCDC noted that the country’s active COVID-19 cases in Nigeria now stood at 17,670, down from the previous day’s 18,208.

The health agency said that a multi-sectoral national Emergency Operations Centre (EOC), activated at Level 3, had continued to coordinate the national response activities in the country.

Meanwhile, the NCDC disclosed that it would be carrying out a COVID-19 Household Seroprevalence Survey in Kano State and the FCT.

It noted that the survey in the two places would estimate the burden of COVID-19 infections.

The agency urged Nigerians that it did not matter if they had taken the COVID-19 vaccine, they still needed to adhere to Non-Pharmaceutical Intervention (NPIs) and other public health guidelines.

“This is very important, wear a mask, wash your hands regularly and observe physical distancing,” it advised.

Nigeria has tested 1,601,396 samples since the pandemic outbreak in the country last year.

By Ibironke Ariyo

Brig. Gen. Buba Marwa (Rtd.), Chairman, National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), says  urgent  strengthening of regional and international cooperation is needed to identify and manage emerging new jurisdictional manifestations of drug trafficking.

Marwa made the call during the 14th United Nations Congress on Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice on Wednesday in Kyoto, Japan.

In a statement by the agency’s Director Media and Advocacy, Mr Femi Babafemi, on Wednesday in Abuja, Marwa said criminals and organised criminal groups had deployed new strategies.

This, he said, was through increased online criminal activities in a bid to navigate the global shutdown of traditional trafficking routes following the COVID-19 pandemic.

“There is, therefore, an urgent need to strengthen regional and international cooperation to identify and manage the various jurisdictional manifestations of this ugly trend,” he said.

The NDLEA boss updated the world on efforts being made by Nigeria to respond to the drug scourge.

He said the country was addressing and countering illicit trafficking in drugs through an integrated and balanced approach implemented under the National Drug Control Master Plan (NDCMP).

This, he added, was first introduced from 2015-2019, and that it was revised for another five years, from 2021-2025.

“The NDCMP outlines strategies to neutralise threats to law enforcement efforts by strengthening regional and international cooperation in countering illicit trade and trafficking in narcotic drugs.

“One example of such is ‘Operation Eagle,’ which is a joint operation with select countries to counter the menace of illicit drugs.

“Nigeria has adopted a holistic national anti-corruption strategy that provides entry point for both state and non-state actors to contribute to the fight against corruption at all levels.

“We are actively implementing the Justice Sector Reform Strategy covering issues such as International Cooperation Mechanisms, Mutual Legal Assistance and reform of the Criminal Justice System,” said Marwa.

According to him, the Administration of Criminal Justice Act enacted in 2015 has expedited trial of corruption cases and resulted in deterrent sanctions for the corrupt.

“Nigeria recently enacted a Mutual Legal Assistance Law, and the Nigerian Financial Intelligence Unit Act to create a stand-alone Financial Intelligence Unit.

“Other necessary legislations such as the Proceeds of Crime and Whistle-Blower Protection bills are receiving urgent attention.

“We have also launched two significant initiatives: The open treasury initiative, which establishes a financial transparency portal to keep the public informed about financial transactions and a pilot beneficial ownership register focused on the extractive sector,” he said.

Marwa stated that the private sector was not left out in the various reforms being introduced by government.

He explained that the private sector was not left out in the current interventions, and that Nigeria adopted a Code of Corporate Governance in January 2019.

“This Code, which covers the private sector entities, including professional bodies, strengthens regulatory oversight and monitoring by accountability and anti-corruption agencies.

“Our focus in building institutions to combat corruption including its links with drug trafficking, illicit financial flows, money laundering and other forms of organised crime.

“This is informed by the loss of over 400 billion dollars to foreign havens, stolen and expatriated by corrupt leaders and their foreign accomplices including multinational companies.

“We, therefore, call on states to strengthen international cooperation to address these links and in particular, adopt the report and recommendations of the Financial Accountability, Transparency and Integrity (FACTI) Panel to combat illicit financial flows,” he added. (NAN)