Metro

Nigeria has no reason being a poor country, Peter Obi says

Published

7 months ago

April 9, 2024

Presidential candidate of the Labour Party (LP) in Nigeria’s last general elections, Peter Obi, has said the country has no reason to be poor due to rich natural resources Nigeria is blessed with in every part of the country.

Obi, who made the assertion during a courtesy visit to the Emir of Zazzau, Ambassador Nuhu Bamali, at his palace in Kaduna State on Monday, lamented a situation he described as a waste of the majority of the vast arable lands in the country, especially in the North.

Obi said the uncultivated lands had added to the poverty in the Northern region of the country while most of the industries had shut down due to lack of political will and inconsistent economic policies.

Obi noted that the “current socioeconomic instability in the country requires that all citizens and leaders come together and see how the situation could be salvaged.”

“Nigeria has nothing to do with poverty if those of us who are political leaders including my humble self had decided to serve the country faithfully.

“God created us with a lot of resources, and if those resources are properly put in place, we will pull most poor people out of poverty.

“The way things are in our country today requires that all of us must get involved in one way or the other.

“Because if we do, Nigeria will not have anything to do with poverty. I will always say this anytime I have the opportunity because Nigeria is one of the countries in the world that is blessed with everything that is required.

“Looking at the North, we can make more money from agriculture than we are making from oil.

“We have vast uncultivated land in the North which can help pull people out of poverty provide food for Nigeria, provide raw materials for industrialisation, and support export.

“We need to invest in the North. Insecurity is driven by poverty, the more you pull people out of poverty, the more you reduce Insecurity,” the LP chieftain said.

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Metro

Following backlash, Nigerian govt withdraws treason charges against minors

Published

2 hours ago

November 5, 2024

Isaac Dachen

The Nigerian government has officially withdrawn the treason charges it entered against some minors who participated in the #EndBadGovernance protest that spread across the country from August 1 to the 10th.

The nation was thrown into shock on Friday when the Nigeria Police presented 76 protesters at the Federal High Court in Abuja on charges bordering on treason. Among the suspects were four minors who slumped before they could be arraigned before the court.

This caused serious uproar in the country with Nigerians condemning the government and calling for the unconditional release of the kids and the dismissal of the charges against them.

The decision to withdraw the charges against the underage accused came following a directive by President Bola Tinubu who ordered the immediate withdrawal of the charges and an in-depth investigation into what led to the arrest and detention of the minors.

Tinubu had also ordered the Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Prince Lateef Fagbemi, (SAN) to officially take over the case file as well as review the cases following public outcry that came with the arraignment of the minors.

The charges were finally withdrawn on Tuesday at the Federal High Court in Abuja through an application for discontinuance filled by the Director of Public Prosecution of the Federation (DPPF), Mohammed Abubakar, on behalf of the AGF.

According to Abubakar, the discontinuance application was based on provisions of sections 174(1), (b) and (c) of the 1999 Constitution, as amended, and 108 of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act, ACJA, 2015.

The DPPF also applied for further proceedings to be conducted without the presence of the minors in the courtroom, in line with provisions of Section 266(b) of the ACJA, 2015, and Section 1 of the Childs’ Rights Act.

In response, human rights lawyer, Mr. Femi Fanala (SAN), who stood in for the accused as well as other defence lawyers in the matter, did not oppose the applications which promoted the judge, Justice Obiora Egwuatu, to strike out the charges, while the four affected minors were also delisted from the charge sheet.

Metro

Zambia: President Hichilema urges traditional leaders to invoke rainmaking powers amid drought

Published

19 hours ago

November 4, 2024

Isaac Dachen

Zambian President, Hakainde Hichilema, has called on traditional leaders to call upon their rainmaking powers by praying for rain as the nation continues to face the menace of drought.

Hichilema, who made the plea while speaking during the Shikaumpa traditional ceremony of the Ila people in Namwala on Sunday, expressed hope for divine intervention and sufficient rains.

“We pray that this year, God will give us rains, sufficient rains, so we can grow more food, so we can take care of the things, the assets that we keep,” the President stated.

He noted that he was informed of certain chiefs known for their rainmaking abilities, including Senior Chief Mwamba of Northern Province, Chief Sailunga of North-Western Province and Mwami Monze from the Southern Province and urged them to use their powers to invoke rain, adding that the chiefs should continue their prayers for rain, believing that “God will hear our cry.”

The President also encouraged not only the chiefs but also the churches and the entire nation to join in prayers for rain.

“All of us, the churches, everybody, we must pray for rains so that we can take care of God’s people properly,” he said.

The head of state further urged farmers to intensify efforts at planting crops and maximizing their harvest for national food security once the rain comes.

The drought in Zambia in recent
seasons have left 84 districts severely impacted, leading to food shortages and a worsening electricity deficit due to low water levels.