Metro

#EndBadGovernance Protests: Please be patient with Tinubu’s govt, monarchs beg Nigerian youths

Published

4 months ago

July 26, 2024

Some prominent traditional rulers in Nigeria have pleaded with Nigerian youths and organizers of the planned nationwide #EndBadGovernance protests scheduled to commence on August 1 to be patient with the President Bola Tinubu administration as the president was working hard to make the country better.

The monarchs, who made the plea following a meeting with Tinubu on Thursday at the Presidential Villa in Abuja, called for calm over the planned nationwide protest meant to demonstrate against the prevailing economic hardship in Nigeria.

President Tinubu had called for the emergency meeting with state governors on the platform of the All Progressives Congress (APC),
prominent traditional rulers and Islamic religious scholars known as Ulamas, as part of efforts by the government to ensure the planned hunger protests is averted.

The protests which are being organised under the hashtag #EndBadGovernance, have gained significant traction on social media prompting the government to engage the traditional rulers urging them to talk to their subjects to shelve the protests.

After the meeting, the revered monarchs including the Sultan of Sokoto, Muhammad Sa’ad Abubakar III, the Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Enitan Ogunwusi, Emir of Zazzau, Ahmed Bamalli, and Dein of Agbor Kingdom, Ikenchukwu Keagborokuzi I, pleaded with Nigerians to give the government time to make things work in the country.

“The President has said, ‘any leader that you don’t like, wait (until 2027) and vote him out.’ He is open to dialogue. We know that Nigeria faces many challenges. But are we going to destroy our nation by ourselves? Is that what we are all after?” Oba Ogunwusi who co-chairs the National Council of Traditional Rulers of Nigeria, said.

“It is very difficult to build, but it is the easiest to destroy. We are all stakeholders in this country and are stronger as a nation than individually.

“We should talk to ourselves. We need to know that today, it’s a completely different spin. The government, ably led by the President, is willing to engage and dialogue and bring governance very close to the people.

“People that are out there to protest, it is their civic right. But let them put a face to it and don’t let it be hijacked by people that have ulterior motives. That is our stand.

“We the traditional rulers are not in support of people, especially youths, coming out to loot and break down law and order. We condemn such acts fully. We are parents, we are traditional rulers, and we are closer to them (youths). We are going to go back home and continue to engage them.”

On his part, the Emir of Zazzau said traditional rulers were worried about the protests, adding that they could shut down the country.

“There’s nobody who will not be worried about the protests; we’ve seen what has happened in other climes, where governments had been brought down.

“As an ex-diplomat, I have seen what happened in other climes and that is why I am in the position to say what happened in other places.”

“We have made it very clear to President Tinubu that the main problem in this country, especially the north, is insecurity. If the security situation is addressed, certainly people will go back to their farms and the issue of hunger will drastically reduce and disappear,” Bamalli added, urging Nigerians to exercise patience and to listen to the words of wisdom.

“We are very optimistic Nigeria will bounce back to its former position as the leading country in Africa.”

The Dein of Agbor Kingdom also appealed to Nigerian youths to work with the FG using all available opportunities.

“Hearing from Mr. President directly, the take-home message for me is that I can see the passion. But at the same time, I think the government finally understands we are at the precipice.

“We will listen to our youths because they lead the future. The power and strength of Nigeria certainly lie with the young people. We feel your pain. I’m a young person myself.

“It’s been 24 years since I’ve started seeing the nation going in a very unpalatable direction. This protest, I know that it’s very tight in our neck, but let us not destroy our own country,” said the traditional ruler.

“Think of Libya. Libya was a beautiful country; what has happened to Libya, we don’t want it to happen here.

“Let’s go home. Let’s continue to strive to be the best that we can and continue to work with the government to see if we can offer some solutions.

“I think that that would be best rather than to destroy property or injure ourselves,” he advised.

Related Topics:EndBadGovernance Featured Ooni of Ife Protests Sultan of Sokoto Traditional Rulers

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Metro

Nigerian Senate confirms influx of terrorists from Mali, Burkina Faso into the country

Published

5 hours ago

November 21, 2024

Isaac Dachen

The Nigerian Senate has raised the alarm over the influx of terrorists from Mali and Burkina Faso who operate in the name of Lakurawa, into Kebbi, Sokoto, Kaduna and Niger States in the northern parts of the country.

The Upper Chamber, which raised the alarm during plenary on Wednesday, called on the military to set up early warning mechanisms to forestall further incursions by terrorist groups as well as maintain presence and vigilance in the affected communities to halt the activities of the terror group from spreading further across the region.

The resolutions of the Senate were sequel to a motion titled, “Urgent need for the federal government to take stringent measures to stop the infiltration of a group of violent terrorists, known as Lakurawa, from entrenching themselves in some northwest states of Sokoto and Kebbi,” and was sponsored by the senator representing Kebbi North, Senator Yahaya Abdullahi, and co- sponsored by Senators Adamu Aliero, from Kebbi Central, and Garba Musa Maidoki, representing Kebbi South.

While presenting the motion, Senator Abdullahi said:

“The Senate is aware that a group of terrorists from neighbouring Burkina Faso and Mali, known as Lakurawa, has infiltrated the country through the Nigeria-Niger border, at Illela, Tangaza and Silame Local Government Areas of Sokoto and are from there, attacking communities in Augie and Arewa LGAs in Kebbi State.

“Recall that this violent gang of terrorists had raided and dispossessed these communities, prior to the large-scale invasion of Mera, a village in Augie Local Government, on November 8, 2024, killing more than 20 people and fleeing with their livestock, amounting to hundreds of millions of naira.

“Senate is aware that Kebbi State government promptly responded by sending a delegation with relief materials to the affected villages and assistance to the families of the deceased.

“Aware that Senator Yahaya A. Abdullahi (Kebbi North) and Senator Adamu Aliero (Kebbi North Central) and Senator Garba Musa Maidoki (Kebbi South), along with some members of the House of Representatives from Kebbi State, have been to those areas, to commiserate with victims of the attacks on behalf of the National Assembly.

“Aware that if timely, adequate and decisive measures are not taken, this group can spread its reign of terror to other northern parts of the country and beyond.

“Notes the prompt response of the ministry of defence and the armed forces who despatched a well-armed military response squad that was able to dislodge the terrorists and secured the release of herds of cattle and other livestock stolen by the terrorists. These foreigners have invaded the country.

“We need to nip the situation in the bud, they have international connections, heavily armed with very dangerous weapons, the federal government should take the matter very seriously.

‘These terrorists are well armed with highly sophisticated weapons, this is a very serious matter on national security, they control the whole of Northern Mali and now attacking Kebbi, Sokoto, Kaduna, Niger, and others. The time to act is now, we have to take action on how to tame terrorism.”

He said the Senate should revisit past resolutions on terrorism and send them to the Presidency for immediate action.

”I want us to recall what happened in the 8th and 9th Senates. We discussed extensively how we can stem the tide of banditry and terrorism. We made far-reaching recommendations, and we asked the Executive arm of government to implement those resolutions.

“It is still relevant for us to insist that those resolutions should be implemented, if we do so, it will reduce the incidences of banditry and insurgency in the country. We can reduce it to the barest minimum.”

Metro

Wanted Zambian MP who escaped from prison custody captured in Harare

Published

23 hours ago

November 20, 2024

Isaac Dachen

A fugitive Zambian Member of Parliament (MP), Emmanuel Banda, who escaped from custody at the Chipata Prison in Eastern Province has been captured in Harare, Zimbabwe, where he had been in hiding in a rented apartment.

Home Affairs and Internal Security Minister, Jack Mwiimbu, who confirmed the apprehension of the Petauke Central lawmaker during a media briefing held at the Ministry Headquarters in Lusaka on Tuesday, said Banda had escaped from lawful custody in August this year where he was facing aggravated robbery charges and was being held by Zambia Correctional Service while awaiting court appearance as he had been committed to the high court.

Zambia Monitor reports that after Banda’s escape, his wife, Lombe Chali, was arrested and charged with aiding a prisoner to escape, with the police assuring the public that no stone would be left unturned as they worked to ensure justice was served.

While addressing the press conference, Mwiimbu said:

“Emmanuel Jay Jay Banda was renting a flat in Harare and did not give himself up willingly during his arrest by the Zimbabwean law enforcement agencies.”

The Minister also accused the opposition Patriotic Front (PF) of knowing the whereabouts of Banda and were allegedly communicating with him during the time of his disappearance which can be seen from the several statements which had been made.

Mwiimbu said the PF members that include former president Edgar Lungu had made statements accusing government’s involvement in his disappearance and suggesting that they knew about Banda’s whereabouts.

“Now that he has been captured, Emmanuel Banda will now tell us the truth about how he escaped from custody. We learnt of Emmanuel Jay Jay Banda’s whereabouts two weeks ago and discovered that he was enjoying good health,” he stated.

Mwiimbu stated that the Zambian authorities were collaborating very well with their Zimbabwean counterparts, saying Banda was apprehended by security officials from that country.

He also emphasized that the Zambian government was putting up measures to ensure Banda’s return to Zambia had no security lapses.

“The government wants to know who facilitated his escape, who has been facilitating his wife’s visit to Harare to those flats now that he has been captured,” Mwiimbu said.

In May 2024, Banda was reported missing and his vehicle found abandoned with shattered windshield and a note apologising to Zambians.

Following his escape, the Zambia Police placed a K2 million bounty on Banda, who had escaped from lawful custody while receiving treatment at Chipata General Hospital in Eastern Province.

According to Mwiimbu, Banda now faces an additional charge of escaping from lawful custody.