Former Aviation Minister and opposition figure, Chief Femi Fani-Kayode has reacted to a tragic airforce plane crash that occurred on Friday killing Nigeria’s Chief of Army Staff, Lt. gen. Ibrahim Attahiru and several other top military brass.
FFK, in a series of tweets called for an investigation into the matter asking if the incident was truly an accident or an ‘inside Job’. He tweeted;
“Lord have mercy! May the souls of Lt. Gen. Ibrahim Attahiru & all our other warriors that went down with him rest in peace. We DEMAND to know what really happened! Was it an accident or was the plane brought down? If it was brought down, who by? Was it BH or an inside job?”
“..If it was an accident what caused it? Weather, engine failure, pilot error? So many questions!”
“No cover-ups this time! We have a right to know the truth and to be told under what circumstances our COAS & his officers were killed. Accident Investigation Bureau over to you!”
Minister of Justice and Attorney General of the Federation AGF, Abubakar Malami has come under attack for comparing the ban on open grazing by Southern Governors with prohibition of spare parts trading in the North.
Malami had in an interview while reacting to the decision of the Southern Governors, said it is a dangerous decision for any governor in Nigeria to think that they can bring any compromise on the freedom of liberty of individuals to move about, comparing it to northern governors prohibiting the sales of spare parts in the North.
He insisted that the ban does not align with the constitution in the context of human rights.
Arise Television presenters bared their hearts on this when they discussed trending videos anchored by Orji Okpe, a model.
In his reaction, a former Presidential spokesman and television presenter, Dr Rueben Abati urged the AGF to stop misreading the constitution, saying Section 41 of the 1999 Constitution as amended, guarantees freedom of movement to person and not cows.
He said; “The office of the Attorney General of the Federation is provided for in Section 150 of the 1999 Constitution and the functions of the Attorney General are very clear. He is the Chief Law Officer of the Federation. He is the Chief Legal Adviser to the Federal Government of Nigeria. At the state level, Section195 provides for Attorneys General of the states.
“However, the first problem we have with this comment by the AGF is that when an Attorney General begins to dabble into politics, it becomes a very untidy situation and it is one of the reasons some persons have been arguing that we need to separate the Office of the AGF from the office of the Minister of Justice, because the office of the minister is a political appointee. The AGF has to focus on the law. So, this is the problem that I see here because in this particular instance, the AGF responding to the 17 governors of the South is crossing the line from discussion of law into partisan politics.
“The second point is S. 41 of the 1999 Constitution which he was referring to, does not talk about cattle. It talks about persons. It says, “every person…” And this is without being presumptuous because I don’t imagine that I can teach the AGF on the point of law. He is a Senior Advocate of Nigeria, SAN and all of that, but with due respect, the governors of the 17 Southern states are talking about cattle going about and disturbing people in the Southern part of the country, destroying farms.
“If I recall, in that 12-point communique, there was no where they said northerners have been banned from the South. Nobody has banned the Fulani or anybody from any part of Nigeria. In the Southwest or the Southeast, you can go anywhere, but the issue is about cattle grazing and that is why they are calling for ranching. They are not calling for the ranching of human beings, they are calling for the ranching of cattle.
“The third point is his analogy. I think it is entirely misplaced. Look, the Southern Governors can say yes, don’t even bring the cattle, they will eat fish.
There are even southerners who have set up their own ranches, if the issue is about economic conflict that is indicated. The people selling spare parts in the North, if they come from a particular part of the country, maybe, from the Southeast or Southwest can gladly say okay, they will leave, that they will not sell spare parts in the North again. Now, in terms of cost, the people in the South have an alternative.
They can eat fish, they can eat snails, but if you don’t have spare parts, how do you maintain your vehicles? How do you replace vehicle parts? So, that is why I think that the analogy is a bit misplaced but what is more important is that we will like a situation whereby the AGF does not get involved in partisan politics and just concentrate on the job of defending the rule of law, which is what is important in this regard.
On her part, Tundun Abiola, daughter of late Chief MKO Abiola said comparing cattle grazing and activities and criminal herders with spare parts dealers is a false equivalence.
She said; “I think that is a false equivalence he made there. He was referring to S. 41 of the Constitution that guarantees freedom of movement all over the country to all Nigerians and you cannot be expelled from any part of the country.
However, we have a pressing security issue at the moment. Nobody has any problem with lawful herders. We never had because we all grew up with herders roaming the country. But now we have a new breed of herders who are brandishing AK-47. So, it is disingenuous of him to talk about it like it is just about cattle rearing. It is not. It has taken a sinister dimension and it will be irresponsible for southern governors to fail to curb this menace. So, it is a false equivalence on that score.
“Now, spare parts traders in the North do not have AK-47s, do not shoot down customers. What is happening between the farmers and the herders is completely different and I really like that he would raise the spare parts issue whereas when Hisbah goes and destroys the stocks of Christians trading in Kano, what do we hear? Crickets. This is the kind of problem and tension that we are facing in the country when people don’t feel a sense of belonging and that some are more equal. I don’t appreciate this kind of comparison to lawful businessmen; comparing them to criminals”.
Another presenter, Rufai Oseni expressed dismay that Nigeria has so degenerated to a level where cows have become subjects of national discuss at a time the country should be thinking of other developmental issues.
“I saw the interview and it was quiet very sad. The fact that as a nation with the might and the size of Nigeria the potential it has got, that our national issue and development have been reduced to issues about ‘ma’alu’, that is cattle. It is problematic. And when you sense the body reaction of the AGF, you expect more from an AGF in cases like this. At first, an Attorney General trying to distort the law… S. 41 talks about movement of persons. So, why twist it? Cattle are not human beings except if you are telling us that cattle have become human beings in this country or you are giving them human status.
“Sometimes, maybe we need to check. Look at the open grazing law- they have had this since 1965 in the North but in the ’70s we had the Land Use Act that vests powers over land in the hands of the state governors and that still subsists.
The state governors still call the shots on the land. What is residual should be left for the residual. So, why is the AGF talking as though there is another law he is quoting from in this country, trying to play technicalities with us? And we have seen the signs and the next thing, you use a very tribalistic slur by saying spare parts.
Because we all know that the major dealers in spare parts are the Igbo. Why are you doing this? At first, you put forward Ruga, we said no. Just because of this same land, you come and collect land from people and call it settlement for cows. You went further ahead and put forward the Water Bill and we said no.
Let us cool things down. We all want this country to work. Let us not inflame passions. We should all be statesmen in the collective development of this country. Nobody is bigger than any other person”.
Attahiru’s death, monumental tragedy to Nigeria– Fani-Kayode reacts bitterly to death of Army Boss
Femi Fani-Kayode, former Aviation Minister has reacted to the death of the Chief of Army Staff, General Ibrahim Attahiru.
Fani-Kayode described Attahiru’s death as a monumental tragedy to Nigeria.
Attahiru died in an air crash on Friday.
He was aboard a military aircraft on an official trip in Kaduna.
It was gathered that Attahiru died with his aides in a plane crash.
It was learnt that the ill-fated aircraft crashed at the airport’s runway about 6 pm.
Commissioner and Chief Executive Officer of the Accident Investigation Bureau, Nigeria, Akin Olateru, confirmed that the eight souls died onboard.
“Beachcraft 350. 8 souls on board. Unfortunately all dead,” Olateru wrote in a WhatsApp note.
Reacting, the former minister, in a tweet wrote: “The Chief of Army Staff of the Nigerian Armed Forces, General Attahiru Ibrahim, has been killed in an air crash together with a number of his officers and aides.
“This is a monumental tragedy and a big blow to our nation. May their souls rest in peace & may God help Nigeria.”
The Islamic group, therefore, slammed the Governor of Kaduna State, Nasir El-Rufai, describing him as wicked over his hostile treatment of civil servants in the state.
Islamic Movement in Nigeria, IMN, otherwise known as Shiites, has said its members have been attacked and killed by hired thugs during peaceful protests on the streets of Kaduna State.
The Islamic group, therefore, slammed the Governor of Kaduna State, Nasir El-Rufai, describing him as wicked over his hostile treatment of civil servants in the state.
Kaduna State Governor Nasiru Ahmed El-Rufai
El-Rufai had sacked Kaduna State University’s lecturers, health workers and others who joined the Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC) strike in the state.
He had also declared the National President of NLC, Ayuba Wabba and 17 others wanted.
The Federal Government through the Minister of Labour and Employment, Chris Ngige waded into the crisis between the state government and the NLC and invited both parties in the dispute to an emergency meeting.
Following the emergency meeting, the NLC suspended its five-day warning strike in the state as announced by Wabba.
However, IMN says it is necessary to condemn the strong-arm tactics deployed by El-Rufai against the peaceful NLC protests during the warning protest.
This was contained in a statement signed by the spokesman for IMN, Ibrahim Musa, made available to Daily Post on Friday.
It said, “If not for the fact that Islam abhours injustice and implore adherents to speak out against injustice anywhere, anytime, more so injustice to one is an injustice to all, we wouldn’t have bothered to declare our stance on this preventable face-off between the Governor and NLC.
“It is unfortunate the way and manner the embattled Kaduna Governor declared Wabba and 17 others wanted for alleged economic sabotage and attacks on public infrastructure under the Miscellaneous Offences Act and even disclosed that there was a handsome reward for anyone who could give information on Wabba’s current whereabouts.
“This strong-arm tactics employed by the Governor is not new to us in the Islamic Movement at the height of our struggle for justice to Sheikh (Ibrahim) Zakzaky from 2016 to date.
“Also, hired armed thugs with knives, sticks and stones, attacked the peaceful protest of the labour union in Kaduna State on Tuesday, 18/05/2021. If not that the police and the DSS (Department of State Services) in Kaduna had apprehended some of the sponsored thugs, thereby protecting protesters and averting bloodshed, the story would have been different by now.
“However apprehending them without bringing them and their sponsors to justice will only be a waste of state resources. Their sponsors must be exposed and brought to justice if the law enforcement agencies are serious.
“We are not strange to such barbarism of Governor El-Rufai. It is on record that times without number when we embark on peaceful protests in the streets of Kaduna, such hoodlums are employed to spill our blood for no reason. In fact, it is on record that we have lost at least two people to such gruesome ploys.
“KDSG even resorted to vile propaganda when it likened ‘the actions of the NLC as equivalent to the actions of the bandits kidnapping and menacing our citizens. Bandits illegally use arms, but the NLC is deploying mob action for exactly the same ends,’ as claimed the state in a press statement.
“We will not forget when the governor was busy trumpeting that the Islamic Movement is worse than Boko Haram at the slightest opportunity. His crude tactics have always been to’ black-paint’ innocent citizens to deceptively sway public support to his side.
“And to cap it all up, the governor announced that he had fired Kaduna State University’s lecturers who joined the Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC) strike in the state, as ‘KDSG will not tolerate criminal acts disguised as industrial action.’
“The government also announced the dismissal of all nurses below Grade Level 14 for the illegal strike. If this is not the way of fascist regimes, what is it? Certainly, this is most undemocratic and extremely autocratic,” the statement partly read.
The group used the opportunity to demand justice for its leader, Sheikh Ibrahim Zakzaky who has been detained since 2015, while commending the NLC for confronting the autocratic tendencies of El-Rufai.”
“Finally, we hereby salute the courage of the NLC and its leadership for resisting the evil plans of the wicked Governor of sacking the common masses from their places of work.
“We also hope by now members of the public must have realised what we have been saying all along, since the Zaria massacre of December 2015, that this regime is brutal, aggressive in its actions and extremely egocentric.
“It doesn’t care about the lives, property and welfare of the citizens. Had it been we were listened to, we might not have reached the sorry state the nation is in now.
“Hence we reiterate our demand for justice to Sheikh Zakzaky, his family, followers and all the victims of the Zaria massacre, which is nothing short of their immediate release from illegal detention,” the statement added.
Anthony Joshua has called Tyson Fury “a fraud” with their undisputed title fight on the brink of collapsing after he was given a 48-hour deadline before being ordered to face Oleksandr Usyk.
.@Tyson_Fury the world now sees you for the fraud you are.
You’ve let boxing down!
You lied to the fans and led them on. Used my name for clout not a fight.
Bring me any championship fighter who can handle their business correctly.
— Anthony Joshua (@anthonyjoshua) May 19, 2021
The governing body’s stance on Wednesday evening is a further blow to the planned undisputed heavyweight championship fight between Joshua and Fury for August 14 in Saudi Arabia.
A court ruled on Monday that WBC champion Fury must take on Deontay Wilder again by September 15, meaning IBF, WBA and WBO titleholder Joshua may instead fight Usyk next.
“The world now sees you for the fraud you are,” Joshua posted on social media towards Fury.
“You’ve let boxing down! You lied to the fans and led them on. Used my name for clout not a fight.
“Bring me any championship fighter who can handle their business correctly.”
Fury replied: “You are more full of [rubbish] than [promoter Eddie Hearn]. Your full team knew there was an arbitration going on, it was out of my hands! If I’m a fraud let’s fight this weekend bare knuckles until one man quits.”
Why Fury should worry about Wilder
‘I’m nervous for grandad Mayweather’
Joshua hit back: “If there was an arbitration going on, why announce to the world we are fighting! The fight was signed!
“I’ll slap your bald head and you’ll do nothing!”
Fury called Joshua a “bottle job” then added: “I’ll smoke Wilder first then you will get yours as well.”
Revealed: How to win an undisputed title fight
Joshua set to fight Usyk
Usyk was called Joshua’s “Plan B” by promoter Eddie Hearn because he is the WBO mandatory challenger – that fight is now two days away from being ordered.
The WBO had originally agreed to forego Usyk’s right to a shot at the belt because of the magnitude of the planned undisputed title fight.
“The WBO is extremely happy as their mandatory challenger will be facing their heavyweight champion,” Usyk’s promoter Alexander Krassyuk told Sky Sports.
Joshua vs Usyk?
Image:
Joshua has 48 hours before he will be ordered to fight Usyk
“What else can they desire? We are waiting for their approval letter!”
WBO president Paco Valcarcel said on Tuesday night: “I hope boxing fans will enjoy Joshua vs Usyk in the near future.”
The targeted date for Joshua vs Usyk is in August at “most likely a big open-air venue in the UK”, says Krassyuk.
Usyk had previously been in negotiations to fight Joe Joyce for the WBO interim title while he awaited the winner of Joshua vs Fury.
Usyk is close to coming between Fury and Joshua
“Usyk said that he was crossing the English Channel by the time he received my message, and asked which turn he should be making,” joked Krassyuk.
“He was happy to hear the news.”
Krassyuk had previously reacted to the court ruling Fury to face Wilder: “There is no other reasonable excuse for AJ now. If he is not avoiding Usyk, it is high time to face the mandatory!
“We are now in the position to make the fight happen as soon as possible.”
Joshua breaks his silence
Joshua posted on social media shortly after the WBO gave him a 48-hour deadline, joking: “I’m thinking about starting a Go Fund Me page to raise money for Wilder’s step aside payment – £20m.
“So I can smoke that fat guy with skinny legs from Manchester.
“These heavyweights need a podcast or something because they do more talking than fighting.”
Explaining the Fury-Wilder-Joshua saga
Fury previously said about Wilder: “What a joke the Bronze Bomber has become.
“Asked for $20m to move over, joker.
“Looks like I have to [fight him] again.”
But Wilder’s trainer Malik Scott hit back: “No. Wilder declined and had no interest in step aside money. You are dealing with a whole different type [of mentality] over here. He wants the blood not the step aside money.
“‘Retribution is upon us’.”
Tyson Fury, Deontay Wilder
Image:
Fury beat Wilder in a rematch but a court ruled they must fight again
Fury posted a mocking list of Wilder’s “excuses” since they last fought: “Costume was too heavy, Fury’s gloves were loaded, I had weak legs, my water was spiked, Fury’s gloves had no padding, had bicep surgery, disloyal trainer, complications in camp, I broke my arm, fight stopped too early, Andre Dirrell’s fault.”
Can Joshua vs Fury be salvaged?
Promoter Eddie Hearn considered whether the undisputed title fight may be delayed until December, to first allow Fury to face Wilder and Joshua to meet Usyk.
Asked about the August 14 date in Saudi Arabia for Joshua vs Fury, Hearn said: “Am I hopeful? I don’t know.
“We were told the arbitration wouldn’t be a problem but obviously it is a problem.
“We have to think on our feet. We have to act accordingly. We still hope the fight can go ahead but it’s out of our hands.
“If [Fury’s] hands are tied [Joshua] will have to look elsewhere.”
The Chancellor of Covenant University, Ota, Ogun, Dr David Oyedepo, has admonished youths against the excessive use of social media.
Oyedepo gave the warning on Friday during the 15th Convocation of the school in Ota, Ogun, NAN reports.
The chancellor noted that the negative impact of social media on youths has made them lose focus and robbed them of their destinies.
“The social media saga has eroded the substance of destiny as it has unconsciously robbed youths of their future and their time.
“The honour of this generation has been wiped off, chatting all day with no time left to think, plan program and engage productively in the pursuit of any task.
“Some professionals have classified social media addiction along with drugs, alcohol and sex.
“Social media that is supposed to be a plus to the youths, suddenly became a minus, as everything of value is delivered through the investment of time,” he said.
The chancellor noted that life without a vision was an adventure in frustration and that life without a bearing was a burden.
He said only those who know where they are going ever get anywhere.
“No one ever arrives at a future he cannot see, neither does anyone arrive at a future he is not prepared for.
“It is time for every youth to wake up from slumber and take his/her destiny in their hands,” he added.
The United States government has revealed plans to supply drones to Nigeria as part of its commitment to help overcome security challenges in the country.
The American Ambassador to Nigeria, Ms. Mary Beth Leonard, stated this in Sokoto at a round table discussion with journalists in the state.
She said the drones would help Nigeria to end the activities of bandits, kidnappers, and Boko Haram in the country.
The American ambassador said: “Insecurity has shortchanged the development of the country in many areas of human endeavour.
“America is concern about the security situation of the country.”
The ambassador further explained that the US has been supportive of Nigeria on information gathering and hardware to combat security through modern technologies and other relevant areas of concern.
She said, however, protocols and channels that facilitate the implementations were considered by departments and expertise.
The ambassador who is going round states in the country to inspect American programs in the country said, “USAID had from 2015 to date invested about one hundred and twenty-two million dollars on different activities that comprised improving primary healthcare, immunisations, public access to quality healthcare, education, agriculture, and empowerments programmes.
“USAID future interactions aimed at strengthening the commitments include improving agriculturalists’ capacity for farmers to engage on right agricultural practices for growth and enhanced food production.”
She added that the Safe Schools Initiative and other educational support was accorded with priority, stressing that the US government accorded respect and concern on the plights of Nigerians.
She noted that the US government is assisting Nigeria in various human endeavours, stressing that her country is the largest single bilateral contributor to Nigeria.
The Ambassador commended the Sokoto State government for its commitment to developing the agricultural sector especially the cotton value chain.
The Federal Government yesterday ordered both the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and Kaduna State Government to return to the negotiation table to find lasting solution to the industrial crisis that has engulfed the state since Monday.
The government through the Ministry of Labour and Employment had initiated a reconciliatory meeting which held yesterday to forestall the industrial action from snowballing into a nationwide crisis as threatened by the NLC.
The meeting chaired by Minister of Labour and Employment, Senator Chris Ngige had the leadership of the NLC and representatives of the Kaduna State government in attendance. Though Kaduna Governor, Nasir el-Rufai, had boycotted the meeting.
The NLC was represented by eight of its leaders led by its President, Ayuba Wabba, three deputy presidents, Joe Ajaero, Amechi Asugwuni and Najeem Yasin and acting General Secretary, Ismail Bello.
The Kaduna State delegation was led by Head of Service, Bariatu Yusuf Mohammed and Commissioner for Local Government, Ja’afaru Ibrahim Sani.
The meeting which lasted for over six hours however resolved that everything should return to status quo with the constitution of a 10-member bi-party committee comprising six representatives from the state government and NLC, to engage further with the objective of reverting with a work plan on how to integrate the provision of section 20 of the Labour Act CAP L1 LFN 2004 to resolve the impasse.
A Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) was signed by the two disputing parties and top officials of the Federal Ministry of Labour and Employment at the end of the meeting.
Briefing journalists after the meeting, Ngige said all contending issues were ‘exhaustively and extensively’ deliberated.
He said it was agreed that all the listed issues fall within the ambit of redundancy and it was resolved that the principle of redundancy as stated in Section 20 of Labour Act, Cap L1 Laws of the Federation of Nigeria be applied..
According to Ngige, the contentious issues include the compulsory retirement of workers on Grade Level 14 and above and those who have attained the age of 50 years irrespective of Grade Levels, the reduction of staff strength of local government to 50 in each of the 23 local government areas and casualisation of workers on Grade Level 1-6.
The minister further disclosed that it was recognized in the meeting that the current situation in the state was a result of communication gap between the state government and NLC.
He disclosed that to resolve the issues, the meeting dicided to constitute a 10-man bi-partite committee, comprising six representatives of the Kaduna State government and three officials of NLC to engage further with the objective of reverting back with a work plan on how to settle the squabble
“The meeting resolved that the committee should have as Chairman, the Head of Service of Kaduna State Government and assisted by a Deputy National President of the NLC. The Committee is expected to revert with the work plan for peaceful resolution of all issues in contention to the Minister of Labour and Employment by Tuesday, 25 May, 2021.
“The work plan is to itemize the structure and sub-structure in the state local government of their activities, time of commencement as envisaged, final tenure of the committee or make recommendations if in its wisdom it thinks that the committee should be a Permanent Standing Committee.”
“In conclusion, it was agreed that there should be no further industrial action on these issues and no worker shall be victimized on account of his or her participation in the industrial action.”
At least two persons were killed when gas exploded within the Olusegun Obasanjo Presidential Library (OOPL) in Abeokuta, Ogun State, on Thursday morning.
According to Daily Trust, the explosion occurred around 11:am at the Marcque event centre within the Presidential Library.
It was gathered that technicians were topping up gas into an air conditioner before it exploded.
A worker at OOPL who spoke to newsmen in animosity said two people have been confirmed dead following the incident.
“The two gates leading into OOPL were shut while the security guards at the gate are currently turning visitors back,” the worker said.
It has been reported that the State Fire Service and some officials are currently in the premises to put the situation under control.
