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Nigeria celebrates Israel at 76th Independence Day

by Folarin Kehinde
written by Folarin Kehinde

Over 350 guests, including government officials, religious leaders, diplomats, and business leaders, gathered to celebrate Israel’s 76th Independence Day and the robust bilateral relations between Israel and Nigeria. 🇮🇱🇳🇬

In his address, H.E. Michael Freeman, Ambassador of Israel to Nigeria, underscored the enduring friendship between the two nations, highlighting over 60 years of collaboration across various sectors.

He expressed confidence that the future will see a significant increase in joint initiatives, ensuring a brighter future for our children and grandchildren.
Here’s to many more years of strong partnership and shared success.

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Business

Nigeria To Commence Local Production Of Passport

by Folarin Kehinde
written by Folarin Kehinde

The Nigerian Government has rolled out plans to begin the local production of international passports in the country.

The Minister of Interior, Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, made this known in a post via his official X handle on Wednesday night.

Tunni-Ojo revealed that he met with a local technology company that presented a proposal for localizing international passport production.

“Today, I had a meeting with an indigenous technology company presenting a proposal on localizing our international passport production,” he wrote.

The production of international passports by Nigeria in other countries appears to be constituting a delay in the process of acquiring the document.

The Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) unveiled the fully automated passport application system on March 8, 2024.

With this, applicants, including Nigerians in the diaspora, are expected to enjoy a seamless experience registering for new passports and renewing expired ones.

In another development, Tunji-Ojo recently convened a brainstorming session with the Ministry of Interior’s technical partners, top immigration officers, and ministry officials.

The minister said the mission is to revolutionize the visa application process, particularly for short-stay visitors, so that Nigeria can streamline procedures, reduce stress, and enhance accessibility through automation.

“It is my belief that by fostering a more welcoming environment for tourists eager to explore our vibrant culture and rich artistic heritage, we are on another step towards achieving the Renewed Hope agenda of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu,” he said.

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Japa Cycle: Recession is global, stay in Nigeria - NIS Leading Reporters
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Japa Cycle: Recession is global, stay in Nigeria – NIS

by Leading Reporters
written by Leading Reporters

The Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) has warned Nigerian youths about the dangers inherent in illegal migration and human trafficking, adding that economic downturn is a global phenomenon. 

The NIS said many Nigerian youths have had their organs harvested and perished in the process of leaving the country for sweet promises. 

It insisted that illegal migration had become rampant following the national socio-economic downturn, but maintained that the “Japa Syndrome” embraced by the youths in recent times was not the solution. 

Mrs Kemi Nandap, the Deputy Comptroller General of Immigration in Charge of the Directorate of Migration, made the remarks at the weekend in Gwagwalada, Abuja, during sensitization visits to the District Head of Gwagwalada, the Government Day Secondary school, and the Gwagwalada main market. 

She said the sensitisation which was in commemoration of the 60th Anniversary of NIS was designed to educate the youths, parents, community leaders and other stakeholders about the danger of illegal migration and human trafficking especially through the Mediterranean and North African deserts. 

As she described the Japa Syndrome as alarming, especially amongst youths, 

Nandap revealed that over 1,200 youths died in the Mediterranean Sea and deserts last year alone. 

Nandap said many of those who reached some countries had their organs harvested by people they trusted.

She said, “Don’t be deceived, economic downturn is now a global phenomenon. If you have been watching events across the world, you would have noticed protests in some countries. So, it is not about Nigeria alone. It is a global issue. Stay here with us and let us pull our country out of this challenges together. 

“Don’t follow sweet promises that are not real. People who are telling you to follow them, ask them why they couldn’t carry their own children. Why didn’t they Japa with their cousins and other close relatives. It is dangerous.

“They deceived our youths, made them to pass through the deserts and the Mediterranean Sea, some died in the process and their bodies washed off the Sea. Some had their organs harvested by people who took them out the country.”

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Leading Reporters Six States Ask Supreme Court To Cancel Presidential Election Image
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Supreme Court to abrogate presidential election

by Leading Reporters
written by Leading Reporters

Adamawa, Akwa-Ibom, Bayelsa, Delta, Edo and Sokoto states have dragged the Federal Government before the Supreme Court over the conduct of the February 25, 2023 presidential and National Assembly elections.

The suit filed by the Attorneys General of the six states has the Attorney General of the Federation as sole respondent.

The plaintiffs on February 28 predicated their case on the grounds that, “The collation of the national election results from the 36 states of the Federation, and that of the Federal Capital Territory, for the said 2023 presidential and National Assembly elections have not been carried out in compliance with the mandatory provisions of relevant sections of the Electoral Act, 2022; the INEC Regulations and Guidelines for the Conduct of Elections, 2022, made pursuant to the provisions of the Electoral Act, 2022; and the INEC Manual for Election Officials, 2023.”

In the suit filed by their lawyer, Mike Ozekhome, SAN, the states said the agents and officials of the Federal Government and INEC failed to transmit the collated result as prescribed by the provisions of the Electoral Act, 2022; the INEC Regulations and Guidelines for the Conduct of Elections 2022; and the INEC Manual for Election Officials requiring transmission of the results by the use of Bimodal Voter Accreditation System in flagrant breach of the relevant provisions of the Electoral Act, 2022; the INEC Regulations and Guidelines for the Conduct of Elections, 2022; and the INEC Manual for Election Officials, 2023.

They stated that, “non-compliance with the due process of law has led to a widespread agitation, violent protests, displeasure, and disapproval from a wide spectrum of the Nigerian populace, including international observers, political parties, well-meaning Nigerians and former Head of States of the Federal Republic of Nigeria”.

The plaintiffs argued that the federal government through INEC, “is empowered by law to correct the elections due to technical glitches and errors arising from the conduct of the elections with substantial effect on the electoral process in line with the provisions of Section 47 (3) of the Electoral Act, 2022; and other relevant sections thereof.

“Whilst queries were being raised as to the failure or deliberate refusal of INEC to transmit the results electronically, INEC suddenly pulled down its portal harbouring the Regulations and Guidelines, thus leaving the plaintiffs in the dark

“Most Nigerians, including the governments and peoples of Adamawa State, Akwa Ibom State, Bayelsa State, Delta State, Edo State, and Sokoto State, are entitled to a proper and electoral lawful process and procedure that guarantees a free, fair, transparent and credible election”.

Amongst the issues raised for determination by the apex court were: Whether having regard to the provisions of the Electoral Act, 2022, governing the 2023 nationwide general elections, particularly paragraphs 38 of the INEC Regulations and Guidelines for the Conduct of Elections, 2022; and paragraphs 2.8.4; 2.9.0; and 2.9.1 of the INEC Manual for Election Officials, 2023 thereof, the electronic transmission of votes collated at polling units and the use of the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) in the transmission of collated result is made mandatory.

“Whether the Federal Government of Nigeria through presiding officers of its executive body, Independent National Electoral Commission was bound to electronically transmit or transfer Polling Unit Results in Form EC8A using BVAS by uploading Scanned Copy of the said Unit Results to the Independent National Electoral Commission Result Viewing Portal (IReV) in the course of the General Elections held on the 25th of February, 2023 throughout the Federation.

“Whether the Federal Government of Nigeria in the recently held Presidential and National Assembly elections conducted nationwide on 25th February, 2023 through INEC, complied with the mandatory provisions of extant laws, INEC Regulations and Guidelines for the Conduct of Presidential Elections, 2022″.

“Whether the failure of the Federal Government of Nigeria through the Defendant and INEC to electronically transmit or transfer Polling Unit Results in Form EC8A using BVAS by uploading Scanned Copy of the said Unit Result to the Independent National Electoral Commission Result Viewing Portal (IReV) after the counting and announcement of the Polling Units results on 25th of February, 2023, violates the provisions of Sections 25; 47(2); 60 (1), (2), (4) & (5); 62; 64(4)(a) & (b); 70; and 148 of the Electoral Act, 2022, governing the 2023 nationwide general elections, particularly paragraphs 38 of the INEC Regulations and Guidelines for the Conduct of Elections, 2022; and paragraphs 2.8.4; 2.9.0; and 2.9.1 of the INEC Manual for Election Officials, 2023, for the conduct of the presidential election.

“Whether the failure of the Federal Republic of Nigeria through INEC to comply with the provisions of Section 60 of the Electoral Act, 2022 and the Regulations and Guidelines for Conduct of Elections, 2022 made pursuant to the Electoral Act and the Constitution of the FRN, 1999, as amended, in collating and announcing the results of the Presidential and National Assembly Elections render the already announced results and the elections conducted as a whole a nullity”.

“Whether the entire results of the presidential election conducted on the 25th of February, 2023, as announced by the Chairman of INEC at the National Collation Centre, Abuja in flagrant provision of Sections 25; 47(2); 60 (1), (2), (4) & (5); 62; 64(4)(a) & (b); 70; and 148 of the Electoral Act, 2022, governing the 2023 nationwide general elections, particularly paragraphs 38 of the INEC Regulations and Guidelines for the Conduct of Elections, 2022; and paragraphs 2.8.4; 2.9.0; and 2.9.1 of the INEC Manual for Election Officials, 2023, for the conduct of the Presidential Election, were valid.”

The plaintiffs urged the apex court to declare, “that the Federal Government of Nigeria, through INEC was bound to electronically transmit or transfer Polling Unit Results in Form EC8A using BVAS by uploading Scanned Copy of the said Unit Result to the Independent National Electoral Commission Result Viewing Portal (IReV) in the course of the General Elections held on the 25th of February, 2023 throughout the Federation in compliance with the provision of Sections 25; 47(2); 60 (1), (2), (4) & (5); 62; 64(4)(a) & (b); 70; and 148 of the Electoral Act, 2022, governing the 2023 nationwide general elections, particularly paragraphs 38 of the INEC Regulations and Guidelines for the Conduct of Elections, 2022; and paragraphs 2.8.4; 2.9.0; and 2.9.1 of the INEC Manual for Election Officials, 2023, for the conduct of the presidential election.”

They are seeking “A declaration that the entire results of the Presidential Election conducted on the 25th of February, 2023 announced by the Chairman of INEC at the National Collation Centre, Abuja, in flagrant violation of the provisions of Sections 25 of the Electoral Act, 2022, governing the 2023 nationwide general elections, particularly paragraphs 38 of the INEC Regulations and Guidelines for the Conduct of Elections, 2022; and paragraphs 2.8.4; 2.9.0; and 2.9.1 of the INEC Manual for Election Officials, 2023, for the conduct of the Presidential Election, were invalid, null and void, and of no effect whatsoever.

“A declaration that the fundamentally flawed electoral process through the non-uploading of the results of each of the 176,974 Polling Units nationwide, in respect of the presidential election and National Assembly Elections held on Saturday, 25th February 2023 were not in accordance with the provisions of Sections 25; 47(2); 60 (1), (2), (4) & (5); 62; 64(4)(a) & (b); 70; and 148 of the Electoral Act, 2022, governing the 2023 nationwide general elections, particularly paragraphs 38 of the INEC Regulations and Guidelines for the Conduct of Elections, 2022; and paragraphs 2.8.4; 2.9.0; and 2.9.1 of the INEC Manual for Election Officials, 2023, for the conduct of the presidential election.

“The plaintiffs also brought an application praying the apex court for an order directing a departure from the rules of the apex court in the interest of justice by directing for accelerated hearing of the substantive suit. Besides, plaintiffs also filed another application seeking for an order for abridging time for parties to file and serve responses for and against the suit. No date has been fixed for hearing.

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Nigerians Qualify As UK Launches Visa Scheme For Skilled Workers

by Folarin Kehinde
written by Folarin Kehinde

The United Kingdom has announced that skilled foreign nationals can now apply for its worker scale up -visa program.

A scale-up worker visa is a visa route that allows people come to the UK to do an eligible job for a fast-growing UK business.

According to a statement on the www.gov.uk website, foreign nationals are now eligible to apply for the visa effective 22nd August.

The professions qualified to apply for the scale-up visa include: Scientists, Engineers, Programmers, Software Developers, Research and Development Professionals, Economists, Architects, Technicians, and Financial and Investment Advisers.

Applicants granted the scale-up visa are eligible to stay in the UK for 2 years. However, when the 2 years visa expire, they can extend their visa by 3 years for as long as possible.

According to a statement issued by the British government, the development would see growing businesses attract the right talent to enhance productivity across the economy as it is believed that scaling up is an important phase for high-growth businesses to continue growing and drive their international competitiveness.

The exercise is expected to see talent across various fields such as science, engineering, and programming as it brings in sought-after expertise and skills, enterprises that can boost their innovation and productivity and in turn keep contributing to the UK’s economy.

Nigerians and citizens of other countries are eligible to apply for the Visa programme as it is an opportunity for career advancement and experience.

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BusinessHeadlines

Microsoft To Partner With Nigeria In Digital Identification For Development Project

by Folarin Kehinde
written by Folarin Kehinde

American multinational technology company, Microsoft Corporation says it is willing to partner the Nigeria Digital Identification for Development (ID4D) project in the areas of capacity development and data protection.

Microsoft’s Government Affairs Lead, Nonye Ujam disclosed this during a working visit to the Nigeria ID4D project office in Abuja.

A statement by the Manager, Communications of the Nigeria Digital ID4D, Dr. Walter Duru explained that Ujam lauded the ID4D project for its timely intervention in the areas of data protection and digital identity in Nigeria, expressing the readiness of Microsoft to collaborate with the project to succeed.

“We are here to ensure that we support you to make things work very well. We are happy with the achievements Nigeria ID4D has recorded in such a short period.

“Microsoft Corporation has made a lot of investments and interventions in capacity development and cyber security. Beyond supporting governments in the area of capacity development, Microsoft meets their stakeholders where they are, hand-hold and close identified gaps. As people are working hard to upgrade and update themselves, that is how hard the bad players are working to update their skills.

This is why we must take data protection and cyber security very seriously,” the statement read.

Responding, Project Coordinator, ID4D Musa Odole Solomon expressed the readiness of the project to partner with Microsoft.

“We are open to collaborating with as many relevant stakeholders as possible to ensure that the project succeeds. We want the capacity of ecosystem implementing partners enhanced,” he said.

Speaking on data protection in Nigeria, Solomon stressed that: “the project is working very hard to ensure that a principal law is in place. We are constrained by time, considering the fact that elections are close. We are battling to ensure that we balance the urgency with quality. It will not just be done quickly, but also done very well. Stakeholders’ engagement is an ongoing activity and Microsoft is our major stakeholder. We are ready and willing to work with you.

“We are happy with your interest in capacity development. We operate an ecosystem model and our implementing partners need to benefit from the capacity building plans. It is one of our deliverables and we are willing to partner with Microsoft to close gaps in capacity.”

Solomon used the occasion to call on Microsoft Corporation to consider extending support to the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC) and other ecosystem implementing partners.

The coordinator used the occasion to invite Microsoft to the second leg of Focus Group Discussion on Nigeria’s Data Protection law, scheduled to hold at Lagos September 1, 2022.

Part of the activities lined up for the engagement is a courtesy call on the leadership of Microsoft Corporation in Nigeria. Conversations will center around data protection, capacity development and other areas of collaboration.

On the project coordinator’s team that received Ujam were the Internal and external communications Managers of the project, Dr. Duru and Mouktar Adamu.

The ID4D project is a Nigerian project, jointly funded by the World Bank, European Investment Bank and French Development Agency.

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Nigerian Airforce Appoints New Branch Chiefs

by Folarin Kehinde
written by Folarin Kehinde

Chief of the Air Staff , Air Marshal Oladayo Amao has approved the immediate appointment and redeployment of new Branch Chiefs, Air Officers Commanding and other senior officers.

The shake up is coming 48 hours after his directive to Air Force Operational and Air Component Commanders to maximize the deployment of firepower against terrorists and other criminal elements.

The newly appointed and redeployed senior officers are expected to assume their new offices on or before Friday, 5 August 2022.

In a statement on Thursday, the Director of Public Relations Information, Air Commodore Edward Gabkwet, said among the newly appointed Branch Chiefs are Air Vice Marshal Jackson Yusuf, formerly Chief of Training and Operations, now the Chief of Policy and Plans Headquarters NAF, Abuja; and AVM Oluwafemi Ogunmola, former Director of Intelligence Surveillance and Reconnaissance now Chief of Communications Information Systems.

AVM Aliyu Bello, former Chief of Standards and Evaluation is now redeployed as the CTOP, HQ NAF, Abuja while AVM Nkem Aguiyi takes over as the Chief of Air Intelligence, and AVM Hassan Abubakar, former AOC Logistics Command is now the Chief of Standards and Evaluation.

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Data Of Completed Voter Registration Across Nigeria

by Folarin Kehinde
written by Folarin Kehinde

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has officially ended the Continuous Voter Registration (CVR) exercise, which started last year.

The total number of registered voters who completed their registration (online and physical) at the close of the CVR exercise stood at 12.29 million.

On June 28, 2021, INEC resumed the CVR and has since then given weekly updates of the online pre-registration and the physical completion of registration by voters.

The CVR was initially scheduled to end on June 30. However, on that day, the Commission, through its National Electoral Commissioner for Information and Voter Education, Festus Okoye, announced an extension of the exercise to ensure that all eligible Nigerians get registered. 

The CRV was first extended by 15 days, then another 2 weeks, bringing the total duration for the extension to 31 days (July 1st-31st). 

This new deadline elapsed on Sunday, July 31st, and the electoral Commission has stated there would be no further extension as they need to carry out other functions, which among others, include the clean up of the voter register for double and multiple registrations.

As the exercise finally ends, Dataphyte looks at the figure of those who completed their registration in the year-long CVR exercise and will join other registered voters from previous elections to decide the country’s fate in the 2023 general election. 

Number of Completed Registrations

Data released by INEC shows that 12.29 million persons completed their registration. Of this figure, 3.44 million were done online, while 8.85 million were done physically. By this figure, the total number of registered voters for the 2023 election is an estimated 96.3 million.

Election YearNumber of Registered Voters (Millions)Percentage Increase of New Registration
199957.94–
200360.824.98
200761.571.22
201173.5319.43
201567.42-8.30
201984.0024.59
2023* estimated96.3014.64

This figure is, however, subject to change after the electoral body cleans up the voter register for double registration.

Completed PVC Registration by States

At the end of the CVR exercise on July 31, the data published by INEC shows that Lagos has the highest number of persons who completed their PVC registration. The state has a total of 585,629 persons who completed their registration, followed by Kano with 569,103. Delta state came third with 523,517.

On the other hand, Ekiti, Yobe, and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) recorded the least number of registrations. Ekiti and Yobe recorded 124,844 and 152,844 completed registrations, respectively, while the FCT had 211,341. 

Number of Males and Females who Completed their PVC Registration 

As earlier stated, 12.29 million persons completed their registration in the just concluded CVR exercise. Of this figure, 6.22 million, 50.6% of those who completed their PVC registration are females, while 6.07 million, 49.4% are males.

It is worth mentioning that 84,083 Persons with Disabilities (PWDs) completed their registration across genders. This is 0.68% of the 12.29 million completed registrations.

Completed PVC Registration by Age Group

A breakdown of the data shows that 71.4% (8.78 million) of those who completed their registration are youth. This means that out of every 10 persons who completed their registration, at least 7 fall within 18-34 years range; the Soroke generation. 

2023 Election: Completed PVC Registration Across Nigeria in 5 Charts

Following is the middle age group, which accounts for 19.8% of the total number of persons who completed their registration. The elderly and the Aged (70 years and above) account for 7.8% and 1% of the completed PVC registration, respectively. 

Completed PVC Registration by Occupation

Students constitute the highest population of those who completed their registration. Of the 12.29 million who completed their registration, 4.5 million persons identified themselves as students.

2023 Election: Completed PVC Registration Across Nigeria in 5 Charts

Those into business and farming/fishing followed with 2.24 and 1.54 million respectively. 

At the bottom are Public Servants and Civil Servants, with 124,027 and 381,254 completed registration, respectively.

Completed PVC Registration by Geo-Political Zones

Nigeria has six geo-political zones. 2.51 million persons in the North-West completed their PVC registration making it the region with the highest registrations.

In the South-South, 4.46 million completed their registration. The North-Central and South-West followed with 2.31 million and 2.04 million respectively.

2023 Election: Completed PVC Registration Across Nigeria in 5 Charts

The North-East and South-East recorded less than 2 million, making them the two regions with the lowest number of persons who completed their registration at the end of the CVR exercise.

Source: Datahyte

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OpinionHeadlines

Writing Buhari’s Scorecard

by Folarin Kehinde
written by Folarin Kehinde

The consensus among Nigerians across different parts of our country today is that President Muhammadu Buhari has failed both as a leader and a two-term president. His inability to deliver on his electoral promises to secure Nigeria, making it a safe polity for life and property aside food and job security in the wake of what Nigerians then thought was the demolition job of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP-led government of Goodluck Jonathan; fight corruption and relate with the people of Nigeria without fear or favour, in regard to religion, ethnic and gender identity- all of these have conspired to undermine his claim to a favourable place in history.

For a man who at a point enjoyed the unalloyed support and admiration of the vast majority of Nigerians from his part of the country, was accorded grudging respect from other parts on account of his apparent spartan lifestyle (which was seen as the appropriate antidote to the corrupt profligacy of the Jonathan years) and spent the latter part of his adult life aspiring to lead the country he once ruled as a military dictator for almost two years before he was ousted from power in a military putsch, this turn of events is without any doubt tragic. The more so it does not appear there is much the administration can achieve in the few months left before a new government comes into office.

President Buhari, indeed, has just about five active months, between August and February, left to ameliorate the harsh verdict of history. Not enough time to do much to say nothing of achieving a fundamental shift in opinion, expectations of Nigerians or his own capacity for any miraculous transformation in the state of the nation.

Any time after February, time during which the 2023 elections would have come and gone and a new president elected, would be only for the few house-keeping tasks left before Buhari enjoys his last presidential ride into Daura as a sitting president.

It is a journey, or more appropriately, a time he says he eagerly looks forward to. But whether that final journey home or life thereafter would be happy is beyond any one of us to say. The signs are, however, ominous and leave little to hope for.

Things need not have come to this point. The loss of credibility was gradual but steady and started with the erosion of trust from the outlining areas where the president had a very tiny, if any, support base in the South-East. At this stage, Nigerians from other parts of the country still harboured some hope that the president could achieve some good in the framework of democratic governance despite his reputation as a brutal, narrow-minded dictator. The anti-corruption image of the regime he led was sufficient to override these misgivings in some parts of the country barring the South-East.

But the disillusionment soon filtered to more liberal-minded people in other regions who could not make head or tail of the president’s ways, particularly his increasingly narrow take of national events that are regarded from the point of view of his region of the country and crass disregard of other parts. This went hand-in-hand with his habit of outsourcing presidential authority and responsibility to surrogates and hangers-on who know too well his weakness in this regard and thus proceed with their self-aggrandising agenda that are sold to the rest of the country in the name of national interest.

Soon communities of the North-Central region, that were being decimated by the predatory activities of common criminals masquerading as Fulani nationalists under the accommodating policies of the Buhari administration, would join the widening circle of malcontents and things would worsen as these criminals export their version of terror to parts of the South-West, leaving room for pockets of brigandage by local outlaws operating under the guise of Fulani invaders.

By the time the terrorists of the North-East closed rank with those of the North-West, leaving vast wastelands of destruction of property and life, the disenchantment has come full circle. It was no longer a matter of the North against the North-Central or the North against the South. It was clear that government has failed roundly and the strategy of divide-and-conquer would no longer work.

There is no hiding place for Abuja under Buhari any more. The attempt at globalising the failures of the government persuades only those who have chosen to be blind to the seven years of Buhari’s ineptitude. The world may be experiencing inflation at an unprecedented scale, the global economy under the strains of the Russia-Ukraine war may be heading for recession but none of these explains Buhari’s lack of connection with the Nigerian people, his neglect or outsourcing of his responsibilities to others while he enjoys the perks of his office like a patriarch in retirement.

In the last few months of his administration, Jonathan was able to downgrade the ability of Boko-Haram to inflict further damage on Nigeria. Rather than working along similar lines (as it is too late for Buhari to perform any miracle now that Nigerians look forward to his successor), Abuja under Buhari appears still to be looking for a scapegoat in the media, both local (that it accuses of lack of patriotism) and the British Broadcasting Corporation, BBC, that it is threatening to sanction for its expose on the ongoing brigandage in Zamfara. When the BBC did an expose on Nigerian universities, the government saw it as an opportunity to draw up laws tailor-made to the universities; when pastors were the target of a similar investigation, Abuja saw nothing amiss. But now the focus is on its own rotten underbelly, the intractable banditry in the North, it suddenly sees bad faith.

The historical fight between the Fulani and the Hausa over land and everything else under and above it, the BBC investigation shows, has been mismanaged and worsened by corruption in high places. The mystery that the Buhari administration has so far thrown around bandit terror has been shredded by the investigation that puts faces to known names and narratives behind their murderous activities. These are human beings, if deformed, inhabiting known places in a Savannah, not a wilderness of rain forests.

From where comes the mystification of their activities and identity by Abuja? Rather than finding a lasting solution to the problem(appeasement, annihilation or a bit of both), government and its supporters view the BBC investigation as promoting banditry and lionising bandits.

Far from it, the investigation points at the misery of the victims of banditry, the corruption that has sustained it and the bandits’ own attempts at profiting from it in the light of government’s unwillingness to end it. The investigation is a critique of the nested scale of the corruption wrought by power.

by: Rotimi Fasan

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FG orders NDDC to resume suspended scholarship scheme

by Folarin Kehinde
written by Folarin Kehinde

The Minister of Niger Delta Affairs Umana Umana has ordered the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) to resume the commission’s scholarship scheme suspended some years ago.

It was gathered that Umana gave the directive during a two-day retreat for senior staff of the NDDC and the Niger Delta Ministry, which ended in Abuja at the weekend.

An official of the ministry, who spoke in confidence, said Umana vehemently kicked against suggestions to scrap the scheme and insisted that it would be sustained, expanded and reviewed to eliminate all forms of corruption in the system.

The source said Umana wanted a scholarship scheme that would be home driven with a special focus on Nigerian universities.

“The idea is to retain the scheme and make it home-based instead of the usual practice of sending beneficiaries abroad to study courses offered in Nigerian universities.

“Foreign scholarship scheme will not be totally removed. But it will be de-emphasised. Niger Delta students will no longer be sent abroad to study courses offered in Nigerian universities.

“The commission can only sponsor interested scholars overseas
to study only special courses that are not found in our universities. Therefore, Umana has ordered the commission to review and relaunch the scholarship scheme.”

The source said other far-reaching decisions were taken at the retreat to reposition the NDDC in harmony with the recommendations of the forensic audit report.

He said it was resolved that NDDC would henceforth streamline its projects against the current practice of awarding many jobs in one fiscal year.

“Henceforth, the NDDC will work closely with the National Assembly to ensure that projects are streamlined. Projects that had been completed would be inaugurated and the commission will also stop issuing emergency contracts”, he said.

He said there was also hope for the contractors, who had finished their jobs but had yet to receive their money as a decision was reached that the commission should focus on clearing its debts.

The source said: “It was also agreed the NDDC should cancel all projects that had been awarded but the contractors refused to mobilise to their sites. The money for such projects will now be used to complete other abandoned projects.

“The forensic audit report is being implemented in phases. The area that concerned the National Assembly had been sent to the lawmakers. The areas that concern the anti-graft agency have also been directed to them.

“A staff audit has also been ordered to ensure proper placement of workers and retirement of those directors due for retirement. The Niger Delta stakeholders should expect a new NDDC that responds to their yearnings under the current minister”, he said.

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