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Insecurity: Senate okays ranching, demands review of security arrangement
The Senate has called for an end to open grazing of cows, which has repeatedly led to conflicts between farmers and herders.
They have therefore asked all the state governors to implement the 2018 Federal Government’s National Livestock Transformation Plan (NLTP) to curb the conflicts across the country.
The senators who spoke Wednesday on the security issue through a motion sponsored by Ajayi Boroffice and co-sponsored by 105 others, said leaders could no longer continue to pretend as if all was well.
They urged President Muhammadu Buhari to direct the National Security Adviser (NSA) and the nominated service chiefs to overhaul the country’s security architecture.
The Senate had scheduled the bill for debate on Tuesday, but stepped it down, following the death of a member of the House of Representatives, Ossy Prestige.
A former governor of Nasarawa State, Abdullahi Adamu, accused Ondo State Government of ordering Nigerians from other parts of the country to vacate the state
“We’re mixing up issues. I find it hard to believe that in the 21st century, a governor will ask people who are not from the state to leave. We need to find out these allegations of killings or otherwise,” he claimed.
His claims were rebuffed by the Minority Leader of the Senate, Enyinnaya Abaribe.
He said those who were ordered to leave Ondo State were criminals and not citizens doing legitimate business.
Abaribe, who warned against misleading information, said practical solutions must be worked out and the criminals flushed out wherever they were hiding in any part of the country.
Abaribe said, “But we need to clear certain things. I want to address the issue of whether people were sent away. Nigerians were not sent away. Criminals were sent away. We shouldn’t send out the wrong message. The IGP has said that these criminals aren’t from Nigeria. If we want to find solutions, let’s do that. Those criminal elements from anywhere they’re coming from must be flushed out.”
Senate Committee Chairman on Army, Ali Ndume, urged the Senate to set up an ad hoc committee and involve experts during the public hearing to bring a lasting solution.
He said, “We should take responsibility as leaders. We are in government. We are part of the government. These people are criminals. They don’t settle in one place. We can set up an ad-hoc committee to look at all the issues raised.”
Former minority leader, Biodun Olujimi, wondered why a national emergency was declared at the peak of COVID-19 but the government had not deemed it fit to declare a national security emergency.
He said, “We are all in denial. Otherwise, we would have declared it a national emergency. Right now, Nigerians are endangered species. We have spoken and nothing is being done. We must do something. Posterity will not forgive us if we do nothing.”
A lawmaker from Adamawa State, Binos Yero, said Nigerians of Fulani extraction were being encouraged to roam the country freely unchallenged.
“This must stop,” he said.
Tolu Odebiyi from Ogun State said Nigeria was at the precipice of a civil war.
He said President Muhammadu Buhari could sign an executive order and ban open grazing in the country.
He said, “I visited a border community in my place and herdsmen had destroyed their sources of livelihood. They burnt their houses and we are talking about confirming former service chiefs who couldn’t fix our security challenges. What are we doing?”
Smart Adeyemi from Kogi State said, “Whenever we talk about insecurity, there’s an international conspiracy. If things are getting out of hand, there’s nothing wrong if the president asks for foreign support. There’s need for an international support. We don’t need N500 billion on purchase of drugs for COVID-19. We should spend that on insecurity.”
Suleiman Kyari from Kaduna State said: “This country has sunk to a level where it it seen as a failed country. Service Chiefs must address the morale of their troops. We should coordinate security intelligence. That has been failing.”
Deputy Senate Whip, Abdullahi Sabi said: “Niger State has joined the league of states that are daily attacked by bandits. Two local government councils stand out. There were several attacks and people were killed. We are definitely facing the heat.”
Michael Opeyemi Bamidele from Ekiti State, said: “Section 43 of our Constitution grants every Nigerian the right to live in any part of the country. This is different from land ownership. Even if I have the right to live in any part of Nigeria, I don’t have the right to trespass on the property of others. Governors must be able to take charge of their domains. Criminals must be arrested. Let no one be afraid of being called a tribalist.”
News
Investigation of wanted businesswoman Achimugu not linked with Atiku, Sanwo-Olu – EFCC
Investigation of wanted businesswoman Achimugu not linked with Atiku, Sanwo-Olu – EFCC
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission has reacted to media reports linking its investigations of Ms. Aisha Achimugu with political undercurrents involving former Vice President Atiku Abubakar and Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu
This is contained in a statement by the commission on Friday night.
The statement read, “We wish to state unequivocally that the investigations of Achimugu have no correlation of any kind with the two political actors. She is being investigated for alleged criminal conspiracy and money laundering and has since been declared Wanted by the Commission”.
The EFCC started investigating Achimugu in 2022. Although she approached the court to obtain an injunction restraining the Commission from arresting, investigating, inviting or detaining her for any alleged criminal act, the injunction was challenged and vacated on Wednesday, February 19, 2025 by a Federal High Court sitting in Abuja.
The court ruled that “…no court has the power to stop the investigative powers of the Police or EFCC or any agency established under our laws to investigate crimes when there is reasonable suspicion of commission of a crime or ample evidence of commission of an offence by a suspect.”
“The court further upheld the interim order of forfeiture of assets of Achimugu suspected to be proceeds of crime, dismissing her suit against it as lacking merit .
“The foregoing clearly establishes that the EFCC’s case against her has no immediate or remote nexus with any politician or any veiled or open reference to any political engagement or transaction.
“The EFCC is non-partisan and non-sectarian. We enjoin the public to continue to keep faith with the professionalism of the Commission without imputing any extraneous consideration to its works.”
News
Why governors’ forum is silent on Rivers emergency, by DG
Why governors’ forum is silent on Rivers emergency, by DG
The Nigeria Governors’ Forum (NGF) yesterday attributed its neutral position on the recent declaration of a state of emergency in Rivers State to the need to steer clear of taking positions that may alienate members with varying political interests.
Taking positions on contentious partisan issues, the NGF said, would not augur well for it, especially in view of its past experience in fundamental division.
Notwithstanding, the declaration of the state of emergency by President Bola Tinubu yesterday generated more kudos and knocks from across the country.
Special Adviser to the President on Senate Matters, Senator Basheer Lado, said the action of the president was meant to ensure protection of lives and restoration of law and order in the state, while the President’s Special Adviser on Media and Public Communications, Sunday Dare, said his principal was required to “avert needless harm and destruction .”
National Publicity Secretary of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), Felix Morka, said Tinubu, by his action, cleared what had manifested as a constitutional crisis in Rivers state.
But former President Goodluck Jonathan saw it from a different perspective.
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He described “abuse of office and power by the three arms of government in the country“ as a dent on Nigeria’s image.
The NGF, in a statement by its Director General Abdulateef Shittu, said it is essentially “an umbrella body for sub-national governments to promote unified policy positions and collaborate with relevant stakeholders in pursuit of sustainable socio-economic growth and the well-being of the people.”
It added: “As a technical and policy hub comprising governors elected on different platforms, the body elects to steer clear of taking positions that may alienate members with varying political interests.
“In whatever language it is written, taking positions on contentious partisan issues would mean a poor sense of history — just a few years after the forum survived a fundamental division following political differences among its members.
“Regardless, the Forum is reputed for its bold positions on governance and general policy matters of profound consequences, such as wages, taxes, education and universal healthcare, among others.”
It asked for “the understanding of the public and the media, confident that appropriate platforms and crisis management mechanisms would take care of any such issues.”
Why governors’ forum is silent on Rivers emergency, by DG
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Rivers: Tinubu acted to save state, economy, says Karimi
Rivers: Tinubu acted to save state, economy, says Karimi
Chairman of the Senate Services Sunday Karimi has hailed President Bola Tinubu for the decision to declare a state of emergency in Rivers State.
He told reporters on Friday in Abuja that the President acted in the best interest of the State and Nigeria, having taken his decision in compliance with the Constitution.
“No President or government worth a name, will fold its arms and watch a political situation deteriorate to what we saw unfolding in Rivers State.
“We saw that bombing of pipelines had begun, and the security situation was getting worse with the tension everywhere”, Karimi stated.
Karimi, who represents Kogi-West on the ticket of the All Progressives Congress (APC), recalled the “fatherly role” Tinubu had played in the crisis since 2023 in a bid to get the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, and suspended Governor Siminalayi Fubara to reach an understanding, to no avail.
He explained: “We were all here in 2023 when Mr President called that truce meeting at the Aso Rock Villa. There was the eight-point agenda for settlement reached between the factions.
“When Nigerians expected that progress should be made to achieve peace, things started deteriorating considerably to a point where the governor demolished the House of Assembly building and administered the state with only three legislators.”
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Karimi observed that with the recent judgment of the Supreme Court, which gave the upper hand to the 27 lawmakers loyal to the camp of the FCT Minister, matters merely got worse in the State as the lawmakers were set to impeach the Governor.
“What did you expect would be the implications? There would have been more destruction, killings and economic losses for the country.
“With the bombings that had already started, it was a matter of time before the whole state would be engulfed in flames. No responsible President would sit, arms folded, and allow that to happen “ he added.
The senator further argued that it took “painstaking efforts” by the administration to raise daily crude oil production to around 1,800 barrels, noting that Nigeria’s economy was already “witnessing a rebound under the renewed hope projects of the government.”
“Allowing the situation in Rivers to get worse before he would act, wouldn’t have helped the state or Nigeria as a country in any way.
“Mr. President intervened at the right time, and his actions are covered by law,” he said.
Karimi also spoke on the emergency declaration in Borno, Yobe, Adamawa and a couple of other states by former President Goodluck Jonathan without removing the Governors from office or suspending the state assemblies.
According to him, the case with those States was not generated by political crises but rather security concerns.
“So, I will advise those comparing the two scenarios to remember that one was purely about security threats resulting from the insurgency caused by Boko Haram, while that of Rivers is clearly political.
“It was the proper thing to do to suspend the political actors in the two factions to allow for tensions to diffuse. Nigerians should appreciate the President for the action he has taken so far,” he stated.
Sen. Karimi also noted that there was no cause for alarm as the National Assembly had indicated that the emergency rule could be reviewed as soon as there were signs that things could quickly normalise in Rivers State.
Rivers: Tinubu acted to save state, economy, says Karimi
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