News
Terrorists can’t stop my foreign trips, says Buhari
- Jets out to Dakar, after visiting Kuje prison
- Expresses disappoinment with security system
The Presidency has replied critics of President Muhammadu Buhari’s trip to Dakar, Senegal, hours after terrorists invaded Kuje prison.
A statement by presidential aide Garba Shehu, on Wednesday evening said, “Governments don’t stop working because nations face terrorist threats.
“To cancel the trip to Senegal would mean that the terrorists are successful in calling the shots, something that no responsible government in the world will allow.”
The President had come under criticism for his frequent travels abroad. This year alone, he has made 10 foreign trips before the Dakar’s journey today, according to Daily Trust.
He visited Portugal last week and participated at the United Nations Ocean Conference in Lisbon June 27 to July 1. He returned home last weekend.
President Buhari also attended the 26th Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM from June 20 to 26, 2022 in Kigali, Rwanda.
Also, on June 4, he attended an Extraordinary Summit of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) Authority of Heads of State and Government on the political situation in Mali and other parts of the sub-region in Accra, Ghana.
On June 1, he embarked on a two-day state visit to Madrid, the capital city of Spain, at the invitation of his Spanish counterpart, Pedro Sanchez.
Meanwhile, President Buhari also on Wednesday expressed disappointment with the intelligence system at the Medium Security Custodial Centre, Kuje, Abuja.
Buhari, who spent about 30 minutes when he visited the facility attacked by terrorists on Tuesday night, said, “I am disappointed with the intelligence system. How can terrorists organise, have weapons, attack a security installation and get away with it?”
He was earlier briefed about the attack by the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Interior, Dr Shuaib Belgore, and the Controller General of Nigerian Correctional Service, Haliru Nababa, who showed him the bombed-out section used to access first, and the records office which was set on fire, adding that the invaders thereafter launched an attack on all cells in which Boko Haram terrorists were held.
The President was also told that none of the 63 terrorists could be accounted for.
Buhari said, “How did the defence at the prison fail to prevent the attack? How many inmates were in the facility? How many of them can you account for? How many personnel did you have on duty? How many of them were armed? Were there guards on the watchtower? What did they do? Does the CCTV work?”
The President was also informed that the security forces had recaptured 350 of the escapees while about 450 others were still unaccounted for, and that rapid work is under way to recapture the rest.
The President, accompanied by Boss Mustapha, the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Prof Ibrahim Gambari, the Chief of Staff, said at the end of the visit that he was expecting “a comprehensive report” on the incident.
News
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.”
READ ALSO:
- Oluwo accuses Ooni of plotting to dethrone him
- Natasha: Court blocks recall attempt, stops INEC
- US ends legal status for 500,000 immigrants
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
News
Just in: Tinubu swears in Rivers Sole Administrator Ibas
Just in: Tinubu swears in Rivers Sole Administrator Ibok-ete Ibas
President Bola Tinubu has sworn in Vice Vice Admiral Ibok-ete Ibas (Retd.) as the Sole Administrator of Rivers State.
The administrator was sworn in on Wednesday after a short meeting with the President.
Tinubu announced the appointment of the retired naval chief at a nationwide broadcast on Tuesday, when he declared a state of emergency in Rivers State and suspended Governor Siminalayi Fubara, Deputy Governor, Ngozi Odu, and the state House of Assembly members.
The President said his decision was based on Section 305 of the 1999 Constitution, saying he could not continue to watch the political situation in Rivers escalate without taking concrete action.
The suspension of Fubara and other elected representatives has been rejected and condemned by many eminent Nigerians, legal luminaries, groups such as Atiku Abubakar, Peter Obi, Femi Falana, the Labour Party (LP), the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and the Nigerian Bar Association.
However, the emergency rule has been praised by the pro-Nyesom Wike Assembly led by Martins Amaewhule, accusing Fubara of contravening the Supreme Court ruling on the political situation in the state.
Ibas was the Chief of Naval Staff from 2015 to 2021.
He is from Cross River State where he had his early education.
The new sole administrator went to the Nigerian Defence Academy in 1979 from where he proceeded to have a successful career in the Navy, rising through the ranks to the very top.
He is a member of the Nigerian Institute of International Affairs (NIIA) and the Nigerian Institute of Management.
President Muhammadu Buhari who appointed him as Chief of Naval Staff conferred him with the National Honour of Commander of the Federal Republic (CFR) in 2022.
News
Breaking: Tinubu declares state of emergency in Rivers State
Breaking: Tinubu declares state of emergency in Rivers State
President Bola Tinubu on Tuesday night declared a state of emergency in Rivers State following the protracted political crisis in the state.
Tinubu made the declaration during a nationwide broadcast, saying it is for six months.
He announced the suspension of the Executive Governor, Siminalayi Fubara, his deputy and all the members of the House of Assembly for six months.
He immediately named an administrator, Vice Admiral Ibok-Ete Ibas (Retd), to take charge of the affairs of the state for the six-month period.
Section 305 of the 1999 Constitution interprets a state of emergency as a situation of national danger or disaster in which a government suspends normal constitutional procedures to regain control.
A state of emergency allows the President to immediately make any desired regulations to secure public order and safety. (Channels TV)
-
International2 days agoUK announces new passport application fees starting April 2025
-
metro1 day ago‘We’re not hiring,’ NNPC denies viral recruitment adverts
-
metro1 day agoMore trouble brews in Rivers as Ijaw congress considers self-determination option
-
metro2 days agoCourt lifts order stopping Senate probe on Natasha Akpoti
-
Sports10 hours agoOdegbami speaks on Osimhen breaking his 44-year goals record
-
metro2 days agoMohbad’s brother, Adura, arrested by police in Lagos
-
metro3 days agoTanker explodes on Abuja bridge, many feared dead, 30 vehicles burnt
-
Politics3 days agoEmergency rule cannot stand in Rivers, says Amaechi, mobilises against Tinubu