Former President Muhammadu Buhari cannot stay in Daura without those big guns—Professor Usman Yusuf.

One of the comments to this was; this is what happens when a leader stubbornly keeps the cubs of lions as pets. When the cubs grow, it will become a danger to both the owner and the villager…

The original topic of this admonition was actually Arewa, chills, vibes, In Shaa Allah, and Masha Allah, but because we attach so much to religion and lack spirituality and equally do not have faith, I decided that I was not going to stir the hornet’s nest more than I intend to do here.

In a recent Interview one time CEO of the National Health Insurance Scheme Professor Usman Yusuf clearly stated that the North was experiencing an ongoing civil strife, and in my words, (civil war). Ethnic groups like the Hausas, Fulanis, Tivs, Beroms, etc are at war. Elders, religious, and traditional leaders have failed, and political leaders are concerned with the movement of the Central Bank, and the Federal; Airport Authority to Lagos.

The armed banditry in the north-west and other parts of Northern Nigeria transcends pastoralist insurgency, as evident in the dominant narratives, considering the multiplicity of complexly connected causal factors, actors, manifestations, and dimensions that are present in the threats posed by this development. 

We are losing Zamfara, Katsina, Sokoto, Niger and I can go on, in these places there are almost daily attacks. Arewa is not ready for a honest conversation, in this Hausa vs Fulani, Fulani vs natives, the dudes that sold the Muslim-Muslim ticket, where are those clerics, as both Muslim and Christians continue to die in Nigeria, but particularly in the North of Nigeria.

Weeks back, an improvised explosive device (IED) detonated in Gubio town, Borno, resulting in the tragic deaths of six Quranic school pupils popularly known as Almajirai. The incident happened when a metal scavenger unknowingly collected and stored various metallic items in a building in close proximity to a tsangaya school, little did he know that among the collected metal was an abandoned undetonated IED.

In 2022 alone the Borno police reported that about 55 scrap collectors were killed by insurgents within a period of three weeks.

On August 14 2023, some 36 military personnel were reported dead in a series of attacks in Kundu and Chukuba communities in Niger State. This generated public outrage; however, the reactions barely covered the plight of the residents of these communities. In these communities between then and now according to reports, there have been no less than 18 raids and attacks by armed bandits, leaving these communities on their own.

Some of these communities like many in Plateau, in Zamfara, battle extinction, leaving their ancestral homes, after days on end sleeping and scavenging in the bush when they escape such raids and they finally move elsewhere.

We are the same people that were hosts to gory story of Deborah in Sokoto, in Kano, I hear that the Chinese man is asking for forgiveness after killing our daughter, the same Kano with Hisbah drama every now and then the same Kano that engaged in some debate of clerics and engaged in sentencing themselves for blasphemy.

Have we even tackled our degenerating wayward kids and wives and husbands, the drug epidemic and the declining morals. All the numerous sects battle and blasphemy war. Boko Haram continues to attack power installation, we have simply forgotten Leah and many of our daughters.

Our farmers are suffering, farmlands are ravished, lie wasted, while the deserts are deserted. Our women and daughters are raped, and killed alongside their daughters, we just move on and forget, it is just a case of chills, vibes and In Shaa Allah as the plunder is palpable.

However, I will not end without offering my ten penny thoughts on how to address the issue of killings and arson in Northern Nigeria, and let me state that I am not saying anything new, but I am only hoping that someone is reading and willing to do something on this matter that requires a multifaceted approach that involves various stakeholders and focuses on both short-term and long-term solutions. Here are some key strategies:

• Enhanced Security Measures:
  • Increase the presence of law enforcement agencies in affected areas to prevent and respond to incidents promptly.
  • Improve intelligence gathering and information sharing among security agencies.
  • Utilize technology, such as surveillance cameras and drones, to monitor and secure vulnerable areas.
• Community Engagement:
  • Foster community-oriented policing to build trust and collaboration between law enforcement and local communities.
  • Establish community watch groups to enhance vigilance and report suspicious activities.
  • Encourage community leaders to promote peace and discourage violence.
• Conflict Resolution and Mediation:
  • Facilitate dialogue and mediation between conflicting parties to address underlying grievances.
  • Engage religious and community leaders to play a role in promoting tolerance and resolving disputes peacefully.
  • Establish conflict resolution mechanisms at the local level.
• Youth Empowerment and Education:
  • Implement programs that provide education and skills training for youth to address unemployment and reduce vulnerability to recruitment by extremist groups.
  • Promote civic education to instill values of tolerance, inclusivity, and peaceful coexistence.
• Economic Development:
  • Invest in economic development projects to create job opportunities and alleviate poverty, addressing one of the root causes of conflicts.
  • Support agricultural initiatives to improve livelihoods and reduce competition over scarce resources.
• Legal Reforms and Justice:
  • Strengthen the judicial system to ensure swift and fair trials for perpetrators of violence.
  • Advocate for legal reforms that address gaps in the justice system and provide compensation for victims.
• International Collaboration:
  • Collaborate with neighboring countries and international organizations to address cross-border security challenges.
  • Seek assistance and support from international partners in terms of training, intelligence sharing, and capacity building.
• Media and Information Management:
  • Promote responsible journalism to avoid sensationalizing violence.
  • Counter misinformation and propaganda that may contribute to the escalation of conflicts.
• Psychosocial Support:
  • Provide psychosocial support for individuals affected by violence to address trauma and promote healing.
  • Implement community-based mental health programs.
• Policy Advocacy:
  • Advocate for policies that address the root causes of conflicts, including social, economic, and political factors.
  • Ensure that government policies are inclusive and address the needs of all communities.

It’s essential to recognize that each community may have unique challenges, and tailored solutions considering local contexts are crucial. Sustainable peace requires the collaborative efforts of governments, communities, civil society, and the international community

Finally, I will end with this story, (readers discretion advised) only three weeks ago, in a local community they were having a naming ceremony, the guests had arrived, food was on fire and everyone was exchanging banters, it was supposed to be a joyous moment, and with smiles, until the bandits arrived in their motorcycles (bikes that are bought by ransom paid by communities).

They surrounded the community, and as we say in local parlance, to cut a long story short, they picked the newborn baby, cut into the pieces and threw into one of the pots cooking on fire, and when it was ready, fed the mother and several of the guests. I won’t end the story, but let me tell us that this is not a fabricated story but one that happened in one of our communities in the North, we are losing it and cannot continue to chills, vibe and In Shaa Allah think that things will get better if we do not act and act quick—May Nigeria win!

Amidst the numerous security and economic challenges facing Nigeria, including terrorist attacks, kidnappings, and most recently, a shortage of foreign currency, it is imperative that the Tinubu administration takes immediate action to counter these trends. In a previous article, on security, I proposed the use of CCTV cameras, artificial intelligence, a proactive Police Force and drones to monitor areas with high criminal activities, a suggestion that I will not delve into further here. Instead, I believe it is also crucial at this point to address the front-burner economic situation that our nation is currently grappling with.

This task of proffering solutions to the myriad of economic challenges of Nigeria, especially the unprecedented devaluation of the Naira cannot be shouldered solely by government officials; it requires the expertise and knowledge of experienced technocrats and economic experts, working in consonance with government. Therefore, I propose the establishment of a Presidential Economic Advisory Council (PEAC), Co-Chaired by the Minister of Finance and the Coordinating Minister of the Economy, and the Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (who will still maintain his autonomy), that will analyze and align the government's Fiscal and Monetary Policies, similar to the Assets and Liabilities Committee (ALCO) of a well-managed bank. The PEAC should comprise members from both the government and private sector, including the Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, Minister of Finance & the Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Minister of Budget and Planning, Minister of Industry, Trade & Investment, Minister of Interior, CEOs of about three of the Tier 1 banks in the country, the Director General of the Manufacturers Association, reputable economists, and a few respected ex-bankers.

Furthermore, it is important to diversify the country’s sources of national revenue beyond crude oil. While we work towards this long-term goal, we must also prioritize immediate structural reforms to our economy. It is evident that the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) has consistently fallen short of its OPEC quota, severely impacting the amount of dollars accruing to the Federation Account and causing the Naira's unprecedented decline. The now privatized NNPCL, must now wean itself and shake off its old ways of running what ought to be a profitable going concern business.

Consequently, I recommend the formation of a Presidential Advisory Council on Energy (PACE), chaired by the Minister of Petroleum Resources and comprising the Special Adviser of the president on Energy, Group Managing Director of the NNPCL, the CEOs of the top three indigenous energy companies, three former reputable top executives of the NNPC and top Nigerian executives of the International Oil Companies (IOC).

In order to address the seeming free fall of the Naira against all foreign currencies, it is essential for Nigeria to increase its crude oil production, while also conducting a thorough analysis of the benefits and drawbacks of our continued membership in OPEC. We must explore alternative options, such as bilateral cooperation and agreements, to determine if they offer greater advantages, than continued membership of OPEC.

To reverse the worsening economic situation, we must think creatively and step outside the confines of conventional approaches. Additionally, the government must seriously consider reducing the size of the bureaucracy and combat the widespread corruption that plagues our country. Existing stringent punishments for corruption must be enforced, and the government must lead by example in implementing a belt-tightening strategy for the nation's economic recovery.

We cannot afford to bury our heads in the sand like ostriches, ignoring the suffering of the Nigerian people. The time to act is now, before the dire consequences of an increasingly disgruntled citizenry become a reality. While we acknowledge that the current government inherited a financially depleted nation, the grace period will soon come to an end. As human memory is short, many Nigerians seem to have forgotten the origins of their hardships; all they desire now, is economic restoration. Even the wealthy are now feeling the pain.

Mike Ejiofor, a former Director of the Department of State Services has recounted how he discouraged payment of ransom until he got kidnapped. 

During an interview with Vanguard, Ejiofor shared his thoughts on the escalation of kidnapping in the country, and also outlined the interim and long-term measures the government can embrace. He also explained why payment of ransom is the only available option to victims and their loved ones.

On insecurity spiralling out of control, he said; 

"It is not out of control but people are worried. I am worried. The issue is that we have not deployed sufficient resources to tackle the problem. No one should be blaming the government now because this issue has been festering for a long time. The largest we have in the budget is for the security sub-sector. There should be proper oversight to ensure the funds are properly deployed. We have to ensure the monies are not diverted by the leadership of security agencies. They shouldn’t live luxurious lifestyles.

You can see what is going on in the country, with people having parties and displaying affluence when the masses are suffering. People in leadership positions should change their lifestyles because of the masses. They can’t be in leadership positions forever. One day, they will leave office and become ordinary people like the masses.

They now see it as an industry. Everybody is getting involved because of economic hardship. The economy is partly responsible for the escalation of criminality. People are suffering. You can’t attack people’s houses and see cash. You can’t break into a shop to collect things because you will be arrested. The quickest way to make money now is through payment of ransom.

The targeting of traditional rulers calls for concern because they are targeting the fabric of our traditional institution. It is to make the government very unpopular and possibly destabilise the government. That is why government needs to act very fast."

On payment of ransom and kidnappers killing their victims after a ransom has been paid, Ejiofor said; 

"It has been happening before and it becoming rampant for them to kill even after collecting ransom. All these are aimed at bringing government to disrepute. There are so many issues that are not meant for public consumption. That is why I said government must intervene to ensure that these people are stopped. If they continue to make advance into Federal Capital Territory, FCT, and they get into the metropolis, of course, they would be seen to have embarrassed government. And everyone would say since Abuja is no longer safe, nowhere in Nigeria. From the way the attacks are taking place now, it seems nowhere is safe anymore. They were restricted to the North-West and North- Central before, but it is happening everywhere now. We saw what happened in Ekiti, Oyo, Ondo and other places. It has become an industry and must be rooted out.

Before I became a victim, I had often said people shouldn’t pay ransom. But that notion changed after I became a victim. He who feels it knows it. Unless you are not involved, you will do everything possible including payment of ransom to release your relative. Of course, government will always discourage people from paying ransom. For me, I believe in the saying that he who fights and runs away lives to fight another day. If you secure yourself, if government cannot secure you, that’s fine.

Another option could have been for government to supervise the payment of ransom to get information. But victims do not cooperate with police. For example, when the wife of former Central Bank Governor, Emefiele, was kidnapped, money used for ransom was marked and the suspects were later arrested. But victims’ families are always impatient. You don’t blame them because they want their loved ones safe. If police or government is telling you not to pay ransom, it is expected. But until you are affected, you will know whether to pay ransom or not."

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has rescheduled elections in 16 polling units in Jos North/Bassa Federal Constituency of Plateau because of missing ballot papers.

Dr Oliver Agundu, INEC Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) in Plateau, said in a statement on Saturday night that the election has been rescheduled for Sunday, February 4.

Agundu said that voting would commence at 9:30 am and end at 3:30 pm.

The REC stated that the commission discovered on the eve of the re-run on Saturday that the ballot papers for 16 polling units had gone missing.

He said that the matter had been referred to the security agencies for investigation.

“Determined that voters in the affected polling units were not disenfranchised, the commission convened a stakeholders’ meeting to explain the situation and discuss the way forward.

“It was resolved that the commission should remobilize and conduct the election in the affected polling units on Sunday, February 4, 2024, to conclude the process in the Federal Constituency.

“Consequently, the election will be held in three polling units (out of 216) in Naraguta “B” Ward and 13 polling units (out of 187) in Tudun Wada-Kabong Ward of Jos North LGA, making a total of 16 polling units (out of 403) with 15,904 registered voters.

“To allow for the reconfiguration of the BVAS devices and other logistics arrangements, stakeholders agreed that voting would commence at 9:30 am and end at 3:30 pm.

“As usual, all voters in the queue before 3:30 pm will be allowed to vote,” he said.

Agundu appealed to all eligible voters in the constituency to come out and cast their votes peacefully for the candidates of their choice.

He emphasised that the arrangement only affected registered voters in the 16 polling units in the federal constituency, saying that it does not affect registered voters in the Jos North Senatorial District.

Officials of the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission, ICPC, have arrested at least three persons suspected to be vote buyers in Sokoto State during the Saturday bye-elections exercise.

The commission stated this in a post on its official X handle.

The post informed that the suspects were caught in a polling unit at the Yabo/Shagari Federal Constituency in Sokoto State, with the sum of N3,105,400 within the voting premises.

The commission stated that all the suspects had been taken into custody, stressing that an investigation to unravel the reason for the act had commenced.

ICPC noted that it will work with the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, in the prosecution of the cases.

Recall that the electoral umpire had on Saturday suspended the election in some parts of the country following violence and abduction of officials by hoodlums.

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The candidate of the All Progressives Congress, APC, for the bye-election in Surulere Federal Constituency I, Lagos, Fuad Laguda has been declared winner of the polls.

The Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC declared him winner of the Saturday election after garnering 11,203 votes.

While declaring the results, the Returning Officer for the bye-election, Prof Simeon Adebayo, said the APC candidate scored the highest votes.

Laguda defeated his main challengers, Adeola Adebanjo of the Labour Party and Jerry Afemighie of the Peoples Democratic Party.

Recall that the seat was declared vacant following Femi Gbajabiamila‘s resignation to become the Chief of Staff to President Bola Tinubu.

See full result:

ADC – 40

APC – 11, 203

APGA – 6

APM – 7

APP – 4

LP – 240

NNPP – 8

PDP – 278

SDP – 2

YPP – 9

ZLP – 4

The Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, has declared Dr Alhassan Zakariya Ishaq of the New Nigeria Peoples Party, NNPP, the winner of Saturday’s rerun election in Kura/Garun Mallam State Constituency in Kano.

Our Correspondent reports that the returning officer of the election, Prof. Shehu Musa Galadanchi, announced that Ishaq of NNPP polled 37,262 to beat Musa Hayatu Daurawar of the All Progressives Congress, APC, who scored 30,803 votes.

Recall that the appeal court had directed INEC to conduct a rerun election at 20 polling units in the Kura/Garun Malam state constituency In Kano State.

In the same vein, INEC, declared Bello Muhammad Butu-Butu of the New Nigeria Peoples Party, NNPP, winner of Saturday’s rerun election at Rimin Gado/Tofa state constituency.

The returning officer of the election, Prof. Ibrahim Tajo Suraj also announced that Bello Muhammad Butu-Butu of the NNPP polled 31,135 votes to beat his opponent of the All Progressives Congress, APC, who received 25,577 votes.

The appeal court had also directed INEC to conduct a rerun election at 33 polling units in the Rimin Gado/Tofa state constituency.

The Golden Glove at the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations will be contested between Nigeria’s Stanley Nwabali and Ronwen Williams of South Africa.

Both Nwabali and Williams have kept clean sheets in their last four matches and will face each other in the semi-finals.

The only goal Nwabali conceded at the tournament, was in the Super Eagles opening 1-1 draw with Equatorial Guinea.

Williams let in two goals for Bafana Bafana when they lost 2-0 to Mali in their first fixture.

Interestingly, both goalkeepers play in South Africa. Nwabali represents Chippa United while Williams turns out for Mamelodi Sundowns.

As it stands, both stoppers have four clean sheets, more than any other keeper has been able to secure in Ivory Coast.

Twenty-four (24) years after Tijani Babangida’s brace saw-off South Africa in their last Africa Cup of Nations semi-final appearance, both sides will meet again next Wednesday to decide one of the finalists for this year’s AFCON.

Babangida’s 1st and 34th-minute goals took care of business on that occasion in front of a packed stadium in Surulere, Lagos when Nigeria co-hosted with Ghana.

A brilliant penalty shoot-out performance by South Africa’s goalkeeper, Ronwen Williams helped South Africa fight off a dogged Cape Verde side while Nigeria defeated Angola 1-0 on Friday to set up the semi-final.

Although both sides have met in subsequent AFCONs, it has not been at the penultimate stage. In all the meetings, Nigeria has triumphed.

In Tunisia 2004, Nigeria saw off Bafana Bafana 4-0 in the group stage, while their last AFCON meeting was in 2019 in the quarter-finals when Egypt hosted. Samuel Chukwueze and Troost-Ekong’s goals helped Nigeria to a 2-1 win.