Some retired generals have stated that the Nigerian military cannot prevent residents in some troubled areas from paying levies and ransoms to bandits, despite ongoing counterterrorism efforts.

The retired officers expressed doubts about the ability of the military to stop the residents from meeting the bandits’ demands amid fears of attacks.

Since banditry became an organised crime involving mass abductions, village raids, and extortion in northern Nigeria, residents of farming communities in the region have been forced to pay heavy levies, ransoms, and taxes to various bandit and terror groups.

The levies ranged from N20m to as high as N200m, with bandit kingpins threatening to attack and wreak havoc on farms and homes if their demands are not met.

In July 2024, residents of the Toro community in the Ukum Local Government Area of Benue State were forced to sell their farm produce to raise N20m levy imposed on them by bandits. The people had to contribute N50,000 each to avoid being attacked.

The people of Moriki town in the Zurmi Local Government Area of Zamfara State also struggled to raise N30m levy imposed on them by the notorious bandit kingpin, Bello Turji, in September last year.

Earlier in January 2025, another notorious bandit leader, Dantsito, threatened to attack communities in the Tsafe LGA of Zamfara State if they failed to pay him N200m levy within two weeks.

Last week, a member of the Sokoto State House of Assembly representing Sabon Birni Constituency, Aminu Boza, said Turji imposed a N25m levy on some villages in the state.

According to the Gobir Development Association, a group of professionals in the local government, residents of the council areas had paid over N160bn in levies and ransom to bandits.

However, the Defence Headquarters has repeatedly urged northern residents not to succumb to bandits’ threats and financial demands.

Speaking with Saturday PUNCH, a former Commandant of Army Signals and Chief of Defence Training and Planning, Gen. Ishola Williams (retd.), noted that the people’s deep-seated distrust in the military would continually push them to comply with bandits’ demands.

He said there was a need to restore the people’s confidence in the capacity of the military to protect residents.

“People don’t trust the military anymore. If the people knew that by refusing to pay the levy, the military would take action against those demanding it, no one would waste their money. So, it is an issue of trust.

“Secondly, there must be some people within the affected communities who are also benefiting from the levies and ransoms paid by the people to the bandits. That is why community policing is very important.”

Similarly, a former Commander of the 1 Division of the Nigerian Army, Brig. Gen. John Sura (retd.), said residents of remote communities in the northern region would always struggle to heed the military’s advice of not paying levies due to a lack of consistent security presence to deter bandit attacks.

“If someone stronger than you threatens to kill you unless you give him something, you will typically have no choice but to comply,” he said.

Sura maintained that the military couldn’t be everywhere, saying, “Their presence is usually concentrated at local government headquarters or stationed at major road junctions leading into towns. But these villages are often far away—sometimes five to 10 kilometers. So how do you expect the military to respond swiftly?

“It is, therefore, expected that residents will seek ways to defend themselves, primarily through local security forces like the Forest Guard in Benue State. That was the approach some communities in Bauchi adopted. They inflicted such heavy losses on the bandits that they never returned.

“However, in the absence of such security measures, people have little choice but to pay ransoms and levies to ensure their survival and peace.”

Another retired general, who requested anonymity, cited the military’s inadequate manpower as a major factor contributing to their inability to provide adequate security.

He said, “The security agencies can make announcements and say, ‘Don’t fear them (bandits),’ but you know why you fear them—because they are right there on your streets. That’s how difficult this war is.

“Do you know the size of our military population? You can’t have such a limited number and expect the military to be everywhere. For instance, in Sokoto, where people pay such levies, the military isn’t there. They only come for operations and then leave. But the bandits remain with the people constantly.

“So, if the bandits are forcing people to pay levies, who do you think they will obey? Those who come and go, or the ones who stay, armed and in control?” It is the same with the police. Do you have policemen in every local government? You may have a police station in each one, but that doesn’t mean there are officers in all the villages.

“If criminals attack these villages and harass the people, the people will fear the criminals because they see them every day.”

[Punch]

Across the globe, democracy has become the most popular system of government because under it, persons in power are elected by the people to represent them in government thus establishing that the people own the government and that power belongs to the people. No matter how benevolent a dictator may be, it is unreasonable for anyone to impose himself on a people as their ruler – a point clearly against military rule in Nigeria.

But over the years, many people have been misled into believing that democracy is the same as civilian rule. In reality however, the two concepts are not coterminous because many persons under a civilian government do behave like military rulers who hardly subscribe to the democratic tenets of freedom, equality, due process and the rule of law.

Today in Nigeria, not every citizen shares the enthusiasm of the political class that the worst form of democracy is better than the best form of dictatorship. Many people are indeed unhappy with our current democracy in which actors work against the due process of law. In the last couple of days, many events clearly confirm this assertion. A good example is the unending defection of elected office holders from one political party to the other. To start with, it is untidy to see a trend towards a one-party state where lawmakers elected under the platform of an opposition party decamp to the ruling party at federal and state levels.  Yet, the law deprecates the act and requires that those affected should lose their seats – a rule no one obeys.

In a democracy, defectors would not be seen using legal technicalities, to get judicial backing with an argument such as that their parties had been broken into ‘irreconcilable’ factions, hence they needed to seek more viable platforms. Whereas the argument helps political jobbers to get off the hook, the trend does not strengthen democracy because there is no political party in Nigeria without rancour. A dispute among members of a party only calls for resolution, not defection as the voters never endorsed the new parties which such erstwhile representatives now desire. This is better appreciated when it is remembered that Nigerian law says it is parties that win votes.

How rational is it that a person wins an election on the platform of party X and for personal reasons moves the mandate to party Y?  Indeed, how does one explain the fact whereby some federal legislators defected from the so-called factitious Labour Party at the federal level while some other opposition lawmakers defected to the same Labour Party in Abia state only because the party controls the majority in the state House of Assembly? The truth therefore is that Nigerian politicians have no strong political principles that can keep them in their original parties; they are consistently involved in mercantile political carpet crossing thereby whittling down democracy. The trend is certainly a threat to true democracy and good governance in Nigeria.

As far back as 2018, Professor Attahiru Jega, former electoral commission boss had revealed that the political class is more responsible for the inability of Nigeria’s democracy to grow. This is easy to see in what is playing out at the Lagos State House of Assembly. It is true that legislators are empowered by law to elect or remove a speaker for the House but why did the Lagos state legislators choose to timidly remove speaker Mudashiru Obasa while the House was officially on recess? Was the official procedure for reconvening the House duly followed? The clerk of the House, Olalekan Onafeko known to be a strong loyalist of Obasa was also summarily removed. Being a public servant who is subject to rules of discipline that are different from those of politicians, why was he removed along with Obasa?

 As we argued two weeks ago, by electing a new speaker from the same zone as the current governor, the legislators tilted power to one direction of the state thereby ignoring the need to ensure the balance of political offices across the state.  If Obasa was involved in misappropriation of funds is his removal the prescribed punishment for such a criminal offence? When will Obasa who has been so accused be prosecuted or given a chance to defend himself? It is shocking that some people expected Obasa not to fight back. He has since done so by mobilizing the instrument of coercion to reinstate himself against the wishes of his legislator colleagues. Those who are unable to comprehend Obasa’s ‘intransigence’ have only failed to realize that Obasa is able to act as he wishes because our democracy is yet to be institutionalized.

Last week, members of the All-Progressives Congress APC in Osun state invaded the local government secretariats in the state and expelled the Peoples Democratic Party councillors and chairmen from office. According to the APC, their action was informed by their own interpretation of a court ruling in their favour against their opponents. Before the invasion, Governor Ademola Adeleke abandoned dancing briefly to raise an alarm about the coming disaster. It is either he was ignored, or no one heard his alarm to prevent the unfortunate tragedy. Painfully, the invasion led to the death of some Osun citizens with casualty figures that have more than one version. But must Nigerians die so that some of their fellow citizens can assume office in a self-acclaimed democratic country where some leaders say their political ambition is not worth anyone’s blood?

While still counting the dead, the same Osun state was busy with another major political event – local government elections in the state. Rather than tarry a while and honour the dead, an Ilesha High court gave the state ‘independent’ electoral commission under the leadership of Barrister Hashim Abioye the nod some 24 hours earlier to continue with the elections. The two main challenges raised by Chairman Abioye concerning the elections were: first, that the commission’s office in Osogbo was sealed off by personnel of the Nigeria Police and second that due to the harassment and arrests of his officials by police personnel his commission was unable to conduct polls in some polling units. These challenges notwithstanding, the ruling PDP as expected ‘won’ the elections in all the 30 local government areas and 332 wards in the state.

The election could never have gone otherwise because local government elections in Nigeria are usually ‘swept’ by the ruling party. No matter the ruling party in any state, the results would have taken the same pattern because although our electoral bodies are supposed to be neutral umpires, they are usually made up of friends, families and political associates of the ruling party who often ignore rules and the due process of law. This visibly played out in Benue state the other week when Governor Hyacinth Alia and his House of Assembly members served as accusers, prosecutors and judges in a case in which the two arms of government wanted to remove the state’s Chief Judge (CJ), Justice Maurice Ikpambase.   

The governor reportedly wrote a petition against the CJ to the State House of Assembly which was immediately approved by a majority of legislators without following due process. It is strange that despite several precedents in states such as Kwara, Abia, Rivers, Plateau and Ekiti states, Benue politicians did not know that without the concurrence of the National Judicial Council NJC, no one is allowed to remove a CJ or indeed, any judge from office. It would appear that the political class in Benue relied essentially on a political solution rather than established rules and guidelines. They didn’t stop there. They also suspended 13 of their colleagues who dissociated themselves from the plot to remove the state’s Chief Judge.

Interestingly, almost every year our legislators find cause to suspend one or more of their members without remembering that each of such suspensions has always been quashed by the courts. The stand of the Judiciary makes sense because considering that a legislature consists of representatives from all areas, should anyone be empowered to undermine some areas by suspending their representatives? Besides, since the majority had their way why couldn’t the minority have their say? Instead of answering the question, it appears easier to plead with our political class to desist from actions that stultify our democracy. As the famous social scientist, Professor McKenzie once warned, “if the rules limiting the struggle for power are not observed more or less faithfully, the game will disappear amid the wreckage of the whole system.”

The International Football Association Board (IFAB), have unanimously approved a new law to curb time-wasting by goalkeepers.

Under the new law, goalkeepers will only be able to hold the ball for eight seconds.

Any goalkeeper that hold the ball for more than eight seconds will be punished with a corner for the opposition, starting this summer.

The new law was unanimously approved during IFAB annual general meeting in Northern Ireland on Saturday, and will be in place at FIFA’s Club World Cup, which takes place in the USA from 15 June to 13 July.

“We had the test and the test was very successful. The referees didn’t have to signal for a corner (often),” Mattias Grafstrom, FIFA secretary general said.

The IFAB also voted to continue offside trials in which the attacker will be ruled onside if his torso is level with the second to last defender.

Under the current law keepers should be punished if they hold the ball for more than six seconds, with the opposition being awarded an indirect free-kick.

But Noel Mooney, the CEO of the Football Association of Wales (FAW) said implementation of the six-second rule had “dissolved over time” and it is hoped that the new law will lead to a reduction in time wasting.

Already trialled in over 400 games in three different competitions, including the Premier League 2, referees will also warn the goalkeepers with a five-second countdown before they are penalised

[BusinessDay]

Biodun Olujimi, a former senator, has appealed to Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, the senator representing Kogi central, to withdraw her suit against Godswill Akpabio.

Speaking in an interview on Arise TV on Saturday, Olujimi, a former senate minority leader, said she does not want women to “look emotionally unstable”.

On February 20, Akpabio, the senate president, and Akpoti-Uduaghan engaged in a heated debate during the plenary over a change in seating arrangements.

On February 25, the senate referred Akpoti-Uduaghan to the committee on ethics, privileges, and public petitions for disciplinary review.

However, the Kogi senator filed a N100 billion defamation suit against Akpabio over an alleged defamatory statement reportedly made by the senate president’s legislative aide.

Akpoti-Uduaghan later alleged that her trouble in the senate began after she rejected sexual advances from Akpabio.

Reacting to the development, Olujimi said a senator cannot speak outside the assigned seat according to the senate rule.

The former lawmaker said the request of the Kogi senator that her senate probe proceedings should be broadcast live is a “little overboard.”

She added that the clash between the senate president and Akpoti-Uduaghan should not have been escalated, noting that the change in seating arrangements is a normal phenomenon in the red chamber.

The former senate minority leader expressed support for the probe of Akpoti-Uduaghan’s “weighty” allegations against Akpabio.

She said Akpabio is someone who jokes a lot, adding that the senate president usually makes fun of everything.

“I want to say that in the 8th and 9th senate, we never had anything like that (referring to the allegations), and Senator Akpabio was one of us,” Olujimi said.

“They treated us (female senators) with decorum. We did not have anything like that, and I have not heard anything of such from any other of the remaining senators.

“It is tough for me to be able to take that without proper investigation. There should be an investigation.

“He (Akpabio) jokes a lot. He is fond of making little fun out of everything. He loves to make everything light; when you do that, you become very vulnerable.

“The court case, I want to appeal to her to take the case out of court. We don’t want women to look like they are emotionally unstable.

“We need to also be strong enough to face the men. Going to court against a presiding officer is not on. I know she is hurt, but she needs to handle it in a better way. I think that should get out of court as fast as possible.”

[TheCable]

Urges Senate, Akpabio to treat his wife with respect, dignity 

Saraki calls for transparent investigation 

Let your husband defend himself, Natasha advises Senate president’s wife 

Akpabio’s wife slams N250bn suit against Kogi senator

Chuks Okocha, Alex Enumah, Adedayo Akinwale in Abuja, and Wale Igbintade in Lagos

The verbal exchanges between the lawmaker representing Kogi Central Senatorial District, Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, and the Senate President, Senator Godswill Akpabio, took a fresh turn yesterday as her husband, Chief Emmanuel Uduaghan, revealed that his wife had confided in him about her interactions with Akpabio.

Chief Uduaghan, who is the Alema of Warri Kingdom, also disclosed that despite meeting with Akpabio and reaching an agreement with him on an amicable settlement of the issue, his wife continued to express concerns about Akpabio’s harassment.

While urging the Senate and Akpabio to accord his wife the respect and dignity she deserves, Chief Uduaghan expressed his unwavering faith in his wife’s loyalty and full commitment to their marriage, which he described as being grounded in love, compassion, and mutual respect.

This is just as a former President of the Senate, Dr. Bukola Saraki, has called for a transparent investigation into the allegations levelled against the Senate president.

Meanwhile, Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan has also called on the wife of the Senate President, Mrs. Unoma Akpabio, to stay out of the allegations and allow her husband to defend himself.
However, Mrs. Akpabio has filed multiple lawsuits at the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja, against Akpoti-Uduaghan, seeking N250 billion in damages for alleged defamation.
In a statement issued yesterday, Chief Uduaghan stated that he would never trade his wife for anything, adding that she is the greatest joy of his life.

“I have unwavering faith in my wife’s loyalty and am fully committed to our marriage, which is grounded in love, compassion, and mutual respect. I would never trade her for anything, as she is the greatest joy of my life,” he explained.

He added: “My wife is a devoted partner, and the bond we share is deep and unwavering. She has always remained truthful, even in the face of adversity.”
Chief Uduaghan stated that he had initially resolved to refrain from commenting on the ongoing dispute between his beloved wife, and the Senate president.

He, however, added that recent developments prompted him to issue a statement, stressing that certain sentiments were being unnecessarily stirred, distracting from the serious underlying issues, which should concern all individuals with strong family values.
 Chief Uduaghan further revealed that his wife had confided in him about her interactions with the Senate president, whom he considered a family friend.
 “I had initially resolved to refrain from commenting on the ongoing dispute between my beloved wife, Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, and the Senate President, Senator Godswill Akpabio.
 “However, recent developments have compelled me to issue this statement. It is clear that certain sentiments are being stirred up unnecessarily, distracting from the serious underlying allegations, which should concern every discerning individual with sound family values.

“Without prejudice to the ongoing legal proceedings, I wish to emphasise that my wife was duly elected by her people due to the immense love, respect, and confidence they have in her and she is committed to delivering quality representation to her district and the nation at large.
 “She is a devoted wife, and the bond we share is deep and unwavering. She has always remained truthful, even in the face of adversity.

“My wife has confided in me about her interactions with the Senate President, whom I considered a family friend. In response, I approached the matter with the utmost maturity and responsibility, as it is my duty as a traditional leader who has immense respect for constituted authority and upholds core family values, fostering peace and harmony.

“I personally met with the Senate President and respectfully urged him to extend the courtesy and respect my wife deserves, while also honouring the friendship between us. We reached an understanding and agreed to resolve the issue amicably.

“However, despite this agreement, my wife continues to express concerns about the harassment she has endured from the Senate President,” Uduaghan explained.
 He urged the Senate and Akpabio to treat his beloved wife with the respect and dignity she truly deserves “while the relevant authorities and the court determine the underlying issues.”

Saraki Calls for Transparent Investigation

Meanwhile, a former President of the Senate, Dr. Saraki, has called for a transparent investigation into the allegations made against Akpabio by the Kogi senator.
In a statement issued at the weekend, Saraki emphasised the importance of a fair and transparent inquiry to uncover the truth and safeguard the integrity of the Senate.
 He warned that the Senate, as a vital institution, must be protected from any actions that could tarnish its reputation.

Saraki expressed his sadness over the negative impact it has had on the Senate’s image.
He called for all parties involved to carefully consider the consequences of their actions, ensuring that nothing undermines the institution’s credibility.
He also urged adherence to the Constitution, Senate rules, and parliamentary conventions in resolving the issue.

Saraki called on the Committee on Ethics, Privileges, and Public Petitions to conduct an open and transparent investigation, with both parties fully cooperating.
He recalled a similar situation during his time as Senate President when he faced allegations but allowed for a transparent investigation, which ultimately cleared his name.

“Let me make it clear without any ambiguity that I am neither stating that Akpabio is guilty of anything nor am I expressing the opinion that Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan is right in her actions and claims. My position is that an investigation is needed to find out the truth and protect the integrity of the Senate,” Saraki added.
The dispute between Natasha and Akpabio began after she refused to sit in a designated seat during a Senate session, citing Order 10 of the Senate Standing Rules.

Tensions escalated further when she appeared on ARISE NEWS Channel on Friday, accusing Akpabio of blocking her motions, maligning her, and intimidating her after she allegedly rejected his sexual advances.
In response, Mrs. Akpabio held a press conference in Abuja and dismissed the allegations of sexual harassment leveled against her husband.

She asserted that both families had shared a cordial relationship for years, long before Natasha’s marriage, and suggested that the claims were baseless.

Let Your Husband Defend Himself, Natasha Advises Senate President’s Wife

However, in a letter dated March 1, 2025, addressed to Mrs. Akpabio through her lawyer, Mr. Victor Giwa, Natasha advised her to refrain from getting involved in the matter.

The letter stressed that the accusations were personal to the Senate President and that he should be left to defend himself.

The letter stated that she had enough evidence to back up her claims, urging the wife to allow her husband to defend himself for the sake of her sanity and family.

“Our client has concrete evidence to substantiate her allegations. We will suggest that you leave the defence of the allegations for the Senate President to maintain your sanity and that of your family.”

Akpabio’s Wife Slams N250bn Suit against Natasha

Meanwhile, Mrs. Akpabio has filed multiple lawsuits at the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja, against Natasha, claiming N250 billion in damages for what she described as “scandalous and salacious” comments.

In the suit, she claimed that the accusations have caused her and her children “emotional and psychological abuse.”

The court is being asked to issue a restraining order, preventing Natasha from making further “spiteful” statements that infringe on her fundamental human rights.

She stated that Suit No: CV/814/25 was brought pursuant to Section 34(1)(a) of the 1999 Constitution (as amended) and Articles 4 & 5 of The African Charter on Human And Peoples Rights (Ratification And Enforcement Act) Cap. A9, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004.

While demanding the sum of N1billion as punitive and exemplary damages, she is also seeking “an order mandating the defendant to issue a formal written retraction of the defamatory words and tender an unconditional apology to the claimant and her family, to be published in two nationally-read newspapers to wit: The Guardian and THISDAY Newspapers.

[ThisDay]

Pardon my ignorance. I would have sworn that the telecoms sector was deregulated until the federal government quickly held a meeting with the leaders of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) after they served a strike notice over the approved 50 percent increase in telephone tariffs. That was when it dawned on me that unlike in the downstream petroleum sector, government is still involved in fixing prices in the telecoms. After the meeting, a committee was set up to look into the new tariffs approved by the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC). It brought back memories of the days of fuel price hikes when unions would go on strike and government would meet with their leaders.

Pardon my ignorance again. I didn’t even know that the last time telcos increased their tariffs was in 2013. No, I’ve not been living in another world, but there are too many things to battle with in Nigeria and phone tariff was the least of my worries. As an entrepreneur in my own corner, I’ve been more bothered about diesel price, which was N200/litre 12 years ago but now N1,200. A litre of petrol that was N97 in 2013 is now north of N900. Minimum wage that was N18,000 has quadrupled to N70,000. A Lagos-Abuja flight ticket was N25,000 but is now in excess of N100,000. Operating expenses have risen dramatically for all businesses but I just didn’t pay attention to phone tariffs.

I operate mainly in the printing and publishing business. The book we used to print for N10,000 per copy two years ago now costs up to N20,000. How much are we going to sell it? What will happen if booksellers adjust the price to N22,000 and readers embark on a protest? Will the federal government order them to sell at N12,000 when it has not ordered expenses to come down? The costs of materials and freighting plus customs charges and logistics have headed for the skies in the last two years — riding on the back of the devaluation of the naira and removal of subsidies on petrol and power. What business can survive on pre-2023 prices, much less on tariffs dating back to 2013?

I also run an online newspaper, TheCable, which I founded in 2014. We are lucky we do not incur the kind of operating expenses that printed newspapers have to bear, but we are not enjoying paradise either. For one, we pay for servers and subscriptions in dollars. When we started out, the exchange rate was averagely N165/$. Now we are paying for these services at N1,500/$. Even if they charge us in local currency, we will still pay the naira equivalent. The bills for news gathering and investigations, including flights and hotels, have more than tripled since we launched. The wage bill has gone up in multiple folds. Can our advertisers reasonably insist on paying the same advert rates of 2014?

Sometimes, I wonder how printed newspapers make money in Nigeria, given the enormous costs and stress of running a printing press, importing inks, plates, blankets, spare parts and newsprint, paying high energy bills, keeping distribution vans running on Nigeria’s potholes daily — in addition to flying copies to far-flung places — and still paying salaries. It is hellish. I know what I am saying. I have spent the whole of my adult life in this industry. I went into printing and publishing business in 1996, about three years after I started my journalism career. Thank God, it has put a roof over my head and still pays my bill, but the margins are growing south as the costs head north mercilessly.

Every business makes reasonable adjustments as costs soar. The trader selling garri adjusts the price in response to costs. The mechanic adjusts charges in response to inflation. That is why I just assumed that the telcos had also been making adjustments — until I realised recently that the last time they were allowed to do so was in 2013. Wow. They have over 40,000 base stations across Nigeria, each powered by two diesel generators in a 24/7 relay race to protect the equipment from fluctuating current. How much were they spending on diesel in 2013? How much today? Is this why my village people get inconsistent service? The telcos probably think the revenue cannot buy diesel!

In truth, I never expected that anyone would think telcos are operating in a different world and are, therefore, not affected by these stinging economic realities. Do we honestly think everybody else can adjust their prices except the telcos, even though they claim their operating expenses have gone up by over 300 percent in the last two years? Airtel Africa posted a net loss of $89 million in the 2023/2024 financial year — blamed mostly on the devaluation of the naira. In 2024, MTN Nigeria, the biggest of them all, posted a N514.9bn loss in nine months. Globacom is a private company so we are not entitled to the details of their finances, but there is no way they also are not taking a hit. Same could be said of 9mobile, which is neither alive nor dead — although for a different reason.

I understand that phone services are now considered as critical to the livelihood of the poor and there is a need to make sure things are not out of their reach. However, while the price of yam can grow wild and the cost of onions can make us shed tears, the unions do not go on strike or issue a deadline for reversal. Petrol is over N900/litre and we have moved on with our lives by accepting the realities of a deregulated market and adjusting accordingly — but we are ready to spit fire and brimstone because 500MB data that was N500 in 2013 has risen to N750 in 2025. I am probably comparing apples and oranges since the telecoms’ market is somewhat different, but it is what it is.

Nevertheless, there are issues being opened up by the tariff tango. To begin with, subscribers often experience poor quality of service. It could be very frustrating. Even though I am not a tech expert, I always guess that a major part of the problem would be a lack of the needed investment in network upgrade. Operators complain about frequent fibre optic cable cuts resulting from road construction, in addition to multiple taxation, vandalism and challenges in acquiring a right of way which are impeding infrastructural upgrade. I do not wish to downplay these challenges, but the subscriber wants quality service, not quality excuse. Why should they eagerly pay more for poor services?

I see this tango as an opportunity to tackle a number of issues affecting the sector. On the one hand, the grievances of subscribers need to be addressed. If subscribers are going to pay more, they also deserve more. They don’t want to be shouting “hello hello hello” every time they make a call. On the other hand, the obstacles confronting the telcos must be addressed as well. Fibre optic cable cuts during road construction immediately impact quality of service. I have been thinking loudly that Nigeria must be one of the few countries in the country where telcos suffer these fibre cuts. Should we assume that road builders are not provided with the geo-physical maps before they start work?

I see a problem of co-ordination here. For every road construction, there should be communication between the government agency that awarded the contract, the contractor and the operators. You just can’t start excavating a road without knowing what is in its belly. The best practice across the world is to go through the geo-physical maps to know where the pipelines and ducts are laid. We do things anyhow in Nigeria, so this doesn’t really mean anything to us. I have seen water pipes being burst by earth equipment because somebody did not do their homework. Some construction companies cut fibre optic cables and don’t bother to inform the operators for remedial action.

Also, something doesn’t sound right in the Nigerian Communications Act and this is an opportunity to correct it. The law empowers the NCC to have the final say on tariffs. Section 108 says: “(1) Holders of individual licences shall not impose any tariff or charges for the provision of any service until the Commission has approved such tariff rates and charges except as otherwise provided in this Part. (2) The licensees specified in subsection (1) of this section shall provide services at the tariff rates and charges so approved by the Commission and shall not depart therefrom without prior written approval by the Commission of such proposed changes in tariff rates and charges.”

Something is wrong with this. In a truly deregulated market, it is not the job of the regulator to determine tariffs, either floor or ceiling. The NCC should be enforcing technical standards and ensuring satisfactory service. The Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC), working closely with the NCC, should ensure that there are no unfair pricing practices, such as collusion. Alternatively, there should be a pricing mechanism indexed against certain metrics, such as inflation, to avoid the kind of situation where tariffs have to be adjusted sharply rather than in bits. If government is no longer approving the prices of petrol, so why should it fix call tariffs?

Finally, since the mobile phone revolution started over 20 years ago, telcos have become the cash cows. In a sense, they have become victims of their own success. Everybody is looking up to them for revenue. Every tier of government is trying to feast on them. Some states have seized the chance to bolster their IGR. The sector has also contributed immensely to the GDP. A lot of things ride on their services today — banking transactions, security infrastructure, etc. It is, therefore, in everybody’s interest for the goose that lays the golden egg to remain alive and kicking. Tariff is just one of the needed adjustments to keep the sector in good health. Service quality is another. It can be a win-win.

AND FOUR OTHER THINGS…

AKPOTI VS AKPABIO

We are entering a new season in the “Netflix Original” screening at the Nigerian senate and starring Senate President Godswill Akpabio and Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan. In the first season, Akpabio fired potshots at Akpoti-Uduaghan, saying senate is not a “night club”. In the second season, she opened fire on Akpabio for changing the seating arrangement and taking her away from the cameras which she said help with visibility in the red chamber. On Friday, she opened a new act in an Arise interview. “Mine is the case of a student being punished by a lecturer for refusing to sleep with him,” she said. Why am I thinking this whole drama will end in suspension and apologies? Anticlimax.

VIVA LA VISA!

There was confusion over Nigeria’s visa on arrival policy recently when Hon Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, the interior minister, said it was being scrapped. The problem is that visitors have to wait for hours at the airport to get the visa vignette. The good news, however, is that an improved process is on the way. In place of physical stickers, visitors will apply online and get an e-visa via email before arriving the country. “This aims to cut out inefficiencies, allowing Nigeria to better automate and control the inflow of travellers. This upgrade builds upon the existing online approval system, streamlining the process and enabling travellers to receive their approvals ahead of time,” Tunji-Ojo said. Lovely.

KEMI THE COCONUT

UK PM Keir Starmer aimed a loaded jibe at Mrs Kemi “Nigeria is hell” Badenoch, leader of the Conservative Party, on Wednesday. He had proposed a cut to international aid budget to beef up defence spending — an upcoming trend in Western countries in this Trumpian age. She then claimed credit for the idea, but Starmer fired back: “I’m going to have to let the leader of the opposition down gently. She didn’t feature in my thinking at all. I was so busy… I didn’t even see her proposal.” And then the clincher: “She has appointed herself saviour of the Western civilisation in a desperate search for relevance.” As they say in Warri, “Talk am go, talk am come, Saduwa na Bini man.” Ouch!

NO COMMENT

Lagos is fast becoming a case study in democratic decline. After 32 of the 40 state lawmakers voted to remove Rt Hon Mudashiru Obasa as speaker, he has refused to go. On Thursday, he conducted “plenary” with just four members. This was the same thing the APC used to condemn as an opposition party. Since Obasa thinks he was illegally removed, he should wait for the courts and not resort to self-help. Democracy can self-correct if we would allow it to work. Some people respect democracy only when the tide favours them. Meanwhile, after withdrawing the security of the new speaker, Rt Hon Mojisola Maranda, police came out to say it was only for audit purposes. Wonderful.

Although I love watching football, I am not a football fanatic. Each time I sit before the television, it is almost always going to be to watch one football match or the other. I don’t like watching movies. They seem to me a world of make-believe and illusion. They make me apprehensive over nothing. Besides, our home-grown movies are damn too amateurish. It is like much time, enough resources, and adequate intellect are not invested in them to make them world-class. The actors and producers appear too much in a hurry to hit the market. The storylines are usually not well exploited. The plots run with the speed of light. It is like the sole motivation is to quickly hit the market and make some quick bucks. Don’t they watch Mexican movies or soaps? Even the Indians are a million times better!

 Once upon a time I was addicted to watching movies, though. Practically every Nigerian, I presume, was equally addicted to watching Mexican movies like I did then. Those were the days when Paloma, Salvador and many other Mexican movies ruled the waves. I wouldn’t know whether they still do. Unfortunately, the timing clashed with when I had to go for church service or Holy Ghost service at the RCCG campground. On many occasions I missed going because I would say, “Let me watch a little”and, then, before I realised it, the whole time would be gone! Didn’t Proverbs 24:33-34 say, “Yet a little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to sleep: So shall thy poverty come as one that travelIeth; and thy want as an armed man”? My procrastination at the altar of Mexican movies took a little while before I received the grace to say “Enough”! I stopped subscribing! I also scrapped watching television entirely. I did not return until the addiction had completely drained out of my system.

 Addiction is of various kinds and shapes. Each, anyone, and everyone of it is not just bad; it is a torment. It is not just life-threatening; it is a veritable life-terminator. There was a time I was addicted to coffee – first thing when I woke up and the last thing before I retired to bed. There was another occasion when bread was my addiction – it was the dessert after every meal, even after a bowl of pounded yam! In my secondary school days, after a friend and classmate had introduced me to football pools staking, as we called it then, I got addicted to it, such that I played pool from Form Three through to Form Five and many years thereafter. Not less than five years of my adolescent and young adulthood life was wasted on playing football pools, pouring over forecast books – Willy Akinlude, Prince Willy Ehi Obinyan’s King and George forecast book – and a whole lot of “systems” of so-called “banker draws”! 

 Peer group influence or pressure is a potent danger to young, impressionistic minds. The first time I got to know what was called “asewo”, friends and classmates took me there! Where and how did they get those ideas into their head? And at such an early stage in life! Children sent to school at great costs by their parents to study! God have mercy! What do we know that our own children do today – those that we think are in school reading books? Anything that completely takes over your will-power to say ‘No” is an addiction.

 Singing about his own problem of addiction to booze, the South African reggae maestro, Lucky Dube, in “This is a song called Slave”, aptly described himself as having become a “slave” to liquor. Hear him:

 “Ministers of religion have visited me many times to talk about it/They say to me/I gotta leave it/I gotta leave it/It’s a bad habit for a man/But when I try/To leave it/My friends keep telling me, ’Fools, I’m fool’

 “Now I’m a slave/A slave/I’m a slave/Just a liquor slave/I’m a slave/A slave/Just a liquor slave

 “I have lost my dignity (that) I had before/Trying to please everybody/Some say to me yo yo/I look better when I’m drunk/Some say no no no/I look bad, you know/Sometimes I cry/Me alone I cry/My crying never helps me because now/I am a slave….

 “Every night when I’m coming back home/My wife gets worried because she knows/She’s got double trouble coming home/Sometimes I cry/I cry/My crying never helps me…”

 When someone is addicted, he is unable to help himself. His will-power is decimated to the point of irrelevance. Therefore, he needs a superior power; power that is outside of his own being, to be able to suppress and annihilate the forces of addiction urging him on. An addict appears free; he walks freely; acts, supposedly, freely, but in actual sense is under the compulsion, push, and power of something or someone else, which he has lost the ability and agility to resist. The soul may be willing but the flesh is weak (Matthew 26: 41).

 Says Jean Jacques-Rousseau: “Man is born free and everywhere in chains’. These are chains that ordinary eyes cannot see. Chains that are worse than prison walls. But I digress!

 Yes, I do watch football, but gone were the days when I had darling teams. ICCC Shooting Stars was my team. Up Sootin! That team is, today, a shadow of its old self. It is like Nigeria happened to it, as they say. In most things Nigerian, we lack the tenacity of purpose to carry success forward and build on it. The other day I watched with tears a gathering of the descendants of the man who started Nigeria’s first indigenous construction company – Oni and Sons. Where is the company today? If you investigate, Nigerians themselves must have been the ones who ran it aground. That is our tragedy. The same Nigerians eating up both indigenous and foreign businesses will turn around to blame the government for the soaring rate of unemployment!

 These days, most Nigerians openly and proudly declare and demonstrate their love, support, and commitment to foreign clubs! This is another facet of the stupidity and folly that have eaten deep into the fabrics of our society. Our language, tastes, culture, traditions, and religion have all been subverted by anything and everything foreign. Whenever I have to wear a suit and knot a tie in the searing sun to go to church, I wonder what is wrong with my own native “buba” and “soro”! Colonial mentality! Perverted values! In Burkina Faso (Land of the Upright), judges and lawyers have thrown away colonial wig and gown for traditional attires.

 So I was happy when our own Ademola Lookman, voted as the African Footballer of the Year 2024,  went to the crowning event resplendent in a Yoruba traditional attire. His Yorubaness, if I may call it that, was the icing on the cake for me. I doff my hat for that lad and I salute the parents that raised him. So, you can imagine my grief when this same boy was vilified by his coach for missing a penalty that everyone else had run away from taking. 

 Lookman’s up-to-date contributions to Atalanta are enough to make him a legend. In the game in question, he came in and immediately scored a goal, thus helping to change the tempo of the game in favour of his team, which had lost the first leg in which Lookman did not feature due to an injury. So, the chances of his team turning the table was uphill from the start. But it was unfortunate he lost the penalty. Had he scored, it would have further buoyed the confidence of the team and, who knows, maybe the world could have witnessed another Damian miracle! Therefore, the coach’s frustration is understandable, even if he can be accused of over-reacting.

 And this brings to mind an event that happened when I was a Senior Reporter with the Ibadan-based Sketch newspapers. I had been recently transferred to the Lagos office. One Sunday at about mid-day, the editor, Mr. Ademola Idowu (Bless his soul, O Lord!), called from Ibadan. “Where is Ayinde Teniola?”, he asked. Mr. Teniola aka Egbon ria (Our Elder Brother) was the City Editor. “He is yet to arrive, Sir!”, I responded. “Ok. Quickly go to the NNPC Head Office and file the story. The place is on fire!” NNPC Head Office was at Falomo, Lagos at the time. “And when Ayinde comes, tell him to call me. This was how he missed a story 10 years ago!”

 The story Mr. Teniola missed was the capture of Buka Suka Dimka, the mastermind of the abortive coup of February 13, 1976 that killed the then Head of State, Gen. Murtala Muhammed. I went, covered the story, and returned quickly to the office to file it to Ibadan. Egbon Ria, a typical Ijesha man, later breezed into the office straight from Ilesha where he had gone to spend the weekend. He confided in us his subordinates each time he had to travel; so we watched his back. He murmured when I told him what happened. He was the one who explained to me the story he missed 10 years ago as he threw up his arms in exasperation, recounting that the incident had continued to ceaselessly define his career, denying him his due at every turn.

 A similar incident happened when Chief Segun Osoba was the Managing Director of Daily Times. The Lagos State chapter of the Nigeria Bar Association had an event to which the media was invited. We were nearing the tail end of the event when the chapter’s publicity secretary, Mr. Dipo Jimilehin, signaled to me to quickly follow him. I tried to drag our photographer along but he insisted he must collect his own “brown envelope” before leaving!

 We drove in Mr. Jimilehin’s car. It was when we got to the Lagos University Teaching Hospital at Idi-Araba that he told me we were going to see the incarcerated Second Republic civilian governor of Ogun State, Chief Bisi Onabanjo aka Aiyekooto. When we got to his room, Onabanjo, clad in pyjamas and seated on his hospital bed, was packing a travelling bag. One of the civilian governors jailed by the Muhammadu Buhari military junta, Onabanjo’s health had deteriorated while in Buhari’s gulag. With the overthrow of Buhari and the coming to power of Ibrahim Babangida, with the humane Professor Olikoye Ransome-Kuti as the Health Minister, the coast was cleared for Onabanjo to seek medical treatment abroad.

The Daily Times, Nigeria’s most authoritative newspaper at the time, had reported that the former governor had already travelled abroad for treatment; whereas he yet had not. When my story came out with the Front Page headline: “Onabanjo travels today, says: I will foot my bill”, heads rolled at the Daily Times. The past heroics of the reporters concerned availed for nothing.

 There is a similar football incident involving Steven Gerrard, Liverpool’s captain and one footballer I admired so much; much for his good looks as for his football skills. There was this match that stood between Liverpool and the Premier league; Gerrard had discharged himself very well throughout the season and also in that particular match, but in the dying minutes of the game, he slipped while on the ball. An opponent took the ball from him and scored! I cannot say who was more devastated over that unfortunate incident between Gerrard and me.

 A story missed can define a journalist, ruining an otherwise excellent career. A penalty missed by Lookman has caused so much ripples. Says Mark Anthony in William Shakespeare’s Julius Caesar: the evil that men do live after them (but) the good is often interred with their bones! Not funny!   

Disinformation in this digital age has assumed a frightening dimension; this troubling trend in today’s evolving society is further deepened with the availability of sophisticated forms of information and communication technology which has found expression namely in the sharing of text messages, videos and links online. The deployment of these media tools allows information to go viral within hours. The trending video of questionable origin which purports that Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) produced by NNPC burns faster than others bests illustrates the destructive impact of disinformation if unchecked. For good reason, the country’s oil behemoth reacted with vehemence, to what is unraveling as a contrived vile propaganda aimed at casting doubts on the integrity of its product.

 In a press release, Olufemi Soneye, Chief Communications Officer of the company described the viral video as entirely unfounded, originating from unverified amateur research that lacks credibility, accuracy and professional oversight.

The statement said, “This misleading video represents yet another desperate attempt by economic saboteurs to misinform the public and tarnish NNPCL’s reputation. We will not tolerate deliberate misinformation designed to undermine our operations and mislead Nigerians.

“Henceforth, NNPC Ltd. will take firm legal action against individuals or groups who intentionally spread falsehoods about our brand and operations. Those engaged in such malicious activities will be held fully accountable under the law.” Further push back to this obviously manufactured lie came from an independent organisation, Petroleum Products Retail Outlets Owners Association of Nigeria (PETROAN). In dismissing the claim suggesting that NNPCL’s fuel is inferior to Dangote’s, the association warned against the dangers of misinformation. A statement from petroleum marketers under the aegis of PETROAN and signed by its spokesman said that the association had conducted independent tests on NNPCL’s Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) and found out it met all regulatory and industry standards.

According to PETROAN, “The results of these tests are satisfactory, demonstrating that NNPCL’s petroleum products meet and exceed the required industry standards..”

“Specifically, Flashpoint test exceeds minimum requirement, indicating low risk of ignition. “Density test:” meets prescribed density standards, ensuring optimal engine performance and fuel efficiency.

“Viscosity test falls within acceptable range, ensuring smooth engine operation and minimizing wear and tear. Sulfur content test meets regulatory limits, reducing risk of engine corrosion and environmental pollution.

“Water content test”: Well below allowable limit, ensuring fuel stability and preventing engine problem. Ash content test meets regulatory limits, reducing risk of engine wear and tear. We are confident in the quality of petroleum products supplied by NNPCL, which adheres to strict industry standards. Amidst the validation of the highest standards which NNPCL has been associated with for decades, Mele Kyari, the Group Chief Executive Officer of the company lampooned and described the viral video as an unfortunate drama and bad marketing practices. While a segment of the public may have been duped by this well-orchestrated vile campaign without any foundation on science and empirical evidence, the incalculable damage this ignoble action is capable of unleashing on the Nigerian economy and the prospects of energy security is not frightening. This ill-conceived take down campaign is aimed to not only smear the reputation of NNPCL but is driven by the mindless attempts by economic saboteurs and implacable enemies of the Tinubu administration to imperil the economy. Since its founding in 1977, NNPC has been the mainstay of the Nigerian economy; by far Nigeria’s wealthiest and most profitable company, it has been pivotal to the growth in the country’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP).

Growth in the oil sector has a huge implication for the Nigerian GDP because the economy is an oil driven economy.  As a result of concerted efforts of the current management of the company under the leadership of Mele Kyari, the oil sector has witnessed a steady growth in recent times. In the second quarter of 2024, National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) reported that real growth in the oil sector was 10.15 per cent. This performance indicated an increase of 23.58 per cent points relative to the rate recording in the corresponding quarter of 2023. In tangible terms, the performance drove the oil sector to contribute 5.70 per cent to the total real GDP in the second quarter of 2024, a rise from the figure of 5.34 per cent of GDP recorded in the corresponding period of 2023. 

For decades, NNPC has acted as guarantor of the country’s energy security. This critical role came into sharper focus when the company transformed into a fully independent, commercial and profit oriented energy company. Unveiling the new company in 2022, Former President had charged the company to operate as, “a commercial, independent and viable NOC at par with its peers around the world, to sustainably deliver value to its over 200 million shareholders and the global energy community, while adhering to its fundamental corporate values of Integrity, Excellence and Sustainability.”

The former President also stated that, “NNPC Limited is mandated by law to ensure Nigeria’s National Energy Security is guaranteed to support sustainable growth across other sectors of the economy as it delivers energy to the world.”

Under the leadership of the current management, the commitment of the company to resolving the country’s energy trilemma by ensuring energy security, sustainable growth and energy affordability is total. Mele Kyari’s resolve, implementation of bold ideas, embrace of shared knowledge and collective determination, NNPCL is delivering expansion of gas infrastructure, the development of cleaner energy options such as Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) and Compressed Natural Gas (CNG).

Clearly, under the leadership of Mele Kyari, NNPC is witnessing unprecedented transformation. The unconscionable campaign to destroy the reputation of the company through the peddling of lies represented by the viral video is a new low in the concerted effort by economic saboteurs to bring the country to its knees. The sad reality of the present age is that it is possible to destroy an economy and a society through the spread of fake news with the use of digital media. Thomas Jefferson came to this conclusion two centuries ago when he stated that, “truth itself become suspect when filtered through the lens of fabricated news. The 2024 World Economic Forum ranks fake news as the most severe global short-term risk; its gradual absorption by the public amidst the heightened confusion and uncertainty it spews leads to depression of macro-economic outcomes.

It is in the national interest for all Nigerians to revolt against the ongoing attempt to de-market NNPC precisely because it threatens its core mandate and unique role as guarantor of Nigeria’s energy security. Energy is an essential element for economic stability, the backbone of nations and a power source of economies; no effort should be spared in protecting it from hawks and predators. The current management of NNPC has demonstrated its resolve not to succumb to this cheap blackmail; in the face of this campaign of calumny, its recourse to legal redress even as it exposes the tissues of lies contained in the controversial viral video is commendable and should be supported by all Nigerians. 

The stakes could not be any higher especially at this critical period of profound national challenges. Apart from being the mainstay of the country’s economy, the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA) placed on NNPC the role of the supplier of last resort; what this means is that at any point in time when there is disruption in the supply chain of petroleum products, it falls on NNPC to ensure availability of products until such a time normalcy is restored.

Over the years, the company has played this role admirably to stabilise the country’s economy. The ongoing campaign if unchecked will imperil this role and inexorably plunge Nigerian economy into recession.

Odiogor, an analyst and commentator on national affairs, contributed this piece from Surulere, Lagos.