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Buhari gave orders to seven Northwest governors to end banditry

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Kebbi State Governor, Atiku Bagudu has disclosed that President Muhammadu Buhari has mandated seven North-West governors, including himself, to end banditry in the zone.

Bagudu, who is also the Chairman, APC Governors’ Forum, made the disclosure at the continuation of a Fulani Stakeholders’ Peace, Security and Unity Meeting held in Birnin-Kebbi.

The governor said the president’s directive was to ensure the urgent restoration of normalcy in the region.

He stated that the President was fully committed to adequately protecting the lives and property of all law-abiding and peaceful citizens of the country.

Bagudu acknowledged the relentless efforts of the military and the other security agencies in tackling the nation’s security challenges.

He appealed to Nigerians to be less apprehensive in confronting the enemies of peace and unity, saying: “They are a negligible few and we should all brace the odds.

“The issue of ensuring security in the nation is a collective responsibility and as such all hands must be on deck in this direction.“

Bagudu also reiterated his earlier pledge to lead the rescue efforts of the abducted students and staff of the Federal Government College (FGC) Birnin Yauri.

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Suspected bandits had on Thursday, June 17 invaded the unity college and abducted some teachers and an unspecified number of students.

However, a military team has so far rescued about 11 of the abductees.

The governor said: “We were not elected only to stay in the office, but to do anything to safeguard the lives and property of all law-abiding citizens.

“We have to do everything to guarantee peace, unity and security even to the extent of sacrificing our lives as ordained by religious scriptures.”

According to Bagudu, the Fulani stakeholders meeting was called to review the progress made in tackling the challenges with a view to proffering plausible solutions.

He said his government had set up a steering committee to look into the issues of grazing reserves, cattle routes, as well as resolve lingering contentious issues between farmers and herders as a path to achieving lasting peace and security in the state.

“Government is fully aware of issues raised, just as it has already started implementing some of the recommendations raised by the committee.

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“No matter the efforts put in by the government, there has to be the understanding and acceptance of those concerned to have positive effect on their lives,” he said.

He vowed that his administration would leave no stone unturned in protecting the lives and property of citizens in the state.

Bagudu also vowed to sustain ongoing efforts by his administration to improve the lives of Fulanis through livestock and dairy production, Fulani women empowerment as well as enhance other forms of farming activities.

Earlier, the Secretary-General of the committee set up by the government on Fulani matters, Alhaji Abubakar Bandam, said the meeting was part of the ongoing efforts by Miyetti Allah to support the efforts of Gov. Bagudu to address security challenges in the state, especially banditry.

“The meeting is geared towards joining hands with Fulani elite from all spheres of life and other stakeholders to rescue Kebbi and to support ongoing peace efforts by Gov. Bagudu to bring an end banditry.

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“That is why he chose the former Gov. Saidu Dakingari to spearhead the steering committee, to champion, among other things, provision of basic social amenities to better the lives of Fulanis,” he said.

On his part, the Chairman of the Committee on Fulani Sensitisation, which was set up by the Kebbi Government, Dr Abdullahi Imam-Shema expressed happiness over the conduct of the meeting.

He said the meeting was an extension and continuation of the mandate of his committee to reach out to all Fulanis even in their hamlets, to enlighten them, paying particular attention to peace, unity, social wellbeing and education.

He commended Bagudu for his initiative and unrelenting effort to better the lives of Fulanis in Kebbi.

He cited the construction of earth dams, grazing reserves and nomadic schools in Fulani settlements as some of the projects undertaken to improve their wellbeing.

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Shake-up in EFCC as Olukoyede appoints chief of staff, 14 directors

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Ola Olukoyede, chair of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), has appointed Michael Nzekwe as his chief of staff.

 

As part of a restructuring drive, Olukoyede upgraded all the zonal commands of the EFCC to departments and appointed 14 new directors.

 

A statement by Dele Oyewale, EFCC spokesperson, said the security unit of the agency has been upgraded to a department with a chief security officer at the helm.

 

“To this effect, 14 new directors have been appointed to head each of the zonal commands,” Oyewale said.

 

Additionally, to bolster and fortify the security architecture of the commission, the security unit of the EFCC has been upgraded to a department with a seasoned officer appointed as director, security and chief security officer.

 

“A new department has also been created in the executive chairman’s office and it is headed by former Makurdi zonal commander of the EFCC, Mr. Friday Ebelo who also doubles as director and coordinator, special duties at the corporate headquarters of the commission.”

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Nzekwe was the commander of the Ilorin zonal command and a course one officer.

 

Nzekwe, a lawyer and an investigator, has served in various departments in the anti-graft agency — including legal and prosecution, operations (now department of investigations), internal affairs (now department of ethics and integrity), Servicom, and asset forfeiture.

The new chief of staff has attended trainings and courses at home and abroad, including the Advance Defence Intelligence Officers Course organised by Defence Intel Agency (DIA).

 

 

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Sierra Leone energy minister resigns over electricity crisis

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 Sierra Leone’s minister of energy, Kanja Sesay, has resigned after weeks of electricity crisis in the West African nation.

 

According to BBC, in his resignation letter on Friday, Sesay said he took full responsibility for the crisis.

 

In a statement, the government said the energy ministry has been placed under the direct supervision of President Julius Maada Bio, who will be assisted by two other officials.

 

Sesay’s resignation came hours after the government paid $18.5 million to two power providers, Turkish Karpowership and Transco-CLSG group.

 

Sierra Leone owed the two producers $40 million.

 

After two months of outages, power was restored in Freetown after the payments were announced.

 

Since mid-April, Freetown and the cities of Bo, Kenema and Koidu have experienced multi-day stretches without electricity.

 

Karpowership confirmed the payment in a statement.

 

“We are pleased to confirm that the electricity supply has returned to full capacity in Freetown,” the statement reads.

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The company has been supplying electricity to Sierra Leone since 2018 from a floating offshore unit, but it had reduced its capacity from 65 megawatts to just five in recent months due to payment issues.

 

It had previously cut supplies to Sierra Leone in September over unpaid bills.

 

In October, it briefly cut power to Guinea-Bissau, saying it had been left with no option “following a protracted period of non-payment”.

 

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American School refunds $760,000 of Yahaya Bello’s children fees to EFCC

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The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission has confirmed the receipt of the refund of $760,000 paid as advanced school fees by a former Kogi State Governor, Yahaya Bello for his children at the American International School, Abuja.

 

Dele Oyewale, spokesperson for the EFCC, confirmed the development to The Post on Saturday.

 

“The school has refunded the entire $ 760, 000 to the EFCC’s recovery account,” he said.

 

Earlier, the American International School of Abuja had asked the EFCC to provide “authentic banking details” for the refund of fees paid for the children of the former governor.

 

Bello allegedly paid $720,000 in advance as fees for five of his children from the coffers of the Kogi State Government.

 

The children are in Grade Levels 2 to 8 at the school.

 

On April 17, EFCC operatives laid siege on Bello’s residence in Abuja in an attempt to arrest him over an alleged N80.2 billion fraud.

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While the operatives were at the house, Usman Ododo, governor of Kogi, arrived at the property and reportedly whisked Bello away.

 

In a letter addressed to the Lagos Zonal Commander of the EFCC, the school said the sum of $845,852 has been paid in tuition “since the 7th of September 2021 to date.”

 

AISA said the sum to be refunded is $760,910 because it had deducted educational services already rendered.

 

“Please forward to us an official written request, with the authentic banking details of the EFCC, for the refund of the above-mentioned funds as previously indicated as part of your investigation into the alleged money laundering activities by the Bello family,” the letter reads.

 

It added, “Since the 7th September 2021 to date, $845,852.84 in tuition and other fees have been deposited into our bank account.

 

We have calculated the net amount to be transferred and refunded to the State, after deducting the educational services rendered as $760,910.84.

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“No further additional fees are expected in respect of tuition as the students’ fees have now been settled until they graduate from ASIA.”

 

The school said it would draw the attention of the anti-graft agency if there were any further deposits by the Bello family.

In a statement signed by Greg Hughes, AISA also said, “Ali Bello contacted the school on Friday 13 August 2021 requesting to pay the family school fees in advance until the students graduate from High School.”

 

The Chairman of the EFCC, Ola Olukoyede, had earlier revealed that the former governor transferred $720,000 from the government’s coffers to a bureau de change before leaving office to pay in advance for his child’s school fee.
Olukoyede revealed this during an interview with journalists on Tuesday in Abuja.

 

He said, “A sitting governor, because he knows he is going, moved money directly from government to bureau de change, used it to pay the child’s school fee in advance, $720,000 in advance, in anticipation that he was going to leave the Government House.

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“In a poor state like Kogi, and you want me to close my eyes to that under the guise of ‘I’m being used.’ Being used by who at this stage of my life?”

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