Distraction of Service Chiefs Led to Killing of Soldiers in Melete, PDP Alleges

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has alleged that the active
involvement of the Service Chiefs in the re-election campaign
activities of President Muhammadu Buhari, instead of concentrating
on their statutory duties, led to the killing of over 70 soldiers
in Melete, Borno state earlier in the week.

The main opposition party said it still had implicit faith in
the Nigerian military, but warned Buhari to desist from acts that
compromise the safety of the service men and women who are daily
risking their lives in defence of the nation.

The PDP in a statement Friday by its National Publicity
Secretary, Mr. Kola Ologbondiyan, lamented that the incessant but
avoidable killing of the soldiers by insurgents in the northeast
demands explanations from the president.

He stated, “After a thorough review of the killings, especially
that of over 70 soldiers of the 157 Task Force Battalion in Melete,
Borno State, by invading insurgents, who reportedly sent a threat
letter last Friday, to take over military locations in the area,
the PDP insists on clarifications from the Buhari Presidency.”

“This is in addition to apprehensions by Nigerians that the
Buhari Presidency has been distracting our military by dragging our
Service Chiefs to participate in his re-election campaign
activities, instead of concentrating on their statutory
duties.”

“The PDP however notes that it still has implicit faith in the
Nigerian military and urged the Buhari Presidency to desist from
acts that tend to whittle the proficiency and compromise the safety
of our men and women who are daily risking their lives in defence
of our nation.”

“This is particularly against the backdrop of earlier claims by
the Federal Government that insurgents operating in the northeast
have been defeated.”

The party said it was worried by reports of alleged compromises,
neglect and inattention to military formations in the northeast
leading to the vulnerability of the soldiers.

The opposition party urged Buhari to be alive to his
responsibility as the Commander-in-Chief by immediately ensuring
greater professionalism and welfare of our officers and men.

The party also called on Nigerians not to despair in the face of
this ugly development but continue to join forces with our security
agencies in the effort to cleanse the land of bandits, insurgents
and marauders.

Related

Magu Urges Diasporans to Own Corruption
Fight

Acting Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission,
EFCC, Ibrahim Magu has appealed to Nigerians in the Diaspora to own
the fight against corruption. Magu who was speaking today, Friday,
23rd November, 2018, as a guest speaker at the Black History Month
of the School of Business and Management Studies of the Queen Mary
University of London, said for the fight against corruption to be
effectively won in Africa, the job of fighting the scourge should
not be left in the hands of the government or anti- corruption
agencies alone.

In a paper titled “Taming Corruption: The way forward for
African Development” the anti-graft czar said Africa has been
baring the grunts of corruption for so long that developmental
efforts of government gets truncated as corrupt individuals divert
public funds to private pockets.

“This presentation supports the view that corruption is one of
the factors that contributed to the current predicament of the
African continent. The World Bank estimates that about $1 trillion
are given out as bribe worldwide annually, representing about 3
percent of world GDP.

There is another dimension of corruption in Africa that is worth
mentioning because of its greater destructive potentials. This
pertains to large scale corruption perpetrated by the ruling elite,
top government bureaucrats, politicians, business men, bank
executives, captains of industries in the private sector and the
rest. For example, between 1970 and 1996, capital flight from
sub-Saharan Africa through corruption totalled $187 billion, an
amount that exceeded the external debts of the countries
involved.”

This unprecedented financial pilferage, indulged by the African
ruling elites and their domestic and foreign collaborators, Magu
opined, have produced two immediate consequences.

“Firstly, the huge amount stolen by them and taken out of the
continent and hidden in safe havens in Europe, North America, Asia
and other places have virtually crippled socio-economic development
in Africa. Secondly, the corrupt acts of these unpatriotic African
looters have grounded many private and public enterprises, pushing
some countries to the verge of financial ruin.”

According to Magu, throughout the African continent, corruption
has caused severe wastage and misallocation of resources, delayed
growth and socio-economic development through missed investment
opportunity, lowered growth and widened inequalities. Likewise,
corruption continues to decrease government revenues, undermine
private sector development and increases inefficiency in the public
sector.

Magu said these massive effect of corruption on the continent is
what should raise a concern especially as corruption now
discourages Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) by creating economic
uncertainties, increasing operating costs, and distorting
incentives for investment. “Corruption is the single greatest
obstacle to economic and social development”, he added.

He thanked the organizers for choosing such a topic and for
initiation and engagement with stakeholders towards taming the
corruption monster.

“Taming corruption is, therefore, the only way forward for
Africa in its quest for economic development, political stability
and social progress. Fortunately, the task of taming corruption in
the continent is being undertaken by anti-corruption agencies
within individual African nations, and through collaboration with a
number of international agencies”, he explained.

The African Development Adviser to the Research Centre Tunde
Alabi said they chose to have Magu speak about the Nigeria’s
efforts toward eradicating corruption because of the milestone
achievements the EFCC has recorded under him.

He stated that corruption has become a cancer in Nigeria and it
requires the support of all Nigerians especially those in the
Diaspora to use their voice and network to put pressure on Nigerian
government to build a strong institution that will tackle
corruption before it kills Nigeria.

In his reaction, the Director of the Research Center, Queen Mary
University of London, Dr. Bakre Owolabi said that if Nigeria
succeeds, Africa will succeed. He added “It is the strategic policy
of the Centre for African Research, Queen Mary University of London
to look for African led solution to African problems”.

“Corruption remains the biggest problem facing Africa. The
decision to invite Mr Ibrahim Magu to deliver a lecture at Queen
Mary University is due to his record of achievements in office
despite the challenges he faces”, Owolabi said.

Tony Orilade
Ag. Head, Media & Publicity

EFCC Arraigns Ex-Kaduna District Head for N7m
Fraud

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC has arraigned
one John Ma’aji Kwasau before Justice M.T. Tukur of a Kaduna State
High Court on a one-count charge bordering on obtaining by false
pretence.

Kwasau, who was the District Head of Duste Gaya, Kajuru Local
Government Area in Kaduna State, allegedly posed as a heir to the
estate of late Honourable M.I. Yakubu.

He had allegedly deceived Nura Muhammad into believing that he
had the mandate of the family of the deceased to legally dispose
off a landed property on their behalf.

Having duly convinced him about the interest of the family to
sell the plot of land, Nura paid him N7 million. However, he later
informed Nura that he was yet to secure the authority of the family
to sell the plot of land.

Several appeals by his victim to have his money refunded was
rebuffed, thus, Nura took his cry to the EFCC.

Count one of the charge reads: “That you, John Ma’aji Kwasau
sometime in 2013, in Kajuru, Kaduna State within the Judicial
Division of the Honourable Court with intent to defraud, did obtain
the sum of N7,000,000 (Seven Million Naira) from Alhaji Nura
Muhammad under false pretence that you had the authority of the
members of Hon. Yakubu M. Ishaya’s family to dispose off their
landed property situated at Mararaba Girku, Nassarawa State, a
pretence you knew is false and you thereby committed an offence
under Section 1(1) (a) of the Advance Fee Fraud Related Offences
Act and punishable under Section 1(3) of the same Act.”

He pleaded “not guilty” when the charges were read to him.

Prosecuting counsel, Esmond Kogi, urged the court to fix a date
for commencement of trial.

Defence counsel, A. Maisamari, on his part, moved an application
for the bail of his client.

Justice Tukur, thereafter granted the defendant bail in the sum
of N1 million and a surety in like sum who must own a property
within the Kaduna metropolis with a certified Certificate of
Occupancy, C of O.

The case has been adjourned to January 24, 2019 for commencement
of trial.

Tony Orilade

Ag. Head, Media & Publicity

23rd November, 2018