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2019: Uproot Buhari, APC, Afenifere Tells Nigerians …Rejects FG’s Plan For Ranches In States …As APC Ex-Scribe Calls For President’s Resignation …Arrest Miyetti Allah Leaders -Ortom
The Yoruba socio-political group, Afenifere, yesterday lamented the killings in some communities in Plateau State.
Afenifere said the massacre was enough reason to make Nigerians vote out President Muhammadu Buhari in 2019.
Rising from its monthly meeting in Akure, the Ondo State capital, yesterday, Afenifere called for an end to the “wanton killings.”
The communique issued by Afenifere’s spokesperson, Yinka Odumakin reads, “Nigerians must now gird their loins and see the democratic uprooting of this administration as a task that must be done in 2019 so as to save the country from utter destruction.
“There is no land where the blood of the innocent is being shed daily like Nigeria that can make progress in any area of human endeavour. Enough Is Enough!.
“The meeting was devastated by the genocide that took place in Plateau State on Sunday in which over 200 deaths occurred, according to eyewitness accounts but the police admitted 100.
“These wanton killings and official irresponsibility portray Nigeria as a barbaric entity and we Yoruba People are pained living in the same space with the bestial elements, which kill innocent people in a cruel manner.
“The images of little children killed mercilessly with open skulls make anyone with human blood flowing in his or her veins to shrink.
“We are further distressed that the response of President Buhari to the murder of hundreds of our citizens did not attract a word of sympathy or regret.
“It is very infuriating that the President’s response and that of Miyetti Allah appeared to have been authored from the same laptop.
“The Chairman of North Central zone of Miyetti Allah, Danladi Ciroma said the attacks were retaliation for the loss of three hundred cows.”
He said “These attacks are retaliatory ….Those who carried out the attacks must be on revenge mission …Fulani herdsmen have lost over 300 cows in the last few weeks…..Since these cows were not found, no one should expect peace in the areas.
“President Buhari who is also the Grand Patron of Miyetti Allah who described the Fulani herdsmen terror as “herdsmen/farmers” clashes “(a case of two fighting but dead bodies only on one side) also repeated the missing cows and even added another charge Miyetti Allah did not remember.
“According to information available to the Presidency about one hundred cattle had been rustled by a community in Plateau State, and some herdsmen were killed in the process. The state Governor, Simon Lalong had invited the aggrieved groups and pleaded against further action …Less than forty-eight hours later violence broke out (an euphemism for the word “retaliation” used by Miyetti Allah Chief.
“The President used the word “thugs” thrice to describe protesting residents while admitting that human life was becoming “increasingly cheap “ under his watch without saying what he is doing to make it worthy or bring the herdsmen who have admitted killing people to book.
He also repeated the blame game of “desperate people” causing instability and chaos” in furtherance of the vain attempt by the administration to divert attention from Fulani herdsmen responsible for the serial murders.
“Three months ago, we did say that the President is afflicted by conflict of interests as Grand Patron of Miyetti Allah and the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
“It is the affliction that has seen him now functioning as a Miyetti Allah godfather at a time he should be presidential.
“We asked him and we are calling on him to make a choice between the two.
“It is pointless at this stage making any demand on this incorrigible administration.
“We ask our people to have special prayers for the souls of all those killed and for God to have mercy on Nigeria in all our mosques on Friday, June 29, in our churches on Sunday, July 1, and for Him to see us through the last few months of this administration.”
Meanwhile, former Deputy National Publicity Secretary of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) Comrade Timi Frank, has asked President Muhammadu Buhari to urgently put an end to the frequent killings of Nigerians in the recent time, especially in the North-Central part of the country.
Frank, however, called on all Nigerians and Civil Society Organizations to be ready to hit the ground running in the mission to salvage Nigeria from the current administration.
He also said “It is high time the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Trade Union Congress (TUC), Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), Nigerian Medical Association (NMA), Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), Nigeria Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas workers (NUPENG), Petroleum and Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (PENGASSAN), National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) and all well meaning Nigerians, wake up and defend the people because we don’t have any other country we can call our own.”
In an open letter Frank addressed to the President, yesterday, titled “stop the killings or resign now”, he said: “The entire North-Central has become a killing field with the lives of Nigerians being lackadaisically wasted without the security forces accepting the challenge to stop what now amounts to ethnic cleansing.
“Nigerians have continued to die in their hundreds despite yearly increases in defence and security budgets and other extra budgetary allocations, the recent being $1billion withdrawn from the excess crude account by this administration.
“Notwithstanding, the security agencies have failed to protect Nigerians while it does appear that the more huge money is expended on security, the more deaths we procure.
“Mr. President, may I remind you that one major plank of your electioneering campaign was the promise to personally lead Nigerian troops to dislodge and destroy Boko Haram and restore full security to all parts of the country.
“Regrettably, Nigerians have not seen you do that in the last three years. However, the increasing ferocious mass murder being carried out by Fulani herdsmen has made the Boko Haram insurgency seems like a child’s play.
“May I remind you that in Washington D.C you told President Donald Trump that the merciless killers were trained by Moumar Gadafi of Libya? In another breadth, your Minister of Defence, said the killings can only stop when the open grazing laws enacted in Benue and Taraba states are repealed.
“Tell me, is there any open grazing law in Plateau and Zamfara states? Besides, you have refused to declare the killer Fulani herdsmen as a terrorist organization because of your soft spot for them, which is contrary to the haste with which the Independent People of Biafra (IPOB) – a group of agitators that never engaged in any bloodshed – was branded a terrorist organization and outlawed.”
Frank said the country cannot afford to wait and watch helplessly as innocent Nigerian lives are being wasted by the murderous terrorists, allegedly operating as herdsmen.
“The time to rise up to defend our country and our people, by speaking up, is now! The ongoing pogrom in Plateau, Taraba, Benue, Kogi, Zamfara, Adamawa, Kaduna and other states must stop! Nigerians must demand for a new leadership that can guarantee their safety and welfare.
“Clearly, the present administration has failed in its responsibilities to protect the people. This deadly criminal gang that is killing, maiming and cutting short the lives of our fathers, mothers, brothers, sisters and children must be stopped now, otherwise, Nigeria may soon stop to exist as a country,” Frank added.
Similarly, the Benue State Governor, Samuel Ortom has called for the immediate arrest and prosecution of the leadership of Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association of Nigeria (MACBAN), who claimed responsibility for the recent massacre in Plateau State.
MACBAN had claimed that the brutal attack on the affected villages was a reprisal for the killing of 300 cows belonging to its members.
Ortom, while inaugurating the 19 chairmen and members of the state-owned boards and commissions in Makurdi, lamented the level of killings and destruction of property in Benue, Plateau and other North-Central states by armed militant herdsmen.
According to him, “those who have claimed responsibility for the killings should be arrested. Just like we in Benue have been calling for their arrest for their complicity in the Benue killings. What is the government waiting for? It is heartrending that in a country of close to 200 million people this kind of act takes place as if we are still living in the past.
“As a state government, we appreciate the Federal Government for sending the Operation Whirl Stroke to end the killings in Benue State. We will give the operation all the needed support to ensure it succeeds.
“But we have said that those who are law-abiding are free to live in Benue State and do their legitimate businesses. They can apply for land and set up their ranches in line with the provisions of the Benue State Open Grazing Prohibition and Ranches Establishments Law.
“Our adoption of ranching is to the extent of what is in our law and I have repeatedly said that we do not have one single 5,000 hectares of land for the establishment of a single massive ranch but we can avail individuals land to set up personal ranches as provided by our law which remains the panacea for the crisis.”
Rivers State Governor, Sir Siminalayi Fubara, has said that the modernised fire-fighting units with new buildings, necessary machinery, materials and equipment will strengthen the emergency response capability of personnel to fire incidences in the State.
The Governor pointed to how the provision will drastically reduce, if not eliminate, the vulnerability of Rivers population to fire disasters, as according to him, there will be timely assistance to victims to reduce damage and bolster conditions for sustainable development.
Governor Fubara, who gave the assurance while inaugurating the Rivers State Fire Service Headquarters Station, located by Isaac Boro Park Flyover, in Port Harcourt City Local Government Area, yesterday, said the gesture serves as a consolidation of the promise made, in line with his vision of governance: to provide quality service to the good people of Rivers State.
He explained that some years ago, the State was at the mercy of the multi-nationals that had functional fire trucks to respond to most fire incidences, and pointed to setbacks that greeted some emergencies, adding that the records of losses to fire incidences were colossal.
Governor Fubara said: “We lost the Mile One Market because we couldn’t respond adequately. We lost, even what we call, the Fruit Garden Market because we could not respond. Are we talking about houses, lives that have been lost in this State because of inadequate fire service?”
The Governor insisted that the purpose of governance is to provide such quality social services, protect lives and property, and make living comfortable for the people, asserting that his administration has not failed in those regards, and has continued to intensify the provision of services that have made Rivers people happy.
He said, “And, what we are doing today is to tell the good people of Rivers State, and to showcase to the world, that there is governance in this State. Not governance for the sake of governance, but governance that is purpose-driven, governance that is interested in projects that will change the lives of our people.
“Some days ago, a tanker fell along the Woji-Elelenwo Road. If it were before, lives would have been lost. But immediately, the fire service, not the multi-nationals, it was the Rivers State Fire Service that responded and arrested the situation. What else are we talking about?”
Governor Fubara said Rivers people are very happy with the consistent delivery of infrastructure projects that address the critical problems experienced by the people in the larger society, emphasising that he believed strongly that even if some persons are indulged in clandestine activities, and determined to discredit his administration, Rivers people are happy, indisputably so.
He explained, “We are not interested whether those people who are commissioned to undermine us are unhappy, that is not our business. Our business is about Rivers State and Rivers people. So, like the Commissioner said, we did not just do this for the sake of glamour. You come here, you see a painted house, every facility that is required in a well-built fire fighting facility, is all in this place.”
Governor Fubara said further: “You can image a government that has a fire service and the firemen are not working. It is only at the end of the month you pay them their salaries. You can see that they were not happy and unproductive. But today, they are happy because they have a big responsibility now ahead of them: to ensure that lives and property of the good people of Rivers State are adequately protected. So, I want to thank you for this particular spirit at this moment.”
Governor Fubara commended the Commissioner for Special Duties, Dr Sam Anya, for driving the process to conclusion, and the contractor for delivering the project on schedule, and assured that his administration will continue to ensure the protection of lives and property while defending the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
Governor Fubara also told Rivers people to expect the provision of more basic amenities, unbiasedly, and advised those in charge of the firefighting equipment to safeguard and protect them so that they can serve their purpose maximally.
Providing the project description, Rivers State Commissioner for Special Duties, Dr Samuel Anya, explained that since the first fire service station was built in the 1960s, this was the first time the facility is being remodeled and upgraded, emphasising that certain features were introduced and added to make the station comparable to fire service stations nationally.
He stated: “We have gym, sick-bay, offices and state-of-the-art equipment that we will use to combat fire. Your Excellency, we have also, new fire trucks that you have acquired. Before now, we did not have any truck, and when incidents happen, we have to call the Federal Fire Service or call Agip or Shell Fire Service. But thank God that His Excellency, in his wisdom, has given us state-of-the-art facility, and we don’t need to call any other person again.”
In his address, Head of Local Government Administration, Port Harcourt City Local Government Area, Mr. Clifford Paul, said Governor Fubara has turned the once dilapidated fire service station and its equipment into a modern masterpiece, which represents a significant milestone in the collective commitment towards tackling fire incidences.
Mr Paul stated that it will certainly enhance the capacity of personnel and reinforce their preparedness to respond to emergencies in the event of fire outbreaks.
The Ijaw Youth Council (IYC), Eastern Zone has expressed deep concern over the current tense political situation in Rivers State, following the recent Supreme Court judgment nullifying the election of local government council chairmen.
In a press statement signed by the Chairman, IYC, Eastern Zone, Comrade Prince Datolu Sukubo; Secretary, Tamunokuro Dango and the Information Officer, Ambassador Odia Igbikis made available to The Tide yesterday, the group also stated that the decision has created an environment ripe for manipulation by those who do not have the best interest of Rivers State or the Ijaw Nation at heart.
“We are aware of alarming plans by certain elements to destabilise Rivers State and undermine the mandate given to our elected officials. The purported 48-hour ultimatum issued to the Governor, Sir Siminialayi Fubara, by the defected Martins Amawhule-led House of Assembly to present the 2025 budget is a clear indication of an orchestrated effort to create chaos and potentially impeach the governor. This is not only an attack on our leadership but also an affront to the will of the Rivers people who have entrusted their governance to one of our own. The IYC firmly warns that they will not stand by and allow detractors to steal this mandate. We are committed to defending your rights and ensuring that the voices of the Ijaw people are heard and respected,” the statement said.
They also used the medium to call on the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and the National Security Adviser to intervene immediately and halt the ongoing madness that threatens to plunge Rivers State into an avoidable crisis. Such instability could have severe repercussions, not only for our state’s governance but also for crude oil production and energy security, which are vital to the national economy. It is crucial that we work together to maintain peace and stability in Rivers State. We urge all stakeholders to prioritise dialogue and collaboration over conflict. Let us not allow the ambitions of a few to jeopardize the future of our state and its people which will further endanger the economy of this country, because any attempt to stop Rivers State Allocation which will cause hardships to innocent civil servants and also reduce the speedy developmental projects implementation by the Rivers State government will definitely have negative effect on the economy of this country, as Ijaw people we will not fold our hands and allow the continued political marginalisation of our own.”
Kiadum Edookor
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