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Security requires stakeholders’ collaboration – Speaker Abbas
Security requires stakeholders’ collaboration – Speaker Abbas
By Gloria Ikibah
The Speaker of the House of Representatives Hon. Abbas Tajudeen, Ph.D, on Tuesday, stressed the need for all stakeholders to collaborate towards security of life and property in Nigeria.
While stating that the 10th House is committed to providing all the legislative support needed to enhance security in the country, Speaker Abbas called for better collaborations between the legislative and the executive arms of the government as well as the Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) and the media.
The Speaker made the call in a keynote address at the 2024 Nigeria Defence Governance Forum Organised By the Africa Centre For Strategic Studies in Abuja on Tuesday.
Speaker Abbas noted that the forum added a significant voice to the ongoing national conversation on fostering dialogue and collaboration between key stakeholders in national security governance. He noted that the importance of the forum was even more obvious, considering Nigeria’s strategic importance.
“Security challenges have significant implications not only within our borders but also across West Africa and the broader African continent. The persistence and complexity of these issues underscore the critical need for regional and continental collaboration. Collaborative efforts are essential to address the transnational nature of terrorism, facilitate intelligence sharing, and harmonise economic and social development strategies, which can mitigate the root causes of insecurity,” he added.
The Speaker also stated that since the return of democracy in 1999, legislative control of the security sector in Nigeria has progressively improved.
He said, “Our standing committees have become more assertive in holding security sector agencies and actors to account,” adding that the scope of the activities of these committees has included monitoring the funds the government has budgeted for the sector, ensuring accountability in the use of allocated funds and personnel, and overseeing other issues such as hardware, human rights, among others.
He stressed the need for collaboration between the National Assembly, security and defence sector officials, and the public through the media and the Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) as “not only desirable but also constitutionally mandated and expected.”
He added: “Security sector agencies should commit to open communication, regularly providing accurate and detailed reports to the National Assembly. This includes adhering to legal and ethical standards and facilitating external audits and evaluations.”
On their part, Speaker Abbas said CSOs and the public could bolster these efforts by maintaining active engagement with legislative processes, offering independent assessments, and voicing concerns or recommendations.
The Speaker further said the legislature also required the assistance of security agencies, alongside stakeholders such as the public, CSOs, development partners, and the media, to integrate constituent and citizen perspectives into defence and security strategy and policymaking.
By facilitating inclusive dialogues and public forums, he stated that the diverse viewpoints and community needed are communicated to lawmakers.
“We expect CSOs and development partners to provide expert analyses, data-driven insights, empirical evidence, and international best practices to enrich our debates and decision-making. It is also important for the media to amplify such discussions, ensuring widespread public engagement and transparency. This collaborative approach will inform legislators with a broad spectrum of opinions and experiences and help us tailor security policies and laws to reflect the actual needs and aspirations of the citizenry.”
Speaker Abbas also called on the media to focus on rigorous reporting and coverage of security sector activities, highlighting compliance and discrepancies in the officials’ engagements with the legislature.
“Through this multifaceted approach, we can ensure continuous oversight and enhance the security sector’s governance, which aligns with best practices for democratic oversight.”
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Shocker as ‘dead man’ attends own burial rites in Kenya
The family of Abdalla Mwenda Suleiman, who was presumed dead, have been left in shock after he returned home to find a body believed to be his already buried. The incident, which occurred last Tuesday in Loire village near Mutuati market in Meru Country, has left many in disbelief.
Mwenda, a 20-year-old miraa picker, was mistakenly buried on October 4 after his family misidentified a body found in a house he once shared with his estranged wife in Mutuati market, as reported by the Nation.
“Since my work is picking miraa, I move from one place to another and I am rarely at home. I’m shocked to find that my family buried me,” said Mwenda in dismay.
Mwenda, who had separated from his wife and moved to Nthanbiro, 20 kilometers away, returned to discover his family had mistakenly buried him. Shocked, Mwenda explained his transient lifestyle as a miraa picker keeps him away from home.
Interestingly, a colleague mentioned they had passed by his home during the burial. The grave, located by Mutuati-Antubetwe Kiongo Road, is visible from the tarmac.
“We left Nthambiro in Igembe Central on Friday and travelled to another farm in Mutuati. We passed by Mwenda’s home and he wondered why there were so many people at his home but we proceeded.”
“On Sunday, as we were packaging miraa, someone broke the news that Mwenda had been buried yet he was alive. Mwenda was so shocked that he could not work. He went to sleep,” the colleague recounted.
After recovering from the shock, Mwenda went home to verify the bizarre news of his burial.
When the Nation visited on Tuesday, they found an atmosphere of grief and despair. The fresh grave, with an arrowroot plant thriving, drew locals who hoped the police had come to exhume the body.
Mwenda’s father, Meeme M’Nchebere, a resident of Voi, was found asleep after spending the night guarding the grave.
“We have been given strict instructions to ensure the body is not stolen. The police said the matter is sensitive since the deceased was murdered. I have to keep vigil throughout the night,” he said.
M’Nchebere revealed that his son had to flee the village because he couldn’t bear seeing a grave with his name. He admitted they mistakenly buried the wrong body because he was unable to view it before the burial.
“I live in Voi where I relocated more than 10 years ago. Mwenda was left behind in Meru. Recently, I received a call from neighbors who told me my son was dead. As a Muslim, I am not allowed to view a dead body. So we proceeded with the burial,” he recounted.
Mwenda’s father stated that the police informed him he needed to raise KSh 70,000 ($542) to cover the costs of obtaining a court order, a pathologist, and the exhumation of the wrongly buried body.
“I am a small trader in VOi and cannot raise the money the police want to exhume the body. I am currently surviving on well-wishes in the village. Neighbors are hesitant to help fundraise because they contributed to the botched burial,” he said.
M’Nchebere is now in a difficult situation, unable to return to his family in Voi or expedite the exhumation of the wrongly buried body. He faces the challenge of navigating both family tensions and legal hurdles.
Source: face2faceafrica.com
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Bill For Independent Candidacy Recommitted, Referred To Constitution Review Committee
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Just in :INEC announces date for Anambra governorship election
By Kayode Sanni-Arewa
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has fixed the date for the Anambra governorship election.
Addressing representatives of political parties at the INEC headquarters in Abuja on Thursday, October 17, INEC national chairman, Prof Mahmood Yakubu said the election will be held on Saturday 8th November 2025.
Hear him: “As you are aware, the last governorship election in Anambra State was held on 6th November 2021. By the effluxion of time, the governorship election is due next year.
In compliance with the mandatory requirement of 360 days, the formal notice for the election will be published on 13th November 2024. Party primaries will be held from 20th March 2025 to 10th April 2025.
“The candidate nomination portal will open at 9.00 am on 18th April 2025 and close at 6.00 pm on 12th May 2025. The final list of candidates will be published on 9th June 2025.
“Campaign in public by political parties will commence on 11th June 2025 and end at midnight of Thursday 6th November 2025. Voting will take place in all the 5,720 Polling Units across the State on Saturday 8th November 2025.
In compliance with the mandatory requirement of 360 days, the formal notice for the election will be published on 13th November 2024. Party primaries will be held from 20th March 2025 to 10th April 2025.
“The candidate nomination portal will open at 9.00 am on 18th April 2025 and close at 6.00 pm on 12th May 2025. The final list of candidates will be published on 9th June 2025.
“Campaign in public by political parties will commence on 11th June 2025 and end at midnight of Thursday 6th November 2025. Voting will take place in all the 5,720 Polling Units across the State on Saturday 8th November 2025.
The candidate nomination portal will open at 9.00 am on 18th April 2025 and close at 6.00 pm on 12th May 2025. The final list of candidates will be published on 9th June 2025.
“Campaign in public by political parties will commence on 11th June 2025 and end at midnight of Thursday 6th November 2025. Voting will take place in all the 5,720 Polling Units across the State on Saturday 8th November 2025.
“In the coming weeks, the Commission will provide details of other electoral activities, including the registration of new voters, transfer of voters and the replacement of lost or damaged PVCs.
“The detailed Timetable and Schedule of Activities for the 2025 Anambra State Governorship election will be uploaded to our website and social media platforms before the end of this meeting.”
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