News
Okuama 17: Bayelsa monarch raises alarm over alleged torture, arrest of returning residents
By Kayode Sanni-Arewa
The Acting Amananaowei (King) of Igbomotoru 1 Community in Southern Ijaw Local Government Area of Bayelsa State, His Royal Highness Goodluck Alagodei has raised the alarm over alleged attacks, torture and arrest of returning indigenes and residents alike who fled the community following military invasion over the killings of Army 17 in Okuama, Delta State.
The distraught monarch called on Governor Douye Diri to intervene urgently to avoid the matter snowballing into another major crisis in his domain.
He accused a dethroned former monarch and some operatives of anti-oil theft security company of working in concert with some military operatives stationed in the community to carry out the atrocity.
Alagodei said: “I make this distress call to Governor Douye Diri following attacks on innocent people who have been displaced and returning home from hideouts since the military invasion of Igbomotoru community on 17th March, 2024 relying on the Governor’s call to return home.
“The former King is working hand in glove with operatives of security surveillance company to thwart the good intentions of Governor Diri to ensure peace in Igbomotoru as demonstrated in his recent visit to the community.
“The perpetrators are currently ransacking the community, dragging out people, flogging them and arresting innocent people on trumped up charges. Thereafter, they hand them over to soldiers for torture. The situation has heightened tension in the community.”
He appealed to Diri to intervene and douse the rising tension from further escalating to loss of innocent lives due to the vendetta driven attacks on innocent people by the perpetrators who had concluded plans to dethrone chiefs in the community and install their ‘own’ to run the affairs of the community.
He thanked the Governor for donating relief materials to the communities which he stated would bring succour to the people and pledged their unalloyed loyalty and support to the renewed prosperity administration.
King Alagodei further called on the high command of the military to charge their personnel to keep within permissible framework while carrying out their search for suspected perpetrators of Okuama killings.
King Alagodei emphasised that the dethroned monarch had lost touch with reality and did not know the situation of things in the community, adding that he is still reeling from his rejection by the people and is intentionally fabricating unfounded stories to implicate an ex-militant leader Endurance Amagbein into the Okuama killings.
The monarch described Amagbein as a man of proven integrity, with peaceful disposition, touching the lives of people through his philanthropic gestures of payment of school fees, provision of educational materials to schools, various employment programmes for the youths, support for the elderly, provision of 500 KVA generators and diesel among other life transforming programmes that have endeared him to the people.
The Acting Amananaowei noted that Amagbein worked assiduously to stop pipeline vandalism and sea piracy in Igbomotoru axis and wondered what the dethroned monarch intended to achieve by employing deliberate falsehood to cast aspersions on the ex-agitator.
He advised the general public to discountenance the press conference held by the former king, describing his statement that soldiers mobilised to Igbomotoru in pursuit of Amagbein as false, baseless, misleading and a deliberate attempt to portray the ex-militant leader as being responsible for the gruesome murder of the soldiers in Okuama. (The Nation: Text, Excluding Headline)
The National Assembly Joint Committee on Agricultural Production and Services has issued a warning, stating that agencies under the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security could face zero allocations in their 2025 budgets if their Chief Executive Officers fail to appear in person to defend the proposals.
Chairman Senate Committee, and Bello Kaoje, his counterpart from the House of Representatives, expressed their dissatisfaction with the absence of agency heads, particularly given President’s directive that all heads of agencies should attend the budget defense sessions.
Their frustration was specifically directed at the absence of Dr. Vincent Isegbe, Director General of the Nigerian Agricultural Quarantine Service, during the budget defense for the agency.
Senator Mustapha told the DG’s representative that there was no valid reason for the absence of the accounting officer, and insisted Dr. Isegbe must appear to defend the budget by no later than Monday, January 20.
By Kayode Sanni-Arewa
The Emir of Kano, Muhammadu Sanusi II, says President Bola Tinubu-led government lacks credible individuals to explain the administration’s policies to Nigerians.
Sanusi, a former Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) Governor, said this at the 21st Memorial Lecture of Gani Fawehinmi, organised by the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) Ikeja Branch in Lagos, on Wednesday, January 15, 2025.
Sanusi, the chairman of the event, said he would no longer offer advice to Tinubu’s administration on how to tackle the country’s economic challenges.
He stated that he had initially tried to help the government but had now resolved not to do so again.
Sanusi said: “I have decided not to speak about the economy or the reforms, nor to explain anything regarding them. If I explained, it would only benefit this government, and I don’t want to aid this government.
“I choose not to help this government. You see, they are my friends. If they fail to act like friends, I will not act like one.
“I observe their actions, and they lack credible individuals who can effectively explain their policies. However, I’m not here to assist them. I began by offering support, but I’ve decided to stop.
“I will not discuss the matter any further. Let them come forward and explain to Nigerians why the policies they have pursued have been implemented. Meanwhile, I am enjoying a nice movie with popcorn in hand.”
The Emir further stated that he would not offer advice to the federal government or comment on ongoing reforms.
He added: “I will say one thing. What we are going through today is at least in part, not totally, at least in part, a necessary consequence of decades of irresponsible economic management.
“People were warned decades ago that if they continued down this path, this is where they would end up. They chose not to listen.
“Is everything being done today, correct? No.”
The event was attended by the Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, (SAN); the NBA President, Afam Osigwe (SAN); the Lagos State Attorney General and Commissioner of Justice, Lawal Pedro (SAN); and human rights lawyer, Femi Falana (SAN); among others.
News
Abuse of office: Group faults NAHCON’s director of admin over reappointment of Mr. Kumo after resignation
…demand thorough probe disciplinary measures
By Kayode Sanni-Arewa
The Civil Integrity Initiative and Transparency, Accountability and Democracy value in Nigeria has petitioned the Director of administration, National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON), Mr. Babagana Bukar for gross misconduct and abuse of office regarding the return and posting of Mr. Usman Kumo to the federal civil service and NAHCON after resignation from office.
Spokesperson of the group Comrade Musa J. Kumo in a recent press release expressed with dismay the reinstatement of Kumo who had resigned from the civil service on two separate occasions to pursue political ambitions to be brought back by Mr. Babagana Bukar.
Kumo described the act as not mere procedural oversights but total gross misconduct, blatant violations of the Public Service Rules (PSR), and a direct betrayal of the trust Nigerians place in the National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON).
His words: “Mr.Kumo resigned from the Federal Civil Service to engage in partisan politics, first under the All-Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) in 2019 and later under the All Progressives Congress (APC) in 2023.These campaigns stand in clear violation of Public Service Rules 030402 (g) and 030423, which categorically prohibit serving civil servants from active political engagement.
“The Bureau of Public Procurement (BPP) formally posted Mr. Kumo to the North-East Development Commission (NEDC) around 2022. Following his resignation, the NEDC confirmed in writing to the BPP -via a letter dated April 18, 2022 ,with reference number NEDC/SS/PER/025/1/33-that Mr.Kumo was no longer in service. Notwithstanding this unambiguous communication, Mr.Bukar,who was then Director of Administration at the BPP, ignored or otherwise concealed this information, effectively paving the way fo Mr. Kumo’s eventual (and improper) return to the civil service. In other words, Mr.Bukar was fully aware of Mr.Kumo’s resignation and subsequent ineligibility for public service yet deliberately took no action to finalize his separation.
“Despite incontrovertible evidence of Mr. Kumo’s resignation and political engagements, Mr. Bukar- now serving as Director of Administration at NAHCON- arranged for Mr. Kumo to be posted to NAHCON from the BPP on November 22, 2023. This contravenes not only standard civil service protocols but also basic ethical standards.
“Furthermore, Mr. Kumo’s CV lists Mr. Bukar as a referee, indicating a personal connection that calls into question Mr. Bukar’s impartiality.* By any measure, this scenario raises serious concerns about whether official channels were sidestepped to benefit Mr. Kumo.
“It has also come to our attention that since Mr.Kumo’s posting in September 2023, he has effectively been absent from duty without leave, discipline, or any form of censure. Rather than address this glaring non-compliance,Mr.Bukar has turned a blind eye-an omission suggesting complicity and underscoring a disturbing lack of accountability within NAHCON. As it stands, Mr.Kumois”working in absentia,” yet appears to remain on NAHCON’s rolls. By failing to address or report this infraction, Mr.Bukar has effectively granted Mr.Kumo a free pass to shirk his responsibilities, further undermining public trust in the Commission.”he added.
They however demanded a comprehensive investigation into Mr. Kumo’s return, disciplinary measures against Mr.Bukar, and immediate review of Mr.Kumo’s employment status with blatant actions if demands are not met within 7 days.
“We respectfully request that you address these issues and commence the stipulated investigations within seven (7) days of receiving this petition, and make the outcomes public.
“Failure to do so will leave us no alternative but to pursue all available legal remedies.We stand prepared to initiate litigation to hold each complicit party accountable, protect the public interest, and ensure that no one in NAHCON or any federal agency can arbitrarily circumvent established guidelines for personal or political gain.
“Your prompt response or lack thereof will send an unmistakable message about whether NAHCON upholds-or undermines-the transparency, integrity, and accountability that form the bedrock of our nation’s civil service.”. they added.
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