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Solid Mineral: Armed Forces Provides Security For Only Legal Mining Sites, Miners – CDS, IGP Tell Reps
By Gloria Ikibah
The Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), General Christopher Musa, and Inspector General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun have debunked the allegation that members of the Armed Forces provide security for illegal mining sites and miners in the country.
They stated this at an investigative hearing organised by the House of Representatives Committee on Mineral Resources on Thursday in Abuja.
They were both responding to a query by the Committee Chairman, Rep. Gaza Gbefwi that members of the Armed Forces and police were providing security for illegal miners based on reliable reports.
The CDS who was represented by the Director of Operations Defence Headquarters, Air Vice Marshal Nnaemeka Ilo, said they only provide protection for requests made by legal miners, who operate in conflict-inflicted areas.
According to AVM Ilo, the qqqArmed Forces of Nigeria is ever ready to give all the necessary support needed to stop this illegal mining.
He said, “It is not our primary duty but part of our responsibility as per the constitution is that whenever the civil authority task us to do something, we have no obligation than to do that.
“So the Armed Forces to convey here that we are ready to support all the agencies involved in stopping illegal mining including the civil defence, police and the Ministry and so on.
“Now to the question that you asked if the military is protecting any minefield or illegal miners. Most of the time, you find out that from reports reaching us from reliable sources that the military and police providing protection for illegal miners.
“I want to state categorically clear that is a fallacy. It is not true. If there is any such allegations, please we would want to know which of the mines or who brought the allegations so that we would take it up from there. If there is any such allegation, we want to know who brought that up, but as it is that is pure lies sir.
“Legitimate requests are made for the military to give protection to legitimate miners that licence have been issued to in conflict inflicted areas. Once we get such requests what we normally do is we would write to the Ministry of Mines.
“In fact we direct them to their letter to the Ministry of Mines. So if the Ministry of Mines requests us because of the nature of the environment, because of the conflict, we do sometimes give protection to those people licensed by the government to carry out mining activities from the Ministry of Mines based on requests from the Ministry.”
In his submission, the Inspector General of Police who was represented by Assistant Inspector General of Police, AIG Ademola Hamzat, said no responsible organisation paid by the public would do anything that would be against the wish of the people.
He said, “The police, yes, we give guards to some individuals, who we can establish are under serious threat especially in terrorism inflicted areas. But from my own office, there is nothing to show that we protect any illegal mining site. We don’t do that.
“We have a procedure to even grant whoever we are going to guard. The procedure should be we should know what you do for a living first and you must be able to establish to us what the reasons are the reasons you want personal guard, because the police is supposed to provide general service to the people.
“So if the people who actually give this, which is coordinated by the Inspector General of Police himself, are convinced that you are supposed to be given one or two guards for personal protection, they would grant. But none from my investigation that we have any mine that we so protect.”
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Tinubu Directs State Burial For Late Chief Of Army Staff, Taoreed Lagbaja
President Tinubu has directed State Burial for the Late Chief Of Army Staff, Taoreed Lagbaja.
A delegation from the Nigerian Army, led by Major General Kamal Yusuf, announced on Tuesday that President Bola Tinubu has directed a state burial for the late Chief of Army Staff, Lt. Gen. Taoreed Lagbaja.
The announcement was made during a condolence visit to the Olobu of Ilobu, Oba Ashiru Olaniyan, at his palace in Osun State.
Major General Yusuf, a classmate of the late Lagbaja at the Nigerian Defence Academy, reflected on their early days together, recalling how they travelled by train from Osogbo to Kaduna to begin their military careers.
“Lagbaja was a gallant and pragmatic officer, a true combatant, which is why President Tinubu trusted him with the role of Chief of Army Staff,” he said.
During the visit, Yusuf informed Oba Olaniyan that the late General would rest at the National Military Cemetery in Abuja, where Nigeria honours its national heroes.
“Our visit here is to express our condolences and inform you of the burial plans. President Tinubu has directed that Lieutenant General Lagbaja be given a state burial,” Yusuf stated, adding that arrangements have been made to accommodate family members who wish to attend the ceremony.
Delivering a condolence letter from the Nigerian Army, Yusuf expressed hope that such tragic losses would not recur.
“Lagbaja’s dedication to duty and leadership from the front earned him steady promotions throughout his career, culminating in his appointment as Chief of Army Staff,” he noted.
Earlier, the Army delegation visited Osun State Governor, Ademola Adeleke, at the Osun Government Secretariat in Abere.
Commending Tinubu’s decision for a state burial, Governor Adeleke described the late General as “a bright star of Osun and Nigeria dimmed too early.”
He praised the Army’s commitment to completing community projects initiated by Lagbaja in Ilobu, Ifon, and Erin Osun.
In a statement by his spokesperson, Olawale Rasheed, Governor Adeleke said, “I thank Mr. President for approving a state burial for our late brother. We also appreciate the Army’s commitment to completing the community projects initiated by General Lagbaja. We will continue to support these efforts.”
News
Change Negative Narrative About EFCC Being Used For Settling Political Scores- Reps
………Ask Anti Graft Agency To Fight Financial Crimes Within Established Laws
.
……My Staff Are Poorly Paid, EFCC
…., States Why Fight Against Yahoo Boys Fierce
The House of Representatives has tasked the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, to purge itself from the negative impression that its being used to settle political scores and concentrate fighting financial and economic crimes within established laws.
The House handed the advise on Tuesday through the Chairman House Committee on Financial Crimes Honorable Ginger Onwusibe who led members of the committee on the 2024 oversight exercise on the commission.
The oversight covered extensive facility tour of departments and critical operational units of the antigraft agency.
In his terse remarks, Hon. Onwusibe challenged the agency to improve its operational activities in combating economic and financial crimes by complying with its 2004 Establishment Act and other relevant applicable laws like the Money Laundering ( Prevention and Prohibition) Act 2022: Terrorism ( Prevention and Prohibition) Act 2022: The Proceeds of Crime Act. 2022, as well as other statutes, that compels it to carry out these roles transparently with accountability and show that the negative maxim being peddled in some quarters that the agency is often being used for settling political scores is incorrect .
The committee assured that it will collaborate with the commission to actualize its mandate by enacting new laws or amending old ones and as well providing budgetary interventions, if it must strive tirelessly to be on top of its challenges
The House urged the agency to collaborate with sister agencies and desist from keeping suspects as- awaiting ‘trial in correctional centres nationwide
“At this point let me add that a recent visit to the Maximun and Minimun Correctional centres in Kirikiri Lagos State, numerous suspects have been awaiting trial for over one year and yet we are all acquainted with the saying that justice delayed is justice denied”
” It is on this note that we call on the EFCC, Attorney General of the Federation and the Judiciary to improve and ensure the administration of justice works and is efficiently delivered to the victims”
The House warned the agency to purge itself of rotten eggs in order to fight economic and financial crimes frontally, thereby stimulating the Nigerian economy
It also urged EFCC to focus properly on its mandate.
” The issue of appropriate and proper focusing on the mandate of the EFCC must relentlessly be on the front burner:
“Orders from competent courts , arrest and debt recovery must be pursued religiously” the House cautioned
But on its side, the antigraft agency said it has not deviated from its focus but rather working hard and fighting financial and economic crimes as enunciated in its mandate.
Chairman of the agency , Ola Olukeyede told his guest in his remarks during the oversight visit that the commission was doing much to fight financial and economic crimes and stimulate the Nigerian economy
He said so far that the agency has recovered over N250bn cash, tens of million of Dollars and other foreign currencies, with over 3000 convictions: 17000 petitions while also investigating over 20000,with about 4000 fresh cases , all being handled by a misery number of staff strenght
He noted that its priority is to improve the country’s image and stimulate its economy, such that there could be improvement in foregin direct investments and stimulation of the local economy.
Olukeyede however, argued that the agency needed more staff strenght, funding , better renumeration for staff because they were poorly paid. He also emphasised on modern day technology to fight the ever dynamic cyber criminals
According to the EFCC boss, it was important to give more salary to EFCC staff and deploy modern technology to fight emerging cyber crime dynamism . He expalined that the agency has increased efforts to fight Yahoo, yahhoo, boys because of their ability to crumble any economy within a twinkle of an eye
According to him, the agency was expanding its drag net to focus on ministries, departments and agencies infrastructural projects. ” “Go to MDAs and see their budget implementstion. It is not up to 20%”
“We want to ensure 50% infrastructural development” the anti graft boss announced, insisting that it would henceforth encourage monitoring of project implementation which was an aspect of preventing financial crimes
He said the agency has dismissed lots of erring staff, and will continue to dismiss and even prosecute them going forward.
Olukeyede disclosed that it had designed a template on staff integrity, using the Gift- Policy model
.” It is not every thankful gift we should collect” the EFCC boss warned
” I am advocating for more welfare improvement, better welfare, he said.
“We will do more recoveries, more convictions, but we need more resources to do our work, maintaining that, that was his stand on ethics and integrity .
Olokeyede’s demand for more salary wage for staff of the commission, is seen as an incentive to boost welfare and morale to fight financial crimes to standstill.
He stated that there was the utmost need to increase salaries of staff of the commission
The EFCC boss who spoke on his stewardship in the last one year, further added that it increased the war against Yahoo- Yahoo boys because of the consequences of their nefarious acts which could crumble a nation’s economy in a jiffy.
He argued that more technology was required to fight financial crimes.
For instance he explained that it was a common scenario then for thieves and armed robbers to attack and break into banks with guns and Dynamites
” But it is the same common and more easier scenario and task now to have Yahoo-Yahoo boys and bank thieves attack banks with technology in the comfort of their homes or hideouts”
“So we need technology and we also need to increase our fight against these Yahoo boys who can dismantle any economy within a twinkle of an eye
He called on the national Assembly to improve and increase its finances because fighting Financial crimes was a herculean task that requires adequate funding
Olokeyede who apparently was responding to criticisms of the commission’s over concentration on Cyber crimes/ thieves, perpetrated by Yahoo boys, said he has made tremendous impact in enforcement, investigation and conviction with an outstanding record convictions between October 2023 when he was appointed till date
News
Trouble looming for Obaseki as Gov Okpebholo orders probe of his admin
By Kayode Sanni-Arewa
Governor Monday Okpebholo of Edo State has ordered the setting up of a committee to probe the immediate-past administration of Godwin Obaseki for its failure to inaugurate 14 Edo Assembly lawmakers-elect into the 7th Assembly.
Okpebholo disclosed this while giving his inaugural speech as the new governor of the state.
Governor Okpebholo also ordered the State Chief Judge to immediately investigate the initial delay of former Governor Obaseki to inaugurate duly-cleared judges by the National Judicial Council (NJC) last year
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