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2022: NAOSNP President Urges Buhari, Security Agencies to Tackle Insecurity, Root Out Bad Eggs
The year 2022 has been greeted with great excitement by Nigerians in different strata of society. It is a year that they regard as full of opportunities for national development.
Phenomenal as the year preceding that of the general elections hence full of political activities, keeping the peace and security is crucial. This is the crux of the New Year goodwill message of the President of National Association of Online Security News Publishers (NAOSNP), Oki Samson to all Nigerians.
In his message, Mr. Oki demands that the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Pres. Muhammadu Buhari GCFR ensure the security of lives and properties in the New Year. He said. ‘The primary role of government in a society is security. I am charging President Buhari GCFR whom the citizens have given the mandate to be the President and leader to ensure security. The
government should sit up and address the issue of insecurity across the country. We cannot continue to allow our citizens to die like chicken. The citizens believe so much in him as a war general to keep the peace.
They elected him not once but twice because of his track record of achievements as a fine officer of international repute. This tense insecurity situation should not continue under his watch especially as he rounds up his administration as a democrat.’
‘President Buhari should not tarnish his good image. Nigerians love him. It is this mindset that made them vote for him massively. He should address insecurity and deal with the people behind it.’
To the state governors, he added: ‘I call on state governors, you are the Chief Security Officer of your states. When things happen, we hear ‘we will investigate, we will investigate’, till date no outcome of investigation. Yet security issues are emerging everyday in all states. Your role is to provide security.’
The NAOSNP President who doubles as Publisher of Trek Africa Newspaper called on the Chief of Army Staff, COAS Farouk Yahaya, the Inspector General of Police, IGP Usman Alkali Baba, the Commandant General of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), Dr. Ahmed Abubakar Audi and heads of security agencies to name and shame bad eggs hiding in their forces. In his message, he charged them that the days of shielding bad are over. ‘I call on the IGP Alkali Usman Baba, COAS Farouk Yahaya and other leaders to take up responsibility and call their men to order especially when they themselves are giving their best. There are some bad eggs in your force that are messing up your good image.’
‘It is high time that the IGP Alkali Usman Baba, COAS Farouk Yahaya, and other leaders redeem the image of their respective agencies by sanitising the system. When any officer is found involved in this shameful acts and public disgrace, name and shame them immediately. That’s the way to go. Enough of shielding them. For example, the issue of the drunk policeman who killed a 16-year-old girl in Itire-Ikate, Lagos, the Police deleted the identity of that man on Facebook and when the Nigerian media requested for the pictures of the officer, they didn’t release it. That must not continue.’
‘When any officer commits a blunder, you should name and shame him. By so doing, it will reduce the atrocities of our officers. When you carry gun and wear uniforms, you are not better than the average citizens, you are just privileged to be in that position. What you are meant to do is to be a protector agent not a killer agent.’
‘There is need for reorientation of our officers across board. Citizens should not see them and be afraid rather they should be happy. You are not meant to brutalize but to keep the peace. Security agencies are not created to harass citizens but to protect citizens. I recall the incident of a military officer who dealt blows and kicked a lady out of a bus in Maryland, Lagos. The driver cannot talk. Other passengers cannot talk. Yet, the bus moved on like that with the officer because he carried arms bought by taxpayers money for him.’
‘Our officers really need reorientation in this New Year. This is why many citizens see them as enemies which is not supposed to be. The uniformed officers need the civil population to succeed. They need public confidence.’
On a final note, ‘2022 should be a prosperous year for all Nigerians but security must be guaranteed. We want a 2022 in which everyone can prosper. Food security is a serious national issue because farmers cannot get to their farmland to till the land because of insecurity. People can’t travel for their businesses and families because of insecurity and not everyone can afford air travel. This is causing businesses to collapse, families to divide, and poverty.’
‘All hands must be on deck for national development which has its foundation in security. 2022 is a wake up call for national security’, the National President of NAOSNP concluded in his 2022 goodwill message.
Osun State Governor, Ademola Adeleke, has directed immediate investigation in the case of one Segun Olowookere, who was sentenced to death by hanging for stealing chicken.
Governor Adeleke gave this directive through a statement issued by his spokesperson, Olawale Rasheed on Tuesday.
The governor directed the state’s Attorney General to intervene in the matter and ensure the young man is listed for prerogative of mercy before the end of the year.
According to the statement, “I have read about the case. I recognize separation of powers in our democracy.
“In this particular case, I have directed the Commissioner for Justice to initiate processes to grant the prerogative of mercy to the young man.
“Osun is a land of justice and equity. We must ensure fairness and protection of the sanctity of lives.
“I assure the public that the matter is receiving my direct attention. A sense of urgency is also attached to our response to the matter as a responsible state government.”
The directive is coming after an appeal for clemency to the governor on behalf of Segun Olowookere by the World Institute of Peace.
In the appeal, the institute’s Executive Director, Lamina Kamiludeen Omotoyosi, revealed that Olowookere was sentenced to death 10 years ago when he was 17 years of age.
Omotoyosi said, “Segun’s conviction stems from an incident involving the allegation of theft of a fowl and eggs from a poultry farm in Oyan, Osun State over ten years ago.
“The gravity of a death sentence for such an offence raises significant ethical questions, particularly when considering the young age at which Segun was convicted and the minimal value of the items involved.
“However, no justification for any crime but Segun actually pleaded not guilty to this crime.
“His parents, Folashade and Olanrewaju Olowookere, have been vocal in their pleas for clemency, expressing their devastation over the loss of their only son to the confines of prison for over a decade.
“As you are aware, the principles of justice and mercy are foundational to a progressive society.
“The parents have made heartfelt appeals, emphasising that Segun is a brilliant young man with a promising future.
“They have endured immense suffering, selling their properties in an attempt to secure his release, and they continue to hope for a second chance for their son.
“The weight of the punishment far exceeds the nature of the crime, and it is clear that Segun’s case merits a compassionate review. Please, Mr. Governor.”
The Dangote Refinery and Petrochemicals complex has been hailed as an astonishing masterpiece, showcasing Nigeria’s technological advancements on the global stage.
This accolade was shared by a delegation from the Japanese Business Community in Nigeria, led by Japan’s Ambassador-designate to Nigeria, Suzuki Hideo. The Dangote Group also reiterated that its petroleum products are in demand worldwide, as it expands its polypropylene section to reduce Nigeria’s reliance on imported polypropylene, a crucial material used in packaging, textiles, and the automotive manufacturing industries.
The Japanese delegation, which toured the impressive facilities housing both the Dangote Petroleum Refinery and Petrochemicals as well as Dangote Fertilisers, commended the state-of-the-art technology on display, noting that it reinforces Nigeria’s role as the gateway to Africa.
Managing Director of the Japan External Trade Organisation (JETRO), Takashi Oku, remarked that while Nigeria remains the gateway to Africa, the Dangote Refinery stands as a remarkable project that showcases the country’s technological progress. He added that the facility, as the world’s largest single-train refinery, is a point of immense pride for Nigeria. JETRO is Japan’s governmental organisation for trade and investment.
“We had heard about the excellence of the Dangote Refinery through the media but seeing it in person has left us truly amazed by its vastness and grandeur. It demonstrates that Nigeria’s population is not only growing but also advancing in technology. We are keen to collaborate with Nigerian companies, especially Dangote Refinery,” he said.
Emphasising that the refinery has bolstered Nigeria’s leading position in Africa, he further noted that the facility serves as an ideal introduction to the country for the global community.
Managing Director of Itochu Nigeria Limited, Masahiro Tsuno, also praised the sheer size and automation of the Dangote Refinery, calling it a miracle and one of the wonders of the world.
“I’ve seen many standalone refineries across the globe, including in Vietnam and the Middle East. However, this size of a refinery built by one single investor is probably a miracle in the world. And I’m just actually witnessing a miracle, to be honest, today,” he said. Tsuno indicated that his company would seek collaboration with the refinery across various sectors, including polypropylene and other petroleum products.
Commending the ambassador-designate and his team, which described the Dangote Petroleum Refinery as a wonder of modern technology, Vice President of Oil and Gas, Dangote Industries Limited, Devakumar Edwin, explained that the facility is the vision of a Nigerian investor- Aliko Dangote, designed and built by Nigerians, and intended to serve the global market.
He said that it is a point of pride that a Nigerian company not only designed but also built the world’s largest single-train refinery complex. Dangote Industries Limited, a Nigerian company, acted as the Engineering, Procurement, and Construction (EPC) contractor for the refinery. In the process, cutting-edge technologies from around the world were incorporated to ensure that the facility meets the highest standards. Edwin assured the ambassador-designate and the delegation that the company is open to collaboration, always striving to maintain the best possible standards.
“Even now, we have a lot of Japanese equipment inside both the refinery and the fertiliser plant. There are significant opportunities for collaboration, as we always seek the latest technology in any business we engage in. For instance, our cement plant laboratory is managed by robots, and we always embrace advanced technology. With Japan’s focus on technological innovation, there is ample scope for cooperation and for supplying various types of technology,” he said.
Edwin also stated that the Dangote Petrochemical project will significantly boost investment in downstream industries, creating substantial value, generating employment, increasing tax revenues, reducing foreign exchange outflows, and contributing to Nigeria’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP).
He confirmed that products from the refinery meet international standards and are already being exported globally.
“In recent weeks, we’ve exported petrol to Cameroon, Ghana, Angola, and South Africa among others. Diesel has gone all over the world, and jet fuel is being heavily exported to European markets. Our products are already making their mark internationally,” he said.
He further added that by leveraging Africa’s vast crude oil resources to produce refined products locally, the Dangote Group aims to create a virtuous cycle of industrial development, job creation, and economic prosperity.
A Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), Prof Mike Ozekhome, has insisted that former President Muhammadu Buhari should be blamed for his successor, Bola Tinubu’s preference to appoint persons from his ethnic Yoruba language group to key government positions.
Ozekhome, while delivering an address at a symposium on human rights organised by the International Human Rights Commission (IHRC) held in Abuja on Wednesday, claimed that the Buhari-led administration polarised Nigeria along ethnic and religious lines.
The rights activist noted that it is not surprising that President Tinubu was following a similar trajectory since it was tolerated by gullible Nigerians when Buhari was at the helm.
“When I hear today the northerners complain that Tinubu has ‘Yorubanised’ Nigeria, with so many Yorubas in the highest places in Nigeria, they are indeed making a point. But the question I would ask is: where were you when Buhari, for eight years, literally ‘northernised’ every position in Nigeria? You were either a northerner or a Muslim,” he said.
“I cried, I cried, I wrote and wrote. I wrote tons of articles. One of the 50 books which I presented on my 67th birthday was titled: ‘How Buhari Mismanaged Nigeria.’ Some people called it ‘na we,’ this is our man, and even if he is riding roughshod over all of us, it doesn’t matter.
“Hear no evil, see no evil because he is our man. Even if it is not benefitting us, the fact that he is our man is sufficient. Once it is no longer our man, we must also take up arms. No country grows like that.”
At the event under the theme; “Unity in Diversity: Embracing Freedom, Equality, and Dignity for All,” he warned those in positions of authority against compromising the unity of Nigerians in pursuit of tribalism, ethnicity, and sectionalism.
He described the 1999 constitution (as amended) as flawed, adding that there is a need for a new constitution with inputs from Nigerians, irrespective of their ethnic and religious differences, on the way forward for the country.
“We need to redefine ourselves, not the present system where thieves are rewarded with doctorate degrees,” he said.
The Commission’s Ambassador-at-Large and Head of Diplomatic Mission in Nigeria, Ambassador Dr. Duru Hezekiah, emphasized that this year’s theme presents a significant opportunity, drawing attention to the complexity of human rights linked to the multicultural and multi-ethnic composition of over 250 ethnic groups and more than 500 languages spoken in Nigeria.
He remarked that recurring ethnic and religious conflicts have threatened Nigeria’s national unity and stability, noting that the diversity of Nigeria’s population offers both challenges and opportunities for cultural exchange and understanding, which can promote national unity and cooperation.
According to him, the one-day symposium, held on Wednesday, 11th December 2024, consequently offers a singular opportunity to acquire knowledge and reinforce ties with other stakeholders to promote “Unity in Diversity: Embracing Freedom, Equality, and Dignity for All.”
Additionally, he mentioned that the occasion signifies the official swearing-in of IHRC’s new officials: Ambassador Dr. Malami Shehu Ma’Aji (MFR), who was appointed IHRC Special Advisor on Intergovernmental Affairs for the Africa Region, with Chief John Paul Ochemba serving as IHRC Advisor on Special Monitoring Mission Nigeria, and Dr. Kingsley Nwokoma as IHRC Commissioner in Nigeria, all of whose appointments were duly approved by the IHRC Secretary-General, Prof. h.c. Rafał Marcin Wasik.
