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Activist Attribute Nigeria’s Security Challenges To Injustice

Published

3 years ago

September 3, 2021

Editor

The Executive Director, Foundation for Good Governance and Social Change, Comrade Austine Osakue, has attributed the nation’s security challenges to injustice.

Osakue, who stated this in an interview with journalist in Benin on Friday, said an attempt to solve the problem of insecurity in the country without looking at the root cause, would amount to doing nothing.

The activist who also made a call for the country to practice true federalism, said, “we have defiled justice and searching for peace in vain.

“There cannot be peace in the absence of justice.”

He said things should be done on merit,so that the people, especially those without ‘helpers’ can have a sense of belonging.

“Admission, whether in the University and Unity schools should be given on the basis of those who merit it and not on the basis of who you know in the corridor
of power. The same goes for appointments,” he emphasised.

Similarly, Osakue said the call for restructuring or call for creation of more state will not profer any solution to the numerous challenges that have bedeviled the country.

He said creation or splitting the country into 20 or more states will see the nation dancing in the same circle.

“I do not see restructuring as a permanent solution, nor do I see state creation or asking everybody to go their way as the answer. We created more state and we are now 36 and yet we are worst.

“If we like we split into 20 more states, that is just the beginning, We may have to split again.

“I remembered attending an event in Port Harcourt and I was reminded by a man from Bayelsa that i am not a Niger Deltan.

“Education is an army that liberate the mind; the minds of most Nigerians have not been liberated.

“Everything we do in Nigeria is on the basis of sentiment, make no mistake about it, it is not about religion, it is not about ethnicity.

“It is a few people who wants to satisfy their personal vested interest that throws these two factors up,” he said.

He concluded by saying that until the country addresses the cost of running for elective political positions, Nigeria will continue to have leadership problem.

“The people who ought to move the country forward often shy away because of the cost of running for an election.

“If you want an election into the office of a councillor, we are talking of tens of millions of naira.

“How does a country like that wants to have a leader that is responsible, visionary, that have the capacity to translate words into action,” he explained.

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Man, 38 Escapes Assassination Attempt In Benin

Published

10 months ago

July 22, 2023

Editor

Innocent Omoruyi

By Omokha Andrew

A 38-year-old activist, Innocent Omoruyi, narrowly escaped assassination in the early hours of Wednesday, July 19, 2023 as his residence at Obe Community,Sapele Road in Benin city was attacked by yet to be identified gun men.

The attack which eye witnesses say was viciously executed on Wednesday, July 19, 2023 bore the markings of a dreaded cult group terrorizing Benin City, the state capital.

The Obe, Sapale Road incident, it was learnt, happened soon after Omoruyi left the house to attend to matters of interest some few metres away from his home.

The assailants were said to have shot sporadically in their frustration as residents scampered for safety.

However, Omoruyi escaped unharmed.

One of the eye witnesses who craved anonymity said: “The felons apparently went for the kill, weilding guns and other dangerous weapons. “We are shocked that they didn’t see Innocent Omoruyi who was just some few metres away from home when they arrived”.

“How that happened, only God knows and it was obvious that it wasn’t his time to die yet and just before that not long ago his business place on Lagos Street, Benin City was burnt down in the middle of the night by unknown arsonists.

“This sequence of events is not ordinary. We know it’s politically motivated due to the role he played in the last general elections. He has been advised to go into hiding at the moment for his personal safety”, he concluded.

When contacted, the police Public Relations Officer Chidi Nwabuzor said he was yet to get any information as regards the latest incident. He promised to feed our correspondent with relevant details as soon as they become handy.

Our information source however revealed that the matter has already been incidented at the Love World Police station on Sapele Road, Benin city.

Business

Nigeria To Earn Over $4bn Revenue As FEC Okays Concession Of Abuja, Kano Airports

Published

1 year ago

May 18, 2023

Editor

Nigeria will earn over $4 billion in nominal revenue as the Federal Executive Council, FEC, on Wednesday okayed the concession of the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport (NAIA), Abuja, and Mallam Aminu Kano International Airport (MAKIA), Kano, to the Corporacion American Airport Consortium, a Luxembourg-based company.

James Odaudu, the Special Assistant on Public Affairs to the Minister of Aviation, disclosed this in a statement on Thursday.

According to him, the Council also approved that the Federal Ministry of Aviation would be renamed the Ministry of Aviation and Aerospace.

The statement noted that the company would make combined upfront payments of $8.5 million for the concession of NAIA and MAKIA.

He added that the development would spur evidential growth within the Nigerian aviation industry.

“In alignment with the Aviation Roadmap, approved by Mr President on 18th October 2016, the Ministry of Aviation and Aerospace is delighted to inform all stakeholders, both local and international, and the media, that the concession of the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport (NAIA), Abuja, and Mallam Aminu Kano International Airport (MAKIA), Kano has been approved by the Federal Executive Council,” the statement said.

In December 2022 and January 2023, Corporacion American Airport Consortium was announced as the preferred bidder for the airport’s concession after scaling through a series of evaluations of technical and financial bids.

Nominal revenues mean income not adjusted for inflation and decreasing purchasing power.

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Russia Expelled From Council Of Europe Amid War With Ukraine

Published

2 years ago

March 16, 2022

Editor

The Council of Europe says it has expelled Russia with immediate effect after 26 years of membership because of the Ukraine war.

The Committee of Ministers took the decision in a special session, the rights body announced in the French city of Strasbourg on Wednesday.

Earlier, Russia had already declared its withdrawal from the Council of Europe after it had taken steps to exclude it.

On Tuesday evening, the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe voted unanimously in favour of Russia’s exclusion.

Russia joined the Council of Europe on Feb. 28, 1996.

Together with the formal notification of the withdrawal, the Secretary-General of the Council of Europe also received information from the Russian Federation on Tuesday about its intention to denounce the European Convention on Human Rights.

In a statement on Tuesday evening, the leaders of the Council of Europe once again condemned the Russian invasion of Ukraine.

They expressed their solidarity with the Russian people, who continue to belong to the European family and share its values.

The body said it would continue to stand by Ukraine in the fight against the aggressor.

The Council of Europe monitors the observance of human rights in its 46 member states and is not part of the European Union.

The body reacted to the Russian invasion of Ukraine two weeks ago by suspending Russia’s membership, this decision was considered historic.