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Deborah Samuel: Catholic Bishop Spits Fire, Says Nigeria Has Crumbled Under Buhari

Published

3 years ago

May 17, 2022

Editor

The Catholic Bishop of Nsukka Diocese, Enugu State, Bishop Godfrey Igwebuike Onah has accused the President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration of deliberately crumbling Nigeria.

Onah, who was reacting to the gruesome murder of the student of Shehu Shagari College of Education, Sokoto State, over alleged blasphemy on Prophet Mohammed, lamented how violence, corruption and other vices have become culture and tradition in this part of the world.

The clergyman, who was angered by the realities in the country, expressed sadness over attacks on the Bishop of Sokoto Diocese, Bishop Mathew Kuka.

Recalls that Kuka’s house was reportedly attacked few days ago following protest launched in parts of Sokoto State by some Muslims over the arrest of suspected killers of the 200-level student.

Bishop Onah lamented how Kuka, who is the voice of the poor northerners, is now the target of attack due to religious extremism.

He said, “My dear friends, I must he honest with you, today, I would have preferred to lock myself up in my chapel to pray and to weep for my nation where darkness has descended.

“To weep and pray for my church that is being folded out of existence in the world and Nigeria, to weep and pray for Deborah Samuel who was killed because she found herself in a part of the country where she thought was a home but not.

“To weep and pray for friend and brother, Bishop Mathew Kuka, the world acclaimed voice of the voiceless who has become a target by the same voiceless people who now see him as part of their problem rather than part of their solution.

“To weep and to pray for the poor miserable murderer of Deborah who have been left uneducated and unemployed deliberately so that they can be brainwashed, instrumentalized for the political end by religious bigots and political egoists.

“To weep and to pray for our plotocal leaders under whose watch the country has crumbled and they look for who to blame on the mess which they have put all of us.

“I would have preferred no to be standing before you here now to tell you about love, the liturgy of today to reflect on the essence and meaning of Christianity, the love we should have for one another.

“But how can you preach love in a country where violence has become a rule? A country where corruption has become a norm and tradition, where impunity has become law, where the government feels so helpless that it is now appealing to religious leaders to talk to non-state actors not to make the security situation in our country worst. Those were the words of the Vice President when he spoke to all Bishops of Catholic Church in West Africa”.

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NiMet Predicts Three-day Rain, Thunderstorms From Monday

Published

17 hours ago

September 21, 2025

Editor

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JUST IN: Ooni Visits Olubadan-designate Ladoja In Ibadan

Published

22 hours ago

September 21, 2025

Editor

The Ooni of Ife, Oba Enitan Ogunwusi, on Sunday, paid a visit to the Olubadan designate, Rashidi Ladoja, at his Bodija private residence in Ibadan, Oyo State.

The PUNCH reports that Oba Ladoja will be installed as the 44th Olubadan on Friday, September 26, 2025, following the demise of the 43rd Olubadan, Oba Owolabi Olakulehin, who joined his ancestors on Monday, July 7, 2025, at the age of 90 years.

The two paramount rulers are currently exchanging pleasantries.

Details later…

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JUST IN: FG Revokes 1,263 Mineral Licenses Over Unpaid Fees

Published

23 hours ago

September 21, 2025

Editor

The Federal Government through the Ministry of Solid Minerals Development has announced a fresh revocation of not less than 1,263 mineral licenses.

These licenses, which will now be deleted from the Electronic Mining Cadastral System portal of the Nigerian Mining Cadastral Office, include 584 exploration licenses, 65 mining leases, 144 quarry licenses, and 470 small-scale mining leases.

The minister of Solid Minerals Development, Dele Alake, gave the revocation announcement in a statement issued by his special assistant on Media, Segun Tomori, on Sunday in Abuja.

The minister explained that the directive was issued due to the companies’ failure to comply with the requirement of paying their annual service fees.

The latest revocation brings the total mineral titles revoked under the current administration to 3, 794 including,619 mineral titles revoked for defaulting in paying annual service fees and 912 for dormancy last year.

By opening up the areas formerly covered by these licenses, the revocation is expected to spur fresh applications by investors looking for fresh opportunities.

The statement read, “Not less than 1,263 mineral licenses will be deleted from the portal of the Electronic Mining Cadastral system of the Nigerian Mining Cadastral Office, MCO, following their revocation by the Federal Government.

“These include 584 exploration licenses, 65 mining leases, 144 quarry licenses, and 470 small-scale mining leases.”

Approving the revocation following the recommendation of the MCO, the Minister said applying the law to keep speculators and unserious investors away from the mining sector would make way for diligent investors and grow the sector.

“The era of obtaining licences and keeping them in drawers for the highest bidder, while financially capable and industrious businessmen are complaining of access to good sites, is over.

“The annual service fee is the minimum evidence that you are interested in mining. You don’t have to wait for us to revoke the license because the law allows you to return the license if you change your mind,” the minister said.

He warned that the revocation does not mean the Federal Government has pardoned the annual service debt owed by licensees, adding that the list will be forwarded to the Economic & Financial Crimes Commission to ensure that debtors pay or face the wrath of the law.

“This is to encourage due diligence and emphasise the consequences of inundating the license application processes with speculative activities.”

In the recommendation to the minister, the Director-General of the MCO, Simon Nkom, disclosed that there were 1,957 initial defaulters when the MCO published the intention to revoke licences in the Federal Government Gazette on June 19, 2025.

He informed the minister that the gazette was distributed to MCO offices nationwide to sensitise licencees and encourage them to comply within 30 days in compliance with the Minerals and Mining Act 2007 and relevant regulations.

He observed that the delay in the final recommendation was due to complaints of several licensees who claimed to have paid to the Federal Government through Remita and had to be reconciled.

Earlier this month, the DG MCO had hinted that more mining licences would be revoked as part of ongoing efforts to sanitise the solid minerals sector and protect investors from fraudsters.

According to Nkom, the clean-up exercise, which covers expired, speculative, and inactive titles, is necessary to make room for genuine investors and ensure compliance with the law.

This is part of ongoing efforts at sanitising the sector since the inception of the Tinubu administration, and the salutary effects of the reforms are massive and manifest despite the attempts to push back by defaulters and their agents.