It’s been three years since the paramount ruler of the Adara tribe, Dr. Raphael Maiwada Galadima popularly known as Agom Adara was gruesomely murdered by some gang of terrorists whom security agencies later revealed to be Fulanis.
The circumstances under which the revered Chief was abducted and later murdered after ransom was paid remain a mystery yet to be unraveled with the court of public opinion believing that he was not just randomly abducted and murdered but a well calculated action that would later be revealed following events that took place after his exodus from the throne.
Galadima, described by many as a man of peace and justice was on his way back from Kaduna on Friday 19 October 2018 when the daredevil terrorists attacked his convoy, killing four aides before taking him, his wife and driver into the forest, a journey that would eventually led to his exit from planet earth. His wife was later released by the terrorists but the Chief would never be seen again even after ransom was negotiated and paid in full.
In the Morning of 26 October 2018, after spending a week in captivity, the terrorists shot Chief Galadima at close range and dumped his body along the dreaded Abuja-Kaduna highway. The entire Adara tribe all over Nigeria and the people of Southern Kaduna were thrown into deep mourning.
Barely two weeks after his murder, the Kaduna state command of the Department of State Security (DSS) announced the arrest of the suspected killers of the Royal father, a development that was welcomed by many with joy and optimism that justice was on its way. Mohammed Ningi, the Director of the DSS in Kaduna while announcing the arrest said that the six suspects were arrested following intense security surveillance on them.
As expected, the six were charged to court by the police but their trial has been a top secret, the public know nothing about all thanks to the lackadaisical attitude of the prosecution team from the Kaduna state department of justice. The prosecution which ought to be up and doing to ensure that justice is served on time for the public interest is either not interested in the case or just buying time to get the public to forget about the gruesome murder of the Royal father.
To make matters worse and more complicated, the Chiefdom the late Monarch left behind was ‘balkanized’ by the Kaduna state government with no replacement for the murdered monarch three years after his murder.
The Kaduna state government in June 2018 announced the establishment of an Emirate over Kajuru, a predominantly Christian local government. Emirates are known to be the outcome of Jihad conquest. Unfortunately in the case of Kajuru, there was no war not to talk about conquest.
The Kaduna state government in a tweet announced that the Kajuru Chiefdom had requested to be ‘redesignated’ as Emirate.
There are three chiefdoms in Kauru LGA: Kauru, Kumana and Tsam. Of the three, only the Chief of Kauru aspired to be classified as an emir, like the chiefs of Lere, Kagarko and Kajuru.
When did it becomes the prerogative of a Chief to aspire to be classified an Emir? Can a minority local chief in Giwa or Igabi also aspire to be classified a ‘Sarkin dodo'(JuJu Chief) and the government accepts such with same alacrity?.
Whatever is slowing down the process of justice in the trial of the suspected killer of Agom Adara must be reviewed and steps taking by the Kaduna state justice department to ensure that justice is not only served but served well and on time.
Only true justice would prove the court of public opinion wrong or right on the assumptions being made about who killed Agom Adara and why he was killed and the Kaduna state government holds the key to ensuring that such assumptions are brought to end by making sure that justice is served.
An angry mob has killed a man, his wife and son in Zangon Aya community, Igabi local government area of Kaduna State for allegedlyfpor giving information to bandits.
Governor Nasir El-Rufai of Kaduna State has condemned the act and ordered a thorough investigation into the incident.
Samuel Aruwan, Commissioner, Ministry of Internal Security and Home Affairs, Kaduna State, said on Tuesday that security agencies reported the killing to the state government.
According to the report, Abdullahi Mohammed Gobirawa, his wife Binta Abdullahi and his son Hassan Abdullahi were killed when a mob stormed their home on Monday afternoon.
“The mob action was in response to the trio’s suspected collaboration with bandits, especially in relation to recent kidnappings in the area. After killing the trio, the mob looted and burnt their home.”
While “receiving the reports, Governor Nasir El-Rufai expressed his sadness and deep worry at the violent actions of the citizens, and strongly condemned the extra-judicial killings. He stressed that lawful means alone should be adopted in confronting suspicions of criminality, as the destructive practice of self-help would only result in greater harm.”
“The Governor directed security agencies to conduct thorough investigations into the incident and urged citizens to maintain order. He cautioned against stereotyping of any sort and appealed for consistent recourse to the constituted agencies.
“Investigations into the incident are in progress,” he said.
Says military action in Imo State community may constitute a war crime
The Governments of the United States of America and Nigeria have been applauded for including a clause banning the use of the newly acquired American built Tucano Jets in any military operations in the South East of Nigeria against agitators of self determination just as the Rights group has asked the proscribed Indigenous Peoples of Biafra (Ipob) not to carry out adversarial actions such as boycott of the Anambra governorship election by invoking a one week sit-at-home protest. HURIWA said any action that would derail the conduct of the Anambra governorship election is not in the best interest of the South East of Nigeria but is the evil wish of the enemies of Ndigbo.
HUMAN RIGHTS WRITERS ASSOCIATION OF NIGERIA ( HURIWA) a prominent Civil society and pro-democracy group has called on the Chief of Army Lieutenant General Yahaya Faruk to stop forthwith the adversarial and bloody violence unleashed on many Igbo communities by the Nigerian Army operatives currently on internal security operations in the Southern Nigeria just as HURIWA said military invasions of Communities in Imo State which have resulted in many extrajudicial killings and organised and coordinated burning down of communities by armed operatives of the Nigerian Army. HURIWA has tasked the Imo State governor Mr Hope Uzodinma to go beyond just weeping openly at the scenes of military attacks on innocent Imo communities but should ensure that indicted armed operatives are sanctioned using extant laws that prohibit extrajudicial killings and deployment of torture.
Describing the military attacks in Oguta and some parts of Imo State in which many youths were reportedly killed by the marauding armed operatives of the military of Nigeria as constituting a grave crime against humanity, HUMAN RIGHTS WRITERS ASSOCIATION OF NIGERIA (HURIWA) has promised that civil rights advocacy groups active in the South East of Nigeria have already started compiling evidence of crimes against humanity by armed security agencies whilst carrying out the internal security operations in the South East and in due time those reports will constitute a body of fresh petition to be despatched to the International Criminal Court in The Hague Netherlands so that those operatives and the military commanders responsible for committing the crimes against humanity are brought for prosecution and global judicial sanctions. The Rights group warned against the killing by aggrieved groups of members of the armed forces of the Federal Republic of Nigeria to avoid unnecessary bloodshed.
In a statement by the National Coordinator Comrade Emmanuel Onwubiko and the National Media Affairs Director Miss Zainab Yusuf, HURIWA said the government of the United States of America shouldn’t stop at just publicising the conditions precedent for the contractual agreement between it and the government of the Federal Republic of Nigeria on the deployment of the newly bought Tucano Jets but there has to be a transparent, open and public monitoring and reporting mechanisms so Nigeria keeps to the commitments to respect for human rights that it entered into with the United States of America regarding the operational deployment of the new militsrung combat technology loans Tucano Jets.
HURIWA is proposing to stakeholders in the South East of Nigeria including State Governments and businesses to set up a trust fund to support the credible and genuine activities of the Civil Rights Advocacy community in the South-East of Nigeria with specific operational mandates to monitor the activities of the members of the armed forces of Nigeria and to promote civil and military synergies and partnerships.
HURIWA said: “It is indeed heartwarming to read that the United States Government says the Federal Government is expected to deploy the Super Tucano aircraft only in the northern part of the country where Boko Haram terrorists have engaged the Nigerian state in a decade-long insurgency killing thousands and displacing millions. This, therefore, precludes the possibility of the Federal Government deploying the security equipment in the South-East despite the designation of the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra as a terrorist organisation and the setting up of the armed Eastern Security Network by IPOB. The South-East has been the epicentre of a secessionist agitation threatening to break up the country.”
HURIWA recalled that briefing journalists earlier in the week, the US Principal Deputy National Security Advisor, Jonathan Finer, at an event attended by the US Ambassador to Nigeria, Mary Beth Leonard, said the terms of the agreement during the sale of the 12 Tucano aircraft were explicit. Reacting to a question on whether the Tucano fighter planes might be deployed against secessionists in the South-East, Finer said the planes were an important platform for security, particularly in the North, expressing pleasure over the conclusion of the deal.
HURIWA quoted the American official Jonathan Finer as stating thus: “We are pleased to deepen our security cooperation with the Nigerian government. I think we made it very clear our expectations about this platform where it would be used and in the right way and we are always raising concerns when we have them and that it’s true with all our security partners around the world.This is an important platform for security, particularly in the North and we are pleased the transaction is finally concluded.”
The Rights group which called on President Muhammadu Buhari to speak publicly on this condition of never to deploy Tucano Jets to hunt members of the proscribed Indigenous Peoples of Biafra (IPOB) or any self determination groups in the South said Nigerian government deserves to be commended for agreeing to sign on to the Conditions precedent for the contractual agreement between it and the government of the United States of America regarding the operational deployment of the newly acquired American built Tucano Jets.
HURIWA also appealed to President Muhammadu Buhari to rein in reactionary elements and war mongers in his administration such as the bellicose minister of information and culture Lai Mohammed and the Fulani bigot who doubles as the Senior special assistant on Media and Publicity to President Muhammadu Buhari Alhaji Garba Shehu who are using their privileged access to the media of mass communication to overheat the polity and the South East of Nigeria particularly through their rabid Igbo phobic speeches and diatribes.
Today makes it exactly 3 years that the AGOM ADARA, Late HRH Maiwada Raphael Galadima, a first class traditional ruler from Southern Kaduna was assassinated by Terrorists. Till date, his killers are yet to be prosecuted by the failed and incapacitated government of Nigeria.
The late AGOM was known to be the most vibrant Traditional ruler in Southern Kaduna of his time. He seriously encouraged and promoted the unity of the Southern Kaduna and Middlebelt people. He urged all Southern Kaduna Traditional leaders to abandon the Turban attires adopted from Core northerners by Middlebelt Traditional leaders. He stood on the idea for our people to go back to our ancestral Traditional attires. The Sokoto caliphate of course was not happy with that.
His memories will continue to remain fresh in our hearts. His legacy we will continue to uphold and he will always remain our HERO.
On Sunday evening I got a distress call from a resident of Jankasa community in Southern about an ongoing terrorist herdsmen attack.
The caller was so frightened that she couldn’t even speak well, I on my own end could hear heavy gunfire on the background as the villagers scamper for safety.
The residents have been living in fear since the attack that claimed 38 lives in neighbouring Madamai and Abun communities, I remember some residents telling me that they hardly sleep at night due to fear of an impending attack. The government failed to provide them with security as usual and the terrorists eventually came knocking on Sunday.
By the time the terrorists were done, they left behind their usual trademark of blood, tears and sorrow. At least 4 people mostly young people with future ahead of them were gruesomely killed while 3 others sustained gunshots injuries.
To my greatest shock when I woke up yesterday I read a statement credited to Samuel Aruwan, the Kaduna Commissioner for mourning and announcements saying that it was a clash between farmers and herders.
This is a dangerous narrative tantamount to peeing on the graves of the massacred.
I don’t know why he derives much pleasure in spewing such malicious and mischievous narratives but whatever be the case, posterity will judge him accordingly.
May the souls of those killed in Jankasa find rest with the Lord and may the injured receive quick healing.
At least 18 people have been reportedly killed as terrorists group invaded Maza-Kuka Community, Mashegu Local Government Area of Niger State, North Central Nigeria in the early hours of Monday.
Dailytrust reported that the terrorists upon arrival into the community on motorcycles went straight to the mosque and murdered the victims who were observing the early morning muslim prayers.
The victims were reported to have been shot dead at closed range while many others were injured. The terrorists also kidnapped 13 people.
The attack is coming amid a network shutdown ongoing in some parts of the state, a measure the government claimed is to curtail activities of terrorists operating in the region.
It would be recalled that one February 17, a student was killed while 27 students were abducted after daredevil terrorists attacked a government owned science College in the town of kagara in the state.
women and children fleeing Yar’Matanakari village after an attack in January. Photo credit: Yusuf Anka
Terrorists have abducted at least forty (40) villagers from Yar’Matanakari village in Anka local government area of Zamfara state, North-West Nigeria. The community leader of the village was also killed during the attack.
Popular Zamfara Activist, Yusuf Anka made this know on his twitter handle on Tuesday morning.
Anka said the terrorists have demanded for a N5 million ransom from the community or they will abduct more people. He said the residents are already fleeing the community since they cannot pay the ransom demanded.
The tweet reads;
Morethan 40 People have been abducted with the community leader killed in Yar'Matanakari, Anka, the bandits have demanded for 5Million or abduct more people, members of the community in a meeting have agreed for the resident to flee so far they have somewhere to go for safety.
Undoubtedly, Nigerians are in moments of anxicety and national outrage, no thanks to the unprecedented anarchy, chaos and doom caused by insecurity.
Incidentally, in these moments of insecurity even institutions whose function has a lot of bearing on the smooth and steady running of the entire civil service are challenged by cocktails of externally generated speculative tails of fear, anxiety and apprehension.
The Accountant General of the Federation (AGF); the administrative head of the treasury of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, perhaps one of the most prominent public offices in the Nigerian Civil Service has been having a fair share of cocktails of lies, half-truths and speculations and these are springing seeds of doubts, tension in the minds and hearts of Nigerians.
For purposefulness, the simple description of the Office of the Accountant General of the Federation (OAGF) as the agency of government responsible for accounting of receipts and expenditures of the Federal Government may appear too simple and incomplete for those who know the enormity of the work daily carried out by the agency.
Established under the Civil Service re-organization Decree No. 43 of 1988, this important agency is headed by the Accountant General of the Federation (AGF), who is appointed by the President for a tenure of four years, serves as the Chief accounting officer for the receipts and payments of account of the Federal Government.
A more roboust description will say the OAGF is mandated to collate, present and publish statutory financial statements required by the Minister of Finance, manage Federal Government investments, maintain and operate the accounts of the Consolidated Revenue Fund, Department Fund, Contingencies Fund and other public funds; and provide cash backing for the operation of the Federal Government.
It is equally saddled with the conduct of routine and in-depth inspection of the books of accounts of Federal Ministries and Extra-ministerial Departments to ensure compliance with rules, regulations, policies, and internal audit guides, investigation of cases of fraud, loss of funds, assets and store items and other financial malpractices in ministries and extra-ministerial departments.
The office is also to provide financial regulations and issue Treasury Circulars to Federal Ministries/Extra-Ministerial Departments to ensure that there are adequate accounting systems in public funds and for the coordination of the collection and disbursement of the public funds and for the coordination of accounting systems
The office also monitors government revenue and account for same, issues officially approved forms bearing Treasury Numbers for use in all Federal Ministries to ensure uniformity, formulate the accounting policies of the Federal Government, services government loans and manages public debts.
The good news here is that the OAGF is currently headed by the tested and trusted leadership of Ahmed Idris; a Nigerian financial accountant who in the recent history of the Nigerian political journey has been adjudged the only AGF who has through his professional expertise championed some reforms in the process of revenue collection, management and disbursement of public funds, by the institutionalizing a practical model which succeeded in blocking leakages, enhances transparency, accountability and openness in Government financial dealings, which includes Single Treasury Account, IPPS, and many more.
However, this writer has been following with keen interest the hot air balloon created in some selected and selfish media platforms in concert with some shadow political forces to deliberately create political smokescreen designed to spark unnecessary confusion and distraction on the person of the Accountant General of the Federation.
Remarkably, in the midst of these orchestrated campaigns of calumny, Alhaji. Ahmed Idris, who several pundits has described as a cool headed, calculated and compassionate gentleman has maintained his calmness and has refused to be distracted. His silence over some of these issues goes a long way to buttress the fact that the accusations are baseless; since “Silence” they say, “is best answer to fools”.
Also, it is a well-known fact that the President has the vantage position of getting intelligence feed on to him. That the Accountant General of the Federation hasn’t been fired for this long shows the allegations to the President are tissues of lies.
Perhaps, highlighting these rumors and half-truths against the person of Ahmed Idris will be to make them weighty, nevertheless, an analysis of a few will help set the records straight on this misleading campaign.
A good case in point was the report on accusations by one Professor Lawan Abubakar of ASUU, Bauchi branch, against the AGF. According to a social media report credited to solacebase.com (www.solacebase.com) dated 19th November, 2020, Prof. Abubakar singled out the person of Alhaji Ahmed Idris for vilification in connection with the then protracted negotiations that existed between the Federal Government and ASUU.
It was reported that Prof. Abubakar’s accusations included that the Accountant General insisted on the enrolment of University staff on IPPIS only because he will gain N16, 000 per each lecturer so enrolled. He further alleged that Alhaji Idris owns multi billion Naira Gezawa Commodity Market and Exchange. He also bought Sokoto Hotel in Kano which he demolished to build a mall.
Under normal circumstances, one will find it extremely difficult to believe that such wild allegations could emanate from a University Professor. This is because Scholars are known for research, analysis, making references to their sources of information and for deductive reasoning, particularly on issues worthy of their attention and public comments.
For instance the allegation that the Accountant General of the Federation receives financial benefit to the tune of N16, 000 on the enrolment of each staff into IPPIS clearly portrays misunderstanding of IPPIS administration.
IPPIS is an Information Communication Technology (ICT) driven programme initiated by the Federal Government of Nigeria to improve the storage of personnel records and administration of payroll for Federal Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs).
The IPPIS department in the OAGF operates strictly in accordance with extant rules, regulations and government directives. The staff of the department are professional civil servants drawn from across the country; they are not employees of the AGF. Moreover, the Federal Government does not release cash to the OAGF for payment of salaries and wages of the staff of federal MDAs captured under the IPPIS. Salary payments and other financial transactions are carried out electronically.
On the alleged acquisition of properties worth billions of Naira citing Gezawa Commodity Market and Exchange, and Sokoto Hotel, while this writer is not holding a brief for the AGF on the matter, he believes that as a high ranking civil servant who steadily progressed to the peak of his career in the service, Alh. Idris ought to be very conversant with the public service rules, financial regulations and such other guidelines provided for the official and personal conduct of serving federal public officers.
Research reveals that Gezawa Commodity Market and Exchange is a limited liability company registered with the Corporate Affairs Commission of Nigeria. This, therefore, does not require spurious allegations aimed at damaging the image of any person over ownership of the property. The records of ownership, value, etc of the company could have easily been cross checked with the Commission.
Any interested person could have equally followed the procedures laid down by the Kano state government for tracing ownership of landed properties through relevant establishments such as the state Ministries/Agencies responsible for lands, housing and urban development. Findings would have availed access to proof of ownership of the property (by Ahmed Idris, if his claims were correct), date of purchase, actual cost and even the approved building plan and architectural designs for the said proposed mall.
These are simple and harmless steps expected to have been taken in order to obtain accurate facts and evidences before going to the press.
Again, after a careful examination of all the arguments bandied on the media, notably on his retention as the AGF by President Muhammdu Buhari after attaining the age of 60 on November 25, 2020, unlike the apologists of the hasty campaign to forcefully boot him out through the back-door, Alhaji Idris had relied on the provisions of the constitution, which makes both the appointment and renewal of the tenured appointment of AGF a prerogative of the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
Report has it that the AGF had on October 2, 2020, written to the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, SGF, Mr. Boss Mustapha, seeking clarification on his status ahead of November 25, 2020, when he would clock 60 years old.
The letter titled “Re, Renewal of Appointment as Accountant-General of the Federation”, reads in part:” I most respectfully inform the Secretary to the Government of the Federation that I will be Sixty (60) years of age on 25th of November 2020, while my length of service will be Seventeen (17) years.
“In the light of the foregoing, I wish to most obediently seek for SGF’s guidance and clarification accordingly.”
It is common knowledge that the AGF is currently serving as a political appointment and not a civil servant that should retire at the age of 60. It logically follows, that his appointment in 2015 was projected as a civil servant who served within the age bracket of a mandatory retirement age of 60 years, and enjoyed the tenure within the mainstream civil service guidelines supervised under the office of the Head of Civil Service.
His re-appointment for a second term on June 25, 2019, was predicated under Section 9(1),(2), (3) of the 1999 Construction where the President is empowered to appoint any person into any position of authority regardless of the age bracket, and therefore prompted the second appointment through the office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation.
Beyond this, Section 171 of the Constitution empowers the president to exercise discretion in appointing persons into some extra-ministerial offices. The same constitution spelt out the offices in the category, to which the Office of the Accountant-General of the Federation fell.
The Constitution, the supreme law of the land, is the grand norm, all other laws rose from it and any law that is in conflict with the provisions of the constitution doesn’t stand, it’s struck down.
When it was clear that Mr. President had exercised his powers under Section 171 of 1999 Constitution as amended in reappointing Mr. Ahmed Idris with effect from June 25, 2019 for another tenure of four years which by terms of appointment elapse June 2023, political opportunists resorted to campaigns of calumny aimed at tarnishing the image of the AGF.
The question begging for an answer is this: what is the underlying agenda of this broad daylight sinister efforts to malign an appointee who has been passionate about his responsibility, to the excitement of The Presidency, which (in the first place) has the prerogative of appointing, removing him; reappointing him or replacing him out rightly?
It is not surprising then that the effort these political jobbers are making to destroy the image of Mr. Idris Ahmed is a lost battle and their sponsors are chasing shadows and leaving the substance. If they are not out for cheap recognition or hiding behind a questionable campaign of calumny to secure the AGF’s office for their kinsmen, they are against the AGF presumably under the guise that he wants to be governor in his state of origin.
The Office of the Accountant General of the Federation is a sensitive position that deals with financial issues the President feels he can work with Alhaji Ahmed Idris. This is because he is not working for himself, but for the nation and has to get the best of hands, trusted persons.
That Mr. Idris has been kept in Office in the midst of these rumours and half-truths is a testament that he is doing a good work and the President having realized that these are plots meant for distractions wants to continue with him.
*Miss. Onwughalu, Project Director at the HUMAN RIGHTS WRITERS ASSOCIATION OF NIGERIA (HURIWA), Abuja.
Governor Rotimi Akeredolu has accused the Nigerian police of not being willing to arrest errant herdsmen in Ondo.
“Yes, you have criminal trespass. It should be treated by the state. All we had before Amotekun was the police that had the duty to arrest and were not prepared to make an arrest. Things are changing and have really changed in Ondo state,” said Mr Akeredolu. “Today, if you trespass on other people’s land, the Amotekun will go after you and arrest you. They pay compensation to the farmers, and when they fail, they are in court. It is the only way you can send signals to the people.”
The governor was quoted as saying this on Monday at the 27th Nigerian Economic Summit in Abuja with the theme ‘Securing Our Future: The Fierce Urgency of Now’.
He pointed out that “when you commit a crime, and the hands of law don’t catch up with you, another person will repeat it.”
On open grazing, Mr Akeredolu said nomadic pastoralism was a culture that must be discouraged in the interest of those involved.
“Speaking for those of us who have put in place anti-open grazing law. We have our reasons, and we have no apologies,” the governor stated.
Mr Akeredolu, Governor Nasiru El-Rufai, and other panellists spoke at the summit centred on addressing the country’s protracted security challenges.
According to him, a nation with failed security and justice systems is set to fail.
“In Ondo state, we don’t have terrorism. Our problem is farmers and herders clashes and kidnapping for ransom. We have drug abuse and agitation for self-determination. We have always preached multi-level policing in Ondo state. We believe in layers of security,” he said.
President Muhammadu Buhari’s media aide Garba Shehu says he agrees with the UK-based publication, The Economist, that Nigeria’s insecurity has taken a turn for the worse since the ex-military dictator was elected as a civilian president in 2015.
“The Economist is also accurate to state that they (insecurity challenges) have come to a head under President Buhari and the All Progressives Congress (APC) administration,” the president’s media acknowledged in a statement reacting to the report.
The publication noted that under Mr Buhari, Nigeria had become a crime scene of destructive magnitude on the African continent, pointing out that terrorists and armed bandits are running wild because Mr Buhari is corrupt and lazy, failing to do anything but render lip service following every deadly attack.
“Yet they do so, because for so long, under previous administrations, whether military or democratic, tough decisions have been ducked, and challenges never fully met – with the effect of abetting these dangers and allowing them all to fester and grow,” the presidential spokesman claimed. “It is only the Buhari leadership which has sought – ever, in over one hundred years – to identify the root causes of the herder-farmer clashes and find durable solutions.”
In July, the bandits shut down a Nigerian Air Force jet in Zamfara and invaded the Nigerian Defence Academy Kaduna the following month.
Although Mr Buhari acknowledged bandits have been terrorising the country, his administration has been reluctant to declare bandits as terrorists because they have yet to declare a political or religious goal, a key requisite in designating a movement as terrorists under international regulations.
