Middle Belt: Wike receives chieftaincy title in Idoma land

Nyesom Wike, the governor of Rivers State, has received the chieftaincy title of Okokocho K’Idoma from the Idoma Kingdom of Benue State.

The Paramount Ruler of the Kingdom, HRM. Agaba’Idu Chief. Dr Elaigwu Odogbo Obagaji John conferred the title on the governor on Thursday during the inauguration of the kings’ ultramodern palace in Otukpo.

The recently constructed building was one of several initiatives carried out by the government of Governor Samuel Ortom.

Wike acknowledged the honor and congratulated Ortom for constructing the state-of-the-art palace for the Idoma kingdom.

I appreciate what my brother, Governor Ortom, has accomplished, he remarked. While I was in Benue for the Tor Tiv Palace’s commissioning the previous year, I received a chieftaincy title.

“Today, once more, we’re commissioning the palace of Och’Idima, and I’ve been given a chieftaincy title once more.

“I am grateful that the Och’Idoma thought I was deserving of the title. And I commend you for this appropriate building.

There were several luminaries in attendance, including Governor Ortom, James Ayatse, Tor Tiv, and former Senate President David Mark.

Elections in 2023: NUC mandates closure of universities

The National Universities Commission, or NUC, has ordered that all colleges and university centers close from February 22 to March 14.

Academic pursuits will be interrupted during the suspension, according to NUC.

The declaration was made in a statement that Chris Maiyaki, the Deputy Executive Secretary (Administration), signed.

The statement claims that the choice was made in response to worries about staff, student, and university property security during the general elections slated for February 25 to March 14.

According to the Commission, Mallam Adamu Adamu, Minister of Education, issued the decision after consulting with the appropriate security authorities.

Ijaw elders – Incursion of armed herdsmen into the Niger Delta

…Demands that “the states of the Niger Delta adequately enforce their anti-open grazing legislation and safeguard people’s lives and property.”

Ijaw leaders have issued warnings against the invasion of Ijaw communities by armed individuals who are thought to be herders, under the aegis of the Ijaw National Congress (INC) and the Ijaw Youth Council (IYC).

They noted that “these intruders who wield lethal and dangerous weapons” have been alarmingly invading the towns and farms of Ijaw and other Niger Delta residents.

Consequently, they urged “the Niger Delta states to effectively enforce their anti-open grazing legislation and protect lives and property.

Additionally, they should offer people the assurance that they can go to their fields and earn a living without being afraid or uneasy, especially since lost lives cannot be replaced.

These statements can be found in a statement released on Wednesday by Professor Benjamin Okaba, National President of the INC.

“Our brothers and sisters have been brutally murdered by these herdsmen in their communities and farmlands throughout the states of Bayelsa, Delta, Rivers, and Ondo, among others.

He noted that, particularly in the last few years, “the horrific tales of the barbarous and despicable conduct of these agents of provocation have led reports.”

First Vice President Atamuno Atamuno, Secretary Ebipamowei Wodu, Treasurer Philip Agu, and Financial Secretary Kenneth Odiowei were among the INC national executives present.

On January 24, some alleged armed herdsmen were claimed to have brutally murdered a father and his kid at their farm in Toru-Angiama, in the Patani Local Government Area of Delta State. Mr. Okaba recalled this incident.

He stated, “A woman was murdered in her farm at Sabagriea community in Kolokuma/Opokuma LGA of Bayelsa State on January 25, 2023.

In February 2021, suspected herdsmen attacked a farmer and his son on their farm in the Otuoke community of the Ogbia LGA in Bayelsa.

The constant invasions and violent attacks are part of a nefarious plan by these herders and their employers to seize and dominate the Niger Delta and the Ijaw nation.

“We vehemently oppose in its totality all covert attempts by herders and their employers to seize control of the bushes of the Ijaw nation.

“We are steadfast in our resolve to thwart any efforts by strange forces to terrorize and drive Ijaw people from their ancient territories and history.

In order to advance peace and sustainable development, “we endorse all anti-open grazing laws legally approved by the Houses of Assembly of Niger Delta states and assented to by their Governors.”

Banks close as demonstrations over the lack of new notes rattle Kogi

On Wednesday, some commercial banks in Kogi remained closed after customers staged nonviolent demonstrations over their inability to obtain cash for daily needs.

Affected banks along IBB Way include GTB, Unity, Zenith, Access, and Unity Bank, all closed for the day.

Numerous consumers in Lokoja protested banks, urging them to stop reporting “no money” every day or modify it.
Customers informed media that the demonstration was in response to claims that banks had blatantly disobeyed the Central Bank of Nigeria’s (CBN) order by refusing to give or dispense the redesigned naira notes to customers.

An anonymous staff of the bank voiced worry about the false perception that consumers had regarding commercial banks in relation to the non-availability of the new naira notes.

As things stand, we have no choice but to skip work today because the agitated clients have locked us out, she bemoaned.

At the banks along the same IBB Way, Polaris, UBA, Eco, and Fidelity, which were open for business, the scenario is different.
In contrast to those boycotted, it was learned that the few banks attempted to give consumers access to cash to some level.

Spend old notes as usual; Tinubu will reverse decision when he wins: El-Rufai

Nasiru El-Rufai, the governor of Kaduna, has advised people to disobey the Central Bank’s order and carry on using older denominations of the naira notes that the top bank is disposing of. When Bola Tinubu, the APC’s presidential candidate, is elected, the policy would be changed, according to him.

The Kaduna governor remarked in Hausa, “Everyone, especially residents in Kaduna, should not be worried because of the naira swap deadline.” “Continue managing your businesses and day-to-day operations with whatever notes you have, whether they are new or old.”

And as soon as we win the election, we’ll make sure to address this issue, he continued. If we win the election, that will be the first problem we address.

When addressing a political gathering in his state, Mr. El-Rufai made the claim and urged them to quit swarming banks to exchange their old notes or receive new ones.

As a key component of its new cash strategy, the CBN under Godwin Emefiele had announced that former denominations of the N200, N500, and N1000 notes would no longer be accepted as legal tender in Nigeria as of February 10. Due to the extreme scarcity of the new notes, the move has left many Nigerians in a difficult situation.

“Don’t push yourself into going to the bank with old naira bills and wasting time in the pointless lines. Nobody can prevent you from using the notes, Mr. El-Rufai assured the audience.

“We’ll give people extra time to get rid of the old naira notes when we get to power, (Insha Allah), if Bola Tinubu becomes the president.”

The Federal Government approves use of Hijab for female Muslim students

The Federal Government has approved the use of Hijab for female Muslim students. The Federal Ministry of Education’s Permanent Secretary, Andrew David Adejo, wrote this in a circular dated February 1, 2023.

According to the circular “This is to bring to your notice that the Ministry has approved the use of corporate/cape size hijab as part of school uniform by female Muslim students in all the Federal Unity Colleges and Federal Science and Technical Colleges.”

All 112 Federal Unity Colleges and Federal Science and Technical Colleges in the nation received the circular, which Middle Belt Times was able to obtain.

He clarified that any of the authorized school uniforms may be worn with a corporate/cape-size hijab by pupils at the schools.

Recall that in March 4 2022, the Cable reported that Usman Baba, the Nigeria Police Force’s inspector general of police (IGP), has approved a new dress code that permits female officers to wear the hijab (NPF).

Olumuyiwa Adejobi, the force spokeswoman, had stated that the new clothing code was announced on Thursday during a meeting with the IGP and “strategic police management.”

The new dress code, according to Adejobi, was adopted to ensure gender equality in the police for “optimum output and professionalism”.

Supreme Court postpones CBN’s old naira notes deadline of February 10

The three APC-controlled states of Kaduna, Kogi, and Zamfara petitioned the Supreme Court, which issued the ruling

The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) was given a directive by the Supreme Court on Wednesday to postpone the 10 February deadline for the use of old naira notes.

According to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), a seven-member court panel chaired by John Okoro issued the temporary injunction due to a severe shortage of freshly redesigned N200, N500, and N1,000 banknotes.

In a decision on an exparte suit filed by the three states of Kaduna, Kogi, and Zamfara, a seven-member panel led by Justice John Okoro halted the federal government proposal.

This comes as the President, Major General Muhammadu Buhari (ret. ), the CBN, its Governor Godwin Emefiele, and 27 commercial banks were prohibited by a Federal Capital Territory High Court from suspending, stopping, extending, or meddling with the currency swap terminal date.

Benue State Governor Samuel Ortom had earlier joined the National Assembly to call on President Muhammadu Buhari and the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) to extend the deadline for the removal of old Naira notes from circulation until June 2023.

Atiku to the people of Benue: If you vote for me, I’ll make sure the Fulani sign a peace agreement with you

The presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), speaking on Monday during the party’s campaign rally in the state, said if the people of Benue voted him, he would make sure Fulani signed a peace pact with the people of the state.

He stated, “I am the umbrella of Tiv people worldwide. If you vote for me, I will make sure peace return to Benue State. I will come to the state and make sure Fulani signs a peace pact with the people of the state.”

“Benue state is the food basket of this country. Today, our farmers in Benue do not go to farm again because of insecurity. I will make sure security returns to Benue state.

“I also promise you that by the grace of God, the issue of unemployment of our young men and women will be a thing of the past. That is why in my policy document, I said we are going to allocate 10 billion US dollars to empower our young men and women with enterprises.

He also promised the residents of Benue State that he would repair the federal roads that ran through the state, reopen the state’s railway line, and prevent the Academic Staff Union of Universities from going on strike.

The PDP which is currently experiencing a crisis, and Samuel Ortom, the State Governor, his deputy, Benson Abounu, commissioners, aides, and the 22 local government chairmen of the state were all notably absent from the state’s Atiku Abubakar campaign event.

However, National chairman of the PDP, Senator Iyorchia Ayu, a native of the state, Senator Gabriel Suswam, a former governor of the state, Senator David Mark, a former president of the Senate, and the three senators from Zones A, B, and C—Suswam, Orker Jev, and Abba Moro—were present.

Titus Uba and John Ngbede, the party’s nominee for governor and his running mate, as well as a few members of the state working committee, also attended the gathering.

Ayu urged Ortom, who had not backed Atiku, to work with the party in order to preserve the nation during his speech at the event.

Ortom had maintained in January that the five aggrieved governors would not support Atiku Abubakar in the election on February 25.

Lalong dismisses herdsmen’s takeover of communities in Plateau

The governor of the Plateau has refuted circulating allegations that herdsmen have taken control of several of the region’s settlements.

At a service to commemorate the 2023 Plateau Forgiveness Day on Sunday at St. Monica Catholic Church in Jos, the governor took advantage of the opportunity to address allegations being made that the State’s government had done nothing to stop herdsmen from occupying some villages and taking control of others.

He refuted the claim and asserted that there was no evidence of any local takeover on his desk.

According to him, the government passed and signed into law the Anti-Land Grabbing bill in 2020 as a preventative measure.

“I want the world to know that what we have been doing is bringing people back to their ancestral lands who have been displaced after fleeing their homes as a result of attacks. For instance, the contractor has been given the go-ahead to begin work on the site for the construction of a Police Mobile Barracks in Kakuruk, Gashish District, Barkin Local Government. This would give the residents of the area the security they need to return to their lands.

“Another village, Jong Community in the Ropp District of Barkin Ladi returned to their abode last two months ago. Similarly, the Shonong Community in Bachit District of Riyom Local Government has also been returned to their homes”.  

Governor Lalong said anyone who has such a complaint should write to the Government or go to court to protest such an infraction if it happens to promise that he will not spare anyone who tries to lay claim on any inch of Plateau State that does not belong to him.

Lalong has come under fire in the past by Plateau youths for how he has handled insecurity in the state

Kaduna Pastor Tackles Elrufai over Claims that Christians are few in the North

…Says the governor’s claims not backed by statistics and lack merit.

A Kaduna-based Pastor, Azzaman Azzaman has berated governor Nasiru Elrufai of Kaduna state over his comments on national television that Christians in the northern part of Nigeria live in enclaves and are few.

Recall that the controversial governor made the claims during a recent interview with TVC News, where he said that though Peter Obi is doing well in christian areas in the north, he won’t be able to win given the fact that northern Christians live in enclaves and are not much in numbers.

In a viral Facebook post he posted on his official Facebook page, Azzaman share statistics backing his claims that Christians have significant number in Northern part of the country.

The post reads;

“Nasiru Elrufai claims we Northern Christians are insignificant and inconsequential.

Fast checks;
This are 5 predominantly Christian states in Northern Nigeria based on the official censors figures of 2006 ( Incase of Kaduna and Adamawa election of Governors is not the basis for Population, many Northern Christians are disenfranchised from voting)

Plateau State -3,206,531

Taraba – 2,294,800

Benue – 4,253,641

Kaduna- 6,113,50 – Kaduna Christians not less than 3m

Adamawa – 3,178,950

From this 5 states alone we are talking of not less than 15million Northern Christians.

I didn’t include

Southern Gombe, Southern Kebbi (Zuru and the Dukawa axis) Southern Bauchi, Southern Borno (Chibok is 90% Christian) , Southern Yobe ( Fika area of Yobe) that have a substantial Christian Population.

I worked in Katsina State for 4 years nobody will tell me Hausa Christians are not 40% at least of Katsina Population. 4 Local Governments of Kano are predominantly Christians. Doguwa, Tudun Wada, Rogo and Sumaila LGAs. In some of this places I mentioned like Lere LGA where I come from in Kaduna State you will see 20 churches before you see 2 mosque go and very Nasiru Elrufai Lere is part of your State.

I did not mentioned Nasarawa State, FCT ABUJA, Kogi state, Kwara state and Niger State.

Northern Christians we are estimated to be not less than 50m. I dare Governor Nasiru Elrufai let’s restructure NIgeria and let Religion be included in the next NIgeria’s Population censors.

Northern Christians do not allow religious bigots like Nasiru Elrufai use psychological Jihad to damping your spirit. Come out with your PVCs all Northern Christians let proof to this liar he is actually what Former President Olusegun Obasanjo said he is a Pathological liar.

This is the same narration Nasiru Elrufai has been giving anywhere he speaks about Christians are 30% of Kaduna, before he lunch his Muslim Muslim ticket in 2019 he further reduced it to 27% he gives Population figures with his religious bigotry biased mind.

ELRUFAI’S RECENT ATTACKS ON PETER OBI

No rational minded human being takes El-Rufai serious. Always speaking from both sides of his watery mouth. We know for sure that he’s one of those jittery of Peter Obi landslide victory. This is the same Nasiru who said Obi can’t garner 200persons in Kaduna at rally. Obi has come to Kaduna for campaign rallies and the outcome made El-Rufai to bury his head in shame. All this noise he’s making is just empty and of no consiquence. About to expire politicians like Nasiru Elrufai should not be given any relevance and taking serious.”
Azzaman Azzaman.

The 2023 general elections have brought about a paradigm shift from the traditional two-party contest with the emergence of Peter Obi of the Labour Party and Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso of the New Nigerian Peoples Party, NNPP.