HURIWA BACKS The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) On Holding November 6 governorship election in Anambra State:

Leading Civil Society and Pro-democracy group-: HUMAN RIGHTS WRITERS ASSOCIATION OF NIGERIA (HURIWA) has thrown her weight behind the insistence of the nation’s electoral umpires the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to conduct the November 6th 2021 election as planned inspite of heightened attacks by unknown armed non state actors.

Besides, the HUMAN RIGHTS WRITERS ASSOCIATION OF NIGERIA said it was heartwarming that even when speculations and accusations were rife that the proscribed Indigenous Peoples of Biafra (IPOB) had threatened to unleash unprecedented violence to stop the November 6th poll, the officially recognised spokesperson of the Indigenous Peoples of Biafra Comrade Emma Powerful is known to have been attributed with the claim in the media that the violence targeting the facilities of the Independent National Electoral Commission and strategic national security institution and operatives aren’t executed by his organisation but rather that a South East governor was behind the killings so as to render the election inconclusive and to enable the electoral panel to give the victory to the National ruling party of All Progressives Congress which produced the said alleged Igbo sponsor of the spate of attacks in the South East of Nigeria. HURIWA said there was valid reasons to investigate this libe of thoughts. 

HURIWA through the National Coordinator Comrade Emmanuel Onwubiko therefore says the onus is now on the Federal Government of Nigeria using the law based security and intelligence gathering approaches and strategies to decide and unravel the exact sponsors and executors of the unprecedented bloody violence and targeted killings of Igbo academic and political elites that escalated since preparations for the governorship election in Anambra State intensified. 

The Rights group accused the All Progressives Congress of demonstrating undue avarice and greed to scuttle the peaceful conduct of the anambra state gubernatorial poll going by the high level of committees backed by the federal government set up to help the All Progressives Congress candidate in the Anambra election Mr. Andy Uba to win. 

“HURIWA doesn’t apprehend and comprehend the choreographed state of panic and terrific fears that the so called activities of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) in the state may obstruct the conduct of the election when from the official spokesperson of the banned group Nigerians have been told that IPOB won’t undermine the conduct of the election.”  

“It is now becoming clearer that the All Progressives Congress is determined to throw Federal might and manipulate Presidential power and misuse public fund at the disposal of the office of the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria to deliver by hook or crook the Anambra state governornirship seat to the All Progressives Congress.”

“The body language of the President and his speeches and the fact that All Progressives Congress has set up nearly 100 men campaign panel made up of over 20 governors and Federal officials shows that the problem facing the smooth conduct of the Anambra state gubernatorial poll is not IPOB but the Federal government and members of the deep state who are plotting and working through the activities of the unknown gunmen to create panic and conflicts in Anambra to scuttle a peaceful, transparent and accountable election to either declare the election inconclusive as was done in Osun and then rig the by-election or to rig it outright and allow the Supreme Court to reinvent the Imo formula in which the person who emerged fourth by INEC was declared the winner by the discredited Supreme Court of Nigeria “.

HURIWA recalled that amidst the uncertainty over the election, Director, Voter Education and Publicity, INEC, Victor Ayodele Aluko, told the media on Monday that the emergency Inter-Agency Consultative Committee on Election Security meeting would among others deliberate on the way forward for the Anambra election.Asked if INEC was considering postponing the election as a result of the insecurity in the state, he said the answer would come after the meeting.

HURIWA said speaking at the meeting, INEC Chairman, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, assured that the election will not be postponed just as INEC Chief recalled that during the ICCES last quarterly meeting on 9 September 2021, the committee received briefings and reviewed preparations for the election and that a major concern raised by members was the security situation in the state in particular; the adjoining states in general and how this might affect preparations and possibly the conduct of the election.

HURIWA quoted Professor Yakubu as saying thus: “Unfortunately, the situation has deteriorated markedly since our last meeting. Many innocent lives have been lost and property destroyed. From the reports we have received, the stated goal of many of the attackers is that the governorship election scheduled for 6 November 2021 must not hold.This is worrisome for the commission. We are deeply concerned that specific electoral facilities and materials could once more become targets of attack. Recall that in May this year, our State Office at Awka was attacked and all the non-sensitive materials assembled for the election at the time were destroyed.In addition, our store, collation centre and the main office building were either totally or substantially damaged. The Commission also lost several vehicles to be used for the election.

We appreciate the enormous challenges that the security agencies are presently facing in Anambra State, which entail not only securing the electoral process, but also enforcing law and order generally.

This is particularly worrisome because the security agencies have also become prime targets of these mindless attacks.

We will continue to work with the security agencies and in consultation with respected opinion leaders in Anambra State and the National Peace Committee to ensure that these hit-and-run attacks do not derail the electoral process.

To underscore this determination, the commission is implementing two more activities on the Timetable for the election in the next few days. The register of voters will be presented to political parties in Awka on Thursday 7 October 2021. On the same day, the commission will publish the final list of candidates for the election,” 

HURIWA is therefore appealing to the good people of Anambra State to give peace a chance and to actively participate in the November 6th election so as to make their choice of who would salvage their state from perennial underdevelopment and economic insecurity since the last failed 8 failed years of the locusts by the outgoing governor of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA).  HURIWA has appealed to the Federal Government to fish out the agents sent by some federal government officials to destabilise South East of Nigeria in order to demarket IPOB and put them at loggerheads with the over 60 million Igbo people Worldwide. 

Nnamdi Kanu: Yoruba Groups Meet On Sunday To Decide On Joining IPOB’s One-month Sit-at-home

The spokesperson of the Ilana Omo Oodua, Maxwell Adeyemi has explained that the group will have a meeting on Sunday to decide whether or not to accept the invitation of the Indigenous People of Biafra to join the proposed one-month sit-at-home.

Recall that IPOB, in a statement issued by the Media and Public Secretary of the group, Emma Powerful, enjoined other agitators for self-determination from other ethnic nationalities in the country to join its one-month sit-at-home protest commencing on October 21.

According to him, the one-month protest would be subject to the refusal of the Directorate of State Services to bring its leader, Nnamdi Kanu, to court on the said date.

The group alleged that it had learnt that there was a plan by the Nigerian Government not to bring Kanu to court on that day as a ploy to continue to incarcerate him.

When SaharaReporters reached out to Ilana Omo Oodua, the umbrella body for the Yoruba self-determination groups, the spokesman, Adeyemi said he could not make a statement at the time due to its sensitive nature.

According to him, there is a meeting scheduled for Sunday where the IPOB’s proposal will be discussed and a decision taken as to whether the group will join in the sit-at-home protest or not.

Speaking with SaharaReporters, he said, “That is a very sensitive issue. When we have our meeting on Sunday, we’ll let you know our position. It is a very sensitive matter, and I cannot solely speak about it. We’ll have our meeting on Sunday.”

In June, Kanu leader was arrested in Kenya and extradited to Nigeria to face treason charges.

He was subsequently arraigned and brought before Binta Nyako, a judge of the Federal High Court in Abuja, who asked him to be remanded in the custody of the Department of State Services (DSS).

Kanu is facing charges bordering on treasonable felony instituted against him at the court in response to his agitation for the Republic of Biafra.

The scheduled trial in July suffered a setback, with the judge adjourning till October 21.

(Saharareporters)

Celebration Of 61st Independence Anniversary A Mere Charade: – Says HURIWA

Calls For The Release Of Mazi Nnamdi Kanu And For IPOB To Embrace Genuine Dialogues.

“Not too long ago, the Council on Foreign Relations (CFR) and the Harvard Kennedy School in the United States said in a report that Nigeria as a nation is at the point of no return, having showed all the signs of a failed nation. Upon giving examples of other failed states in the world, the Report added: Each lacks security, is unsafe, has weak rules of law, is corrupt, limits political participation and voice, discriminates within its borders against various classes and kinds of citizens and provides educational and medical services sparingly. Most of all, failed states are violent. All failed states harbor some form of violent internal strife, such as civil war or insurgency. Nigeria now confronts six or more internal insurrections and the inability of the Nigerian state to provide peace and stability to its people has tipped a hitherto very weak state into failure”.

Provoked by the above and as Nigeria marks her 61st anniversary of independence, the foremost civil rights advocacy group; Human Rights Writers Association of Nigeria (HURIWA) has berated the woes and disaster brought upon Nigeria by the incompetence, ineptitude, insensitivity, high-handedness and nepotism of the political class over the past many years since independence. The group said the current administration has lowered the bar of good governance and has abandoned Nigerians to the vagaries abd uncertainties of conflicts entrepreneurs,  arms smughlers, terrorists and the Rights group said the President made the mistake of a life time by surrounded himself with ethnic warlords such as his Senior Special Assistant on media and Publicity Alhaji Garba Shehu who is clearly working to advance the selfish and pedestrian interests of his Fulani and Islamic groups and affiliations using Public platform and resources. HURIWA has also challenged the President to initiate concrete, genuine and deep national reconciliation and dialogue and check the rising Ethno-religious vendetta and diatribes being stoked by Garba Shehu abd other Ethno-religious warlords embedded in his government.  

In a statement, signed by the National coordinator; Comrade Emmanuel Onwubiko, HURIWA carpeted the nation’s political class for their collective and classical lack of leadership acumen and capacity to manage the country’s diversities just as the rights group highlighted the gross incompetence of cabinet ministers in handling the complexity of modern governance coupled with their overwhelming abd overbearing toxic clumsiness in grappling with the sophisticated challenges of development and their feeble approach to complex dynamics of global politics contributed into plunging Nigeria to her current gulf.

“It is an axiom that Nigeria is richly endowed by providence with human and material resources critical for national development and advancement. However, the experience of Nigerians since 2015 has been piercing. Before then, Nigeria was the third fastest growing economy in the world next to China and India with a growth rate of close to seven per cent. The economy contracted immediately after the swearing in of President Buhari who took more than six months to constitute his cabinet and sadly the cabinet ministers are mostly opportunistic cash guzzling politicians with zero commitment to Nigeria’s national economic revolution and advancement. 

 “Growth rate collapsed to less than two per cent. Since then there have been two economic recessions, with the dollar value of the naira dipped as inflation and cost of living went to the blues. Inability of Government to arrest the decline has led to loss of confidence in the government, which has been overpowered by an unprecedented security challenges that made insurgency, kidnapping, bloodletting and sophisticated criminal activities daily characteristics of terribly struggling nation.

“Thus, Nigeria has continued to meander the path befitting failed, weak and “juvenile” states. A state that had very great prospects at independence and was touted to lead Africa out of the backwoods of underdevelopment and economic dependency, Nigeria is still stuck in the league of very poor, corrupt, underdeveloped, infrastructurally decaying, crisis-riven, morally bankrupt and leadership-deficient countries of the South. Rather than become an exemplar for transformational leadership, modern bureaucracy, national development, national integration and innovation, Nigeria seems to be infamous for whatever is mediocre, corrupt, insanely violent and morally untoward”, HURIWA noted.

Hence, HURIWA posited that Nigeria is a victim of poor leadership and convoluted systemic corruption, which in the rights group’s analysis has become pervasive and cancerous in the country’s national life while adding that several pundits have identified the inexorable nexus between leadership crisis and corruption in the country as the continued reason for Nigeria’s inglorious economic throes, political convolutions and national underdevelopment.

Continuing, HURIWA averred that it is disturbing to note that while Nigeria is the third most terrorized country in the world, next to Afghanistan and Iraq, Federal Government actions presently are centered on cows in such a way that Cows are more secure in Nigeria than Nigerians just as the herders are armed to the teeth to the knowledge of Government authorities.

“Security challenges have gotten to the highest level in Nigeria with bloodletting becoming normal. Insurgency, kidnapping and sophisticated criminal activities are daily features of terribly stressed citizenry. In the past few months, about 2000 Christian lives have been lost in various theatres of “war” in the country.

“Between December 2020 and March 2021, gangs of bandits seeking lucrative ransom kidnapped a total of 769 students from their boarding schools and other educational facilities across northern Nigeria in at least five separate incidents. Leaders take sides with cows than with Nigerians”.

Also, HURIWA revealed that Nigeria’s public debt stock, which has reached $84billion with debt service costs gulping about 80 percent of entire government’s revenue, Nigeria’s external debt increased by 117.4 per cent from $12.6 billion in 2015 to $27.4 billion by the end of 2019.

Furthermore, the rights group expressed worries that between March and June 2020, a total of $10.26 billion new debt was approved by the National Assembly while other approvals for more loans were also given this 2021.

“These have ominous economic implications particularly with intangible evidence of what these funds are being invested in. With low productivity of the Nigerian workforce, the Federal Government has no repayment plan that will not be very hurtful to the unborn. 

“As such, the burden is already very heavy. The recently published 2021 budget implementation report stated that the Federal Government spent a total of N1.8 trillion on debt servicing in the first five months of the year, representing about 98 per cent of the total revenue generated in the same period. These are indicators that the current leadership in Nigeria suffers from extreme moral depravity and attitudinal debauchery.

“Of the four administrations who have led Nigeria since her return to democracy in 1999, the current  administration holds the worst record in terms of economic growth. Olusegun Obasanjo’s regime from 1999 to 2007 had an average growth rate of 6.9 per cent. His immediate successor Umaru Musa Yar’ Adua did even better in his two years with an average growth rate of 7.6 per cent while Goodluck Jonathan delivered 5 per cent growth rate in his six-year term as President that ended in 2015.

“However, Nigeria’s GDP per capita declined by 0.02 per cent, 4.16 per cent and 1.78 per cent in 2015, 2016 and 2017 respectively. In 2018, 2019 and 2020, it declined by 0.68 per cent, 0.38 per cent and 4.57 per cent. Six years of contracting per capita has wrecked grievous pain on businesses and households”, HURIWA explained.

Relatedly, HURIWA also used the occasion of the 61 independence celebration of Nigeria to call for cessation of conflicts and attacks in the South East of Nigeria so dialogue can be embraced.

“It has been over 50 years since the civil war resulted in over a million deaths. There is a need to reflect on such brutality by citizens against each other, and the reasons for the resurgent agitation for the state of Biafra five decades after the war.

“There is a need to know the roots of the agitation, understand the claim of unequal treatment in terms of federal appointments and infrastructure development, and allegations of victimhood and poor responses from the government.

“These issues have to be discussed by the government and stakeholders in the region. The government should create a forum for discussion on what needs to be done for Igbos to feel that they belong and are not alienated in Nigeria”.

“Those who howl against agents of secession without acknowledging reasons for such agitations are not sincere. There is no arguing the fact that incalculable harm has been inflicted on the national psyche. Nigerians should use the opportunity of the 61st anniversary of independence to introspect. Where did the rain start beating this once promising country? This should be a time for stocktaking.

“What are the prospects of pulling the country back from the brink? Can Nigeria rediscover itself? These are the questions that should concentrate all minds. As 2023 signals, there must be a concerted effort to walk away from the despicable subway vision of nepotism and this general anomie of despondency.

“Conscious effort must be made by all to build a nation around a vision that promotes common good. Fairness, equity and justice must be the pivot around which any agenda to save Nigeria revolves because sustenance of the Nigerian Federation demands a union of equals”, HURIWA advised.

Conclusively, HURIWA called for the strict enforcement of the suspension of the insane Monday’s sit at home order as well as the United Nations for intervention and the release of Mazi Nnamdi Kanu. HURIWA is appealing to all aggrieved youths in Nigeria not to embrace crimes or banditry but to strive resolutely to empower themselves with whatever life skills they can lay their hands on and busy themselves with mobilising their peers for the coming polls so the political transformation we all seek may be attained when the youths decide to reject cash for votes approach of the currebt political class and elect credible persons who will govern Nigeria in the fear of God. We appeal to the aggrieved youths of the South East of Nigeria to avoid all kinds of violence and attacks against strategic national security assets in the South East and to protect the South East of Nigeria from the attacks of the so called unknown gunmen. 

COMRADE EMMANUEL ONWUBIKO:

NATIONAL COORDINATOR:

HUMAN RIGHTS WRITERS ASSOCIATION OF NIGERIA (HURIWA).

01-10-2021. 

Northern Governors Are Bunch of Retards, Do Not Speak For Me

By

Dauda Hussaini Paiko

Northern Governors are the most useless set of Governor’s in the world. They don’t meet to discuss ideas of how to improve life, add value to their states. The only time they meet is when discussing Social Media Bill or Presidency.

We have 19 Northern States. Out of that 19, only 2 are viable. Kano, maybe Kaduna. The rest are over glorified States who’s main idea of States is Federal Allocation.

This jokers did not meet to end banditry, nor did they meet to end terrorism, let alone talk economic growth and how to foster development across the regions.

But these howlers will come and be threaten everyone how power must remain in the North. When you talk they claim they have the numbers.

Yes, you have the highest numbers of out of school children, with time BH & banditry will be child’s play, because those you fail to empower and educate will have no option than to take up arms.

Yes, you have the highest number of Girl child marriage. In some states, girls within the age of 10 – 12 are married off. That is why VVF have become rampant in NW States. Because their men don’t know anyone other than raping young children in the name of marriage.

Yes, you have the lowest GDP in the country, you produce nothing of commercial value. Your land that could be use to produce large farm products that could be use for industry are tents for terrorist.

The only thing you know is Power. Power without value. Power without making a difference. Power without control.

I am a Northerner. And I speak for majority of the sane ones. Power sharing is not our problem. Our problem is lack of Peace, Progress and Prosperity.

I want industry, trade, tourism and employment. Anyone parading himself as my leader should share that common interest with us.

I want food, employment, education, roads and access to credit to establish myself. I am tired of running everywhere with no hope.

These bunch of retards don’t speak for me.

2023 Presidency: We’ll never be part of Northern governors’ resolution — Middle Belt Forum

The National President of the Middle Belt Forum (MBF), Bitrus Pogu, has dissociated the region from the resolution of the Northern Governors’ Forum (NGF) as regards the power shift come 2023.

Governors from the northern region had opposed the claim from their southern counterparts that the next president should be from the south.

According to the northern governors’ forum, the claim is not in line with the dictates of the constitution. 

“The Forum observed that some Northern State Governors had earlier expressed views for a power-shift to three geopolitical zones in the South with a view to promoting unity and peace in the nation. Notwithstanding their comments, the Forum unanimously condemns the statement by the Southern Governors Forum that the Presidency must go to the South.

“The statement is quite contradictory with the provision of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (1999) as amended, that the elected President shall: score the majority votes; score at least 25% of the votes cast in 2/3 States of the Federation. In the case of run-up, simple majority wins the election.”

Reacting, the MBF chairman told Vanguard, “the Governors of the North should first and foremost realize that there is nothing like a monolithic North again.

“Secondly, they should know that the Middle Belt can never be part of such a position that is anti-people. So they should all hide their faces in shame for saying power will not go to the south in 2023.

“They should remember that because of what happened to Abiola, in 1999 we zone the presidency to the South West, not just South. The country has maintained that rotation so that peace can reign in the country and no part of the country will feel alienated.

“Therefore, in this situation, for them to insist that presidency should be retained in the North after that zone has completed its eight years tenure in 2023, is a shame.

“It means they want Nigeria to break up. That is what they are after. They are not lovers of Nigeria. They are the people who hate Nigeria and it is obvious by the position they took yesterday.

“But they must realize that the Middle Belt is not with them because there is no more monolithic North. Even the traditional rulers of Middle Belt who were invited to that meeting in Kaduna were not with them. They were in attendance and watched what transpired but I can assure you that their hearts were not there.”

(Newswire)

Governors Have Divided Nigeria Already, Why Detain Nnamdi Kanu?:- HURIWA Asks Buhari

The prominent Civil Rights Advocacy Group:-HUMAN RIGHTS WRITERS ASSOCIATION OF NIGERIA (HURIWA) is arguing that the current Federal government has no basis in law and morality to detain Mazi Nnamdi Kanu or proscribe the Indigenous Peoples of Biafra (IPOB) because the Southern and Northern governors have by their actions, inactions, speeches and conflicts around which zone between North/South produces the successor to president Muhammadu Buhari have demonstrated that they are secessionists higher than Nnamdi Kanu and IPOB.
The HUMAN RIGHTS WRITERS ASSOCIATION OF NIGERIA (HURIWA) said there is no basis for Northern Nigeria to insist on producing the successor to the Katsina State born president Muhammadu Buhari if their intention is not to move for the eventual split of Nigeria in 2023 which is inevitable should Northern Nigeria produce the successor to President Muhammadu Buhari whowill quit in 2023 after serving for two straight terms of eight years as President. 
HURIWA argues further that it is constitutionally compliant that the Office of the President of Nigeria to rotate between North and South because the Constitution provides for integration in section 15 from subsection 1 to 4 thus-: ” 15.  (1)  The  motto  of  the  Federal  Republic  of  Nigeria  shall  be  Unity  and  Faith,  Peace  and  Progress.   (2)  Accordingly,  national  integration  shall  be  actively  encouraged,  whilst discrimination  on  the grounds  of  place  of  origin,  sex,  religion,  status,  ethnic  or  linguistic  association  or  ties  shall  be prohibited.   (3)  For  the  purpose  of  promoting  national integration,  it  shall  be  the  duty  of  the  State  to:   (a)  provide  adequate  facilities  for  and  encourage  free  mobility  of  people,  goods  and services throughtout the  Federation.   (b)  secure  full residence  rights  for  every  citizen  in  all  parts  of  the  Federation.   (c)  encourage  inter-marriage  among  persons  from  different places  of  origin,  or  of different religious,  ethnic  or  linguistic  association  or  ties; and   (d)  promote  or  encourage  the  formation  of  associations  that cut across  ethnic, linguistic,  religious  and  or  other  sectional  barriers. (4)  The  State  shall  foster  a  feeling  of  belonging  and  of  involvement among  the  various  people  of  the Federation,  to  the  end  that loyalty  to  the  nation  shall override  sectional  loyalties.”
HURIWA said: “We are ever more convinced beyond the shadows of doubts that the actions, inactions, speeches, threats made by governors of North versus South have shown that Mazi Nnamdi Kanu and his unarmed Indigenous Peoples of Biafra (IPOB) are prisoners of conscience and the members and leader of this otherwise proscribed IPOB must be released immediately since even the governors who are exercising constitutional powers are saying those same divisive sentiments and positions espoused by IPOB”. 

“In Fact the governors are terrorizing the peace of Nigeria by failing to peacefully agree to the transfer of presidential power from the North to the South in 2023 which is the irreducible minimum condition precedent for Nigeria to remain as a United entity beyond 2023. The arguments and actions of the governors, the president and the Northern dominated Appeal Court on the collection of the value added tax shows that the presidency, the governors and the courts are now to be categorized as functional secessionists because these divisiveness and actions are stoking up tensions in Nigeria and are capable of inflaming passion and creating uncontrollable schism between North and South and eventually dovetail into a civil conflict which may lead to the division of Nigeria by 2023”, HURIWA added.  The statement was signed by Comrade Emmanuel Onwubiko National Coordinator and Miss Zainab Yusuf the National Director of Media and made available to journalists in Abuja. 
HURIWA recalled that Southern Governors had met previously and ruled that Nigeria’s next president should be from the southern part of the country, governors of the southern states have said.
 
A communique issued at the end of the meeting, which held in Lagos ,Monday, reaffirmed the Forum’s commitment to the unity of the country.
 
“The Forum reiterates its commitment to the politics of equity, fairness, and unanimously agreed that the presidency of Nigeria be rotated between southern and northern Nigeria and resolved that the next president of Nigeria should emerge from the south,” Rotimi Akeredolu, Ondo state governor, said on behalf of the Southern Governors Forum (SGF).
 
Nigeria’s next president should be from the southern part of the country, governors of the southern states have said.
 
A communique issued at the end of the meeting, which held in Lagos ,Monday, reaffirmed the Forum’s commitment to the unity of the country.
 
“The Forum reiterates its commitment to the politics of equity, fairness, and unanimously agreed that the presidency of Nigeria be rotated between southern and northern Nigeria and resolved that the next president of Nigeria should emerge from the south,” Rotimi Akeredolu, Ondo state governor, said on behalf of the Southern Governors Forum (SGF).

Similar,  the Governors of North also met and ruled that the South must never get the slot for the President of Nigeria in 2023 because they reasoned that rotational presidency is unconstitutional.  HURIWA however said the Constitution recognises the People of Nigeria as the owners of the Sovereignty of Nigeria abd therefore can decide to rotate the office of the President of Nigeria just as the Rights group said even under the Federal character principles in section 14(3) rotating the office of President in 2023 from North to South is lawful because it guarantees that every part of Nigeria feels a sense of belonging.
 

BREAKING: Leeman Suffers Bloody Nose as Chikun Gets First Elected Chairman in 6 Years

Engineer Salasi Musa of the Peoples Democratic Party PDP has dealt his All Progressives Congress’ counterpart a bloody nose in the just concluded Chikun local government Chairmanship election. Salasi was declared winner on Monday morning having scored the highest number of votes in the polls.

The Peoples Democratic Party candidate scored a total of 19,402 votes to clinch the Chairmanship position ahead of his main rival Honorable Samaila Leeman of the All Progressives Congress APC.

Announcing the results at the local government secretariat, the returning officer, Dr Sanusi Gambo said the All Progressives Congress candidate scored a total of 14,829 to come second in the keenly contested election. The PDP also won 8 out of the 12 Wards in the local government while the APC won 4.

Chikun local government has been without an elected Chairman since 2015 following the cancellation of the 2018 Chairmanship election where the Peoples Democratic Party were believed to be on it’s way to victory before thugs loyal to the APC disrupted the process leading to the cancellation of the polls and subsequent appointment of caretaker Chairman over the council, a decision recently declared nullity by a Kaduna High Court.

The election was adjudged free and fair by residents of the council as they say that attempts to rig the election were vehemently resisted by the electorates who did not only vote but stood to defend their votes and ensure they count.

Non-Enforcement of Anti-Open Grazing Laws Makes Nigerian Police More of A Fulani Police Force- HURIWA

HURIWA Urges States to Stop Funding Support For Police And to Create Quasi Policing Body For Anti-Open Grazing Law

Angered by the report that as more southern states move to checkmate rising attacks of farmers by armed Fulani herdsmen with the enactment of anti-open grazing law, there is reportedly what is graphically described as palpable conspiratorial silence from the police hierarchy over its willingness to prosecute violators of the law, a call has gone to the Inspector General of Police Alhaji Usman Alkali Baba to order the state commands of the Nigerian Police Force to enforce the anti-open grazing laws in the states in which the states Houses of Assembly had passed the law or he quits as the lawfully recognised Inspector General of Police of the Federal Republic of Nigeria so he can head the FULANI POLICE FORCE. 

Making the demand is the nation’s prominent Civil Rights Advocacy Group- HUMAN RIGHTS WRITERS ASSOCIATION OF NIGERIA (HURIWA) which expressed the importance of the holder of the office of the Inspector General of Police to comply totally with the constitutional mandates that his office confers on him or he will be inducted into the National Hall of Shame and infamy as someone who used his office to serve the selfish, clandestine and parochial interest of the armed Terrorists and Fulani herdsmen who have vowed to disobey the lawfully passed legislation in some States in Nigeria which outlaws open grazing of Livestock of all genre.  HURIWA condemned the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice Abubakar Malami for constituting himself into a cog in the wheel of the progressive enforcement of the lawfully passed legislation against open grazing of cattle just as the Rights group said the ATTORNEY GENERAL OF THE FEDERATION by demonstrated this deep level of loyalty to Fulani herdsmen should resign forthwith.  

Besides, the HUMAN RIGHTS WRITERS ASSOCIATION OF NIGERIA (HURIWA) has asked the States that enacted the legislation against open grazing of Livestock to set up a State wide armed vigilantes to carry out the enforcement of the provisions of the law because the law is constitutionally guaranteed under section 4(7) which authorises States Houses of Assembly to make laws for the good governance and security of the good people of their States. HURIWA said the states can actually take steps to enforce laws made in their States if Kano State can set up ISLAMIC POLICE which contravenes sections 10 and 214 of the Nigerian constitution so why are the states waiting for the unwilling IGP who is a willing tool of the oppressors in Abuja to ask their men to respect the law of Nigeria.  

Specifically, Section 4 subsection 7 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria of 1999 (as amended) provides that: “Section 4(7) The House of Assembly of a State shall have power to make laws for the peace, order and good government of the State or any part thereof with respect to the following matters, that is to say:-

(a) any matter not included in the Exclusive Legislative List set out in Part I of the Second Schedule to this Constitution.

(b) any matter included in the Concurrent Legislative List set out in the first column of Part II of the Second Schedule to this Constitution to the extent prescribed in the second column opposite thereto; and

(c) any other matter with respect to which it is empowered to make laws in accordance with the provisions of this Constitution. 

HURIWA submits that similarly, Section 214. (1) establishes the Police as the policing institution of all parts of Nigeria and not for Fulani herdsmen. Section 214(1) states thus: “There shall be a police force for Nigeria, which shall be known as the Nigeria Police Force, and subject to the provisions of this section no other police force shall be established for the Federation or any part thereof”.

HURIWA stated thus: “The findings made recently by a respected newspaper in Nigeria that the policemen are careful over these new state laws which implies that the police operatives paid with tax payer’s money belonging to the good citizens of Nigerians have been brainwashed by some Fulani Ethnic warlords embedded within the Abuja’s Seat of Power not to enforce the laws passed by the different States against public grazing of Livestock.” 

HURIWA stated further: “This is a very dangerous threat to Nigeria’s national security and it is even worst because the persons being misused to undermine the security of some states in the Federal Republic of Nigeria are policemen who according to the clear provisions of the constitution are bound to implement lawfully passed laws in all states of the federation and the Ethnic interest of the holder of the office of President should not matter in the enforcement of the laws of Nigeria”. 

“It is disgraceful that Nigeria Police Force is now an institution led by Ethnic warlords who are affiliates of Fulani herders because investigation showed that herders still graze their animals openly in many states that have enacted the anti-open grazing law without being intercepted by law enforcement agents”, HURIWA affirms.

“Reports say in Abia State where Governor Okezie Ikpeazu signed the anti-open grazing law on June 29, 2018, open grazing of cattle, sheep and goats were still practiced following its poor implementation. The Commissioner for Information, Chief John Okiyi Kalu, however, stated that the enforcement of the law is vested in the hands of security agencies, particularly the police.” 

HURIWA said the decision made specifically on May 11, 2021, by the governors of the 17 southern states, after a meeting in Asaba, the Delta State capital, was constitutionally guaranteed and protected given that the Governors resolved to ban open grazing and the movement of cattle by foot in order to curb clashes between farmers and herders in the region. 

“The governors had observed that the incursion of armed herders, criminals and bandits in the southern part of the country has created a severe security challenge, such that citizens were no longer able to live their normal lives, including pursuing various productive activities, leading to threats to the food supply, general security and sometimes death. Consequently, they resolved that open grazing of cattle should be banned across southern Nigeria via a law enacted by the state Houses of Assembly not later than September 1, this year,” HURIWA added. 

The Rights group citing media reports recalled that earlier before the resolution was made by the Governors of Southern States of Nigeria, five southern states comprising Ekiti, Ebonyi, Abia, Oyo and Bayelsa had enacted anti-open grazing laws. However, the resolution prompted six more states in the region to follow suit. These include Rivers, Ondo, Enugu, Akwa-Ibom, Osun and Lagos states. This brings the total number of states in the South that has so far prohibited open grazing in their jurisdictions via legislation to 11.Additionally,  Delta and Ogun states Houses of Assembly have passed the bill but their governors were yet to give their assent, while in Anambra State, the bill has scaled through the first reading.

HURIWA said the disobedience by the Inspector General of Police Alhaji Usman Alkali Baba to the laws passed by different  states against open grazing of cattle amounts to sabotage and endangers the National Security even as the Rights group asked the concerned States to cut off all forms of partnership funding supports with and to the current distorted structure of the police since it is now clear that the Nigerian Police Force has become the Fulani Police force and thereafter the States should set up armed vigilantes to carry out the enforcement of the anti-open grazing law just as the AMOTEKUN SECURITY NETWORK is doing lawfully in some States of the South West States of Nigeria. 

“It is basic and constitutionally binding that the Nigerian Police Force is empowered by the Constitution to carry out the fundamental functions as observed by experts as follows: the Prevention And Detection Of Crimes

This role of prevention and detection is one of the statutory functions of the Nigerian Police Force. The Nigerian police Force in as part of the larger bodies of the law enforcement agencies in the country, do place its  priority in the prevention and detection of crime,secondly,  the Protection Of Lives And Properties

Another functions of the Nigerian Police Force is to protect lives and properties. As the law enforcement agency, the Nigerian Police is saddles with the responsibility of ensuring that the lives and properties of Nigerian citizens are protected within their individual domain; thirdly, the duty of Preservation Of Law And Order

Nigerian Police Force is empowered through the instructions from  the directive of the appointing authority to ensure that, there is public order and safety in Nigeria. The Nigerian Police Force must of necessity be ready to carry out the Performance Of Such Military Responsibility Required Of Police Force

Another function of the Nigerian Police is that, it undertakes some of the military responsibilities which may be required of the Police Force by law as part of its functions”.

HURIWA is therefore appealing to the Southern Nigeria states to defend the Constitution by compelling the Nigerian Police Force to carry out their duties and pressures can be mounted if the states cuts off all funding components they give to the police, set up state vigilantes and institute a legal challenge to force the Council of State to sack the IGP just as HURIWA asked the States to stop funding the Police Trust Fund for now. 

HURIWA TO EFCC-: STOP GESTAPO STYLE OPERATIONS OR YOU INSTIGATE PROTESTS

Reminiscing on how young Nigerians in all six geopolitical zones united around a common goal to end police intimidation, oppression, and brutality, the leading Civil Society Group; HUMAN RIGHTS WRITERS ASSOCIATION OF NIGERIA (HURIWA) has condemned the illegal and gestapo operational modalities of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

In a statement issued by the National Coordinator; Comrade Emmanuel Onwubiko, the Rights group frowned at the new way officials of the EFCC chase after suspected criminals by breaking into people’s homes describing it as detrimental to the enjoyment of the constitutionally guaranteed fundamental human rights recognised in chapter four of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and all relevant international human rights laws just as the Rights group says the officials of the Anti-Graft Agency are by these provocative and illegal actions enticing Nigerians to stage a nationwide protests similar to the #ENDSARS PROTESTS against the misconducts of the EFCC.

HURIWA warned that the EFCC, being a creation of the law must be law abiding and so tagged the modalities of operations in which operatives armed to the teeth go into people’s houses in the dead of the night like armed robbers and kidnappers, breaking into people’s houses and climbing in through the fences like hired assassins are antithetical to the law and the principle of the rule of law.

“These unlawful actions are definitely aimed as triggers to instigate the masses to stage; the kinds of demonstrations that will be almost unprecedented in dimension and massive in scale. 

HURIWA revealed that Section 36(5) of the constitution is very clear that even persons charged for criminal offence before the courts of law are deemed as innocent in the eyes of the law until a contrary determination is reached by a Court of competent jurisdiction.

“It is therefore unlawful that the operatives of the EFCC will continue to behave like outlaws or persons who are above the laws of the land.  EFCC is subject to the law and must be seen to be operating in compliance with the precepts of the law and in strict compliance with the RULE OF LAW”, HURIWA averred.

Continuing, HURIWA expressed worries that there have been over a dozen clandestine operations by the EFCC in which these officials of the law have been seen defecating on the fundamental principles of the law, abusing with reckless abandon the Rules of Engagement as if Nigeria is a banana republic.

Noting that these kinds of crude, debased and bakward application of brute force by the operatives of the EFCC are absolutely condemnable, despicable, reprehensible,  outrageous and provocative HURIWA warned that they be checked otherwise “the EFCC should watch and see that in the fullness of time the masses will demonstrate to say enough is enough. 

“In recent times, several people have made complaints concerning officials of the EFCC barging into their homes and hotel rooms at odd hours of the day, unannounced. These men do not knock on doors or wait to be invited in, some do not come with warrants or any official notice, they just fly in, eyes darting about, and noses trying to pick the scent of criminals.

The Wednesday, September 22nd 2021 night invasion of the apartment of the Abia-based Journalist; Norah Okafor by operatives of the EFCC, which saw about 25 hooded EFCC operatives bursting into Norah’s apartment in the dead of the night, after disconnecting the wire used to electrify the fence, scaled the wall and broke the gate key to gain unfettered access into the building depicts a horror scene.

“After subjecting the poor lady and other occupants of the building to over two hours of grueling physical stress, emotional trauma and destruction of their properties in the name of searching for non-existent incriminating evidence, the operatives reportedly declared ‘we have just wasted our time’.

HURIWA sees this declaration as a wholehearted, voluntary expression and admission of a disastrous blunder of a mission; that they were in the wrong place clearly for the wrong reason and at the wrong time.

Furthermore, HURIWA recalled that on August 3, 2021, Big brother Naija (lockdown) celebrity; Dorathy Bachor had in a series of Instagram stories, narrated how at 4:45am, she ran out of her room after hearing a loud bang to find EFCC officials in her living room, who told her they were looking for someone who ran into her estate, and then asked her to stay in, lock her door and not say a word.

HURIWA again pointed out that in July 2021, filmmaker; Biodun Stephen also had narrated how officials of the EFCC, “dressed in black with wielding weapons”, barged into her hotel room at 3:00am claiming to be looking for someone, but later apologised because she turned out not to be who they were looking for. 

“On February 4, 2021, a man reportedly jumped to his death from the 7th floor of a storey building when EFCC officials raided the 1004 estate in Victoria Island. There are also many other reports of EFCC officials forcing their way into hostels, people’s homes, into clubs, or disrupting night parties to round up people they think are internet fraudsters.

“On October 14, 2019, officials of the EFCC raided a nightclub in Oshogbo, Osun state and arrested 94 suspected fraudsters. On January 17, 2020, they rounded up 89 persons suspected to be involved in cybercrime at 360, a night club located at Ibadan. 

“Observably, there is one word that is peculiar with all of these arrests: ‘suspected’. These people being rounded up are still suspected to be fraudsters, which means that investigations have not been carried out to pinpoint who, amongst them all, is the actual fraudster.

“So to get to the fraudsters, EFCC officials barge into innocent people’s homes and spaces, and leave a trail of panic-stricken, horrified, and emotionally traumatised citizens who came face to face with gun-wielding men in black, and perhaps watched their lives flash before their eyes.

“It is not even enough to have warrants or identify yourself after you have barged in, it is abysmal that security agents would even break down people’s doors, or jump people’s fences in the first place”. 

Provoked that these days, it is difficult to differentiate between robbers and men of the EFCC as they seem to adopt the same tactics in carrying out their operations, HURIWA opined that EFCC is missing their job description while noting that looters are right in their faces but they are busy chasing regular folks.

“Today it’s N100m missing in a government office, tomorrow N40m, why don’t they go and catch those stealing the common wealth blind? Instead of bringing to justice suspected high profile politically exposed persons who jump from one political party to the All Progressives Congress and are given red carpet reception by the President, the EFCC has become agents of witch-hunt, targeting largely young people”.

Hence, HURIWA emphasized the need for the EFCC to be called to order and made to adopt law based procedures in going after suspected offenders while observing all the tenets and precepts of the fundamental human rights just as the Rights Group advised that the agency must adopt clinical and professional modus operandi that will be in compliance with all the rules of Engagement.

“Why not use surveillance and intelligence gathering to go after suspected offenders in the day time and make lawful arrests instead of behaving like armed robbers or armed Fulani militia members?” HURIWA queried.

Referencing the video released by the Dubai Police last year, which gave an account of the series of investigations carried out before the arrest of Ramon Olorunwa Abbas, known as Hushpuppi and his gang, HURIWA admonished that the EFCC can learn professionalism from the Dubai Police as actions such as breaking into people’s homes and parading those who are still suspects show the insensitivity afflicting the anti-graft agency. This is because, according to HURIWA, EFCC is meant to protect the people and the country against financial crimes, not terrorising people in the same breath

“Observably from the video, the investigation, dubbed Fox Hunt II, was carried out for about 4 months, during which his social media account, fraudulent activities, and the gang’s whereabouts were closely monitored. The Dubai e-police team were tracking Hushpuppi’s every move and taking notes of all his online activities, including all the fake pages of existing websites he and his team created to redirect their victims’ payment to their own accounts.

“They also found out all the corporate emails he and his team had hacked to send fake messages to clients to redirect financial details, and people’s bank details to their own account. Before his arrest, the Dubai police could tell exactly the number of people he had scammed and how much Hushpuppi had in his account.

“During the time of his arrest, they knew exactly where he and his team were, and at what time. They didn’t need to jump fences or break into innocent people’s homes to carry out the arrest. They knew their onions.

“There’s a peculiarity with which our security agents clamp down on those they perceive to be criminals, which includes inadequate investigation, violence, blood-shot eyes, high-pitched command voices, swiftness to inflict pain, and then for many, extortion.

“Perhaps, the EFCC is no different; their recent mode of operation in breaking-in, spreading panic, battering, bullying, and half-true accusations is consistently making a horseplay of an institution that is meant to operate with intelligence and facts.

“It is disturbing that EFCC has joined the bandwagon of uniformed men terrorising the Nigerian people”, Prior to now, waking up in the middle of the night or wee hours of the morning to see men clad in black with guns, one would assume being attacked by armed robbers. But with the increase in Controversial raids of public and private spaces by EFCC officers in recent months, it is might be apt to ask “who are you” when you see men jumping your fence, so they can introduce themselves and tell if they are thieves, burglars, or from the EFCC”, HURIWA concluded.

JUST IN: Cafra Suffers Humiliating Defeat as PDP Clinches Kajuru Council Seat

Honourable Cafra Boaz Caino popularly known as “The People’s Chairman” has suffered a humiliating defeat in the just concluded Kajuru local government Chairmanship elections held on Saturday.

Caino lost to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP’s) candidate, Honourable Ibrahim Gajere who clinched the Chairmanship seat by a wide margin.

Announcing the results on Sunday in Kajuru, the Returning Officer, Dr Ibrahim DanMaraya said Ibrahim Gajere of the PDP polled 14,432 votes to defeat the immediate past Chairman and Candidate of the All Progressives (APC), Cafra Caino, who scored 9,095 votes.

The PDP also won nine councillorship seats, while the ruling APC won just one.

Cafra who many believe came to office in 2018 through the back door as the elections were said to have been won by the PDP but forces in the Kaduna state government House imposed Cafra against the will of the people.