[dropcap]T[/dropcap]he Inspector-General of Police, IGP Mohammed Adamu, has announced the dissolution of the Special Anti Robbery Squad (SARS). He made the announcement around 1.30 pm at the Force Headquarters in Abuja.
He said the police unit is dissolved across all formations, the 36 state commands, and the Federal Capital Territory.
He said officers and men currently serving in the unit are to be redeployed with immediate effect.
He said new policing arrangements to address the offences of armed robbery and other violent crimes will be presented in due course.
Ogbueshi(Comrade)Obodo Okediachi President, Asaba Community Youths Association
[dropcap]O[/dropcap]gbueshi (Comrade)Obodo Okediachi, The present Chairman ,Asaba Community Youths Association(ACYA) is someone who looks up for direction even as he continues to soar higher by the special grace of God. A compassionate leader who has consistently for years continues to make people happy. He is Humble, jovial, loving, generous, easy going, accommodating etc. He is a man that allows people to express their views on any given issue before coming up with his decision even as a boss or leader.
Ogbueshi(Comrade) Obodo Okediachi is the newly installed President of Asaba Community Youths Association(ACYA); the umbrella body of all youths organisations in Asaba. In this exclusive interview with Grassroots Publishers online, Okediachi inspired with a vision to create a platform where young people in Asaba will be deliberately empowered with the skills, drive and character required to be a transformational leader.
Excerpts:
Comrade, Recently you were installed as the new President of Asaba Community Youths Association(ACYA) by HRM Obi Prof. Joseph Chike Edozien, How do you feel Sir?
To the glory of God,I feel very happy and grateful to Obi Prof. Joseph Chike Edozien,CFR,JP, the Asagba of Asaba and his entire Palace Chiefs, Asaba Youths and the entire Asaba people for opportunity given to me to serve them. After our inauguration we are now One people, one vision, Great Youths and we have come together as one big family for the progress of Asaba youths.
The Youths body has always been a target for politicians who use it for their political interest. What are you doing to make the I ACYA the authentic voice for Asaba Youths?
Everywhere in the world, youths constituencies are a major political target for numerous reasons. Politicians will continue to romance youth organizations, associations and so on but the challenge is how do we participate in politics? What role do we play in the game of politics? What do politicians perceive of youths when politics is discussed?
CHAIRMAN OF ACYC, OGBUESHI OKEDIACHI, (WITH MICROPHONE) SPEAKING AFTER INAUGURATION
The participation of youths in politics has outgrown using them as political thugs, ballot snatchers, and mere campaign crowds. The fact remains that any country desirous of a prosperous future would take youths engagement beyond political machinations. The Asaba Community Youths Association under my watch would be more concerned about youths participation in governance which is in synchronization with youths participation in politics.
We hope to see more youths elected and appointed into offices rather than fighting one another in the name of politics. To lead the apex youth body in Asaba is a tasking responsibility but with God Almighty, this administration shall succeed beyond expectation. I had the grace to have risen through the rank and file of youths activism, from being a traditional youths leader to ethnic youths leader, now the Asaba Community Youths President.
With the experiences gathered over time and the support from the council, we would have a council that represents the interest of all. This leadership under my watch will facilitate scholarship awards for our students, create employment opportunities for youths across the villages in Asaba, produced quality representation to Asaba youths in regional and international fronts, among others.
Youths unemployment is seen as one of the reasons for the rising crime rate in Asaba and Delta State. Is the council in talks with the government and relevant stakeholders on ways of mitigating unemployment in the land?
The cardinal point of my administration is to fight insecurity and make sure peace reign supreme in Asaba. Youths employment is a major focus of my administration. It’s a serious matter and my leadership is looking at it as a top priority. It aches my heart to see talents roaming about the streets without proper utilization. Asaba is endowed with youths that are broad-minded, skillful and multi-talented; unfortunately, they are underutilized. The majority of Asaba youths believe in seeking greener pasture outside, due to unemployment or underemployment. We cannot continue like this considering the vast material and mineral resources this Delta is endowed with because, Asaba capital territory of Delta State . The adage “an idle mind is the devil’s workshop” best describes the high rate of criminal activities in the country and it is so sad that the youths form the bulk of criminal elements we have in the country today.
The council under my watch will partner with relevant stakeholders to reduce the unemployment rate in the society. Additionally, leadership workshops and entrepreneurial training would be organized across the town while sponsorship programs will be facilitated for youths (Skill Acquisition) entrepreneurs and so on. The council under my watch must reduce crime in Asaba, because no investor will like to put his or her money if the environment is not safe , so we want to create peaceful environment that will attract Investors and visitor to our community.
Ogbueshi Obodo Okediachi,
Presently , we have commence serious campaign against cultism , kidnapping and other crimes in Asaba ,telling the youths the implication of committing crime or killing because if anybody kills under the name of any cult group , we will go for the person and not the group, so whatever group you belong we are not interested but will be interested in the perpetrator of the crime (killer) and he must face the law.
Asaba is no longer a safe heaven for crime perpetrator because our vigilant group is very proactive now because they are well equipped and the sons and daughters of Asaba are giving them maximum support. So we advise the evil doers to relocate from Asaba for their safety.
Comrade, Obi Prof. Joseph Chike Edozien, CFR, JP, the Asagba of Asaba inaugurated you and Exco officers in his Palace on Saturday 2nd October,2020. Can you throw more light on how this came about?
Obi Prof. Joseph Chike Edozien, CFR, JP, the Asagba of Asaba is our Royal father and the pillar of this Youths body, He has changed the traditional face of Asaba and he has brought a lot of developments to the community. Infact, Obi Prof.Joseph Chike Edozien is the arrowhead of Asaba , he represents the community both at the local, state and federal levels. We are very grateful for his reign as our king because he has bought alot of development to Asaba.
What is your assessment of the general state of affairs in the Delta?
Delta State is a great state blessed with wonderful people. Irrespective of the situation, Deltans always stand tall. The government has a role to play in making this state a better place for us all and our part. Our amiable Governor Ifeanyi Okowa, has performed beyond expectations in spite of paucity of funds occasioned by the economic recession that confronted the country when he came on board on May 29,2015, particularly in job/wealth creation for the youths through the STEO/YAGEP schemes, human capital development, the prevailing peace in the state and infrastructural development as evident in the massive road construction and rehabilitation across the three senatorial districts of the state. “Governor Okowa believes so much in the youths. His consistent effort to build young leaders in Delta State is laudable. Obviously, Okowa has made some positive shifts from the status quo that must be acknowledged”. We shall continue to contribute our quota to the growth of our dear state.
Governor Okowa has done very well in the five years of his administration, he has turned the fortunes of the state around for the better in fulfillment of his campaign promises. Asaba youths wish to use this medium to thank and appeal to Gov.Ifeanyi Okowa because since the creation of Asaba as capital territory , he is the only Delta State elected governor that recognized Asaba as capital, since he assumed office as the executive governor we have witnessed alot of positive developmental change in Asaba and we urge him to continue to give Asaba the face of a capital.
What is your message to the Youths of Asaba?
I want the entire Asaba youths to support us because we have alot of agenda for the progress of our youths , Asaba Youths must ‘forge a bond of peace’ for true development to take place, With the backing of HRM Obi Prof. Joseph Chike Edozien, we are working to ensure that Asaba people see tangible results in this new Next Level era.
Thank you very much.
By: Ike Philip Abiagom, Victor Okonkwo & Glory Ogoh
[dropcap]T[/dropcap]he closure of Nigerian Universities by the federal government for some months was not just as a result of the effects of globally ravaging Covid-19 pandemic, but the 23th March 2020 industrial dispute declared by the Academic Staff Union of Universities which coincided with pandemic effects, hence the closure of universities in Nigeria.
Dr. Austin Sado Chairman Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), University of Port Harcourt chapter in exclusive chat at the ASUU Secretariat Complex at Delta Park Unipot, said that ASUU engaged in strike before federal government announcement of the lockdown for the Covid-19 pandemic.
”The schools resumption announcement of the federal government is a policy statement. Because the federal government shut down schools says they closed universities as result of COVID-19, and now they think those institutions are safe to reopen, that has nothing to with the strike of Academic Staff Union of Universities”.
”ASSU did not have powers for the mandate to announce closures or resumption of schools. On the 23rd of March, there was an industrial dispute declared, the Union withdrew its service, and the Union has been on strike since then” he posited.
Dr. Sado maintained that because federal government has remained adamant to the complaints of the Lectures hence they continue with their strike despite the schools resumption announcement by the federal government.
”We are still on strike, even when schools resumption is announced, and students are back in the campus, it does not change anything. We expect that government will create time to engage the Union to discuss the way and means of dealing with the conflict which emanated from that 23rd of March”
On the federal government announcement that there no retreat on the Integrated Payroll and Personnel Information System (IPPIS) decision, the ASUU Unipot chapter chairman stressed that IPPIS was a diversion by federal government to portray ASSU in bad light of been against the anti corruption campaign in the country.
”IPPIS has never been a case as far as we are concerned. IPPIS ended in 2013 when there was an agreement that IPPIS in its present state can not function in the Universities. Government brought IPPIS as distraction to confuse Nigerians and to get them belief that ASSU was resisting the fight against corruption. What we did by taken up the mandate to develop alternative software of Universities Transparency and Accountable Solution (UTAS) a patriotic contributions to the development of this country. We have submitted it to government. Its expected that government will certify and begin to use it.
Dr. Austin Sado further averred that apart from UTAS there are other pressing issues that needed to highlighted and settled.
”Even when government begins to use the UTAS it will not ameliorate the consequences of the strike because, we have issues of revitalization funds for the university, the renegotiation of 2009 agreement, the proliferation of universities by state governments. And issues of governance in those universities, the mainstreaming of earn Academic Allowance, the payments of outstanding earn academic allowances of Lecturers in Nigerian Universities. These are all issues government has entered into agreement in a memoranda of action in February 2019 which has set out timeline for its implementation. Government has not kept fate with that document until that happens, nothing will help to change the strike” he affirmed.
[dropcap]I[/dropcap]mmediate past Governor of Ekiti State, Mr Ayodele Fayose, has accused the Governor of Oyo State, Engr Seyi Makinde, and former Deputy National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Chief Bode George, of masterminding the assault on him at the party’s campaign rally for the Ondo State governorship election in Ondo town on Wednesday.
Fayose was making his way to the podium at the campaign ground when a hoodlum moved towards him and removed his cap.
Reacting yesterday evening through his Media Aide, Lere Olayinka, the former governor said “despite the shameful act” he won’t stop saying the truth concerning the running of the party in the Southwest zone and those who have failed to produce any result in Lagos State since 1999 will be made to retire.
He said he will make formal report of the incidence to the security agencies and the party relevant authorities, noting that it was not something to be handled with levity as security agencies will have to unravel all the thugs brought to the event and their sponsors.
“That’s how late Chief Bola Ige’s cap was removed in Ile Ife, Osun State, then and we all know what happened later.
“So this one will not be ignored and treated as one of those things.
“The masterminds had it all planned and they followed it up by celebrating what they saw as the success of their plot. They even capped it up by circulating the video.
“So it was not an accident, it was planned. But those who planned it only succeeded in advertising their political myopism because popularity of the brand Ayo Fayose, Osokomole cannot be rubbished by such childish act. That they must have seen in the reaction of the people at the rally and I am sure they know that they can’t get such loud ovation even if they spend all the money in this world.
“As for me, I am unperturbed and I must say it clearly that those new comers to the PDP and their old allies, who won’t mind soiling the image of the party to achieve their aims will not be allowed to succeed,” he said.
[dropcap]T[/dropcap]here was heightened tension on Thursday, in the Otovwodo axis of Ughelli North local government area of Delta State, following the killing of a Police officer during the #ENDSARS protest.
The incident led to other destruction as several windscreens of cars were broken. According to an eyewitnesses at the scene, commuters along the East-West road axis of Otovwodo junction ran for safety after series of gunshots were released in the air.
The protesters had begun their protest from the Otovwodo junction axis of Ughelli and marched through Isoko road to the market road while boycotting the Ughelli ‘A’ division Police station to Ekuigbo and back to Otovwodo junction.
It was gathered that some angry protesters had come face to face with a team of Police operatives at Otovwodo junction where the protest walk was supposed to end and a clash ensued leading to a gun battle between the protesters and the Police.
According to an eye witness, one of the protesters shot at a Police officer, killing him instantly, while others fled the scene.
Delta State Command Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Onome Onowakpoyeya confirmed the development to one of the correspondents. The Police spokesperson said “it is true a Police officer was kilked”, saying however, that situation has been brought under control.
[dropcap]D[/dropcap]elta state government is facing backlash from the National Association of Delta State Students (NADESTTU) over a compulsory N5000 Covid-19 levy imposed on students in the state.
The students, in a protest, have been directed to boycott the payment of the N5000 Covid-19 levy imposed on them by the government.
In a statement by Godwin Saturday, NADESSTU’s National President, the student’s leadership has described the levy as blatant extortion. He said: “We have consulted with all the critical stakeholders and sister organizations on this Issue and we vehemently say no to this extortion.;
“We want to inform the students that we are prepared to resist the wickedness by all legal means possible and modalities are already in top gear to ensure our students are saved from this extortion.”
“We are by this notice directing all returning students in respective Tertiary Institutions in Delta State not to pay the COVID-19 levy slammed on them by their institutions.
“The National Association of Delta State Students (NADESSTU) worldwide, we received the news of this development in rude shock and disappointment that the management of these institutions are this insensitive to the plight and situation of Nigerians and students.”
“Due to the long holiday, the house rents of most students have expired, many parents have lost their jobs, other are challenged with salary cut and the economy is biting on low income earners yet institutions still went ahead to slam the students with an unjustifiable Covid-19 levy at resumption.”
“We shall not be responsible for those who have paid when this struggle is eventually won and we will not clamour for any refund if any student flaunts this directive by going ahead with the payment.”
“We also want all SUG Presidents, NADESSTU Presidents and all union leaders and stake holders to take note of this and help drive this message home to their students,” the statement read
[dropcap]T[/dropcap]he pro-democracy group, Centre for Democracy and Development (CDD), has called on the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) not to disappoint the people of Ondo in Saturday’s governorship election in the state.
Addressing reporters at a briefing in Akure on Thursday, CDD Director, Idayat Hassan, believes this will enable the electoral umpire to reciprocate the confidence the electorate has in it as they go to the poll.
She noted that INEC has yet to be subjected to attacks by politicians and political parties, contrary to the trend in previous elections it conducted in other states.
Hassan explained that CDD since INEC has not had to respond to such vicious attacks, it implied stakeholders have confidence in the exercise the commission was conducting.
“One interesting trend observed by CDD in the Ondo State governorship election is the absence of or reduced level of attacks on the electoral umpire, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC),” she said.
She added, “Compared to governorship elections in other states, INEC has been largely spared of denunciations and attacks, which are clearly aimed at undermining the idea of the commission’s impartiality.
“Politicians normally resort to the strategy of denouncing INEC so that if they lose the election, they can quickly blame INEC’s alleged compromise as the reason for their loss.”
The CDD boss stressed the importance of INEC to uphold the electorate by ensuring it does not disappoint in the area of logistics and result collation.
According to her, the electoral body cannot afford to fritter away the level of goodwill and ensure materials arrive at their respective polling units on time.
A Problem For INEC?
Hassan also asked INEC to consider the nature of the terrain in some parts of the state, especially the riverine and mountainous nature of some local government areas. She advised the commission to strategically factor such areas in its deployment plans to prevent the late arrival of materials.
“These factors will have to be considered in the aspect of reverse logistics, especially with respect to the collation of results.
“Given the terrain difficulty in those LGAs, CDD calls on INEC to ensure its results viewing portal is capable of documenting results, especially from areas, which will pose a terrain problem,” the CDD boss stated.
She decried that majority of transport workers, including members of the National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW) and the motorcyclists’ associations were partisan.
“Since they would be involved in the movement of sensitive materials on Election Day, Hassan advised INEC to find ways to mitigate the effect of the largely partisan disposition of the transport workers.
“The partisan posture of these unions could pose challenges, which may create credibility and logistics problems for the entire process. Incidentally, the NURTW is the body INEC relies on for the transportation of electoral materials.
“This may create a problem for INEC in the area of getting materials to all voting areas in the state. CDD calls on INEC to prepare backup plans just in case there is a system failure in its logistics deployment as a result of the partisan disposition of the transport union,” she further added.
[dropcap]C[/dropcap]ulture is said to be a people’s way of life. Promoting indigenous culture can positively affect national values. It is also a belief that has existed for ages, and passed from generation to generation. To this, every tribe within and outside Nigeria has a culture by which they are identified.
In Ibusa land, for example, there are many cultures that exist such as New Yam Festival, Iwu Festival and more. These to a large extent has one benefit or the other for the people.
This year New Yam Festival was held to commemorate the time of harvest, as part of the event organised by Ibusa Age
grade” Ogbor Ahor Aya Bie”,Hundreds of age grades came together to celebrate the New Yam Festival in a flock of
traditional outfits at Kefas Amusement Park in Ibusa. The celebration continued with live music led by Mr Small and dance
performances, along with Ibusa traditional food Pounded yam and while(Nsala) soup after which heavy downpour which is a
sign and significant of blessing to Ogbor Aya Bie age grade.
The occansion was well attended by many personalities like Ikwelle of Ibusa,High Chief Celestine Okafor,Ogiso Onowu Sunday Atuche,Mr Acho Nonyalim, Ogom Nwaoboshi, our Music Icon OGB Okonji to mention but a few .The Onyisi Ogbor Ahor Aya Bie, Henry Nkwuka said: “This is about giving God Almighty thanks for having planted and sprouted new warmth in the ground. We are celebrating a beautiful year of Harvest from God.”
We also want to bring our age grade closer as a united family. The most important thing about today is the togetherness and teaching our kids about the heritage of our culture. We are doing well to promote our culture and to obey and respect the law of the land.
[dropcap]T[/dropcap]he Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development has directed Batches A and B beneficiaries of the N-Power programme, who were earlier omitted from payment of their stipends, to report to their various state Focal Persons for verification and re-validation.
In a statement made available to Grassroots Publishers online Tuesday, which was signed by the Special Assistant on Media, Nneka Ikem Anibeze, the directive was given by inister of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development, Sadiya Umar Farouq, as efforts to resolve unpaid stipends withheld, due to discrepancies in records of the beneficiaries, are almost being concluded.
According to the statement, investigations conducted by the Office of the Attorney General of the Federation (OAGF), following the omission of some N-Power beneficiaries from payment of stipends, indicated that some beneficiaries were also drawing salaries from other Federal Government Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs).
However, the minister has directed that opportunity be given to the affected beneficiaries to verify and re-validate their eligibility so that qualified beneficiaries can be paid for their participation in the N-Power Programme.
The statement reads in part: “Beneficiaries are thereby directed to report to their State Focal Persons immediately with their bank account details including bank statements from March 2020 to date, NYSC discharge certificates, birth certificates and other related screening documents.
“The deadline for verification is October 13, 2020. Beneficiaries who fail to attend the verification exercise will forfeit their stipends.”
[dropcap]T[/dropcap]he guidelines personally signed by the Inspector-General of Police, Mohammed Adamu, directed SARS (federal and state), Intelligence Response Team, Special Tactical Squad, State Anti-Kidnapping Unit and other special units to abide by the new directives or risk dismissal.
The IGP stated that no part of the police laws or international protocols authorises the unlawful killing or degrading treatment of fellow citizens as law enforcement agents and no element of its professional training or ethical standards permits any police personnel to deploy lethal weapons either consciously, adding that all reports of abuses violate laid down provisions of the Force.
He stressed that following growing outcry from Nigerians, it had become expedient to reinforce the extant Force Accountability Policy, which holds any officer professionally and criminally liable for the consequences of their actions.
He said, “Any police personnel that, henceforth, abuse his or her powers in a manner that degrades, endangers or threatens the life and other fundamental rights of the citizens shall be promptly arrested, processed through our internal disciplinary machinery and if found culpable, shall be dismissed from service. In addition, such personnel could be charged to court in consonance with their level of criminal liability in the instance.
“All the operatives of the Federal Anti-Robbery Squad, State Special Anti Robbery Squads, Intelligence Response Team, Special Tactical Squad, Anti-kidnapping Squads and any other unit of the Force that operates in mufti under any special nomenclature are banned from routine patrols on the highways and streets. Their operational deployments are to be limited to responses to specific security breaches including armed robbery, kidnapping or other violent incidents and in such instance, they must be expressly authorised by the appropriate police authority.
“All the operatives of the Federal Anti-Robbery Squad, State Special Anti Robbery Squads, Intelligence Response Team, Special Tactical Squad, Anti-kidnapping Squads and any other unit of the Force that operates in mufti under any special nomenclature are also henceforth, banned from engaging in conventional, low-risk duties including stop and search, mounting checkpoints or road blocks, undertaking traffic duties, searching of the persons or assets of any citizen on the streets and other functions which are within the purview of the uniformed conventional police detachments.
“The indiscriminate, unathorised, and degrading search of mobile phones, laptops and other smart electronic devices of citizens by the special units and all police operatives of different formations, zones, commands and units is hereby banned. The only exception is such an act is in furtherance to a specific case that has been reported and is a subject of criminal investigation in specific formation, command, police station or unit. In which case, due process must be followed by the investigating team.”
The Adamu directed all leaders of police formations, commands and units to compile and report all recent cases of abuses of power and violation of rights of citizens by FSARS, SARS, IRT, STS and other police teams to his office not later than Friday 9th October, 2020.
He added that the CP X-Squad, Force Provost Marshall and IGP Monitoring Unit are to immediately coordinate and deploy joint teams across all 36 states commands and the FCT with a view to enforcing the order and any officer found violating the order must be arrested and escorted to the Force headquarters for appropriate action.
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[dropcap]T[/dropcap]here was heightened tension on Thursday, in the Otovwodo axis of Ughelli North local government area of Delta State, following the killing of a Police officer during the #ENDSARS protest.
[dropcap]T[/dropcap]he pro-democracy group, Centre for Democracy and Development (CDD), has called on the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) not to disappoint the people of Ondo in Saturday’s governorship election in the state.
[dropcap]C[/dropcap]ulture is said to be a people’s way of life. Promoting indigenous culture can positively affect national values. It is also a belief that has existed for ages, and passed from generation to generation. To this, every tribe within and outside Nigeria has a culture by which they are identified.
well to promote our culture and to obey and respect the law of the land.
[dropcap]T[/dropcap]he guidelines personally signed by the Inspector-General of Police, Mohammed Adamu, directed SARS (federal and state), Intelligence Response Team, Special Tactical Squad, State Anti-Kidnapping Unit and other special units to abide by the new directives or risk dismissal.
