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Buhari’s Plan To Islamitise Nigeria May Be Realized If…, Okogie Warns Nigerians

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The Catholic Archbishop of Lagos Metropolitan See, Anthony Cardinal Olubunmi Okogie, has outlined his reasons the recent claim made by former President Olusegun Obasanjo about alleged Fulanization of Nigeria under President Muhammadu Buhari may a reality.

Okogie questioned the leadership of President Buhari while lamenting that “the security situation in Nigeria has become worse than deplorable.”

The cleric noted that Nigeria was being attacked; wondering if this was how the citizens will be watching while the country becomes more inhabitable than it has ever been in her history.

This was contained in a statement he entitled: “Nigeria is under attack” on Tuesday where he backed Obasanjo’s claims on “Fulanisation and Islamisation.”

He said that Obasanjo was “pointing to an open secret, and that there is a synergy between Boko Haram, herdsmen and ISIS.

Okogie’s statement added, “On a Monday in September 2015, former Finance Minister, Chief Olu Falae, was on his farm in Ilado near Akure when some armed men came looking for him.

“At gunpoint, they abducted him and held him until the following Thursday. At the age of 77, he was made to walk several kilometres. He was made to sleep in the rain.

“According to his own account published in some national dailies, every half an hour, his armed abductors threatened: ‘Baba, we are going to kill you. If you don’t give us money we are going to kill you.’

“By 2018, herdsmen were wreaking havoc in the states of the middle belt of Nigeria.

“Then, a retired Chief of Army Staff, a veteran of military intervention in Nigerian politics, General Theophilus Danjuma, warned that there was ethnic cleansing in the middle belt.

“Having lost confidence in the government’s willingness or ability to deal with the situation, General Danjuma called on the people of the middle belt to take responsibility for their own security.

“The reaction of aides to the President of the Federal Republic was to insult him and call him names he did not deserve to bear.

“Recently, former President Obasanjo added his voice to those of Chief Falae, Gen. Danjuma and many others, voices warning us of heightened insecurity in our country. President Obasanjo spoke of ‘Fulanisation and Islamisation.’

“But in what has become a typical reaction from aides to President Buhari, President Obasanjo’s concerns were not addressed. What he received were gratuitous insults from President Buhari’s aides.

“Nonetheless, it is highly significant that one of President Obasanjo’s most virulent critiques, Professor Wole Soyinka, urged the federal government to address the issues he raised.

“The issue is neither the character nor the political affiliation of those who are speaking. The issue is insecurity and the government’s inability or unwillingness to address the issue.

“Nigeria in her vastness is within the firm grips of kidnappers, armed robbers, herdsmen, bandits and insurgents. ‘Government officials tell us that Boko Haram has been “technically defeated”.

“But there is a wide abyss between government propaganda and the experience of the citizen. Despite government propaganda, Boko Haram, with frequent and convincing repetition, demonstrates that it has more firepower than the Nigerian military.

“Our highways are unsafe. A major highway like the Abuja-Kaduna Road has become a theatre of operation for kidnappers.

“The northwestern states of Zamfara and Katsina have become utterly unsafe. They have been taken over by armed bandits. Yet, all that presidential aides have to offer concerned Nigerians is insolence.

“Shortly after Chief Falae’s abduction, Nigerians woke up to hear of clandestine and illegal importation of arms into Nigeria.

“There were reports that arrests were made. But Nigerians no longer hear of any judicial process to which these importers are being subjected. The matter appears to have died. Little wonder we now live in a Nigeria saturated with ammunition.

“How on earth can we claim to be living in a democratic polity when presidential aides forget or ignore the fact that the President was put in office by the votes of the people?

“For if they knew the principles of democracy; they would not be disrespectful to Nigerians who happen to hold views divergent from those of government on how affairs of state are to be handled.

“One would have thought that, by now, four years since 2015, presidential aides would have grasped the difference between insolence and competence.

“One does not need to hold any brief for former President Obasanjo to know that his concerns on this matter are genuine. One only needs to read carefully the text of his intervention.

“One need not be his friend or political ally to observe that there are one-sided actions on the part of the government in matters of security.

“Well-meaning Nigerians express concerns that herdsmen are treated with kid gloves and allowed to get away with murder while some other agitators are called terrorists, proscribed and gunned down.

“A ‘technically defeated’ Boko Haram continues to hold Leah Sharibu in captivity while the federal government secured the release of her Muslim schoolmates and the release of Zainab Aliyu and Ibrahim Abubakar from death row in Saudi Arabia.

“Obasanjo is pointing to an open secret, and that is: there is a synergy between Boko Haram, herdsmen and ISIS.

“This synergy, leading to a gradual implementation of the Islamisation agenda of ISIS, is what is being referred to as Fulanisation and Islamisation.

“It is about the imposition by ISIS of its own version of Islam. Whoever opposes it, be that person Christian or Muslim or Fulani, is eliminated.

“The security situation in Nigeria has become worse than deplorable. Nigeria is being attacked. Is this how we all will be watching while our country becomes more inhabitable than it has ever been in her history? Is there leadership in this country?

“If so, what type of leadership do we have? It is the responsibility of the president and his aides to address the situation in ways that are manifestly even-handed. There are fears that some people have taken over this country. We are held hostage on our land.

“This country is in the hands of invaders, bandits, herdsmen and kidnappers. Nigeria is under attack. Will the President and Commander in Chief show leadership?”

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Extortion: IGP Orders ‘Severe’ Punishment For Corrupt Officers

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The Inspector-General of Police, IGP Kayode Egbetokun has condemned alleged extortions by some officers of the force in some areas within the country, and has ordered “severe” punishment for corrupt officers.

He referenced the case involving officers of the Zone 16 Zonal Headquarters, Yenegoa, identified as ASP Emmanuel Ubong, Inspector Nse Okon, Inspector Adiewere Collins, and Inspector Kuromare Marine.

The officers were accused of extorting the sum of ₦10m from a group of young Nigerians.

In a statement signed by the Force’s Public Relations Officer, ACP Olumiyiwa Adejobi on Friday, the police said the money has been recovered through the efforts of the new Assistant Inspector-General of Police in charge of Zone 16.

Adejobi also said the officers have since been detained and subjected to orderly room trial.

The statement added, “The Nigeria Police Force, under the leadership of IGP Egbetokun, maintains a zero-tolerance policy for any act of corruption and police misconduct, as the Force takes every allegation of extortion and abuse of power extremely seriously.

“The IGP has however reassured the general public that the force will continue to investigate all allegations levelled against erring officers of the Force thoroughly.

“In pursuit of restorative justice, the Inspector-General of Police has mandated severe consequences for any officer, no matter how highly ranked, found culpable, acting as a deterrent to those who may seek to compromise the integrity of the Force.

Adejobi also said that the IGP has also scheduled a workshop for police officers on child care and effective investigation.

“Similarly, to guarantee that officers within the Force receive adequate training in child care and protection and effective investigations considerate of vulnerable individuals, most especially children in conflict with the law, the IGP has rescheduled the workshop with all Heads of Police investigative units to take place on Monday, November 11, 2024.

“The workshop will not only focus on enhancing technical capabilities but also emphasise the essential ethical principles when dealing with sensitive cases in order to have a child-friendly police system in Nigeria.

“By emphasising compassion, transparency, and adherence to modern investigation techniques, the Nigeria Police Force aims to foster a culture of professionalism and accountability among its personnel, thereby strengthening public trust and confidence in the organisation.”

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#EndBadGovernance Protest: No Law Prohibits Prosecution Of Minors – AGF

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The Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Lateef Fagbemi, has weighed in on the controversy surrounding the arraignment of young #EndBadGovernace protesters for treason.

Speaking in Abuja during the commissioning of Law Corridor’s new office complex and the presentation of a book on the modern Nigerian legal system, the AGF said the arraignment of the minors was within the confines of Nigerian law.

“No law in this country says a minor cannot be tried, and I have also heard suggestions that they should go to a family court,” Fagbemi noted.


The trial of 119 protesters, including minors aged between 14-17 years, had been condemned by Nigerians and international organisations.

The minors had since been released and reunited with their families following the order by President Bola Tinubu.

The AGF insisted the matter was serious and commended the president for ordering the release of the protesters.

He said Tinubu Tinubu was compassionate, hence his order on the release of the minors despite “facts” that security agencies possess on the protest.

The attorney general said: “The study of the law and the constitution leaves you no other conclusion than that the federal high court has jurisdiction in matters bordering on treason and related issues. So, whatever the situation, the president has closed the chapter by his decision to have these young men released.

“The president was very compassionate; he is a father and a grandfather. If you look at the facts in the possession of the security agency, you would marvel.

“But the president said, despite all this, ‘I have children, grandchildren,’ and that motivated his passion to release them and also enable them in some ways.

“So the credit goes to him for showing compassionate consideration in releasing the young chaps.

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#EndBadGovernanceProtest: Reps minority caucus demands compensation for minors

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The House of Representatives Minority Caucus has called for compensation for minors arrested for allegedly participating in the hunger protest that took place in major cities across the country.

On 1 October, some Nigerians took to the streets to protest hardships exacerbated by the removal of fuel subsidies by President Bola Tinubu’s administration in 2023.

Last week, images of children arrested in connection with the protest sparked local and international condemnation, with many accusing government officials of starving them while they were in custody.

In a statement issued on Friday, signed by Kingsley Chinda, Ali Isa, Aliyu Madaki, and George Ozodinobi — Minority Leader, Minority Whip, Deputy Minority Leader, and Deputy Minority Whip of the House of Representatives, respectively — the caucus called for an investigation into the circumstances surrounding the arrest and alleged ill-treatment of the protesters.

The caucus also commended President Bola Tinubu for ordering the immediate release of the minors, who were charged with terrorism, treason, and arson by the Nigerian Police Force.

The statement read, “While we commend the President for his timely intervention, the caucus strongly advocates for a thorough investigation, prosecution, and disciplinary action against the individuals and government agencies involved in this despicable, callous, and inhuman act that has led to national disgrace and global condemnation.

“Any person or institution responsible for detaining these children in cells for around 95 days — when they should have been attending school, learning trades, or practising vocations — must be held accountable, with punitive measures issued to serve as a deterrent to others.

“Considering the psychological trauma and health challenges the children may have endured, we urge that quality reformatory therapy sessions and medical support be provided as they reunite with their families. We also call for immediate reparations for the children and their families to alleviate the hardships, pain, and emotional distress suffered during this period of unlawful detention.

“Following the recent release of about 76 young people charged with terrorism, treason, and arson by the Nigerian Police Force for participating in the #EndBadGovernance protest, the Minority Caucus of the House of Representatives praises President Bola Tinubu for being responsive to calls from Nigerians and the international community.

“We commend President Tinubu for his prompt directive, which came just days after the children’s arraignment and led the Attorney-General of the Federation to seek full control and termination of the case.”

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