News

By Uzair Adam Imam

Nigeria as a nation has been battling with security challenges over the years. The issue has disrupted many activities in the country and, sadly, as the 2023 general elections approaches, there is no safe corridor in the country.

Nigeria, it is a bitter truth the citizens have to swallow, has relinquished its sovereignty in many parts of the country to terrorists.In the North East, there is the 12-year-old Boko Haram war that has displaced thousands, claimed hundreds of thousands lives and destroyed property worth billions of naira.

In the North West and some parts of North Central the activities of bandits is the new normal. Zamfara, Sokoto, Katsina, Kaduna and Niger states are the epicenters of this new wave of terrorism. In some parts of the above mentioned states bandits slum huge taxes on locals before they allow them to farm.

In the South West cultists and kidnappers have a field day. They machete people to death on a daily basis. The media are awash with the news of people being burnt alive.

In the South East the Indigenous Peoples of Biafra (IPOB) terrorists maimed their victims in broad daylight; and have extended this carnage to security formations in the region. One of the attributes of a failed state is insecurity, when the government is not in charge.

This drives away many foreign investors. This is the reality of Nigeria today.Humanitarian crisis in Nigeria comes in many hues. While some are caused by natural disasters, insecurity has worsened the situation.

Many states in various political zones in the country, internally displaced persons camps have opened up. Drug abuse, abortion, sexual exploitation, extortion, among other social vices, are rampant now.

In different parts of the country locals have no access to potable drinking water. Many of them drink from the same stream their cows drink, and they wash their clothes there, too. This has exposed them to different kinds of diseases like cholera and other life-threatening diseases.

The condition of our hospitals, especially in rural areas, is bad. Many of these facilities are understaffed and lack working materials. There are not enough beds and sometimes patients have to lay down on the floor for treatment.

As a student-journalist I believe journalism has an important role to play in tackling these lingering issues bedeviling Nigeria over the time. This includes but is not limited to public enlightenment, responsible reporting, countering fake news and balanced reporting (social responsibility of journalists involved here).

For example experts and analysts believe that many bandits are into banditry because of their ignorance. Balanced and factual reporting can help end terrorism in some ways.

This can only be achieved with adequate training of journalists on terrorism reporting.Recent documentaries by BBC and Daily Trust have laid credence to the argument above of how ignorance, unbalanced reportage and fake news contribute to insurgency or terrorism in Nigeria.

In conclusion, while insecurity is weighing down Nigeria as it worsens to humanitarian crises, journalists can tackle it by fighting fake news, balancing their report and enlightening the public of the danger ahead.

By Muhammadu Sabiu 

The All Progressives Congress (APC) has suspended Orji Uzor Kalu (Abia North), the Senate Chief Whip, due to alleged anti-party activities and other violations, less than 24 hours before the National Assembly election.

The suspension of Kalu, according to the ruling APC, takes effect immediately.

The former Abia governor was accused of undermining and ruining the party in the state, and this caused Kalu to clash with the Abia APC leadership and people.

The former governor is alleged to have worked against Chief Ikechi Emenike, an APC candidate for governor.

Also, he has been accused of advocating on behalf of the Action Peoples Party (APP), whose governorship candidate is Prince Uzor Kalu, his younger brother.

In the meantime, Kalu officially acknowledged and defended backing and promoting the candidature of his younger brother, Mascot, by stating he is qualified to run for the state in an interview last Tuesday.

By Sulaiman Maijama’a

Security of lives and properties of the citizens is one of the cardinal responsibilities of every responsible government and the first priority of every society. Nigeria, being a plural society (with different cultures, tribes, languages religions and regions) since independence has experienced, in different points in time, security challenges, the sad development that sowed the seeds of fresh security challenges that resurface in our time. Today, all the six geo-political zones that constitute Nigeria suffer from one form of insecurity or the other.

Boko Haram in the North East, kidnapping and banditry in the North West and the North Central becomes the epicentre of farmers-herders clashes.

Similarly, the South East suffers from the evil atrocities of the Biafran secessionists, the South South is coping with armed groups that have sabotaged pipelines and kidnapped oil workers in Niger Delta, while the South West suffers ritual killings for money making.

In its report on January 4th, 2022, HumanAngle revealed that in 2021, Nigeria had recorded its worst insecurity-related death toll since 2016. At least 10,398 persons were killed across the country between Jan. 1 and Dec. 31, 2021.

While this horribly compounded situation is winking its head, other humanitarian challenges in recent time came in and deteriorated the condition.

Thisday reported that in 2019, Nigeria contributed 4.3 percent of the global figures of 79.5 million in terms of humanitarian crises, making her one of the top 10 countries with the highest risks of humanitarian disasters, and the situation continues to worsen.

The humanitarian crisis range from seeking refuge in overburdened and unsafe camps, to limited access to food, healthcare and education. Millions of people in the humanitarian crisis face malnutrition, inadequate social protection, sexual violence, and uncertain timelines for a return to normalcy.

The role of the media: Journalism, apart from its traditional role of informing, educating and entertaining, can play the following role to curtail such challenges:

1. Stakeholder engagement and “tree analysis”: the nature in which the Nigerian government fights insecurity is like cutting the leaves of a tree without cutting its root. The media should provide a forum for stakeholders to be brainstorming on the genesis of these challenges and the motives behind them. This will give an insight to the government into the roots and ways through which it can be curtailed.
2. Applying “Agenda Setting Theory”: the media should make security and humanitarian reports their topmost priority by consistently reporting and giving them banner headlines and breaking news positions. By so doing the government and relevant authorities will swing into more deliberate actions with a view to bringing an end to the challenges.
3. Applying “Development Support theory” and Serving the watchdog and surveillance role: the media should make editorial policies that will support development and expose any suspicious attempts. This should be done deliberately, knowing that security and humanitarian challenges cause Nigeria underdevelopment.
4. Objective and credible reportage: these are a second name to journalism. When fairness and credibility are maintained in journalism, security and humanitarian challenges will reduce to a minimal level.

Maijama’a is a student at the Faculty of Communication, Bayero University, Kano. He can be reached at:
sulaimanmaija@gmail.com

By Ahmad Deedat Zakari

The three senators from Benue State have distanced themselves from the decision of the Benue State Governor, Samuel Ortom, to support Peter Obi in the tomorrow’s presidential election.

The senators disclosed this in a statement they jointly signed and made available to newsmen on Thursday.

According to the senators, their support is for the People’s Democratic Party’s Candidate, Atiku Abubakar.

The three senators are currently representing Benue at the National Assembly. They are: Gabriel Torwua Suswam, Emmanuel Yisa Oker Jev and Patrick Abba Moro.

The statement reads in part ,”This is to inform the entire public, the citizens of Benue State and Nigeria that after due consultations with the Benue people in the three senatorial zones, Benue has resolved to cast their votes for the People’s Democratic Party. We are resolved to join the rest of Nigeria to elect former Vice President His Excellency Alhaji Atiku Abubakar as President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria on February 25th, 2023.”

By Muhammad Aminu

At least ten vehicles have been destroyed and many injured as thugs attacked supporters of the New Nigeria Peoples Party, NNPP, in Kano Thursday afternoon on their way to welcome NNPP’s presidential candidate, Rabi’u Kwankwaso.

The vehicles filled with the NNPP’s Kwankwasiya movement supporters have been vandalized, among which three were burned to ashes.

An eyewitness, Tasiu Lawan, said he escaped death as hundreds of thugs attacked them and wounded many people.

Lawan further confirmed that many people had been injured while vehicles were touched.

NNPP’s presidential candidate Rabi’u Kwankwaso was billed to hold his grand finale campaign in Kano, where he enjoys a massive following.

Earlier in the morning, Kano State Police Command, through its spokesperson, Abdullahi Kiyawa, advised the trio of All Progressives Congress, Peoples Democratic Party and New Nigeria Peoples Party to put on hold their planned rallies in Kano due to the possible clash between their supporters.

Recalled that in 2019, the Kano Commissioner of Police barred Kwankwaso from holding a political rally in Kano ahead of the general elections, which his members see as clear discrimination and siding with the ruling party in Kano.

By Uzair Adam Imam

Few days to election and the remours that the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) was planning to shut down all e-transactions on Thursday have gone viral on social media.

However, the CBN has reacted in dismay to the widespread rumours in the early hours of Thursday on its official Facebook page.

The rumours said that the CBN planned to shut down all financial transactions from Thursday, 23rd to 27th of February.

Part of the remour instructed that, “Anyhow you can get money between today and tomorrow get it. Also whatever transfer you want to do, do it between today and tomorrow.

“As from Thursday, banks network will go off till Sunday or Monday so that politicians will not be able to transfer money to anybody for vote.

“So buy enough money and do your transfer now,” the false information said in part.

Meanwhile, the CBN also asked the general public to disregard the rumour while describing it as baseless and misleading.

 By Muhammadu Sabiu
 
The Muslim Students’ Society of Nigeria (MSSN) has endorsed the candidature of Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu in Saturday’s presidential election.
 
In a statement signed by its National Amir and released on Tuesday, the Muslim body noted that it would be a “deadly hypocrisy” for it to sit on the fence regarding the 2023 elections, adding that it would give its support to Bola Tinubu.
 
The statement reads, “In matters of great importance and unquantifiable consequence, at a critical point in our national history we cannot afford to sit on the fence. Where the general interest of the Muslim Ummah is at stake, silence becomes a deadly hypocrisy.
 
“Having said this, in view of the circumstances surrounding the general election which comes up across the nation on Saturday, it has become necessary to take a definite stand to stand firmly where we have reasons to believe, the candidate has the most coloration of our identity and capacity to bring about stability and progress in the areas of the economy, security, education, and other sectors to facilitate self-actualization for our members.
 
“After due consultations with leaders of the Society at various levels, members and elders, we have come to the sincere conclusion that for the presidential election Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu is the best candidate for the good of the Muslim Ummah and our members across the 19 states of the North. Come Saturday, February 25th, we are calling on all our members across the North, to come out en masse, to vote for the ticket that is completely Muslim – vote for Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu and Kashim Shettima as President and Vice-President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, respectively.”
 
Mr. Tinubu, the presidential contender under the All Progressives Congress, APC, is contesting against three other major contenders, including Atiku Abubakar of the People’s Democratic Party, Rabiu Kwankwaso of the New Nigerian People’s Party, and Peter Obi of the Labour Party.

By Muhammadu Sabiu

A coalition of civil society organisations asked Atiku Abubakar, the candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, to step aside in favour of Musa Kwankwaso, the candidate of the Nigeria Peoples Party, to prevent needless vote splitting in the North.

Bishop Godwin Abah, the coalition’s head, said in a press conference at the NNPP secretariat in Abuja on Wednesday that Nigeria’s future was in jeopardy and that, as a result, the Kwankwaso Presidency’s political sagacity and tenacity of purpose were needed to turn the country around.

Abah noted that the organisations had carefully examined the presidential candidates of major political parties, as well as their backgrounds and democratic credentials, adding that Kwankwaso stood out among the other candidates.

He was quoted as saying, “A servant-leader with milk of human kindness, Kwankwaso transformed Kano State as a two- term governor and will bring his wealth of experience as former Minister of Defence, Ambassador, Senator, Deputy Speaker, House of Representatives etc., to bear on national governance as President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

“It was also the opinion of the rural Nigerians that the coalition interfaced with that Alhaji Atiku Abubakar should set aside his presidential aspiration for a dynamic, pragmatic, energetic and resourceful Kwankwaso.

“Accordingly, the coalition calls on Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, the Peoples Democratic Party’s presidential candidate to step down for the NNPP presidential candidate, Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso to avoid unnecessary splitting of votes in the North.

“Kwankwaso will inject fresh air in governance, restore hope to a bewildered nation that has seen more carnage than dividends of democracy and build a new Nigeria we all desire.

“Atiku has done his best for the nation, we appreciate his contribution as Vice President of Nigeria. He remains a statesman.

There are now about three days left until the presidential election, which involves four major contenders, including Bola Tinubu (APC), Atiku Abubakar (PDP), Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso (NNPP), and Peter Obi (LP).

By Sumayyah Auwal Ishaq

The United Christians Leaders Eagle Eye Forum (UCLEEF) has formally endorsed the former Vice President and People’s Democratic Party’s (PDP) presidential candidate, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, GCON, as its presidential candidate ahead of the February 25 general elections.

According to the group’s national coordinator, Pastor Aminchi Habu, “as the great democracy defender of Africa, we see Alhaji Atiku Abubakar as the political pilot that will fly Nigeria to its promise land, the political engineer that will repair the damaged engine’s of Nigeria economy, the political architect that will redesign and take Nigeria to a glorious future and the political doctor of our nation who has the prescribed drugs that will heal Nigeria of all its security and other societal ills”.

Pastor Aminchi further stated that “we have four Million two hundred and sixteen thousand one hundred (4,216,100) registered members, which we have instructed each and every one of them to win at least one (1) vote for His Excellency Atiku Abubakar GCON at the coming Polls, so as it stands now we have eight million four hundred and thirty-two thousand two hundred (8,432,200) votes on the ground for his Excellency”.

Representative of the former Vice President, Mr Dele Momudu, thanked the group and promised that an Atiku presidency would be for all Nigerians irrespective of religious, ethnic, or political differences.

By Uzair Adam Imam

The Presidential Candidate of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), Atiku Abubakar, vowed to implement policies presented to him by Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) on Tuesday.

According to him, the CAN’s policy document was not in contradiction with his belief, as some of the points presented were contained in the book he wrote when he was a vice president of Nigeria.

The Presidential Candidate made this disclosure during his meeting with the CAN leadership in Abuja Tuesday.

He said, “I have listened to the presentation of the CAN document and I can tell you the CAN document is totally in conformity with my thoughts in a book that I published when I was the Vice President and this led to a fundamental disagreement with my boss as well as my constituents.

“There is no difference between my book and CAN’s presentation. I stand before you not to campaign but to tell you the honest truth, what you have presented is what I have always believed in. And if I have the opportunity, I swear to God I will do it.

“Oil didn’t send me to school, my parents paid cattle tax, market tax, radio tax and these were the taxes that sent me school from primary to university. If God has given you gold or oil, take your oil or gold but I will tax you.

“Why should we be fighting over resources that have been endowed to whoever it is endowed to,” said the presidential candidate.

Atiku was received by the CAN’s President, Archbishop Daniel Okoh, the Secretary of the association, and other executive members.

The CAN’s president, while presenting the document they titled “Policy Roadmap for Future Nigeria”, said the the document was for avoidance of doubt.

He said, “For avoidance of doubt, we present the policies that we believe will address the crises of development in Nigeria.”