Connect with us

News

Amotekun: ”It’s sad people of Northern extraction are never happy when we want to organise ourselves on regional basis” – Itse Sagay reacts

Published

on

Professor Itse Sagay, the chairman of the Presidential Advisory Committee Against Corruption (PACAC) has said that it is very sad that people of Northern extraction are never happy when Southerners want to organise themselves on regional basis.

Sagay who is a staunch Pro-Buhari government official, said this while reacting to the comment made by the Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami, who on Tuesday January 14th, declared Amotekun, the newly created security outfit by SouthWest governors, as an illegal entity.

Sagay in an interview with Daily Independent, said Malami was only speak out of prejudice. He wondered why Amotekun can be described as illegal when it is the same laws that created it that was used in to create the Northern security outfits, Hisbah police and the Civilian Joint Taskforce. He stressed that Malami was only expressing his personal prejudice and not the law when he declared Amotekun illegal.

Read excepts from his interview below

The Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami (SAN) has described Operation Amotekun, a security arrangement put together by South-West governors as illegal. He said the governors should have consulted him so that he can give them legal advice on whether they can go ahead or not. As a legal expert, what is your perspective on this? 

I believe that the governors have no duty to consult him. He is Attorney- General of the Federation, not Attorney-General of South-West states. The state governors have their own Attorney-Generals who are equally as qualified as Malami is. So, if this is part of the conspiracy that anything that smacks of regional arrangements or organisation offends some people who believe there has to be direct federal rule in every nook and cranny of the country, that is own misery. But it has nothing to do with the law. As far as i am concerned, Malami is just expressing his personal prejudice, it has nothing to with the law. The Amotekun people are not paramilitary organisation. They are to apprehend those committing crimes and report to the police or they themselves can exercise their rights of citizen’s arrest which we all can do as individuals. I can arrest somebody who I suspect has committed a crime. 

So, the AGF is just speaking out of pure prejudice and it is very sad that people of Northern extraction are never happy when we want to organise ourselves on regional basis. I don’t understand that. if you don’t want to organise yourselves, how can you stop others from doing it? It is pure prejudice and it has nothing to do with the law. The governors have no duty whatsoever to consult him and he shouldn’t aggrandise himself and arrogate to himself powers that he doesn’t have. I think the governors should just ignore him and carry on with what they are doing. If he feels aggrieved that people in some parts off the country are trying to secure themselves against crime, he can go to court to challenge it. That arrogant authority that he can dictate to states is very insulting. 

Since the pronouncement by the Minister, there has been this debate about why Sharia Police in some Northern states popularly called Hisbah should be legal while Amotekun was declared illegal. Is there any difference between the two? 

In a sense, they have the same legal status; in the sense that each one is a creation of the state and not of the federal government. It is a very good point to raise and others have also raised the issue of the Civilian JTF in the North East. Those people are organised to identify Boko Haram terrorists and alert the military. When necessary, they defend themselves against the terrorists. Nobody is complaining because it is for a good purpose. Let me make a general statement here. In law, if something is not expressly prohibited, then that thing can be done legitimately. There is no law, either in the Police or any other act, is there a prohibition of one state or many states coming together to organise the promotion of the security of the peoples of the state. The primary duty of the state is the protection of the security of the people. It is in the section 14 (2) of the constitution. That is their primary duty and this falls not only on the federal government but on all states. If you look at the constitution, the powers are equal in that sense. The federal covers the whole country and the states cover their territorial areas. They can make laws for good governance which is also provided for in the constitution. What I am saying is that the concept of Amotekun is not banned and if it is not prohibited, it can be legitimately embarked upon. 

On the non-legal side, if you think about our security, the insecurity challenge which is confronting Nigeria now is so high everywhere. People are afraid of traveling by road or going out at nights and so on. I think we should welcome any effort by a group or individual state to help to secure lives and property and improve the security situation in the country. . 

 It is the duty of the federal government to collaborate with them to improve the security of everybody in the country. The state government also has a duty to protect the lives and security of everybody so, several state governments can decide to exercise that duty together collectively and the federal government should assist them. So, there is nothing illegal at all about Amotekun. If they now want to carry arms such as AK-47 and other powerful arms aside dane guns, at that stage, they will need federal permission. But if they are not doing that, and they are not an armed body in the modern sense, they do not need any other authority to operate 

An aide of the Minister yesterday said they wonder if you have any personal scores to settle with him given your opposition to some of his actions in the last few days. Do you have anything personal against Malami? 

I want to advise the gentleman not to personalise issues of public interests. The position of Attorney-General is a very important one and its authority affects all of us. So, when he as a lawyer makes a statement or takes any decision that one considers wrong, there is nothing wrong in expressing a contrary view. That is what a debate is all about in a democratic society. It is not personal. Personally, I like Malami as a person. It is just unfortunate that he issued statements one after the other within a short period and the media wanted me to express my views on the issues and I don’t agree with the steps Malami took on the two occasions. I have nothing against him; in fact, I’m favorably disposed towards him because in a sense, we are all working together in the same theatre. So, it’s not correct for anyone to say I am having any personal scores to settle with him and it is wrong for anyone to interpret my objective views on statements issued by Malami in that light. It is not right. I can call Malami now and chat with him on issues of interests to the country. I have nothing personal against him.

Source: City News

Advertisement

News

Ribadu Hands Over Doctor, Nephew Relased After Ten Months In Kidnapers Den To NMA

Published

on

By

The National Security Adviser, Mallam Nuhu Ribadu, has handed over Dr Ganiyat Olawale-Popoola, a Nigerian doctor abducted in Kaduna State ten months ago, to her family.

Ribadu also reunited Abdulmugniy Folaranmi, a 16-year-old 100-level student of the Nigerian Air Force Institute of Technology, Kaduna, with his family.

According to DAILY POST reports, Squadron Leader Nurudeen Popoola, a Nigerian Air Force officer, his wife, Dr. Ganiyat Olawale-Popoola, and her nephew, Abdulmugniy Folaranmi, were abducted on December 27, 2023.

They were kidnapped from their residence at the National Eye Centre Quarters in Mando, Kaduna.

The trio are indigenes of Iseyin in the Oke Ogun geopolitical zone of Oyo State.

Squadron Leader Nurudeen Popoola was released in March this year after spending ten weeks in captivity.

JomogNews learned that Dr. Ganiyat Olawale-Popoola and Abdulmugniy Folaranmi were eventually released by their captors on Wednesday, following ten months in captivity. They have now been handed over to their family by Ribadu.

The National Publicity Secretary of the Nigerian Medical Association (NMA), Dr Mannir Bature, confirmed the development in a statement obtained by newsmen on Saturday.

In the statement, Bature noted that the duo were handed over to their family in the presence of NMA President, Dr. Bala Audu, for rehabilitation and reintegration.

He added that representatives from the Defence Headquarters, Ministry of Health, Nigerian Medical Association (NMA), and the National Association of Resident Doctors (NARD) were present at the event.

Dr Audu expressed gratitude to the security agencies under Ribadu’s leadership, stating, “Following a comprehensive security debriefing, the National Security Adviser, Mal. Nuhu Ribadu, today handed over Dr. Ganiyat Popoola and her nephew to her family in the presence of NMA President, Dr. Bala Audu, for rehabilitation and reintegration.

“The handover ceremony, which included representatives from the Defence Headquarters, Ministry of Health, Nigerian Medical Association (NMA), and the National Association of Resident Doctors (NARD), provided an opportunity for security personnel to highlight the efforts made to secure Dr Ganiyat’s release. They also discussed related operations, including the recent rescue of abducted medical students.

“In his remarks, Dr Audu expressed his gratitude to the security agencies under the leadership of the NSA for their efforts, while urging them to intensify actions to ensure the rescue of other Nigerians, including medical doctors, who remain in captivity.

“The family extended their appreciation to the Federal Government, NMA, NARD, and all Nigerian doctors for their unwavering support during this challenging time.”

 

Continue Reading

News

Troops Arrest Wanted Bandit, Habu Dogo, 7 IPOB/ESN Terrorists

Published

on

By

The Defence Headquarters on Saturday said the Nigerian troops have, in the last one week, apprehended a notorious terrorist leader, Abubakar Ibrahim (AKA) Habu Dogo in Sokoto and seven IPOB/ESN commanders in South-East.

The Director, Defence Media Operations, Maj.-Gen. Edward Buba, in a statement said that Habu Dogo was apprehended at Rumji Village in Illela Local Government Area of Sokoto State.

According to him, Habu Dogo is a wanted terrorist on the watch list of security agencies both in Nigeria and in the Niger Republic because of the cross border nature of his terrorist activities.

He said the IPOB/ ESN terror operatives apprehended include Dr Nnamdi Chukwudoze and Chigozie Ezetoha (AKA Chapet) who were nabbed in Ihiala Local Government Area of Anambra.

“Others are Mrs Ngozi Chukwuka and Mr Oyekachi Ohia, who were arrested in Umuahia South Local Government Area of Abia,” he said.

He said others are, Mr Ifeanyi Eze, Mr Augustine Udemba and Mr Onyedikachi Udemba were arrested in Umunneochi Local Government Area of Abia while, Elijah Mmaduipeya Obumneke was arrested in Orsu Local Government Area of Imo.

“The ongoing counterinsurgency and counterterrorism operations have continued to degrade the combat capacity of terrorists across the country,’’ he said.

Continue Reading

News

JUST IN: TCN Restores Power Supply To Damaturu, Maiduguri

Published

on

By

The Transmission Company of Nigeria has announced another significant milestone in its efforts to restore electricity back to the Northern region of the country.

In a new statement signed by the company’s General Manager, Public Affairs, Ndidi Mbah, on Friday, full power supply has been restored to Damaturu in Yobe and Maiduguri in Borno State.

This development followed repair of the 330kV Gombe-Damaturu- Maiduguri transmission line.

It further explained that electricity was restored to the Gombe – Damaturu line about 7:25 pm, on Wednesday, October 30.

While partial supply was experienced on the Damaturu – Maiduguri (Molai) on Thursday, October 31, 2024, around 2:01pm.

Recall that tower 372, along the 330kV transmission line, was vandalised on September 22, 2024.

The Statement read, “The Transmission Company of Nigeria has restored full power supply through the Gombe-Damaturu- Maiduguri 330kV transmission line.

“Power supply was fully restored on Gombe – Damaturu line about 7:25 pm, on the 30th, and on the Damaturu – Maiduguri (Molai) part of the line, supply was restored yesterday, October 31, 2024, around 2:01 pm.

“The vandalised tower was rebuilt, and the stringing of the line was completed on the 23rd of October 2024, at about 12:48 pm.

“TCN was, however, unable to immediately restore bulk power supply through the line due to the vandalism of the Ugwuaji-Apir transmission line.

“Power supply has, however, been fully restored along the Gombe – Damaturu – Maiduguri 330kV transmission line,” it added.

The company further sought the help of Nigerians to stop vandalism of electricity infrastructure for the greater economic good.

“TCN is again calling on the public to join in the fight against power installation vandalism to safeguard the future of electricity in Nigeria.

“Please report suspicious activities around transmission installations to security operatives or TCN offices nationwide.”

Continue Reading

Trending