Senator representing Plateau North in the National Assembly Dr Jonah Jang on Thursday said his detention by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) constitutes a gross abuse of the fundamental rights guaranteed me as a law-abiding citizen as enshrined in the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, as amended.

Jang in a statement he personally signed and made available to newsmen in Jos reads that “For over a week, I was kept in detention by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), deprived of the inalienable right to personal freedom and association. If the laws of our country are still potent under the current circumstances, my detention constitutes a gross abuse of the fundamental rights guaranteed me as a law-abiding citizen as enshrined in the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, as amended. Where the constitution provides for an accused person to be charged to court within one day, I was held by the EFCC for over a week in flagrant disregard to the letters and spirit of the supreme document which legitimizes the very existence of our country. My lawyers have instituted a case at the FCT high court and I shall pursue it to its logical conclusions.”

“As a believer in Jesus Christ, I count it all joy to be found worthy of these trials and tribulations. I am aware of my fallibility as a mortal, but it has been a rare privilege by all standards of estimation, to be granted the opportunity to share the gospel of our Lord and Saviour to many souls I met in captivity. It was a remarkable experience to fellowship with brethren in that kind of condition. ”

“As Governor of Plateau State in the 8years entrusted to me, my preoccupation was the welfare, wellbeing, and security of the people. My work was dedicated to opening new frontiers and elevating our state and people to a status commensurate with the expectations of a world which has changed tremendously. A testament of that can be easily identified in all 17 Local Government Areas of the State, and other strategic areas within the governance landscape.”

“The burden I carry in my heart is not of grudges against those against me, but of gratitude for those who have endured difficult conditions to stand with me through this ordeal. I am convinced beyond doubts that your labour of love shall not be in vain. May God bless you for remembering me in my hour of distress.”

Senate President, Dr. Bukola Saraki, has charged the newly inaugurated Commissioners of the Public Complaints Commission, PCC, to prevent acts of injustice and abuse of power among Nigerians in order to make the nation a better place for all.

Inaugurating the Chief Commissioner, Hon. Chileh Igbawua and other Commissioners of the PCC from the 36 States of the Federation in Abuja, Saraki said the Commission must be proactive and focused in the discharge of its mandate.

He noted that the PCC is the sole agency under the National Assembly with significant roles in strengthening government institutions while urging the commission to not to betray the confidence reposed in the by Nigerians.

Saraki said: “The institution of the Ombudsman is highly regarded worldwide, as the machinery for the control of official excesses, including non-adherence to administrative rules and procedures.

“The Ombudsman provides much needed succour to citizens, especially the weak and the marginalized, who may seek redress against administrative violations by public authorities, private organizations and companies.

“In recognition of the duty entrusted to you as gatekeepers of this important institution, you must be bold, courageous, fair and just to one and all, irrespective of religion, tribe or gender.

“You are to perform the quasi-judicial duties of your office with diligence, integrity and good conscience – while holding yourselves to the highest standards of probity, devoid of conflict of interest and partisanship.

“It goes without saying that there should be no room for internal wrangling, red-tapism and unnecessary bureaucracy in your work. All Petitions and Complaints are to be treated promptly, dispassionately and effectively.

“I should also remind you that you are to submit an Annual Report on your activities to both Chambers of the National Assembly, without fail, every year. These, in a nutshell, should be taken as your operational guidelines or Code of Ethics,” he said.

On his part, the Speaker, House of Representatives, Rt. Hon. Yakubu Dogara represented by the Chief Whip of the House, Hon. Alhassan Ado Doguwa, lamented that many Nigerians still do not know of the existence of the Commission even though it has existed for 43 years.

He urged the Commission to be more proactive in its dealings so as to actualize the aims and objectives of seeking up the commission.

“The Commission may be working hard and making impact, but it is not known by a majority of Nigerians,” Dogara said. “You therefore need to step up your activities and also publicize same. Maybe you need to conduct public hearing on your investigations to involve Nigerians in what you do.”

However, the Chief Commissioner of the PCC, Hon. Chileh Igbawua, pledged the readiness of the commission to justify the confidence reposed in the appointees by carrying out their mandate diligently and conscientiously.

A Federal High Court sitting in Benin has remanded former Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, governorship candidate in Edo state, Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu, and four others.

Pastor Ize-Iyamu who contested the last gubernatorial seat with the incumbent governor of Edo State, was remanded alongside Chief Dan Orbih, an ex-Deputy Governor,  Lucky Imasuen, a former member of the House of Representatives, Tony Azegbemi and Efe Anthony in prison.

They are to remain in custody pending when they meet their applications for bail.

Ize-Iyamu and others were arraigned on Thursday by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, on eight count charges of laundering the sum of N700 million.

According to DailyPostng, Justice P.I Adjokwu ordered that they be remanded in prison after rejecting a plea by counsel to Ize-Iyamu, Charles Edosomwan that they be kept in the custody of the EFCC.

Director General, National Emergency Management Agency, NEMA, has been summoned by the House of Representatives Committee on Emergency and Disaster Preparedness to appear at the next investigative hearing session or risk arrest.

The committee has similarly directed the Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN, the Office of the Accountant General of the Federation, Ministry of Finance and other relevant parties to furnish it with all transaction details on N5.6 billion funds released to four companies in relation to the Emergency Food Programme in the North East.

The committee made the demand after another investigative session on the alleged breach of trust by National Emergency Management Agency, NEMA, at the National Assembly.

The documents are to guide the panel to uncover the mystery surrounding the release of funds and to establish whether it was given to the companies as loans and under what conditions.
The decision to ask for the documents arose when beneficiaries of the contract to mop up grains, which were said to have been distributed in the North East, and the accountant general of the federation said they were selected for the job without asking for a loan to finance it from the CBN, while the Central Bank, on the other hand, insisted that the N5.6 billion was a loan.
Chairman of the committee, Hon Ali Isa J.C, said while summoning the director general of NEMA who is being directed to appear in its next sitting or face a warrant of arrest to compel him to appear, said it was imperative the DG appeared to answer to all the weighty allegations.
“This is the third consecutive time the DG is failing to attend the hearing despite repeated invitations from the committee” he said, adding that “the agency has a penchant for sending notice of its DG’s absence from the meeting either 30 minutes before the hearing commences or when the hearing has already commenced”.
He said that the panel will give him one more chance to appear on the 31st of May, 2018, or face sanctions.

**as court grants N100m Bail

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission yesterday arraigned the trio of Ibrahim Shekarau, former governor of Kano State; Aminu Bashir Wali and Mansur Ahmed before Justice Zainab Bage Abubakar of the Federal High Court sitting in Kano on a 6-count charge of Conspiracy and Money Laundering to the tune of N950,000,000 (Nine Hundred and Fifty Million Naira Only).

In a statement signed by the spokesman of EFCC Mr Wilson Uwujaren he said that the defendants allegedly collected the sum of N950,000,000, part of the $115,000,000 (One Hundred and Fifteen Million Dollars) allegedly distributed by a former Minister of Petroleum Resources, Deizani Allison Madueke for the purpose of influencing the outcome of the 2015 general elections.

It was further alleged that the said money was shared among the PDP chieftains without going through a financial institution, in violation of provisions of the Money Laundering Prohibition Act.

One of the charge read that “You Ibrahim Shekarau, Aminu Bashir Wali on or about the 27th March, 2015 within the Kano Judicial division of the Federal High Court , retain, took possession and control of the cash sum of N950,000,000 (Nine Hundred and Fifty Million Naira only), which sum you reasonably ought to have known forms part of an unlawful act of Deizani Allison Madueke to wit: gratification , commits an offence contrary to Section of 15 (1) of the Money Laundering Prohibition Act, 2011 (as amended) and punishable under section 15(3) of the same Act”.

All the defendants pleaded not guilty to the charge when it was read to them.

Counsel for the prosecution, Johnson Ojogbane requested the court for trial date in view of the plea of the defendants.

The defence counsel Ologunolisa Sam, SAN moved bail application on behalf of his clients, urging the court to admit them to bail on self recognizance.

Ojogbane on the other hand responded with 19 paragraph counter affidavit urging the court to refuse bail.

After listening to the arguments by the parties, Justice Abubakar granted the defendants bail in the sum of N100,000,000 (One Hundred Million) each and two sureties in like sum.

One of the sureties shall be a civil servant in either federal or state service not below the rank of director. The other surety shall own a landed property within the jurisdiction of the court. The court also ruled that the sureties must swear an affidavit of means while the Certificate of Occupancy in respect of the landed property shall be deposited with the Deputy Chief Registrar of the Court. Also the defendants were ordered to submit their international passports to Deputy Chief Registrar.

The matter was subsequently adjourned to June 26, 2018 for the commencement of trial.

*5000 rape cases pending in Zamfara
*Rape, Kidnapping a daily occurrence
*Female lawmakers should rise to the challenge – Sen. Marafa

Senator representing Zamfara Central Senatorial District, Senator Kabir Marafa has raised the alarm on the incessant rape and kidnapping cases in Zamfara state declaring that there is an estimated 5,000 cases of rape in the state.
Speaking while contributing to a debate on a motion to commemorate this year’s Children’s Day yesterday, Senator Marafa regretted that despite this rising cases of rape in the state, female Senators especially those from the Zamfara have been silent over the plight of their “sisters”.
He said it was unfortunate that the same female Senators who have failed to condemn what is happening to Zamfara women took to the streets in protest when Senator Ahmed Yerima, former governor of the state, married an underage girl.
It would be recalled that Yerima’s marriage to a 13-year-old girl in 2010 drew widespread criticisms to the extent that human rights organisations said the Senator broke the law and should be arrested.
But Senator Marafa still speaking on the failure of the female federal lawmakers to take up the issue said “I expect the women especially of this senate to stand up shoulder to shoulder with women in Zamfara state.”
“A situation was raised where a Commissioner’s wife and her six children were kidnapped in their house and three days into the journey nobody knows where she is.
“This caught the attention of the media and everybody because it is a Commissioner’s wife. But the issue of kidnapping and rape is a daily thing in Zamfara state today. There is an estimated 5000 victims of rape and we have said it in this chamber but up till now, the women have not stood up to say enough is enough of this very bad incident.
“Whereas in the 6th assembly when my colleague and my leader, Senator Ahmed Yerima fulfilled one of his religious rites by marrying a lady with the consent of her parents, almost the whole of this chamber was pulled upside down.
“That he married an underage which is nobody’s business in anyway because her parents’ consented to the marriage and Yerima is a Muslim and he married the girl according to Muslim rites. But so much noise was made in this country to the extent that they staged a protest on the streets of Abuja.
“You are talking of child’s rights; we in Zamfara are talking of Child’s survival. I want to see you stand up to say the children of Zamfara have the right to survive. There is humanitarian crisis in Zamfara,” Marafa explained.
Earlier, the upper legislative chamber while congratulating the Nigerian children on the celebration of the Day also felicitated with the federal government and the families of the released Dapchi schoolgirls.
It called for dedicated funds for the Ministry of Social Welfare in various affected states with a view to setting up a platform to assist victims of rape, kidnappings and violence, among other human rights abuse being suffered by Nigerian children across the country and directed all senators to pledge assistance in cash and kind for the vulnerable women and orphans in Zamfara State.
The senate’s resolutions were sequel to a motion on “2018 Children’s Day Celebration” by the Chairman, Senate Committee on Women Affairs, sponsored by Senator Binta Masi-Garba and eight others during plenary.
The mover of the motion, Binta Garba, Senator representing Adamawa North Senatorial District, expressed worry over the country’s high infant mortality rate.
“Nigeria is the second largest contributor to the under-five and maternal mortality rate in the world. The National Health Act, 2014 recommended that all pregnant women, the elderly, the disabled and children are to be exempted from paying for services in public hospitals but that is yet to be implemented” she said.
In his remarks, the Senate President, Dr. Bukola Saraki, urged his colleagues to continue to live up to the responsibility of ensuring that they showed love and care to the children.
Saraki also called for the laying of a foundation for a bright future for the children, saying “as we celebrate, let us take up the responsibility to improve the health of our children.”
“With the one per cent we have put for primary health care, and with proper implementation, we can see full coverage of immunisation of our children.
“This will go a long way in reducing the mortality. Secondly, we should look at the UBEC Law and see how we can ensure that there are many more years for free education. This is because education should be very important.
“That bill has already passed; we are waiting for concurrence from the House of Representatives. This is the kind of gift that we can give our children to lay a bright foundation”, he explained.
After a robust debate on the motion, the Senate urged the federal government to hasten the rescue of Leah Sharibu, Dapchi schoolgirl in captivity of the Boko Haram sect and the remaining 112 Chibok girls.
The upper legislative chamber also asked the federal government to establish a fund that would take care of children in states where insecurity is prevalent.

*Orders Reps to pay him accrued salaries

A Federal High Court in Abuja yesterday voided the 180-legislative-day suspension imposed by the House of Representatives on a former Chairman of the House Committee on Appropriation, Abdulmumin Jibrin,‎ on September 28, 2016.
Delivering judgment in the suit filed by Jibrin to challenge the sanction imposed on him, Justice John Tsoho, declared the suspension of the legislator as unconstitutional and ordered the lower legislative chamber to pay him all the salary due to him for the period he was unjustly suspended.
“The suspension was an interruption of his earning which will be automatically restored especially when it has been decided that the action was a nullity by virtue of granting prayers 1 and 3 of the originating summons.
“When an action is declared nullity it is deemed that it never happened.”
Although Jibrin had since resumed his legislative duties, he was unrelenting in prosecuting his fundamental human rights enforcement suit challenging his suspension.
His suspension was fallout of his campaign which began in July 2016 demanding the removal of the Speaker, Yakubu Dogara, and other principal officers of the House over allegation that they padded the 2016 budget with about N40bn.
He had reported the alleged corrupt act to the various law enforcement agencies including the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, the Independent Corrupt Practices and other related offences Commission and the police.
The House of Representatives considered this “a campaign of calumny against the House and its leaders” for which he was suspended for 180 legislative days.
But ruling yesterday, Justice Tsoho agreed with Jibrin’s lawyer, Mr. Femi Falana (SAN), in holding that the lawmaker’s act was a lawful one, and suspending him because of it was an attempt to gag him.
“There is no better conclusion that the plaintiff was carrying out the mandate imposed on members by Chapter 7 (7.5) of the Code of Conduct for Honourable Members adopted on November 4, 2004,” the judge held.

Presidency has denied media reports that it smuggled in some names of members of the All Progressives Congress, APC, Convention Planning Sub-Committees.

“We are constrained to deny media reports alleging that the Presidency substituted or smuggled in some names of members of the All Progressives Congress, APC, Convention Planning Sub-Committees.

Nothing in the allegation can be further from the truth in every material particular. For the umpteenth time, we wish to reiterate President Muhammadu Buhari’s position that he will not interfere in party affairs or matters before the law courts,” a statement by his spokesman, Femi Adesina, read in part.

“It ought to have been obvious by now to discerning Nigerians that it is not in the nature of this President to go against the provisions of the country’s constitution let alone his party’s constitutional provisions.
It is, therefore, disingenuous to attribute every perceived infraction in activities of party or government appointees to the President’s desk,” the statement added.

Imo state Governor, Rochas Okorocha and the All Progressives Congress, APC, chairmanship hopeful, Adams Oshiomole, were in the State House, Abuja yesterday where they met with President Muhammadu Buhari.
During the closed-door meeting which lasted for about an hour, the duo reportedly complained about the conduct of the ward congress of the APC in Imo.
The duo declined comment when State House correspondents asked them for the outcome of his meeting with the President.
Recall, Okorocha had, on May 7 in Daura, told newsmen after a closed door meeting with President Buhari, that there was no ward congress in Imo.

Bayelsa State Governor, Seriake Dickson has been conferred with the ‘Governor of the Year’ award by Leadership Newspapers Group in recognition of his life changing legacy projects and massive investment in education.
The award was presented to the Governor yesterday in Abuja at the event with the theme ‘Towards financially viable state governments’.
According to the group, Governor Dickson has displayed a remarkable lifestyle of selfless public service which is rear among public servants.
Leadership group noted that Dickson witnessed how difficult it had been for Bayelsans to access education and for the first time, he made education free and compulsory in the state for students in primary and secondary schools, which moved the state from the bottom of the ladder in the ranking of secondary education in Nigeria, to be among the top five leading sates in the country.
“The Dickson –led restoration government has maintained a robust education policy by establishing the Bayelsa Education Development Trust Fund, which has made Bayelsa the education hub and epicentre of human capital development in Nigeria especially with the establishment of several institutions of learning.
“Also worthy of note is his contribution to the health sector where he introduced the health insurance scheme for all citizens of the state, in order to meet the medical needs of the citizens.”
Furthermore, Leadership Group while describing him as a grassroots politician, said he was afforded the opportunity to win his re-election thereby becoming the first opposition politician to be re-elected due to the love he got from his people (Ijaw nation).
Commenting on his award Governor Dickson expressed his administration’s commitment to focus on delivering his restoration agenda, especially in the areas of education, security and infrastructural development, towards improving the living condition of Bayelsans.
He said, “I was conferred with Leadership Award on the account of the modest efforts and investments we are making in the education sector in Bayelsa.
“There is no doubt that the sector has changed in Bayelsa over the past six years. We will continue to make more investments. I thank leadership for considering me fit and proper for the award. I thank all those who are working with me and the team. I dedicate this award to the good people of Bayelsa state.”
Dickson however urged governors of other states to toe his part of equally investing in education because the future of our states lies in the investment made on the younger generation.

The United States president Trump has called off the upcoming June 12 summit with North Korea leader, Kim jong un. Citing Pyongyang’s hostility, Trump said the US military stands “ready if necessary”. Let’s take a look at how he did it, in a signed letter yesterday to Kim jong un.

South Korean President Moon Jae In, who convened an emergency meeting with top aides last night in Singapore, which was to host the summit, said it regrets the cancellation of the meeting.
The summit would have been the first-ever meeting between a serving American president and a North Korean leader. He expressed deep regret over the cancellation of the summit, but urged that “denuclearisation should not be delayed”.

”Singapore regrets that the scheduled summit between President of the United States Donald J. Trump and Democratic People’s Republic of Korea State Affairs Commission Chairman Kim Jong Un will no longer take place on 12 June 2018. Singapore hopes that the dialogue and efforts to find lasting peace and stability on the Korean peninsula will continue” Stated in a press release by Singapore foreign ministry.

North Korean Vice-Minister of Foreign Affairs Choe Son Hui said in a statement: “I cannot suppress my surprise at such ignorant and stupid remarks gushing out from the mouth of the US Vice-President.”

Ms Choe added: “We will neither beg the US for dialogue nor take the trouble to persuade them if they do not want to sit together with us.

“Whether the US will meet us at a meeting room or encounter us at a nuclear-to-nuclear showdown is entirely dependent upon the decision and behaviour of the United States.”

The differences remain between the two sides. Trump wants a complete, verifiable and irreversible denuclearisation of North Korea. But Pyongyang says it will never give up its nuclear deterrence until it feels safe from what it calls US aggression.

IJUZAS Paradise of souvenirs is a place where you can stop by for your quality and affordable wedding/party packs, makeup/bridal accessories, towels, bedspreads and complete duvet set.

Want to get a good gift for your children? Go to IJUZAS, need makeup or bridal accessories? See IJUZAS, want to get affordable souvenirs for your wedding or parties? Visit IJUZAS, want to sleep well on an inexpensive yet qualitative bedspreads? Contact IJUZAS.

IJUZAS is not only a shop nor paradise but an EXPERIENCE!

IJUZAS is located at Galadima Aminu way opposite first bank. Jimeta, Yola. Adamawa State. For all States delivery contact IJUZAS via 08038787938, 08063002333 or Email indathliza@gmail.com.

Nigerian Legendry Actress Stella
Damasus posted a picture all loved up
with her husband Daniel Ademinokan.
With a caption “my hubby @
dabishop007 can pose too much biko.
Trying to keep up with this hotness”
The wife and mother of two who
seemed to be enjoying her last marriage
is she just met him for the first time.

A N i gerian blogger,
Blessing CEO bought a
car to path herself on the
back for a job well done
so far. While celebrating
her birthday, she wrote
an emotional story
following the hardship
she faced and her
struggles getting to the
stage where she is right
now.
After posting some
pictures on her IG page,
she wrote “just because
you asked, I will share. It
all began few years ago,
in my times of pain and
depression, I desperately
needed someone to talk
to, I had no friends and
was too ashamed to talk
to family because of fear
of judgment. I carried a
burden as a young girl
with no one to help. I
went from one church to
one church, from prayer
house to prayer house
but no solutions. Nobody
was listening, all they
said was pray pray, but
I have been praying.
let me express myself,
some twisted the bible
upside down and asked
me to go back and beg
the man who abused me,
domestically violated
me and more, I had to
go because I wanted to
respect the bible, but he
rubbished me. I knelt
down in the street of
PH, waterlines just by
everyday supermarket
begging a man to love
me and he told me over
his dead body (Nkiru,
even if my father wakes
up from the grave, I will
never again! And I wept
bitterly on the road as
people watched me when
he zoomed of.
Thereafter, I gathered
my bundle of shame and
went into depression,
he said I will amount
to nothing, but little
did I know it was a
fortification to greatness
that someday I would
be great and do great
things”
She further said that it
was then she decided to
go into social media and
blogging to enable her
reach out to other women
who is going through
same ordeal and rejection
as her, by creating a page
which she named “Make
or Breakup.

DefenDing champions, Real Madrid will face
Liverpool today in the final of the 2018 UEFA
Champions League billed for NSC Olimpiyskiy
Stadium in Kiev.
Real Madrid, twelve-time champions are
looking to lift the trophy for the third year in a row,
but to do so they will need to stop a free-scoring
Liverpool outfit who are bidding for their first
European crown since 2005 and their sixth overall.
Los Blancos edged past Bayern Munich in the
semi-final while Liverpool beat AS Roma in the
other semi-finals to advance to the final against
the Spanish giant.
Real Madrid manager Zinedine Zidane’s
headache would whether to start Gareth Bale
who has dogged by injury and lack of form,
although he is back to his best now with five goals
in his last four starts.
Cristiano Ronaldo has been in goalscoring
form in this competition as ever, meanwhile, with
the Portuguese man finding the back of the net 25
times in his last 17 Champions League games and
15 times in this season’s competition alone, five
more than Mohamed Salah and Roberto Firmino and a tally only he himself has beaten in the
tournament history.
Another goal today would see him become
the first player to score in four Champions League
finals, having already become the first to score in
three last year.
Zidane has a fully fit squad to choose from
this weekend, including a welcome return for
Dani Carvajal, whose absence was exposed when
Lucas Vazquez was deployed as a makeshift
right-back in the semi-final second leg.
Liverpool have rather more injury concerns
with Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, Joel Matip and
Joe Gomez all ruled out, while Emre Can, James
Milner and Adam Lallana all remain doubts for
the game.
The latter trio are all back in training after
recent knocks, but a lack of match practice for
Lallana and Can, the latter of whom could play
his final game of the club is likely to mean that
Milner is the only one of those to start.
Milner’s inclusion will be a boost for Liverpool
considering he has produced nine assists en
route to the final overtaking the likes of Neymar
and Wayne Rooney to clinch the single-season
record.
Nineteen-year-old Trent Alexander-Arnold will cap his breakthrough season off in his more
familiar right-back role – having featured in
midfield towards the end of the campaign – while
in front of him the triumvirate of Salah, Firmino
and Mane will look to do the damage which
Bayern Munich could not.
Today will be the ninth time that there has
been a repeat European Cup/Champions League
final, with the most famous previous meeting
between these two sides coming in Paris 37 years
ago when Alan Kennedy was the unlikely hero
for Liverpool.
A 1-0 win in the 1980-81 European Cup final
sealed a hat-trick for Paisley, and the two giants
would not meet again until 2008-09 when once
more it proved to be a memorable occasion for
the English club.
Another 1-0 win at the Bernabeu put
Liverpool in the driving seat of the first
knockout round, and they emphatically drove
home that advantage in the second leg with a
Fernando Torres-inspired 4-0 win at Anfield –
Madrid’s heaviest ever European defeat.
The most recent meetings went the way of
the Spanish side, though, as a Liverpool team
struggling after losing Luis Suarez were beaten
3-0 at home and 1-0 away in the 2014-15 group
stages.
Zidane said “Liverpool are a good team and
made it to the final and they deserve to be here
just like us. We must prepare for the game, look
at our opponent’s flaws and try to hurt them.
It is one match and we are both playing away
from home. We are ready and experience will
not give us any edge at all. It’s a football match
and we have to show that we want to win it.”
“It’s a final. We both want to win the trophy.
Winning last year is irrelevant and so is the fact
they have not reached the final for 11 years. We
want to see a great football match and we are
going to give it everything.”
For Jurgen Klopp, ‘’We would love to do
that, but in football, you don’t have the time to
do it. That City game, we played the Merseyside
derby in between! The derby! We made five or
six changes, so we have to prepare that team for
the Everton game, and two other teams either
side.
Today’s encounter promises to be exciting as
fans will thrilled to good football artistry. Will
the legend, Ronaldo lift the cup for the third
time in row or will Mahammed Salah who has
never won the cup smile to the bank? The end
of 90 minutes will tell.

Africa Day commemorates the founding of the Organisation of African Unity (now known as the African Union) on this day, 25 May, in 1963. It aims to celebrate African unity. It is celebrated in various countries on the African continent, as well as around the world.

Africa Day continues to be celebrated both in Africa and around the world, mostly on 25 May (although in some cases these periods of celebrations can be stretched out over a period of days or weeks).

Africa is the world’s second largest and second most-populous continent. Africa is considered by most paleoanthropologists to be the oldest inhabited territory on Earth, with the human species originating from the continent As stated by Wikipedia. Africa hosts a large diversity of ethnicities, cultures and languages.

Africa is the most multilingual continent in the world, and it is not rare for individuals to fluently speak not only multiple African languages, but one or more European ones as well.

We celebrate our rich African heritage, a continent full of ethnicities, cultures, languages, magic, history, humanity, good African food and cooking styles, arts, crafts, folklore, diverse fabric and attire, natural hair, rich music and dance, spirituality, tradition, nature, strong men, beautiful women, respect and pride!

Africa is known to have a very rich culture. I for one, would have been very jealous if i were to be anything else but African!

Plateau state government at the weekend would commission the early warning systems project of the state owned security outfit Operation Rainbow

According to a statement signed by Yakubu Dati the commissioner for information and communication and made available to newsmen in Jos reads that “Activities for the 2018 Democracy Day in Plateau State commenced with Special Juma’at Prayers at Jos Central Mosque on Friday 25th May 2018 while the Government House Chapel will host the Interdenominational Church Service on Sunday, 27th May.The Democracy Day Golf Tournament holds at Lamingo Golf Club, Jos on Saturday 26th May followed by the Children’s Golf Tournament at the Government House on Sunday 28th May by 1.00pm. Gov Simon Lalong will interract with the Members of the Press on Monday which will climax with a State broadcast on Tuesday morning by 7.00am. The Governor is scheduled to commission The Early Warning Systems Project at Operation Rainbow. The Democracy Day activities will be rounded up with a novelty football match at the Zaria road Stadium by 3.00pm.

The Governor of Plateau State, Rt Hon Simon Lalong hereby felicitates with the good people of the State as we celebrate another milestone in our democracy.

I know why the Fulani’s are fighting in Nasarawa – Maku
In this interview, the National Secretary of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), and governorship aspirant under the same platform, Mr. Labaran Maku, recently spoke in an interview with Journalists shortly after a consultative tour to Lafia East Development Area of the state as a build up to his ambition to re-contest the governorship seat of Nasarawa State in 2019. He advanced reasons why his party has decided to boycott the State Local Government election scheduled for this Saturday. Our Nasarawa State Correspondent, PETER AHEMBA was there for Nigerian Pilot weekend,Excerpts:
Sir, your party, the All Progressives Grand Alliance, APGA, recently declared that it would not contest the state Local Government election scheduled for Saturday 26 May this year, what informed the decision of the party?
The reason is simply because we know and it has become glaring that there is not going to be any Local Government election in Nasarawa state. APC is just
going to rubber stamp people as chairmen; that is why they appointed
an APC card carrying member as the chairman of the so call independent
electoral commission of Nasarawa State. that is why APGA is not
participating. If we go into the local government election, we will
win all the chairmen, all the councilors’ seats in Nasarawa State. But
we know we are going to win and there is no need going into an
election that the result is already known before the election takes
place because the state government is not going to conduct any
election. That is why APGA pulled out.APGA is the actual party on ground in Nasarawa State; there is no anyother party here that can get even one third of what we have on
ground. So I am appealing to the media to please do their analysis, do their separate interviews, go out there and review what is on ground so that you don’t give the wrong picture.
Some people claim that APGA has no structure in Nasarawa State?

 We have structures in all the thirteen Local governments. We have
structures in all the 147 electoral wards and 1,095 polling units in
Nasarawa State. That is why we won election in2015. That victory
remains the only victory in Nasarawa State. And it is my hope that God
himself that gave us that mandate will restore it. Let election riggers in this state know one thing. 2019, the people will not take any rubbish from anyone. That is why you heard what they were saying there. They said “we are tired of voting and they will rig election and stay there without having their mandate. So there will no intimidation from anybody by 2019, the masses are tired. Al-Makura has not made one single road from a Local Government headquarters to any village in Nasarawa State; apart from the one that goes to Kwandare, his village, from Lafia town, which means that as far as he is concerned, he is not bothered about the 90 percent of the people living in this state in the rural areas. What he has been receiving in the last seven years of his misrule is death in the countryside; violent, killings. You can see very well that the killings are not coming from the people; it is conspiracy of power against peace in Nasarawa State. It
has nothing to do with ordinary people. It has nothing to do with ordinary Fulani grazers. It has nothing to do with ordinary farmers in Nasarawa State. This is a conspiracy of violence and interest that want to destroy the state and force their way on the people of this state. God is with the people. This state will not be destroyed and the peace of this state will prevail. If my mandate was not stolen in 2015, there would have been no war in Nasarawa State, the Fulani people spoke to me and I know what they told me. I know the source of this war. It is not about Fulani grazers. It is a coup that is forcing violently on Nasarawa State to destroy the people. All the killings taking place are coming from hired mercenaries from outside Nigeria to kill and destroy people in their villages. If this war here is about farmers and grazers; why are they killing people in the towns? People are going with pickup vans with arms to go and drop people to kill. So these wars are not about farmers and grazers; it is a political war by interest groups that want to destroy the peace of the state. We don’t know what they stand to gain. This is a shame because this is raining season, I am afraid many people would not be able to go to farm in Nasarawa State because of what is happening in the countryside. I appeal to the ordinary people; Fulani and the farmers, let them put those who are causing these
problem to shame. Let them confess the truth behind this war. It is not about ordinary people. For me I am a politician. I worked here since 1999, people know me,
people have my credentials, people know my track records. They know who I am; that’s why they are supporting me. They want a leader that will bring unity to the state that will bring justice to the state that will bring uneven development to all people of this state that will treat people equally and lave them. That is the leadership they want in this state and will use the money collected to develop this state rather than building houses in Dubai, London and in South Africa. They want a leader that will use that money to develop them and their children. That is why they are following me. They also want peace and they know that I am the one that will guarantee the peace. They have seen me throughout there is no violence in me. This state clearly is APGA and it will remain APGA in 2019. This should be reported when someone sits there and claim that APGA is not on ground but you can see who is on ground today; you are witnessing it. It should be reported; nothing can deny us victory in 2019. In 2015, we won; it was brazenly, by conspiracy of about five people, we know that. In 2019, the people are with us. They asked me “we voted for you in 2015, how are you going to protect your votes this time around?”
Local Government polls in Nigeria have been a tradition that the ruling
party in the state usually sweeps all the results. Why should Nasarawa
State case be an exception?
Let me tell you, all the state electoral commissions have problems.
That is why we suggested that all so-called state electoral commissions should be abolished. INEC should be given a mandate to conduct Local Government elections. INEC can have a different department for Local Government elections; all they need to do is to build up a different department for Local Government elections and another department for federal elections. Local Government elections are a shame for Nigeria. I think the elections don’t take place at the same time. INEC can conveniently
conduct them throughout the year. The states have proven clearly that they are not matured enough to conduct the Local Government elections and that is why I oppose state police. Anybody that is agitating for state police is just asking for governors to have legitimate armed force to destroy their opponents. If governors cannot conduct free and fair elections, how would they command state police? If there are state police armed, all of us would have run out of our state already because our governors have not proven the capacity to run democracy at all.
What would you say is responsible for the current insecurity in Nigeria, particularly Nasarawa state and what will you suggest as a solution to it?
The insecurity in Nigeria, 70 percent of it is because of the activities of state governments. I know for sure that the insecurity of this state is because of some people in this state. If I am governing in this state, there will be no insecurity. I have been here since 2001 when this war started. It was not grazers and farmers. It was an organized attacks in some communities by the powers that don’t want peace. And I tell you that if you remove states that are not interested in war, there would be peace. It is politics in the state that is leading to war. It is not about anything. Let me tell you, as I told you I met with the Fulani twice, I know what they told me. In 2001, when the war started, I was on the committee that brought back peace here, so all these things are all about politics; politics of violence, politics of division, cruel politics. That is what is going on here. So for me, if the state cannot prove the capacity to manage even local government election, I cannot trust them with state police. Ordinarily, we should have the state police but the best experience we have in Anambra State; the governor of Anambra State, Willie Obianno, using the Nigeria security service; the police, the army, the civil defense and vigilante groups have been able to give Anambra 100 percent crime free state. All the kidnappings in Anambra State, all the violent robberies have disappeared from Anambra State. The governor does not have state police. He is using the same Nigeria Police that is abused. He is using the same Nigeria military, paramilitary and vigilante groups and today we have a crime free Anambra State. No kidnapping, no violent robberies. Today Anambra’s economy is growing more than the Nigeria economy. Today Anambra generates its revenues internally to pay its
salaries, gratuities and pensions. Every allocation from Abuja is for development. That is what is going to happen in Nasarawa State when God gives me this state to run.
I know the problem of this state. I know those who are causing confusion, violent and chaos in this state, it is not Fulani herdsmen, it is not farmers. It is the political interest group that is causing violence in this Nasarawa State. They should stop it. They should fear God and cease the spilling of blood every time to force women and children roam the streets. If I am elected all these things will cease automatically; Fulani herdsmen will choose anywhere to graze, farmers will lie under the trees as we used to do. Those who are causing violence in this state should give us a chance, should give peace a chance. We know who they are and they should stop it. It is too much. They should fear God. It
is the politics of this state that is causing violence. It has nothing to do with grazers and farmers. And that is why they do everything to stop us from coming to power because we will put a lie that Fulani and farmers cannot live together.
You are not on campaign, but what would be the meaning of this mammoth
crowd that thronged you today?
Well, the massive outpouring of support we witnessed today in Lafia
East is a great revelation of the truth about Nasarawa State and its
politics. The crowd that turned out to welcome us everywhere we went
demonstrates clearly that APGA won election here in 2015. When you saw
the number of billboards that were built by the people, we didn’t know
how they raised the money. That shows clearly that people regretted
that they voted for me and somebody else is sitting on the seat. And then it also shows to you clearly that the government in Nasarawa State has no legitimacy; because you can see that right from the gate of Government House, people were hailing us. Even from the Government House gate it clearly shows that people are tired. Governor Al-Makura has never delivered on any of the promises he made to the people of Nasarawa State, in addition to this, the massive killings and insecurity in the state again has clearly given the people the hope that in 2019 APGA will reclaim its mandate and give them a hope. In 2015, we campaigned for three months. The actual campaign took me about twenty days to go round Nasarawa State. But the general campaign was from December to March; and we won election in nine Local Governments out of thirteen. What happened in Nasarawa in 2015 was a criminal of upturning an election mandate ever witnessed in Nigeria; and it was done blazingly by few people who feel that this state is their own; it is their cash cow for them to continue to collect the allocation of this state and their family. It was a crime against the people of our state. And everywhere I went out today demonstrated to me very clearly that the people are with us. The people have not lost hope about having a government elected by people of the state. So for me it is joy. But in spite of what happened; criminals hijacking of the mandate given to me in 2015, the people remain loyal, remain faithful, remain committed and remain supportive. Clearly, even if I don’t contest, I don’t put any billboard, even if I don’t come out for any campaign in 2019, nobody can beat APGA here. Even if we don’t put anything on radio, we just sit at home, we will be voted for massively in 2019. This is clearly what is on ground. So my appeal to the media is that having gone round, you need to change some of the analysis you are writing to the papers concerning the politics of Nasarawa State. You need to change from the point of view of what you have seen; not what I am telling you. They say ‘seeing is believing’; From today you have seeing and heard from the people saying that this state is APGA. In fact what we did in Anambra was a child’s play to what is going to happen in Nasarawa State in 2019.

End

Benue war of Attrition
*Tiv youths set for reprisal attacks
*Herdsmen influence Buhari’s govt
*Miyetti Allah leaders walk free after threatening and implementing mayhem
*Nigeria may end up like Rwanda-Soyinka 
*Our nation in state of emergency-Cardinal Onaikan 
*We must defend unity of Nigeria-Ortom 

 UNFOLDING events about the protracted insurgency in Benue State suggests that the hope raised by the vice president, Yemi Osinbajo and the National Economic Council, NEC, to end the menace may have ended in a cul-de-sac as a result of the fresh threat issued by Miyetti Allah Kautal Hore, a Fulani socio-cultural organisation to continue open grazing in Benue, stressing that no state has the power to stop them from doing so, writes, correspondent, Sunday Ogli.

Recall that the National Economic Council,NEC, a few weeks ago in a meeting chaired by Osinbajo, recommended the banning of open grazing and institution of ranching in five states which affected by the herdsmen onslaught.

However, the recent position by Miyetti Allah which called on President Muhammadu Buhari, who is its grand patron to call the governor of Benue state, Samuel Ortom to order over the open grazing prohibition law in the state calls for concern, more so as it runs counter of the Government’s moves to restore peace, not just in Benue but other troubled states.

At the recent meeting of Miyetti Allah Kautal Hore in Kaduna last weekend, the body in a communiqué reiterated that it would do everything legally possible to resist any law that is against their culture, movement and economic interests.

The communiqué was jointly signed by National President, Miyetti Allah Kautal Hore Fulani Socio-cultural Association, Alhaji Abdullahi Bello Bodejor, his Secretary, Engr Saleh Alhassan and Chairman Communiqué Drafting Committee, Garus Gololo.

It reads in part, “that we condemned the call by some desperate and jobless groups under the leadership of one Ariyo Atoye a jobless youth parading the streets of Abuja looking for crumbs from corrupt Politicians agitating for the profiling and stigmatization of Fulani Pastoralist in Nigeria.

“We urge the Attorney General to ignore their letter as they are hired agents by a sinking Governor who is notorious for funding and arming militia groups causing havoc to the Fulani Pastoralist in the Benue Valley.

“We totally reject the repressive and oppressive ‘Anti-open Grazing Law’ as it is fundamentally going against our culture, economic interest and constitutional rights and will deploy all the necessary legal means as enshrined in our constitution to challenge it.

This position being charted by the Fulani socio-cultural organization attempts to rubbish the recent resolution of the NEC which approved ranching in Benue state and other states affected by herders insurgency

The above position also seem to contradict the moves by the federal government to restore peace in the troubled state where the vice president who visited some internally displaced persons, IDPs camps recently and disclosed the decision to rebuild the homes destroyed by Fulani herders apart from the recommendation of the NEC which listed the frontline states where ranching would commence to include Benue, Taraba, Adamawa, Plateau and Kaduna, where hundreds of locals have been mindlessly slaughtered in attacks attributed to herdsmen.

It is pertinent at this juncture to state that Benue state government last year signed a law banning open grazing and recommended ranching in the state, ostensibly to halt the incessant killings of farmers by Fulani herdsmen. However, leaders of Miyetti Allah Kautal Hore kicked against it and have maintained their stand.

At separate press conferences in Abuja, the organization threatened mayhem and actualized same through the killings of 73 people in Guma and Logo Local Government Areas on 2018 near year day and subsequent ones, including the killing of two priests and 17 worshippers at the Catholic church at Mbalom, Gwer East Local Government Area of the state.

Reacting to Miyetti Allah’s declaration, ethnic nationalities in Benue State have renewed calls for the arrest and prosecution of the leaders of the Fulani socio-cultural organization for threatening and actualizing their threats in the state under the pretense of protesting against the implementation of the anti-open grazing law in the state.

The coalition, in a press statement signed by Chief Edward Ujege, president-general of Mdzough U Tiv and Barrister Amali Adoya Amali, president of Idoma National Forum and Chief Odeh Enyi, president-general of Omi Ny’Igede and made available to newsmen recently, expressed worry about a newspaper publication where the leaders of Miyetti Allah vowed to do everything possible to resist any law that is against their culture, movement and economic interest.

“We wish to point out that the leaders of Miyetti Allah cannot and should not continue to use the enactment of the anti-open grazing law in Benue State as an excuse to perpetrate their terrorist acts of killing defenseless farmers and other members of the society in Benue State.

“The killings by Fulani herdsmen in Nigeria are not restricted to Benue State where the anti-open grazing law has been enacted. The Fulani killings have cut across Nasarawa, Taraba, Adamawa, Kogi, Plateau, Kaduna, and Edo in addition to Ondo, Enugu and other states where the law does not exist.

“It must also be noted that the killings in Benue State particularly, started as far back as 2010 before the anti-open grazing law was enacted by the Benue State House of Assembly late last year,” the coalition said.

The ethnic leaders also described as sheer mischief for the leaders of Miyetti Allah Kautal Hore to ask President Muhammadu Buhari to call Governor Samuel Ortom to order, since the anti-open grazing law was not made by Ortom but by the people of Benue state through their democratically elected representatives as a last resort in their futile efforts to find peace and ensure security of lives and property in the state. 

“It is unfortunate that the leaders of Myetti Allah have deliberately chosen to use Ortom as a scape goat in their ethnic cleansing agenda in Benue state. For, as his public service record would show, Ortom is an extremely peaceful and God-fearing Governor who is only doing the will of his own people.

“We state emphatically that the anti-open grazing law does not stultify the culture, movement or economic interests of any person or group of persons, including members of the Miyetti Allah Kautal Hore Fulani Association. That is why uptil now, a good number of herders, including Fulanis, Hausas and other groups with good intentions, still reside peacefully in Benue state.

“The Benue state law for the prohibition of open grazing and establishment of ranches has, indeed, been justified by the National Economic Council (NEC), chaired by Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, which recently endorsed ranching and directed that there should be no more open grazing of cattle in Benue, Plateau, Nasarawa, Kaduna and Taraba states.”

The leaders further expressed concern over the failure of President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration to declare the killer Fulani herdsmen as terrorists and prosecute the leaders of Miyetti Allah Kautal Hore that has embarked on genocide and ethnic cleansing of Benue people, particularly the Tiv race.

This, they said is because of the fact that apart from  inviting all Fulani from around West and Central Africa to converge on Benue State and use all means available to visit mayhem on Benue people in their open threat, Miyetti Allah actualized the threat by killing 73 persons in Guma and Logo local government areas in Benue on January 1, 2018 and the subsequent murder of two Catholic priests and 17 worshipers at Mbalom parish in Gwer East LGA of the state last month.

“We categorically state that the position of the Miyetti Allah Kautal Hore Fulani Association as contained in their communiqué after an emergency meeting in Kaduna, clearly constitutes the height of lawlessness, impunity and terrorism, which must not be condoned by the Federal Government of Nigeria. The same Constitution of Nigeria they are quoting also provides that every state in the country has the right to enact laws for the good governance of her people. Miyetti Allah has no right whatsoever to threaten the implementation of the anti-open grazing and provision of ranches law in Benue State.

“We must not forget nor shy away from expressing our fears about the impression being created, latent or apparent, that the Miyetti Allah has become the mouth piece of the Federal Government.  How else do we explain the body language of the government through statements by its highly placed officials including the Chief of Army Staff, Inspector-General of Police, Minister of Defence, and even, President Muhammadu Buhari himself, in the face of the Fulani killings in Benue state?

“We and, indeed, other concerned Nigerians, are yet to come to terms with the Inspector-General’s false and misleading assertion that the killings in Benue were as a result of communal clashes. What about the declaration by the Defence Minister that the anti-open grazing law in Benue was the cause of the Fulani killings? Why would the Chief of Army Staff advice Governor Ortom to review the anti-open grazing law to make for harmonious living by the various groups in the state? Then, President Buhari, telling the world during his recent visit to America that those responsible for the killings in the Benue and other parts of the  Middle Belt were Libyans who were armed by the late Gadhafi?” the coalition wondered.

Similarly, the Tiv Youth Organisation, TYO, apparently miffed by the utterances of Miyetti Allah, have threatened to mobilize all victims of Fulani herdsmen attack across the country to drive out the herders to Senegal, their ancestral home and regain control of the conquered territories.

President General of TYO, Timothy Hembaor, who disclosed this in a press statement made available to newsmen in Makurdi yesterday, stated that the recent argument by Miyetti Allah Kautal Hore, Fulani socio-cultural organisation in the media that they are the original inhabitants of Benue Valley, shows that they are not fighting for grazing but occupation.

“In the publication, they are also stated to have called on their grand patron, President Mohammadu Buhari to call the Benue State Governor, Samuel Ortom, to order over the Open Grazing Prohibition and Ranches Establishment Law, 2017.

“The newspaper quoted the association as vowing to mobilize herdsmen in the country and beyond to invade and take over the state and that is what has been happening with renewed vigor since first January, 2018. 

However, TYO stated that Miyetti Allah Kautal Hore and other Fulani socio-cultural groups who signed the communique upon which the report is based are nothing but terrorist groups that have sworn to annex and occupy the Benue Valley and other fertile lands in Nigeria at all costs.

According to the organization, this agenda dates to 18th century when Othman Dan Fodio led Fulani warriors in wars of conquest. 

“Their agenda succeeded in large parts of the northern Nigeria until the Fulani marauders came in contact with the Tiv and other ethnic groups who halted their expansionist agenda.

“It is obvious that the Fulanis retreated and have re-organized and returned to continue with their evil annexation agenda. 

“The world terrorism index has rated Fulani militia as the fourth most deadly in the world.

“It will be recalled that Miyetti Allah Kautal Hore confirmed the invasion and occupation drive at a press conference held in Abuja on Tuesday 30th May, 2017.

“In several reports in the national dailies of Wednesday, 31st May, 2017, the group argued that they are the original inhabitants of Benue Valley, thus, the lingering crisis was a struggle for the state’s natural resources.”

“The group has the support of their patron who is the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

“They are using the antiquated and primitive campaign for open grazing as a smokescreen for their deadly agenda for ethnic cleansing, annihilation, occupation and islamization,” TYO said.

The Archbishop of Abuja Catholic Diocese, John Cardinal Onaikan at the recent burial of the two priests and 17 worshippers slain by suspected Fulani herders in Benue, remarked that the killings stretches God’s patience, stressing “our nation is in a state of emergency that calls for grand alliance of all persons of good will for justice and peace.

“To keep us safe is the primary responsibility of government, there can be no excuse for failure to perform in this regard, if the present state of affairs is the best that government can give is it should be cleared that the best is not good enough. 

“We need the radical change for the better is imperative. There is already conspiracy theory making the round and ugly rumour of a grand and mischievous plan for territorial conquest, ethnic cleansing and religious imposition but only concrete and visible step by government can change it. It is then government will lay to rest such rumour who are dangerous for peace of our nation,” Onaikan said.

“It’s time for the government to wake up. The critical moment by the way has been lost. The critical moment when this act of impunity, this rampage of impunity could have been stopped if the President of this nation had gone to the site of the first atrocity and said this would not be tolerated and I want this place sanitized by the military, it would not have had this succession of killings which have even been given from time to time religious overtones.”

Nobel laureate, Soyinka, on his part said the refusal to recognize at the critical moment, the nature of a particular problem that has been the basis of the massacres going on in this region, especially Benue State is worrisome.

Soyinka who spoke at a courtesy visit to Governor Ortom after attending a book launch in Makurdi, described the killings in the state as ethnic cleansing, stressing “there’s no any other word for it. Let’s not play around with the euphemisms. It’s no other word but ethnic cleansing. There’s no other definition for what has been going on here and it’s  very sad to me personally to see that a nation like Nigeria, with so much human talent, has failed to learn the lesson of the history of places like Rwanda.

“I happen to have been very much involved in the Rwandan situation vicariously. The phenomenon of human beings rising against one another and butchering innocents in their hundreds and thousands has always being something of a mystery to me. 

“As some of you know, one of my favorite hobbies is hunting. You hunt animals for food, but why do you hunt human beings? Why should an organised force descend on sleeping villages and mow them down, men, women, the old and children? What’s the motivation? Soyinka wondered.

Governor Ortom who had repeatedly called for the arrest and prosecution of Miyetti Alah said what is happening in the state is truly ethnic cleansing and jihad.

According to the governor, while responding to Soyinka’s statements: “This is not a hidden agenda; it’s known and those people who are perpetrating it did say it. They’re not hidden. They held press conferences, they came out and said they were going to resist our law, that they were going to do ethnic cleansing, it’s about jihad, it’s about taking over the land, it’s not about herders and farmers clashes. 

“They said it clearly and it’s written and we have the documents and I’ve reported them to the security agencies. I’m in agreement with you but as law abiding citizens, we don’t even have cutlasses to fight back. We cannot use any weapon to fight back; we depend on the law enforcement agencies. 

“Even the cutlasses that we used to have were taken over by security agencies. Our Dane guns the Inspector General said we should surrender them, including those that were licensed. So we are left in the hands of the security men. 

“Those of them who are posted in Benue State are doing their best and they have been victims of these attacks too. Several policemen have been killed in the course of this crisis. Soldiers and Civil Defense are not spared. State Security Services are not also spared. They have been killed and slaughtered like animals. 

“So, like you rightly said, this is not a matter of ringworm but real cancer. If there were any other word stronger than cancer, I would have said what is happening in Benue State is more than cancer. And like you rightly observed, it is our responsibility to rise up to defend the unity of this country and to defend our integrity as leaders.”

He commended Professor Soyinka for his solidarity and President Muhammadu Buhari for upgrading the military action in the state and expressed hopes that the invaders would be flushed out.