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Plateau killings: Ekweremadu urges FG to reorganize nation’s security architecture

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6 years ago

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The Deputy President of the Senate, Ike Ekweremadu, has raised the alarm over the escalating killings and insecurity in Nigeria, warning that more lives would be lost unless the nation’s security architecture is reorganised.

Reacting to the recent killings in Plateau State, which had left scores dead, Ekweremadu decried the reluctance of the nation’s leaders to tinker with the nation’s security structure, despite glaring lapses.

The Senator, who spoke after decorating his newly promoted security aides, Mr. Uchenna Igwebuike and Edward Utuh, with their new ranks of Superintendent of Police (SP) and Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP), respectively, however, commended the Nigeria Police for the recent promotion exercise, noting that such would motivate the personnel to give their best.

On the recent killings in Jos, Ekweremadu said: “It is really unfortunate because our country is a nation where the leaders have refused to learn from the mistakes and missteps of the past.

“For many years now, some of us have been consistent about the need to descentralise our security architecture; and so long as we are not doing that, we are going to get exactly the same result.

“It pains me that innocent people, who voted us into power to protect their lives and property are losing their lives and their property because we have refused to take the correct steps.

“The sad news is not only that many people have died, but also that more people will die unless we take the right steps, putting the right security architecture in place. There is no way you will have a federation like Nigeria as big as it is, with all the diversities, and continue to operate a centralised policing and expect it to work. It will never work and it is a major problem.

“So, it is sad that this is happening. But, as I said, the real tragedy is that this Plateau incident is not going to be last because we refuse to be corrected”.

Ekweremadu reasoned that the Government of Plateau State would be in the best position to protect the citizens if it had its own police outfit.

“I want to call on the Federal Government and the leaders of this country again for us to, for once, decide to protect the lives and property of those we are leading because that is the primary purpose of government. I appeal to the Federal Government to have a rethink on the issue of restructuring, especially the ones relevant to the security of lives and property. And the only way to do that is for all of us to sit down and agree to, within a space of the next two or three months, amend the constitution to enable the component units of this country to have their own security architecture, namely the police.

“If the people of Plateau are empowered under the constitution to have their police, then you can place the blame squarely on the governor because he will have the responsibility to recruit sufficient police personnel to protect the people. Right now, the responsibility is that of the Federal Government. There is little or nothing the governor can do about it.

“I sympathise with the people of Plateau State, especially the communities, which lost their loved ones. However, I will continue to sound even like a broken record until the correct thing is done”, he concluded.

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EFCC: New Documents Extracted Shows Yahaya Bello Allegedly Paid School Fees To The Tune Of $845,852,84 For His Family Members

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9 hours ago

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April 26, 2024

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Still on the EFCC trailing on Ex Governor of Kogi State, Yahaya Bello, Documents serving as exhibits have shown how he allegedly paid school fees in advance for his family members already in the school and even those to be enrolled in future with hundreds of thousands of dollars withdrawn from the state coffers.

A letter from the American International School of Abuja to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has shown the school admitting that Bello, the former governor of Kogi State, paid $845,852,84 into their bank account since September 2021 as advance school fees for 4 family members from the present class until they graduate.

Payment was also made for any future student to be enrolled by the family.

The document alleges that the payment was made by Mr. Ali Bello, alleged to be the eldest son of Yahaya Bello.

In the document, the school stated that they have deducted the fees for the educational service already rendered to the Bello children in the institution and what is left is $760, 910, which would be refunded to an account provided by the EFCC as the commission continues investigation into alleged money laundering levelled against Yahaya Bello.

the school fees documented payment

The school also added that from the Bello family kids, “no further additional fees are expected in respect of tuition until they graduate from ASIA.”

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Niger State Prisoners Run From Facility After Rainstorm Brings Down Part Of Fencing

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1 day ago

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April 25, 2024

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Many prisoners serving time at the Suleja Correctional Centre, located in Suleja Local Government of Niger state, fled the facility after a rainstorm brought down a part of the inner fencing.

This incident happened as a result of the heavy rainfall which fell on Wednesday night. This led to a cell being torn down, providing incarcerated individuals with a chance at freedom.

Reporters gathered that security forces fired many shots in the air, attempting to scare the inmates out of hiding.

While the State Comptroller of Prisons declined to speak to the press, it has been noted that security has been beefed up on the Minna-Suleja and Suleja-Kaduna roads, including the Madalla axis to Abuja road, which is a likely escape route out of the state for the inmates.

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EFCC: Former Governor Of Kogi State, Yahaya Bello Fails To Show Up In Court, Says He Is Scared Of Arrest

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3 days ago

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April 23, 2024

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The embattled immediate past Governor of Kogi state, Yahaya Bello, says he would have appeared at the Federal High Court in Abuja to answer to the 19-count charge preferred against him by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, but is afraid he would be arrested.

Though Bello was absent for his arraignment today April 23, His team of lawyers addressed the court on his behalf.

A member of his legal team, Adeola Adedipe, SAN, had this to say on his behalf;

“The defendant wants to come to court but he is afraid that there is an order of arrest hanging on his head,” Adedipe, SAN, submitted.

Adesipe then appealed to the court to set aside the exparte order of arrest it earlier issued against the former governor. The lawyer contended that as at the time the order of arrest was made, the charge had not been served on his client as required by the law.

He argued that it was only at the resumed proceedings on Tuesday that the court okayed substituted service of the charge on the defendant, through his lawyer.

“As at the time the warrant was issued, the order for substituted service had not been made. That order was just made this morning. A warrant of arrest should not be hanging on his neck when we leave this court,” counsel to the defendant added.

According to him, the Federal Government did not consult the 36 States of the federation before it enacted the EFCC Act through the National Assembly. He argued that section 12 of the 1999 Constitution, as amended, required the various Houses of Assembly of states to ratify the Act before it could become operative.

“This is a very serious matter that borders on the constitution and the tenets of federalism. It has to be resolved because as it stands, the EFCC is an illegal organization,” Bello’s lawyer added

However, EFCC’s lawyer, Mr. Kemi Pinheiro, SAN, urged the court to refuse the application, insisting that the warrant of arrest should not be set aside until the defendant makes himself available for his trial.

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