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Opinion

When You Have To Shoot ,Shoot Don’t Talk

Published

4 years ago

on

President Buhari

 

By Bala Ibrahim.

In the famous Italian western movie of the sixties, titled the Good, the Bad and the Ugly, Eli Wallace, who played the Ugly under the name Tuco, was enjoying a bubble bath in the bathroom, when an enemy (Mario I suppose), that has long been out looking for revenge, walked in. Seeing Tuco naked and presumably helpless in the water, the enemy brought out his gun and started talking about how long he had waited for such a day to come.

Now he got him exactly in the position he wants him, and surely the end for the poor Tuco. Unknown to him, Tuco never leaves things to chance, or trusts any one, including himself. As he was busy making mouth and foolishly celebrating, Tuco raised his gun from under the foam and shot him straight, severally. While he was crawling on the floor from the devastation, Tuco gave him another parting shot and said, “When you have to shoot shoot, don’t talk!”

Today, Nigeria under PMB is almost in a similar scenario, as the government seems to be sliding towards slumber, while the quantity and quality of the enemies are silently swelling.

Organized crime syndicates are on the loose and on the increase, through kidnaping for ransom, attacks on the police and incessant agitations for the balkanization of the country. These tricks have succeeded in drawing the attention of the international community, just as they are forcing some state governments to succumb, or negotiate with the criminals, by paying huge sums of money as ransom to secure the freedom of abducted school children.

On Tuesday,11/05/21, PMB was compelled to preside over the National Security Council. It was the third in two weeks, and the mission is simply to stem the tide of the unending insecurity situation in the country.

Almost concurrently, another security meeting was holding in the south, by the governors of the southern region, which had in attendance 13 state governors and two deputy governors.

According to their statement, the southern governors meeting was to review the insecurity situation in the country, as well as the secession agitations and restructuring. But from the emphasis and body language of the chairman, who is the governor of Ondo state, Rotimi Akeredolu, they were more particular on open grazing of cattle, which they linked to the incessant killings by armed herders, and the movement of bandits to the Southern part of the country.

In summary, a 12 point agenda was released, with a ban on open grazing. According to them, “the population growth in the southern region has put pressure on available land, and increased the prospects of conflicts between migrating herders and host communities.

Eid-el-fitr:Kano Deputy Governor felicitates with Muslims
The Federal Government should support willing states to develop alternative and modern livestock management systems. As such, urgent and bold steps should be taken to restructure the Nigerian federation for it to make progress. There is the need for the evolution of state police, review of revenue allocation formula in favour of the sub-national governments and creation of other institutions which legitimately advance our commitment to and practice of true federalism.”

Similarly, on the same day, the Pan Yoruba socio-political group, Afenifere, had a meeting, wherein they called on PMB to resign with immediate effect. The group claimed that Buhari’s administration has failed to address insecurity and economic challenges confronting Nigeria.

In the south south, tension is high and the bubble is about to bust, over the reluctance of the president to direct Senator Godswill Akpabio, the Minister of Niger Delta Affairs to do the needful, by inaugurating the Board of the Niger Delta Development Commission.

While this is happening, in Akwa Ibom State, of the same south south, the Commissioner of Police, Amiengheme Andrew, was crying over the loss of 21 personnel, 9 vehicles, and 11 firearms as a result of the series of attacks by the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), in conjunction with Eastern Security Network. (ESN). The commissioner disclosed this when Governor Udom Emmanuel led members of his executive to the police headquarters to commiserate with them on the deaths of some operatives.

In the north, Hakeem Baba-Ahmed, the spokesman of the Northern Elders Forum (NEF), was busy on air calling on members of the National Assembly to impeach the President, because of his failure to solve Nigeria’s insecurity problems.

Even at the doorstep of the President, there was an attempted robbery on Monday, where “unknown” persons tried to burgle the residence of the president’s chief of staff, Prof Ibrahim Gambari. Unknown persons, with a known agenda, I think.

In the face of these challenges, the government needs to go beyond the conventional and irritating rhetoric like the one coming out of the mouth of the minister for Information and Culture Lai Mohammed, that the Nigerian government and its security personnel have the wherewithal to crush all forms of insecurity in the country.

Also, the nation would appreciate it more, if the National Security Adviser, Gen. Monguno would allow the security chiefs to do their job, without the repeated, unending, boring, and tiresome public statements, that never yielded any positive result, viz, “the president has directed us to go after the criminals.” Gen. Monguno has said this times without number.

For God’s sake, in the first place, what were you employed to do? Pamper the criminals, or go after the law abiding citizens? And do you need the president to tell you this, or direct you every day?

When you have to shoot shoot, don’t talk, please.

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Opinion

EFCC Probe on Refineries: Transparency or Political Witch-Hunt

Published

24 hours ago

on

May 4, 2025

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By Aminu Umar

The recent move by Nigeria’s anti-corruption agency, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), to probe the handling of finances and contracts related to the Port Harcourt and Warri refineries has stirred a heated debate on whether the investigation represents a genuine drive for transparency or a politically motivated witch-hunt.

At the heart of the issue is the EFCC’s request for salary records and allowances of 14 key officials who served during the refinery rehabilitation period. These include high-ranking executives such as Abubakar Yar’Adua, Mele Kyari, Isiaka Abdulrazak, Umar Ajiya, Dikko Ahmed, Ibrahim Onoja, Ademoye Jelili, and Mustapha Sugungun.

Others listed are Kayode Adetokunbo, Efiok Akpan, Babatunde Bakare, Jimoh Olasunkanmi, Bello Kankaya, and Desmond Inyama. The commission appears focused on payments and administrative decisions linked to the multi-billion naira refinery resuscitation program.

However, conspicuously absent from the list of those summoned is Adedapo Segun, the current Chief Financial Officer (CFO) of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL), who served as Executive Vice President for Downstream and was directly in charge of treasury, refinery operations, shipping, and trading. During this time, all payments related to the Port Harcourt and Warri refineries were made under his financial supervision.

This omission has raised several questions: Why is Segun not being invited or questioned if the goal is transparency? Why is the probe appearing selective?

Equally puzzling is the inclusion of Abubakar Yar’Adua, whose role is administrative rather than operational, while high-profile former Group Managing Directors (GMDs) such as Andrew Yakubu, and Emmanuel Ibe Kachikwu, who played central roles in refinery policy and contracts in previous administrations, appear to have been bypassed.

We are not saying Mele Kyari is innocent or guilty, but we must insist on a fair process,” a stakeholder familiar with the situation told this reporter. “This shouldn’t be a selective trial. The people who gave out the contracts and approved the funds must be investigated too.”

The tension is heightened by growing concerns that the probe is targeted at individuals from a specific region. Many observers fear this could deepen regional mistrust, especially if only northern executives are made scapegoats.

We are worried this is being used to paint Northerners as the only looters,” said one source. “You cannot fight corruption with bias. You need to look at all sides. This includes those who were ‘exonerated’ too quickly.”

Another burning question is why individuals such as Emmanuel Ibe Kachikwu, former Minister of State for Petroleum, and Andrew Yakubu, former GMD of NNPC, who had strategic influence on contract awards and rehabilitation policies, are not facing any scrutiny. Critics argue that anyone involved at any stage of the refinery rehabilitation—whether from policy, finance, or operational perspectives—should be equally held accountable.

Civil society groups and international anti-corruption bodies are now being urged to step in. The call is for an independent and thorough probe that includes all relevant stakeholders—without exception.

“We are calling on NGOs and international organisations to ensure that this is not a political trial. If you must clean up the refinery system, you must do it across the board,” the statement concluded.

In a country plagued by decades of failed refinery operations and opaque oil sector dealings, the public is watching this investigation closely. The EFCC is at a crossroads: its actions will either affirm its commitment to justice or expose it to accusations of being used as a tool for political vendettas.

For now, Nigerians wait—with growing skepticism.

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Opinion

Censoring the Uncensored: The irony behind Hisbah’s ban on Hamisu Breaker’s song

Published

2 days ago

on

May 2, 2025

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By Ummi Muhammad Hassan

Following the ban by Hisbah on a new song titled “Amana Ta” by Hamisu Breaker, social media went into an uproar, capturing the attention of the public.

In the early hours of April 24, 2025, social media was filled with reactions following a press statement issued by the Deputy Commander of the Hisbah Board, Kano State chapter, Dr. Khadija Sagir, announcing the ban of Breaker’s new song. The reason cited was that the song allegedly contains obscene language.

This announcement, however, triggered a counterreaction from the public. Many became curious to know more about the song and the so-called obscene content, with some taking to their social media handles to express their opinions.

The irony of the situation is that Hisbah unintentionally gave the song more prominence, causing it to go viral. Many people who were previously unaware of the song searched for and listened to it, just to understand the controversy.

In my opinion, after listening to the song, it contains no obscene language. Rather, the issue seems to lie with some young women who mimed the song in a suggestive manner after hearing that Hisbah had labelled it as indecent—as though to dramatize or reinforce the claim. Some even appeared as if they were intoxicated.

To me, this is both devastating and concerning, as it reflects the erosion of the strong moral standards once upheld by Hausa women. Many young people are now making videos lip-synching the song in indecent ways. It made me pause and ask myself: where has our shyness gone? I believe this question deserves a deeper conversation on another day.

In Breaker’s case, thanks to the Hisbah ban, he became the most trending Kannywood artist in April, and his song went viral—and continues to trend.

A similar incident occurred earlier this year when the federal government banned Idris Abdulkareem’s song *Tell Your Papa*. That action unexpectedly brought the artist back into the spotlight, causing the song to trend widely.

Social media has made censorship increasingly difficult. Once a movie, text, or song reaches the internet, it becomes almost impossible to control—even by the creators themselves.

While social media censorship remains a challenge, this recent incident highlights the need for the government to intensify efforts against the spread of indecent content—through Hisbah and agencies like the Kano State Film Censorship Board.

Clear guidelines should be put in place, requiring artists and filmmakers to submit their content for review and approval before public release. This, among other strategies, could help reduce the spread of inappropriate material.

Additionally, Hisbah should be more mindful of how such announcements are made, as they may inadvertently promote the very content they seek to suppress.

Ummi Muhammad Hassan, Ph.D., is a lecturer in the Department of Mass Communication at Bayero University, Kano. She can be reached via email at: ummeemuhammadhassan@gmail.com.

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Opinion

After My Parents, Then Prof. Nelson Aluya A Tribute to a Mentor Who Changed a Life

Published

5 days ago

on

April 29, 2025

By

 

By Zubair A. Zubair

 

When Dr. Veronica, then a lecturer at the University of San Francisco, “adopted” me as her son in early 2020, I never imagined that a simple WhatsApp introduction would alter the trajectory of my life. Nestled in a group chat named “Nigerians in Diaspora,” I soaked up every opportunity she shared, scholarships, networking events, webinars. One afternoon in 2020, she tagged the president of the Nigerian American Public Affairs Committee (NAPAC USA), Prof. Nelson Aluya, in a post about an upcoming virtual panel. Without hesitation, I sent him a direct message expressing my eagerness to join the discussion.

At the time, Prof. Aluya was an Associate Professor of Medicine at Rutgers Medical School in New Jersey. His response was swift and generous: “Welcome aboard, Zubair. I look forward to seeing you there.” Little did I know that his simple act of inclusion would mark the beginning of a mentorship unlike any other. In that moment, I realized there was a connection. I had first encountered his name, and his eloquent voice, on NTA News in February 2018, when he spoke passionately about diabetes awareness. His clarity and compassion had captivated me then; now, I was on the verge of being guided by him.

A Promise to Mentor

During our first call in 2020, I nervously explained that I was a university student back home in Kano. Prof. Aluya listened intently, then made me a promise: “I will mentor you to become the leader Nigeria needs, confident, compassionate, and competent.” He introduced me to Aliyu Sulaiman, another aspiring youth leader, and together we launched a new WhatsApp group in early February 2021 called “Wake Up Africa.” Our shared mission was ambitious: to bridge divides between Africans on the continent, Africans in the diaspora, and people of African descent worldwide.

Trials, Tribulations, and Unwavering Support.
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Life’s challenges tested our resolve almost immediately. In March 2021, I lost my phone unexpectedly and was unable to rejoin the group for eight months. Just as I managed to reconnect in November, fate intervened again: during my “Use of English” exam, I misplaced my replacement phone. Forced offline once more, I spent two months unable to participate. Yet every time I resurfaced, Prof. Aluya reached out with the same warmth: “Zubair, we miss your voice. How can I help?” His unwavering support reminded me that mentorship transcends geography and setbacks.

From Virtual Chats to In-Person Impact
In January 2022, Prof. Aluya sponsored Aliyu, Shamsudden, and me to attend a Pan-African youth forum in Abuja. Walking into that conference hall, I felt the weight of possibility settle on my shoulders. Surrounded by young change-makers, I realized how vital our “Wake Up Africa” vision could be. Buoyed by this experience, Prof. Aluya challenged us to formalize our efforts. Thus, in February 2022, Youth Together Work Together (YTWT) was born a youth-led organization dedicated to community action across Nigeria.

Three Signature Projects
Under Prof. Aluya’s guidance and financial backing, YTWT executed three flagship initiatives over the next eighteen months:
1. Religious Tolerance Seminar (Kaduna, July 2022): Bringing together Muslim and Christian youth to foster dialogue and mutual respect.
2. Market Cleanup (Kano, August 2022): Mobilizing students, activists, journalists and traders to restore the city’s bustling markets, highlighting civic pride.
3. Youth Against Drug Abuse Campaign (Abuja, May 2024): Conducting workshops in schools, markets and community centers to educate peers on substance-abuse prevention.

Each project bore Prof. Aluya’s fingerprints: from strategy sessions over Zoom to on-the-ground coordination and resource mobilization.

Beyond Events: Lifelong Lessons
Prof. Aluya’s investment in me extended far beyond sponsoring trips. He guided me through public-speaking workshops, critiqued my writing, and introduced me to networks of professionals across healthcare, technology, and public policy. In July 2023, he arranged for me to attend a cybersecurity seminar in Jos; in April 2024, an IT conference in Ibadan; and this March, the ‘Come Talk Africa’ in Abuja. At each event, he reminded me: “Zubair, your voice matters. Use it well.”

His mentorship taught me resilience in the face of failure, humility in success, and generosity without expectation. When I doubted my talents, he reaffirmed them. When I feared I wasn’t enough, he declared that I already was.

A Mentor’s Legacy

Mentors come and go, but rare is the one who reshapes your understanding of service, leadership, and compassion. Prof. Aluya did more than fund projects, he believed in my potential when others did not see it. He challenged me to think bigger, serve better, and lead with my heart. Without ever asking for thanks, he gave of himself freely: his time, his wisdom, and his unwavering belief in Nigeria’s youth.

Conclusion

My parents gave me life and love. After them, Prof. Nelson Aluya gave me purpose and direction. As I prepare to graduate and embark on my own journey of service, I carry his lessons with me: to uplift others, to persevere through adversity, and to lead with integrity. This tribute, published today, is but a small token of my gratitude, and a reminder that some of the greatest gifts we receive are the people who see our potential before we see it ourselves.

“A mentor is not always the one who stands at your side, it is the one who reaches out to lift you higher.”
– Prof. Nelson Aluya

By Zubair A. Zubair
Kano, Nigeria

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