Usual Sing-Song: Outrage Over Plateau Killings

 By Owei Lakemfa

In the 2023 Christmas period running from December 23-25, armed assailants in co-ordinated attacks wiped out 20 communities in  Magu, Bokkos and Bakin areas of Plateau State. They killed over 200, injured a minimum 500 and put  over 10,000 in flight.

The headlines  expressing ‘Outrage over Plateau killings’ are tragically, familiar and might  have as well been cast ten, fifteen years ago. The perpetrators are same; a trained, vicious, co-ordinated  bunch, some  assembled from  West and Central Africa states.

Obadiah Mailafia: Truth Never Dies!

 By Ayo Baje

“Please, pray for me. I have reasons to believe that my life is in danger and that some powerful political forces want to silence me forever for speaking the truth.  For speaking on behalf of the holy martyrs of thousands of innocent children, women, elderly and youths that have been killed in our beloved country. It is only in our benighted country that a man who speaks from his conscience can be hounded like a common criminal.”

–Dr. Obadiah Mailafia (now of blessed memory) on September 11, 2020

*Obadiah Mailafia 

In life he was definitely one of the few bearers of the unquenchable torch of timeless Truth. And he must have seen death coming, for having the audacity to speak that same bitter Truth to power. More so, in this long, dark tunnel of quasi-democracy garbed in the bloody garment of daring despotism. So, it was only a matter of time for the haters of Truth to undo him, characteristically in nebulous circumstances. Talk about the ominous hoot of the owl at midnight and the sudden death of the naked baby the next dawn! 

But as yours truly has insisted, “Truth is eternal while lies are short-distance runners”. Or, to put it in the warm words of the legendary King of Pop, Michael Jackson, “Lies run sprints, but the truth runs marathons ‘. 

NSCIA Has Exposed Itself As A Promoter Of Bad Governance And Injustice In The Buhari Regime – CAN

The Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) has frowned at what it called the  "vulgar, immature language and unprintable words" deployed by the Nigerian Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs (NSCIA) to describe the umbrella body of Christians in Nigeria, in its (NSCIA) attempt "to justify the obvious lopsided appointments of the Federal Government in favour of its members."

In statement entitled “Re: NSCIA Accuses CAN of Campaign of Calumny over Shortlisted Justice of the Court of Appeal: A Rebuttal” and signed by CAN's General Secretary, Barr. Joseph Daramola, the Christian body reminded NSCIA that according to the Nigerian Constitution, all Nigerians, both "Christians and Moslems are stakeholders in this country," and that the votes that put the present regime in power "were not collated on the basis of religion."

Ambode, CAN And The Lagos Pastor

By Paul Onomuakpokpo

A democracy fiesta which began nationwide some days ago climaxed last Monday. Lagos strove to outdo other states with its Lagos My Success Story through which it celebrated those it considered as the exemplars of its exceptionalism. But the nebulous character of the concept became a source of excoriation for the state government in so far as it neglected some people whose successes constituted the excellence of the state.

*Gov Ambode

But this is not what has imbued the memory of the past few days with an unforgettable quality. Rather, it is the fact that the period unveiled a Lady Macbeth in the Lagos State house and that while the state government was valourising democracy which privileges the will of the people, it was at the same time serving one of its residents a robust measure of authoritarianism.

Gov El-Rufai Should First Arrest Himself

By Moses Ochonu

Governor Nasir El-Rufai has caused Audu Maikori to be arrested for sending a tweet that relied on false information about an attack that never occurred, a tweet for which he has since apologized. Maikori has been a critic of the governor's handling of the Southern Kaduna killings.

*Gov Nasir El-Rufai 

El-Rufai's latest canard to defend his tyranny and intolerance for critique is what he calls "a policy of consequence." Very chic. The problem is that not a single one of the foreign herdsmen he says are responsible for killing hundreds of Southern Kaduna people's have been arrested for murder. Not a single one of them has faced this "policy of consequences."

In fact instead of being arrested, El-Rufai rewarded them with handsome payments to silence their guns. Yet Southern Kaduna folks like Maikori who complain about their menace, even if relying on unreliable information produced in the haze of crisis, are hounded into detention. It's different strokes for different folks.

We have a situation now where the governor prioritizes what he nebulously calls the offense of incitement over that of mass murder. But even here, he is being disingenuous. Governor El-Rufai is the inciter-in-chief in Kaduna. Just the other day, he was on Channels TV accusing Southern Kaduna elders and church leaders of encouraging and profiting from the murder of their own people! What could be more inciting than this recklessly incendiary statement?

Update Nigerians On Buhari's Health Status – CAN Urges Presidency

Christian Association Of Nigeria (CAN)

PRESS RELEASE 

"The Christians Association of Nigeria (CAN) is deeply concerned about the ongoing national conversation on the absence of the President due to ill- health. We wish to call on all Nigerians to join hands in prayers for the quick and full recovery of Mr. President and his safe return to Nigeria instead of dwelling on the needless rumour mongering on the President's health.

"President Muhammadu Buhari is human, hence subject to health challenges sometimes. CAN appreciates the anxiety of Nigerians to hear Mr. President speak, but sues for understanding as we await that. It is very clear that our leader is passing through health challenges.

"We advise the Presidency to update Nigerians on how he is fairing and the full progress of his recovery.

The Emir And The Child Bride

By Paul Onomuakpokpo  

Just when the outrage at the scandalous abduction of 14-year old Ese Oruru by a lecher from Kano who forced her into marriage is about quitting smouldering, there is now another paedophilic case to stoke the fury over the development. The replication of this scandal is in consonance with the tragic character of a nation that is impervious to the lessons of history. This is why the nation is bogged down by repeated blunders that have consigned it to the fringes of the league of its developed counterparts.

*President Muhammadu Buhari and the  Emir of Katsina, Abdulmumini Kabiru Usman

We failed to learn any lessons from the Oruru saga. There were no dire consequences for the so-called emir, other religious leaders and state actors who watched while the ordeal of Oruru lasted. This is why another case of abduction and forced conversion and marriage has now invaded the public consciousness.

Secure in the knowledge of a state that is incapable of inflicting well-deserved sanctions on its citizens who violate its authority, the Emir of Katsina , Alhaji AbdulMumin Kabiru Usman, has allegedly abducted and married 14-year-old Habiba Isiyaku. Continuing in his impunity, the emir allegedly assaulted Mr. Isiyaku Tanko when he went to the palace to take away his daughter.

What clearly confronts us with the reality of the failure of the Nigerian state in this smutty saga is that the police are complicit. They are aware of this condemnable abduction. Yet, they could not effectively intervene. Worse still, the police allowed the emir to bungle what appeared to be their intervention. While the parties involved in the case were meeting in the office of the state police commissioner (PC), a security detail walked in and declared that the emir asked that the girl should be brought to his palace and that her parents should come and take her there. Before the PC, the girl was taken to the palace from the chief security officer.

When the father got to the palace, he was humiliated and made to sit on the floor while the emir did not even bother to appear and address him. He only sent his aide to tell Isiyaku that since his daughter had converted to Islam she could not be released to him. Thus over two months now, the teenager has been in this captivity.