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Govt Vows To Crush Fresh Lekki Tollgate Protest

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Why We Can't Accept Lagos EndSARS Panel's Report - Govt

Still pained by the destruction caused by the EndSARS andL Lekki Tollgate protests last October, the Federal Government today vowed never to allow their reoccurrence.

Minister of Information Lai Mohammed stated the position of the government in Abuja against the backdrop of another protest billed for next Saturday at the Lekki Tollgate.
At a press conference, Mohammed said as follows: “Good morning gentlemen and thank you for honouring our invitation once again.

“As you may be aware, some EndSars proponents have given notice of their plan to return to Lagos – Lekki Toll Gate to be specific – on Saturday, February 13th 2021. The ”Occupy Lekki Toll Gate” flyers have been circulating online, with the proponents threatening that ”Lagos will burn” again.

“Let me be clear: While peaceful protests are the constitutional rights of Nigerians, violent protests are not. At this time, the chances that any peaceful protest will be hijacked are very high. Based on the intelligence at the disposal of the Federal Government, some Nigerian activists have linked up with others outside Nigeria, including subversive elements, with a view to destabilizing the country. We cannot and must not allow this to happen.

“Never again will the Federal Government allow the kind of violence that was perpetrated across the country under the guise of the EndSars last October. Never again will anyone or group be allowed to destroy cities or to kill and maim innocent citizens, including security agents, under any guise.

“The EndSars campaign last October started as a peaceful protest against police brutality. As a government that believes in the constitutionally-guaranteed right of citizens to engage in peaceful protests, the Federal Government did nothing to hinder the protests for as long as they remained peaceful. Not only that, the Federal Government moved swiftly to accede to the five-point demands by the EndSars campaigners which are:
i) Immediate release of all arrested protesters.
ii) Justice for all deceased victims of police brutality and appropriate compensation for their families.
iii) Setting up an independent body to oversee the investigation and prosecution of all reports of police misconduct within 10 days.
iv) In line with the new Police Act, psychological evaluation and retraining (to be confirmed by an independent body) of all disbanded SARS officers before they can be redeployed.
v) And increase police salary so that they are adequately compensated for protecting the lives and property of citizens.
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“Unfortunately, despite the acceptance of the demands, the protesters misread the Federal Government’s respect for the rule of law and defiantly continued to demonstrate and occupy a public facility, even after a curfew was declared by the Lagos State Government. This led to a series of actions that culminated in the hijacking of the protests by hoodlums, who perpetrated unimaginable violence in Lagos and other cities across the country.

“The trillion-Naira destruction of Lagos, in particular, remains too fresh a wound. Hundreds, including the youth, lost their livelihoods to the wanton attacks in Lagos. The burnt wreckage of public buses that were wantonly set ablaze by rampaging hoodlums remain in their positions as a sad and gory reminder of the unprecedented attacks. The city is still reeling from the war-like destruction.

“For those who are using justice as an alibi for another round of destruction, let me say this: As we speak, the Judicial Panels of Inquiry, set up across the country to receive and investigate complaints of police brutality or related extra-judicial killings, with a view to delivering justice for all victims of the dissolved SARS and other police units, are continuing with the assignments. In Lagos, the Judicial Panel of Inquiry has an added responsibility of investigating the incident of October 20th at the Lekki Toll Gate.

“Like we have said many times, anyone who has any information on the alleged shooting or purported massacre at the Lekki Toll Gate, including the names and addresses of those who were purportedly killed, should head to the Panel to give it such information. This is how to enhance the search for justice, not by rabble rousing or engaging in media shows.

“However, any further resort to violence in the name of EndSars will not be tolerated this time. The security agents are ready for any eventuality. A situation in which six soldiers and 37 policemen were murdered in cold blood by hoodlums will not repeat itself. The attack, looting and razing of 269 private and public property will not happen again. The killing of 57 civilians will not be re-enacted.

“We therefore strongly warn those who are planning to re-occupy Lekki Toll Gate on Saturday to desist. We know that many of those who have been loudest on social media in advertising the plan to reconvene in Lagos on Saturday are not even in Nigeria. They are elsewhere around the world fanning the embers of violence and inciting gullible people back home. No one should fall for their antics.

“No government anywhere will allow a repeat of the kind of destruction, killing and maiming wrought by the hijackers of EndSars protests last year. After all, only one policeman – (plus four others) – was killed in the invasion of the US Capitol in January, yet the FBI has continued to hunt down and prosecute the perpetrators. No life is more important than the other.

“The Federal Government is also keenly watching the role being played by the various social media platforms in this renewed clamour for violence in the country. Recall that the social media platforms that eagerly nudged on the EndSars protesters, until the situation got out of hand, are the same ones that quickly pulled the plug on even their own President when the chips were down in their own country. I hope we have all learnt our lessons. If we allow them to destroy our country, we will bear the brunt.

“Gentlemen, I thank you for your kind attention. I will now take your questions on the issues that I have just addressed.”

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Old Naira Notes Still Valid Legal Tenders –  Supreme Court

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The Supreme Court has again extended the use of the redesigned 200, 500 and 1000 naira notes.

This is the second time the Supreme Court has extended the validity of the old naira notes following a botched currency redesign policy of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN).

In October last year, the CBN began the currency swap policy that caused monumental hardship to Nigerians.

To ameliorate the difficulties, many states governments sued the federal government, urging the Supreme Court to reverse the monetary policy.

With the deadline for the affected notes nearing, the Federal government, approached the Supreme Court for another extension of the notes validity.

A seven-member panel of the Supreme Court led by John Okoro had in March ordered the CBN to continue to receive the old notes from Nigerians until 31 December, 2023.

The court had held that the directive of then President Muhammadu Buhari for the redesign of the new notes and withdrawal of the old notes without due consultation was invalid.

Emmanuel Agim, a member of the panel, who read the lead judgement, also condemned the President’s disobedience of the court’s 8 February order that the old notes should be in use.

At Wednesday’s proceedings, the Supreme Court panel led by John Okoro, ruled that the old notes remain legal tender until they are replaced with the redesigned notes.

According to Okoro, the old notes would co-exist as legal tender with the redesigned ones.

The ruling was based on a request by the Attorney General of the Federation (AGF) and Minister of Justice, Lateef Fagbemi (SAN), who was accompanied by the acting Director, Civil Appeals, Federal Ministry of Justice, Tijani Gazali (SAN).

The court, in the ruling, reviewed its earlier order that the old notes should cease to be legal tender by the last day of December 2023.

Okoro said “the old versions of 200, 500, 1000 naira notes/currency shall continue to be legal tenders alongside the new or designed versions until the government decides to bring the circulation of the old versions to an end after its consultation with critical stakeholders and after putting all required structures in place.”

Other members of the Supreme Court panel are – Uwani Aba-Aji, Helen Ogunwumiju, Ibrahim Saulawa, Adamu Jauro, Tijani Abubakar and Emmanuel Agim – all agreed with the ruling.

Former President Buhari and ex-CBN governor, Godwin Emefiele, had pursued the naira redesign policy in disregard for the Supreme Court order halting it.

Earlier this month, the CBN announced “its desire to extend the legal tender status deadline of the old design of N200, N500 and N1,000 denominations, ad infinitum.”

The bank also indicated in its statement announcing the plan of the government to approach the Supreme Court to vacate the subsisting order on the matter.

“Thus, all banknotes issued by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), in accordance with Section 20(5) of the CBN Act 2007, will continue to remain legal tender, ad infinitum, even beyond the initial 31 December 2023, deadline.

“The Central Bank of Nigeria is working with the relevant authorities to vacate the subsisting court ruling on the same subject,” the CBN statement had said.

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Senate Confirms Tunji Olaopa As Federal Civil Service Commission Chairman, 11 Others As Board Members

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Prof. Tunji Olaopa, the new Chairman of the Federal Civil Service Commission .

The Senate has confirmed the appointment of a professor of public administration ,Tunji Olaopa, as Chairman, Federal Civil Service Commission (FCSC).

The upper legislative chamber also approved 11 others as members of the FCSC representing various states of the Federation.
This followed the presentation and adoption of a report of the Committee on Establishment and Public Service by the Chairman Sen. Oluwole Cyril (APC- Ekiti) at the Committee of the Whole on Tuesday.

Presenting the report, Oluwole urged the Senate to consider the request of President Bola Tinubu for the confirmation of the nominees for appointment as Chairman and members of FCSC.

He said the request was in pursuance to section 154 (1) of the 1999 Constituion of the Federal Republic of Nigeria as amended.

Oluwole disclosed that the committee during the secreening of the nominees received documents from the office of the Senior Special Assistant to the President on National Assembly Matters (Senate).
He listed the documents to include resumes, police clearance reports and asset declaration documents of the nominees.

According to him, the committee deliberated on the qualifications, experience and competency of the national nominees and their suitability for the appointment.

He said the nominees were eminently qualified for the appointment, saying that there was no adverse security reports and petition against them.

He said the nominees possessed the requisite qualifications, professional experience, competence and capacity to further ensure success of the FCSC.

He therefore urged the senate to approve their nominations. The Senate, thereafter confirmed their appointments.

Those confirmed as members of FCSC include:

Dr.Dauda Ibrahim Jalo representing Adamawa ,Gombe and Taraba states; Ededet Eyoma, representing Akwa-Ibom and Cross River states; and Dr.Chambalin Nweke, representing Anambra, Ebonyi and, Enugu states.

Others are Rufus Godwin representing Bayelsa, Delta, and Rivers states; and Dr. Adamu Hussein representing FCT and Niger;
Aminu Nabegu representing Jigawa and Kano states; Hindatu Abdullahi, representing Kaduna and Katsina states; and Shehu Aliyu representing Kebbi, Sokoto and Zamfara states.

They also include Odekunle Rukiyat representing Aduke ,Kogi and Kwara states; Sarah Sosan, representing Lagos and,Ogun; and Dr.Festus Oyebade representing Osun and Oyo.

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Ogun To Distribute 5000 C Of O On Friday

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Ogun State Governor Dapo Abiodun

The Ogun State government will, on Friday, December 1, distribute 5000 Certificates of Occupancy (C of O) to beneficiaries.

A statement issued on Tuesday by the office of the Director General, Bureau of Lands and Survey, said Governor Dapo Abiodun would present the certificates to beneficiaries, thus enhancing the value of their properties, as they can be used as collaterals, while house and landowners can also take advantage of the state’s proximity to Lagos to maximise value.

The beneficiaries are drawn from the Ogun State Land Administration and Revenue Management System (OLARMS) and the immediate pass administration’s Home Owners Charter (HOC).

The event will be held at the Arcade Ground, Governor’s Office, Oke Mosan, Abeokuta.

According to the statement, beneficiaries would be mandated to present valid means of identification.

They will also be accredited by the Bureau of Lands & Survey before the commencement of the distribution.

“The present administration in the state embarked on the exercise aimed at authenticating land documents of all house owners in the state with a view to adding value to the properties and getting the owners to formalize and benefit maximally from them.

“Additional 10,000 certificates of occupancy are in the pipeline for distribution within the next one year, urging interested applicants to take advantage of the opportunity,” the statement read.

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