By Ezinwanne Onwuka
● VP Shettima seeks U.S. support on food security
Vice-President Kashim Shettima has sought the assistance of the United States government to boost food security in Nigeria.
“We seek the support of the U.S. government, be it technical or otherwise, towards addressing challenges in our agricultural sector,” VP Shettima, who is currently in the United States, told Cary Fowler, U.S. special envoy for global food security on Wednesday.
Shettima said Nigeria is facing acute food-security challenges that require the Nigerian government to “think outside the box” and to “look for ingenious solutions” that can help the country overcome the challenges.
He identified key areas where Nigeria would require support, saying, “Mechanization is absolutely essential; good-quality seeds, fertilization, improved agricultural practices, smart agriculture—these are the solutions we seek.”
Read more: https://guardian.ng/news/shettima-us-envoy-meet-over-food-security/
● Get results or be fired: Tinubu talks tough to agency heads
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu says he is ready to fire a minister who fails to perform optimally at the drop of a dime, the second warning to his appointees that he would not tolerate excuses or failures in his effort to revitalize growth in Africa’s largest economy since taking office in May.
“We can’t complain and give excuses,” Tinubu said at a meeting of ministers, aides, and other top government officials in Abuja, on Wednesday, “We have to give hope to the near hopeless, to the Nigerians in doubt whether our economic policies are the right way to success.”
Tinubu’s government has established a Results Delivery Unit, tasked with the quarterly review of ministers’ performance. The result would be the only basis on which appointees would be able to retain or vacate their seats. “If you are performing, there is nothing to fear; if you miss the objective, we’ll review; if there is no performance, you leave us,” said Tinubu.
Read more: https://punchng.com/perform-or-be-sacked-tinubu-warns-minister-during-retreat/
● Mob executes brothers for robbery in Southeast
The fight against hoodlums in Anambra State, Southeast Nigeria took a new turn on Wednesday when an irate mob descended on two robbers and burned them to death. The robbers were caught while trying to take a tricycle [ keke] driver’s money in broad daylight at the popular Main Market in Onitsha, the economic hub of Anambra State.
Jungle justice, though a criminal offence, is widespread in Nigeria where citizens mistrust the police and other authorities to redress malfeasance. Extrajudicial murders often take place under the watch of local police standing by.
Authorities identified the deceased as Omaume and Monday, members of a notorious armed-robbery gang responsible for attacking traders and visitors to the market. No arrests have been made.
● EFCC bans night raids amidst pressure to free students arrested for internet scams
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission [EFCC] – the functional equivalent of the FBI in the United States – has halted on night-time arrest raids. The agency came under fire for raiding students’ hostels on Tuesday night and arresting 69 male students whom they labelled “Yahoo boys”, the Nigerian-speak for internet fraudsters.
The students were arrested at Oduduwa Estate in Ile-Ife, the town housing the Obafemi Awolowo University [OAU], a high-profile federal university in southwestern Osun State. “Credible intelligence linked Oduduwa Estate with activities of suspected internet fraudsters,” the anti-graft agency said in a post on X, hours after the controversial arrest.
Mobile phones, laptops and cars belonging to the students were seized by the EFCC officials. But 58 students were released on bail late Wednesday and there is still intense pressure from Nigerians for the remaining 11 students to be freed. The EFCC authorities have warned officials to “adhere to the rule of law and international best practices in the treatment of suspects.”
Read more: https://www.thecable.ng/efcc-bans-sting-operations-at-night-reviews-arrest-bail-procedures/
● Lawmakers make plans to investigate N200 billion expended for census
The House of Representatives said Wednesday that it will investigate how Nigeria’s National Population Commission [NPC] spent N200 billion out of the N800 billion the previous administration invested in the postponed 2023 census.
The census earlier scheduled for May 3–7 was postponed indefinitely with the past information minister Lai Muhammed saying the census will be conducted by President Bola Tinubu’s administration which took office at the end of May. It was the second postponement to this year’s census.
The lawmakers urged President Tinubu to fix a new date for the census. The NPC, in August, expressed readiness to conduct the census, saying it is awaiting orders from Tinubu. Nigeria has not had an official head count for 17 years. The results of the population census determine the sharing of oil revenues and political representation among the 36 states and 300 ethnic groups in Africa’s most populous country.
