By Abdul-Ganiyy Akanbi,Abuja

A former chieftain of the All Progressives Congress, APC, Dr Jackson Lekan Ojo, has called on President Bola Tinubu to declare State of Emergency in the entire Northern states due to the recurrence of the activities of bandits and terrorists, saying “enough is enough.”

In a message sent to President Tinubu through his Facebook page, Ojo, who is a certified security expert, said Nigeria is becoming a laughing stock in the comity of nations because of the failure of the government to protect its citizens from brazen attacks by bandits.

He, however, gave a caveat that the state of emergency in the North he is advocating for should not affect democratic institutions in the affected states.

“I am lending my voice to the request by the Northern Elders Forum last week that Mr. President should declare State of Emergency in the entire Northern Nigeria.

“I think it is high time this is done. You heard what the governor of Borno State has just announced about the number of people that were slaughtered in the last two days. This is unacceptable.

“I think it is time for Mr. President to militarise the entire Northern Nigeria to smoke out all these bandits and snuff out life out of them.

“Enough is enough. No matter the sponsors, no matter the backers, no matter the informants, these people can not be greater than the Nigerian government.

“Mr. President should over-police the entire Northern Nigeria. We should smoke out these people (bandits) and send them back to their creator.

“Enough is enough. Enough of other countries turning Nigeria into a laughing stock. Mr. President should hack to this clarion call.

“Mr. President can declare the State of Emergency on insecurity without anything that will affect the Democratic institutions in Northern Nigeria.

“We can not take this again. Enough is enough.”

“God bless Mr President, God bless the Federal Republic of Nigeria, and God bless Nigerians.”

By David Owei,Bayelsa ‎
‎The organizers of Nigeria’s biggest grassroots football spectacle, the Bayelsa Governor’s Football Tournament has felicitated the Deputy Governor, Senator Lawrence Ewhrudjakpo on the occasion of his diamond jubilee.
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‎Director General of the tournament, Mr. Ono Akpe in a statement on behalf of the Central Organizing Committee, COC describes the Deputy Governor as an exceptional administrator and a visionary leader who has continued to show commitment towards the stability and development of sports in the state.
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‎According to him, the Deputy Governor is an astute administrator, a dependable ally and deputy to Governor Douye Diri, who has served his people with an outstanding record of performance in governance in the state, even as Commissioner for Works then, maintaining that the competition organizers are pleased to be associated with him, particularly his tremendous qualities and experience in steering the affairs of sports in the state.
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‎The statement notes that the tournament’s success story was incomplete without the supervision of Senator Ewhrudjakpo and has placed the Prosperity Cup as a premium competition in the continent that has continued to give young Bayelsans the platform to showcase their talent.
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‎He expressed gratitude to God for granting the deputy governor the grace and presence of mind to discharge his duties creditably well in the past five years he has been in the saddle as deputy governor of the state.
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‎”From all of us in the Prosperity Cup team, we say a happy blessed, and glorious 60-year birthday to His Excellency, Senator Lawrence Ewhrudjakpo, Deputy Governor, Bayelsa State”.
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‎“We are proud to identify with your achievements in the past 60 years of your existence. Over the years, you have been a symbol of humility, diligence and discipline.
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‎“You have also devoted your life to service to humanity, especially to sports and the Prosperity Cup that has become Nigeria’s biggest grassroots football tournament. Your exemplary leadership and commitment to the common good of society has endeared you to so many people in Bayelsa State and beyond”, he stated.
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‎“Your Excellency, may the Almighty God bless your new age with good health, sound mind and more wisdom to serve humanity and the state, Mr. Akpe concluded.

 

By Our Correspondent

The African Democratic Congress (ADC) has expressed grave concern over the increasing use of law enforcement agencies to harass and intimidate opposition leaders, while criminal violence continues to devastate communities across the country. The party condemned the politically motivated police summons issued to former Governor of Kaduna State, Mallam Nasir El-Rufai, as well as the shocking attack on the former Attorney General of the Federation, Abubakar Malami’s convoy in Kebbi State, which left many party members injured and terrified.

In a statement signed by Mallam Bolaji Abdullahi, the National Publicity Secretary of the ADC,on Friday,the party described these developments as an assault not just on individual politicians, but on Nigeria’s democracy itself. It warned that the Nigeria Police Force has seemingly become a willing tool of political suppression for the federal government rather than a national security department, that is truly focused on rooting out bandits and other criminals across the country.

The full statement reads:

“At a time when terrorists and criminal gangs freely operate in large parts of the North, the Nigerian Police appears more interested in silencing opposition leaders than protecting citizens. After the recent attack in Kaduna, where the former Kaduna State Governor, Mallam Nasir El-Rufai and other ADC leaders were attacked; in Kebbi, the convoy of former Minister for Justice and Attorney General of the Federation, Abubakar Malami (SAN) was violently attacked in broad daylight around the GRA area of Birnin Kebbi—barely meters from a police outpost. Despite the seriousness of the attack, no arrests have been made, and the perpetrators remain at large.

“This growing trend is disturbing — and all Nigerians should take note. In Kaduna, the police reportedly looked away as thugs—armed with stones and cutlasses—attacked a peaceful ADC gathering. Instead of arresting those responsible, the police are now targeting the victims with summons.

“Every hour spent harassing El-Rufai and shutting down ADC offices is an hour not spent confronting the terrorists and criminals destroying lives across the North, and the urban bandits destroying the nation.”

“To make matters worse, police authorities in Kaduna sealed off the ADC party offices ahead of a planned meeting of zonal leaders—a deliberate attempt to stifle our constitutional right to assemble and organize.”

Continuing, “The ADC wishes to place this on record: These acts by the police are not isolated. They represent a systematic attempt to criminalize opposition politics, especially in states where the ruling party feels threatened by the growing influence of the ADC.

“In this regard, the ADC calls on the Federal Government and the Inspector General of Police to immediately withdraw the politically motivated summons issued to Nasir El-Rufai and other ADC leaders in Kaduna State. These invitations are not about justice or security, they are about silencing dissent and should therefore be halted without delay.

“We demand that the police authorities unseal the ADC office in Kaduna State, and stop the illegal obstruction of lawful political activity. No democracy can thrive where opposition party structures are routinely shut down under vague pretexts.”

The statement added,”The Nigeria Police must also publish the names of those who filed complaints that triggered these recent investigations and summons. The public deserves to know who is behind these attacks on political freedom, and what interests they serve.

“We further demand that security agencies arrest and prosecute those responsible for the attack on Abubakar Malami’s convoy in Kebbi State, as well as the violent thugs who disrupted our stakeholders’ meeting in Kaduna. The failure to bring these perpetrators to justice only emboldens further violence.

“In addition, we call for an internal disciplinary process within the police to investigate officers who were present during these incidents but failed to act. Those who stood by and allowed political violence to occur should not be wearing the uniform of the Nigerian state.

“Finally, we urge the Federal Government to redirect the focus of the Nigeria Police toward their primary duty—protecting the lives and property of all Nigerians— instead of being used as a tool of political manipulation.

“Our party will stand with our leaders and members. We will not be intimidated.”