Dupsy

The Nigerian Senate has condemned a proposal by the Federal Ministry of Health to borrow $200 million (N82,070,388,916.76) under the malaria programme to buy mosquito nets in the 2022 budget. A member of the Senate Committee on Health, Gershom Bassey on Tuesday opposed the move by the Ministry during the 2022 budget defence of the Federal Ministry of Health. Bassey told the Permanent Secretary, Mahmuda Mamman that the proposal with respect to borrowing $200 million (about N82 billion at the official exchange rate of N410 to a dollar) to purchase mosquito nets was outrageous considering the amount involved. The Committee’s condemnation was in response to the Permanent Secretary’s earlier submission of the intention to borrow the said amount for the purchase of mosquito nets. The panel further demanded the total needs of the agency to ascertain if there was a need for borrowing. Meanwhile, the Executive Director, National Primary Health Care Development Agency, NPHCDA, Faisal Shuaib had said the $200 million was for importation and local production of mosquito nets. Committee Chairman on Health in the Senate, Senator Ibrahim Oloriegbe, in his reaction, said the idea of borrowing money from World Bank is “money and job for the boys” by somebody in Washington, D.C. By SaharaReporters, New York Source:http://saharareporters.com/2021/10/26/nigerias-health-ministry-plans-borrow-n82-billion-buy-mosquito-nets

Human rights lawyer, Femi Falana, SAN, has said former Head of State, Ibrahim Babangida, started the act of hijacking the country’s oil blocs to share among his allies. The lawyer said the practice which has continued till today has placed the wealth of the nation in the hands of a selected few but is against the constitution. He lamented that the oil and gas as well as solid minerals sectors which are managed by the President's appointed ministers and approved by the Senate, but done without any consultation with the state and local governments is a wrong practice. Falana disclosed these in during his keynote address at 4th Justice Aniagolu Memorial Lecture which was the 10th Year Remembrance. The senior lawyer titled it “Justice Anthony Aniagolu’s Contribution to Human Rights and Political Development of Nigeria” delivered at Godfrey Okoye University, Enugu State, last Thursday. He said, "Under the defunct military junta the oil blocks belonging to the Federation were hijacked by the Federal Military Government. "In 1986, General Ibrahim Babangida (retd) allocated some of the nation’s oil blocks to his personal friends and cronies. The illegal practice has since continued to date in utter violation of section 16 of the Constitution which stipulates that the commonwealth shall not be concentrated in the hands of a few people or a group. "Like the oil and gas resources the solid minerals of the nation have been taken over by the Federal Government. It is the Federal Ministry of Minerals that exclusively manages the solid minerals owned by the Federation. The Ministers of the Petroleum Resources and Mines and Steel Development are appointed by the President and approved by the Senate without any consultation with the State and Local Governments. "The Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation was established by the Federal Military Government with seed fund from the Federation Account. But due to the gross mismanagement of the Corporation by the Federal Government it has been unbundled by the National Assembly. "Even though the NNPC is a Federation Enterprise the Federal Government has taken over the companies established pursuant to the Petroleum Industry Act. The Board members of the NNPC and other subsidiary companies have been appointed by the President and confirmed by the Senate." By SaharaReporters, New York Source:http://saharareporters.com/2021/10/26/hijacking-oil-blocs-few-nigerians-began-ex-military-dictator-babangida-violates

An Uber driver, Adedotun Clement, who was physically assaulted by security agents, who fired tear gas canisters to disperse protesters marking the one-year anniversary of the #EndSARS campaign in the Lekki Tollgate area of Lagos State has demanded the arrest and prosecution of the policemen who tortured him. This was in response to a statement by the state Commissioner of Police, Hakeem Odumosu, that the police could not take any action on his case because there was no official complaint before the command. SaharaReporters had reported that some protesters and journalists suffered varied forms of attacks from security agents during a clampdown on residents at the tollgate on Wednesday. During the attacks, some protesters and journalists filmed some of the tense moments of assaults. Several video clips showed security agents, including men of the Rapid Response Squad, the Lagos State Environmental and Special Offences Unit (task force), the Nigeria Police Force and the Lagos Neighborhood Safety Corps, among others, brutalising journalists and protesters. One of the videos, which went viral, showed the security agents, particularly policemen and officers of the LNSC, subjecting Clement to dehumanising torture, as he struggled against being locked up in a Black Maria. Despite his pleas for mercy to validate his claim of being an Uber driver, one of the cops slapped him, as the LNSC official pepper-sprayed his eyes. In a petition addressed to the commissioner on Monday, Clement, through his lawyer, Inibehe Effiong, said the attack on him was a violation of the Police Act 2020. While urging Odumosu to take action to remedy the violation of his rights “as guaranteed by Section 34 and 35 of the Constitution,” the victim demanded that disciplinary measures should be taken against the policemen. The petition read in part, “Our attention has been drawn to a statement credited to you in which you stated that you cannot take disciplinary actions against the police officers who tortured and pepper-sprayed our client because no formal complaint has been filed by our client. “Since the assault was perpetrated publicly with video evidence in public circulation and widely reported, we expected that you would initiate disciplinary action based on the undisputed facts and evidence available to you. But since you have demanded a formal complaint, please take this petition as a formal complaint on behalf of our client. “It is the brief of our client that on Wednesday, October 20, 2021, he was conveying a passenger to the Lagos Mainland, and on getting to the Lekki Toll Gate, he encountered traffic gridlock caused by the peaceful memorial protest in commemoration of the first anniversary of the #EndSARS protest. “Following the pandemonium, coupled with the debilitating effect of the canisters which penetrated our client’s vehicle, our client and his passenger, like other motorists, road users and the protesters, had no choice but to abandon his vehicle and flee the contaminated scene for his safety. “When the atmosphere became relatively calm, our client returned to retrieve his vehicle and continue with his business, only to realise that officers of the Nigeria Police Force and LSNC had towed his vehicle from the Lekki Toll Gate to an undisclosed location. “Our client, as a law-abiding citizen, approached the officers of the Nigeria Police Force and LNSC, who were at the Lekki Toll Gate, to enquire about his vehicle. Rather than respond to our client’s enquiry, the police officers and LNSC officers, without any provocation, swooped on our client and subjected him to prolonged molestation, torture, intimidation, abuse, unwarranted dehumanisation and degrading treatment.” Condemning the assault on the driver, Effiong noted that his client’s liberty had been violated. He added, “Sequel to the foregoing, we hereby respectfully demand as follows: payment of the sum of N500m to our client as compensation for the gross violation of his fundamental rights by officers of the Nigeria Police Force; severe disciplinary measures should be taken against the police officers who attacked our client; culprits should also be prosecuted in court; a written apology to our client addressed to us for the violation of his rights.” By SaharaReporters, New York Source:http://saharareporters.com/2021/10/26/endsars-protest-uber-driver-assaulted-policemen-writes-lagos-commissioner-demands-arrest

Banks begin customer sensitisation as CBN alerts lenders to risks, fraud The President, Major General Muhammadu Buhari (retd), on Monday, unveiled the Central Bank of Nigeria’s digital currency, also known eNaira, in a keynote event attended by top government functionaries at the State House, Abuja. He said Nigeria’s Central Bank Digital Currency and its underlying blockchain technology could increase the nation’s Gross Domestic Product by $29bn over the next 10 years. In his address, the President said the e-currency would help increase remittances, foster cross-border trade, improve financial inclusion, make monetary policy more effective, and enable the government to send direct payments to citizens eligible for specific welfare programmes. According to him, the digital currency will help move many more people and businesses from the informal into the formal sector, thereby increasing the country’s tax base. Buhari said, “In recent times, the use of physical cash in conducting business and making payments has been on the decline. This trend has been exacerbated by the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic and the resurgence of a new digital economy. “Alongside these developments, businesses, households, and other economic agents have sought for new means of making payments in the new circumstances.” Buhari lauded the CBN for coming up with the eNaira. Central bank mints 500m eNaira, issues 200m to banks On his part, the Governor, CBN, Godwin Emefiele, said since the eNaira platform went live, there had been overwhelming interest and encouraging response from Nigerians and other parties across the world with over 2.5 million daily visits to the website. He said, “Thirty-three banks are fully integrated and live on the platform, N500m has been successfully minted by the bank, N200m has been issued to financial institutions, over 2,000 customers have been onboarded and over 120 merchants have successfully registered on the eNaira platform.” The CBN governor also used the occasion to commend the President for “making history, yet again,” with the launch of the eNaira – the first in Africa and one of the earliest around the world. Emefiele announced a new financial instrument titled, “The 100 for 100 PPP – Policy on Production and Productivity”, which he said would be domiciled in the Development Finance Department of the CBN under his direct supervision. He explained that under this policy, the CBN would advertise, screen, scrutinise and financially support 100 targeted private sector companies in 100 days, beginning from November 1, 2021. The event was attended by Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo; the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Boss Mustapha; the Chief of Staff to the President, Prof. Ibrahim Gambari; members of the Federal Executive Council; top officials of the CBN and heads of relevant government agencies. Transactions on eNaira platform free for 90 days – CBN Meanwhile, the CBN disclosed that all transactions conducted on the newly-launched digital currency platform would be free for 90 days. The regulator, however, stated that it would revert to its guide on applicable charges by banks and other financial and non-financial institutions at the end of the stated period. The apex bank also said that Ministries, Departments and Agencies could make payments and collect revenues using the eNaira wallet. The CBN disclosed this in the framework titled, ‘eNaira Circular and Guidelines’, which was later released on Monday. The central bank guide read in part, “The charges for transactions that originate from the eNaira platform shall be free for the first 90 days commencing from October 25, 2021 and then revert to applicable charges as outlined in the Guide to Charges by Banks, Other Financial and Non-bank Financial Institutions. MDAs may collect revenues or make payments in eNaira.” eNaira won’t change naira-dollar exchange rate – Experts Meanwhile, economic and financial experts have said that the eNaira will not change or affect the value of the naira in the foreign exchange market. They also expressed concern over the risk of cyber attacks on the eNaira accounts of Nigerians. They spoke against the backdrop of the unveiling of the eNaira by the CBN. The immediate past Director-General of the Lagos Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Dr. Muda Yusuf, said there was no relationship between foreign exchange market and the eNaira. He said, “There is no connection between the eNaira and the exchange rate. No relationship at all. Exchange rate is determined by the demand and supply fundamentals in the foreign exchange market. “These are driven largely by imports, exports and the flow of capital across borders. The naira, whether digital or physical, is just a means of exchange and to some extent, a store of value.” He, however, noted that the eNaira was consistent with current digitalisation trend across all sectors globally. Yusuf, who is the chief executive officer, Centre for the Promotion of Private Enterprises, explained that digital applications typically came with efficiency, cost effectiveness, smartness in usage and convenience. “But it is still not clear what the value proposition of the eNaira is, beyond the psychological satisfaction of joining the league of countries with digital currencies,” Yusuf stated. The CPPE boss noted that transactions on these platforms were already in trillions of naira, and still counting, adding that it remained to be seen what additional value the eNaira would bring. He said, “A great deal of sensitisation and awareness need to be undertaken to generate trust and confidence in this new payment system initiative. “International investors typically would prefer a currency that is acceptable globally and convertible such as the dollar.” He observed that many Nigerians were still trying to understand what the eNaira really entailed. A financial analyst and Senior Lecturer at the Pan Atlantic University and a financial analyst, Dr Olalekan Aworinde, said there was a need to do more sensitise the public more on the risks. He said, “I think that the CBN should be aware of the fact that there is the risk of cyber attacks with the introduction of the eNaira. “As a result, the CBN needs to properly educate the masses on how to use the eNaira in a way that would not put their safety and the safety of their funds at risk. Another expert and the Chief Executive Officer of SD&D Capital Management Limited, Mr Idakolo Gbolade, also said there was the need to sensitive the public the more. By Nike Popoola, StephenAngbulu, Amarachi Orjiude and Sami Olatunji Source:https://punchng.com/buhari-unveils-enaira-mdas-may-collect-revenues-pay-in-e-currency/

Not much has ever been revealed regarding how a retired Nigerian Major General, Obi Umahi who is the brother of current Ebonyi State Governor, David Umahi, superintended over the last-minute torture and execution of foremost enviromental activists– Ken Saro-Wiwa and 8 others. Apart from Umahi and the man at the centre of it all, the late brutal dictator Gen Sani Abacha, there are others. At least two of those who played ignoble roles in the killing of the activists are currently in the government of President Muhammadu Buhari, who last week hinted about granting state pardons to the late activists. Others who connived with the Abacha regime to murder the activists include Ibrahim Agboola Gambari, Chief of Staff to President Buhari; Hameed Ibrahim Ali, Comptroller General of the Nigerian Customs Service; President of Nigerian Bar Association, Joseph Daudu and Justice Ibrahim Auta, retired Chief Judge of Nigeria. A retired Nigerian Major General, Obi Umahi, who is the brother of Ebonyi State Governor, David Umahi oversaw the torture and execution of the Ogoni activists, including Saro-Wiwa. Saro-Wiwa and eight other Ogoni activists were tried by a secret military tribunal and executed by hanging on November 10, 1995, a tragic end to their non-violent campaign against the Royal Dutch Shell Company and the Nigerian government over the economic injustices and the pollution of Ogoni land that arose from oil exploitation. Saro-Wiwa was accused, alongside the eight other Ogoni leaders, of being responsible for the murder of five Ogoni chiefs at a pro-government meeting. Known as Ogoni 9, the executed activists were outspoken author and playwright Ken Saro-Wiwa, Saturday Dobee, Nordu Eawo, Daniel Gbooko, Paul Levera, Felix Nuate, Baribor Bera, Barinem Kiobel, and John Kpuine. SaharaReporters learnt that Umahi was the Head of the Internal Security Force in Ogoni land under the junta of the late General Sani Abacha – a time when he was a Major. An eyewitness, Ibrahim Abdullahi, who was a prisoner when the activists were killed in 1995 said the soldiers who carried out the execution were led by the retired Major General. Abdullahi said the Umahi-led soldiers took their corpses to a bush and poured acid on them before dumping them in a shallow grave. “I was in the cell one day in 1995 when they brought the late Gen. Shehu Musa Yar’Adua (retd.), Senator Shehu Sani and Sanusi Mato. Sani and Mato were transferred to Aba and Owerri prisons respectively on the following day but they left Yar’Adua in Port Harcourt,” Abdullahi had said in an interview with journalists at the African Centre for Peace and Development, Abuja in 2019 after the governor of Cross River State, Ben Ayade granted him a state pardon. “One day in 1995, soldiers brought Saro-Wiwa and three others from the military barracks and chased away everybody who was not a prisoner. Saro-Wiwa, who was chained on the legs and hands, was marched to the condemned cell which was directly opposite the gallows where he and others would be hanged. They met the five others who were already in the cell. “One Major Obi, who led the operation, made sure that no warder witnessed the execution. They serviced the gallows which could execute two people at a time. The Attorney-General of Rivers State then came with a file that contained the charges preferred against the Ogoni leaders. “The AG went straight to their cell and read the charges to them and went back. One of them, a lecturer at the University of Port Harcourt, was crying, lamenting that his wife had just given birth to a new baby and that he was observing a dry fast on that day. “Saro-Wiwa maintained that he did not ask anybody to kill anyone but that the Federal Military Government just wanted to kill him. He then said there would never be peace in Ogoni land forever because of the innocent souls that Abacha wanted to sacrifice. After this, the soldiers marched him to the gallows. “They brought out his corpse and put him in a slab and they invited a medical doctor who certified him dead. They called four of us to take his corpse. That was how they executed them one after the other. One of them was even calling the name of Jesus until he was pushed to the gallows. “After the execution, Major Obi collected the films of the hanging from the photographer and the tape from the video man and asked us to put all the corpses inside a tipper which was used to covey them and four of us to the bush where they were buried. “The soldiers then poured raw acid on Saro-Wiwa and others when we got to the place called Bolokiri and their bodies melted instantly inside a single pit where they put all of them.” Corroborating Abdullahi’s submission, one of Saro-Wiwa’s brothers said, “Governor David Umahi’s brother, Rtd Major General Obi Umahi was personally responsible for the execution of Ken Saro-Wiwa when he was a Major in the Army. “He carried out the execution which did not follow the usual process. He was also very physically abusive of Ken before the execution.” Speaking with SaharaReporters, the retired Major General however denied being involved in the execution. He said, “No court can tell a soldier to do that, and if you check all the executions done by the military, they were decisions or judgments given by a tribunal. So how could a court give a soldier an order to do that, is it in the constitution? “It was not possible for a soldier to execute Saro-Wiwa when a court sat and gave a judgement, how can a soldier do that? Is it possible? It’s not possible. “It’s is the prison authorities that do that; the prison has armed men.” On how he heard about it, Umahi said, “I heard about the court order, and I heard the execution was done by the prison authorities.” Regarding the roles played by others in the executions, Sah Others who connived with the repressive Abacha regime to murder the activists include Ibrahim Agboola Gambari, Chief of Staff to President Muhammadu Buhari; Hameed Ibrahim Ali, Comptroller General of the Nigerian Customs Service; President of Nigerian Bar Association, Joseph Daudu and Justice Ibrahim Auta, retired Chief Judge of Nigeria. In 1995, Gambari openly backed the killing of Ogoni activist during the ruthless Abacha military regime. Gambari had informed the United Nations that the killing of Saro-Wiwa was legal as it was done in line with the law and constitution of Nigeria. The UN General Assembly had condemned the arbitrary execution of Saro-Wiwa after a flawed judicial process, emphasising that everyone charged with a penal offence had the right to be presumed innocent until proven guilty according to the law in a public trial with all guarantees necessary for defence. But Gambari accused the UN General Assembly of dancing to the tune of some individuals trying to challenge the sovereignty of Nigeria. ARCHIVE: @MBuhari's Chief of Staff Ibrahim Gambari Defends Arbitrary Execution of Ken Saro-Wiwa, Ogoni 8 Despite Condemnation By @UN General Assembly FULL VIDEO: https://t.co/gac0B1HoHr He labelled Saro-Wiwa a “common criminal”, who had engaged in the murder of some Ogoni elders. Auta was the Judge handpicked by the Abacha regime to head the kangaroo tribunal that sentenced Saro-Wiwa and others to death by hanging. The Abacha regime had set up the Auta Tribunal after it falsely accused the activist and 8 others of orchestrating the death of some Ogoni leaders. After prolonged abuse, torture and intimidation of Saro-Wiwa's counsel by the regime, the retired Judge pronounced him and other activists guilty of a crime they never committed and sentenced them to death by hanging. The Abacha regime swiftly ratified Auta’s verdict and thereafter murdered all the activists before the period allowed for an appeal had elapsed. Daudu was the legal aid of Abacha, who ordered the execution of the activists while Ali was a member of the Abacha tribunal that sentenced the “Ogoni 9.” Ali was the only military officer in the kangaroo tribunal that sentenced the activists to death after being handpicked by Abacha to be a member. Ali was quoted by some reports as saying he had no regrets when asked if he regretted the role he played in the process that led to the execution of Saro-Wiwa and the other activists. By SaharaReporters, New York Source:http://saharareporters.com/2021/10/25/how-ebonyi-governor%E2%80%99s-brother-retired-maj-gen-umahi-tortured-executed-ken-saro-wiwa-8

Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Mahmood Yakubu has been holding secret meetings with top leaders of the All Progressives Congress (APC), SaharaReporters has learnt. Sources explained that the INEC chair, who is supposed to be neutral and non-partisan has been holding frequent meetings with Ahmad Lawan, Senate President and Mai Mala Buni, Caretaker Chairman of the ruling APC and governor of Yobe State. It was gathered that the trio had a meeting last Friday, October 22 at a guest house belonging to the Senate President between 10 pm and 1 am. One of the sources stated: “INEC chairman is frequently having private meetings with the duo of the Senate President and Buni at a private guest house owned by the Senate President in Maitama, Abuja. “The last meeting was held last Friday between 10 pm and 1 am at the Senate President's Guest House on Yedseram Street behind the Inspector-General of Police's residence. It was between the Senate President, INEC chairman and Buni. ”These three had earlier met but with Governor (Abubakar) Bagudu of Kebbi State and Jigawa State Governor (Mohammed Abubakar) at the same venue some three months ago.” "INEC chair, who is supposed to be neutral is now meeting secretly with top members of the ruling party (APC)," another source told SaharaReporters. SaharaReporters had reported that some of the high-profile politicians in the South-East region had started spending big to manipulate the forthcoming Anambra State governorship poll. According to the report, among the politicians is a serving South-East governor, “currently in the opposition, who reportedly paid $4 million (roughly N1,640,000,000) to manipulate the elections to favour his candidate in the elections.” On November 6, Anambra State residents will go to the polls to decide the next governor of the state. There have been allegations that the violence going on in some parts of the state is sponsored by some unruly politicians to favour their candidates. An investigation shows that a serving South-East Governor in an opposition party, who is hell-bent on ensuring that his candidate wins, doled out $4 million (which had since been disbursed in tranches of $3 million and $1 million) to a commissioner of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC). The commissioner who is also from the South-East and has a strong influence on logistics, in turn, allegedly used the funds to “settle” other key officers to ensure that the election goes the way of their preferred candidate. “You see, a ranking opposition Governor in the South-East zone of the country has mobilised huge funds to the tune of 4 million US dollars to compromise the governorship election in Anambra State slated for Saturday, November 6, 2021. “In fact, an influential INEC National Commissioner is serving as a courier for the said desperate chief executive, who wants his candidate to emerge victorious, by hook or crook. This South-East commissioner even shares some educational history with the Governor’s preferred candidate as they both attended an institution together. “The other commissioners and many Electoral Officers have also been compromised,” a source had revealed. Another source alleged that the wife of the said state chief executive is said to be mainly coordinating the ‘local’ aspects of the plan as she has been lobbying and holding ‘nocturnal’ meetings with some of the electoral officers. A source was quoted as saying: “We are aware that a very powerful woman is also playing a fundamental role in this whole equation designed to compromise election at a time stakeholders are all unanimous on the need to sanitise the electoral process.” Meanwhile, some security sources disclosed that they were aware and efforts were already in place to block all attempts to compromise the electoral exercise. “Rest assured that we will not allow the November 6 Anambra poll to be compromised. “At the appropriate time, we will take in those involved,” a top security official said. By SaharaReporters, New York Source:http://saharareporters.com/2021/10/25/exclusive-nigerias-electoral-commission-chairman-yakubu-holding-secret-meetings-senate

The South-East Governors Forum has pleaded with the Spiritual Director, Adoration Ministry, Enugu (AMEN) Reverend Father Ejike Mbaka to stop speaking badly about the President Muhammadu Buhari-led government. Speaking at the church on Sunday, the Chairman of the Forum, David Umahi, said the President was really working to reposition the economy of the nation to reduce poverty. From photos shared online, Umahi had gone in company with Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi of Enugu State to felicitate with members during the annual harvest, thanksgiving and bazaar of the Adoration Ministry, which held on Sunday. Umahi further told Mbaka that the governors, Ohanaeze Ndigbo and other prominent people in the zone were making efforts to secure the release of the leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Nnamdi Kanu from detention. Umahi donated ₦30 million, 200 tubers of yam and 100 bags of rice during the thanksgiving service. He advised that “those elected into the position of authority should provide good governance to the masses who elected them.” By SaharaReporters, New York Source:http://saharareporters.com/2021/10/25/south-east-governors-beg-outspoken-preacher-father-mbaka-stop-criticising-buhari

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission has detained a former Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Anyim Pius Anyim, in connection with the ongoing probe of a former Minister of Aviation, Senator Stella Oduah. Anyim, it was learnt, was grilled on Sunday for several hours in connection with the fund which was traced to a company in which he was a director. He reportedly arrived at the EFCC office in the afternoon on Sunday and was quizzed for over six hours. Sources said Anyim, who is still in custody late on Sunday night, may be detained till Monday. The detention of the former SGF is coming days after Oduah was named in the Pandora Papers as one of 10 Nigerians hiding their wealth in tax havens. The EFCC is believed to have commenced a probe of Oduah and others named in the report. A source said, “Anyim’s invitation and interrogation is in connection with a case of money laundering involving a former Aviation Minister and serving senator, Senator Stella Oduah. ”Investigations revealed that part of the aviation ministry’s N780 million was traced to a company in which Anyim has interest. He is presently cooperating with investigators.” The Head of Media and Publicity of EFCC, Mr Wilson Uwujaren, said he had no information on Anyim’s detention. By Adelani Adepegba Source:https://punchng.com/efcc-detains-anyim-over-n780m-aviation-ministry-fund/

The Ken Saro-Wiwa Foundation has said it wants exoneration and not pardons to be granted to the late environmental activist, Ken Saro-Wiwa and eight others executed by the Nigerian military dictator, Sani Abacha. The Foundation was reacting to a statement attributed to President Muhammadu Buhari saying he was considering granting a state pardon to Saro-Wiwa and others executed at the height of the Ogoni crisis in the 1990s. A statement signed by Dr Owens Wiwa, brother of Ken Saro-Wiwa, on behalf of the Board of Directors of the Foundation and obtained by SaharaReporters on Sunday, however, said the late activist and the eight others who were murdered by the Abacha regime were not criminals. The group, which became known as Ogoni 9, were activists from the Ogoni region who opposed the operating practices of oil companies destroying their area. They were author and playwright Ken Saro-Wiwa, Saturday Dobee, Nordu Eawo, Daniel Gbooko, Paul Levera, Felix Nuate, Baribor Bera, Barinem Kiobel, and John Kpuine. They were tried by a special military tribunal for allegedly masterminding the murder of Ogoni chiefs at a pro-government meeting, and hanged in 1995 by the military dictatorship of General Abacha. The statement titled, ‘Exoneration Not Pardon For Ken Saro-Wiwa,’ read: “The Board of Directors of the Ken Saro-Wiwa Foundation (KSWF) have received and read the statement from Mr (Femi) Adesina, the Special Adviser on Communications to the President of Nigeria, General Muhammadu Buhari (Rtd), in which the President conveyed his willingness to grant clemency or pardons to Ken Saro-Wiwa and eight Ogoni activists illegally executed by the Nigerian Military Dictatorship of Sani Abacha on November 10, 1995, after a sham trial. “Ken Saro-Wiwa and the other Eight Ogonis were not criminals. They were innocent activists unjustly murdered for fighting for a just cause on behalf of their oppressed community. The path to true peace in the region begins with justice. The cleaning up of the environment for which they campaigned and died for is a first good step. “The exoneration of Ken Saro-Wiwa and 8 other Ogoni activists, judicially murdered on November 10 1995 is another step towards peace. “The family of Ken Saro-Wiwa have made a request for the exoneration of Ken Saro-Wiwa to the President in the past and are still waiting for a response. We urge the President to again consider this request as a path to justice and peace.” The statement added that the “family and the Foundation have not asked any individual to ask for pardon or clemency for Ken Saro-Wiwa on our behalf, nor are we aware of any group of Ogonis making such a request” Earlier on Sunday, human rights activist, Omoyele Sowore faulted President Buhari's proposed posthumous state pardons for Saro-Wiwa and others. Sowore said Saro-Wiwa never committed a crime, adding that an innocent person cannot be pardoned. Sowore, who disclosed this on Twitter, stressed that Buhari is the one who once carried out a coup, which is a treasonable offence for which he has yet to be tried. "Ken Saro-Wiwa never committed a crime. You can’t pardon any innocent person! Muhammadu Buhari is the one who once carried out a coup - a treasonable offence for which he’s yet to be tried! EXONERATE Ken Saro-Wiwa NOW!" The activist also queried Buhari for scheduling the next trial date for Nnamdi Kanu, leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) for November 10, the same date Abacha murdered the Ogoni 9 in 1995. "Why did Muhammadu Buhari schedule the next sham trial date for Mazi Nnamdi Kanu for November 10th, the same day Sani Abacha murdered Ken Saro-Wiwa and 8 other Ogonis in 1995? #RevolutionNow." By SaharaReporters, New York Source:http://saharareporters.com/2021/10/24/we-want-exoneration-not-pardons-saro-wiwa-8-other-activists-illegally-killed-abacha