President Muhammadu Buhari said on Sunday that Nigeria would be one of the top countries on the World Bank’s Ease of Doing Business index in the next three years.
Nigeria is currently ranked 169 out of 189 countries on the bank’s 2016 Ease of Doing Business report.
But Buhari said the Federal Government was committed to ensuring that the country moved up 20 places in the first year and be in the top 100 within the next three years.
According to a statement by his Senior Special Assistant on Media and Publicity, Garba Shehu, the President spoke at a plenary session on “Dialogue with the Private Sector” at the sixth Tokyo International Conference for African Development holding in Nairobi, Kenya.
He said his administration was implementing policies and measures to create the right and enabling environment for business and investors in Nigeria.
He told the gathering that included several African leaders, the Japan Prime Minister, Shinzo Abe, and international business executives that his administration’s vision was to make Nigeria one of the top investment destinations in the world, within the shortest time possible.
He said his administration had therefore established the Presidential Enabling Environment Council and Inter-Ministerial Council with the responsibility of driving the move.
The President said, “One of the most important priorities of our government is to create the right and enabling environment for business and investors in Nigeria.
“Our vision and objective is to make Nigeria one of the most attractive and the easiest places of doing business in the world. We believe government has a particular responsibility to create the right and attractive environment for business and economic activities to thrive.
“In furtherance of this vision, we have launched the Presidential Enabling Environment Council, and Inter-Ministerial Council to oversee the efforts of the government to remove various bottlenecks that stifle businesses and economic activities and thereby creating economic activities, the right enabling environment and investment climate in Nigeria.
“The secretariat will include strong private sector representation that will be led by experienced business professionals from the private sector. We are committed to moving up the ranking of the World Bank’s ease of doing business index 20 places in first year and be in the top 100 within the next three years.”
Meanwhile, the Pesident has said that the government will sustain concrete measures aimed at diversifying Nigeria’s economy by devoting more resources to agriculture in the 2017 budget.
Shehu, in a separate statement on Sunday quoted Buhari as saying this while granting an interview on the sidelines of the sixth Tokyo International Conference on African Development in Nairobi.
The President also said African countries, including Nigeria, must learn from Japan how to develop agriculture.
He said the extra votes that would be allocated to agriculture in next year’s budget would cover areas such as procurement of machinery for land clearing, fertilizers, pesticides and training of less-educated farmers.
There were angry reactions on Monday after President Muhammadu Buhari shunned the #BringBackOurGirls group and the parents of the Chibok schoolgirls who were abducted by the Boko Haram sect 861 days ago.
The BBOG and the some parents of the girls had assembled at the Unity Fountain, Maitama, Abuja, at 10am from where they marched towards the Presidential Villa.
Together with hundreds of sympathisers, who joined them on the way, the protesters had moved towards the President’s office, demanding concrete actions from the Federal Government to save the girls.
But the movement of the protesters was cut short by armed riot policemen who blocked the access road to the seat of power.
The protesters, who arrived at the junction to the Presidential Villa at 11.07am, were prevented from going inside by policemen who told them that they had no clearance to see the President.
The protesters, led by the Co-convener, BBOG, Oby Ezekwesili, later set up a camp on the access road to the President’s office.
In response to Ezekwesiki’s query about the blockade, the officer in charge of the police team, CSP Obasi Chuks, said he could not allow the protesters to proceed to Aso Villa because they did not have an official clearance.
Neither Buhari nor any of his aides came out to address the protesters for more than three hours that they sat on the access road to the villa.
BBOG urges military action, negotiation
The BBOG in a statement read to journalists by its Strategic Committee Chairman, Aisha Yesufu, said the Federal Government must rescue the 219 Chibok schoolgirls either through a military operation or negotiation with Boko Haram or a combination of both.
It observed that each option had risks, but added that the nation had the capability to assess the risks and adopt the best solution to rescue the girls.
“Three options are available for the rescue of our #ChibokGirls – the use of military force, negotiation for their release or a combination of both. We acknowledge that each option comes with inherent risks, but we also understand that Nigeria has the capability to assess and adopt the best solution,” the coalition stated.
The campaigners said they would no longer entertain any delay in the rescue of the girls.
The group said, “When the proof of live video (released by the CNN on April 14, 2016) was dismissed on the premise that the authenticity of the source could not be ascertained, we advised that every source of intelligence must be treated as actionable. This however did not happen.
“The return of our #ChibokGirl, Amina Ali, on May 18, 2016, her revelations and details of the state of our girls provided a source of first-person intelligence which should have inspired a decisive action. Again, this did not materialise.
“The release of the plea-for-rescue video on August 14 and its corroboration of Amina’s revelations must now be the final part of the decision-making requirements.”
The coalition demanded that the President addressed Nigerians on his rescue plan, stressing that he should constitute a #ChibokGirls Rescue Operation Monitoring Team made up of the representatives of the Federal Government, parents of the Chibok girls, Chibok community and #BringBackOurGirls group, to monitor the President’s sustained action towards rescuing the girls.
The group also requested Buhari to preside over national emergency in the North-East conference to find a cohesive response plan to the humanitarian crisis there.
The BBOG said Buhari should direct the Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, and the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission to set up a special desk with the responsibility for fast-tracking the trials of the arms procurement funds fraud.
It also demanded that the Chief Justice of Nigeria prioritised the trials of all counter-insurgency related corruption cases.
It rejected the excuse by Buhari that the government did not know which Boko Haram faction to negotiate with and called on western nations to assist Nigeria.
The BBOG called on President Barack Obama of the United States, Prime Minister Theresa May of the United Kingdom, President Francois Hollande of France, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau of Canada and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of Israel to support Nigeria with their military and intelligence assets to rescue the Chibok girls.
“We reject the recurrent excuses by the President that the Federal Government does not know which faction of the splintered terrorist group it should engage in negotiations,” the statement added.
It said, “Our movement shall monitor the response of Mr. President and shall return on a march to the Villa every 72 hours until persuasive actions become evident to all.”
‘I’m not ready to watch another video’
Esther Yakubu, the woman whose daughter, Dorcas, spoke in the latest Boko Haram video, stated that she was not ready to watch another video of the abducted girls, insisting that the government had credible evidence to get them back.
She expressed dissatisfaction with the government over its slow response, stating that the schoolgirls deserved to be freed.
She said, “I will like the government and the world to know that we are ready to receive our girls back in whatever form; we are not happy with the government. Why are they not making efforts to rescue our girls? Is it because we are poor?”
Yakubu stated that since the government claimed that it had defeated Boko Haram, it meant it could negotiate with the group from a position of strength, noting that the war against the insurgents was not over until the girls were rescued.
A BBOG campaigner, Maurine Kabrik, said the President was not a man of the masses as widely believed, noting that he had failed to live up to the expectation of the people.
She stated that the BBOG would continue to demand answers from him about the missing girls.
‘We regret voting for Buhari’
The Chairman, Chibok community in Abuja, Tsambido Abana, said the members of the community worked for Buhari in 2015 and expressed regrets for voting him into power.
He flayed the President for not fulfilling his electoral promise of rescuing the girls, noting that one year after assuming power, Buhari had not rescued the girls and had yet to visit the North-East.
Abana said, “No one has spoken to the family of any of the Chibok girls since the last video was released by the terrorists. We regret our votes. We regret them.
“We were promised that the President would visit the Sambisa Forest after becoming President; we were also told that within two weeks our girls would be rescued.
“But over one year now, there is no tangible action about our girls. The Presidency stated, instead, that it was confused about the insurgents.”
FG keeps mum on protest
Attempts to speak with the Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, were abortive as his calls rang out. He also did not reply text messages sent to his mobile phone.
Rights groups flay President
Some socio-political groups also berated the government for not granting audience to the protesters.
The President of the Committee for Defence of Human Rights, Mr. Malachy Ugwummadu, said preventing the campaigners from getting to the Presidential Villa was an indication of the government’s lack of empathy for the families of the kidnapped girls.
He added, “The campaign for the release of the girls is already an international affair. A campaign fully endorsed by the international community for which reason they ought to allow free access in order to continue to show empathy, understanding, determination and resolve to resolve the menace.
“It will be counter-productive to unleash policemen on the protesters because that will expose the government as an intolerant government even if the government means well.”
Also, the National Publicity Secretary of Afenifere, Yinka Odumakin, said the BBOG was no more the darling of the government.
He said “The group should know by now that those who found mileage in what they were doing almost two years ago must see them as a nuisance today since roles have changed.
“Those who knew the whole game among them have moved into the government and secured positions. It would be naive on the part of those remaining there not to know that they are no longer the darlings they were in the past.”
The President of the Campaign for Democracy, Abdul Usman, said, “It’s unfortunate that the government that capitalised on the Chibok girls rescue today will close its doors on the same group that led the advocacy.
“The call on the rescue of Chikok girl is a necessity and the civil society organisations will not give up until they are rescued.”
A self-proclaimed prophet, Emmanuel Adeyemi, has been arrested by the police in Lagos State after 28 persons were allegedly found chained in his apartment in the Oke-Ira, Ogba area of the state.
Our correspondent learnt that there was confusion on Olamidun Close, Oke-Ira, where the suspect lived, on Friday when operatives from Area G Command, Ogba, stormed the apartment and found the victims chained in several rooms.
PUNCH Metro gathered that the victims, who comprised 15 adults and 13 teenagers, were discovered after a neighbour gave the police a tip-off that a 17-year-old boy, Toba Adeyemi, who happened to be the suspect’s son, was chained in a room.
It was learnt that the police stormed the house at about 12pm and found Toba, they also discovered 27 others in a similar condition.
A police source in Area G, Ogba, told PUNCH Metro that the suspect claimed that his son, Toba, and the 27 others were deranged and he chained them to cure their illness.
He said, “The report we initially received was that a boy, Toba (Adeyemi), was being chained down by his father, a self-proclaimed prophet, in the estate. But when we got there, it was more than just the boy. There were 27 others chained in various rooms in the apartment.
A victim
“The suspect claims to be a spiritualist and a prophet. He said his work is to pray for sick people to get well. He said the victims were sick and he had been praying for their healing. The suspect has some magical inscriptions on the wall of his house. The victims comprised six adult males, nine adult females, seven female children, and six male children.
“The families of the victims have not shown up to identify them.”
Our correspondent gathered that the police had handed over the victims to officials of the Lagos State Ministry of Youths, Sport and Social Development.
While some of the victims were taken to a shelter, others were said to have been rushed to hospitals, which the police did not disclose.
A resident on the close, who identified herself only as Basirat, told our correspondent that the prophet was known to run a home for mentally challenged people.
She said, “The police got a hint that the man chained his son, who has mental illness. But the place is a home the man built for mentally challenged people. Policemen were here on Friday and they arrested him and his wife. Toba is Adeyemi’s son, but a neighbour, who saw how the father chained him was not comfortable with it and reported to the police.”
The Lagos State Police Public Relations Officer, SP Dolapo Badmos, confirmed the incident.
She added that the police had commenced investigation into whether the victims were mentally sick or not.
She said, “A total of 28 persons were rescued from the suspect’s apartment. The man has been arrested and he is undergoing interrogation. The command will get to the root of the matter. The police are also investigating to find out whether the victims are mentally sick or not.”
The police also on Friday arrested a 27-year-old suspected robber, Sunday Onjefu, during an operation at Itedo bus stop, Lekki Phase 1 area.
Our correspondent learnt that Onjefu, who hails from Benue State, was arrested by the Maroko Police Division while allegedly dispossessing some ladies of their handbags and other valuables.
The police spokesperson, Badmos, said the suspect had been transferred to the Special Anti-Robbery Squad, Ikeja, for further investigation.
She said, “The police found two toy guns and a knife on him. The suspect said he had robbed people staying in the area with the toy guns.”
The man who named his dog Buhari, Joachim Iroko, aka Joe, was remanded on Monday at the Ibara Prison following his arraignment at the Ota Magistrate Court 2, Ogun State.
He was charged to court by the police with conduct likely to cause breach of the peace, in a case with suit number MOT/617c/2016.
The prosecutor, Inspector Itaita Ebibomini, said the accused committed the offence on Saturday, August 13, 2016, at the Hausa section of Ketere Market in Sango-Ota in the Ota Magisterial District.
The prosecutor told the court that the offence was punishable under Section 249 (d) of Criminal Law of Ogun State, Nigeria, 2016.
The accused, who was represented by a counsel, U. Michael, pleaded not guilty to the charge.
The charge read, “That you, Joachim Iroko, aka Joe, and others still at large, on Saturday, August 13, 2016, at about 5.30pm at the Ketere area, Sango, in the Ota Magisterial District did conduct yourselves in a manner likely to cause breach of the peace, by writing a name, Buhari, on a dog and parading same in the Hausa section of Ketere Market, Sango, thereby, committing an offence contrary to and punishable under Section 249 (d) of the Criminal Law of Ogun State, Nigeria, 2016.”
His counsel, however, pleaded that the accused should be granted bail. The prosecutor did not oppose the application for bail. The two witnesses in the case were present in court.
The Chief Magistrate, B. J. Ojikutu, admitted Iroko to bail in the sum of N50,000 with two sureties in like sum, adding that the sureties must be regular taxpayers in the state.
“They must attach four passport photographs each to the bail bond, depose to affidavits of being gainfully employed, and reside in the court’s jurisdiction,” he added.
The case was adjourned till September 19, 2016.
Iroko, who had been formerly identified as Joe Fortemose Chinakwe, was arrested on Saturday, August 13, after one of his neighbours, who is of Northern extraction, complained that he named the dog after his father, Alhaji Buhari.
The suspect was first taken to the Sango Police Station, from where he was transferred to the state police command headquarters at Eleweran, Abeokuta.
However, as of press time, his family members had yet to perfect the bail for his release. He was subsequently taken to the Ibara Prison.
Gunmen suspected to be Fulani herdsmen on Sunday night reportedly killed three persons among them, one Pastor Luka Ubangari of the Redeemed Christian Church of God, Unguwan Anjo, near Godogodo in the Jema’a Local Government Area of Kaduna State.
The cleric was said to have been ambushed, shot and killed while on his motorcycle after an evangelical visit to Golkofa, also in the area.
The incident occurred a few days after the state governor, Mallam Nasir el-Rufai, visited Godogodo and Sanga districts, in the Jema’a and Sanga local governments areas, all in the southern part of the state to appraise the attacks of suspected Fulani herdsmen in the area.
El-Rufai in the affected villages of Gada Biyu, Anjo and Godogodo penultimate Tuesday, condemned the killings, describing them as ‘senseless,’ promising to arrest the perpetrators.
A source told our correspondent that two days after the murder of Ubangari, suspected herdsmen attacked Ningon village, 6km from Gwantu, headquarters of Sanga LGA, killing two persons and seriously injuring another person.
The source, who craved for anonymity, noted that their joy during the visit of the state governor to the area, turned sour as result of the latest attack.
He said, “We were happy that Governor Nasir el-Rufai visited and assured us of improved security and that the killers would be found and punished.
“To our shock, Pastor Luka Ubangari was ambushed, shot and killed as he was riding his motorcycle after an evangelical visit to Golkofa. He was killed by Fulani men who were out to remove us from our ancestral lands.”
Mr. Nuhu Tukura, the President of the Ningon Community Development Association, said Ningon was attacked on Sunday night and two natives, Gambo Sule, 38, and Benjamin Auta, 35, were killed by gunmen.
He added that the police only arrived on Monday morning following a distressed call put on to them on Sunday night.
Tukura said, “At 8:45pm Sunday night, Mr. Gambo Sule, 38, Mr. Benjamin Auta, 35, were killed by unknown herdsmen.
“We are seriously troubled by all these happenings. Now, we don’t even know what we can do to have rest. Our farms, we cannot go, and our houses we cannot live in. What else shall we do?
“We called the police immediately the incident occurred around 8:45pm on Sunday night, but they did not come until around 7:30, this morning, (Monday). “We are pleading with the state government to help us with security and assist us in feeding. Most farmers are afraid to go to the farm and there will be food scarcity problem this year and the next.”
The Kaduna State Police Command Public Relations Officer, Aliyu Usman, who confirmed the incident told our correspondent on phone that only one person was killed.
Usman said but for the timely intervention of the police, the casualty figures would have been higher.
He said the police used armoured personnel carriers to chase the armed bandits out of the villages.
Usman said, “When the people learnt of the invasion of the attackers, the police in the area swiftly moved in with APC to chase away the attackers. However, one person was killed. Our men acted quickly to save the situation.”
The Niger Delta Avengers on Thursday threatened that it will declare a Niger Delta Republic on October 1 should President Muhammadu Buhari fails to restructure the country.
It also said the group is praying for the Buhari-led federal government to discover oil in commercial quantity in the northern part of the country.
NDA had claimed responsibility for major attacks on oil facilities in the region in recent past vowing not to relent until the nation’s economy was completely crippled.
The group’s spokesman, Mudoch Agbinibo, stated this on Thursday in reaction to President Buhari’s order directing the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation to increase tempo on oil exploration in the North-East.
It said that the discovery of oil in commercial quantity would make Nigerians appreciate what the people of the Niger Delta experienced in the hands of the Nigerian government.
NDA reemphasised that the country was in dare need of restructuring. It accused the present government of dividing the country through her ‘misdirected policies’.
The militants said, “Our prayer for Buhari and the Northern hypocrite (Northern Governors) is that oil should be found in commercial quantity in the North, so they can let the Niger Delta go.
“The Buhari Led government has failed Nigerians with their misdirected policies that has divided the country, as such nobody wants to be part of that failed state not even the Niger Delta.”
The statement added further, “The October 1st, declaration of independence is still sacrosanct, If the Nigerian government fails to retrace its step by restructuring this country.
“We want to warn the general public that those using NDA to defraud people days of reckoning is close.”
Despite the N3.87bn allocated to it in the 2016 Appropriation Act, lack of drugs and other essential medical items have crippled operations at the State House Medical Centre, The PUNCH has learnt.
The centre provides medical services to the President, Vice-President and their families, aides, members of staff of the State House and other entitled public servants.
It is also a training facility for house officers and other medical personnel.
Investigations by our correspondent showed that the centre located in Asokoro, a highbrow area of the Federal Capital Territory, is gradually becoming a shadow of its old self.
A cross-section of the centre’s patients told The PUNCH that patients were now being asked to go and buy drugs from outside as they were no longer available in the centre.
Most hit, it was further learnt, are patients with kidney problems who are currently undergoing dialysis in the facility.
Although, some of them are expected to be undergoing the dialysis at least twice a week, the centre’s management has been cancelling such exercise lately, therefore putting the lives of the patients at risk.
In some instances when they attend to them, the patients are made to come with some of the items the doctors will use for the exercise.
Our correspondent learnt that the centre’s management had resorted to sending text messages to patients on items they should bring for their treatment.
In one of such messages sent to a patient which is in The PUNCH’s possession, the management wrote, “Mr. XXX (names withheld), when u (sic) are coming for dialysis on Monday, buy IVF Normal Saline to be used for ur (sic) dialysis. The office doesn’t have it. Buy like four pieces.”
Normal Saline IVF solution is used in the treatment, control, prevention and improvement of conditions such as low sodium, potassium, magnesium, calcium levels as well as blood and fluid loss.
It improves the patients’ condition by maintaining proper fluid balance and keeping the tissues hydrated.
Another patient who spoke with our correspondent said he had a crisis recently because the centre cancelled his routine dialysis.
He said the centre’s management cancelled the session because of non-availability of bloodline.
He showed our correspondent a message sent to him on the cancellation.
The message read, “Gudevening (sic), we can’t dialize (sic) you tomorrow because we don’t have bloodline. When it is available, I will get back to you. Pls (sic) dialyse (sic) somewhere else. Thanks.”
The patient said the first time the session was cancelled, he was referred to a private hospital in Garki where he paid N20,000.
He added that when he could not afford the cost the second time, he was directed to another hospital in Wuse.
“As a result of the stress I passed through, by the time I returned home, I was very weak. My health situation deteriorated midnight and my people rushed me to the hospital. I was discharged about three days after,” he said.
Many other patients who spoke with our correspondent said the medical centre could no longer boast of “ordinary malaria drugs.”
“The clinic does not even have ordinary paracetamol. Paracetamol was included in the list of drugs they asked me to go and buy recently. Before now, they were giving us drugs.” another patient said.
The Minister of Health, Prof. Isaac Adewole, did not pick his calls when our correspondent attempted to get his reaction on Tuesday.
He also did not respond to a text message sent to him on the issue.
The Permanent Secretary, State House, Alhaji Jalal Arabi, had while defending the State House’s budget before the Senate Committee on Federal Character and Inter-governmental Affairs, and members of the House of Representatives Committee on Special Duties disclosed that N3.2bn of the budget was earmarked for the upgrade of State House Clinic to a Centre of Excellence.
Arabi had said, “The budget for the State House Medical Centre included N3.219bn proposed for the completion of ongoing work as well as procurement of drugs and other medical equipment.
“The Medical Centre provides health care treatment for the President and Vice-President, their families as well as numerous civil servants working in the State House and across the Ministries, Departments and Agencies of government and of course, with due respect, including parliamentarians and members of the legislature in addition to other notable dignitaries.
“Interestingly, Mr. Chairman, on a lighter note, not only those that have been captured here attend (the Medical Centre) there are poor of the poorest that attend because we receive reference from Gwagwalada, Garki, Wuse hospitals.
“So, if they come, we attend to them and interestingly too at no fee at all, we don’t charge.
“The anticipated improvement of the Medical Centre will propel it to serve as a Centre of Excellence and also reduce medical tourism.
“May I also add that the State House Medical Centre, unlike other medical centres does not charge any fees for its services and hence does not generate any revenue for itself.
Nigeria's Ese Brume competes in the Women's Long Jump Qualifying Round during the athletics event at the Rio 2016 Olympic Games at the Olympic Stadium in Rio de Janeiro on August 16, 2016. / AFP PHOTO / Adrian DENNIS
Nigeria’s quest for an Olympic medal continued on a woeful note in the early hours of Thursday after two of the country’s medal hopes, Ese Brume and Ejowvokoghene Oduduru, failed to soar at their separate events.
Brume, a track and field athlete who specialises in the long jump and holds the African junior record in the event, fell a distant fifth behind 30-year-old Tianna Bartoletta of the United State in the finals of the women’s long jump.
She could only muster a leap of 6.81m while Bartoletta won the event after jumping 7.17m.
Meanwhile, Ejowvokoghene Oduduru could not gather the speed and pace which took him to the semifinals of the 200m track event behind Usain Bolt after clocking 20.59sec, a notable time difference from the 20.34sec he ran in round one.
Gatlin out
American sprinter Justin Gatlin failed to qualify for the men’s 200m at the Olympics on Thursday.
Gatlin, who has served two doping bans, finished third in 20.13sec and missed out on one of the eight final berths for Fridays’s final.
