State governors should protect their territories by going after criminals

The spate of attacks on rural communities across the country has gradually brought the average citizen to the Hobbesian state where life has become nasty, brutish, and short. The level of insecurity is such that in several communities across the country socio-economic activities have been paralysed. People are being killed, kidnapped on the road, in business places, in farms, and in the comfort of their homes. With rural dwellers denied access to schools, farms, and other sources of legitimate livelihood, it is little surprise that Nigerians are reeling from soaring food prices.

To deal with this challenge, many states have over the years toughened their anti-kidnapping laws, ranging from demolition of property linked to kidnapping to life sentence and capital punishment. It is in this light that the Enugu State government recently activated provisions of its anti-kidnapping law which had been dormant since 2016. The law provides that “If the building or structure owned by the offender or any other person, who knows or ought to reasonably know that the building or structure is so being used for that purpose, the building or structure shall be demolished or forfeited to the state government.” The idea is to dismantle kidnappers’ dens or strongholds and ensure that the criminals do not enjoy proceeds of their crimes.

 It is noteworthy that some of the demolished property were purpose-built for crime, as they have underground tunnels where they keep their victims or arms and ammunition. At Nkwubor Layout, Emene Nike, 17 firearms were recovered, namely eight AK47 rifles, seven pump action rifles, and two short guns, while two AK47 rifles were recovered at the Ogbeke Nike farm. Shrines, charms, and mini cannabis farms were also destroyed. These demolitions represent only a fraction of the state government’s war against insecurity.

Earlier in the year, Governor Peter Mbah proscribed the illegal sit-at-home order and mobilised security agencies and resources to wage a determined war against non-state actors and associated criminals, who previously had a field day killing security agents and hapless citizens, burning both government and private assets, forcing school children and students indoors, paralysing socioeconomic activities, and making life generally unbearable for the people. Equally noteworthy is the state’s huge investment in technology-enabled special police unit and vehicles known as the ‘Distress Response Squad’.

While we admit constitutional limitations suffered by the states in the war against insecurity, we nevertheless believe that the federating units can do more to clip the wings of criminal elements tormenting their states. That is what Governor Peter Mbah has demonstrated. But this is not to absolve the federal government of its responsibility, especially as all the security agencies are under its control. The nation’s security architecture needs to be reorganised, and better equipped. With helpless rural dwellers submitting to payment of taxes and levies just for their lives to be spared by non-state actors, the line between governance and anarchy has become blurred.

For years, governors have argued that each of the federating units (which the 36 states represent) should have control over their own security apparatus even when there will still be federal police. And the governors have very compelling reasons to ask for the decentralisation of the Nigeria Police Force as currently constituted. They, as the chief security officers of their states, bear huge responsibilities for the upkeep and maintenance of the police in the form of logistics, allowances, and other forms of assistance. But they have no control or power over police commands, whose men take orders from Abuja.

With the military being stretched over what ordinarily is not their constitutional duty, fresh ideas are needed to fight insecurity in the country. But like Enugu has demonstrated, there must also be the political will to tackle the menace.

All stakeholders should invest more in libraries

While education is described as the result of acquired knowledge and the accumulation of observations and experiences, a library serves as both the protector and storehouse of that knowledge and experience. But it is a neglected sector in the country. At the 2024 conference of the national libraries with state librarians in Bauchi State, the Nigeria Libraries Association (NLA) chairman, Vincent Giwa Franklin lamented this neglect. “Most of our public libraries don’t have modern equipment and facilities” while others are left with “outdated reading resources, books and journals.” But more concerning, according to Franklin, is that librarians are not treated like other professionals in the public service, even when they work extra hours, including at weekends.

 Since literacy refers to the ability to read, write, and comprehend information, it goes without saying that there is hardly meaningful education without functional libraries. In Nigeria, however, the education sector has long been without functional public libraries since existing ones are no better than the “national archives” they have derogatorily been termed. Most of our public libraries are not fit for purpose, with an unconducive environment, old furniture, first or second edition of old books, some of which were published in the 60s and 70s and which have been updated and reprinted more than five times. The reading rooms are mostly dark and stuffy as a result of power outage and poor/faulty cooling systems.

 In the past, students used to spend more time in the libraries after school because of the availability of textbooks and other reference materials, which help them to prepare for examinations and for self-development. But today, inadequate funding, poor management, government’s insensitivity, lack of public-private partnership and appointment of non-librarians as board members of library concerns, have combined to kill public libraries. It is therefore no surprise that the reading culture has been on the decline, as students prefer the short cut route to success while those who are ready to study get discouraged by the paucity of books in libraries.

 Indeed, a library not only meets the information needs of individuals, but it also creates and further develops

the civic sense and habits of citizens in the constructive use of their leisure time. A library also enables students to educate themselves continuously while keeping abreast of progress in all fields of knowledge and on public issues and world affairs. Regrettably, the advent of social media has also affected the reading culture as a result of misplaced priorities by students who spend a better part of their time on the internet either chatting, playing games or watching movies, rather than taking advantage of the vast instructional materials available online for self-development. The evidence of all this is the mass failure in all our

examinations, from Senior School Certificate Examinations (SSCE) to the Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME).

This poses a problem in Nigerian tertiary institutions, as our institutions of higher learning continue to churn out graduates that are best described as unemployable. The onus is now on government and other stakeholders to overhaul public libraries to prevent their total collapse and curb poor academic performance occasioned by poor reading culture. Public libraries should be stocked with up-to-date volumes of relevant books; and in collaboration with professional associations, government at all levels should set up virtual libraries in all local government areas across the country. Individuals, corporate organisations, educational foundations that operate private libraries, build libraries in communities or donate books to schools’ libraries should be encouraged to do more so that collectively, the country can develop libraries with up-to-date facilities so as to address the problem of mass failure and declining reading culture among the populace.

Government should do well by addressing the issue of insecurity across the land

The growing number of hungry Nigerians, according to the latest Cadre Harmonisé analysis on national food insecurity, “is driven by the lingering insecurity which is driving high levels of agricultural livelihood disruptions and losses, abnormal spikes in food prices, soaring inflation rates, unstable Consumer Price Index rate increase, dollar-naira exchange depreciation rate, petroleum product subsidies removal and its negative consequences on transportation and overall living cost.” As of June, the number of Nigerians grappling with food insecurity had reached a whopping 31 million. “Unless targeted humanitarian actions in the forms of food assistance, emergency agricultural support and resilience livelihood re-building interventions are urgently implemented among the risk populations, their FNI situation may deteriorate further,” the report stated.

 The United Nations World Food Programme (UNWFP) has warned repeatedly that millions of Nigerians are at the risk of hunger as prices of foodstuff skyrocket. Recent data compiled by an international e-commerce organisation also revealed that the average Nigerian household spends about 60 per cent of its income on food, the highest in the world. Insecurity in many of the rural communities has made it practically difficult for farmers to engage in agricultural production optimally, thus affecting productivity and largely causing market disruptions with attendant food price shocks.  

 For years, the cost of the general insecurity, particularly in the north has adversely affected agricultural production and cost of living. Staples such as beans and tomatoes have seen astronomical surge in prices, just like onions, and cassava flour. Some states with high food prices are ironically major food-producing belt in peace times. Sokoto, for instance, is a major producer of beans, cowpea, groundnut, garlic, wheat, sugarcane, pepper, onions, and tomatoes, while groundnut, sorghum, sesame seed, maize, potatoes, tomatoes, onions, and pepper are produced extensively in Plateau State.  

With the support of the federal government and the United Nations (UN) systems, the Cadre Harmonisé, an initiative focused on food and nutrition analysis, conducts studies biannually (in March and October) across 26 states and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT). “Food insecurity and malnutrition are among the main drivers of humanitarian need in the BAY (Borno, Adamawa, and Yobe) states,” said the head of the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) in Nigeria, Trond Jensen. “People have been forced to adopt negative coping mechanisms such as survival sex and child labour to stay alive. Over the past year, dozens of farmers have lost their lives, and others have been abducted or injured while eking out a living outside the security perimeters of Borno’s garrison towns due to limited farming lands and few or no livelihood options.” 

While urging federal and state governments in Nigeria, donors, and other stakeholders to commit resources and implement measures to avert a potential food and nutrition disaster, the UN warns that timely action is of essence. According to the World Food Programme (WFP) Country Representative, David Stevenson, the hunger crisis in Nigeria, fuelled by the ongoing conflict in the northeast, needs urgent addressing. “Restoring peace in the northeast is critical for us to build pathways to production and achieve the northeast’s potential as the food basket of the country”, he said. 

Since food is needed for survival and well-being, there is a need for urgent intervention to avert a human catastrophe in the country. With the fear of malnutrition for millions of children (and mothers) who are deprived of a healthy and productive life, the situation is already dire. The recent flooding in several communities across the country has only compounded the woes of millions of Nigerians. We therefore enjoin authorities at all levels in the country to come up with practical solutions to the challenge of food security in Nigeria. 

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Regulators must do more to stem the problem

It was another hell on earth for several families in the country, following the explosion of a fuel-laden tanker along Bida-Agaie-Lapai Road in Niger State. The incident occurred when a tanker loaded with petrol (PMS) collided with a trailer truck loaded with travellers and cattle from Wudil in Kano State en route Lagos. No fewer than 48 persons reportedly lost their lives. Scores of others were injured while about 50 cows died on the spot. The tanker from Lagos on transit to Kano, loaded with fuel was said to be on top speed when it lost control, fell down and was engulfed with fire.  According to the Director-General, Niger Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), Abdullahi Baba Arah, another trailer that conveyed cows and humans and two other vehicles were affected.

While we commiserate with the families of the deceased, the frequency of these accidents should compel action from the relevant authorities. Although the real cause of the disaster is yet to be officially ascertained, it is being blamed on reckless driving, bad road, and absence of traffic control at a critical intersection. But this is a problem that has gone on for years. The number of fatalities arising from petrol tanker explosions on our roads is getting increasingly high. That is aside the billions lost to such fire incidents.

The Major Energy Marketers Association of Nigeria (MEMAN) recently launched a stakeholders’ initiative involving the Depot and Petroleum Products Marketers Association of Nigeria (DAPPMAN), the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA), the Nigerian Association of Road Transport Owners (NARTO) and other key players to identify and resolve factors responsible for petroleum tanker crashes and explosions.  MENAN’s Executive Secretary, Clement Isong, said the analyses of several petroleum tanker-related crashes revealed that issues included drivers’ mental alertness and attitude, overloading of trucks, far exceeding safe limits, and inadequate maintenance.

In January 2019, six months after a tanker truck loaded with petrol  fell and spilled its contents on the Otedola Bridge axis on Lagos-Ibadan expressway, bursting into flames and killing several motorists, a similar tragedy occurred in Odukpani Local Government Area of Cross River State. The tanker was heading outside the state capital when it suddenly lost balance towards the Federal Housing Estate along the Odukpani axis of the highway and fell off. A few months later, dozens of villagers were killed in Ahumbe, Benue State when a tanker laden with  petrol exploded on the Alliade/ Makurdi Federal Highway in the Gwer East Local Government Area. The tanker driver reportedly lost control of the vehicle while trying to dodge a pothole.

In the wake of these tragedies, there were conversations about the nightmare that fuel tanker drivers have become in the country, but nothing has been done to tackle the menace. In four separate incidents within a spate of one week in 2015, no fewer than 100 people were killed with property worth hundreds of millions of Naira destroyed.  In Onitsha, Anambra State, 85 fatalities were recorded when a petrol-laden tanker lost control‎ and rammed into a public motor park. Several buildings, vehicles and property worth millions of Naira were also consumed by fire. Scores of others were left with different degrees of burns.

 Meanwhile, in most countries, petroleum products are transported through pipelines and not by putting thousands of trucks on the road every day as we do in Nigeria. Therefore, to stop the serial calamities on our roads, a solution must be found to the challenge. 

The will of the people should prevail

The competition for who becomes the next Governor of Edo State is intense with the campaigns laced with harsh rhetoric, hateful speeches and threats. There have also been a few clashes, helped in an environment heaving with small arms and other weapons, and swollen further by criminal networks in a state notorious for violent cultism. The situation has now been compounded by last Thursday’s decision of the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the state not to sign the peace accord ahead of the gubernatorial election holding this Saturday. But the onus is still on the politicians in the state to give peace a chance. At the end, the choice of who governs Edo for the next four years is that of the residents of the state to make. 

Prior to the National Peace Commission (NPC) public event, Edo State Governor, Godwin Obaseki, had told the Chairman and former Head of State, General Abdulsalami Abubakar that PDP might not sign the peace accord because the Inspector General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, has been arresting their members, a charge that has been disputed by the latter. On Thursday, the PDP state chairman, Tony Aziegbemi was at the venue of the exercise presided by the NPC Convener, Bishop Mathew Hassan Kukah. But he refused to sign the peace accord. While the PDP stance is quite unfortunate, we hope that all the critical stakeholders will work to ensure that the election is conducted in a credible manner and is devoid of violence.

Meanwhile, since an ‘end justifies the means’ approach to politics has over the years provided the incentive and motivation for power seekers to believe that all is fair and acceptable in electoral politics, the success or failure of Edo polls will depend largely on the capacity of the security agencies that must remain neutral throughout the entire process. We therefore urge Egbetokun to stay above the fray by providing a level playing field for all parties and candidates. No less important also is the role of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) as an impartial arbiter. Fortunately, INEC has had ample time to prepare and get its act together by ensuring that all logistical problems like late arrival of ballot papers and voting materials to polling centres are not repeated.

With less than a week to polling day, there is an urgent need for the authorities to confront the threats of electoral violence that loom in Edo State. Even if some of these allegations being bandied can be dismissed as the usual pre-election wolf-crying by politicians, there have also been some bloody ‘dress rehearsals’ during the acrimonious campaigns.  While17 political parties are on the ballot, the contest is essentially between the PDP represented by Asue Ighodalo, the All Progressives Congress (APC) that has Monday Okpebholo as its flagbearer and Olumide Akpata of the Labour Party (LP).

It is noteworthy that off-cycle election, an entirely Nigerian phenomenon which came into being in 2006, is increasingly being ingrained in our system. The 1999 Constitution as amended sanctions it. Off-season elections are primarily due to court rulings which overturn election results.  Section 180 (2) of the Nigerian Constitution specifies that a governor vacates the office four years from the date they first take the oath. Beyond the logistical nightmares that are now associated with off-season gubernatorial elections, we must find a constitutional response to the challenge of making INEC to conduct elections every other day. Yet as the courts continue to play a major role in our elections, the number of states conducting off-season elections would likely be lengthened, except cases are speedily dispensed.

Essentially because of the desperation by politicians, off-season elections that should ordinarily be easy to conduct are now marred by controversies. Instead of enhancing public trust and building confidence in the electoral system, they are now deepening the crisis of legitimacy. We therefore need a constitutional response to this problem even as we urge all critical stakeholders to work for a credible gubernatorial election in Edo State that is devoid of violence. May the best candidate win.

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Beyond the logistical nightmares that are now associated with off-season gubernatorial elections, we must find a constitutional response to the challenge of making INEC to conduct elections every other day

It pays to be proactive

We commiserate with the residents of Maiduguri caught in the flooding this week. It will take a long time for the ugly experience to ebb from their memories even after the water must have receded. With about two dozens dead and more than 400,000 displaced, the flood has severely impacted several neighbourhoods, including Fori, Galtimari, Gwange, and Bulabulin where people are being forced to evacuate their homes for camps on higher ground. The situation has been exacerbated by wild animals fleeing from the flooded state zoo. Snakes, crocodiles, and ostriches have reportedly been seen roaming the streets, adding to the chaos and danger for residents.

This awful event brings to the fore the need for vigilance and installation of early warning systems across the country. Storms will always come but it is important for the government to put in place mitigation and adaptation strategies. These can be achieved through early information flow to the communities. Those in charge of dams usually know from calibration when the water is getting to levels that could cause it to either overflow or burst. This is the reason for controlled release of water from dams after people likely to be affected have been alerted. With more vigilance, the burst of the Alau Dam that released most of the water could have been prevented. But we understand that government agencies charged with the responsibility of monitoring the weather and warning residents about impending storms are poorly funded and ill-equipped.  And regrettably, authorities in Borno State were not proactive, because they issued the flood alert on the day the dam collapsed.  Borno State government warning came too late. They should have known and done better, because this is not the first time the dam would collapse. In 1994, this same Alau Dam collapsed, leading to widespread devastation.  Indeed, nearly half of Maiduguri was submerged.

Meanwhile, the Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NiMet) recognises the imperative of having a flood preparedness plan for communities in the Chad Basin. “Any slight rainfall or flow of rivers from upstream, can cause problems for Maiduguri,” according to Zakari Haruna of NiMet, who explained how the tragedy could have been averted or mitigated. “I don’t know how they manage that dam, but it may have been overflowed by the consistent heavy rains we have been having, and the river above Maiduguri from the Chad Basin that has been making water collection beyond normal.”

When it comes to the issue of flooding, three federal government agencies coordinate activities. NiMet produces information that is used by the Nigeria Hydrological Services Agency (NIHSA) while the Nigeria Emergency Management Authority (NEMA) is responsible for mitigation. In NiMet’s view, most of those areas in August, September, and part of October would witness above-normal rainfall. The dam management is crucial in this regard. One option is to perform a sustained release of the water and if it is not done, the dam will either overflow or breakout, according to experts.

Describing the flooding of Maiduguri as a monumental disaster, the Executive Director of Health of Mother Earth Foundation (HOMEF), Nnimmo Bassey admonished that there must be adequate support to all the displaced people “not just in terms of immediate needs, but in terms of ensuring their long-term recovery.”

We endorse his prescription as we call on government and public-spirited individuals to come to the aid of the people of Maiduguri in this most difficult period.

The authorities should take flood predictions seriously

No fewer than 205 persons lost their lives in different flooding incidents across 29 states so far in 2024. Some 225,169 others were displaced from their homes, according to the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA).  Flooding also left 2,119 persons with varying degrees of injuries with Kano State said to be the worst hit with 35 dead. It is followed by neighbouring Jigawa State with 34 fatalities. But also worrying is that hundreds of farmlands, schools, and health facilities have either been submerged or washed away in many of the states.

Although the National Economic Council has set up a committee on the issue, authorities in the country must be concerned that these losses that traditionally occur during the peak of the rain season are detrimental to the national economy. “Already, farmlands are already submerged and therefore there’s need for collaboration between all the tiers of government to ensure food security. The need for planning, collaboration and interaction to do that during the harvest time because the bumper harvest may not be as envisaged,” said Bauchi State Governor, Bala Mohammed.  

It is one thing to have bumper harvest during the rainy season, but it is another thing to have the capacity to preserve the harvest for immediate gains of the farmers during the high demand for food that follows the dry season. That the focus has not been on pre-emptive intervention is why the federal government and the states would now be engaged in the all-too-familiar lamentation. Yet, reducing the alarming post-harvest losses in the agricultural sector has become very important. According to an assessment conducted by the National Agricultural Extension and Research Liaison Services (NAERLS), Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, an estimated N700 billion in economic value was lost to damage caused by the 2022 floods in the agricultural-related sector. This includes the loss of 8.4 million tonnes of 14 crop varieties output, valued at N384.4 billion, the loss of N100 billion worth of fish and over N93 billion in the livestock sector.

Floods are among the most frequent and costly natural disasters in terms of human hardship and economic loss. While the annual seasonal climate prediction report by the Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NiMet) provides critical information to help guide decision-making across all sectors of the economy, most Nigerians hardly pay attention until disaster comes. It is therefore no surprise that flooding has in recent years wreaked havoc in several communities across the country. 

Early in the year, the Federal Ministry of Water Resources and Sanitation and the Nigeria Hydrological Services Agency (NIHSA) identified 31 states as high-risk areas for significant flood impacts. It warned that most of the flood incidents would result from high rainfall intensities of long duration and poor and blocked drainage systems while warning of the health implications. Authorities in the 36 states had enough time to prepare adequate measures against the elements. But little or nothing was done hence we have now must contend with the tragedy of losing hundreds of people with hundreds of thousands of others displaced.

We hope the NEC committee will look at both short term and long-term measures to deal with this perennial challenge that claims dozens of our people while displacing thousands of others.

  Government must act with sincerity of purpose for the policy to make effective impact

In a bid to curb corruption in public places, former President Muhammadu Buhari in 2016 introduced the Whistleblowing policy. Unfortunately, despite the widespread enthusiasm which greeted it, the policy was curiously allowed to flag. Last week, there were indications that President Bola Tinubu would represent the bill to the National Assembly for legislative action and strengthen the fight against corruption. According to the Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Wale Edun who made the statement, “a successful whistleblowing policy requires receiving verifiable reports, conducting thorough investigations, and enforcing compliance with the law.”

Aimed at enhancing accountability and transparency in the management of public funds, the whistle-blower policy was well received by Nigerians, many of whom are persistent victims of the vicious cancer of corruption which manifests in contract inflation, embezzlement of salaries and pensions, diversion of funds meant for infrastructure, and related issues. The policy empowered citizens to report to the relevant authorities anytime they identified misappropriation of public funds and other fraudulent activities.

At the initial stage, the policy was a veritable tool for uncovering corrupt practices both in the public and private sectors. At the last count, hundreds of billions of naira had reportedly been recovered through the policy. At a recent workshop, entitled, “The Implementation of the Whistleblowing Policy in Nigeria: Issues, Challenges and Way Forward,” the federal government disclosed that it recovered over N83 billion, $609 million and 5.4 million euros in liquid assets between 2017 and 2023 following the introduction of the Whistleblowing policy. Even though the public was yet to be informed on how the money was spent, the Presidential Initiative on Continuous Audit (PICA) Director, Ministry of Finance, Yusuf Sule noted that all recoveries were lodged in the FGN Assets Recovery Account maintained by the Office of the Accountant General of the Federation (OAGF) and domiciled in the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN).

However, the implementation of the policy suffered many setbacks which affected its impact and effectiveness. Potential whistle-blowers, for one, were enveloped in fear as there was not any form of legislative protection. Besides, there was limited funding, while a key motivation for potential whistle-blowers was at best left cloudy. Perhaps nothing exemplified this than the controversy that surrounded the reward to the whistle-blower who instigated the process that led to the discovery of over N13 billion at the Osborne Towers, Ikoyi in Lagos. That incident, besides opening the government to ridicule, raised several questions about the whole policy. It also revealed that when it comes to keeping agreements, our government can hardly be trusted.

According to the policy, a whistle-blower was entitled to between 2.5 per cent and five per cent, provided there was a voluntary return of stolen or concealed public funds. Although such a figure is outrageous, many viewed with amusement the sharp dispute over payment to the Ikoyi whistle-blower. What is even more perplexing was that incident became a media event, while the said informant was subjected to all kinds of ordeal, with insinuations that he was insane to the extent he might not be able to manage the huge money that would accrue to him. If nothing else, that incident dealt a huge damage to its credibility, and evidently led to the loss of confidence in the policy.

Now that President Tinubu is said to be interested in reviving the idea, so many issues would have to be investigated. Besides, even if the National Assembly passes the proposed bill when eventually presented, the federal government must act with sincerity of purpose for it to make any meaning. Nigerians would also like to know how much was realised from previous efforts and how the money was expended.

The authorities should do more to stem the scourge

As millions of people around the world mark this year’s World Suicide Prevention Day (WSPD), it is important for critical stakeholders in our country to join the ongoing conversation about the malaise. Suicide is a major public health challenge, with more than 700,000 deaths each year globally, according to the World Health Organisation (WHO) which has chosen ‘Changing the Narrative on Suicide’ as triennial WSPD theme for 2024-2026. Changing the narrative, according to WHO “is about transforming how we perceive this complex issue and shifting from a culture of silence and stigma to one of openness, understanding, and support.”

In Nigeria today, reports on suicide have moved from an occasional blip to a very disturbing trend. It is not restricted to any demographic group as both the young and the old are killing themselves. According to WHO, one in four Nigerians suffer from some sort of mental illnesses. With about eight federal neuropsychiatric hospitals in the country, serious budget constraints, the exodus of many experts in the field for greener pastures abroad, it comes as no surprise that suicides are on the increase in the country. Unfortunately, there is nothing to suggest that there are efforts to tackle this health challenge in Nigeria.

Mental illness is nothing to be ashamed of. Like diabetes and heart disease, it is a medical condition which is treatable. Many people with mental health illness return to a productive and fulfilling life after promptly seeking help. But the country is not doing enough to tackle this public health emergency, and it is largely responsible for the growing cases of suicides. Stemming the tide requires a multi-sectoral and multi-disciplinary approach involving various government ministries, agencies, and departments especially that of health, labour and employment, and social services.   

 There are many theories as to why many Nigerians are now taking their own lives. They are traceable partly to the enormous emotional and financial stress as well as pervading poverty, and hopelessness. It is an established fact that impoverished individuals are a major risk group for depression. And depression, according to experts, is the most common reason why people commit suicide. Besides, the use of hard drugs (particularly Indian hemp, cocaine and even methamphetamine) are commonplace in the society and one of their adverse effects is depression. 

Medical practitioners under the aegis of the Society of Family Physicians of Nigeria (SOFPON) have for years been raising concerns about the growing number of Nigerians living with depression, a major risk factor for suicide. According to a SOFPON official, Dr. Blessing Chukwukwelu, in Nigeria, “only one-fifth of those with a depressive episode receive any treatment, and only one in 50 receives treatment that is minimally adequate.” She recommends that medical practitioners who see various cases of ailment at the Primary Health Centres should be trained on how to identify the symptoms of depression.  

While the authorities must begin to deal with the problem, there are also other reasons why people take their own lives and devastate members of their family and friends. For instance, underlying mental disorders such as schizophrenia, excessive alcoholism, and drug abuse play significant role in triggering suicidal thoughts. Schizophrenia is a disease with a wide range of weird symptoms like hallucinations, inner voices, disordered thinking and irrational fears and “emotions that seem out of tune with reality”. 

To successfully deal with this problem, the authorities must do more, including the urgent need to leverage on social media at least to address the issue of stigma. An awareness campaign is also important for the prevention of social habits that are detrimental to mental health, especially among young people.  

The authorities should do well by enforcing the law

We must commend the Lagos State government for not only establishing an institution to deal with the challenge of domestic violence but also for constantly giving updates on the prevalence of such crimes in our country. We also implore other states to follow the Lagos example in dealing with what has become an epidemic with serious social implications. In its latest report, the Lagos State Domestic and Sexual Violence Agency (DSVA) Executive Secretary, Titilola Vivour-Adeniyi, revealed that no fewer than 24,955 gender-based sexual violence were recorded in the state since 2019 till date.

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The challenge is not restricted to Lagos. Despite the stringent provisions in the Violence Against Persons Prohibition (VAPP) Act 2015, there is hardly a day without a report of a man inflicting violence either on his spouse or girlfriend. Based on “the compelling need to ensure that Lagosians realise that ending the menace of Sexual and Gender-Based Violence is indeed a collective effort, which requires the support and collaboration of all members of society,” there will be what is tagged ‘Eko Men Walk Against SGBV’ today. We hope that many men will turn up for the advocacy event to draw attention to this social problem.

 From physical and verbal abuse to rape and even murder, it is evident that the authorities are not doing enough to stem the tide of domestic violence which manifests itself in many forms in Nigeria today. While spousal abuse cuts across both sexes, women are predominantly the victims in the country. Yet abused women rarely report the violence they endure, for fear of being stigmatised by the society. Besides, the patriarchal interpretations within the various faiths preach endurance. Inevitably, the victim and the abuser (where summoned) are usually advised to go home and find a way to settle their differences, rather than make public the injury or the violence within.  

Assault and battery, even though serious offences in our law books, are hardly ever perceived as crimes by many of the law enforcement agencies, unless the acts ultimately culminate in death. In some instances, the police are extremely insensitive when dealing with the sexual abuse of minors, adding to the trauma of the survivors and their families. It is indeed imperative that the authorities make more efforts to understand the underlying causes and dynamics of this growing violence, if only to redeem the stability of the family unit, and consequently, the larger society. 

The fear of being ostracized, the lack of material and financial resources and the general lack of sympathy and support from the public have contributed immensely to the growth of domestic violence in many Nigerian homes. Curbing these tragic incidents is therefore a collective responsibility. It is also the duty of government, at all levels, to protect the most vulnerable by supporting the establishment of the necessary infrastructure and wherewithal, including safe houses, wherein abused children and women can be securely accommodated, counselled and enabled to regain some confidence and self-respect.  

  Ultimately, it behooves on all Nigerians to remain diligent and cast away the complacency that has hitherto been the bane of the victims of sexual abuse in our midst. Ignoring the subtle signals of sexual violence inflicted on our women can only lead to disruption in our families and society. If we therefore fail to act or report cases of sexual violence, we are all complicit.  

All the critical stakeholders could do more to contain the scourge

Determined to eradicate malaria in Nigeria, the federal government recently enlisted the support of some prominent business leaders to collaborate with the Nigerian Governors’ Forum, the National Assembly Joint Health Committees and women’s organisations in the country. Minister of State for Health and Social Welfare, Tunji Alausa, emphasised the urgency of addressing malaria prevalence in a country that accounts for over a quarter of global cases and about a third of the more than 600,000 deaths worldwide, mostly affecting children and pregnant women. “It is sad to note that malaria contributes about 25 to 30 per cent of childhood mortality and about 60 per cent of hospital attendance,” Alausa said. “Similarly, malaria is a major cause of absenteeism in schools, markets, and workplaces, as well as a significant out-of-pocket expense for most households in the country.”

To the extent that combating malaria requires multifaceted actions and partnerships involving public and private, international and Civil Society sectors, we commend the initiative and those who have agreed to serve on the Council. In recent years, according to the World Health Organisation (WHO), progress in reducing malaria has ground to a standstill. “Not only does malaria continue to directly endanger health and cost lives, but it also perpetuates a vicious cycle of inequity,” WHO reports. “People living in the most vulnerable situations including pregnant women, infants, ch

ildren under five years of age, refugees, migrants, internally displaced people, and Indigenous Peoples continue to be disproportionately impacted.” More concerning, according to WHO, is that the “African Region shoulders the heaviest burden of the disease – accounting, in 2022, for 94 per cent and 95 per cent of malaria case and deaths.”

Funding for malaria control globally is also inadequate. In 2022, US$ 4.1 billion – just over half of the needed budget – was available for malaria response. Globally the number of cases in 2022 was significantly higher than before the COVID-19 pandemic, rising to 249 million from 233 million in 2019. In the same period, the African region saw an increase in cases from 218 million to 233 million. The region continues to shoulder the heaviest malaria burden, representing 94 per cent of global malaria cases and 95 per cent of global deaths, an estimated 580,000 deaths in 2022. The World Bank has revealed that over the past decade, 11 African countries have reduced confirmed malaria cases by more than 50 per cent. The bank has also reported steady progress in Nigeria.

Last October, the federal government promised that the WHO-recommended R21/Matrix-M vaccine for the prevention of malaria in children would be available in Nigeria by June. We don’t know what has happened to that plan. Yet, to the extent that defeating malaria is critical to improving maternal and child health, Nigeria cannot afford to lag. With business leaders like Aliko Dangote, Tony Elumelu, Femi Otedola and others, the hope is that the Nigerian health authorities will adopt the best possible strategy that will help in the efforts to eradicate the scourge of malaria from our country.

With Nigeria among the 11 countries that carry approximately 70 per cent of the global burden of malaria, it is important to take seriously the Yaounde Declaration signed in March this year by Ministers of Health of the continent. The pledge is to provide stronger leadership and increased domestic funding for malaria control programmes; ensure further investment in data technology; apply the latest technical guidance in malaria control and elimination; and enhance malaria control efforts at the national and sub-national levels. In signing the declaration, they expressed their “unwavering commitment to the accelerated reduction of malaria mortality” and “to hold each other and our countries accountable for the commitments outlined in this declaration.”

 We wish the new Council success in their assignment.

Regulators should be alive to their responsibilities

In most Nigerian cities, vehicles with unacceptable emission standards clog the streets, oozing impurities unchecked. Majority of these are used vehicles close to end-of-life, meaning they are forbidden in the streets of the European and American cities from where they were exported to Nigeria. More of these vehicles are expected on the shores of the nation in the years ahead, as the developed world increases its switch to electric vehicles. Meanwhile, the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) revealed two years ago that children below the age of five in Nigeria die needlessly of (outdoor) air pollution-related pneumonia and of household air pollution-related pneumonia. UNICEF’s figures put Nigeria as having the highest number of air pollution-related child pneumonia deaths in the world. 

Lagos, the commercial nerve centre of the country is regarded as one of the world’s most polluted cities in terms of the air quality. But the situation is not better in many other cities across Nigeria. Available reports indicate that the average annual level of particulate matter in the country is several times higher than the World Health Organisation (WHO) recommended levels of concentration.  According to WHO, “the contributing factors to pollution are a reliance on using solid fuels for cooking, burning waste and traffic pollution from very old cars”.

Only recently, a report by Stakeholder Democracy Network (SDN), an international resource watchdog group, says Nigeria has some of the worst air pollution in the world, with dense clouds of choking soot hanging over gridlocked cities, leading to a rise in serious health conditions. Cities that the report listed as mostly affected are Port Harcourt, Aba, Onitsha, and Kaduna where poor air quality has reached crisis levels of pollution in recent years. There is irrefutable evidence of cause to effect, considering the rising cases of asthma, and respiratory diseases. Unfortunately, most Nigerians are unaware of the harmful effect of a polluted environment and how long-term exposure to it can lead to poor health and, eventually, death. The signs and symptoms of pneumonia, according to scientists, may include cough, fever, shortness of breath, sharp or stabbing chest pain, loss of appetite, low energy, and fatigue. 

Air Pollution occurs due to many reasons, including excessive burning of fuel, a necessity of daily lives for cooking, driving and other industrial activities. Researchers also focus on the bad quality of fuel imported and used in the country, as well as the equally bad quality fuel refined illegally in the creeks of Port Harcourt and Bayelsa which, from investigation, is of higher quality than the imports. Regardless, the unsophisticated refining process adopted in the creeks sends up impurities into the atmosphere and this is driven by strong sea wind to where it can do damage to unsuspecting residents.

Nigeria’s air quality is expected to be governed by the National Environmental (Air Quality Control) Regulations, 2014. The purpose of these regulations, according to the government is to provide for improved control of the nation’s air quality to such an extent that would enhance the protection of flora and fauna, human health and other resources affected by air quality deteriorations. The regulation is expected to guarantee everyone’s right to clean air. But the government seems hesitant to enforce the regulations or lacks the political will to do so.  A healthy environment has impact on the nation’s health bills. Yet the government has only paid lip service to the enforcement of environmental regulations and this neglect has possibly led to the prevalence of avoidable diseases and illnesses. That must change.

TACKLING THE MENACE OF MALNUTRITION

The authorities must do more to secure the future of our children

Childhood malnutrition has continued to take a devastating toll on our citizens through death and disability. Today, Nigeria remains home to the highest number of stunted children in Africa and ranks third globally – with more than 10 million of such children. Nigeria is also one of the six countries that account for half of all child deaths worldwide, with one million children under five years dying annually. To break it down, every hour, 100 children under five years die of malnutrition in Nigeria, according to the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF).

Indeed, most recent reports indicate that one out of every three Nigerian children under the age of five is suffering from chronic malnutrition which implies a marked increase in susceptibility to infections and contributes to child mortality. Invariably, pregnant women who are not adequately nourished eventually give birth to babies with low weight thus putting their survival at risk.

The costs of disregarding this issue in human and economic terms cannot be quantified. Indeed, available statistics reveal that malnutrition is a major underlying factor for child mortality in Nigeria. Yet the malaise has not received the kind of high-profile campaign and investment necessary to address it effectively – in comparison with other causes of child mortality such as malaria and HIV/AIDS. Consequently, while child mortality rate caused by malaria has shrunk by a third since 2000, child malnutrition rate has decreased only by a mere 0.3% over the same period.

Unless government, at all levels, takes immediate steps to address hunger and malnutrition, especially in children and pregnant women, our poor indices on maternal and child mortality can only get worse. If concerted and deliberate action is not taken, 2.4 million more Nigerian children will be physically and mentally affected by malnutrition, over the next two years. Nigerians, as a minimum, deserve a life free from hunger in a country so blessed with arable land and natural resources.

Unfortunately, both poverty and hunger continue to saturate our country’s landscape. Hunger is both a cause and consequence of poverty, as people on low income tend to have worse diets, while people who lack adequate nutrition struggle harder to extricate themselves from poverty. It is disturbing that the authorities cannot address the causes of malnutrition that have continued to deprive over half of our children (and mothers) of a healthy and productive life span. The situation has been compounded by recent economic policies of the current administration that have further pauperized the people.

Our government needs to sit up and confront this challenge with resolute decisiveness to secure the future of our children. Political commitment is therefore necessary to ensure advocacy on the adverse implications of malnutrition and how to avoid its devastating consequences. Partnership with civil society and academic institutions with a focus on food and nutrition is also an imperative. But such political commitment is best demonstrated by a tangible increase in resource allocation, with the relevant Ministries and Agencies committing to establish a road map and coordinated mechanisms for implementing activities for up-scaling nutrition in the public sphere.

This road map should consist of clear roles and responsibilities for the various stakeholders, as well as implementable strategies; with milestones for mainstreaming nutrition into agriculture, fortifying basic foods with essential minerals or vitamins and mobilising communities for action on growing more beneficial foods. For effective health and social protection, mothers must also be encouraged to adopt exclusive breastfeeding habits for their babies in the initial six months of their lives. Thereafter, complementary feeding can be introduced for 24 months, then the consumption of various nutrients such as Vitamin A, iodized salt and zinc, amongst others.

The association should always act as the bulwark of social justice and defender of the rule of law

After an energy-sapping campaign, Afam Osigwe, SAN, eventually emerged the President of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA). Although he was quick to list 12 issues that his administration will focus on, Osigwe appeared to have forgotten that he inherited a deeply polarised bar. While his predecessor, Yakubu Maikyau also inherited a fractured one, he was unable to unite members of the association. Osigwe’s immediate challenge is to unite members of the association, and any other thing will follow.

We must commend the NBA for conducting credible elections. Before the adoption of digital voting, electing the association’s executives was often stage-managed by some cabals. Bent on taking back the association from those who think it belonged to them alone, more lawyers are now taking part in the process. Today, popular participation has helped the NBA that used to go cap in hand to beg state governors for funds to organise its annual general conferences. Now that NBA depends more on revenue from members to run its activities, a measure of integrity has been restored to the association.

However, for both the bar and the bench to rise above the interests that are holding back fair and equitable justice administration in Nigeria, the onus is more on senior lawyers who must dispense with their toga of superiority complex within the NBA. They must understand how unique their role is both to the profession and the larger society. “Our system of justice is a public resource, it does not belong to the legal profession, it does not belong to the bar or to the bench. It belongs to the people,” former Vice President Yemi Osinbajo once reminded the Body of Senior Advocates of Nigeria (BOSAN) at one of their sessions. “We are paid operators of a service that our constitution created to resolve their disputes and give justice.”  

This leads us to another omission in Osigwe’s list of priorities–the lack of transparency in the affairs of the NBA. To rekindle members’ interest in the association, the new executive must be open and transparent in words and deeds. Besides, indiscipline among lawyers has reached an intolerable level. The impunity with which members of the profession engage in illegal and fraudulent activities has called to question the ability of the Legal Disciplinary Committee of the NBA to sanitise the profession. This is another issue that Osigwe’s exco must look into.

  Osigwe is assuming office at the same time with a new Chief Justice of Nigeria in Justice Kudirat Kekere-Ekun. We hope both will fight the corruption that has been linked to the bar and bench in Nigeria. The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) Chairman, Mahmood Yakubu has been critical of both in recent years. “In a number of electoral cases in Nigeria today, the settled law is now unsettled and the time-honoured principle of stare decisis does not seem to matter any longer,” Yakubu once lamented. “The more INEC strives to improve the credibility and transparency of our electoral process; the more extraneous obstacles are put in our way through litigations.”

To return the legal profession to that enviable position it used to be, the association must do more. In the past when NBA talks, government listens. This is no longer so. Can the NBA regain its voice under Osigwe? To do this, the association will have to stop meddling in politics and focus on strengthening the welfare of its members. While we congratulate the new NBA leadership, we hope that under Osigwe, the association will continue to act as the bulwark of social justice and defender of the rule of law and democracy in Nigeria. 

 Resident doctors should please return to work

The Federal Government has threatened to evoke the “No Work, No Pay” policy on members of the Nigerian Association of Resident Doctors (NARD) for the number of days spent on their nationwide industrial action. NARD members commenced a seven-day warning strike last Monday to demand the release of their colleague, Dr Ganiyat Popoola who was abducted in December 2023, along with her husband and nephew. Her husband was later released, while Popoola and her nephew remain in captivity. While we hope for the safe return of the medical personnel in captivity, we do not believe the NARD approach is the right one.

 Frequent face-off between health workers and government at all levels has not only left an indelible stain on the image of the public health care system in the country, but it has also brought untold hardship to many Nigerians. As a result of the ongoing strike, patients requiring health care in most government hospitals across the country are either being turned back or are left unattended to with dire implications. Many who may require emergency services and without enough funds to seek health care in private hospitals could unfortunately lose their lives at this period.
 

We fully support the aspirations of resident doctors in terms of their welfare, conducive working environment, training, and recognition of their contribution as sacrosanct to an efficient health care system and a better society. We also share the frustrations of resident doctors whose membership is depleting every day as many of their peers seek greener pastures abroad. However, we are of the view that a strike will not resolve the problem of kidnapping that affects all sectors of the country. Besides, NARD may be setting a bad precedent, especially considering the assurances by the federal government of efforts to secure the release of the doctor in captivity.

As previous cases have proven, parties would still return to the negotiating table after several lives have been lost. A more strategic way to resolve this logjam can be attained without bringing untold hardship to patients and other citizens that may need their services in the hospitals. We therefore plead with the resident doctors to return to work. The federal government should also understand that this is not an auspicious moment to dither on the issue of health care for the people. On that score, we don’t believe the ‘no work, no pay’ will resolve the crisis.

Incessant strikes are hugely inimical to the health of the nation and, in many ways, disruptive of the social order. Even when we disagree with NARD on this strike, the federal government needs to urgently improve the quality of lives of health care professionals by making deliberate efforts in that direction. This will not only help to reduce brain drain and medical tourism—two ‘monsters’ that should easily be blamed on insensitivity of government—but also help in the bid to revamp the health sector in the country.   

Health care delivery is critical to the well-being of any society. But over the years, the attention of government, both at the state and federal levels, is at best half-hearted. We can only appeal to the doctors to consider the interest of their suffering patients. For one, their Hippocratic Oath obligates them to save the several lives that are now being lost due to the prevailing dispute. We consider the ongoing strike unfortunate as the development is piling more pressure on already weak and fragile health system, and bringing untold hardship among Nigerians. There is an urgent need to stem this ugly trend.  

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 The Ministry of Education’s obsession with age is misplaced

In the past, the educational system in Nigeria provided one of the best in the world. But the sector is now fraught with problems, all self-inflicted. The entire educational landscape Is dotted with schools without books, equipment and competent teachers. At the tertiary level, the tell-tale signs are the products – largely unskilled, unproductive and unable to compete with their peers elsewhere. The crisis of tertiary education in Nigeria is better appreciated by the large number of our young citizens trooping to neighbouring countries within the West African sub-region to earn degrees. Amid these challenges, the priority of the current Education Minister, Tahir Mamman is age qualification for tertiary institutions in Nigeria.

 Last week, Minister of Education, Tahir Mamman announced the federal government decision to ban students who are under-18 years from sitting for the West African Senior Secondary School Certificate (WASSCE) examination, and the National Examinations Council (NECO). Both are crucial for admission into tertiary institutions. The federal government, according to Mamman, has instructed WAEC and NECO to enforce the directive that has stirred an outrage across the country. Mamman had earlier stated that the age limit for any candidate intending to write the Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) organised by the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) remained 18 years. It would have taken immediate effect but for the loud opposition by stakeholders at the JAMB admissions policy meeting. The decision was therefore grudgingly shifted to 2025.

Describing the policy as absurd, former Vice President Atiku Abubakar said it is a disincentive to scholarship and “belongs in the stone ages.” Chancellor of Afe Babalola University, Afe Babalola, SAN, argues that it flies in the face of university autonomy. “We do not forge with our own hands the chain that will hamper the development of our gifted children”, Babalola said. “University autonomy includes among other things the discretion to waive the minimum age requirement for students who pass the minimum requirements and possess exceptional academic potential,” as obtainable in several countries.

We agree with Babalola. Even in countries with minimum

age requirements for admission into tertiary institutions, there are special places for children with extraordinary

abilities. The Imafidons, often regarded as “Britain’s Brainiest” family, is a case in point. Anne-Marie Imafidon earned a master’s degree in mathematics and computer science from the University of Oxford at aged 20. Indeed, the youngest college graduate and holder of the Guinness World Record is Michael Kearney who graduated in 1994 at aged 10. Children are endowed differently. Other stakeholders have asked why, of the troubles in the sector, this should be the priority of the current administration, and why the policy is being made punitive.

Although the 6-3-3-4 system the country operates assumes that children would spend six years in primary school and another six years in secondary school (divided into junior and senior) before completion at age 18, the system has not worked that way. At present, there are hundreds of thousands of students studying in many Nigerian universities, public or private, who gained admission at less than 16. And there are millions who will complete their secondary school in the next five years before age 18. The prevailing fear is that Mamman’s policy will force

many students to stay at home, some for years. What will they be doing in the intervening years?

 It is more shocking that there was no consultation of any kind, at least to psyche up the parents, and the aspiring undergraduates. Even more fundamental, education is on the concurrent list in the 1999 Constitution. Major decisions ought to be taken in consultation with the sub-national governments. Instead of focusing on age, Mamman should turn his attention on worries that are weighing down education in the country: fixing the infrastructure in schools, hiring quality staff and securing the learning environment. In an age of technology, many of our schools are sorely deprived. There is not much to cheer, particularly in public schools. But if the government is bent on reviewing the present admission policy, it should consult extensively. And it should not be implemented like a military decree.

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Instead of focusing on age, Mamman should turn his attention on worries that are weighing down education in the country: fixing the infrastructure in schools, hiring quality staff and securing the learning environment

Security agencies must do more to contain the scourge of kidnapping

A string of attacks, kidnappings and a massacre of unarmed civilians in different theatres is suggestive of a country in the firm grip of organised crime. Despite security presence, some bandits in an unprovoked attack, ransacked Ayati, a settlement in the Ukum local government area in troubled Benue State. The body count rose to 74, including two policemen. On the streets of Abuja, the Police and some members of the Islamic Movement of Nigeria (Shiites) were last Sunday engaged in another bout of violence that claimed two of their personnel while several others were wounded.

But perhaps what depicted the utter lawlessness of the season was visited on the district head of Gatawa in the Sabon Birni Local Government Area of Sokoto State, Alhaji Muhammad Bawa. The 74-year-old monarch was abducted on the highway and died last week in bandits’ captivity. A viral video released earlier of the monarch, with hands and legs tied and clad in blood-stained clothes, was seen appealing to the Sokoto State Government, the Sultanate Council, his relatives and friends to help pay the ransom demanded and secure his release. While we sympathise with the family and the Gobir Emirate, this tragic loss is but a reminder of the growing band of criminals who kill without scruple. 

 The disturbing surge in abductions and the brutal killing of victims has become increasingly pervasive, prompting some individuals and groups to call on government to declare a state of emergency on kidnapping. Last May bandits abducted over 500 persons, killing five in 50 villages in Zamfara State. Some 30 kidnapped students of the Federal Polytechnic, Nasarawa, paid N40 million as ransom before they were freed, while the paramount ruler of the Mbo Local Government Area of Akwa Ibom State, Ogwong Okon Abang, paid the sum of N50 million to secure his freedom from kidnappers. Besides, in the same violent month, three Okomu Oil Palm Company workers in Edo State were killed by armed men, leading to a woeful forecast of likely decline in its revenue in the third quarter of the year. “The value placed on human life has diminished to an alarming degree. Kidnapping has become a daily occurrence, with victims often murdered without hesitation,” noted leader of the Pyrates Confraternity, Joseph Oteri. “This terrifying reality underscores a dangerous societal shift where life is no longer sacred.” 

The cost of the growing scourge of violent kidnappings for ransom is high. The national economy is again at the receiving end of the escalation in banditry.

The impact on education is significant. A situation where students are arbitrarily abducted while in schools poses a major threat. There is also the concern about food security as many farmers have neglected their farms for fear of being abducted for ransom or killed. There are other serious problems. After the recent release of the

Managing Director of Fouani Group, Mohamed Fouani, and four others, the Manufacturers Association of Nigeria (MAN) raised concerns that the continuous abduction of company executives could undermine confidence in the Nigerian economy. If the trend is not checked, according to MAN Director-General, Segun Ajayi-Kadir, it will erode investor confidence in the economy and further jeopardise the efforts of the present administration.

Last week, the Inspector-General of Police, Kayode

Egbetokun, inaugurated no fewer than 169 officers of the newly established Special Intervention Squad (SIS) to tackle banditry, kidnapping and other crimes in the country. He noted that the SIS signified a significant advancement in its operational strategy, drawing upon the best practices of globally successful law enforcement models. Nigerians have been treated to all manner of unmet assurances and several of these ‘special squads’ in the past. We hope that the outcome will be different this time.

Regulators should do well by ensuring that building codes are complied with

The frequent occurrence of building collapse cases in Nigeria has raised concerns about the need for stricter enforcement of professional codes and regulations to protect lives. In the past two years, Nigeria has experienced no fewer than 135 incidents and dozens of fatalities, according to a report by the Building Collapse Prevention Guild (BCPG), a professional organisation that aims to prevent the collapse of buildings and promote safe and sustainable practices nationwide. Investigations by the guild, made up of experts in the fields of building construction, architecture and engineering, revealed that professional ineptitude, including excessive loading, use of substandard materials, poor workmanship, and weak foundation contributed significantly to the collapses.

Meanwhile, the Council of Registered Builders of Nigeria chairman, Samson Opaluwah also blames government negligence in enforcing laws and regulations. “This collapse, unfortunately, has continued to happen, especially in areas that we can refer to as urban centres, where professionals and professionalism should be extolled to the highest,” Opaluwah said while calling on relevant regulatory agencies to be alive to their responsibilities. “The challenge we have now is government enforcement of its laws. We need to punish those who have been found wanting in the past. In all the published reports and investigations done by the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), we have not seen any advertised punishment to those found wanting.”

In the case of the recent Jos building collapse that claimed the lives of 22 students, the preliminary report of an investigating panel instituted by the Nigerian Building and Road Research Institute (NBRRI) revealed that on physical observation, the building looked distressed while weak materials were used for the construction. The report also observed that the quality of the concrete used to construct the two-storey building was in doubt, as there was no boundary between the concrete and the steel reinforcement. Besides, the report noted that the slab reinforcement anchorage provided for the structure was inadequate.

 Many stakeholders express the need for stricter enforcement of building codes and regulations to prevent frequent building collapse, and protect lives. In other climes, buildings don’t just collapse every other day. That is because there are procedures to follow when constructing a building. But in Nigeria, these conventions are hardly adhered to because of poor enforcement of laws. 

 Authorities at all levels should therefore be concerned that too much blood is being spilled needlessly in Nigeria’s building industry for all sorts of reasons that even professionals in the sector recognise as avoidable. Cases of building collapse cut across offices, schools, residential areas, churches, and business premises. Yet the construction of a building, according to the Nigerian Society of Structural Engineers, “is expected to be managed by qualified professionals including structural engineers, mechanical engineers, electrical engineers, architects, quantity surveyors,” among others. Lack of professionalism in the industry has led to unethical dealings like the use of cheap and inferior materials, improper supervision, and distortion of original building plans.

As we have consistently advocated, there is an urgent need for a complete overhaul of the nation’s building and construction regulations. A policy should be put in place whereby any professional connected with a collapsed building should forfeit their license and face the full weight of the law. The land upon which the collapsed building was erected should be forfeited to the government. Buildings marked for demolition by town planning authorities, should be demolished without delay. Unless drastic steps are taken and building codes implemented to the letter, the nation will continue to have these avoidable serial disasters. 

The law on expatriate quota should be enforced

The allegation by Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (PENGASSAN) that Indians are abusing the expatriate quota system in the oil and gas industry should be dealt

 with by relevant authorities. According to PENGASSAN president, Festus Osifo, Indians are taking over low-level jobs in a blatant abuse of the expatriate quota system. “In Sterling Oil today, it will amaze you to discover that we have more Indians working there compared to the number of Nigerians,” said Osifo who added that the union have been engaging the Nigerian Content Development Monitoring Board (NCDMB) without result. “In fact, up to vulcanizers, you have Indians carrying out such low jobs and functions in their plants as operators

and some are even gate keeping operators.”

Despite the local capacities that exist in this sector which holds prospective job opportunities for thousands of Nigerians, many jobs are arbitrarily and unlawfully filled up with expatriates by some firms in the oil and gas sector. Sadly, the misapplication of expatriate quota is the norm in many sectors of the Nigerian economy.  The concern is not just that Nigerians are denied the available opportunities in these areas, but that many companies exceed their legitimate quota. From the deployment of unqualified personnel to the re-designation of individuals in a manner not consistent

with their training and skills to giving them undeserved positions, expatriate quota has become a serious issue of concern.  

Much more rampant are cases of foreign firms that bring in all category of personnel, from cleaners, drivers to specialised skills personnel, all in the name of using the expatriate quota. Meanwhile, the law provides  for such skills and capacities  only when they are unavailable or may be difficult to source locally. The labour and trade unions that should pay attention to this problem are busy fighting government policies. For instance, there are repeatedly reported cases of companies in the food and beverages industries engaging technicians and paying them as engineers. This is in addition to placing them over their professional superiors as supervisors and bosses, simply because the latter are Nigerians.

This is in spite of the fact that the nation faces a frightening youth bulge. This is in addition to graduate unemployment and a prevailing national economic downturn. These are not the times for abuses that impact directly and visibly on the nation’s ability to deal with routine matters of human capital deployment for national development. This is unacceptable even at the best of times.  In this regard, the subsisting abuse of expatriate quota should be viewed as a serious economic crime and treated as such by the relevant authorities. 

One of the issues thrown up by the recent internal management problem within Seplat Energy Plc is the abuse of expatriate quota by many companies, especially in the oil and gas sector. Although the federal  government discontinued the suit filed against Seplat Energy Plc and its Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Roger Brown for allegedly breaching the extant provisions of the Immigration Act, 2015, the incident raised some initial concerns.

While the federal government must go beyond the oil and gas sector in dealing with this issue, we urge that the authorities also make public details of what categories of skills that are not covered by the expatriate quota, what constitutes abuse of such expatriate quota and what long and short-term penalties may apply in cases of default. These measures will spread awareness about the abuse and help in curbing it across all sectors of our national  economy.  

 The Judiciary should be returned to the path of honour and integrity

Following recommendation by the National Judicial Commission (NJC), President Bola Tinubu last Friday swore in Justice Kudirat Kekere-Ekun as the acting Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN). If confirmed by the senate, she will be the second female CJN after Justice Aloma Mariam Mukhtar, who held the office between July 2012 and November 2014. The president has charged Kekere-Ekun “to defend the judiciary’s independence, always promote course of Justice, strengthen mechanism for integrity, discipline and transparency in the judicial sector and pursue other reforms or initiatives to sustain public confidence in the judiciary”.

We congratulate Kekere-Ekun on her elevation to the highest office in Nigerian Judiciary. But the task before her is enormous. As we have repeatedly echoed in our previous editorials, the judiciary is not just any institution: it is an important arm of government that knits human society together. Yet the function of law as instrument of social engineering is made difficult in Nigeria by several unwholesome practices. “It is stating the very obvious that the prevailing public perception of our judiciary is nothing comforting,” said Dayo Akinlaja, SAN, who argues that most of the ills in the judiciary are self-inflicted. “That being so, it is very imperative to take urgent steps to restore public confidence in the judicial system.”

Many issues impact negatively on justice administration in Nigeria. The first is that of delay. 

Apart from political cases which are usually expeditiously heard, cases in other areas, particularly civil litigation cases, take several years (some decades). This must change.

There is also an urgent need to address the issue of conflicting decisions by courts of coordinate jurisdiction that is bringing the judiciary to disrepute because they arise basically due to corruption and indiscipline. Like Caesar’s wife, our Judges should learn to refrain from things that rob the institution of its impartiality, fairness and integrity. More importantly, the current process of appointment and removal of judges in Nigeria is overdue for a review.

 Long before members of the public took notice, appointment of judges had been politicised. Victims of this politics were not courageous enough to speak out. They feared that if they did, they would be punished. Today, many are speaking through unconventional means, using bar associations, socio-cultural groups and social media. Some of the revelations are shocking. It shows that ethnic and religious considerations as well as political affiliations and family ties are now being used to determine suitability for appointment into the bench. This bodes ill for the rule of law in Nigeria. Unfortunately, while many stakeholders have spoken about the challenge, nobody seems willing to institute the needed reforms.

Yet from Customary to the Supreme Court, appointment of Judges is now fraught with controversies and allegations of impropriety. At a valedictory session to mark his retirement from the Supreme Court last October, Justice Adamu Dattijo spoke to how unwholesome practices have compromised the judiciary in Nigeria. Specifically, he drew attention to the factors that now influence critical appointments to the bench. “A couple of years ago, appointment to the bench was strictly on merit. Sound knowledge of the law, integrity, honour, and hard work distinguished those who were elevated,” he said while also highlighting what is going on today. “It is asserted that the process of appointment to judicial positions is deliberately conducted to give undue advantage to the ‘children, spouses, and mistresses’ of serving and retired judges and managers of judicial offices.” 

Justice Kekere-Ekun must be well aware that she is saddled with a gargantuan task. We therefore urge her to do everything within her capacity to return the judiciary to the path of integrity and honour. We can only wish her well.

The problem is not with the form of government – but with the operators

 A non-partisan group of eminent Nigerians, ‘The Patriots’, recently urged President Bola Tinubu to convene a National Constituent Assembly to produce “a people’s democratic constitution” for the country. Led by former Commonwealth Secretary-General, Emeka Anyaoku, the group said Nigeria’s pluralism needed to be properly addressed. “Those pluralistic countries that failed to address their basic challenge of pluralism through federal constitution have ended up disintegrating. Examples of that are Yugoslavia and Czechoslovakia. And here in Africa, Sudan,” said Anyaoku after their meeting with Tinubu. “And we put some proposals to the president and urged him to send an executive bill to the National Assembly; a bill that will call for two essential measures. One, the convening of a National Constituent Assembly to be mandated to produce a new draft constitution.”

Meanwhile, in a repeat of what happened in 2018 when a bill sponsored by 71 members to amend the 1999 Constitution of Nigeria to reintroduce the parliamentary system of government passed a second reading in the House of Representatives before it eventually fizzled out, 60 members recently proposed a similar bill to return the country to the parliamentary system. According to the lawmakers, as opposed to the presidential system of government that we currently practice in Nigeria, the parliamentary system promotes inclusion and collectiveness “which is critical to equality of income distribution and opportunities.” They also rehashed some other advantages that were highlighted in the past.

Without prejudice to the position of different groups on the state of the nation, the challenge of democratic governance in Nigeria has nothing to do with the system of government or the constitution being operated. The real problem is in the disposition of the political actors at all levels. Besides, there is nothing new in most of the ideas being floated either by the ‘The Patriots’ or some lawmakers. The same ideas have been mooted several times in the past. Under the current dispensation, there have been conferences that produced reports that were never implemented.

On the system of government, we must recall that Nigeria practised parliamentary system from the pre-independence era in 1954 until the post-independence coup d’etat of 1966. However, after 13 years of military interregnum, the military government opted to jettison the parliamentary system and adopted a presidential system of government for the Second Republic era which started in 1979. It was modelled after the American presidential system where power is separated among the three arms of government as against the parliamentary system where power is fused between the executive and the legislature. Successive attempts at democratisation have followed the same pattern.

In Nigeria today, the real problem is with the operators, not the system. Unlike what obtains in other climes, where people seek elective positions to add value to the system and raise the living standard of their people, our politicians would rather pre-occupy themselves with what they can benefit from the system.  It is therefore proper to blame the corrupt few bent on massive looting of our commonwealth than whatever may be the drawbacks in the presidential system. Many politicians are undermining the system. And as long as greed pervades the political scene, changing the system of government or rewriting the constitution will make no difference.

While those who seek public offices are expected to position their country for optimal growth and advancement, our own leaders have enthroned a system that is lacking in both transparency and accountability. Thus while we subscribe to the position that the current structure of Nigeria does not work for the people, changing the system without changing the mindset of the operators will amount to a mere exercise in futility. We believe that the major problem we have in the country is the absence of good governance at all levels of government. Merely changing from presidential to parliamentary system or holding another constitutional conference will hardly address that challenge.

Subscribers are not getting value for their money

The rate at which the services of the nation’s major telecommunications operators have degenerated in recent times is not only embarrassing but unacceptable. With dropped calls and non-completion of calls now standard practices by the telecom providers, the euphoria and relief that greeted the advent of the general system for mobile communications (GSM) more than two decades ago seem to be on the wane as subscribers face the agony of poor services. In their usual penchant to escape a public problem for which they have little or no control, many Nigerians now carry no fewer than three phone handsets for different networks. Despite that expensive habit, there is indeed no end to the litany of woes which the Nigerian subscriber goes through as there are periods when none of the networks would work.

Meanwhile, the Association of Licensed Telecommunications Companies of Nigeria (ALTCN) Chairman, Gbenga Adebayor, has warned that the ongoing decline in telecom service quality may signal further industry crisis. “What we are seeing is the beginning of a bigger problem. I will not say telcos do have a shortage of capacity to contend with the issue. We have been saying that people are not investing,” Adebayor said why explaining that many telecom systems were ageing and going out of scope, with operators struggling to renew their obligations to suppliers. “It has been a challenge even for infrastructure companies to maintain optimal services due to difficulties in attracting new investments. It may be easier to blame the operators, but the reality is that investment is needed.”

 We are aware telecom operators face challenges of their own. They have practically had to source their own electricity aside a series of other natural and man-made mishaps which have dealt serious blows to their infrastructure and equipment. Multiple taxation, growing inflation, volatility of the Naira, acts of vandalism, decaying infrastructure and poor returns on investment based on the economic situation in the country are also some of the reasons being touted by operators in the sector. But perhaps the worst calamity to befall the industry is the incessant attacks on their facilities and equipment by insurgents and other criminal cartels that seem to have deliberately targeted their locations in parts of the north.

However, there is abundant evidence that Nigeria remains a major growing market for telecom operators as the nation’s teledensity has continued to grow despite poor services. In fact, the higher the teledensity, the worse off the subscribers become. Due to the declining quality of service by the telecom providers, the Nigeria Communications Commission (NCC) once imposed some hefty penalties on all the major operators and a further ban on all manner of promotions. At the peak of these promotional campaigns, there was no trick that was not employed by the operators to win over subscribers or to compel them to spend more money on services in return for very ludicrous prizes. At a point, telecommunication operations turned into one big network of gambling business while quality of service took a nosedive.

 Unfortunately, it now seems the sanctions have failed to yield any positive result. If anything, the services of virtually all the network operators are still below standard and practically all of them have resorted to those same promotions again. Therefore, notwithstanding the challenges in the sector, the fact remains that subscribers and consumers of telecommunication services are not getting value for their money. Making calls or using data has become very difficult for subscribers on any of the networks operating in the country today. Whatever it will take to redress the situation must be done to ensure that subscribers are spared the agony of poor service delivery from the networks.

The policy, if enforced, will benefit all

Even when the World Health Organisation (WHO) has long identified noise pollution as one of the most dangerous environmental threats to health, Nigerians have been forced to adapt to unbearable noise levels in their environment, even at the risk of their mental and physical health. In several communities across the country, churches, mosques, hotels, event centres, lounges, clubs and party organisers tune their sounds to high heavens without any regard for the convenience or well-being of others. To halt this ugly trend, the Enugu State government has formulated an anti-noise pollution policy that will take effect from 15 November 2024. It is a development we endorse.

Having identified noise pollution as one of its greatest challenges in the capital city, authorities in Enugu seek a tolerable level of noise that does not become a public nuisance as it is in most cities across the country. “We will plan the city so that whoever comes into the state can have peace.” Executive Chairman of Enugu Capital Territory Development Authority (ECTDA), Uche Anya disclosed this at a town hall meeting in Enugu. “All concerned churches, mosques, bars and clubs must begin the implementation of the policy by removing all speakers positioned outside their buildings,” Anya said while noting that a sustainable and serene human environment remains a strong driver of human productivity in space and time. He added that there is no such thing as a noise permit from the government.

Scientists have determined that noise, ordinarily, is not a bad thing. But it becomes a pollutant in the environment when it rises to unbearable levels. In Nigeria, noise specifically emanates from electricity generating sets at home and offices and from indistinct high volume music blaring at street-sides as vendors of all sorts of items compete for attention. Noise also emanates from vehicle engine and horns in traffic, construction sites, etc. But the real purveyors of noise are the religious organisations that have, in a bid to outdo one another, become a nuisance in most urban and rural areas across the country.

We believe that people can worship their God without disturbing the peace of others who need the solitude of their homes and offices. The National Environmental (Noise Standards and Control) Regulations of 2009 has all manner of provisions which the federal government believes will enthrone a healthy environment for all in Nigeria. These include the tranquility of their surroundings and their psychological well-being by regulating noise levels and generally, to elevate the standard of living of the people. The regulation prescribes the maximum permissible noise levels a facility or activity to which a person may be exposed, for the control of noise and for mitigating measures for the reduction of noise. 

In all these rules, the government stipulates maximum permissible noise levels from a facility in the general

Environment, and that there will be exemptions for those who can prove that high noise levels from their facility is inevitable. Regardless, those who seek exemption are required to apply for a permit to emit noise more than the permissible levels, and this permit can be revoked if there is violation of the terms and conditions. Besides, whoever considers that the noise levels being emitted, or likely to be emitted, may be higher than the permissible noise levels are expected to complain in writing but must show or prove personal loss or injury or discomfort caused by the emission of the alleged noise. 

Doctors are concerned that pollution worsens underlying health issues, particularly cardiovascular challenges like blood pressure levels and stress related diseases, sleeping disorders, fatigue, as well as hearing problems. We encourage other states to join Enugu in paying similar attention to the issue of noise pollution.

It’s in our enlightened self-interest to expose the criminals

Critical stakeholders in the power sector have lately been worried about the activities of vandals. The latest victims are many residents of Bayelsa State who have been without electricity supply for several weeks after vandals destroyed 13 towers on the Ahoada-Yenagoa 132kV Double Circuit transmission line on 29 July. The state Commissioner for Information, Orientation and Strategy, Ebiuwou Koku-Obiyai, said it was an “attack on the social and economic well-being of the residents of the state and a sabotage on government’s investment drive”. Described by the Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN) Managing Director, Sule Abdulaziz, as a “national disaster”, those who vandalised the towers, according to Koku-Obiyai, did it deliberately to “make life difficult” for the residents.

But the problem is not restricted to Bayelsa State, it is national. So endemic is the incidence of vandalism of electricity equipment that except drastic action is taken to contain the menace, it may cripple the power sector in the country. The Enugu Electricity Distribution Company (EEDC) reported recently that no fewer than 170 incidents of electrical installation vandalism occurred within two years in the South-east. According to the company, about 135 of the suspected vandals were arrested and handed over to the police at different stations, out of which over 100 had been charged to court from January 2022 till date.

 Following a recent revelation that the Ikeja Electricity Distribution Company lost many distribution transformer substations under its network to these vandals we warned of the dire implications of the activities of these criminal elements. The company had expressed worries at the increasing rate of equipment vandalism, noting that the criminal acts which subsided after the conviction of two vandals to various terms of imprisonment had surged in the last six months.

Unfortunately, this is a common story across the country as managers of the DisCos make strenuous efforts to cope with  deliberate destruction of equipment which indeed has become a major obstacle to their businesses. The immediate consequence of these acts is that life is made more difficult for law abiding citizens who are unduly thrown into darkness.  Also, the nation’s economy is seriously threatened as industries are shut down and employees laid off because companies cannot meet production target. Indeed, the epileptic nature of the power sector has contributed to the stagnation in the national economy.

 While we lament this deplorable situation, it must be stated that the menace of electricity equipment vandals persists because of the existence of some “market” for the stolen items. Obviously, no criminal could be foolish enough to take the risk of stealing whole transformers and powerline cables without having an assured off-taker market somewhere, ready to buy such equipment. The menace is now an organized crime, involving insiders, including public officials and their collaborators. Sometimes stolen transformers and other equipment turn up for resupply by contractors within the sector.

It is unfortunate that as the nation remains overburdened with the quest for improved and steady power supply, there are unpatriotic elements hell-bent on sabotaging government efforts and throwing their fellow citizens

 into hardship. The security agencies should be up and doing in apprehending the hoodlums and bringing them to justice. Host communities should also be encouraged to help by way of intelligence and information to relevant authorities so as to check the menace. Community leaders should consider it a patriotic duty to join in the fight against vandalism of electrical equipment by exposing these criminal elements. It is in everyone’s

overall interest.

Increased emolument for judges is in order

By signing the Judicial Office Holders Salaries and Allowances Bill into law, President Bola Tinubu has raised the monthly pay of judicial officials in Nigeria by 300 per cent. Under the new dispensation that has been hailed by critical stakeholders in the sector, the Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN) will get an annual salary of N64 million, which translates to N5.3 million per month. The President of the Court of Appeal will earn N62.4 million, while Justices of the Supreme Court will be paid N61.4 million annually. All heads of the various courts, such as the Chief Judge of the Federal High Court, Chief Judge of the Federal Capital Territory High Court, the President of the National Industrial Court, among others, would earn the same basic salary of N7.9 million annually.

As we noted recently, the decision to increase the salaries of judicial officers is in the right direction. Despite several assurances, the last administration of President Muhammadu Buhari did not heed the calls for a review of the remunerations for judicial officers in the country. Yet, apart from the fact that it had been a long time since judicial officers’ salaries were reviewed, the rising inflation also justifies the latest decision. The last time the judges’ salaries and allowances were increased was in 2007 following the enactment of the ‘Certain Political, Public and Judicial Office Holders (Salaries and Allowances, etc) (Amendment) Act of 2008’. That law repealed a 2002 Act to create room for the increase of judges’ basic salaries, allowances, and fringe benefits in 2007.

The question now is, will the improved pay packets reflect in better justice administration in Nigeria? Many are sceptical that it would make any difference. And it is difficult to fault their pessimism. The problem in the judiciary goes far beyond judges’ welfare. In many courts, facilities are in a state of disrepair. In others, these facilities do not exist at all. Similarly, better remunerations for judges will not reduce the length of time it takes to determine cases. If the judiciary refuses to embrace modern technology, if court clerks are ill-equipped to perform their administrative duties, and if judges continue to write in long hand, problems will continue to persist.

No one should expect a positive delivery from a bench that is populated by judges who got the job because of their filial affiliation. No one should expect a judiciary where senior judges lower the criteria for appointment to make it easier for their sons and daughters to be appointed as judicial officers to perform better. That much was confirmed by Justice Adamu Dattijo, at the valedictory session to mark his retirement from the Supreme Court last year. “It is asserted that the process of appointment to judicial positions is deliberately conducted to give undue advantage to the ‘children, spouses, and mistresses’ of serving and retired judges and managers of judicial offices,” he said. Therefore, beyond the issue of wages, the process of appointing judges should be reformed to make sure that only the best legal practitioners make it to the bench.

Nigeria needs judges who will apply the law and not favour some litigants as was the case with the decisions against the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Plateau State. Overall, while better pay for judges is a necessary condition for the restoration of public confidence in the judiciary, it is not sufficient. We need the right people on

the bench. But it is nonetheless a commendable gesture.