AHANONU KINGSLEY BLOG

AIn a spree that would seem as though the target of the marauding killers in recent days has become priests- Catholic priest, another clergyman Fr David Tanko was today reportedly murdered in Takum, Taraba state. His killers had ambushed him on his way back from a peace meeting and attacked him. The death of Fr Tanko, aside from being so unfortunate, is one so barbaric and callous. The Reverend gentleman was not only butchered by his killers but was found to be an object to burn and roast. I cannot find a better way to condemn this evil act or to find a more convenient way to look at it. But as eerie as this dastardly act is and as unsteady as I could be at its news, I stand to utterly condemn it for what it is. The idea of killing someone and human created by God couldn't be such a thing to hold unto with calmness, much more to have treated that body with disdain. The death of Fr Tanko brings to the fore how porous our security system is, and this is one that continue to p...

The case between the federal government of Nigeria and Irish company, Process & Industrial Development Ltd, which draws from the 2010 contract between the duo is a question that should be critically looked into, bringing every party that played one or the other role to account. A British court had awarded penalty to the company for the failure of the Nigerian government to honour its part of the agreement reached in 2010. The judge had ruled that the small company can take 20 percent of what's Nigeria's foreign reserve, amounting to the massive tune of 8.9billion US dollars. This figure was calculated based on what the company is estimated to have earned within the period of the contract. Going by the terms of the contract, the Nigerian government was to supply natural gas to the professing facility to be built by P & ID Ltd, which was to later convert it to dry gas to be used to power electricity. This contract was to last for a 20years period. This judgement ag...

The list released by the US Justice Department has sent ripples within the Nigerian landscape as  people, especially those close to and  familiar with the names there couldn't come to terms with the shock of the revelation. Most of the names are indigenes of the South-eastern state of Imo, whose lifestyles have been something always on the people's lips. Those who know them attest to how they have myriad of investments scattered around town and how they live larger than life. Odionyemma a.k.a Nwakanwa Chika Odionyemma is one of the persons on FBI’s 77-man list of suspected Nigerian fraudsters. His listing is one of those that came with much shock to many. The founder of the Nwakanwa Foundation has been known to be a philanthropist, promoter of youths and largely charitable and curiously, a role model. His questionable rise to fortune brought him a widespread fame that soon began to see him frolicking with the high and mighty. He was the talk of the town in Imo stat...

There may be further ripple effects for country men and women following the indictment of 77 Nigerians by the United States (U.S.) Department of Justice, in connection with massive fraud and money laundering. According to TheGuardian, Western Union, an international money transfer firm has decided to stop transactions that are Nigeria-bound. It states that in Texas, the state with the largest Nigerian population in the U.S., the money transfer agency may have blocked all money transfers to Nigeria, according to a report. The report added that the blockade might spread to other states and countries. A notice at the outlet in Texas said it was no longer doing Western Union Transfers to Nigeria, with apologies for any inconvenience.

The action of the 77 Nigerians described by the U.S. as the highest financial crime in its history and which led to their recent indictment by the US Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) is something that should be condemned but with careful scrutiny. The point I am making is that this high profile case should be given the needed indepth analysis as to serve justice to those who are deserving of it. In making this necessary effort of serving justice to those deserving of it, it would help to clearly exonerate those who are not culpable, but who by whatever stint have been hewn in the web of indictment. It is as such very necessary also that those of the 77 persons listed in the damning report and who as it is have been declared wanted should submit themselves to the relevant agency to afford them the leverage to do the required scrutiny and unmasked their genuine involvement or not. They must understand that, even as reprehensible the crime they've been accused of is and ev...

The year 2019 Int'l Youth Day is on the need to commit efforts geared towards making education more relevant, more equitable and more inclusive for the youths and, very importantly, by youthful efforts. With the topic "Transforming Education", the focus drives on the involvement of youths in education. It goes further to say that beyond having to be educated, the youths have got a role to play in the process itself. Consequently, it is the effective participation of the youths that brings further the appreciable value of education. In committing themselves to the very process which they are beneficiaries, it's believed that the process would be rejigged. That's the basis of transforming education, which is the focal point for this year's IYD. The youths are the future leaders, and we know very remarkably that it is not a far-flung destination; this future itself starts now. It is to say therefore that the essence of a transformed education would be for ...

Inspector Mark Ediale ,  Sergeant Usman Danzumi , and  Sergeant Dahiru Musa  were the three police officers of the Intelligence Response Team (IRT) gruesomely murdered in Ibi Taraba state during the covert operation. The IRT had arrested and was transporting the suspected kidnap kingpin to the Command Headquarters in Jalingo when the attack happened. The statement of tribute released yesterday by the Force PRO Frank Mba, had described the deceased as some of the finest breed in the service of the Nigerian Police. My heart bleeds as I write this, just as it has been to since the news of the deaths of these three officers. Personally it heartraking and something I could not so readily come to terms with that security agents were gunned consciously, though arguably, in the course of a national assignment by members of sister security agency. Indeed it's, beyond baffling, devastating. So sad and unfortunate that it has happened, I would force myself not to...

Finally, after some periods break in the largesse that comes with their salary for the month, the labour in Imo state can now heave sigh of relief. This is going by the assurance of the new PDP administration in place. In a recent circular signed by the Accountant General, Igbo Donald, the governor, Emeka Ihedioha, directed that payment of 100 per cent salary should commence from August 1.  The circular, dated August 5, further directed ministries, departments or agencies to submit their August 2019 salary with total adherence to the 100 per cent salary structure agreed and signed with the government and the organised labour in 2011, and further directed that any other allowance(s) or approval to a particular MDA outside the harmonised and approved 2011 salary timetable should seek re-validation/approval . Former Governor Rochas Okorocha had since 2016 imposed a 30% slash on the salaries of civil servants, after a quick agreement that followed a weak protest by the state NL...

From the organisers of the #RevolutionNow protest, the street march was billed to start today, 5th of August. However, it was left to be wondered if it is still going to take place following the cladestine arrest of one of the leaders of the movement, Omoyele Sowore by the Department of State Security. The reasons given by the DSS for Sowore's arrest is that the proposed protest amounts to treason, going by the understanding that the word "revolution" literally connotes a regime change, the forceful takeover of power. This, according to them, was what the arrest was meant to nip on the bud. Puerile as the fear expressed by the DSS and later corroborated by the Nigerian police could be, going by the simple feeling that it could be the height of lame imagination (the kind undertaken by a baby relishing in freedom as to have nothing to be bothered about), the call by Sowore was provocative to the extent that they should be stirred. #RevolutionNow , looking at the...

Finally the embattled leader of the Islamic Movement of Nigeria, IMN, Ibrahim El-zakzaky has been granted the much taunted bail sought for and granted since 2016 but suppressed by the regime of President Muhammadu Buhari. Mr El-zakzaky was today granted bail by the High court sitting in Kaduna. His had sought the relief to enable him attend to his fledgling health condition. The build up to the eventual bail relief had been inundated with series of condemnation and backlash, which were followed by protests and more protests that turned violent resulting in killings and deaths. The height of the provocative killing was orchestrated on the 22nd of July leaving dozens dead and stirring renewed villifications against the continuous incarceration of the Shia leader. And as if the ill done to both the man and his adherents weren't much, the government, through the easy acquiescence of the law courts-easily passed off as its stooge, slammed a proscription on the organisation. The...

A female undergraduate student of the Adekunle Ajasin University, Akungba, Ondo state was alleged to have been gang-raped by some soldiers at a checkpoint. This was said to have happened in the course of a stop-and-search along the Ikare Akoko road in Akoko North LGA of the state on Wednesday while the victim alongside others were on a journey. For me, it's a feeling of huge unfortunacy how that we get to hear this, and very worrisome how that this unfortunate action is said to have been perpetrated by men, who ordinarily by virtue of their obligation and the fact that they are paid by taxpayers money ought to serve and protect the public from ills such as this. It's a grave offence against sense of duty and conscience, especially when one realizes how the incident happened. This female student was spotted in the vehicle she was together with her colleagues (for whatever reasons) and was literally ordered to disembark, while the others were similarly coerced to just mo...

Five pastors of the Redeemed Christian Church of God, RCCG, were reported to have been abducted on August 2 while on their way to the ministers' conference. By suspected herdsmen. This is just barely 24hrs after a Catholic priest, Fr Offu, was murdered while on his way to his parish in Enugu state. Still by men suspected to be herdsmen. These incidents, sad and worrisome as they are, are not the only horrendous news we've had to link with suspected herdsmen. Streaming our media outfits all along the years, and apparently with an incensed intensity just in the recent days, have been issues bothering on herdsmen this and herdsmen that. The people, with the frequency of this cataclysm, have become disconcerted and similarly fed up with the assurances of safety by the government that are just too weak, too shallow to be held for succour. Just like the turned water that settles after a while, the government and its security agencies, continue to whirl in reactionary gesticulati...