JUST IN; Former Governor raises alarm, accuses retired Army Generals of involvement in illegal mining activities
JUST IN; Former Governor raises alarm, accuses retired Army Generals of involvement in illegal mining activities
In a strong statement made yesterday in Abuja, Senator Adams Oshiomhole, the former governor of Edo State and current Chairman of the Senate Committee on Interior, has accused retired military generals of being behind the illegal mining operations plaguing Nigeria.
Oshiomhole’s remarks came during a session where Senator Sampson Ekong, the Chairman of the Senate Committee on Solid Minerals Development, presented his report before the Senate Committee on Appropriation.
Oshiomhole, a prominent member of the Appropriations Committee led by Senator Olamilekan Adeola, expressed deep concern over the country’s growing illegal mining crisis.
He warned that unless the administration of President Bola Tinubu urgently addresses these unlawful activities, Nigeria’s ambitions to diversify its economy would remain unattainable.
The former Edo governor emphasized that no amount of funding allocated to the solid minerals sector would yield tangible results unless the rampant illegal mining issue was effectively curbed.
Describing the situation as “embarrassing,” Oshiomhole underscored the urgent need for action to protect Nigeria’s natural resources and ensure the sector’s potential is realized for national development.
Oshiomhole said, “Whereas the federal government is ruthless with people who are doing illegal oil bunkering by deploying the Joint Military Task Force to deal with them, when it comes to illegal mining of solid minerals, the federal government changes. It’s like using different standards and I am very angry about that.
“If we have to fight this menace, we need to deploy the Army even to kill anyone who is involved in the illegal pumping of oil. We should also deploy JTFs, comprising the Army, Police, Air Force, against them. The ongoing illegal mining across the country are being carried out by retired generals and we know them.
“Yes, we know them. I did a letter to former President Muhammadu Buhari on the matter when he was in office. This is because a team that I sent to go and conduct the primary somewhere, reported back to me, the challenge of conducting primary elections in Zamfara because of the illegal miners. The team told me that those illegal miners procure arms the same way the military is doing in South Sudan. They give them arms. They use choppers to come and cart away the gold and they take them out of this country and make billions of U.S. dollars.
“Unfortunately, the federal government is not doing what it should be doing. When I was the National Chairman of the All Progressive Congress, I took this letter to the former president and said, call the generals to give you more briefing. What was happening or what was supposed to happen in that part of the country was exactly what the general told me was going to happen.
“These guys have been weaponised by the illegal big men. The weaponry was made to protect the Chinese and other foreigners and that’s why they are going to carry out the mining. So, retired military officers, and army officers, are involved in it. The day we can’t tell the truth, this country cannot flourish.
“That is what is going on with the mining sub-sector. It is not that we don’t know where it is. We have a whole survey of where we can find them across the length and breadth of Nigeria.
“My position is that we shouldn’t be lamenting. We should fix the problem. We should tell the executive, you must deploy exactly the same force that you deployed against illegal oil bunkering in the Niger Delta. That same force should be deployed to deal with criminals who have money. When I say criminal, it can be a retired general, it can be a retired permanent secretary, it can be a retired trade unionist or a retired labour leader.”
Rather, the upper chamber said that the senator was suspended due to her flagrant disobedience to Sections 6.1 and 6.2 of the Senate Standing Orders 2023 (as amended).
Leader of the senate, Opeyemi Bamidele, made the clarifications in a statement issued on Saturday.
Bamidele said that the clarification had become necessary in view of what he called deliberate misinformation and false narratives being circulated by certain media organisations.
He said that Akpoti-Uduaghan was also suspended because of her ‘unparliamentary behaviour’ during senate plenaries and proceedings.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the senate had based Akpoti-Uduaghan’s suspension for six months on the report of its Committee on Ethics and Privileges.
The senator had on Thursday been suspended Akpoti-Uduaghan over her alleged misconduct and refusal to comply with the senate’s sitting arrangement during the plenary.
The suspension was, however, with a proviso that if the senator could submit a written apology, the leadership of the chamber might consider lifting the suspension before the expiration of the six-month period.
“Rather than submitting to the authority of the senate, Akpoti-Uduaghan had been misinforming the unsuspecting public that she was suspended because she accused the senate president of sexual harassment,” Bamidele said.
She stated that the disciplinary action against Akpoti-Uduaghan was a response to her repeated violations of legislative decorum.
“Akpoti-Uduaghan’s petition on sexual harassment failed to meet the clear and established procedural requirements for submitting petitions to the senate.
“It has come to the attention of the senate that some media reports are attempting to falsely suggest that Akpoti-Uduaghan’s suspension was due to allegations of sexual harassment.
“This is completely untrue, misleading and a calculated attempt to distort the facts.
“If Akpoti-Uduaghan had strictly followed our guiding principles, the senate would have treated her petition based on merit, in line with its practice.
“But she never obeyed the established practices of the institution where she was serving,” he said.
Bamidele specifically said that the senator’s suspension was the “decision of the Committee of the Whole of the Senate, following the submission of a report by the Chairman of the Senate Committee on Ethics and Privileges.”
The majority leader said that the report found Akpoti-Uduaghan guilty of violating Sections 6.1 and 6.2 of the Senate Standing Orders 2023 (as amended) and recommended her immediate suspension.
“As established in the findings of the Senate Committee on Ethics and Privileges, the disciplinary action was a response to Akpoti-Uduaghan’s repeated violations of legislative decorum stated as follows:
“Refusing to sit in her assigned seat during plenary on Feb. 25 in spite of multiple pleas from the Minority Leader and other ranking senators—an act of open defiance and disorderly conduct.
“Speaking without being recognised by the presiding officer, in clear violation of parliamentary practices and procedures on Feb. 25.
“Engaging in unruly and disruptive behaviour, obstructing the orderly conduct of senate proceedings.
“Making abusive and disrespectful remarks against the leadership of the senate.
“Defying and refusing to comply with the summons of the Senate Committee on Ethics and Privileges mandated to investigate cases of misconduct,” the statement said.
Bamidele further stated that contrary to the false claims being circulated, Akpoti-Uduaghan was not suspended for making any sexual harassment or for submitting a petition.
“Her petition was rightfully discountenanced because it failed to meet the clear and established procedural requirements for submitting petitions to the senate,”.he said. (NAN)
(www.nannews.ng)
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Akpabio reveals more details why Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan made ‘useless allegations’ against him
Akpabio reveals more details why Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan made ‘useless allegations’ against him
The Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, has claimed that the Senator representing Kogi Central, Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, made “useless allegations” against him because her seat in the Red Chamber was changed.
Akpabio also said the lawmaker, who has now been suspended by the Senate for six months, traumatized him and others.
Following the sanctions imposed on Akpoti-Uduaghan, Akpabio has come under heavy criticism.
However, the Senate President continues to maintain his innocence, insisting that none of her allegations are true.
Speaking at an event to commemorate International Women’s Day on Saturday, Akpabio claimed he was merely her latest victim, stating that previous allegations made by Natasha had turned out to be false.
He said, “It was only yesterday that I realized that what we are talking about only happened when there was a change of seat. That is when hell was let loose, and all sorts of allegations came up—only after the change of seat and change of committee, which my Senators know happens from time to time.
“This is said to have happened on December 8, a day before my birthday, which was celebrated in the stadium in 2023. So from December 8, 2023, I never heard, my wife never heard, no Nigerian ever heard, even her husband never heard any issue of sexual harassment—until her committee was changed, and then her seat was changed.
“Have you ever wondered about the trauma caused by that same woman to the other people she has accused in the past? None has been proven so far. Do you even wonder about the trauma this caused to the 10th Senate and the image of the Senate with all these useless allegations? I have refrained from making a statement.
“Look at these beautiful women. They have come across me so many times. Have I ever harassed any one of you? Or is the person thinking that you are not beautiful?”
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PDP Governors react to claims of support for El-Rufai/Obi 2027 presidential ticket
PDP Governors react to claims of support for El-Rufai/Obi 2027 presidential ticket
Governors elected under the banner of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) have strongly refuted rumors circulating about their alleged endorsement of a 2027 presidential ticket featuring Mallam Nasir El-Rufai and Peter Obi.
In a statement issued on Saturday, Senator Bala Mohammed, the Chairman of the PDP Governors Forum, vehemently denied the speculations, describing them as entirely false.
The statement, which was signed by Dr. Emmanuel Agbo, the Forum’s Director-General, dismissed media reports that suggested the governors were backing such a ticket in the upcoming presidential election.
The Governors emphasised their continued commitment to the PDP and clarified that no such discussions or endorsements had taken place within their ranks.
Mohammed said, “It is incumbent on the PDP Governors’ Forum through its leadership anchored by the Governor of Bauchi State, Senator Bala Mohammed, to openly denounce and in very strong terms, the unpleasant and provoking publications and rumours being peddled ad nauseam by negative forces and their agents who cannot absorb the temerity of this Forum to question their incapacities in leadership by performing above the limits imposed by their failed economic policies and programs, which have left the ordinary Nigerian with nothing other than poverty and financial hardship down to the remote locations.
“Unsatisfied with the results their clones have gotten in the low-willed factions they keep financing within our party structure, they have proceeded with direct confrontation on the Governors towards creating a one-party entrapment, with intention to split the opposition and thereby cripple democratic institutions and values through questionable adoptions and misinterpretation of the law, all to strangle the lifeline of our nation to enforce dictatorship and one-party rule.
“The PDP Governors’ Forum is not in consonance with these actors, neither does it enjoy any ambience of political space to discuss nor seal the auction of the PDP through lowlife grifters who are allegedly working behind the scenes to support a “potential Nasir El-Rufai/Peter Obi presidential ticket in the 2027 election.
“As a formidable party, all organs of the party have continually been engaged in attaining reconciliation across the board and reconsolidation of progressive development made in our Subnational to ameliorate the lives of our people.
“It is obvious that these mischief makers and detractors, who are bewildered at the way and manner PDP Governors are daily performing to pull the people out of economic hardship despite the intimidation by the ruling APC, are only intimidated and can only throw mud at our good works.
“In the world of politics, rumors and speculations are common, as such, we will not allow these ‘Enemies of Progress’ and ‘Agents of Confusion’ to gaslight the Nigerian people to draw wrong and erroneous conclusions.
“Our principles are for equity, social justice, sincerity of purpose, accountability, enthronement of undefiled electoral process, enhancement of the lives of the people, and propagation of humanity.
“Suffice it for us to irrevocably state here that in 2027, PDP Governors as disciplined leaders and stakeholders will exemplify this by wholeheartedly supporting whoever emerges as the flag-bearer of our great party in the battle to wrestle power from the non-performers at the centre.
“As a creed we all share, the dreams of the founding fathers of our great party will not be in vain.”