National News

Four Viewpoints on Kyari

Published

4 years ago

August 2, 2021

admin

FOUR VIEWPOINTS ON KYARI

By Mahmud Jega

The dilemma facing many Nigerians at the weekend was if you have a very good police officer, kind of one in a million, who has been combing the bushes and the digital world and apprehending some of our vilest kidnappers and murderers, and some foreign agency is accusing him of collecting bribes from a scammer and doing the scammer’s bidding to settle intra-gang scores, what is the best thing for us to do?

This question immediately elicited four clashing points of view between imported African legalism, old-fashioned African morality, instinctive African cynicism and native African practicality. Each one of them has a large following in Nigeria. Nigeria has some legalistic people who believe that in modern society, the law is everything, and it should be applied whether it is moral or not. These are mostly legal types, either steeped in the White mindset or those who play the NGO game with money from foreign agencies.

The majority of Africans think that the law is an inconvenience to be evaded, sidestepped, or short-circuited. Ask taxi drivers, who think traffic lights are meant for private motorists. Ask bus drivers, who think it is ok to drive against the traffic because they are in a hurry to earn some money. It is only these legalistic types who will say, “FBI indicted Kyari? Hand him over to them quickly, so he can clear his name.

Our embassy and consulates in America should provide consular services to him, of the kind that British High Commission here is offering to provide to Kanu.”

Some [old fashioned] Africans however believe that morality is the most important thing, higher than the law itself, and law should be thrown overboard if it is immoral. They don’t even want the inconvenience of going through the tedious process of amending the law; just test the law for morality. These ones will say, “If DCP Abba Kyari was found to be dishonest to the point of collecting bribe from Hushpuppi and detaining the scammer’s accomplice because he shortchanged Hushpuppi, damn it, he should be punished! His glitter of medals and his long list of achievements in crime-busting be damned!”

On the other hand, Africa is full of cynics who will never believe anything that Europeans and Americans say, especially their government agencies such as the FBI, CIA, State Department and British Home Office or their adjuncts such as Commonwealth, EU and NATO. These are the Nigerians who, upon hearing of Kyari’s FBI indictment, will say, “You know these White people can tell lies! They said they came here to civilize us whereas they came here to steal our resources. Recently they claimed that Saddam Hussein had weapons of mass destruction. They killed one million Iraqis looking for it but did not find anything. They are detaining Hushpuppi when they have their own scammers there in America. Now they want to take away our best policeman so that bandits and kidnappers will have free reign. We should hold onto him! If they are looking for crooked policemen, they should look for Derek Chauvin, who murdered George Floyd in cold blood, in broad daylight.”

Sandwiched between the legalists, moralists and cynics, there are the Africans of practicality. They are the ones who will say when they heard the news, “Ah, Abba Kyari did that? That is bad! He is such a good policeman. Are the Americans sure of what they are saying? If we hand Abba Kyari over to them to jail him, then who will arrest the bandits that are terrorizing us here? The Inspector-General has only one Intelligence Response Team. We don’t know why he did not train and equip many more such teams in the last ten years. Anyway, the deed is done, we have only one IG’s IRT. Wherever there is a particularly heinous kidnapping, it is Kyari that goes there to solve it. If they jail him in America, will the FBI send somebody to replace him? After all, he did not commit the crime in their country. Let them send the evidence and we will try him here. EFCC can file the case and it will languish in court for ten years, like all the others. Meanwhile, he will be catching kidnappers for us. We should not throw away the baby with the bathwater.”

How do we resolve these conflicting points of view? Somebody should go to Otuoke and ask former President Goodluck Jonathan whether accepting bribes from Hushpuppi is corruption. “Ordinary bribe, people call it corruption. Is bribery a serious thing here? It is White people who think bribery is a big thing. In their an Americans even wrote that their President should be impeached for ‘treason, bribery or other high crimes and misdemeanor.’ In Nigeria here, if we impeach leaders because of bribery, how many will remain? Joh, kidnapping is our biggest problem. If we have a policeman who is fighting it well, he should continue.”

View from the Gallery in 21st Century Chronicle Monday, August 2, 2021.
08054102925, 08023673734
mmjega@21stcenturychronicle.com

National News

Nigeria, China May Head for Diplomatic Row Over Shooting of Immigration Officer at Chinese Firm

Published

2 days ago

March 27, 2025

Ochuwa Ibrahim

Nigeria, China May Head for Diplomatic Row Over Shooting of Immigration Officer at Chinese Firm

By: Michael Mike

Nigeria is not taking lightly the shooting of an immigration officer at a Chinese firm in Jos, Plateau State.

The Minister of Interior, Hon. Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo who narrated the story,
The federal government has threatened a serious diplomatic row with the Republic of China over maltreatment of a Nigerian Immigration Service officer shot by a Chinese company in Nigeria for asking for the company’s expatriate list.

Minister of Interior, Hon. Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, who narrated the story on Thursday in Abuja at a stakeholders sensitisation workshop on the implementation of the Nigeria Visa policy 2025, said Nigeria is not handling the matter with kid gloves as it would be taken up as a diplomatic issue.

Tunji-Ojo lamented that the development alone is an attack on Nigeria. It will never be condoned.

He said the Immigration officer, who was on official duty, had visited the Chinese company in Jos, Plateau state, to check the list of the company’s expatriates, but the owner of the company ordered a security officer in the premises to shoot the government official.

Tunji-Ojo said: “I won’t go to China as a Nigerian, open a company and tell my security to shoot a government official in uniform. It’s never done anywhere in the world.

“These officers put their lives on the line. These officers serve this country with their all. And you will not come from anywhere and ask them to shoot them in their fatherland.

“It will no longer happen. We will take it up with you. Because that company, we (Nigerian government) have the power to withdraw their business permit Nigeria and declare them illegal.”

He wondered how it had become an offence for an Immigration officer to visit a foreign company and demand to see their expatriate list.

He said: “It will not happen again. So we’re going to be very hard. We will not stop your business. We will not overburden your business. But don’t make us inferior in our own land. No, please.

“And we’re going to be very tough on this. Because talking to you, I’m not just talking with passion on this topic, I’m talking with a lot of anger, because that guy that was shot is a Nigeria that we all swore to protect by virtue of the laws of Nigeria, by the constitution. That Immigration guy was not shot by a terrorist, is a father, he is a son to somebody. He is a husband to somebody. That cannot happen anywhere in the world.

“We will not tolerate it. Please, no agent, no company is above the law,” the Minister declared

Nigeria, China May Head for Diplomatic Row Over Shooting of Immigration Officer at Chinese Firm

National News

Nigeria Explores CNG Technology to Power Defence, Industrial Vehicle Fleets

Published

2 days ago

March 27, 2025

Ochuwa Ibrahim

Nigeria Explores CNG Technology to Power Defence, Industrial Vehicle Fleets

By: Michael Mike

The Minister of Foreign Affairs, Amb. Yusuf Tuggar has led a high-level delegation on a tour of UROVESA—a renowned Spanish manufacturer of military and industrial vehicles.
The visit focused on exploring potential collaboration in Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) technology for powering Nigeria’s defence and industrial vehicle fleets.

The minister was accompanied on the visit by key figures including the Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Ekperikpe Ekpo; Presidential CNG Initiative representative, Engr. Michael Oluwagbemi; Engr. Henry Oki; and the Special Assistant for Gas Business and Investment to the Minister of State for Petroleum Resources (Gas), where they all engaged in detailed discussions with UROVESA executives.

During the visit, Tuggar emphasized the longstanding trade ties between Nigeria and Spain, noting that Spain remains one of Nigeria’s top trading partners, with Nigerian crude oil exports reaching $3.64 billion in 2023.

He lauded UROVESA’s innovative approach to producing all-terrain, armoured, tactical, and logistical vehicles, and expressed Nigeria’s growing interest in and implementation of CNG-powered solutions.

Tuggar also highlighted Nigeria’s business-friendly economic reforms under President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration, which have positioned the country as a prime destination for investment in clean energy technologies. The discussions provided a valuable platform for further exploration of future collaborations between UROVESA and Nigeria’s Ministry of State for Petroleum Resources (Gas) in CNG-powered vehicle production and supply.

According to a statement by the foreign affairs minister spokesman, Alkasim AbdulKadir, the engagement not only reinforced Nigeria’s commitment to a green energy future but also laid the groundwork for modernizing the nation’s defence and industrial fleets with environmentally friendly and cost-effective energy solutions.

He said the promising outcome of the discussions sets the stage for a strategic partnership that is expected to foster sustainable innovation and drive economic growth for both Nigeria and UROVESA.

Nigeria Explores CNG Technology to Power Defence, Industrial Vehicle Fleets

National News

ECOWAS Hands Over Drug Rehabilitation Centre to Aminu Kano Teaching Hospital

Published

2 days ago

March 27, 2025

Ochuwa Ibrahim

ECOWAS Hands Over Drug Rehabilitation Centre to Aminu Kano Teaching Hospital

By: Michael Mike

The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) has handed over a drug rehabilitation center to Aminu Kano Teaching Hospital in North West Nigeria to enhance drug related treatments.

Handing over the facility, the Director Humanitarian and Social Affairs, ECOWAS Dr. Sintiki Tarfa Ugbe, represented by Head of ECOWAS Drug Prevention and Control Division Dr. Daniel Amankwaah expressed the commitment of ECOWAS in fostering regional cooperation and providing technical and financial assistance to member states in tackling substance abuse.

He explained that, the renovated and equipped facility stands as a symbol of ECOWAS shared responsibility to protect public health, promote human dignity, and offer a second chance to those struggling with drug dependence.

He said: “As ECOWAS officially hand over this facility which was funded through ECOWAS own resources, we reaffirm our commitment to expanding access to quality drug treatment services and strengthening the resilience of our communities across West Africa.”

According to him, the ECOWAS Commission, under its drug prevention and control programme launched the support to its Member States to build or renovate their drug treatment centres.

He said: “the project targets all Member States to have at least one national drug treatment centre. So far, 8 centres in 6 Member States have been completed. Additional 12 centres are currently at various stages of construction. In Nigeria, 4 centres have been completed and additional 3 are at various stages.”

He expressed confidence that, the the facility will contribute to improving social functioning, by reducing the harmful effects of substance use, and enhancing the quality of life for people who use Drugs (PWUDs).

The Chief Medical Director Aminu Kano Teaching Hospital (AKTH), Professor Abdurrahman Abba -Sheshe while thanking ECOWAS for the projects, described drug addiction and substance abuse as a pandemic that requires the support of the regional body.

He expressed confidence that, the well equiped facility will transform lives of addicts.

“I commend the NDLEA for their efforts in the fight against drug abuse not only in Kano state but the entire country. It requires all to achieve the desired results.”

The Commander of Narcotics National Drugs Laws Enforcement Agency NDLEA Kano State Ahmad Idris, informed the gathering that, the Kano command successfully counseled and rehabilitated over 100 in clients in 2024 representing a 43% increase from 2023 with significant increase in the campaigns against drug abuse

He noted that, the intensified War Against Drug Abuse WADA activities have contributed to the growth in the rate of client counseling.

“As ECOWAS continues to work towards its vision of a united, prosperous West Africa, its efforts in combating drug addiction will be critical in creating a brighter, healthier future for the region.”

ECOWAS Hands Over Drug Rehabilitation Centre to Aminu Kano Teaching Hospital