National News
LEKKI, LAI, LIES & TALES BY MOONLIGHT (1)
LEKKI, LAI, LIES & TALES BY MOONLIGHT (1)
BY CHRIS GYANG
OPENING THOUGHTS
You say they kill something inside you? Buhari and his men – Lai and Garba and Femi? Then you should have perished a long, long time ago. But no, you are still alive and kicking. Are you not a Nigerian, an indomitable citizen? After all, lies cannot kill you.
Could the Lekki massacres of October 2020 be a sad reenactment of the jungle justice perpetrated in 1977 where Fela Anikulapo’s mother was flung out of a second-floor window to her death by an agent of the dictatorship whom a panel later described as an ‘unknown soldier’? We shall soon find out.
For now, it is worthy of note that our neighbouring country, Cameroun (which has been ruled by 88-year old President Paul Biya for 39 years who still wants to contest for another tenure in 2025), calls its national team ‘The Indomitable Lions’. They are a rugged and fearsome side not easily defeated. Perhaps we should also call ourselves ‘Indomitable Nigerians’ because, like Cameroon’s national team, nothing easily squashes our spirits, or bodies.
There was a season when even lying military despots, who remain a not-to0 distant memory, could kill nothing inside y0u, as happened with Fela following his mother’s gruesome extra-judicial killing. Likewise, the falsehoods of present day ministers, corrupt government officials, a sitting president and his aides and spokesmen, can kill nothing in you. But we don’t have to hold tight to that borrowed ‘indomitable’ adjective from the Camerounians.
We have crafted a special nomenclature for ourselves. It suits us perfectly well and says a lot about our docile and sanctimonious nature. We tell ourselves that we are “a resilient people.” We have the incredible ability to bounce back from any adversity in the shortest time possible. Also, don’t forget that in Africa, names carry omens.
FLASHBACK
Now a little flashback would be appropriate to situate our subject in proper perspective. On October 20, 2020, soldiers confronted #EndSARS peaceful demonstrators at the Lekki tollgate, Lagos, during which some of them were killed and many others injured. This was widely reported by local mainstream and social media; and international news networks. However, the Federal Government, through the Information Minister, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, consistently maintained that no one was killed that day.
THE CABLE documented five instances in the past one year where Mr. Lai Mohammed vociferously refuted the reports of those killings, maiming and other human rights abuses. Some of these denials have been full of excoriating remarks and outright denunciations of individuals, credible sources and the organisations they represent.
According to the online publication, CABLE, in November 2020, the minister took a swipe at DJ Switch, a disc jockey, who filmed the army shooting #EndSARS protesters at Lekki tollgate, vowing that soon she would be “exposed for what she is.”
Lai further described her as a “purveyor of fake news” and questioned her motive for saying that protesters were killed by the army which, he said, was “suspicious.”
Also in November, the minister’s castigation of CNN was dripping with bile. He argued that its report on the Lekki shooting “did not just fall short of journalistic standards but reinforces the disinformation that is going around on the issue.” The minister, in a letter written to CNN, accused the international platform of deliberately leaving out video footage which could have shown that “armed hoodlums invaded the Lekki Toll Gate that night and could have hit any of the protesters as they shot sporadically…. This is clearly a ploy by the CNN reporter/presenter to manipulate viewers of its ‘investigative’ report and force them to draw the reporter’s desired conclusion.”
In its own report about the incident, Amnesty International (AI) had said that 12 people were killed by the military. But in January, 2021, Mr. Mohammed challenged AI to show proof of the 12 people killed or “shut up.” In February, 2021, he insisted that nobody had produced evidence of the people said to have been killed at the Lekki tollgate and described the allegations as “fake news and unverified social media reports.”
And Mr. Mohammed, during a press briefing marking the first anniversary of the shootings in October 2021, further claimed that there was still no proof that any protester was killed. He described it as a “phantom massacre,” stressing that it was the “first massacre in the world without blood or bodies.” He added, more sardonically: “One year later, and despite ample opportunities for the families of those allegedly killed and those alleging a massacre to present evidence, there has been none: No bodies, no families, no convincing evidence, nothing…. Where are the families of those who were reportedly killed…?”
PANEL’S REPORT, THE BACKLASH
But THE CABLE reported on Monday, November 15, that a report of the Lagos State judicial panel on police brutality, which was leaked to the press that same day, showed that protesters were indeed killed at the tollgate on October 20, 2020.
According to the NEW YORK TIMES (November 16, 2021), the report showed that the Nigerian Army shot and killed at least 11 unarmed, peaceful protesters and wounded dozens more. It added that four others were missing and now “presumed dead…. The atrocious maiming and killing of unarmed, helpless and unresisting protesters, while sitting on the floor and waving their Nigerian flags, while singing the national anthem can be equated to a ‘massacre’ in context.” The panel also listed 48 people as shooting victims.
The army had insisted that it fired blanks to disperse the demonstrators. On the contrary, the judicial panel declared that ample evidence showed that “soldiers actually shot blank and live bullets directly and pointedly into the midst of the protesters at the Lekki Toll Gate, with the deliberate intention to assault, maim, and kill.” It further maintained that the soldiers turned back ambulances that arrived to help wounded protesters.
Obviously, the information minister had not been telling the truth about what happened that day at the Lekki tollgate, Lagos. Analysts say that his acerbic outbursts that “No bodies … no convincing evidence, nothing…” had been discovered were the height of insensitivity to the dead and their living relatives.
Thus, the backlash from the Human Rights Writers Association of Nigeria (HURIWA) was harsh. In a statement issued on November 16, 2021, HURIWA National Coordinator, Comrade Emmanuel Onwubiko, urged President Buhari to sack and arrest him “for committing a grave and heartless offence that is equivalent to the denial of the Holocaust of the six million Jews by Adolf Hitler, which is punishable by nearly half a century of incarceration.”
While praising the bravery of the panel’s members and chairperson, the human rights body challenged President Buhari “not to sweep the lawlessness of the security agencies under the carpets.”
LAI STICKS TO HIS GUNS
But Mr. Lai Mohammed has hit back at the panel and rubbished its report, which he labelled as ‘tales by moonlight’ – a Nigerian folk tales children’s television show. During a press conference in Abuja on November 23, 2021, the minister insisted that the report would not change the Federal Government’s earlier declared position that there wasn’t a massacre, “adding that the report is intimidation of a silent majority by a ‘vociferous lynch mob’” (Daily Post, November 23).
Also Read: People’s Forum calls for investigation into alleged…
But many analysts say they are not surprised by the Federal Government’s position given that it has never owned up to such accusations of human rights abuses and the spike in corruption in the country from Amnesty International and Transparency International in the past. Only recently, the government lambasted The Economist for offering a very bleak assessment of the administration’s overall performance so far.
IF LAI LIED, SO WHAT?
Now, can Lai’s falsehoods and those of the other president’s men, even his (the president’s), still kill something inside of you? No they can’t, because you are ‘resilient’. You can weather all vicissitudes – hunger, poverty, hyper-inflation, stolen elections, endless strikes, Boko Haram killings, bandits’ attacks, impeachment of a speaker by 8 members of a 24-member parliament, etc – with religious equanimity and calm. Resilient people do not whine about the tissues of lies often hurled at them by leaders who must soften their consciences in order to sleep well at night. We are a people who allow our leaders to get away with all manner of atrocities and misdemeanors.
In fact, is Nigeria as presently constituted and wired not itself a big lie? Set up as a trading outpost for colonial masters, our country has so far been oiled and held together by a single primary commodity – crude oil. Our country is a true commercial enterprise, a business venture driven by the profit motive. The oily, shimmering surface belies the contradictions swirling down below. No wonder, our unity is tenuous – a sea of vaporizing mirages.
Those, especially from the core north, who endlessly mouth platitudes about national unity and patriotism are only inspired by the lucre they scoop from the oil wells that lie in the belly of this wobbly contraption and nothing else. Do you think they would have stuck to this union so tenaciously and continued singing its praises to the high heavens if the black gold was not at the bottom? Expert illusionists, they juggle lies and the beauty of national unity and patriotism before our eyes to keep us perpetually spell bound.
TO BE CONCLUDED…
LEKKI, LAI, LIES & TALES BY MOONLIGHT (1)
National News
President Tinubu Flags Off the Construction of Dikwa–Gamboru Ngala, Bama–Banki International Road Projects
President Tinubu Flags Off the Construction of Dikwa–Gamboru Ngala, Bama–Banki International Road Projects
By: Bodunrin Kayode
President Bola Tinubu on Saturday flagged off the construction of the 49.55-kilometre Dikwa–Gamboru Ngala Road and the 49.15-kilometre Bama–Banki Road, describing the strategic highways as critical to economic growth, regional integration, and national security.
The two road projects, regarded as economic lifelines of North-East Nigeria, serves as key gateways to neighbouring African countries, which will bolster cross-border trade, facilitate the movement of agricultural produce, and strengthen security operations in a region recovering from over a decade of insurgency.
The groundbreaking ceremony was held along the Maiduguri–Gamboru Ngala Road, where President Tinubu was represented by Vice President Senator Kashim Shettima.
The Vice President said the rehabilitation of the roads would improve connectivity and deliver on the administration’s commitment to infrastructure development across the country.
“His Excellency, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR, has made infrastructure a central priority. This is what Mr. President promised Nigerians, and I’m here today to affirm our readiness to redeem the promise and to convey his goodwill and gratitude for the support you have shown us,” Shettima said.
“The Bama–Banki Corridor carries special strategic weight. It is a top route of agriculture, movement, and national security. The Dikwa–Gamboru Ngala Road belongs to the same vision of reconnecting communities and restoring economic confidence across Borno State.”
The President also commended Borno State Governor, Professor Babagana Zulum, for prioritising infrastructure and maintaining a strong partnership with the Federal Government.
“The partnership between the Federal Government and Borno State shows what becomes possible when public institutions are united by the urgency of service. Certainly, Your Excellency, Professor Babagana Umara Zulum, you are one of the best-performing governors in the federation,” Tinubu stated.
Governor Zulum expressed appreciation to President Tinubu for approving the road projects and other critical interventions in Borno State.
“The successful commencement of this project reflects the strong partnership between the Federal Government and the Borno State Government. We deeply appreciate and remain eternally grateful to the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR, for his unwavering commitment to the development, peace, and security of the North East and Nigeria as a whole.
“Borno State Government recognizes that infrastructure remains a critical foundation for development. Since assuming office, our administration has prioritized the rehabilitation and construction of roads, schools, hospitals, water facilities, and other critical infrastructure as part of our commitment to improving the lives of our citizens,” he added.
Governor Zulum also pledged the state’s political support for President Tinubu in the next presidential election.
“I want to assure the President and indeed the Vice President that, Insha Allah, come January 2027, the people of Borno State will overwhelmingly vote him into office.”
The Governor equally praised his representative Vice President Shettima for his sustained support towards the reconstruction and development of Borno State.
“Your Excellency, your personal interest in the reconstruction and development of our state continues to inspire confidence among our people. We sincerely appreciate your leadership and steadfast commitment.” said Zulum.
Zulum also acknowledged the humanitarian contributions of Alhaji Aliko Dangote, particularly through the Aliko Dangote Foundation, during the state’s recovery from insurgency and the 2024 flood disaster.
He recalled the construction of Dangote Village, the donation of ₦1.5 billion to the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), ₦1 billion to the Borno State Government following the 2024 flood, and the distribution of relief materials to internally displaced persons.
“Through the Aliko Dangote Foundation, thousands of displaced persons received food and non-food items. Essentially, in 2017, he donated 106 trucks of food to IDPs.
“Alhaji Aliko Dangote has also donated ₦1.5 billion to NEMA to support flood victims in Borno State in the year 2024.”
Governor Zulum assured that the road projects would be closely monitored to ensure value for money and strict compliance with quality standards. He also appealed to the Minister of Works to grant the Borno State Government a waiver to regulate the activities of heavy-duty truck drivers using the roads intermittently.
Earlier, the Minister of Works, Senator David Umahi, disclosed that the projects would be executed in two phases and expressed confidence that construction would be completed within six months.
The ceremony was attended by the Borno State Deputy Governor, Umar Kadafur; APC Deputy National Chairman (North), Hon. Ali Dalori; senators; members of the House of Representatives; the Shehu of Borno, represented by the Shehu of Dikwa; ministers; members of the Borno State House of Assembly; APC leaders; the Secretary to the State Government; the Head of Service; the Acting Chief of Staff; commissioners; heads of government agencies; and other dignitaries.
President Tinubu Flags Off the Construction of Dikwa–Gamboru Ngala, Bama–Banki International Road Projects
Tinubu Flags Off Dikwa–Gamboru Ngala, Bama–Banki Road Projects
..:Describes Zulum Best Performing Governor
…Zulum Hails Tinubu’s Commitment to Borno Recovery Process
By: Our Reporter
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu on Saturday flagged off the construction of the 49.55-kilometre Dikwa–Gamboru Ngala Road and the 49.15-kilometre Bama–Banki Road, describing the strategic highways as critical to economic growth, regional integration, and national security.
The two road projects, regarded as economic lifelines of the North-East, serve as key gateways to neighbouring African countries, which will bolster cross-border trade, facilitate the movement of agricultural produce, and strengthen security operations in a region recovering from over a decade of insurgency.
The groundbreaking ceremony was held along the Maiduguri–Gamboru Ngala Road, where President Tinubu was represented by Vice President Senator Kashim Shettima.
The Vice President said the rehabilitation of the roads would improve connectivity and deliver on the administration’s commitment to infrastructure development across the country.
“His Excellency, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR, has made infrastructure a central priority. This is what Mr. President promised Nigerians, and I’m here today to affirm our readiness to redeem the promise and to convey his goodwill and gratitude for the support you have shown us,” Shettima said.
“The Bama–Banki Corridor carries special strategic weight. It is a top route of agriculture, movement, and national security. The Dikwa–Gamboru Ngala Road belongs to the same vision of reconnecting communities and restoring economic confidence across Borno State.”
The Vice President also commended Borno State Governor, Professor Babagana Umara Zulum, for prioritising infrastructure and maintaining a strong partnership with the Federal Government.
“The partnership between the Federal Government and Borno State shows what becomes possible when public institutions are united by the urgency of service. Certainly, Your Excellency, Professor Babagana Umara Zulum, you are one of the best-performing governors in the federation,” the Vice President stated.
Governor Zulum expressed appreciation to President Tinubu for approving the road projects and other critical interventions in Borno State.
“The successful commencement of this project reflects the strong partnership between the Federal Government and the Borno State Government. We deeply appreciate and remain eternally grateful to the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR, for his unwavering commitment to the development, peace, and security of the North East and Nigeria as a whole,” Zulum remarked.
“Borno State Government recognizes that infrastructure remains a critical foundation for development. Since assuming office, our administration has prioritized the rehabilitation and construction of roads, schools, hospitals, water facilities, and other critical infrastructure as part of our commitment to improving the lives of our citizens,” he added.
Governor Zulum also pledged the state’s political support for President Tinubu in the next presidential election.
“I want to assure the President and indeed the Vice President that, Insha Allah, come January 2027, the people of Borno State will overwhelmingly vote him into office.”
The governor equally praised Vice President Shettima for his sustained support towards the reconstruction and development of Borno State.
“Your Excellency, your personal interest in the reconstruction and development of our state continues to inspire confidence among our people. We sincerely appreciate your leadership and steadfast commitment.”
Zulum also acknowledged the humanitarian contributions of Alhaji Aliko Dangote, particularly through the Aliko Dangote Foundation, during the state’s recovery from insurgency and the 2024 flood disaster.
He recalled the construction of Dangote Village, the donation of ₦1.5 billion to the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), ₦1 billion to the Borno State Government following the 2024 flood, and the distribution of relief materials to internally displaced persons.
“Through the Aliko Dangote Foundation, thousands of displaced persons received food and non-food items. Essentially, in 2017, he donated 106 trucks of food to IDPs. Alhaji Aliko Dangote has also donated ₦1.5 billion to NEMA to support flood victims in Borno State in the year 2024.”
Governor Zulum assured that the road projects would be closely monitored to ensure value for money and strict compliance with quality standards. He also appealed to the Minister of Works to grant the Borno State Government a waiver to regulate the activities of heavy-duty truck drivers using the roads.
Earlier, the Minister of Works, Senator David Umahi, disclosed that the projects would be executed in two phases and expressed confidence that construction would be completed within six months.
The ceremony was attended by the Borno State Deputy Governor, Hon. Umar Usman Kadafur; APC Deputy National Chairman (North), Hon. Ali Bukar Dalori; senators; members of the House of Representatives; the Shehu of Borno, represented by the Shehu of Dikwa; ministers; members of the Borno State House of Assembly; APC leaders; the Secretary to the State Government; the Head of Service; the Acting Chief of Staff; commissioners; heads of government agencies; and other dignitaries.
Tinubu Flags Off Dikwa–Gamboru Ngala, Bama–Banki Road Projects
National News
PEBEC Targets Seamless Digital Government as 98% of MDAs Meet Business Reform Standards
PEBEC Targets Seamless Digital Government as 98% of MDAs Meet Business Reform Standards
By: Michael Mike
The Director-General of the Presidential Enabling Business Environment Council, Zahrah Mustapha Audu, has unveiled plans to integrate digital platforms across federal Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) to eliminate duplication, reduce regulatory bottlenecks and create a seamless experience for businesses, following significant gains in public sector service delivery reforms.
Audu disclosed that 98 per cent of the 69 MDAs monitored by the council now meet prescribed responsiveness standards after a targeted reform programme designed to improve compliance with the Business Facilitation Act.
Speaking during an interaction with journalists in Abuja, she said PEBEC’s next phase of reforms would focus on ensuring government agencies no longer operate in isolation but are digitally connected to enable secure information sharing and faster service delivery.
According to her, while many agencies have digitised their operations, businesses still face unnecessary delays because they are repeatedly required to submit the same information to different regulators.
She cited the National Identification Number (NIN) as an example, noting that agencies should no longer demand documents containing information already available on government databases.
“Our objective is to create an environment where businesses provide information once, and relevant government agencies can securely access it instead of making investors repeat the same process multiple times,” she said.
Audu explained that the reforms are part of PEBEC’s broader mandate to eliminate bureaucratic obstacles, simplify regulatory processes and position Nigeria as a preferred investment destination.
Rather than adopting a confrontational approach, she said the council works collaboratively with government institutions to resolve operational challenges.
“PEBEC is not a name-and-shame organisation. We identify gaps and provide technical support to help agencies improve their services,” she said.
She revealed that the council recently concluded a 90-day Business Environment Enhancement Accelerator Programme, during which reform champions embedded across 69 MDAs worked with PEBEC to strengthen compliance with the Business Facilitation Act.
The initiative, she said, resulted in 98 per cent of the agencies meeting service delivery timelines and responding promptly to enquiries from businesses and members of the public.
Audu noted that the council is now shifting attention from basic compliance to competitiveness, with the goal of making Nigeria a more business-friendly destination than neighbouring economies such as Ghana, Benin Republic and Kenya before benchmarking against leading global performers.
As part of efforts to simplify business regulation, she said PEBEC reviewed licensing procedures and documentation requirements across several agencies to eliminate obsolete and repetitive processes that increase the cost and time of doing business.
She also identified top-performing agencies during the council’s assessment, commending the Nigeria Customs Service for fully complying with reform requirements while reducing cargo clearance timelines and simplifying import and export procedures.
Other agencies recognised for exceeding compliance expectations include the Nigerian Ports Authority, the National Information Technology Development Agency and the National Pension Commission, all of which introduced additional customer-focused reforms beyond the minimum standards.
Audu stressed that the assessment was not intended to rank agencies but to institutionalise reforms capable of improving the experience of businesses dealing with government institutions.
She warned that inefficiency in a single government office can undermine investor confidence in the entire country.
“If someone has a bad experience with one government agency, they do not separate that agency from the government. They simply conclude that Nigeria is not working,” she said.
To sustain the reforms, Audu disclosed that PEBEC will continue its quarterly mystery-shopping exercise, under which officials anonymously access government services to independently assess service quality from the perspective of ordinary users.
She added that the council also operates live performance trackers that allow agencies and the public to monitor compliance levels and identify areas requiring improvement.
According to her, the 2026 Business Facilitation Act Compliance Report is expected to be released in November after the completion of the annual assessment.
She said PEBEC’s long-term goal is to entrench a public service culture built on transparency, efficiency and accountability while creating a fully integrated digital government that makes regulatory compliance faster, easier and more predictable for businesses and investors.
PEBEC Targets Seamless Digital Government as 98% of MDAs Meet Business Reform Standards
President Tinubu Flags Off the Construction of Dikwa–Gamboru Ngala, Bama–Banki International Road Projects
Mutiny: Presidential Guard Tightens Security Around Niger Presidency Amid Reports of Military Protest
Troops Arrest Two Suspected Berom Militia Linked to NIPSS Attack as Security Sources Say Investigation Supports Earlier Leads
Roger Federer’s Shock as DNA Results Reveal Myla and Charlene Are Not His Biological Children
THE PLIGHT OF FARIDA
FAILED COUP IN BURKINA FASO: HOW TRAORÉ NARROWLY ESCAPED ASSASSINATION PLOT AMID FOREIGN INTERFERENCE CLAIMS
-
News2 years agoRoger Federer’s Shock as DNA Results Reveal Myla and Charlene Are Not His Biological Children
-
Opinions4 years ago
THE PLIGHT OF FARIDA
-
News1 year agoFAILED COUP IN BURKINA FASO: HOW TRAORÉ NARROWLY ESCAPED ASSASSINATION PLOT AMID FOREIGN INTERFERENCE CLAIMS
-
News2 years agoEYN: Rev. Billi, Distortion of History, and The Living Tamarind Tree
-
Opinions5 years agoPOLICE CHARGE ROOMS, A MINTING PRESS
-
ACADEMICS2 years agoA History of Biu” (2015) and The Lingering Bura-Pabir Question (1)
-
Columns2 years agoArmy University Biu: There is certain interest, but certainly not from Borno.
-
Politics1 year ago2027: Why Hon. Midala Balami Must Go, as Youths in Hawul and Asikira/Uba Federal Constituency Reject ₦500,000 as Sallah Gift
