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Niger Delta Leaders Have Failed the People – Enang

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Senator Ita Enang has been a Legislator in most of his political career. He was first elected Councillor and later served in Akwa Ibom House of Assembly before proceeding to the House of Representatives and ultimately, the Senate, where he served for two terms.

The former Presidential Liaison Officer (Senate) who serves as Senior Special Assistant to the President on Niger Delta Affairs in this interview to mark the nation’s 60th Independence anniversary bares his mind on some critical issues in the polity.
Excerpts.

This is the diamond age of Nigeria’s  independence, how will you assess the journey so far?

 I think we done very well, we thank God that we are able to stay together as one country, although in a different heart the things in our hearts and our consciousness are different they were still bond together by geography and international dialogue the leaders of the country have done very well, they’re respected leaders, we started by bloodshed, the different coups and ethnic suspicions, which led to the 1964,1965,1966 and 1967 challenges of the country and now we are able to stay together.

One of the greatest achievement is that we have been able to have democracy running consecutively for the last 21years, so we congratulate Nigerians. I want to say that we would have done better as a country.

We are self governing, we are a democracy but we are not independent. The only thing we can call independent is we are independent of foreign rulers but we are not independent as a country, because we have not yet produced what we can eat or we have not yet refined our petroleum, we don’t add  enough value to our petroleum.

  In agriculture, we are not self- sufficient in technology, we are are not deploying the technology of other countries into our country and yet don’t explore the democratic resources into the technological  advancement of our citizens.

 In terms of our currency, we have not done well at all. In the ‘80s the naira was stronger than the    Dollar and Pounds.  In the ‘80s  the dollar exchange was  about $3 or $4 dollars to one naira, the Pounds was two pounds to one naira, how do we get to where we are? So we have to go and see again how we can re-invent our country and make sacrifices.

 The other problem  is that individuals and persons in government don’t see themselves as serving the public. Persons  in government and public offices see it as an opportunity to make money, as an opportunity to show up they don’t see it as an opportunity to develop the country or to add value to the country. Most persons in public offices don’t see their Nigeria with like the British, European and Americans see their countries.

They do not see public offices as an opportunity to grow the country, to add value to the country, create employment. People in public offices  see it  as an opportunity to make money, to show up, to  say, I have arrived. These are part of the things we lost, which we will not gain in our 60 years of independence but I am praying to God that under the leadership and the hand  of President Buhari,  who also says to me “do the right thing go and do the right thing, you will account to your God.” Let all public officers follow  the example of President Buhari, who believes in doing the right thing, they will account to their God 

You   were Chairman of House committee on Rules and Business, while in the House, from your experience, what can you tell us  about  the role  and performance of the legislature in Nigeria  since  independence?

I want to congratulate the Nigerian people again  for the 21 years of democratic rule. In the existence of the legislature, it does appear that the public still takes the legislature  as the opposition party, but the legislature has done well because the legislature is the conscience of the people. I am very grateful to the legislature because its the legislature that brings out things that are happening in different Ministries, Departments and Agencies.

A president or governor will not know when there is crime or corruption in any office, he will not know when money is been appropriated, he will not know when things are not going well in any of the ministries, where money has been misappropriated  he will not also know where programmes that are to be executed are not well executed, as they were meant to be other than the legislature through over sight function, through the process of public hearing. 

And of course, the legislature has to come to stay. Something is getting very wrong with the legislature and I want to say with the greatest respect to the present legislature, the 7th Assembly, the 8th Assembly and the 9th Assembly. I was a member of the  7th Assembly in the Senate.

At  the time I was in the Senate, the standard had started getting down. You will have a situation where you bring a bill on the floor, you don’t have the bill debated, you don’t have the essentials of the bill debated and and you don’t have  situation where you have votes and proceedings produced, you don’t have the situation where you have the handsards showing the debate on any bill to know the thinking of the legislature.

In Law, one of the best means of knowing when the judge is based on interpretation of any law and is not guided by any  precedent, he will want to say, what was the intention of the legislature and sometimes when you want to know the intention of the legislature, you  go to the handsards of the legislature , and the handsards of the legislature is showing the drain and flow of debate, it’s that flow of debate that the judge will take,  read and know, this was the thinking of the legislature. But now you will go to the legislature, you won’t find the handsards, sometimes they don’t produce the vote and proceeding.

Take for instance,  we have the CAMA act, a lot of people say they do not see or know because there was no dated debate on it and even the vote and proceedings were not produced because not everybody had  it.

Now take for instance, what is happening in Imo state today and what I’m saying is not really applicable to the National Assembly but to the State Houses  of Assembly, the state houses of assembly have been reduced to parastatal of the  governors.

Take the example of Imo state, they passed  the administration of criminal justice Act and according to social media,  and the sponsor of the bill, what was presented to the governor for signature is different from what was passed on the floor, which can not happen, which is  a criminal action.

In 2002 or 2003,  when there was an injection of something wrong  into the electoral Act under Obasanjo administration, when there is  something into the Act before it was forwarded to the president, so the legislature is gradually going low , because, when you take the vote and proceeding argument, in the Assembly of 1999 to  2003, and take the one of 2003 to 2007, take the one of 2007 to 20011 you will see contributions, you will see men who were prepared for the legislature, you will see the argument of lawyers, engineers, architects, doctors different professionals, you will see what people did

now if you pick those things, you will not see what even a sponsor of a bill will do, therefore the national assembly and the legislature should go back, thank God I urge the Senate president who is the longest serving member, he was with me in the house of representatives from 1999 to 2007, in 2007 he  left to the Senate I was the One that continued in the house of representatives in 20011, as of today he spent one year on the floor of the legislature as a Senate president let him recall as it’s working and then bring back that level of intellectual argument.

How will you describe the situation in the Niger delta since 1960?

Niger Delta shouldn’t be weeping and  wailing today. It  appears raped by the very country it has helped but it is more raped by the indigenes of the region  because the things that come for the development of the Niger Delta through different struggles have gone  into the hands of the leaders of the Niger Delta, who have found  opportunity to be in government. 

They have not done well  for the citizens. Look at the derivation principle, it was supposed to be  for the development of the Niger Dtelta  but it is given to the Governors and the governors use it to compete among them selves who Will fly the newest private jet.

 I saw a post the other day and I wept, which Said, compare the convoy of President Buhari with the cars and  convoy of  a particular  governor in Niger Delta.  I wept because when you see the cars of a  governor in the Niger Delta, then you will see that the region is not suffering from the hand of the country but it’s suffering from the hand of it’s citizens.  Go and look at the local content fund, look at how the oil companies are treating the area. 

The Governors should set up a special purpose vehicle that goes to develop Niger Delta with the derivation money at least if they want to give this thing, give only 20 percent to the Governors to develop the Urban areas, let the 80percent go to the development of Niger Delta oil producing communities.

There are times that we have stoppage of oil production.  It’s because some communities want just a primary school, they want Just a road and a market, if you go to Ogbosi community, the ogba kingdom in Ogba LGA in Rivers state, you will find soldiers always surrounding and protecting the gas plant there.

The gas plant that feeds this country. The gas plant from there   is going to be joined by the gas pipe line in delta to take gas through the West African gas pipe line, it is that gas that is coming to Ajaokuta and it’s being linked to Kaduna and Kano,  contract  has been awarded worth over $2billion. Yet the community, where this gas comes from – Ogbosi, is asking for primary school; Is asking for a market; Is asking for a one kilometer road. What these people are asking for does not even  amount to revenue that accrues from from  one  hour production of gas

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Nigeria Non-oil Exports Hit $3.225bn in Half-year 2025 – NEPC

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The Nigerian Export Promotion Council (NEPC) has announced that the country’s non-oil exported products in the half-year of 2025 were valued at 3.225 billion dollars.Director-General of the council, Nonye Ayeni, disclosed this to newsmen while presenting a report on the first half of 2025 Non-Oil Export Performance, in Abuja on Sunday.

Ayeni said that the report was aimed at providing a comprehensive overview of the council’s achievements, challenges and prospects.
“I am pleased to inform you that non-oil products exported in the first half of 2025 were valued at 3.225 billion dollars.“This shows an increase of 19.59 per cent as against the sum of 2.696 billion dollars recorded for the first half of the year 2024.
“The volume also increased to 4.04 million metric tonnes, compared to the 3,83 million metric tonnes for the same period of 2024,” she said.The director-general recalled that in April, Nigeria’s non-oil products exported in the first quarter of 2025 recorded a significant value of 1.791 billion dollars.She said that the figure represented a 24.75 per cent increase over the 1.436 billion dollars reported in the first quarter of 2024.Ayeni said that the volume also increased to 2.416 million metric tonnes, representing a 24.3 per cent increase from the 1.937 million metric tonnes recorded in the first quarter of 2024.She further stated that a total of 236 different products were exported in the first half of the year.This, the director-general said, represented an increase of 16.83 per cent compared to the 202 distinct products exported in the first half of 2024.She said that the products exported included agricultural commodities and extractive industries as well as manufactured and semi-processed products.“However, it is pertinent to state that the non-oil export of Nigerian products is gradually diversifying from traditional agriculture exports to semi-manufactured products,” she said.Ayeni noted that based on the data received from Pre-shipment Inspection Agents (PIAs), of the top 20 products exported in the first half of this year, cocoa beans was the highestShe said that the product had 34.88 per cent value in terms of total export compared to 23.18 per cent for the same period in 2024.“Urea/fertiliser came second with 17.65 percent as against 13.78 per cent for the first half of 2024,” she added.The director-general said that African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) had helped in providing wider market access and tariff relief for Nigerian exporters.She also said that the council had some export intervention programmes, such as capacity-building on quality and standards, packaging and labelling, export documentation and certifications.“During the period under review, the council also facilitated market access and market linkage programmes for our exporting companies, thereby, giving their products more visibility in the global market.“The growth in value-added exports improved earnings, as more exporters are now imbibing the culture of value addition to their products.“The rising demand from emerging economies, such as India, Brazil, Vietnam and Africa have, however, increased Nigeria’s non-oil export volumes and diversity,” she said.Ayeni expressed the council’s commitment to working with the Ministry of Industry, Trade and Investment and other relevant stakeholders to sustain the strong performance by increasing the volume and value of non-oil exports from Nigeria.The efforts, she said, were in alignment with the President Bola Tinubu-led administration’s Renewed Hope Agenda and the policy drive of the ministry. (NAN)

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FCTA Vows Continuous Illegal Demolition in Abuja

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By Laide Akinboade, Abuja

The Federal Capital Territory Administration has pledged to sustain the demolition of shanties and parks serving as hideouts for criminals in the Federal Capital Territory.The FCT minister’s Special Assistant on Public Communications and Social Media, Lere Olayinka, in a statement yesterday said the exercise was “a targeted public safety intervention based on credible intelligence and not an act of persecution against anyone.

”According to him, security agencies, including the NDLEA and DSS, had identified several locations and facilities in the city as safe havens for criminal activities, notably the Banana Green Belt from the Central Mosque area towards Wuse Zones 3 and 1 and the Area 10 corridor.
“In these areas, innocent citizens are assaulted by assailants who then seek refuge within the surrounding Banana Green Belt/vegetation cover to escape arrest,” he said.Olayinka disclosed that the demolition of shanties at Jazz and Blues Entertainment, Panorama Recreational Park, Wuse Zone 3, was part of the clean-up, following evidence of sustained criminal activity tied to organised networks operating within the FCT.“The intelligence obtained and verified through several surveillance and undercover investigations of these locations, amongst which was the Jazz and Blues Entertainment at Panorama Recreational Park, Wuse Zone 3, was that a segment of the park containing shanties and batchers had evidence of sustained criminal activity tied to organized networks operating within the FCT,” the statement partly read.Olayinka noted that the FCTA had issued multiple contravention notices between February 2024 and July 2025, which were ignored by the park’s management.“While the FCTA acknowledges and respects the military service of Air Commodore Balogun, it reiterates that national service is not a licence for any individual to harbour criminal elements,” he added.Olayinka stressed that the main facilities at the park, including the football field, gymnasium and viewing platforms, were unaffected.He said the city-wide clean-up, which began on August 6, would be extended to other districts in the coming weeks to build a city where residents will be safe to live, work and recreate.Police Arrest Three over 2024 Murder, Robbery in AbujaOperatives of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Police Command have arrested three suspects in connection with the murder of Azubuko Nwakama, a staff member of Liberty Radio, who was attacked and robbed at Panteka Market in Mpape on June 14, 2024.The Command’s spokesperson, Josephine Adeh disclosed in a statement that the arrests followed months of sustained investigation and surveillance by detectives attached to the Mpape Division.“Following the incident in June 2024, detectives from Mpape Division immediately launched a comprehensive investigation,” she said.The suspects reportedly robbed the victim of his mobile phone and other valuables before stabbing him. However, efforts to trace the stolen phone proved difficult for months, as the device remained switched off.According to the police, the breakthrough came on August 2, 2025, when the phone — a Redmi 13C — was switched on and tracked to one Mutari Lawal, 32, of Kano State.“Upon arrest, Mutari confessed to the crime and revealed the identities of his accomplices: Dan’Asabe Ibrahim, 22, from Zamfara State, and Danjuma Ibrahim, 18, both with no fixed address in Mpape,” the statement noted.Lawal reportedly admitted he took the phone to Kano, where he kept it powered off for over a year. He returned to Abuja and switched it on only after attempting to wipe its data and insert a new SIM card.The Commissioner of Police, FCT Command, CP Ajao Adewale, commended the officers for their professionalism and perseverance, stressing that justice has finally caught up with the suspects.He also warned criminal elements in the territory to either “repent or relocate,” as the law will eventually catch up with them.“The long arm of the law is patient, persistent, and resolute,” the CP declared.The FCT Police Command reiterated its commitment to public safety and urged residents to remain vigilant and report suspicious activities via its emergency numbers: 08032003913, 08028940883.

…Nab Herder with Ammunition, Six Suspected Robbers in NasarawaThe Nasarawa State Police Command has arrested a herder in possession of an AK-47 magazine loaded with six live rounds of ammunition, along with six individuals suspected of involvement in robbery and kidnapping across parts of the state.The Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), Ramhan Nansel disclosed this in a statement issued yesterday in Lafia.According to him, the arrests followed credible intelligence from a concerned citizen, leading operatives of the Doma Division, led by the Divisional Police Officer, to raid a known criminal hideout in Yelwa Ediya, Doma Local Government Area.The suspects arrested include Dardau Shehu, Yunusa Malami Hashimu, Musa Abubakar, Ibrahim Musa, and Mohammed Musa, all residents of Yelwa Ediya Village.During preliminary interrogation, the suspects reportedly confessed to their involvement in the abduction of a local councillor (name withheld) on May 26, during which two mobile phones, an Infinix Note 30 (valued at N250,000) and a Tecno phone (valued at N20,000) were taken.They also allegedly admitted to staging a roadblock along the Doma–Yelwa road on July 19, 2025, around 9:00 a.m., during which they dispossessed one Ibrahim Haruna of a Bajaj motorcycle valued at N970,000. The motorcycle was later sold, with one of the suspects reportedly involved in arranging the sale.“Officers recovered N100,000, identified as proceeds from the sale, which had been concealed in the bush. A Bajaj motorcycle was also recovered during the operation,” the PPRO stated.In a separate incident, officers from the Keana Division arrested a herder accused of discharging a firearm during a dispute with local farmers at Gidan Zaki Hassan, Kuduku, in Keana LGA.The suspect, identified as 20-year-old Suleman Mohammadu, was arrested with support from community members. An AK-47 magazine containing six live rounds was recovered from him.The Commissioner of Police, Shettima Jauro Mohammed, has directed that all suspects be transferred to the State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID) for further investigation and possible prosecution.CP Mohammed reaffirmed the Command’s commitment to ensuring public safety across the state and called on residents to remain law-abiding and cooperate with law enforcement by providing timely and credible information.CAS Vows to Crush Emerging Security ThreatsThe Chief of Air Staff (CAS), Air Marshal Hasan Bala Abubakar yesterday reaffirmed that protecting the lives and property of Nigerians remained a non-negotiable priority for the Nigerian Air Force and vowed that the security forces would crush the emerging security threats in the North-West and the country in general.This was contained in a statement in Abuja by the Director of Public Relations and Information, Headquarters, Nigerian Air Force, Air Commodore Ehimen Ejodame.According to the statement, the Air Chief made the declaration on Sunday during his operational assessment visit to Kebbi.This includes high-level engagements with senior military commanders, heads of other security agencies, and an inspection of key military infrastructure, underscoring the Nigerian Air Force’s readiness to respond swiftly and decisively to emerging threats in the North-West.“Our commitment is clear: we will locate and root out all criminal elements threatening the peace and safety of law-abiding citizens. Nigeria must be secure for development to thrive,” the CAS declared.The CAS, who also held a meeting with the State Governor Mohammed Nasir Idris and members of the Kebbi State Executive Council, emphasised the strategic importance of Kebbi in Nigeria’s security architecture.According to him, “Kebbi shares international borders with the Republics of Benin and Niger and has vast rural terrains that demand heightened security vigilance, what affects Kebbi affects the entire North-West, and by extension, the peace and stability of our nation.”The CAS further praised the readiness of troops and effectiveness of security infrastructure in the state, saying, “I am highly impressed with what I saw on the ground”.“Our platforms are well-positioned and capable of reaching every part of the state swiftly. Intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance operations will be intensified.”The CAS also commended the inter-agency synergy among security outfits operating in Kebbi, saying, “I commend the dedication of our colleagues in the Nigerian Army, the Nigerian Police, Department of State Services, Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps, and others”.According to him, “Their tireless efforts are making a difference, and we will continue to support them with air power and strategic coordination.”The statement added that Governor Mohammed Nasir Idris, expressed profound appreciation to the Nigerian Air Force and other security agencies for their tireless commitment to safeguarding lives and property across the state and pointed out that despite emerging threats and the complex security environment in the North-West, Kebbi had remained largely peaceful, an achievement he attributed to the vigilance and sacrifices of the nation’s security forces.Governor Idris reaffirmed his administration’s unwavering support for the Nigerian Air Force and all sister agencies, stating, “We are fully committed to working hand in hand with our security institutions to ensure Kebbi remains a bastion of peace and stability.”It stated that the operational visit reaffirmed NAF’s strategic commitment to national defence through the employment of air power, intelligence, and partnerships with stakeholders at all levels to ensure the protection of lives and properties of Nigerians.

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Atiku, Falana Condemn NYSC Over Withheld Corps Member Certificate

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By David Torough, Abuja

The National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) has come under heavy criticism from former Vice President Atiku Abubakar and human rights lawyer Femi Falana, SAN, over the alleged withholding of a discharge certificate from Lagos-based corps member, Ushie Rita Uguamaye, popularly known as “Raye.

”Raye, who completed her one-year service in Lagos, claimed she was denied her certificate after officials accused her of missing April clearance.
She insisted she was present for the exercise but was repeatedly told to wait by her Local Government Inspector (LGI), who eventually seized her file and refused to clear her.Atiku, in a statement on X, described the situation as “Unacceptable” and warned that punishing citizens for criticising government policies would erode public trust in national institutions.
He urged the NYSC to act swiftly, questioning whether the action was politically motivated given Raye’s previous viral criticism of economic hardship under President Bola Tinubu’s administration.Falana also condemned the decision, calling it an “Illegal act” not sanctioned by any court, and likened it to past abuses under military rule. Citing Section 39 of the 1999 Constitution, he reminded the NYSC of the President’s Democracy Day speech encouraging constructive criticism and urged the immediate release of Raye’s certificate.However, NYSC has denied any political motive. Spokesperson Caroline Embu said Raye was one of 131 corps members sanctioned for failing April biometric clearance, leading to a standard two-month service extension in line with NYSC by-laws. The scheme maintained the measure was procedural and not targeted at silencing dissent.The standoff has sparked fresh debate about the NYSC’s disciplinary process, freedom of expression, and whether the system is vulnerable to political interference.

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