NEWS
Kaduna forest killings: Don’t demoralise troops with false allegation, Coalition warns

By Laide Akinboade, Abuja
A Coalition of 15 non-governmental organisations working for peace and national unity in Northern Nigeria has warned the public against actions capable of demoralising the troops of the Nigerian Army working to restore peace in the country.
The coalition mainly picked holes in the allegation against troops of the Nigerian Army following the discovery of 11 bodies in Kaduna forest believed to be those of some Fulani natives.
The coalition, led by an international peace advocacy group, Global Peace and Life Rescue Initiative (GOPRI), reacting in a statement following an on-the-spot visit and assessment of the crime scene as well as the Fulani Community in Kaduna, appealed to the Fulani community, particularly the deceased family to remain calm and law-abiding, pledging that they would get justice in the gruesome killing of their relative by yet-to-be-identified assailants.
The group, which exonerated the Nigerian Army, passed a vote of confidence in the General Officer Commanding 1 Division, Major General V.O Okoro, and the troops, saying they had worked to the delight of peace advocates in the regions.
The coalition’s statement was signed by the leader of the Group and the Executive Director of the Global Peace and Life Rescue Initiative (GOPRI), Amb. Melvin Ejeh; Dr Ibrahim Modibo, Convener of Conference of Fulbe Awake Forum Africa (FUAFOA; Dr Hamza Uba Sani, Northern Nigeria Human Rights Initiative(NONIHUR) and Hajiya Zainab Mohammed, president Women In Peace Building and Good Governance Forum
( WOIPBAG).
The 15 CSOs said the statements by some groups alleging complicity of troops in the unfortunate killings of the Fulani natives were unsavoury, just as it commended the General officer Commanding GOC 1 Division Nigerian Army Kaduna, Major General VO Okoro, and his men over their professionalism and dogged commitment to fighting banditry and other forms of criminality within their area of responsibility.
The coalition said from its fact-finding visit to Tilde Fulani in Laduga grazing reserve in Kachia Local Government Area of Kaduna State, where they received a formal complaint from Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association of Nigeria (MACBAN) Kaduna State Chapter, there was no evidence yet to link troops to the dastardly act.
To this end, it appealed to the Fulani Community to remain calm, pledging its unwavering commitment to assist them in getting justice over the act.
It called on some faceless groups planning to catch in on the development by planning unnecessary protests in some parts of the country to desist, describing them as merchants of crisis.
The group said its position was informed by a visit and assessment of the crisis area to provide independent findings into the alleged extra Judicial killings of 11 Fulani natives allegedly by some soldiers of the Nigerian Army from 1 Division Kaduna.
The statement read in parts: “Leader of the Group and the Executive Director of GOPRI, Amb. Melvin Ejeh and his team, who were received by the Village Head of Tilde Fulani in Laduga, Alhaji Mohamadu Yusuf and some of the victim’s relatives, Mallam Adamu Idris, Abubakar Mohammed, Suleiman Abdullahi, took the team around the community and the scenes where the corpses were recovered. They later proceeded to a stakeholders’ meeting where he addressed them.
“Amb. Melvin Ejeh, in his words, deeply condoled the families of the deceased and prayed for the repose of their souls. He went on to inform the victims’ families and community that they were in the community sequel to a former complaint written to them by MACBAN to carry out independent findings into the alleged killing of 11 innocent Fulani boys without any justification. He assured them that justice would be done to all the parties, no stone will be left unturned during this fact-finding, and the report would be submitted to relevant human rights and law enforcement agencies locally and internationally.
“He, however, advised the victim’s families and members of the community not to allow themselves to be used by some desperate politicians or crisis merchants who may want to cash in on this unfortunate situation to defame the hard-earned reputation of our gallant Nigeria Army who are making uncommon sacrifices to keep us safe, while the investigation is still on.
“We all know the excellent work the GOC and his officers and men are doing in the fight against banditry in this general area and other places. We can’t afford to demoralise the troops with allegations that are yet to be proven.”
Speaking further to the community, Amb. Ejeh said: “Some of the people coming here to instigate you against the Nigerian Army are doing that just to earn their living and satisfy their parochial interests. In fact, some of them are criminals and sponsors of banditry who may want to use this opportunity to weaken the morale of our gallant troops because of the Army’s hard stands on criminality. We should not allow that; the Army is ours, and we must own it.
“We call on crisis merchants and unpatriotic elements who are stuck in trade to blackmail the Armed forces into refraining forthwith as any attempts by them to do so will be resisted point by point.
“We received intelligence that some desperate and sponsored element are planning a so-called world conference against the Nigeria Military for the alleged killing of 11 Fulani natives in Kaduna; we want to make it clear to them that we will not hesitate to reply them points by points based on facts on the ground. We urge them to visit the community and find facts instead of constituting themselves as agents of falsehood against the national Army;
The statement said while responding on behalf of the community, the Village Head of Tilde Fulani, Alh. Mohammed Yusuf “thanked the team and assured them that he would refrain from any further engagement with strangers and media not to jeopardise the various investigations going on. “
“All we want is justice, and we’ are confident that justice will prevail in the end,” he said.
Foreign News
Philippine President Calls for Resignation of All Cabinet Secretaries

Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has asked all of his Cabinet secretaries to submit their resignations on Thursday in what he called a “bold reset” of his administration following last week’s mid-term elections.
The elections saw more opposition candidates win crucial Senate seats, signaling shifting political tides.
Marcos, the 67-year-old son of the late Philippine dictator overthrown in 1986, won the presidency in a landslide in 2022, a stunning political comeback marked by a call for national unity.
However, his vice-presidential running mate, Sara Duterte, also widely popular, later distanced herself from Marcos in a falling-out that had sparked intense political discord.
Marcos had since emerged as one of the region’s most vocal critics of China’s aggression in the disputed South China Sea, bolstered by support from the United States and other allies. Domestically, he continued to face significant challenges, including high inflation, unfulfilled promises to lower rice prices, and growing concerns over kidnappings and other crimes.
“This is not business as usual,” Marcos said in a government statement.
“The people have spoken and they expect results, not politics, not excuses. We hear them and we will act.” (AP/NAN)
NEWS
Reps to Investigate Alleged Irregularities in Driver’s licence Issuance, Revenue Generation

The House of Representatives has resolved to set up an ad hoc committee to investigate operational issues related to driver’s licence issuance, revenue generation and usage within the last three years.The resolution was sequel to the adoption of a motion by Rep. Victor Ogene (APC-Bayelsa) at the plenary on Wednesday.
Moving the motion, Ogene said that a tripartite arrangement between Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), State Boards of Internal Revenue (BIR) and the Vehicle Inspection Office (VIO) led to the digital issuance or renewal of a driver’s license. He said that the approving signature on a driver’s licence typically comes from a designated officer at the Motor Vehicle Administration Agency (MVAA) in the state where the licence application originated.He explained that a learner’s permit for driving a vehicle was first issued at a prescribed fee by Motor Vehicle Administration Agency (MVAA) in the relevant state before the release of a driver’s licence.According to him, FRSC operates a Very Important Person (VIP) centre, ostensibly for the renewal of a driver’s licence, which is reportedly being used for issuing fresh driver’s licences that are not preceded with a learner’s permit.Ogene said that the Joint Tax Board (JTB) reviewed the fees payable for a five-year and three-year driver’s licence to N21,000 and N15,000 respectively for a vehicle, N11,000 and N7,000 respectively for a motorcycle or tricycle since Nov. 1, 2024.“FRSC is alleged to use its Information Processing Centre (IPC) for warehousing data for driver’s licences and shortchange the state Boards of Internal Revenue (BIR) and the Vehicle Inspection Office (VIO) in the collection and usage of fees for processing driver’s licences.“Worried that FRSC is reportedly controlling and receiving accounts for drivers’ licence fees, the yearly revenue generated from chargeable fees which amounts to hundreds of billions of naira, is also allegedly unaccounted for by the VIO and various state boards of internal revenue.“Disturbed that the processing of drivers’ licences is unexplainably being delayed for upward of two to three years after the biometric data capturing of applicants.“Also disturbed that the huge debts the FRSC owes Galaxy Backbone Ltd. and other system consultants who are the network providers and maintainers of the biometrics data capturing system are responsible for the system slowdown and the resultant long delay in the issuance of driver’s licences,” he said.Ogene also expressed the need to clearly ascertain which public agency had the legal responsibility of designing, producing and issuing a driver’s licence.In his ruling, Speaker of the House, Rep. Abbas Tajudeen said that the committee, when constituted, would report its findings within four weeks for further legislative action. (NAN)NEWS
Those Waiting for Wike’s Downfall ‘ll Wait Endlessly – Aide

Mr Lere Olayinka, spokesman to the FCT Minister Nyesom Wike says those waiting for the minister’s political downfall will wait endlessly.Olayinka, Senior Special Assistant to the FCT Minister on Public Communications and Social Media, made the remarks while reacting to comments by former governor of Ebonyi Sam Egwu.
Egwu had in a statement on Tuesday, said that Wike was living on borrowed time, adding that the FCT minister’s influence would soon burn out. Reacting, the spokesman said in a statement in Abuja on Wednesday, that those waiting for Wike’s downfall would wait forever.He argued that Wike’s political progress was based on personal hard work, dedication, commitment and most importantly, God’s grace.Olayinka also faulted Egwu’s challenge to Wike to make it possible for the suspended governor of Rivers, Siminalayi Fubara to return to office.He also described allegations that the FCT Minister now exercises the powers of President Bola Tinubu and the National Assembly in Rivers as absurd.“This type of statement should not come from a former lawmaker,” he said.The Wike spokesman also dismissed the threats by a faction of the South East leaders of the PDP to withdraw their support for the party.According to him, it was illogical for people who could not deliver anything substantial in terms of votes to the PDP in the 2023 elections to be threatening to withdraw their support for the party.“The PDP constitution is clear as to who is the National Secretary of the party. His name is Senator Samuel Anyanwu, and anyone saying or doing anything contrary is only interested in the collapse of the party.” (NAN)