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“Allow Nigerians Have Guns Like Phones To Protect Themselves”, Kaduna House Of Rep Member Tells Federal Government

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Yakubu Barde, a member of the house of representatives, has asked the federal government to allow Nigerians to “have guns like phones”.

Barde, a lawmaker representing Chikun/Kajuru federal constituency of Kaduna state and member of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), said this yesterday at a media briefing in Abuja.

The lawmaker was speaking on the recent abduction of school children in Kaduna.

Over 100 students were declared missing on Monday, following an attack by suspected bandits on Bethel Baptist High School in Damishi, Chikun LGA of the state.

The incident occurred about 24 hours after eight persons were abducted on Sunday when gunmen attacked the staff quarters of the National Centre for Tuberculosis and Leprosy in Zaria LGA in the state.

“For me I think the time has come. We should legalize guns, so that if you know I have a gun and you are coming to attack me, all I need to do is to have small training over you — you have AK-47, I have AK-47. If I have better training than you, I will kill you. Simple!” he said.

Yes, I, honourable Yakubu Barde, I am calling that they should unban guns. Let all Nigerian have guns like phones. But before that, let us be very careful also.

“The necessary machinery should be put in place to ensure that if anyone commits crime with a gun, let justice catch up with him.

“Today, if you legalize that, anybody who doesn’t like you or you have the same girlfriend would just come and kill you. That is the truth. Or one girl will kill another girl because they have the same boyfriend. And do we have the wherewithal to capture criminals like that? Do we have a database of Nigerians that fingerprint can be used to track down offenders? Do we have that? We don’t have. For me, it is even better that way than to be killed in the hands of the bandits.”

The lawmaker also noted that the government has failed in protecting the lives and property of the people.

“Honestly, the government has failed in terms of providing security for my constituents. I would speak particularly for my constituents. If there is anything said that they are doing their best, I would say their best is not good enough. Their best is a failure,” he said.

“Let us say it. How long shall we continue this way? Are we going to continue to live like this? As I speak to you today, to prevent these things happening, Kaduna state government has closed down 13 schools.

“Very soon, children are going to write WAEC exams and they have not had lectures. They are going to sit at home to write. Are we thinking of the future of these children? If you look at their own case, it is even better because they are thinking of writing exams.

“How about those abducted? Will they think of exams? They are thinking of their safety and every leader of concern should think of their safety. How are they feeding there? The trauma they will go through, some of them may not come back sane again. They may not be the same people.”

Barde asked the federal government to seek foreign assistance in tackling the insecurity in the country, adding that the military is overwhelmed.

“The federal government is overwhelmed and my call is that even the greatest of nations seeks for assistance, even America. Depending on what they want, they seek for assistance,” he said.

“Why can’t we in this country call a spade a spade and say we are overwhelmed? Let nations that are willing come to help us. Why? Is it because we are hiding something? If we are not, why can’t we call developed countries that are willing to join hands?

“When will the life of one Nigerian matter to us? Is it when we are all killed? For me, if there are moles in the military and they cannot be exposed, it means the moles are stronger than the government. That is evidence of the failure of the state.

“Do we want to be like Mexico where drug cartels kill at will? Today, if I tell you, from the place the children were kidnapped to a barrack in Kaduna is ten minutes drive. If you abduct 120 students walking on foot, how long would they go in 10 minutes that they cannot be rescued?”

The lawmaker also accused some military officers of being complicit in the fight against insecurity.

On connivance with military personnel, for me it is very true. I want to believe it is very true. I remember an incident when there was to be an attack on bandits in Borno state. I think the aim of the government then was to use gas,” he said.

“But two days later, we saw the bandits with gas masks. Now, who told them? Can we say there are no moles in the military? But leadership is the ability to sieve the good, bad and ugly even in your organisation. If you have an organisation of 20,000 people, you cannot tell me they can be all good. There must be moles.

“Leadership is the ability to have the intellect to fish out moles among them. If the military cannot fish out the moles among them, then I am sorry I think there would be no end to this.”

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Politics

Enugu LGA chairman appoints aides on garden egg, pepper, yam

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Eric Odo, chairman of Igbo Etiti LGA of Enugu state, has appointed Ezeugwu Ogbonna as senior special assistant on agriculture (yam and pepper).

The appointment is contained in a letter dated November 1 and addressed to Ogbonna.

“I am pleased to inform you that the executive chairman Igbo Etiti LGA has approved your appointment as senior special assistant to the local government chairman on agriculture (yam and pepper),” the letter reads.

“You should report to the executive chairman Igbo Etiti LGA, Ogbede, for briefing and deployment.

“It is pertinent to note that this is not a career civil service appointment but a temporary appointment which you hold at the pleasure of the executive chairman of Igbo Etiti LGA.”

Odo also appointed Nwodo Ugonna as special adviser on garden egg and pepper.

The council chairman did not outline the specific duties of the appointees.

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Politics

Ondo guber: Obi, NLC ruined my chances of winning, says LP candidate

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Ayodele Olorunfemi, candidate of the Labour Party (LP) in the Ondo governorship election, says Peter Obi and the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) ruined his chances of winning.

On Sunday, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) declared Lucky Aiyedatiwa, candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), as winner of the poll.

The governor secured 366,781 votes in all 18 LGAs to defeat his closest rival Agboola Ajayi, candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), who polled 117,845 votes.

The LP candidate secured 1,162 votes, finishing fifth from bottom in the 17-candidate off-cycle election.

On the eve of the election, INEC substituted Olusola Ebiseni with Olorunfemi.

On September 27, the federal high court in Abuja directed INEC to recognise Ebiseni as the LP candidate.

The party appealed the ruling, and the appellate court struck out the earlier judgment for lack of jurisdiction.

The umpire said it had restored Olorunfemi’s name as the LP candidate in line with the court judgment.

“The commission was yesterday 14th November 2024 served with the certified true copy (CTC) of the judgment of the court of appeal which set aside the judgment of the federal high court (FHC), Abuja division,” the statement reads.

“In obedience to the court order, the commission has restored Olorunfemi Ayodele Festus, whose name was first published as the Labour Party candidate for the 2024 Ondo state governorship election, and uploaded the same to our website for public information.”

In the buildup to the election, Obi endorsed Ebiseni and described him as “someone who believes in a Nigeria rooted in fairness, equity, and justice”.

“It is this conviction that propelled me to travel by road to Ondo state yesterday to campaign alongside our Labour Party Governorship Candidate, Hon. Sola Ebiseni — a candidate I believe possesses the competence and capacity to govern the State effectively,” Obi said.

‘THEY SCUTTLED MY ASPIRATION’

Speaking with PUNCH, Olorunfemi alleged that Obi and NLC sabotaged his governorship bid.

He admitted that his last-minute campaign was poorly organised and ineffectual.

“My campaign for the election was neither here nor there. I have Peter Obi and the NLC to thank for that. They have scuttled my aspirations and chances to win this Ondo election,” Olorunfemi said.

“These people spoilt things for us with that PDP reject they wanted to force on the party. Their insistence on having Ebiseni on the ballot ruined everything for me.

“They just capitalised on the crisis between the Labour Party and the Nigeria Labour Congress to create problems.

“Can you imagine that Ebiseni wrote a letter to the court in my name without my knowledge, saying I have withdrawn from the race? They cannot exclude me from such a position.”

Olorunfemi admitted that he knew his chances of winning were slim after his reinstatement, adding that he is determined to “get his pound of flesh”.

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Politics

‘He wanted me to succeed him’ — Aiyedatiwa dedicates victory to Akeredolu

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Lucky Aiyedatiwa, Ondo state governor-elect, says he wishes Rotimi Akeredolu, his late principal, was alive to witness his victory.

Aiyedatiwa, the incumbent governor of Ondo, secured victory in all 18 LGAs, garnering 366,781 votes to defeat his closest rival, Agboola Ajayi of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), who polled 117,845 votes.

Aiyedatiwa took over the leadership of the state after Akeredolu died from protracted prostate cancer in 2023.

Speaking in an interview on Channels Television after his victory, Aiyedatiwa said Akeredolu wanted him as his successor.

“How I wish he was present in that banquet hall when I was declared in the company of other brother governors. That would have been really good, but God knows better,” he said.

“It is so sad and painful that he didn’t live to see the manifestation of what he himself spoke about. I do refer to him sometimes as the man who saw tomorrow.

“He knew that I was going to succeed him as governor. He knew because he wanted me to and was ready to give me the full backing.”

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Bodex F. Hungbo, SPMIIM is a multiple award-winning Nigerian Digital Media Practitioner, Digital Strategist, PR consultant, Brand and Event Expert, Tv Presenter, Tier-A Blogger/Influencer, and a top cobbler in Nigeria.

She has widespread experiences across different professions and skills, which includes experiences in; Marketing, Media, Broadcasting, Brand and Event Management, Administration and Management with prior stints at MTN, NAPIMS-NNPC, GLOBAL FLEET OIL AND GAS, LTV, Silverbird and a host of others

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