- * Calls For Review Of Ban On Sale Of Petroleum Products In Jerry Cans
By Princess Simon (Bureau Chief North-Central, in Minna)
The Nigerian Union of Journalists (NUJ), Niger state Council has criticized the Governor Abubakar Sani Bello led administration for not doing enough to dislodge the joint forces of Boko-Haram and Islamic State of West African Province (ISWAP) that has established their presence in two Local Government Areas of the state.
After announcing how it spent billions of Naira on logistics, the union said it is disheartening to know that nothing tangible has been done by the state government who for the first time in the recent period given a vivid account of the modus operandi of the group but no success story on efforts to dislodge them.
Niger state government attracted the ire of the journalists when it listed how billions of Naira was spent on logistics for its joint security forces combating ISWAP and Boko-Haram without convincing reasons why; killings, abductions, rape, and attacks on some rural communities and farmlands have persisted.
Secretary to Niger State Government (SSG), Alhaji Ibrahim Ahmed Matane, had, at a press conference, opened up on how the state government spent billions of Naira yet ISWAP and Boko-Haram have sustained their incursions into the interior and even planning to set up traditional institutions for the propagation of their religious ideologies.
The SSG had narrated how the terror groups, claiming to have been sent by God to liberate the people, impose taxes on the locals before they are allowed to access their farmlands; try to manipulate parents by discouraging them from sending their children to school and telling them to ignore government orders.
Matane also told the journalists how the criminals kidnapped one of the traditional rulers in Borg and consistently robbed the rural communities in Borgu and Shiroro, along the fringes of Niger and Benin Republics of their freedom of movement to farms and business areas.
But journalists in Niger state said they are not happy with the tales of continued loss of lives and properties, dehumanizing experiences in rural communities including, denials of access to farmlands and related security breaches under whatsoever reasons, this they clearly voiced out during the Congress which took place at the IBB Pen House, Minna on November 24, 2021.
The union in Communiqué jointly signed by, Hamza Waziri and Mathew Jwantu, Chairman and Secretary of the Communique Drafting Committee, and Comrade Mohammed Usman Chiji, the Council Secretary respectively accused the government of not doing enough to guarantee the security of lives and properties of citizens.
"One of the basic reasons of having a government in place is to protect lives and properties of the citizenry, trading blames over the federal government’s not supporting the state to curb the menace whatsoever are just signs of disconnect in the system which the journalists insist must not be allowed to rob citizens of their rights to security", the Niger State NUJ said.
The congress nevertheless commended the Director-General on ICT to the Governor, Alhaji Abdullberqy Ebbo for donating a set of modern HP Desktop Computer to the State Council of the NUJ, but reminded the government of the need to rise up to its constitutional responsibilities.
Journalists in the state also want the Governor Bello administration to review the ban on the sale of petroleum products in smaller quantities such as in cans/plastics for the sake of innocent Nigerlites who are being denied access to the commodity for their power generating sets to run their businesses and for domestic purposes.
While not calling for a total lifting of the ban on sale in containers, the journalists are suggesting a review that can possibly indicate the exact quantity allowed at a time or to evolve measures that will ensure that Nigerlites are not punished over sabotage by few unpatriotic citizens serving the interest of Boko-Haram and ISWAP against their fellow citizens.
What Nigerians, Nigerlites in particular expect of the government, according to the NUJ, is a guarantee of their security and freedom. Excuses of inability to form a joint force by the north-central states which Governor Bello happens to be their Chairman or getting support from the federal government to end security breaches in the region should not be the duty of the already traumatized masses. NNL.
