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Breaking: Protesters storm Senate over bill for establishment of Marine Coast Guard
No fewer than 5,000 activists, including youth and women from all over the country, stormed the National Assembly in Abuja on Thursday to express their strong opposition to the Coastal Guards Establishment Bill.
The protesters, under the umbrella of Concerned Citizens of Nigeria, carried placards and banners with inscriptions such as “No to Coastal Guards Bill” and “Don’t Waste Our Resources.” They chanted slogans and sang songs, demanding that the National Assembly reject the bill.
According to Kabir Adamu Matazu, the spokesperson for the group, the Coastal Guards Bill is unnecessary and will only duplicate the functions of existing security agencies, such as the Nigerian Navy, Nigerian Marine Police, and the National Inland Waterways Authority (NIWA).
Matazu argued that the bill is a waste of resources and will create confusion and conflict among the various security agencies. He also pointed out that the Nigerian Security Agencies are already highly rated and acclaimed internationally, and therefore, there is no need to establish a new agency.
The protesters called on the National Assembly to reject the bill and instead focus on strengthening and bolstering the functions and capacity of existing institutions.
They also urged the government to invest scarce resources in addressing the fundamental problems facing the country, rather than embarking on unnecessary adventures.
“Let us state unequivocally that members of the Nigerian Coastal Guards will not and cannot better protect Nigerian’s maritime interest and further regional coastal security, an additional agency will do nothing to improve these situations,” Matazu said in his address.
“Profoundly repetitive and reoccurring is the problem of duplications. For instance, what will the responsibility of the Merchant Shipping Act and NIMASA Act be if the Coastal Guards are saddled with the same functions of the training of seafarers?
“Another duplicative role is the involvement of the Coastal Guards in the performance of the responsibilities of monitoring and security surveillance of Nigeria’s waterways and also in hydrography since both the Nigeria Police and the Nigerian Navy are already involved in both duties. This has been further compounded by the presidential approval for the conversion of the Nigerian Navy Hydrographic Office into the National Hydrographic Agency, and the designation of the Nigerian Navy Hydrographer as the Hydrographer of the Federation.
“The bill has been further rendered null and irrelevant considering the functions and responsibilities of the National Inland Waterways Authority (NIWA), which constitutionally is to enforce laws and regulations within Nigeria’s inland waters.
“Rather than solve any chaotic problem in the maritime sector, this bill if passed into law will only provoke challenges experienced in administration. This is so because the establishment of coastal guards will complicate the coordination of the maritime sector, initiate unnecessary competition and undermine cohesion, leading to anarchy. These will be taken advantage of by criminal elements and conspirators enhancing negative ratings and culminating in the re-enlisting of the country into the Maritime Piracy Index, which it exited in 2022.
“There is, therefore, no gainsaying the fact that establishing the Nigerian Coastal Guards, given the peculiarity of our resources and structure, will only create an ambience and actual possible occurrence of potential jurisdictional conflict and operational inefficiencies, which is similar to what is happening in the US, UK, and South Africa, with consequential negative exploitation of our economy.
“Nigeria does not need a Coastal Guard. We strongly believe that this broken record will henceforth never be played again. It is in our collective interest to kill this Bill. It is in the interest of democracy’s future and even the future of our children to kill this Bill once and for all.
“This Bill does not address any of the fundamental problems of Nigeria, rather it is on the voyage of adventurism. This bill is of no business in the first instance and needs to die now without more waste of time and public funds.”
Lere Olayinka, the Senior Special Assistant on New Media and Public Communications to Nyesom Wike, the former Governor of Rivers State and current Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), has responded to the recent appointment of Bashir Ojulari as the new Group Chief Executive Officer of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPC Ltd.).
Olayinka took to X (formerly Twitter) to address discussions surrounding this leadership transition. His post aimed to clarify that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu did not dismiss Mele Kyari, a northerner, to replace him with a southerner, as some speculated. Instead, Olayinka pointed out that Ojulari, like Kyari, hails from the northern region of Nigeria.
According to Olayinka’s post on his official X account, he emphasised that Bashir Ojulari is from Kwara State, located in North Central Nigeria. Additionally, the new Board Chairman, Ahmadu Musa Kida, originates from Borno State in the North East.
His post stated: “Bashir Ojulari, the new NNPCL CEO, is a northerner from Kwara State, North Central Nigeria. The new Board Chairman, Ahmadu Musa Kida, is also a northerner, from Borno State, North East Nigeria.”
Olayinka’s statement came in response to narratives suggesting that the appointment was politically motivated to favour one region over another.
By Israel Bulus, Kaduna
The Middle Belt Forum (MBF) has strongly condemned the extrajudicial killing of 16 travelers in Uromi, Edo State, while warning against retaliatory violence targeting Southerners in Northern Nigeria.
In a press statement released on Tuesday, MBF Spokesman Luka Binniyat denounced inflammatory threats from individuals claiming to represent Northern interests in response to the killings.
Recalled that the victims, were allegedly armed hunters, traveling from Port Harcourt to Kano when they were attacked by a mob that accused them of being kidnappers.
“The MBF strongly condemns the unlawful killing of any Nigerian citizen, including those who lost their lives in Uromi,” the statement read. “However, we categorically reject any attempt to use this tragic incident as a pretext to unleash violence against Southerners residing in Northern Nigeria.”
The forum assured that the Middle Belt would not become a battleground for reprisals, emphasizing that it remains a safe haven for all law-abiding Nigerians. It urged community leaders and youths to remain vigilant and prevent any attempts to instigate violence, calling for anyone with such intentions to be handed over to authorities.
The MBF also reaffirmed its commitment to justice for all victims of violence across Nigeria. The statement highlighted the ongoing security challenges facing Middle Belt communities, citing persistent attacks by armed herdsmen with little government intervention.
” We hope that the swift response to the Uromi killings would serve as a precedent for broader action against criminal elements terrorizing the region.
“Thousands of our people remain in captivity, and vast portions of our land are still under the control of violent outlaws—primarily Fulani militants,” the statement noted.
“Justice must be served across the board.”
The MBF concluded by reiterating its support for the ongoing investigation into the Uromi incident and calling for a fair and decisive crackdown on all forms of criminality across the country.
BY ANKELI EMMANUEL, Sokoto
The Deputy Speaker, Sokoto State House of Assembly, Kabir Ibrahim kware, has commended governor Ahmed Aliyu for executing numerous developmental projects without taking loan from any financial institution.
Ibrahim Kware whp gave the commendation when he led other members of the State Assembly on Sallah homage to governor Aliyu, added that, the governor is very prudent in managing resources to achieve results.
“There was never a time you approached us with a request for permission to borrow money from any financial institutions whether at home or abroad,”he affirmed.
This , according to him, is worthy of commendation considering the myriad people- oriented projects the governor is executing across the state.
Speaking on behalf of the State’s Judiciary, Sokoto State Chief Judge, Justice Muhammad Sa’idu Sifawa, commended the governor for the construction of additional Court rooms at the State High Court.
Justice Sifawa also expressed delight over the way and manner the governor responds to issues affecting the Judiciary, which he said, is a clear testimony of the good working relationship existing between the three arms of government in the state.
Responding to the commendations, governor Ahmed Aliyu appealed for more synergy among the three tiers of government in the overall development of the state.
A statement by Abubakar Bawa, the Press Secretary to governor Alhmed Aliyu reaffirmed his principal’s unwavering commitment of the executive arm to providing the direly needed dividends of democracy to the people of the state,in line with his campaign promises.
The governor also urged lawmakers to present all the needs of their constituencies for prompt and diligent implementation.
“”I want to assure you that my doors are always open for you at any given time, to listen to the demands of your people.”
He reminded them on the need to put politics aside and work together with the executive arm for the progress and even development of the people they represent.
Turning to the members of the State Judiciary, the governor appealed to Judges and Khadis to ensure the quick dispensation of justice, so as to decongest the correctional centres.
“It is worrisome to see how inmates are languishing in correctional centres for minor offences in the name of awaiting trial.
“We recently appointed seven additional Judges and 7 Khadis, which is the first in the history of Sokoto State.
“The idea is to enhance the manpower in our Judiciary so as to speed up the dispensation of justice,” he added.
The governor further assured the members of the Judiciary of his administration’s readiness to ensure their welfare at all times.