The Acting Inspector-General of Police, Mr. Mohammed Abubakar, has spoken: (a) no more “torture”, and (b) no more “road blocks”. While the first proscribed practice is accepted as barbaric and pronounced as criminal in every civilized country, the second is adopted as normal police action against crime, and established as standard operational procedure, “s.o.p.”, especially in isolating a scene of committed felony.

Again, we have been shown how very little respect is given to a Nigerian simply because we do not stand up for ourselves and take the bull by the horn.

No doubt, Benue State purse must have felt the pinch of an ostentatious civic reception for President Jonathan penultimate Thursday in a show of political solidarity in the glare of daunting challenges confronting the nation.

A FASCINATING and formidably well-researched new history book that is aptly titled, “London In The l8th Century: A Great And Monstrous Thing” has just been published in Europe. Written by a Professor called Jerry White, it meticulously catalogues the violence, hooliganism, dirt and chaos that characterised the British capital city 2-300 years ago.

IN my previous article on trawler fishermen, I suggested alternative revenue sources for trawler owners. But, in the final analysis, it is fishing done properly that must sustain the industry.

These are trying times for all of us with our back pushed to the wall. Please understand the thinking as this is a peculiar one-off situation that will not repeat itself. We’ll continue to appreciate your opinion and constructive criticism.”

LAST week, the Suprem Court affirmed that Abdulfatai Ahmed, was winner of the April 2011 gubernatorial election in Kwara state. The verdict effectively closed the judicial challenge which followed arguably, the most keenly contested governorship election in recent history, in Kwara state.

POLICING the police is like engineering the engineer, which appears different from engineering his engine. Some have argued, though, that biomedical engineering may not differ qualitatively from toilet training, education and moral teachings – all of which are forms of the so-called “social engineering”, which in the main, has man as its principal object and used by one generation to mold the next.

SUDDENLY, the political atmosphere in the North has become active. It is no longer just the Boko Haram bombings and killings. Those who pride themselves as “Northern leaders” (General Ibrahim Babangida, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar and their respective disciples) convened a meeting right on the heels of a series of meetings held by the 19 governors with the Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Sa’ad Abubakar in attendance. At the end 10 standing committees of politicians, academics, professionals and businessmen were set up in apparent efforts to pursue “Northern unity”.

NIGERIA was again in the news last week for the wrong reasons following the murder of two hostages, Chris McManus and Franco Lamolinara who had been held by Boko Haram for nearly a year.