Kidnapping as an abominable crime in Nigeria has assumed an epidemic dimension. A criminal activity that started some years ago as a tool of agitation in the Niger Delta has since been adopted by criminals in all parts of the country to make quick and easy money.

The submission of nominees for Senate screening is another opportunity for President Muhammadu Buhari to put into effect his campaign vow of changing some of our nation’s repugnant political practices.

YESTERDAY October 1, 2015, Nigeria marked her 55th independence anniversary, an annual ritual which has assumed less and less significance in the consciousness of our citizens, particularly the young ones.

PRESIDENT Muhammadu Buhari made a highly commendable call on the international community to strive towards the total dismantling of safe havens for looted monies around the world in one of the most important speeches he has ever made as Nigeria’s leader.

FOLLOWING the invasion of the den of the Boko Haram terrorist group by the Nigerian armed forces and the steady recovery of territories illegally occupied by them, we had called attention to the need for greater vigilance, not only by the military and security agencies but also by the entire citizenry.

PRESIDENT Muhammadu Buhari’s interest in establishing a new aviation national carrier became evident when, early in August 2015, he directed visiting top ministry of aviation officials led by the Permanent Secretary, Hajiya Binta Bello, to take steps towards actualising the project which was strongly recommended by the Ahmed Joda transition committee.

Kidnapping as a crime made a bold return to the centre of prime media attention when, within the past three weeks, two females, one a journalist were snatched from their homes. On 30th August 2015, Donu Kogbara, a columnist with Vanguard Newspapers, was forcibly taken away in Port Harcourt and it took about two weeks for her to be freed.

The National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) has reiterated its earlier advice to states and local governments to immediately relocate residents of communities along rivers, waterways and flood-prone areas to safer grounds to avoid unnecessary loss of lives and property. The agency anchored the warning on expert predictions of impending heavy rains and devastating floods.

Three weeks ago we published an editorial reflecting on the current foreign exchange policy where the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has tried to arrest illicit foreign currency circulations within the economy as well as outflows from the economy. We have since been bombarded with outcries and more questions by concerned Nigerians adversely affected by the policy.

The appointment of the former Chairman, Lagos State Internal Revenue Board (LIRS), Mr. Babatunde Fowler as the Chairman Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) did not come to many Nigerians as a surprise. Fowler had raised the internal revenue of Lagos to an enviable position such that an impressed President Muhammadu Buhari was quoted after his electoral victory as saying he would attempt to replicate the Lagos internal revenue generation model at the federal level.