Fixing Nigeria’s eroding sovereignty
Sixty-six years after independence, Nigeria’s sovereignty is formally intact, but its practical authority over territory and security has been weakened by persistent violence and the inability to guarantee safety in every community. The country that once appeared destined to become Africa’s giant now marks another Independence Day amid insecurity, economic strain and massive distrust. The […]
Our worsening food insecurity
The failure of the Federal Government to effectively tackle the insecurity challenge facing the nation presently has given rise to probably a worse form of insecurity: hunger. Insecurity is one of the cardinal programmes of this administration. Yet, we have seen armed insurrection, terrorism, banditry and herdsmen attacks on farmers and indigenous communities ballooning across […]
Failure of SIM-NIN linkage to nail kidnappers
SEVERAL media reports since July this year have confirmed that the much-vaunted linkage of the Subscriber Identification Module, SIM, with the National Identity Number, NIN, has failed to achieve its objective of helping to nail terrorists, bandits and kidnappers. The Federal Government felt that its efforts to curtail ‘Bandits’ terrorising the North West and parts […]
Equity gaps in NNPC’s N621.2bn tax-credit road projects
THE Federal Government’s Road Infrastructure and Refreshment Tax Credit Scheme, RIRTCS, received a massive boost last week when the Minister of Works and Housing, Babatunde Fashola, announced the approval of newly-commercialised Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, NNPC’s, application to play a major, ambitious role in roads reconstruction nationwide. Perhaps taking a leaf from the Dangote Group’s […]
Beyond Lagos ‘special’ status call
EVEN before it was designated the capital of Nigeria in 1914, Lagos had always enjoyed a special status. It was even a colony of its own before amalgamation, and it did not become part of the Western Region until the first creation of states by General Yakubu Gowon in 1967. By the time the capital […]
Bandits’ siege to Abuja
IT was only a matter of time before the terrorists which the Federal Government refers to as “Bandits” would descend on Abuja, the Federal Capital Territory. In the last couple of years, they have made states such as Kaduna, Niger, Zamfara, Katsina, Kebbi and Sokoto their playgrounds, killing, kidnapping people and abducting school children. The […]
