“We will first impeach anyone who says we will not impeach Buhari. If anybody tries to block us here, whether the Senate President or anyone in the Senate, we will remove the person”
The Senator representing Osun East and Vice Chairman, Senate Committee on Customs and Excise, Francis Fadahunsi, has said that opposition parties in the upper chamber of the National Assembly, have made up their minds to sack the President of the Senate, Ahmad Lawan, if he made any attempt to frustrate the sacking process against President Muhammadu Buhari next month.
Fadahunsi, in an interview with journalists in Abuja on Wednesday, said majority of the senators across political party lines had already passed a vote of no confidence on Buhari because of his administration’s inability to address the worsening security situation in the country.
He expressed doubts about the President’s ability to tackle the security challenges currently facing the country in six weeks since he couldn’t do so for seven years.
He said, “We have been talking and giving suggestions on how we could end the insecurity challenges facing the country but the Head (Senate President) is hooked to the Villa. He has been frustrating all our moves to take drastic measures against the President.
“We have now made up our mind to strike now that the iron is still hot instead of wasting our time, cooperating with the Ahmad Lawan leadership while the nation is being destroyed by terrorists with no plan by the government to stop them. We won’t wait until we are all killed.
“We have now decided to pull out of the ‘rubber stamp’ arrangement so that the whole of Nigeria would know that we have not been in support of the failing economy, the huge debts accumulation, falling naira, insecurity across the country and the unprecedented forms of corruption going on in the polity.
President Muhamadu Buhari and President of Senate, Ahmad Lawan
“Unfortunately, the man heading us now (Lawan) was leading the opposition lawmakers before and was challenging the rots in the system then. Now, he doesn’t want anyone to challenge Buhari’s government when things are falling apart every day. Any leader that opposes such a challenge in a democratic setting must also be challenged because we are elected by the people.
“Go and interview most of the senators. There is no effective oversight of the ministries, departments and agencies of the Federal Government. Buhari will bring the budget and his people here will want us to pass it as he brings it. No examinations and heads of MDAs are doing what they like.”
Fadahunsi vowed that the impeachment proceedings would commence as soon as his colleagues resume their current six-week annual vacation on September 20.
“Those who voted for Buhari in 2015 thought he could contain the insecurity, being a former military general. Unfortunately, things are getting worse under his watch and he appeared helpless. That is why we resolved that if we come back on September 20 and discover that the situation is still the same, with no appreciable steps taken, we would impeach him.
“We will first impeach anyone who says we will not impeach Buhari. If anybody tries to block us here, whether the Senate President or anyone in the Senate, we will remove the person. Mr President is finding it difficult to sack his non-performing security chiefs while those terrorising the nation are not being arrested. There was tension everywhere and something drastic had to be taken,” he added.
The Peoples Democratic Party senators had walked out of the red chamber during plenary on Wednesday last week after Lawan blocked moves to commence impeachment process against Buhari over the security situation in the country.
Reacting to the development, presidential media aides, Femi Adesina and Garba Shehu, had both condemned the action of the opposition senators.
Adesina had said, “I think it (impeachment) was just bravado, and sadly, security is not something you subject to bravado. You don’t begin to issue flippant ultimatums in something that is a matter of life and death.”
Also, Shehu said, “The performative and babyish antics of those senators staging a walk out notwithstanding, Senate President Ahmad Lawan’s refusal on Wednesday to entertain the ridiculous motion to impeach our President was quite appropriate and correct.”
Governor Peter Mbah of Enugu State has called on Nigerians to learn to coexist peacefully regardless of their religious beliefs, adding that doing so would promote peace and accelerate the country’s development.
In an Eid-el-Maulud message issued by his Senior Special Assistant on Media, Dan Nwomeh, Governor Mbah expressed his congratulations to the Muslim community in the state, Nigeria, and throughout the world as they celebrate the birth of Prophet Muhammad.
Mbah urged the Muslim Ummah to always exhibit the same humility, empathy, and sympathy for the poor and needy as exhibited by Prophet Muhammad, and to not let the lessons of Eid-el-Mualud slip their minds.
He urged the populace to embrace the spirit of patriotism by assisting government initiatives both locally and nationally.
“As we celebrate the birth of the Holy Prophet Muhammad, let me implore our people to take inspiration from his life and practise the virtues of peace, humility, selfless sacrifice, devotion, love of neighbours, and support for the government at all levels.
“In a time like this in the history of our nation, there is much we can learn from the Prophet’s life that will act as a catalyst for nation-building and national growth. We owe it to ourselves to always uphold the law.
“As a state, we will continue to defend our people and residents, guarantee that they live in a safe environment, and make the ultimate sacrifice of escorting whatever unlawful activity there may be out of the state. We are wasting no time in providing the necessary amenities for our people to enjoy decent standard of living, “he said.
• In the dock: Police Inspector Daniel Dennis and Moses Nnamani at Enugu Magistrate Court on Tuesday
An Enugu State Magistrate Court sitting in Enugu North, on Tuesday, remanded 46-year-old Inspector Daniel Dennis and one Mr Moses Nnamani for allegedly killing Igwe Emmanuel Chidiebere Mbah, the traditional ruler of Oruku community in Nkanu East local government area of Enugu State.
The Advocate reports that the arraignment of the 46-year-old police officer and Nnamani, a 57-year-old native of Oruku, came 2 years and 8 months after the gruesome murder of the monarch, who was committed to the restoration of peace in Oruku, a hitherto peaceful community that had been devastated by endless communal feud.
Several lives and property worth millions of naira had been lost on account of the senseless conflict while the community has long been deserted by the natives.
It was learnt that the Nigeria Police Force on September 14, this year, finally released the police Inspector who allegedly shot and killed the traditional ruler and one of his collaborators, who led the police team to the scene of the incident, for trial.
The younger brother of the late traditional ruler, Mr Ejike Mbah, had on Monday, September 11, 2023 petitioned the Minister of Justice and Attorney General of the Federation, Lateef Fagbemi, SAN, asking him to intervene and ensure the prosecution of the Police Inspector and his collaborators.
The traditional ruler was allegedly shot and killed on December 26, 2020, by Inspector Dennis who was attached to the Special Weapons and Tactics (SWAT) unit of the police, while he was addressing an annual general meeting of his community.
On Tuesday, the Enugu State Police Command arraigned the duo on two counts bordering on conspiracy and murder in a suit numbered CME/673c/2023
The presiding Magistrate, (Mrs) Ngozi Edeani, subsequently remanded the duo at the Enugu Maximum Correctional Custodial Centre after the charges were read to them because the court had no jurisdiction on the matter.
The two-count charge obtained by The Advocate reads: “That you Moses Nnamani ‘m’, Daniel Dennis ‘m’, others now in Correctional Centre, Enugu in Charge No. CME/100C/2022 and CME/158C/2022-C.O.P vs. Emmanuel Nwobodo and others now at large on the 26th day of December 2020 at about 1400hours at Oruku Community in Nkanu East Magisterial District holden in Enugu did conspire among yourselves to commit felony to wit: Murder and thereby committed an offence punishable under Section 494 of the Criminal Code, Cap 30, Vol. II, Revised Laws of Enugu State of Nigeria 2004.
“That you Moses Nnamani ‘m’, Daniel Dennis ‘m’, others now in Correctional Centre, Enugu in Charge No. CME/100C/2022 and CME/158C/2022- C.O.P vs. Emmanuel Nwobodo and others now at large on the same date, time and place in the aforementioned Magisterial District did unlawfully kill the Traditional Ruler of Oruku Community, HRH Igwe Emmanuel Chidiebere Mbah ‘m’ by shooting him with a gun which led to his death and thereby committed an offence punishable under Section 274(1) of the Criminal Code, Cap 30, Vol. II, Revised Laws of Enugu State of Nigeria 2004.”
Meanwhile, the court adjourned to October 18, 2023, to get the opinion of the Director of Public Prosecutions.
• Suspects paraded by Enugu State Police Command on Tuesday
• Twelve kidnap victims rescued
The police in Enugu on Tuesday revealed how one Kelechi Okwara aged 27, from Ohafia, Abia State, allegedly conspired with his brother serving as a gateman and kidnapped his master’s mother in-law, his nanny and little baby.
The incident occurred in Enugu last Saturday, September 23,2023, according to the State Police Commissioner, CP Kanayo Uzuegbu.
The gateman who is now at large was working in a house in Trans-Ekulu Enugu when they plotted the kidnap.
Kelechi and his gateman brother had taken the victims to an unknown destination, on 23/09/2023 at about 8pm, demanded and obtained a ransom of N3 million from the said master.
They were said to have used the proceed to buy a red coloured Toyota Corolla car, which was recovered upon his arrest last Sunday 24/09/2023 at about 6.30pm at Nokpa/Ezimma Nike boundary point, by Police Operatives in Abakpa and Trans-Ekulu Police Divisions, with assistance from Neighbourhood Watch Group.
Kelechi was among 92 suspected criminals arrested between August 16 and September 25 and paraded Tuesday by the Enugu State Police Command.
The suspects were arrested for cultism, robbery, murder, kidnapping and unlawful possession of firearms.
Items recovered from them included four AK 47 rifles, 66 other firearms of different calibres, 333 live ammunition of different calibres, 25 vehicles and several other incriminating items such as charms and phones.
Addressing his maiden press conference as the 28th commissioner of police in Enugu, the CP, Kanayo Uzuegbu, disclosed that 12 kidnapped victims were also rescued from various parts of the state within the period under review.
Uzuegbu, who said the task of effectively policing the society is daily becoming daunting, however said he had since assumption of duty, ensured that the right policing strategies are devised to tackle existing and emerging security challenges in the State.
“These strategies are subsumed in my grassroots-driven, proactive, people-oriented and problem-solving policing thrust, which is in line with the policing Vision and Mission of the Acting Inspector-General of Police, IGP Kayode Adeolu Egbetokun, PhD, NPM.
“In view of this, I have met and interacted with critical security stakeholders, including local government chairmen, traditional rulers, heads of other security agencies and many others, on the best ways to collectively tackle security challenges in the State. These engagements I must tell you have started paying off, as we are making remarkable progress in tackling violent crimes of kidnapping, armed robbery and the criminal activities of subversive criminals.
“It is a known fact that it is humanly impossible to totally eliminate crimes in human society. However, I want to assure the good people of Enugu State and visitors that we remain committed to ensuring that maximum security and tranquility are maintained in the State”.
