NFF, one crisis too many

Galadima

There seems to be no end to the lingering crisis in the Nigeria Football Federation, NFF as more issues continued to spring up. The recent issue is whether there would be another election on September 4 or not but if the comments of the present president of the federation is anything to go by, then problems might loom if the other faction go ahead with the proposed election.

HOW THE PROBLEM STARTED



Sani Lulu



Although, some analysts claimed that the problem started when Kojo Williams was impeached in less than one week in office. The more that is linked to the present crisis is said to have started in 2006 when Alhaji Ibrahim Galadima was forced out of office illegally because he failed to qualify Nigeria for the 2006 FIFA World Cup in Germany. His case was compounded when he told the press that qualification for the world cup is not Nigeria’s birthright.

After Galadima, Alhaji Sani Abdullahi Lulu was brought in, in an election that saw him beat other candidates including ex-international Segun Odegbami, and ex-lawmaker, Lumumbah Adeh.



Maigari



Sani Lulu served the NFF for four years with so many crisis around him. The most prominent is the one between him and the Nigeria Premier League, NPL headed by Chief Oyuki Obaseki. Lulu met his waterloo when Nigeria failed to qualify for the 2010 Nations Cup in Equatorial Guinea. As soon as Nigeria came back from the 2010 FIFA World Cup in South Africa, Lulu was forced out and dragged to EFCC along with some board members and secretary general, Bolaji Ojo-Oba.

HOW MAIGARI EMERGED

Sani Lulu and other board members’ case in the court saw the emergence of Aminu Maigari as the acting president of NFF. Maigari was in Sani Lulu’s board and incidentally former committee chairman on finance. After the congress dissolved Lulu’s board, Maigari contested just like Lulu and became the president of the NFF in 2010.

Since the emergence of Maigari, it has been one crisis or the other. It was court case upon court cases from different quarters.

WHY MAIGARI WAS REMOVED FROM OFFICE

Before the 2014 FIFA World Cup in Brazil, everything was rosy for Maigari until the Super Eagles failed to get to the quarter-final of the World Cup. Before the match against France that saw the elimination of the Eagles, the players have threatened not to play because of their allowances; it took the intervention of the Senate President, David Mark before they agreed to play. The embarrassment forced President Jonathan to send cash to Brazil for the players to play. This was apart from the N2.3 billion earlier released for the mundial and the $1 million received from FIFA for preparation.

Giwa

Meanwhile, the players protest was prior to the agitation for bonuses in South Africa during the Nations Cup campaign which saw the Eagles lift the trophy. Even though they won the trophy, the President was not happy with the embarrassment it cost the country and information also has it that Maigari was warned against future occurrence.

The repeat was said to have necessitated his removal by government despite his achievements. While in Brazil, the board members were said to be aggrieved because of the way he was running things.

According to one of them who spoke on anonymity, Maigari went to Brazil with 300 people from Bauchi apart from his friends and cronies in Abuja, Lagos and other states. “He kept us in a below standard hotel while he stays in five star hotel. I can afford any best hotel in the world.”

The treatment did not go down well with the board members who alleged foul play. While speculations were on by the board members to unseat the president, the Bauchi State born administration was picked up on arrival from Brazil at the airport by security officials, but was released soon afterwards.

After his release, Maigari was impeached and dismissed for financial misappropriation, misapplication and maladministration. According to them, “A vote of no confidence was passed on him by eight of the 12 members of the board.” Some members, Ahmed ‘Fresh’ Yusuf and Chris Green were also banned from all football activities for between three and six months respectively while Hon. Suleiman Kwande was being investigated for anti-board activities.

After that, an Extraordinary Congress of the NFF was called on Saturday and the Aminu Maigari-led board was dissolved alongside the NNL and the NWL citing abuse of football house statutes.

Chairman of the Communiqué Drafting Committee, Obinna Ogba, who briefed journalists after their meeting in Abuja, said the board was also dissolved for denying state football associations of their annual grant.

This happened after the withdrawal of the case from Jos court by Mrs. Baribote. The withdrawal made the world football governing body, FIFA to lift the suspension imposed on Nigeria.

While the problems seem to be dying down, Maigari lobbied his way back by using the state football federations. While the lobbying was on, the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, SGF, Pius Anyim, helped out in brokering some level of peace.

At the meeting, with other board members, Maigari was alleged to have tabled his resignation letter. Maigari was reported to have submitted his resignation letter to the NFF scribe, Musa Amadu, on Wednesday morning in Abuja.

A source in the Glass House who pleaded anonymity said, “I can confirm to you that Aminu Maigari submitted his resignation letter and the board accepted it. I can further tell you the Federation forwarded a copy of the letter to FIFA immediately for necessary actions.”

The spokesperson for the Nigeria Football Federation, Ademola Olajiire also confirmed to a media house that it is true that Maigari sent in his resignation letter. “Well, I can only tell you that something like that happened today but I have not been officially briefed. I didn’t see the text of the letter.”

While the drama was on, a letter was said to have been written by FIFA for the reinstatement of Maigari.

In the letter, FIFA on Thursday stated that the impeachment proceedings on Maigari did not follow the laid down statutes and that Maigari must be the conductor of the upcoming election into the NFF board.

However, many questions are still being raised on the letter from FIFA because investigations have shown that FIFA does not write two-page letters. They go straight to the point and secondly, FIFA gives warning whenever they reply any letter. Another reason is that the letter was signed by its deputy secretary general, Marcus Kattner but that is not to say he cannot. Most letters are signed by the secretary general.

Due to the letter, the Minister of Sports, Tamuno Danagogo, and the embattled president, held a joint press conference in Abuja on Friday where it was revealed that Maigari would be back at the Glass House on Monday.

Maigari told reporters that, “Yes, the problems in Nigerian football are over right now and hopefully we can move forward.” Little did he know that that was just the beginning of the crisis?

On Monday, while Maigari was resuming for the day’s job, the acting president, Tony Umeh also resumed hence there were two captains in the ship. However, NFF acting president claimed that FIFA letter did not order Maigari’s reinstatement. Recalled that the NFF was operating without a secretary general, as Musa Amadu was reported to be in the Maigari’s camp; he was alleged to have written FIFA on the crises rocking the House.

Meanwhile, former Chairman of then Nigeria Football Association, NFA, Alhaji Ibrahim Galadima, questioned FIFA’s position on the crisis rocking Nigerian football.

The Kano-born football administrator also faulted CAF’s inability to wade into the problem in the NFF. “Nigeria has been in this type of problem for the past eight years or more. What has been done by FIFA to address the issues? “This problem has been consistent over time and to me, CAF should have been the one to start leading the way in terms of finding solutions to the problem. But, what have they done?” Why have someone in CAF or FIFA not shown interest in proffering solutions to the crisis by looking at the fundamentals in order to tell the actors not to involve in the act of disunity anymore?

Galadima alleged that FIFA is playing hide and seek because there is no sign of sincerity with the way they are handling the issue. The issue of government interference is subjective. “The same government that is being accused of interference asked Aminu Maigari to return to his position as NFF President and FIFA is not complaining about their action.“So, it’s a matter of inconsistency on both sides.”

However, a day after the Maigari-led board had its board meeting which saw the absence of some board members including the acting president, Umeh, the Glass House became a Shattered House as it was engulfed by fire.

There have been accusations and counter accusations from different quarters. The fire was said to have started from the office of the accountant before spreading to the ICT and the secretary general’s office.

A fire brigade officer claimed that the fire was caused by electric spark but the accountant disclosed that he put off every gadget in his office before he went home the previous day. The police as usual said they are going to brief the press as soon as they complete investigation. Meanwhile, Umeh claimed that it was sabotage.

However, there are allegations that saboteurs are responsible for the fire outbreak. Some critics claimed that some people must have been involved in some transactions while the president was away while some claimed that it must have been that the money expended on the FIFA World Cup in Brazil was not accounted for hence their actions.

It would be recalled that the federal government through the National Sports Commission, NSC gave the sum of N2.3 billion to the NFF to prosecute the football event. Despite the huge sum, the NFF had problems with the players because they were alleged to have refused to pay them. The money was different from the $1 million and $8 million dollars there were given to NFF by FIFA for preparation and for the reward for reaching the second round.

THE UNTOLD MISSING MONIES IN NFF

Meanwhile, the latest findings revealed that the NFF refused to move to its permanent office because they were refused money by the NSC to acquire new furniture. The NFF was said to have written the NSC, the minister in turn, ‘minuted’ it to the director who incidentally was the former general secretary of the NFF.

He was said to have alerted the minister that they left the sum of $1 million in the coffers of the NFF for that purpose. Meanwhile, investigations revealed that the NFF officials have shared the money amongst themselves even before the new secretariat was built.

Before now, there were allegations that allowances meant for the Super Falcons was missing in the plane and up till date, nobody said anything about it. The sum of $236,000 also got missing in the secretariat and after arrests were made, nothing came out of the investigation.

Former president of the NFF, Sani Abdullahi Lulu told our correspondent recently that he left the sum of N2.8 billion in the account of the NFF. This is aside from the $2 million for the proposed NFF secretariat and another $2 million for furniture.

Recent investigation also showed that the Maigari-led board acquired latest furniture for its electoral/campaign house in Wuse for the sum of N120 million. The amount for the said house is yet to be estimated.

Some football critics are pessimistic that nothing will come out of the recent investigation into the burning of the NFF secretariat. They believe that some saboteurs intentionally burnt the house especially the said departments because they don’t anything or documents to be traced to them as the ICT, secretary general and the accounts offices have been burnt.

MAIGARI: THE END OF AN ERA

The tenure of Maigari came to an abrupt end when he agreed not to contest for the second term. According to the minister, for peace to reign and in the spirit of sportsmanship, Maigari agreed not to contest.

On the 28^th of August, a congress was convened to map out a roadmap for the election for September 4 and before the commencement of the congress Maigari was picked up by the men of the Directorate of State Security, DSS and handed over to the Special Anti-Robbery Squad, SARS for scrutiny.

In his absence, the vice president, Chief Tony Umeh dissolved the board of Maigari and the congress progressed but with few members as some of them have gone to protest the arrest of their president at the DSS and SARS headquarters respectively.

THE EMERGENCE OF CHRIS GIWA

Meanwhile, while some congressmen were protesting at the DSS and SARS offices, the remaining people on ground went ahead after the minister in company of the secretary general, Musa Amadu declared the congress officially opened.

Soon after the minister addressed the congress, and left, the secretary general also left out of annoyance. The remaining FA chairmen and secretaries moved a motion for an election to be conducted. Election was conducted and Giwa and others emerged as president and board members.

The number of people that voted is yet to be ascertained; whether they are eligible or not, is the issue that is presently being argued.

Meanwhile, the Giwa-led board has seen assumed office at the NFF secretariat with heavy armed DSS and policemen.

On the other hand, shortly after Maigari and others were released, their faction went ahead to conduct another congress at Bentley Hotel after doing accreditation in Chida Hotel. It was agreed within themselves that an election will be conducted on September 4 in Abuja. While the faction was holding meeting, the Giwa-led board pay a courtesy visit to the minister of sports at his Abuja national stadium office.

The latest is that a letter was sent by FIFA threatening to ban Nigeria on the lingering crisis. The ultimatum has elapsed and FIFA is yet to ban Nigeria.

Recent investigations have shown that most of the letters allegedly being sent by FIFA are not from the secretariat of the world football governing body. We gathered that the last letter on ban was actually sent from Zurich but not from the secretariat of FIFA.

Some stakeholders are worried that the crises are increasing by the day. They are wondering if the football house is living up to its name because before now, the Nigeria Football Federation, NFF was known as the Nigeria Football Association, NFA and some critics nicknamed it as ‘No Future Ambition’ because of the so many crises the organization is associated with.

Since its inception, it has been crisis-galore. It is either age-cheat or money is missing from the Glass House as the secretariat is widely known for, or in-fighting amongst board members.

Stakeholders are worried on the new development which might see another crisis looming especially if another election is held in September. If that happen, two presidents will emerge in the NFF secretariat and that may spell doom for the country’s football which might see the world football governing body, FIFA slamming a ban on the country.

With the brouhaha on ground, the question on the lips of every stakeholder is what is responsible for the unending crises? Could it be a man-made or God’s wrath? Will/can it ever come to an end? Only time will tell. (The story continues)

How to combat mosquitoes naturally

Mosquitoes are the carrier of malaria parasite and they have sent many especially children to the great beyond. Research has shown that people especially experts prefer to find solutions to how to treat or prevent malaria rather than how to combat the mosquito itself.

In this write, we look at the possible way to combat the carrier of malaria parasiste, mosquitoes.

It has been discovered that standing water is where mosquitoes make more mosquitoes. We can limiting the insects' ability to breed by clearing gutters, filling in sunken parts of your lawn, and regularly changing the water in your birdbath or kiddies’ or swimming pools and not allowing any used/dirty water around your house.

Garlic has been discovered as an effective natural mosquito repellant. Garlic juice can be mixed with water or better still, piece and drop the onion-like around the house. Apart from mosquitoes, garlic also repels vampires! It scarce away reptiles like snakes, wall-gecko, amongst others.

Although, it might not be seen a better option because of its nature, a bat can eat hundreds of insects, mosquitoes included in less than one hour. Build or buy a bat house, hang it in a well-ventilated area, and let those web-winged creatures do their thing.

Because the essential oils in many herbs are natural insecticides, you can throw a bundle of rosemary or sage on the coals while you're barbecuing in order to keep backyard mosquitoes at bay.

Mosquitoes are lightweights. A fan preferably table fan blowing at a speed of two miles per hour is simply overpowering to a mosquito. So try strategically placing fans around you when sleeping to get a good bug-free breeze going.

Thai lemon grass contains citronella oil, which has a strong scent that makes it hard for mosquitoes to find you. At the same time, lemon grass is a beautiful mounding perennial. Plant some on your property wherever your family and friends like to congregate.

Mosquitoes are not attracted to all kinds of light. Instead of standard bulbs, opt for LEDs, yellow bug lights, or sodium lamps. This light switch would reduce the number of mosquitoes swarming around the entrances to your house during evening hours.

It has also been discovered that certain species of mosquitoes are attracted to dark colors like black, blue, and red and they are all attracted to heat. So stay cool (and less appealing) by wearing lighter colors. While you're at it, try to avoid wearing scented perfumes or lotions.

Obalende, where police unwind

*Plus why they grow pot-belly

For those who have stayed in Lagos, the first thing that comes to mind when you hear the name Obalende is, it is a suburb in Lagos but there is another Obalende in Abuja.

It is in Nyanya, another suburb in Abuja. It is behind the Police Squadron Squad. It is a place where some Police men unwind after the day’s job but investigation has shown that some of them visit the place even while on duty.

Although the origin of the name, Obalende was not given but we gathered during our visit to the place that it is a relaxation joint. Apart from the normal drinks sold at relaxation joints, native drinks are also sold there. Drinks like ‘burukutu’, palm-wine, kunu and others.

Assorted meats both fried and roasted are also sold at Obalende. Bush meat, pork and dog meat are not left out.

Since the creation of Obalende, there is no day you won’t find a policeman there although on mufti. Recently, our correspondent came across a policeman on uniform who was drunk.

He was seen heading to the police checkpoint (the border between Abuja and Nasarawa) with gun and staggering. We gathered from an eyewitness that the man was coming from Obalende and that is what he does every time he is financially buoyant but as at this report was written, he has been transferred.

Meanwhile, have you ever wondered why some police men grow pot-bellies? The answer is not far-fetched. Some of them can be mistaken for pregnant women. In the past, one can hardly come across a “pregnant” policeman.

In fact, in the past, police are known for athletics. They are seen then with their baton (not guns) and they can chase anybody to anywhere with their legs (not vehicles nowadays).

And because they are used to running or chasing criminals with their legs, athletes like late Sunday Bada, Chioma Ajunwa, amongst others were discovered. Many police officers have brought glory to the country but today, it is the opposite, maybe now in the peacekeeping department.

Investigation carried out revealed that policemen of today drink a lot. Even the ones that don’t have money drink on credit. It will be difficult to come across policemen, maybe few, who go to the gymnasium to build up their muscle or carry out exercise to keep fit.

There is no doubt that our policemen are not physically and mentally fit. A security expert, Frank Owhofa once admitted that our policemen are lazy because they don’t engage them in physical training exercise like their foreign counterparts.

His words, “We have seen severally where Police are on patrol base, they are either sleeping or reading newspaper under the tree or busy doing one thing or the other and that is why we advocate a special training for the Nigeria Police Force. They lack these skills; this is the key area that needs to be addressed, it is critical but it stands so simple.

“Security is not all about carrying guns, yes, it serves its own purpose, but security goes beyond carrying of guns. The officer must be at alert, mentally and physically. I can’t see any division where officers have any physical training centre in Nigeria. I have not seen anyone, so that tell you the reason, they are lazy, they are not mentally sharpened and that results to their low observation,” he noted.

It is said in the local parlance that, “Truth is bitter,” whether we like it or not, our policemen and women need physical training to make them mentally fit. A word is enough for the wise.

Police: Is Bail truly free?

Whenever you visit a police station, you will see an inscription, “Bail is Free,” is it truly free? EUGENE OGHENEMARO questions

Dennis Okoro is based in the United Kingdom, UK, and during his stay in Nigeria, he heard that his brother was in police custody.

After investigation by the police authorities, it was discovered that his brother was innocent and was supposed to be set free.

Okoro applied for his bail and while he was filling the application form, he came across where they wrote, “Bail is free.” He was so happy that he started commending government and the police authorities for making it so because before he left the shores of the country, bail was paid for. Little did he know that he was being deceived by the write-up?

However, after filling the form, the police man handling the case told him to settle them for facilitating the release of his brother. Okoro was shocked to his bone-marrow that he couldn’t utter any word.

According to him, he met the Divisional Crime Officer, DCO, and he was told the same. He went as far as meeting the Divisional Police Officer, DPO, he was told that it was a motivation fee.

Okoro was forced to part away with N10,000 (ten thousand naira).

After the whole scenario, Okoro described Police as Devil who gives you something with right hand and collect it with left hand.

However, Okoro seems not to be the only one complaining as many people who would not want their names in print have confirmed it including some police officers who incidentally work at the Force headquarters.

The question begging for answer is, “Is BAIL truly free?” If yes, the police authorities should do something about it but if it is NO, please remove it from the stations and your form.

Security: Thank God for WEFA

The residents of Nyanya, Karu and its environs have continued to express their joy over the recently-concluded World Economic Forum, Africa, WEFA, because of the many things they enjoyed during that period. Some of them claimed that since the existence of Nyanya, they have never had it so good.

The second bomb blast that attracted security presence in Nyanya

According to a resident, he simply gave his name as Dennis, said they have never experience government presence in terms of security since he started staying in Nyanya.

It would be recalled that there were bomb blasts in Nyanya at the motor parks which was shortly followed by robbery incident which many claimed to be abduction of school children at ‘The Vine International Academy’, Phase IV, Nyanya.

Many residents were scared that such incidents could happen in an area which is one of the most peaceful in the country. Many were even contemplating parking out of the area until the federal government deployed soldiers and the men of State Security Service, SSS to the area.

Before the second blast, military personnel were deployed to Kugbo, a distance from the scene of the blasts but after the robbery incident happened (a day before the WEFA) at ‘The Vine International Academy’, men of the police, civil defence and the military with a one-star General stormed the venue.

In order to have a smooth hosting of the WEFA, more military personnel with the men of the State Security Services, SSS were deployed to Nyanya and its environs to checkmate the activities of criminals in the area.

The policemen, mostly mobile were not left out as they all engaged in stop and search operations around the area.

Helicopters of the police and the military (Airforce) were also seen hovering around the city from Wednesday till Friday while checkpoints were mounted on the road from Kugbo to Masaka, (Nyanya-Keffi road).

The police and military checkpoints increased the already existing traffic jam in the area. Unlike the military checkpoints, who were using dogs and other bomb detectors, Police were causing traffic jam because of the eye-detection.

Meanwhile, residents of the area have commended the security personnel for their activities and the recent demolition of shanties, which are believed to be hideouts of criminals.

They however clamour for continuous security presence in the area. A resident, who gave his name as Olufemi Adebisi wants the security personnel who were deployed in the area during the WEFA should be on ground permanently.

“If summits like this one (WEFA) will make government to remember us, then there should be more of it,” he concluded.

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If we don’t control our birth-rate, insecurity, crime, restiveness, will continue – Primate Okoh

His Grace, Most Reverend Nicholas D. Okoh is the Metropolitan and Primate of All Nigeria Anglican Communion. The Hunters’ Editor-in-Chief, CHRIS ONOKPEGU was there when the Primate spoke with our sister publication, CAPITAL WATCH in an exclusive interview. Excerpts:

His Grace, Nicolas Okoh

His Grace, youth restiveness seems to be on the increase compared to what it used to be in the past, what do you think in your opinion is responsible for this?

If you cast your mind back, there was a time it was said that every family should not have more than four children. I don’t know whether you are old enough to know about that there was such a rule that every family should limit themselves to four children, but today we have a country where somebody can have thirty children, even fifty and when you ask the person, he will say what is your concern but it is our concern because we live together.

A situation where one man’s children will fill a classroom, which government can plan for that? Where will you find the resources to cope with such a demand, the family will not be able to cope, the social institutions will not be able to cope, the government too, so it demands everybody limiting himself.

If there is no discipline we are going to crumble, we are going to collapse because the country that has no discipline, including self discipline cannot succeed. This is because food that is meant for four people and if given to twenty people they will have poor standard. But if you give it to the four people for whom it is meant they will have quality food that is the problem in our country. We are shying away of controlling our spirally population, it’s terrible.

What effect do you think this will have on the country?

The side effect of this is that they have no money for the university education and they want to go to the university. The government is forced to say they will go to university free and unfortunately there is no money in abundance which in turns affects the quality of our education. There is no part of the world where everything in the university is free and here in Nigeria, it is used as a political gimmick but in Britain for instance, you go to the university if you are qualified. Yes! The government will pay but it’s a loan. The moment you come out and start working, you start repaying the loan. It’s not given to you free.

As our father, how do you think government can stop youth restiveness?

If the Federal Government wants to attend to this issue of restiveness then they should strengthen the scholarship loan board so that the students will know that they are collecting loans and when you graduate you start repaying it and others will collect from that too. The issue of free money is what is making us highly irresponsible, and it should not be a political campaign issue because they are not meeting it.

If Nigeria wants to control youth restiveness, we should first and foremost control the family size; there is oversize responsibility in all the families. So for you now, I don’t know if you are married but if you are not yet married and when you marry and you have twenty children you are going to have plenty problems but if you limit it to the little that you are earning, it will provide quality life to you and your children and you won’t become a nuisance to government and your society. But as long as nobody is talking about it everybody is free to have as many as you like it is going to be a problem, it is not a question employing damaging birth control, there are many better methods of controlling birth. Even in the days of our forefathers, they had birth control that is acceptable; you don’t have to kill to have birth control.

So, it is possible we can reduce the population rate and be able to provide good environment for our children to grow. If we don’t watch our birth control, crime, restiveness and indiscipline will continue.

Sir, but many of our youths are unemployed especially the ones that spent years in the universities and other higher institutions, don’t you think it is also a contributory factor?

Amongst those people you are saying that are unemployed how many of them actually measure up as graduates? How many of them can write good application letter to get a job? They have passed through schools but schools have not passed through them. It is true they call it unemployment but there are many who are not employable, the government must tackle the problem from the root, not just creating any type of work for people to get engage. No!

The issue is that you do what you are qualified to do. Those that are intellectually capable should be allowed to do intellectual jobs, but those just carrying papers around that they cannot represent should be drafted to something they can cope with.

The Security situation in Nigeria is posing a major challenge. Taking into account the recent bomb explosion in Nyanya Motor Park which claimed many lives with others injured, do you think government and the security agencies are really doing enough to stop the insurgents?

The situation is a problematic one; it is difficult to blame the government because of the situation we have found ourselves. Again, the nation where you have terrorists with no targets, in other words, you cannot rule out anyone, you can rule in anyone, anybody is a target, anywhere is a target, so in this situation the government cannot cope with everything, unless you want the government to detail policeman for everybody which is not possible.

How many are we? Amongst the policemen, we also have those that are disloyal, you will be surprised that in all of these killings, there are people who are insiders who knew about it but they may not want to tell the government and some who know it and can stop it but because, they are disloyal may not want to tell the government. The government is struggling and it is in a very difficult situation.

I take you to Britain again, during the IRA crisis, the Irish Republican Army; even with the technology of the British Government they could not stop the IRA. Bombs were exploding in the streets of London; they were not able to detect it. The terrorist tend to go to areas where nobody is looking at them. For instance, how many policemen can be detailed to secondary schools? If they know that you are watching the schools, they target the markets, if they know that you are going to the market to check the markets, they go to other places where you are not readily there, they go to the motor parks, to the streets, to the roads.

His Grace, what do you think can be the solution?

Firstly, the government should continue to provide the security through the Police, the Army, the State Security Services and other Security Agencies because security is the job of government. They took over power to protect the lives and property of the people, it’s a constitutional role they have to play, but it is much more than that. Politicians should stop playing politics with our security because if there is no country there won’t be governance, if Nigeria disintegrates, politicians will be the first to be affected. So they should stop playing politics with national security, in other countries when there is threat to the government and its unity, people fuse together, they come together, even the oppositions all come together. To fight the insecurity and remain together, they must come together then thereafter partisan politics can continue. So in our country we must learn this when there is a threat to our unity, all other things must stop and the security of the nation becomes the agenda of everyone. This is very important; all government agencies must come out openly to support the government fight terrorism.

Furthermore, the traditional institutions whether in the north or in the south which are more or less government agencies, because they serve and govern the people, they should also show more commitment by mobilizing the grassroots towards achieving safety in their domains, it is not enough for them to be issuing statements as if they are outsiders, they are part and parcel of government because they are looked after by the government. They should show loyalty to government and help them surmount troubles of insurgencies and then the Nigerian people, if you don’t do something about yourself you will die, we must all become security agents and this is where the Civil Defence comes to play, the Nigeria Civil Defence actually ought to be teaching people survival techniques in time of crisis, they should go to community to teach people, for instance, in this country we don’t have siren to alert people when there is crisis, or bunker where people can run in for safety, or where people should run to, this is the work of the Civil Defence. In the event where an alarm is raised, people don’t know what to do but rather you see them running up and down, there should be a way to react under emergency or crisis, that is the work of Civil Defence and not to be struggling with the army or police on duties to be relevant. Their job should be properly defined; when that is properly done, the individuals even the school boys will know what to do. This battle is not the government battle but our battle, if Nigerians keep quite then Boko Haram will destroy them, if Nigerians will not keep quiet Boko Haram will be destroyed. 

Are The CCTVs in FCT functioning?

Due to the spate of insecurity in the country, especially the attacks by Boko Haram, the federal government installed Closed-Circuit Television, CCTV in Abuja but they seem not to be working. What is responsible for the challenges? Chris Onokpegu asked.

FCT Minister, Bala Mohammed

Closed-circuit television, CCTV is the use of video cameras to transmit a signal to a specific place, on a limited set of monitors. It is used mainly to monitor places such as banks, casinos, airports, military formations, government installations, convenience stores and other places.

The United States especially the New York City installed CCTV in order to deter crime that was occurring on daily basis. It was seen as a cheaper way to deter crime compared to increasing the size of the police departments.

Some businesses as well, especially those that were prone to theft, began to use video surveillance including housing projects, schools and public parks. Following the attacks on September 11, the use of video surveillance has become a common occurrence in the country to deter future terrorist attacks.

In Nigeria, it was not a common feature until banks were being robbed almost on daily basis. The installation of CCTV in banks helped to some extent stabilizes the activities of criminals around banks’ premises.

The increase rate of insecurity in the country especially the attacks by the Islamic religious sect, Boko Haram in the FCT on the Police headquarters, the UN building and other places, forced the federal government to quickly award the installation of CCTV in the territory.

Though the name of the company was not disclosed by the police authorities but information gathered shows that the contract was awarded by the federal government through the Police headquarters.

Investigation carried out revealed however that the CCTV contract was executed by ZTE Corporation and at the cost of $470 million.

Although, the House of Representatives mandated its joint committees on police, public procurement, aids, loans and debt management and information technology to investigate the level of compliance with due process in the award of the contract, nothing tangible came out of the probe of the installation of the CCTV cameras around major areas. It was further gathered that the company used substandard equipment in the installation.

Hon. Hassan Saleh representing Benue called for the investigation of the $470 million National Security Communications System, NPSCS, and the installation of close circuit television cameras in many strategic parts of the FCT.

He expressed worry that there has been allegation that the quality of materials used for the solar powered security cameras for the CCTV system are of substandard quality, and the poles used are very close to the ground making it an easy target by vandals compared to what the same company did in their home country, China and other countries such as Ghana, Senegal, Morocco and Malaysia.

A top police officer confided in our correspondent that the CCTV was initially planned to be installed and test-run during the 2011 April elections but because of the tussle on who to install it between the police and the FCTA, it was abandoned. It only resurfaced later for security use when Boko Haram struck twice in Abuja at the Force headquarters and the UN building.

It would be recalled that Saleh alleged on the floor of the House that ZTE Corporation insisted that the contractual details of the transaction with the federal government should not be made public and it is presently shrouded in secrecy, which is a clear violation of the doctrine of transparency, accountability and an infringement of the laws of our country.

However, a security expert, Frank Owhofa told The Hunters that the CCTV installed in the FCT are outdated. According to him, the ones installed by ZTE have been phased out. He claimed that the latest CCTV, when installed is not seen, because it is very minute and unseen.

Investigation carried out shows that the CCTV in the Police headquarters initially was functioning hence a car theft was thwarted some months back but developed a fault and was not repaired because the Police believe in manual way of policing.

Our source in the police headquarters told The Hunters that the contract for the repairs of the CCTV was awarded but was surprised that the device is not working hence when the bomb blast at the force headquarters took place; they were unable to identify the suspect.

Former Inspector General of Police, Mike Okiro disclosed that 40 close circuit cameras installed by the Nigeria Police in Abuja to enhance crime control in the city have since stopped functioning.

He acknowledged that most of the cameras are not working due to power failure in the city. He disclosed that they were planning to use solar energy because the CCTV serves as crime monitoring device. “Their functionality is a priority to the police as far as crime control is concerned.” Up till date, the solar energy has not been installed to power the CCTV devices in Abuja.

Former FCT public relations officer, Superintendent Moshood Jimoh told our correspondent that the CCTV devices were working before but they are only being upgraded to a higher definition by ZTE.

It is on record that Police has used CCTV images to track bank robbery syndicate. A banker who spoke on anonymity commended the installation of CCTV in Abuja because according to him, “I watched CCTV images of armed robbery live in my bank, the police used these images to capture a few of the armed gang members. This is a great development.”

A visit round the FCT shows that the CCTV is not working while the installation of others has been abandoned by the company. The company is not willing to speak with our correspondent because it has told the government to keep the details of the contract secret while the Police authorities are also keeping mute.

Information has it that the initial plan of the government was to extend the CCTV to the satellite towns especially those sharing boundaries with the FCT. According to our source in the presidential villa, the federal government planned to extend street lights and CCTV to Masaka, a suburb in Nasarawa state because of its closeness to the FCT hence the initial dualisation of the road.

Residents of the FCT have clamoured for the satellite towns to be included in the project if the FCTA and police really want to secure the city. Sunday Umukoro told our correspondent that if they in the satellite towns are excluded, it will create more security challenges to the territory because most of the residents in the satellite towns work in the city centre of the FCT.

A security expert, Bamidele Adeleye disclosed that the CCTV equipment can be used for many purposes apart from security. According to him, it could be used to conduct and monitor elections, disaster management and control, traffic control, oil installations or spillages amongst others.

His words, “CCTV equipment may be used to observe parts of a process from a central control room; for example, when the environment is not suitable for humans. In United Kingdom, there are reportedly more cameras per person than in any other country in the world.”

Adeleye said the inability of government to have collective database of Nigerians, might pose a serious challenge to the project. “In the advance world, they have a database which collects the entire video file for each day. If they notice a crime has happened, they inform the enforcement agencies which are connected to same frequency on the radio. These people get to the scene to see things for themselves.

“Then these experts in the central division will then work on the videos with the aid of different software and special hardware; they will be able to zoom the picture and clean the image to get the exact look of the perpetrator. The police check the past record of the perpetrator and then arrest him if he thinks nobody saw him in the act or declare him wanted, if he is at large.”

However, Adeleye believes the CCTV monitoring might be frustrated. He said the disadvantage is that they can manipulate the video, picture especially when it involves ‘powerful’ people in government. “They can delete files and claim an event never occur or manipulate the image to look like anyone they want to appear in the video or picture. In the case of Nigeria, I think any rich and powerful person can easily have access to such classified crime.

“A good video hacker can hack into any video source as long as it belongs to a visual network which is either connected to internet grid or not. So the first thing is to make sure that these cameras are protected. And the best form of protection is to have information technology security experts on board in other to override any attack.”

Meanwhile, a Nigerian based in the United States of America, USA, Yakubu Salihu, just designed an ultimate solution for holistic security via networking of SOLTICE CAM. This, according to him, is a wireless Powered Surveillance Camera for outdoors remote video monitoring. “It is a tested and proven modern technological innovation for dependable 24 hour surveillance (Day and Night).”

He further explained, “A single unit of the Hi-tech device has a multi-dimensional clear vision covering a distance of 30 kilometers. It has the amazing capacity to rotate (pan), tilt and zoom on images, recording and transmitting same to the control room streets and roads. The entire city can be put under surveillance and watched day and night. It is also connectible to the internet, which enables authorised government security operatives or designated officials to effectively monitor relayed images anywhere in the world.

“Each of the Soltice-Cam has 200 cameras. Each camera overlaps and captures every incident. From these 15 Soltice-Cams, all the nation’s security agencies would have been fed with monitors from where they would have been able to gather information to do their jobs better. A motorist who beats traffic would be recorded for the FRSC to book. All criminal acts committed in the dark would be captured.

All manners of criminal activities in the FCT including traffic offences, prostitution, car-jacking, kidnapping etc would have been a thing of the past. Yakubu’s technology would have captured fine details of the perpetrators. The SSS, DIA, NIA, Police, Army, Airforce, NSCDC, FRSC, etc would have gotten the information from the cozy fixtures of their office.

Definitely, the bombing of the Police headquarters would not have been possible because the perpetrators would have been in the net.

Incidentally, it was Yakubu’s technology that is presently being used by the American government.

However, some experts however argued that if the first CCTV system installed by Siemens AG at Test Stand VII in Peenemünde, Germany in 1942, for observing the launch of V-2 rockets and the company is still existing, why can’t they be invited to do the installation in the FCT?