9JA VIBEZ HUB

The United Kingdom says it is currently supporting initiatives
to increase economic opportunities for marginalised youth in
northern Nigeria with development funding worth nearly 50
million dollars (N15 billion).
Mr James Roscoe, the UK Ambassador on General Assembly
Matters to the United Nations, stated this at a UN Security
Council meeting on peace and security in West Africa, in New
York on Monday.
Roscoe said the UK was providing additional 28 million dollars
(N8.5 billion) in funding for projects to “reduce young people’s
vulnerability to recruitment by violent extremist groups” in
Borno.
The gestures, according to him, are part of the UK’s
contributions, working with its partners in West Africa, to
support domestic efforts at preventing extremism and
intercommunal violence in the region.
Earlier at a briefing, Mohamed Chambas, Special
Representative and Head of the UN Office for West Africa and
the Sahel (UNOWAS), said the region had been “shaken by
unprecedented violence” in recent months.
Chambas said “relentless attacks on civilian and military
targets have shaken public confidence”, citing last week’s
attack by militants on a military base in western Niger that left
71 soldiers dead.
He blamed the situation partly on poor management of
national resources, inequalities and marginalisation, corruption
and the failure of governments in the region to provide
security and justice.
The special envoy, however, noted that “recipes against
violent extremism” were being put in place in many West
African countries.
Specifically, chambas said that some grassroots initiatives,
such as inter-faith coalitions in Nigeria, were in place to curtail
recruitments by Boko Haram.
He added that grassroots reconciliation initiatives were being
evaluated across the region for bilateral assistance at the
country level.
The security council, he said, could play a decisive role in
accompanying such efforts and more.
He reminded the council that, in addition to donor and
technical support, assistance on security-related and law
enforcement matters remains vital.
“Curbing the financial and supply corridors used by armed
groups, and the links with illegal trade requires international
cooperation.
“Targeted sanctions and other measures recommended by
panels of experts, are relevant for leverage,” Chambas
recommended.
In separate remarks, council members stressed the need for
efforts to be focused on tackling the underlying causes of
violent extremism and intercommunal conflicts in the region.

The dust raised by a section of the Nigerian media to
now address President Muhammadu Buhari as a
‘Major General,’ a ‘Dictator’ might not settle soon. But
what difference does calling President Buhari a
General or a Dictator make?
Trouble began to brew when, seemingly unable to
stomach perceived human rights abuses under
President Buhari’s government any longer, the Punch
Newspapers vowed to henceforth prefix Buhari’s name
with Major General, his rank as a military dictator in
the 80s, and refer to his administration as a regime.
This, it said, it would do until his government purged
itself of insufferable contempt for the rule of law.
According to the paper, the editorial was a symbolic
demonstration of its protest against autocracy and
military-style repression. It cited the case of Omoyele
Sowore, a journalist, in the hand of the Department of
State Security (DSS). It also frowned at other cases of
alleged contempt for the rule of law in Buhari’s
government.
Presidency is angry!
In its initial response to the decision to address the
President as a Major General, the Presidency through
Buhari’s special assistant on media and publicity, Femi
Adesina said there was nothing wrong if anybody
decided to address Buhari with his military rank.
“Nothing untoward in it (addressing Buhari as a Major
General). It is a rank the President attained by dint of
hard work before he retired from the Nigerian Army,”
Adesina said, adding that “rather than being pejorative,
addressing President Buhari by his military rank is
another testimony to free speech and freedom of the
press, which this administration (or regime, if anyone
prefers: it’s a matter of semantics) has pledged to
uphold and preserve.”
However, the Presidency showed itself in conflict
when Buhari’s senior special assistant on media and
publicity, Garba Shehu took an opposite stance.
According to him, “It is not within the power or rights
of a newspaper to unilaterally and whimsically change
the formal official title or the designation of the
country’s President as it pleases.”
He added that the “Constitution of Nigeria recognises
the President as the formal official title of the
occupant of that office,” and asked if the newspapers,
would in their “hubris” address the President as Prime
Minister as it pleases?
“Is it within the paper’s responsibility or power to
change the official title of the man who occupies the
office of the President? Does that mean any
newspaper is free to address the Comptroller General
of Customs a Colonel rather than his official title?,”
Shehu had argued.
So, what’s is in a name?
Some say there’s everything in a name. Perhaps, it
may just be trite to review it philosophically.
According to William Shakespeare in his play, “Romeo
and Juliet”, “a rose by any other name would smell as
sweet”. Juliet in the play compares Romeo to a rose
and says even if he were not named Romeo he will
still be handsome and be Juliet’s love.
Many philosophers and great thinkers hold that
external labels or titles given to a person hardly change
their true essence.
Will reference to Buhari as a General, Dictator and his
government as a regime, make any difference in his
style of governance? Only time will tell.
2 other things
Washing dirty linens the Aisha way
Nigeria’s First Lady, Aisha Buhari, never short on
controversies, regaled the nation with what many
believe should be her family’s private affairs. That was
not the first time she would do that.
Aisha had descended on her husband relative,
Mamman Daura and Shehu, the husband’s spokesman,
the same day the newspaper editorial threw the
presidency off balance.
In what appeared as a ventilation of frustrations, Aisha
accused Daura and Shehu of undermining her
husband’s administration.
According to her, the duo had been taking actions in
the president’s name, without the knowledge or
approval of her husband. She said, among others:
”…Mr Shehu has presented himself to these people like
a willing tool and executioner of their antics, from the
corridors of power even to the level of interfering with
the family affairs of the President. This should not be
so. The blatant meddling in the affairs of a First Lady
of a country is a continuation of the prodigal actions
of those that he serves. Mamman Daura and
Muhammadu Buhari.
“Garba Shehu as Villa Spokesperson knew the truth and
had the responsibility to set the records straight, but
because his allegiance is somewhere else and his
loyalty misplaced, he deliberately refused to clear the
air and speak for the President who appointed him in
the first place. Consequently, his action has shown a
complete breakdown of trust between the First Family
and him.”
Aisha, no doubt has won the praise and admiration of
many citizens over her outspokenness. However, many
have argued that family business should remain family
business and treated and resolved within the family
forum. It is hoped Aisha will get to hear that and save
her family from some public ridicule.
And, that Buhari advice to youths
One other story that out the presidency in the front
burner past week was his advice to youths. He urged
them to remain in Nigeria to help salvage the country.
He stated this at the 44th convocation ceremony of
the Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU) in Ile-Ife.
Buhari was represented at the event by the deputy
executive secretary of National Universities
Commission (NUC), Suleiman Raman-Yusuf.
“It is high time that universities took more proactive
roles in ensuring that graduands perform more
meaningfully in the world of works.
“It is in view of this that we wish to exhort our youths
to start looking inwards, stay and advance the cause
of their motherland. We have no other country than
Nigeria. We should remain here to salvage the country
together,” he said.
Buhari may have spoken the way a father would. But
he and his handlers must admit that the public pulse is
certainly sending different signals. What with his
frequent travels abroad on holidays and medical
check. This image is further sullied by general
knowledge of his family’s romance with foreign
educational institutions.

• As broadband penetration hits 37 per cent
The Federal Government has inaugurated a
committee to develop a new National
Broadband Plan 2020 - 2025 , to help reposition
the country for a digital economy .
This followed the expiration of the previous
National Broadband Plan in 2018 .
The committee is co - chaired by the Chief
Executive Officer, MainOne , Funke Opeke, and
the former Executive Commissioner in the
Nigeria Communications Commission (NCC ),
Bashir Gwandu.
This comes as Nigeria is said to have 37 per
cent broadband penetration.
Speaking at the inauguration , yesterday ,
in Abuja , Minister of Communications and
Digital Economy , Isa Pantami , admitted that
Nigeria has a problem of broadband
penetration .
He noted that the digital economy currently
valued at $11 . 5 trillion is strategically
dominating the world ’ s financial system , and
makeup approximately 16 per cent of the
global economy , according to Oxford economy .
Quoting the World Economic Forum, the
minister observed that by 2022 , about 60 per
cent of the world economy would be
digitalised , while by 2030 ; almost 85 per cent
would be at digital .
He recalled that President Muhammadu Buhari
last month launched a digital economy policy
for Nigeria , which has eight pillars, including
developmental regulation , digital literacy and
skills, solid infrastructure , service
infrastructure , digital services development and
promotion , soft infrastructure , digital society
and emerging technologies, and indigenous
content .
He said : “ This committee that converges here is
going to deliberate on one pillar that is very
strategic among the eight, and at the same
time , the success of the remaining seven
depends on the success of this one . Solid
infrastructure accommodates broadband and
data centre , this is key because all other pillars
rely on this very important one , and I think the
work of the committee is going to address
significantly one of the most important pillars.
This will go a long way in supporting the
National Digital Economy policy and strategy
for the government of Nigeria. All the states
and local government also have a role to play
to make it very successful , ” he added .
Also speaking , Executive Vice Chairman of NCC ,
Prof Umar Danbatta , observed that the
International telecommunication Union
( ITU ), recognised that in the 21 st Century,
broadband infrastructure is basic , and will
ensure that people around the world have
access to equitable and affordable broadband
wherever they are and whatever the
circumstances they are in .
Danbatta noted that broadband has the ability
to deliver healthcare , best quality education
even to generations unborn , the ability to
streamline transportation , meet up with social
development goals ( SDGs ) , and the ability to
transform the economy into a digital one .

In her response , the Chairperson of the
Committee , Opeke, said the target is to achieve
at least 65 - 70 per cent broadband penetration
across Nigeria by 2025 . She said broadband is
critical , and Nigeria cannot be left behind,
while Nigerians in the rural areas should be at
the centre of the new broadband plan , which
will help create jobs.
She said , “ The honourable minister has set the
goal , and I believe the NCC is in agreement . It
is for us to look at what was done during the
period of the last committee , look at what the
issues and challenges are that still exist, and
come up with a plan that allows us to achieve
the set objectives . I believe the objective is
achievable with sincerity of purpose and with
hard work for these are critical services and
infrastructure that we need to bring to all
Nigerians and we’ re optimistic that we can
accomplish that goal. ”
Opeke noted that a lot of work needs to be
done on fixed infrastructure , adding that the
reality is that mobile technologies are also
progressing quite fast to deliver very capable
services to people .

Luanda — With three weekly flights, the Angolan airline
company TAAG, starts flying, Monday at 8:00 to Lagos
(Economic Capital of Nigeria), carrying on average / weekly
at least 360 citizens, between Angolans and foreigners.
For this most populous city in Africa, the Angolan national
flag carrier will operate a 120-seat Boeing 737-700 aircraft,
as well as allowing passengers from neighboring countries
to fly directly to Angola. This will enable the beneficiaries to
take advantage of dozens of possible connections to
southern Africa, in particular, as well as to Latin America,
through the Luanda hub (4 de Fevereiro International
Airport) and direct TAAG flights to these destinations.
According to a note from this aircraft operator, the "Lagos
flight" will also allow cargo transportation, giving local
businessmen the opportunity to diversify their import and
export bases. With the exception of the inaugural, the flights
will be operated on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays, with
the DT-564, departing from Luanda at 11h30 and arriving in
Lagos at 14h30. Returns are scheduled for the same days of
the week, DT565, which will leave at 15:30 to arrive at
18:30.
These schedules, underlines the statement issued by the
company in October, will allow a quick connection in
Luanda with flights to Johannesburg (South Africa) and
soon with Praia City (Cape Verde), as well as TAAG
intercontinental flights. In his turn, the chairman of the
Executive Committee of the Angolan airline, Rui Carreira,
said (at the time) that this route will facilitate the
interconnection between the regions of West Africa and
Southern Africa, as well as help to promote tourism and
business. "We are confident that Lagos will be one of the
company's main regional destinations, contributing to the
strengthening of trade between Angola and Nigeria," said
TAAG's Managing Director which this year inaugurated the
Luanda / Sal Island route, and the prospect for 2020 Luanda
Accra (Ghana).

THE Kogi State Command of the Nigerian Police on Tuesday,
December 10, 2019 paraded six young men suspected to have
murdered the Woman Leader of the Peoples Democratic
Party, PDP, Mrs. Salome Abuh, after the violent governorship
elections in Ochadamu, Ofu Local Government Area of the
State.
The state’s Commissioner of Police, Mr. Hakeen Busari,
disclosed the identities of the suspects as Ocholi Edicha (gang
leader), Adamu Haruna, Egbunu, Musa Alidu, Attai Haruna and
Attah Ejeh. They had allegedly set Mrs. Abuh’s residence
ablaze and prevented her from escaping.
Following the outrage that trailed this heinous murder,
President Muhammadu Buhari had given orders for the
perpetrators to be apprehended. According to Mr. Busari while
parading them: “The suspects further confessed that they were
responsible for the series of armed robbery incidents at
Ochadamu and environs”.
For us, the parading will remain a non-event unless it is
accompanied by firm and diligent prosecution to ensure the
perpetrators of this heartless crime are brought to justice. The
Police, as an institution, never showed enough concern about
the woeful failure of security during elections in Bayelsa and
Kogi which cost the taxpayers dearly.
Police authorities had announced the deployment of 60,241
personnel (over 31,000 for Bayelsa and 35,000 for Kogi). The
Inspector-General of Police, Mr. Mohammed Adamu, had
admitted that the Force was aware of the volatile nature of
elections in both states but assured the readiness of the
Police and other security agencies to protect the vote.
But after the election which turned out more of a war than a
peaceful democratic exercise, IGP Adamu shocked Nigerians
when he alleged that “fake policemen” or political thugs
overpowered his men during the elections.
It took more than one week after the murder of Mrs. Abuh
before the police roused to action following Buhari’s directive.
This lackadaisical attitude to their own failure does not inspire
Nigerians to believe that the police are prepared to
conclusively bring the culprits to justice. We hope the police
will prove their critics wrong.
The remarkable thing about Mrs. Abuh’s murder is that while
the police seemed unwilling to do its duties, the victim’s
relations made it clear that the perpetrators were “very well
known in the community”. The suspects’ alleged confession
to the crime seems to support this assertion.
It also confirms that the electoral process has been
outsourced to violent criminals in our society to decide those
who lead us while the police and security agencies fold their
arms. It is a shame.
The only way the police can salvage something for their image
in this ugly saga is to honour Buhari’s directive and the
expectations of Nigerians by ensuring the course of justice is
served.

Irked by the persistent cases of banditry ,
abductions and sundry criminal activities , the
Kebbi State Government recently rolled out a
number of programmes to show its
commitment to the protection of lives and
property in the state . Apart from the planned
collaboration with neighbouring Sokoto and the
Zamfara States , another approach of Kebbi
State Government is the recent inauguration of
Security Challenges Committee ( SCC ) by
Governor Atiku Abubakar Bagudu , which has
as its chairman the Deputy Governor , Col.
Samaila Yombe Dabai (rtd ) .
While expressing his administration ’ s
determination to bring succor to victims of
banditry and other security challenges ,
Governor Bagudu explained that the committee
would visit areas where there have been
security problems such as Zuru Emirate , Yauri ,
Bagudu , Kamaba, Dakingari and others .
A significant gain of President Muhammadu
Buhari’ s border closure is how it has curtailed
the activities of bandits and other criminal
elements who until now freely roam the area .
While justifying the need to put all necessary
logistics to man the borders , Governor Bagudu
pointed out that the recent border closure
ordered by the Federal Government had , within
90 days of its commencement , recorded
significant impact .
Not long after the inauguration, the committee
swung into action by visiting areas of stress
with security agencies , as well as meeting with
paramilitary outfits in the state . In Bena/ Danko/
Wasagu Local Government Area , for instance,
Dabai told the security operatives that the
committee ’ s visit was majorly to discuss
various security challenges and have a
firsthand assessment of the current security
situation in the area that has been facing
security challenges in the past .
He assured the security agents that state
government , under the leadership of Senator
Bagudu , would not relent in its effort at
tracking down the perpetrators of kidnapping ,
banditry and related criminal activities in the
state . While acknowledging that the harvest
period is usually the time for a rise in criminal
activities in the area , the deputy governor said
the government would provide adequate
security to ensure socio - economic stability .
He reiterated government ’ s position on the
need for the people of Bena and Kebbi State , in
general , to support security operatives by
reporting suspicious movements and giving
vital information that could help in stemming
the tide of criminal activities .
At Bakin Gulbi village , two persons were
kidnapped and killed while one Alhaji
Muhammadu Anaruwa Bena was released after
ransom was paid . The district head , Alhaji
Kabiru Ibrahim Bena, urged the government to
redouble its strategies towards ensuring
security around the border communities,
particularly the Bena axis that borders Zamfara
and Niger States . The district head commended
the deputy governor for finding time to pay
condolence and a fact- finding visit to Alhaji
Muktari Musa Wasagu, the chief of Wasagu in
his palace .
In a related development, Dabai also visited
Tafkin Kada village in Jega Local Government
Area and expressed the readiness of the
administration to tackle security challenges
across the state . While addressing the
combined security personnel involving army,
police and vigilante groups at Tafkin Kada
village , Dabai reiterated the state government ’ s
resolve to provide all the necessary
motivational support needed by the security to
improve their operations .
While the security operatives expressed their
satisfaction with the committee ’ s visit , Tafkin
Kada village head , Mallam Rabiu , commended
the efforts of the state government , particularly
the presentation of motorcycles to the
community for surveillance . He disclosed that
the gesture would also assist his community to
undertake rapid response to security threats in
the area, stressing that those who earlier left
their homes for fear of the marauders were
now gradually returning .
The village head acknowledged the efforts of
joint security operatives deployed to the area ,
saying that the tireless and prompt discharge of
their duties helped in restoring the people ’ s
confidence , even as he prayed for God ’ s
guidance , protection and peace in Kebbi State
and Nigeria at large .
Earlier, the deputy governor explained that the
provision of motorcycles to volunteers was a
sequel to the appeal by the community to kebbi
State Government for logistical support to
enable them to carry out effective surveillance .
THE SCC chairman uses the medium to renew
the call to the community to effectively monitor
and report any strange occurrences and
attempts to disrupt the peace .
He said the motorcycles officially handed over
to the village head were to be distributed to the
volunteers for community surveillance ,
maintaining that the vigilante groups are to use
the equipment to expand the fight against
crime in their communities .
“ We discovered the rising cases of crimes, such
as kidnapping and robbery , ” Dabai said . “ So ,
the current administration under the
leadership of Senator Abubakar Atiku Bagudu
is committed to ensuring that the crime rate
within and outside the state is reduced, ” adding
that the public had a crucial role to play in the
fight against insecurity .
The commander of the vigilante group in Bena,
Mallam Danladi, acknowledged the efforts of
Kebbi State government towards the people of
the area, pointing out that homegrown
strategies by the committee were proving
effective in combating insecurity in the state .
Accessibility to some remote areas of the state
was seen as a critical hindrance to the vigilante
groups. But the deputy governor noted that
part of the efforts at boosting the morale of the
security was the provision of motorcycles . He
said the security situation in Bachaka area had
improved with the number of security
operatives deployed , explaining that the land
expanse and accessibility were considered in
allotting the motorcycles to the security
operatives . This , he said , would enable them to
reach those areas where accessibility has been
an issue .
The chairman of All Progressives Congress
( APC) in Bachaka , Alhaji Salihu Sani and the
security operatives accompanied the deputy
governor on the courtesy visit to the village
head of Tambo , a border town between Nigeria
and Niger Republic. He pointed out that a
cordial relationship exists between Nigeria and
Niger Republic despite the fact that the colonial
administration separated them.
It would be recalled that when the Assistant
Comptroller General of Customs , Bashir
Abubakar , Coordinator of Border Drill
Operation and his team paid him a courtesy
visit in Birnin Kebbi , Governor Bagudu
expressed his administration ’ s readiness to
support security agencies in the ongoing efforts
to curtain the activities of bandits and
smugglers around the nation ’ s border areas .
The governor , who was represented by his
deputy , Alhaji Dabai appreciated the efforts of
the team in ensuring lasting peace and security
in the country, even as he lamented that
Nigeria ’ s land borders with Niger and Benin
Republics are porous . According to the Kebbi
State governor , insecurity and the menace of
smuggling had been reduced to the barest
minimum, assuring that with the efforts of the
security team sent to the state , the activities of
bandits , smugglers , and gunrunners would be
overcome . The governor reassured the SCC of
his administration ’ s commitment to rendering
the much - needed support for the success of the
operation, explaining that the issue of
lawlessness encountered in previous months in
the southern part of the state was as a result of
cross- border activities by the bandits from
Zamfara State .
He noted that the joint operation by security
agents led by the state commissioner of police
has crippled the activities of the criminals .
Earlier, the Assistant Comptroller of
Customs, Abubakar , said the combined security
outfit was “ saddled with the responsibility of
securing human lives and property in this part
of the country, ” stressing that the joint
operations need the cooperation of the state
government and the people .
He disclosed that 99 per cent of petroleum
filling stations in the border communities were
for negative intentions , maintaining that they
do not dispense in open . The comptroller ,
therefore , said that the cooperation of the
people was needed to overcome the motives of
criminals .
Reacting to developments in border
communities, the chairman of Mahyama Local
Government Area , Ziyanu Mohammad Bello
Mahyama, praised the governor for supporting
security agencies to ensure that bandits are
flushed out from all nooks and crannies of the
state . The chairman told The Guardian that the
council is one that criminals , especially
kidnappers and cattle rustlers , always intruded
upon, but noted that with the support of the
state government , through the security agents
such as police , Nigeria Army , vigilante , civil
defence and DSS crime has reduced drastically.
In his words : “ We hold security meetings with
the security agents attached to the council ,
alongside traditional rulers , religious leaders to
ensure the security of lives and property of the
people . We also plan to engage the youth in
one or two things like education and skill
acquisition. ”
Similarly , as part of its efforts to cater to the
socio - economic wellbeing of the citizens , the
state government said it was collaborating with
development partners to improve primary
healthcare in the state . Secretary to the State
Government ( SSG) , Alhaji Babale Umar Yauri ,
disclosed that a free medical outreach was
carried out, stressing indigent rural dwellers
were treated free of charge , including people
from neighbouring countries and states of the
federation .
In his words : “ Kebbi State Government , in
collaboration with the EU /UNICEF , renovated
over thousands of primary healthcare centres
across the 21 local government areas. More
health clinics have been constructed , just as
health institutions were upgraded and drugs
purchased .
“ All these are ways the government is trying to
win the confidence of the people and renew the
communal living among the citizens . It is also
intended to encourage people to support the
government in meeting the various challenges
facing the state . ”
While noting that education has a central place
in the economic and social empowerment of the
people , Yauri said emphasis is being laid on
education , adding that over 2000 teachers were
recently employed for both secondary and
primary schools . According to him , teaching
and learning facilities have been procured and
more schools renovated to engage the youth
and make education attractive to them.
and make education attractive to them.
He called on the youths to eschew violence ,
noting that a lot of achievement had been
recorded in the area of security , healthcare
system , education and infrastructure .
“ We are sustaining the regular security
meetings with security chiefs , traditional rulers
and religious leaders in order to forestall any
security breach and ensure that Kebbi State
remains a peaceful place, ” he added .
It is possible that the border closure has helped
to reduce trans - border attacks by criminals ,
but the combined patrols of security agents and
social development efforts of the government
seem to be brining back hope to citizens .

Nigerian Navy has warned criminals to steer clear of the
Ondo State coast line, saying it is battle-ready to stem
criminal activities ahead of the Yuletide.
Commanding Officer, Nigerian Navy, Forward Operation
Base (FOB), Igbokoda, Ondo State, Commodore Danjuma
Ndanusa, issued the warning while speaking with the News
Agency of Nigeria (NAN) yesterday.
He said his men had been stationed at designated places in
the riverine communities in Ondo coastal areas to ensure
tight security and rid its waterways of illegalities and
criminalities.
Ndanusa said such illegal activities included bunkering, oil
theft, kidnapping, piracy, ritual killings and other social vices
on the waterways.
The Navy boss, who assured residents of the riverine areas
of optimal security, urged them to always be law-abiding
and cooperate with the security agencies in order to bring
criminal activities to a standstill.
He said: “Our Internal Security (IS) team, gunboats and other
gadgets are stationed at designated areas on the Ondo
coastline and riverine communities in order to ensure the
safety of residents both on land and waterways.
He urged the state government, through its Amnesty
programme, to honor its agreement with ex-militants, who
had surrendered their arms and ammunition.

                                     Babatope Babalobi

By Babatope Babalobi

About 25m graduates are unemployed in Nigeria, though
President Muhammadu Buhari estimated it at over 20m
earlier this year.
This calls for urgent national planning, though the National
Bureau of Statistics (NBS) has not helped matters by
masking its data in technical terms and not updating its
record timely, making it difficult for Nigerians to know in
exact figures, the country’s employment, underemployment,
and unemployment status.
In the Nigerian context, a graduate can be defined as a
person that has successfully completed first academic
degree in a university approved by the National University
Commission (NUC), in case of university graduates or
National Board for Technical Education (NBTE) for
polytechnic graduates.
Interestingly, the graduate manufacturing ‘factories’
continue to expand while the graduate employing factories
continue to shrink. There are 134 recognised Polytechnics
in Nigeria (29 federal Polytechnics, 48 state polytechnics,
57 private polytechnics) as of October 2019. Similarly,
Nigeria presently has 174 universities (43 federal
universities, 52 state universities and 79 private
universities).
Nigeria’s 308-degree awarding institutions (134
polytechnics and 174 universities) have an enrolment
population of about 2m and produce about 600,000
graduates yearly.
The National Universities Commission (NUC), announced
earlier this year that it is processing registration applications
for additional 303 new private universities. In the next five
years, the number of degree awarding institutions may
double, and up to 1m graduates may be added to the
employment queue and unemployment market annually.
Signs of an unemployment bomb has been tickling in recent
years. In 2014, 520,000 Nigerian jobless graduates stormed
various recruitment centres to apply for 4,000 advertised
vacant positions in the Nigeria Immigration Service. This
implied 130 unemployed graduates chased each of the 4000
vacant positions.
At least 16 people reportedly died in the ensuing stampede.
The then Minister for Internal Affairs, Abba Moro claimed
responsibility but was never sanctioned by the Goodluck
Jonathan Administration, who rather gave automatic
employment slots as compensations to families of the
bereaved.
In Nigeria, it seems someone must die on an employment
queue before his/her close relation secures a job.
Early 2018, the former Chairman of Federal Inland Revenue
Service (FIRS), Mr Tunde Fowler said a staggering 700,000
graduates applied for 500 advertised position in the FIRS,
with 2,000 of the applicants holding first-class degrees!
In September 2018, the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC)
announced it received 324,000 applications to fill 4,000
advertised vacancies for officer cadre, inspectorate, and
road marshal assistants.
Few months ago, about 60,000 graduates sat for interviews
for unstated number of vacancies, (possibly less than 100),
in the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC).
Unfortunately, there is no end sight to nightmares of
Nigeria’s graduates, no thanks to the triple factors of high
birth rates, ever rising enrolment in tertiary institutions, and
economic underdevelopment.
Nigeria’s graduates seems to have entered a ‘one
chance’ scenario, as no escape light is blinking at the end
of the tunnel of no return.
A country’s labour force according to the NBS, consists of
all persons who participate in the labour market, as either
employed or unemployed, while the employment-to-
population ratio is defined as the proportion of a country’s
working age population that is employed.
In the 2nd quarter of 2019, National Bureau of Statistics
said the national labour force was 69%, and
the employment-to-population ratio was 66.6%, meaning
33.4% of the labour force were unemployed.
Going by these figures, and working with an estimated
population of 200m, Nigeria’s labour force is roughly 138m,
33.4% or 66.8m of which are unemployed, as of mid- 2019.
The NBS also stated that 38.1% of unemployed have post-
secondary education, translating to 25.4m unemployed
graduates, with diploma or degree qualifications. Nigeria
Graduate report 2016, in fact, said ‘36.26% of recent
graduates are currently unemployed’. Many graduates are
also underemployed or wrongly employed, in respective of
their disciplines often ending up as schoolteachers,
commercial drivers, uber drivers, farmers, salesmen,
marketers, and factory workers.
International Labour Organisation (ILO) defines
unemployment as the share of the labour force that is
without work but available for and seeking
employment,  including people who have lost jobs and
those who have voluntarily left work, while the NBS defines
persons in unemployment as those of working age, who are
not in employment, seeking work (in the four weeks
preceding the enquiry) and currently available to start
working (in the reference period or within two weeks
subsequent to the enquiry).
The Nigerian Senate recently discussed the unemployment
situation, an issue requiring the declaration of a national
emergency. Quoting figures from the National Bureau of
Statistics in 2019, Senator Ike Ekweremadu stated that
Nigeria’s unemployment rate stood at 23.1 per cent of the
workforce in the third quarter of 2019, and hit 33.5 per cent
by 2020.
Graduate unemployment is an issue requiring national
discussion. Graduate unemployment saddens parents that
spent fortunes to train their children, wasting youthful
creativity, potentials, and energies at prime.
Generally, unemployment fuels crime in line with the
proverbial dictum that the devil engages an idle hand,
breeds frustration, increases disease and preventable death
rates due to cash flow limitations, conversely increases
birth as procreation increases by idle people, breeds
prostitution, promotes Yahoo Yahoo Internet Fraud And
Other Criminalities , exacerbates poverty due to lack of
disposable income, lowers self-esteem, promotes brain and
second slavery, slows economic growth, boosts insurgency
with recruits from the unemployed army, and promotes low
educational attainment.
Why are Nigeria’s graduates jobless? The reasons are
fundamental and multifaceted. Causes of unemployment
are well known and includes corruption that has crippled
the economic development, primitive capitalism that breeds
inequality, poor quality education, educational curricular
than breeds white collar job seekers, mismatch between
outputs of educational institutions and requirements of the
labour market, and infrastructure deficit especially poor
energy supply, unmotorable roads, and poor access to
water supplies.
Generally, many Nigerian graduates are not only
unemployed, but unemployable as their skills are largely
divorced from labour requirements.
The admission policy of Joint University and Matriculation
Board (JAMB) which encourages quota rather than merit-
based admissions, also fosters graduate unemployment,
though recent reviews have granted each university
autonomy to determine its admission’s policy.
Under the old policy Joint Admissions and Matriculation
Board, 30% of a university’s admissions was reserved for
applicants from its immediate geographical surroundings
or “catchment” area, 20% was  reserved for applicants
from educationally disadvantaged states, 10% of
admissions were at the Vice-Chancellor’s discretion, while
only 40% of graduates were admitted on merit based
academic performances.
A study by Adeyemi, 2001, shown a strong correlation
between this quota-based admission policy and poor
academic performances of students, eventually leading to
unemployable graduates as technically 60% of students
admitted to Nigerian universities were not admitted on
merit.
Beyond these, Nigeria’s graduates are not marketable in the
global economy as the institutions that produced them are
lowly ranked due to a myriad of factors.
Times Higher Education World University Rankings, 2020
ranked only four Nigerian universities- Covenant University
(401-500), University of Ibadan (501-600), University of
Lagos (801-1001), and University of Nigeria, Nsukka (1001+)
out of 1397 ranked.
The fact that the new generation Nigerian graduates are
poorly trained, and quarter baked in lowly ranked
universities reflect in their oral and written communication.
My personal experience shows, if you schedule an interview
to assess young graduates for possible employment, you
may be wasting your time examining certificates and paper
qualifications.
If you want to catch an average fresh graduate pants down
in a recruitment interview, simply ask the applicant to write,
in longhand, one or two-page essay on any issue. You will
be shocked at the sequence of tenses and grammatical
errors.
The typical new generation ‘indomie’ graduate does not
know a noun or sentence starts with a capital letter, and
when employed writes official notes as if chatting with a
friend on Facebook or WhatsApp; abbreviating words (u for
you , 4 means for , d for the , aw for how , thn for thing, etc)
in the process.
Social media undoubtedly has damaged English
comprehension of the youths.
Many new generation graduates are unemployable because
their educational career was built on a faulty and false
foundation. Many are products of examination malpractices
in West African Senior School Certificate Examination
(WASSCE), and gained admission to tertiary institutions
through JAMB special centres where cheating is official and
officials are cheats, as they wrote answer sheets for
students they were supposed to monitor.
Few years ago, the Head, National Office of WAEC, Charles
Eguridu lamented that Nigeria has the highest number of
examination malpractices and cheating incidences among
the five member countries of the council, forcing WAEC to
withdraw full recognition for 113 secondary schools
nationwide, and cancelling results of 30, 654 candidates
that sat for  May/June 2012 West African Senior School
Certificate Examination (WASSCE).
In the tertiary institutions, cheating continues through
plagiarised term papers, poorly motivated lecturers, sex
scandalised examinations, and doctored thesis. The truth is
that a good number of graduates from tertiary institutions in
recent years, cannot defend their certificates.
What is the way forward? Unemployment could be
minimised, while total eradication may be utopian.
Possible solutions include strengthening employment
opportunities such as President Buhari’s N-Power
programme, non-partisan implementation of
entrepreneurship programmes such as the Youth
Employment and Social Support Operation
(YESSO),  reviving former President Jonathan Goodluck’s
administration’s Youth Enterprise with Innovative (Youwin),
computer skills education, youth empowerment, reduction
of retirement age limit for government  and non-government
workers, continued support for small and medium scale
industries  through financial bodies such as Development
bank, upscale of labour intensive rather than robotics
intensive industrialization programme, implementation of
measures to reduce birth and control population growth,
provision of loans and grants for small scale and large
scale agricultural entrepreneurs, and investment in human
capital development and skill based education.
Also, unemployed graduates could consider acquiring
higher degrees such as Masters, and Doctorate to improve
their marketability.
The curricula of Nigerian universities and polytechnics
should be continuously reviewed to respond to the needs
and dynamics of today’s knowledge and technology
economy.
They should also prepare undergraduates for the outside
world on simple issues such as making oral and written
presentations, writing a curriculum vitae, preparing for
interviews, and improving job profiles.
Lastly, good governance by all tiers is the key to creating
employment opportunities for Nigeria’s graduates, now and
in the future.
More factories such as Ajaokuta Steel Rolling Mill or the
famed Textile mills should be revived, the private sector
should be supported to set up new factories such as
oncoming Dangote refinery, social infrastructure such as
railways, good roads and stable energy supply that favour
industrialisation should be improved, value of the naira
should be strengthened, states should embark on massive
commercial agriculture schemes, local industries should be
protected from vagaries of free trade, and official
corruption should be tackled to free resources for
developmental projects.
Babatope Babalobi is a Doctorate Researcher, Department
of Health, University of Bath, UK.

Ekiti State House of Assembly yesterday passed the state’s
N124.724billion Appropriation Bill for 2020.
This followed the adoption of the report of the House
Committee on Finance and Appropriation at plenary.
Presenting the report, the Chairman, Olubunmi Adelugba,
said the budget was made up of N71.186billion recurrent
expenditure, representing 57 per cent and N53.538billion
capital expenditure, representing 13 per cent.
Adelugba said the committee observed the budget was
perfectly in order, and would consolidate on the
achievements recorded in 2019 by establishing a fiscal
framework for expected transformation of all sectors of the
state’s economy.
The report was adopted by the lawmakers in a unanimous
vote.
The House later adjourned sitting till January 15, 2020.

’ Femi Asu
The three refineries owned by the Federal
Government lost a total of N111 . 27 bn from
January to September this year , the Nigerian
National Petroleum Corporation said in its
September report.
The refineries posted a loss of N96 . 31 bn in the
same period in 2018 , according to the NNPC
data obtained by our correspondent on
Monday.
Nigeria , Africa ’ s top oil producer , relies largely
on importation for refined petroleum products
as its refineries have remained in a state of
disrepair for many years despite several
reported repairs .
The refineries, which are located in Port
Harcourt , Kaduna and Warri , have a combined
installed capacity of 445, 000 barrels per day
but have continued to operate far below the
installed capacity .
They lost N8 . 362 bn in January ; N10 . 26 bn in
February ; N16 . 04 bn in March ; N11 . 44 bn in
April ; N13 . 63 bn in May, and N17 . 42 bn in June .
The plants recorded a loss of N13 . 84 bn in July ;
N13 . 21 bn in August and N7 . 07 bn in September .
Kaduna refinery, which did not process any
crude in eight months , lost N44 . 06 bn , according
to the NNPC .
Warri lost N33 . 88 bn as it did not process any
crude oil in April , June , July , August and
September .
Port Harcourt refinery posted a loss of
N33 . 31 bn as it was idle in January, April , May
and June , July , August and September .
“ Similar to August 2019 , no white product
( petrol and kerosene ) was produced in
September 2019 . The lack of production is due
to ongoing rehabilitation works at the
refineries, ” the corporation said .
The NNPC said it had been adopting a merchant
plant refineries business model since January
2017 .
It said the combined value of output by the
three refineries (at import parity price ) for
September amounted to N1 . 03 bn.
The national oil firm said , “ No associated crude
plus freight cost for the three refineries since
there was no production while operational
expenses amounted to N11 . 24 bn.

Ade Adesomoju, Abuja
The Federal High Court in Abuja on Monday
ordered the return of Soku oil fields from
Bayelsa State to its rightful owner, Rivers State .
Delivering judgment in a suit instituted by
Rivers State , Justice Inyang Ekwo ordered the
National Boundary Commission to effect the
transfer by rectifying the error in its 11 th
Edition of the Administrative Map of Nigeria ,
which designated San Bartholomew River,
instead of River Santa Barbara, as the boundary
between the two states .
According to the judge , the error , which was
said to have surfaced in the 11 th Edition of
Administrative Map produced by the NBC in
2002 , has negatively impacted the oil revenues
accruable to Rivers State from the Federation
Account due to the loss of the Soku Oil Field.
He , therefore , made “ an order directing that
the notice of the decision of this honourable
court be served on the Revenue Mobilisation,
Allocation and Fiscal Commission and the
Accountant General of the Federation ” to
enable them to start acting on the new map in
computing the additional oil revenues
accruable to Rivers State following its regaining
of the oil field .
The Supreme Court in a judgment delivered on
July 19 , 2012 ordered the commission to rectify
the error expeditiously by restoring Santa
Barbara River as the interstate boundary
between Rivers and Bayelsa states.
Citing the apex court ’ s judgment on Monday,
Justice Ekwo said the NBC had in its letter
dated July 3 , 2002 replying Rivers State
government ’ s protest admitted its mistake and
promised to rectify it in the 12 th edition of the
administrative map but never did .
Failure of the NBC to rectify the mistake as
promised made the Rivers State government ,
through its Attorney - General , to file a suit
against the Attorney General of Bayelsa State
and the Attorney General of the Federation
before the Supreme Court in 2009 .
The Supreme Court on July 10 , 2012 ruled in
favour of Rivers State and ordered the
rectification of the error .
By August 22 , 2019 , when the mistake had yet
to be corrected , Rivers State Government
instituted a suit before the Federal High Court
in Abuja solely against the NBC seeking an
order of mandamus compelling it to correct its
error .
Granting the plaintiff ’ s prayers in his judgment
delivered on Monday, Justice Ekwo held that
“ the continued failure and /or refusal of the
defendant ( NBC) to rectify its admitted mistake
in the 11 th Edition of the Administrative Map
of Nigeria since 2002 , which erroneously
showed San Bartholomew instead of River
Santa Barbara as the interstate boundary
between the plaintiff state and Bayelsa State ,
constitutes a breach of its statutory duty and a
flagrant disobedience to the order of the
Supreme Court contained in its judgment
delivered on July 10 , 2012 in suit with number
SC . 106/ 2009 . ”
It made “ an order of mandamus or mandatory
injunction compelling the defendant (NBS ) to
rectify forthwith in the 12 th Edition of the
Administrative Map of Nigeria , the erroneous
interstate boundary between Rivers State and
Bayelsa State as contained in the extant 11 th
Edition of the Administrative Map of Nigeria ” .
The court also made an order “ deeming the
administrative boundary between Rivers and
Bayelsa states to be River Santa Barbara in
accordance with the admission of the defendant
( NBC) as per its letter of July 3, 2002 and the
definitive order of the Supreme Court entered
and made on July 7 , 2012 . ”
It also declared that “ the continued reliance on
the said defective 11 th Edition of the
Administrative Map of Nigeria by other
government agencies , statutory bodies ,
especially the Revenue Mobilisation, Allocation
and Fiscal Commission and the Accountant
General of the Federation in computation of the
revenue accruable to the plaintiff from the
Federation Account has resulted in the
continued unjust / unfair denial of allocation of
derivation funds /money accruing from the
Soku Oil Fields /Wells situated within the Rivers
State to the detriment of the plaintiff . ”

The Nigerian Army on Monday redeployed 20
Major Generals and more than 10 Brigadier
Generals in a major shakeup, which , it said ,
would reinvigorate the system for greater
efficiency.
The redeployment , approved by the Chief of the
Army Staff , Lt. Gen . Tukur Buratai , took
immediate effect , according to a statement by
the Acting Director , Army Public Relations , Col.
Sagir Musa.
The army ’ s spokesman said , “ Due to the recent
promotion of some senior officers, it became
imperative to deploy them in appropriate
appointments . Consequently, the Army has
released the postings and appointments of the
affected officers.
“ The posting, which was approved by the Chief
of Army Staff , is carried out to reinvigorate the
system for greater efficiency .
“ The highlights of the posting include the
appointment of Maj. Gen . E . O. Ogunkale to the
Defence Headquarters as the Chief of Defence
Standards and Evaluation ; Maj . Gen . A . O.
Uthman to the Defence Headquarters as
Director , Defence Communications; Maj. Gen .
O. O. Soleye to Headquarters , Command Army
Record , Lokoja , Kogi State ; Maj . - Gen . Y . I .
Shalangwa to Defence Headquarters as
Director , Legal Services ; Maj. Gen . D . C .
Onyemulu to the Armed Forces Simulation
Centre; while Maj . Gen . H . I. Bature is
redeployed to the Defence Headquarters and
appointed Director , Liaison .
“ Similarly , Brig . Gen . J. C . Ogbonna is
redeployed to the Headquarters , 82 Division ,
Enugu State and appointed the division’ s
training officer ; Brig . Gen . B . H . Mohammed to
the Nigerian Military School, Zaria , as
Commandant ; Brig . - Gen . G . O. Omorogbe to the
Headquarters , Infantry Corps Centre, Jaji , as
Chief of Staff ; and Brig . Gen . A . J . Fagge to the
Ministry of Defence as Principal General Staff
Officer to the Minister of Defence. ”
Meanwhile , the Nigerian Air Force said on
Monday it had bombed Boko Haram enclave in
Kollaram in northern Borno State
The NAF Director of Public Relations and
Information , Air Commodore Ibikunle
Daramola, said in statement , “ In continuation
of Operation Rattle Snake , the Air Task Force of
Operation Lafiya Dole has neutralised some
terrorists as they assembled for a meeting at
their hideout in Kollaram on the fringes of Lake
Chad in the northern part of Borno State .
“ The NAF jets dispatched by the ATF to attack
the location scored accurate hits on the target
building completely obliterating it and killing
its terrorist occupants. ”

The statement which was signed by his Special
Assistant on Media and Public Relations, Umar
Gwandu, was in reaction to “the claim that a lawyer
sent a letter to the AGF requesting the release of Mr.
Sowore”.
Ripples Nigeria had reported earlier that Sowore’s
Lawyer, Femi Falana, had written the AGF demanding
the release of the co-Convener of #RevolutionNow.
The letter dated December 13, 2019, Falana had stated
that his letter became necessary after two lawyers in
the defense team of Sowore and Bakare visited the
DSS headquarters in Abuja to demand Sowore’s
release, but were advised to direct their request to him
(Malami).
The AGF has however said, “When parties submit their
issues for determination to a court of law, they lack
exclusivity of decision over such issues without
recourse to the court.”
“We remain guided by the established tradition and will
not take unilateral decision without recourse to the
rule of law,” he added.
The same court, the Federal High Court in Abuja,
where Sowore and Bakare were charged, has granted