MWUN Protest At Onne Debunks Alleged Extortion And Lack of Drivers Welfare

 

By Bon Peters

 

Maritime Workers Union of Nigeria (MWUN) Haulage District Eastern Zone, Onne, Rivers State has staged a peaceful protest at Onne to debunk what the union described as an alleged malicious and unfounded allegations of connivance and extortion levelled against the Union by  a group they refer to as dissidents  within their fold who according to them felt aggrieved over the commencement of Electronic Truck call- Up system otherwise known as E- Call Up at Onne  Port.

 

The peaceful protest which started at the Federal Ocean Terminal (FOT) Round-About with a motorcade on Monday morning Nov 17, 2025, proceeded with fanfare and dance to the Federal Lighter Terminal (FLT) Onne and ended at the Notore Roundabout

 

The protesters, whom majority of them adored in white unionist attire, were also seen singing solidarity songs and dancing to the admiration of passersby.

 

Addressing journalists at the (FLT) Gate, NPA Onne, Port complex, the protesters led by their leaders said their motive for the protest was to put the record straight regarding a malicious and unfounded allegations levelled against them by a group known as Active Containers and Cargo Truck Drivers Association to the effect that MWUN colluded with NPA to extort their members through multiple taxation, lack of drivers warfare among others. Even as the group said they were no longer part of MWUN

 

Debunking the allegations, the Executive Chairman, Haulage District of Maritime workers Union Eastern ports, comrade Ugwu Adolphus said he would not have wasted his effort and that of other MWUN executives to react to the ranting of such an unknown group but to put the record straight.

 

"The purpose of our coming here today is to put the record straight and to debunk insinuations and malicious allegations spreading on social media that Maritime Workers Union haulage district connived with Nigerian Ports Authority to defraud drivers through E- Call up”

 

"I want to tell you that there is nothing like extortion here, Rather the Maritime Workers Union under my leadership as the executive chairman, has been doing everything to see that our drivers are well taken care of, especially with the commencement of the Electronic  Truck call- Up system.

 

Continuing, Comrade Ugwu said “When the E-Call Up system was first introduced, we communicated our concerns to the Nigeria Ports Authority (NPA), highlighting that Onne Port’s unique operational conditions made the system unnecessary, as congestion is minimal here.

 

When the authorities insisted on its implementation, neither I nor the union had the power to halt a federal government policy.”

 

"But let me tell you some individuals approached me demanding that I should stop the E-Call Up rollout.”

 

“I told them that my influence was limited to the union’s scope hence we cannot override federal government directives,” he added.

 

The union leader dismissed claims and insinuations that MWUN colluded with NPA to extort truck drivers.

 

“The allegations of multiple taxation and extortion are false. Our union fees range from N5, 000 to N10, 000, all receipted and applicable nationwide.”

 

Addressing concerns over lack of welfare for workers, Ugwu said, “I challenge anyone to provide evidence of neglect. Our members receive medical treatment when sick; we fund hospital bills, provide befitting burials, and support those with permanent disabilities. "

 

Speaking further, Ugwu insisted those allegations were baseless and only arose due to the implementation of the E-Call Up system.”

 

He stressed that MWUN has no involvement in the E-Call Up program hence it was a brain child of the federal government and Nigerian Ports Authority.

 

"What they are doing is to give us bad names in order to hang us, but it will never Work " Ugwu enthused

 

Also speaking, the unit Chairman, Truck owners of Maritime workers Union, Comrade Uche Ogbu reiterated that their union was that of integrity, personality and responsibility.

 

He insisted that the essence of their union was to protect the rights and privileges of their members especially drivers which he noted they have done by negotiating a very robust haulage fare for the drivers in the Eastern Zone, wondering why some disgruntled elements should go about spreading rumours.

 

He added that the motive behind such fake information was to muscle down the power of the executives vowing that such would not happen .

 

He said E- call-up, was a government policy and that MWUN would never work against it.

 

“Union can't stop government policy but to negotiate."

 

On the E-call Up amount, Comrade Uche Ogbu said Onne at the moment is paying about N15, 000, unlike Lagos.

 

Ogbu however, lampooned those causing confusion insisting that they would fail.

 

For the unit Secretary, Truck owners of MWUN, comrade Casmir Anukanti, "part of the protest is  to pass a vote of confidence in the Ugwu -led administration"

 

Anukanti said Comrade Ugwu has done so much that nobody could dwarf his achievements through cheap blackmail.

 

With a voice vote, the union therefore passed a vote of confidence in Ugwu.

 

The protesters who met with the Traffic Manager NPA Mr. Surajudeen Abolade who represented the Port manager, Onne Port complex, Mr. Abdulramon Hussain said they were there on a solidarity match, urging NPA, to disregard any misgivings from a group they referred to as non-existent.

 

Responding, Mr. Surajudeen Abolade said he was happy to receive them on behalf of the port Manager, saying that the Nigerian Ports Authority is committed to creating an enabling business environment.

 

He promised to take their message to the port manager while urged them not to cause any breach of law and order that might affect their business and that of other port users.

 

Some Truck drivers who spoke to journalists described those who accused MWUN of extortion and lack of welfare as disgruntled and ungrateful insisting that Ugwu -led   Haulage District of Maritime workers Union of Nigeria has done tremendously well.

 

They said any driver accusing Ugwu and his EXCO of not being taken care of, should come with a proof.

 

They however warned those they referred to as mischief makers to engage in other things than resorting to cheap blackmail.

 

Why Nigeria Must Act Now or Face the Consequences: The Wake-Up Call of the U.S. Religious Freedom Accountability Bill 2025

By James Ezema

 

In the corridors of Washington, the United States of America, a bill is moving that could redefine Nigeria’s relationship with the world—and force the country to confront the monsters it has long denied.

The Nigeria Religious Freedom Accountability Act of 2025 (S. 2747), introduced in the U.S. Senate on September 9, 2025 by Senator Ted Cruz (R-TX), may appear to be just another foreign policy measure. Yet beneath its legislative language lies a damning moral verdict on Nigeria’s failure to protect its citizens from systematic religious violence, kidnapping, and lawless bloodshed.

If passed, the bill—now before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee and mirrored by H.R. 5808 in the U.S. House of Representatives—will permanently designate Nigeria as a "Country of Particular Concern" (CPC) for “systematic, ongoing, and egregious violations of religious freedom.”

This is not a symbolic gesture. It carries the weight of sanctions, visa bans, asset freezes, and restrictions on U.S. military and development aid—a potential earthquake in Nigeria’s diplomatic and economic landscape.


A Law Rooted in Blood and Denial

The proposed law amends the International Religious Freedom Act of 1998 to compel U.S. authorities to target Nigerian officials—governors, judges, and security chiefs—who enforce blasphemy laws or tolerate religiously motivated violence. It also invokes the Global Magnitsky Act to sanction perpetrators of religious persecution and rights abuses.

The timing is significant. On October 31, 2025, President Donald Trump redesignated Nigeria as a “Country of Particular Concern,” reviving a classification controversially dropped in 2021 by President Joe Biden.

According to data cited by the bill’s sponsors, over 125,000 Christians have been murdered since 2009, 52,000 churches destroyed, and 12 million people displaced. In just the first 220 days of 2025, 7,087 Christians were massacred—an average of 32 per day—while 7,800 others were abducted. These figures come from sources such as Intersociety, Open Doors World Watch List, Europarl.europa.eu, Christianity Today, and Newsweek.

Yet, as the bill and its supporting documents reveal, the crisis transcends Christianity. Moderate Muslims, ethnic minorities, and secular communities have also been targeted. Nearly 60,000 liberal Muslims have reportedly been killed since 2009 for rejecting extremist ideologies.
This isn’t a Christian war—it’s a Nigerian nightmare.

The Dangerous Culture of Denial

Despite overwhelming evidence, Nigeria’s political class remains trapped in a cycle of denial and deflection. Officials routinely dismiss reports of religious persecution as “exaggerated” or “Islamophobic.” They prefer euphemisms—banditry, farmer-herder clashes, or communal disputes—over acknowledging the religious motivations driving much of the violence that have claimed the lives of innocent Christians and non-radical Muslims in different parts of the country.

This denial is not only dishonest; it is dangerous. It ignores the blasphemy laws still enforced in twelve northern states, where individuals such as Yahaya Sharif-Aminu face death sentences for alleged insults to Islam. It erases the memory of Deborah Yakubu, lynched in 2022 by a mob in Sokoto.

By downplaying these atrocities, Nigerian leaders risk validating the narrative driving the U.S. legislation—that the government has tolerated or enabled religiously motivated killings. Worse still, such denial betrays the victims—the families of the slain, the kidnapped, and the displaced—whose pain has been met with silence and spin.


Kidnapping, Organ Harvesting, and a Nation at War with Itself

Religious persecution in Nigeria now intersects with a sprawling criminal economy built on kidnapping, ransom, and terror. Reports show over 7,800 faith-related abductions in 2025 alone. Kidnapping-for-ransom has become a multibillion-naira enterprise, often targeting clergy, schoolchildren, travelers, and farmers.

Emerging allegations of organ harvesting have deepened the horror, explaining why kidnap victims are killed even after ransom payments. Survivors recount abductions where victims vanish forever, and mass graves discovered in Kaduna and Plateau hint at an unspoken evil beneath the surface of Nigeria’s insecurity.

The massacres continue unchecked. In Yelwata, Benue State, 200 Christians were slaughtered in one night. In Sankera, Plateau State, 280 people were hacked to death in April. According to the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF), fewer than one percent of perpetrators of such atrocities ever face trial.

This is now an institutionalized impunity in the minds of the world and Nigeria must be intentional to change the narrative through a proven track of diligent prosecutions of perpetrators of violent crimes irrespective of their faith, tribe or social status and remaining proactive to avert further killings. The best proactive move is to begin immediate arrest of sponsors of violent crimes in all parts of Nigeria and deliberate policies to end poverty and youth unemployment.


Sanctions, Isolation, and the Cost of Inaction

If the U.S. bill passes, Nigeria could face a “public ledger of shame.” Each year, American agencies would publish lists of Nigerian officials sanctioned for complicity in religious persecution. Northern governors enforcing blasphemy laws could see their U.S. assets frozen. Security chiefs might face travel bans. U.S. arms deals and defense cooperation could be suspended under expanded Leahy Laws.

Meanwhile, the Leahy Laws are U.S. federal statutes that prohibit the American government from providing military assistance—such as training, weapons, or funding—to any foreign security force unit credibly accused of committing gross human rights violations, including extrajudicial killings, torture, rape, or enforced disappearances. Named after Senator Patrick Leahy, these laws ensure that U.S. tax dollars do not support or equip abusive military or police units abroad. They apply separately through both the State Department and the Department of Defense, covering all forms of U.S.-funded security cooperation.

Under the Leahy framework, any unit found responsible for such abuses becomes ineligible for U.S. assistance until the government of that country takes effective steps to hold perpetrators accountable. The laws have frequently affected nations facing human rights scrutiny—including Nigeria, especially under the President Goodluck Jonathan administration, where U.S. support to certain army and police formations has been suspended due to alleged abuses during counterterrorism and internal security operations. In effect, the Leahy Laws represent Washington’s commitment to promoting accountability, human rights, and ethical security partnerships worldwide.

Therefore, the economic shock could be devastating. Nigeria currently receives more than $500 million annually in U.S. assistance. A CPC-driven cutoff would cripple humanitarian programs, counterterrorism efforts, and investor confidence—at a time when over 8,000 civilians have already been killed this year.

Diplomatically, Nigeria risks alienating its Western allies, potentially pushing it toward China or Russia, whose economic overtures often come with the price of silence on human rights.


A Path Forward: Reform, Not Retaliation

Nigeria must act now—honestly, decisively, and transparently. This is not the time for rhetoric but for reform.

First, the blasphemy laws in the twelve Sharia-implementing states must be repealed. They are unconstitutional under Nigeria’s 1999 Constitution and seen to violate the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights.

Second, the government must prosecute perpetrators of violence—whether jihadists, militias, or complicit officials. The National Human Rights Commission should be strengthened and funded to investigate religiously motivated crimes. Special terrorism courts and intelligence-led prosecutions must replace the 1% conviction rate that has made impunity the norm in Nigeria since 2009.

Third, Nigeria must confront the root causes of radicalization—poverty, unemployment, corruption, and environmental stress—through equitable resource allocation and inclusive development. Interfaith peacebuilding, community policing, and cooperative security task forces involving both Christians and Muslims can rebuild trust in the Middle Belt and other conflict zones in the country.

The Nigerian government must also investigate kidnapping and suspected organ-harvesting networks using international forensic and intelligence cooperation. Transparency, not defensiveness, is the path to redemption.

Finally, Nigeria should engage Washington constructively—inviting USCIRF and independent monitors for fact-finding, co-authoring progress benchmarks, and providing verifiable evidence of improvement. Denial has only deepened distrust; openness could restore credibility.


From Denial to Deliverance

To Nigeria’s leaders and their defenders, let it be said clearly: denial is not defense; it is dereliction. Every time officials dismiss mass killings as “exaggerations,” they embolden the perpetrators and dishonour the dead.

And to the Nigerian people—Christians, Muslims, and traditionalists alike—this moment demands unity, not division. Petition your lawmakers, demand justice, and refuse to be silenced. As Archbishop Ignatius Kaigama of Abuja warns, “Increased insecurity haunts our nation, but prayer and action sustain us.”

Let S. 2747 (Nigeria Religious Freedom Accountability Act of 2025) be not our punishment, but our turning point. Let it force us to see what we have refused to see—the rivers of blood that have stained our soil.

If Nigeria acts now—with honesty, urgency, and compassion—it can avert sanctions and reclaim moral authority. But if we continue to deny the truth, the gavel of justice will fall, and we will have no one to blame but ourselves.

This is not about America imposing values. It is about Nigeria reclaiming its humanity. The world is watching. Will we act, or will we perish in denial? The choice is ours to make.


Comrade James Ezema is a journalist, blogger, political strategist, and public affairs analyst based in Abuja. He writes on governance, democracy, and human rights in Africa. He's the President and National Coordinator of the Not Too Young To Perform (NTYTP)

Can't Fight Federal Government Policy, Maritime Workers Union Chief, Comrade Ugwu Vows

By Bon Peters

 

The executive chairman, Haulage District of Maritime works uniform  of Nigeria (MWUN) Eastern ports, Comrade Ugwu Adolphus says there is no amount of  intimidation, blackmail or name -calling that would make him fight the federal government policy of  Electronic Truck call -up system otherwise known as  E- call up  at  Onne Port.

 

Ugwu was reacting to a recent protest embarked upon by some truck drivers under the aegis of Active Containers and Cargo Truck drivers Association of Nigeria who on Tuesday staged a protest at Onne saying they were no longer members of Maritime workers Union haulage District unit Eastern Port citing extortion, lack of warfare and multiple taxation among others.

 

Comrade Ugwu said that trouble started when some disgruntled and power- seeking members of Maritime Workers Union haulage unit felt they had lost out in their quest to force him to continue fighting against the government policy implementation of the E- Call system at Onne Port.

 

He added, "when the issue of E- Call up started, we made our positions  known to the Nigeria Ports Authority especially informing them that there was no need for the system at Onne because of the peculiar nature of Onne especially as the E-call Up was to stem Congestions at the Port and there was no such problem here"

 

He continued, "But when the authorities concerned insisted on implementing it, who am I as a person or unionist to stop the federal government or NPA from implementing the federal government policy."

 

He noted that even some people came to him and mandated him to stop the E-call Up, but he told them he had tried but his power was limited to what the union could do.

 

"As they felt they could not push me, to stop the E- Call up and by extension Nigerian Port Authority and federal government they ganged up against me saying the Maritime Workers Union haulage unit connived with NPA to extort them",  Ugwu added.

 

Ugwu debunked all their allegations of multiple taxation and extortion insisting that what they pay is N5, 000 to N10, 000 Union fee which according to him is receipted and applicable throughout the federation.

 

On the lack of a welfare package for workers, the (MWUN) chief challenged them to come up with proof of anyone who was neglected in time of need.

 

"I challenge at least one person to come out with evidence that he has been neglected. Our members who are sick, we take care of them. We take them to hospitals for treatment and pay their bills. Those that lost their lives we gave them befitting burials and paid all their rights."

 

"Even those with permanent disabilities we have not turned our backs on them” 

"Where is this allegation coming from all because of implementation of E- call up" queried? 

"Maritime workers Union has nothing to do with the E-call system", Ugwu insisted.

Comrade Ugwu who displayed court judgement documents said that in 2021, some people also invaded the Ports trying to take over power but the union took them to court and won.

 

He said even the court told them that the Association lacked the power to unionize members but Trade unions. 

 

Speaking further, Ugwu said, I challenge them to come out clean. Instead of disrupting business activities by blocking Port access roads and causing economic sabotage,why not channel their grievances to the appropriate quarters like the court or invite the police. 

 

He however, cautioned his members not to engage in any act that would jeopardize the free flow of business activities at Onne Port insisting they should maintain decorum even in the face of provocation while calling anybody that is aggrieved to choose the part of dialogue to entrench peace at the Port

 

 

Publisher Calls for Training and Retraining of Aides to Government Officials

The publisher of the Beam News Magazine and National President of Citizens Quest For Truth Initiative, Chief Obiaruko Christie Ndukwe has emphasized the need for training and retraining of aides to government officials.

Chief Obiaruko while reacting to the faceoff between the FCT Minister – Wike and Military officer in Abuja today recalled that, “I remember the days of Dr Peter Odili as Gov how Ade Adeogun as CSO and Larry Lawrence Pepple as Chief Detail would get a security brief before their principal would embark on any visit - official or private. And if they advised him of imminent danger, risk or even embarrassment, he would listen, adding, the incident today calls for training and retraining of aides to government officials.

She said, “Nyesom Ezenwo Wike - CON, GSSRS being a peculiar Minister of the FCT ought to have aides who get first hand information before letting him move to any site, especially where the situation is challenging.”

According to her, “even though I know that Wike as a strong man would never rescind his decision to embark on any movement on grounds of threats, he cannot endanger his life just to prove strength, noting that, even President Tinubu had to cancel the October 1, Independence Day anniversary this year on suspected security threats.”

Not even the aides should be in harms way just to show bravado!” she cautioned

“This is one of the reasons why we have been heavily challenged by insurgency. Lack of intelligence!!”, she said

She commended the military officer who obeyed the last order of his boss as he acted professionally, not provoked and very disciplined!

“For the Minister, as a representative of the President, the shouting match with the officer was even more demeaning. He could have been caught up in an exchange of fire!” she noted

Concluding she said, my position is that the aides of the Minister should have advised him better! We need that show of power against the bandits and not against fellow combatants! May this not happen again.”

Adhoc Nations, Security and Leadership Part 1

By Dr Austin Orette

 

When Alhaji Lateef Jakande became governor of Lagos State in 1979, he was shocked at what he found and the challenges that the new leaders will grapple with. He found to his major dismay, that regardless of the pretentious and frenetic activities of the so-called military government of Nigeria, it can be authoritatively said that the government of Nigeria stopped in 1966.

 

Alhaji Jakande observed that everything the various military governors and military heads of state were doing was purely created for a particular purpose.

 

Nigeria has no system and process of governance that is transferable. Everything the military did in Nigeria was purely adhoc. Nigeria has no system of governance and continuity that is adhered to and followed by elected officials who make government policy.

 

There was no method and there was no formula and there were no processes. The soldiers just beat their way through the Nigerian forest and they call it governance.

 

If anyone should point this out at that time, the person is considered unpatriotic and an enemy of the state. So those who knew started leaving and the civil service became corrupt, directionless and hollow. Anything the soldiers did in Nigeria was through bravado and intimidation. They chose people and made them millionaires and billionaires.  The rise to power and privilege did not depend on knowledge and contribution to progress.

 

Being a tailor or house girl to an army officer vaults you to a position of eminence and policy maker. As more of these emergency army ordained billionaires arrived, they brought their friends and relatives to enjoy the same privileges and Nigeria suffered.

 

Solution to problems no longer requires deep thinking and expert consultation. Solutions to national problems become simplistic. If there is crime, arrest the criminal and execute him and that will lower crime. If the big man is having issues with his neighbors, give him to the police to beat the guy up and guard him for twenty four hours and three hundred and sixty five days a year. If there is more crime, erect check points on every road. More crimes, more check points. What about sanitation? Go out and clean your streets yourself. The citizens are prisoners of the soldiers of fortune who have no interest or knowledge of governance and their main purpose is to save Nigeria from Nigerians so they can continue to plunder it with their loved ones.

 

At the height of the plunder, security of the nation becomes the protection of those who are plundering and destroying the nation. They are given bodyguards and more weapons and checkpoints and they tell us the security budget is increased and there is an increase in emoluments and titles of the entourage because we have an increased and improved security. They don’t ask about us because they are protecting the nation from us.

 

To the Nigerian leaders, security has always been about them, not us. The military protected themselves without their subordinates shooting them. Security against coup plotters is very strong. That is why not many coups were succeeding and drunken soldiers who could not find their way from the officers’ mess had more security than Nigerians because no coup against them succeeded.

 

So these folks wobbled the government and handed it over to their colleagues who were carrying their bags for them. Some of them even came back to continue the damage where they stopped.

 

This is the culture of the Nigerian leadership. What the so-called democratically elected people are doing is no different from the abuse the military subjected Nigerians to for more than fifty years. All the civilian leaders have their personal police and army providing security for them like their colleagues in the army used to have. The checkpoints are still there and people are still being slaughtered the way they used to. The only difference now is that instead of blaming the saboteurs, they will blame the rising crime and insecurity of their political opponents. They will agree to increase the number of checkpoints and appropriate more police for themselves.

 

My question is what is the correlation of security and check points? There is no study in Nigeria that shows any relationship between low crime rate and check points. Empirical observations may show that the more check points there are, the more crime in that area.

 

 Is the police part of the criminals? The only method of security the quasi-military leaders know in Nigeria is kinetic.

 

Don’t be fooled by the Calvary of army, soldiers, Air Force, navy and agberos that parade those places. You could lose your life or property in those places without anyone coming to your aid.

 

I had a firsthand experience with lack of security at the Murtala Muhammad Airport in Lagos. All over the place are military personnel. That is not security. That only scares Nigerians who are not used to guns. The so-called security at the Murtala Muhammad Airport and other airports in Nigeria are nothing but intimidation force against the Nigerian citizens. Those soldiers have nothing to do with security. I can bet you that none of the things being done by these folks is prescribed by any law.

 

Everything is adhoc like the soldiers. These people only see security as the exchange of gunfire and the death of the culprit. This lacuna is very dangerous to society.

 

You can see in the Boko Haram fights, the leaders tell us a lot about body counts but there is no actual progress being reported. Visibility is not security. It is intimidation. You cannot intimidate someone who is capable and willing to cause harm.

 

A nation that cannot protect the lives and properties of its citizens cannot ascribe to anything else in our civilized world. Security is a very broad subject.  Those who are elected to think are just like the mumu soldiers they replaced.

 

With the epidemic of insecurity and another nation threatening to invade us, I am aghast that our elected leaders have not seen it fit to address the Nation about the challenges we are facing and what the various governments are doing to improve the security situations in the different regions.

 

 They are treating us the way the military did. Their police still beat us like the soldiers did.

 

One of the greatest contributors to insecurity is the lack of prosecution and punishment of criminals. It is easier to be a SAN than to prosecute someone who stole public money in Nigeria.

 

They don’t care about us. They care about their hold on power. They, like the military, want us to be afraid. At times like these, the citizens need to hear from their leaders about their proposed solutions.

 

Why is it that our leaders’ are silent as our nation faces one of its worst security disasters? We have come to see that most of these elected people have no capacity beyond being local champions. None of the Senators or House of Rep members could even pick up a phone and talk to their colleagues in the United States. None of them could jump on the plane and come to the US to conduct a press conference with his colleagues and clarify the issues that are being muddled up by Donald Trump and the Biafran Separatist, and use the occasion to impress on the congress and American people the geopolitical implication of the reckless disregard for Nigeria, the largest home for all Africans around the world.

 

Nigerians now know that leadership is beyond the politics of area boys. The worst thing that can happen to any nation is to be run by the military. No one should forget that the Nigerian military destroyed the civilian and intellectual heritage of Nigeria.

 

They triggered a civil war, and made mediocrity our way of life. What would Obasanjo have   done if he had a third term? Would there have been an improvement? Buhari wasted eight ears. What was he actually fighting when he was campaigning to be president?

 

We cannot tell who is a good leader anymore because we are an adhoc nation. Leadership here does not require thinking. The army brought us here. We should never tolerate the overthrow of our civilian governance in this country. The military midwives are at it again. Instead of carrying out an offensive public relations campaign, these adhoc leaders are hoping and praying that Donald Trump will forget.

 

In America, people work like hell for prayers to be answered. Our leaders are not even preparing the citizens for any eventuality. This is the way an adhoc nation behaves.

 

Jakande lamented. Before he could dry his tears and roll his sleeves to work, the soldiers told us it was their turn again. The adhoc people came and took their government back. The world has moved on and we are back in the 50s. We need a task force. We are really back. I just saw a vehicle driving on the left side of the road.

 

 Dr Austin Orette Writes from Houston, Texas

Christian Genocide: We don't need to live in denial of what we all know – Says Chief Obiaruko

 

The President of Citizens Quest for Truth Initiative and Publisher of the Beam News Magazine, Chief Obiaruko Christie Ndukwe, said the issue of genocide against Christians in Northern Nigeria by Islamic extremists is no makeup story! 

 

Chief Obiaruko in a terse Facebook post noted that, “the solution is to admit it and state that it's been moved from Christians to Muslims who do not believe in religious extremists!

 

According to her, “Donald Trump and the Western Intelligence have more information than our own intelligence, adding, we need help to fight this insurgency targeting Christian communities in the North as well as the extended liberal Muslim communities.”

 

She said, “Nigeria should be asking America why there has been no help to rescue Nigerians- of all religions and tribes from this calculated external aggression.”

 

Continuing she said, “We don't need to live in denial of what we all know is the truth for almost two decades!

 

The media expert also expressed surprise that it took this long for Trump to intervene, saying, “This does not stop with classifying Nigeria as a "Country of Particular Concern"(CPC), and impose sanctions that may also affect the same victims who ought to be protected.

 

“As for the Minister of Foreign Affairs, this is a litmus test for his appointment into such a sensitive position” she said.

 

“Time for the National Assembly to ensure that ministerial nominees are assigned portfolios before screening and clearance! May Nigeria survive this!!!” she declared

 

 

Inter- Agency Collaboration: Comptroller Yahaya Visits Eastern Ports Police

 
....As NAFDAC Seeks Cooperation of Ibeto Customs Command.

 

By Bon Peters

 

The Customs Area Controller (CAC) of Ibeto Seaport and Terminals Command, Area 5 Harcourt, Rivers state Comptroller Usman Yahaya has paid a courtesy visit to the Commissioner of police in charge of Eastern ports comprising  Warri, Port Harcourt, Onne  and Calabar   as part of his familiarization engagement since assuming duty at the Command even as the Director of operations Marine Division of NAFDAC  equally Paid a courtesy visit to Ibeto Seaport and Terminals Command, pledging  his office's determination to work in synergy with Comptroller Usman Yahaya to ensure compliance with national Trade standards.

 

This disclosure was contained in a press release issued, signed and made available to our Correspondent Thursday by  Emmanuel Tangwa, a Chief Superintendent of Customs, from Public Relations Unit .

 

The statement noted that during the visit, Comptroller Yahaya   informed the police Chief that he was there  to formally introduce himself to him  and to seek his collaboration and synergy between the Nigeria Customs Service  and the Marine Police.

 

The statement noted  that Comptroller Yahaya  emphasized  the importance of intelligence sharing, joint operations and mutual support in achieving the Customs' core objectives of trade facilitation ,anti-smuggling and revenue generation.

 

The  Ibeto Seaport and Terminals Customs boss was quoted as  describing inter-agency collaboration as  crucial to the success of border management and port security, adding that the shared operational environment required a  continuous partnership and trust among all stakeholders.

 

 Responding, the Eastern Ports Commissioner of Police CP Michael Okoh  warmly welcomed the Comptroller and his entourage, commended  him for the visit and show of inter-agency respect which according to him underscored   the long standing relationship between the Nigeria Customs Service and the Nigeria Police Force, even as he cited  examples of Joint training programs and institutional collaboration, including those at the police and customs training schools in Ikeja ,Lagos.

 

The statement noted that the Commissioner offered prayers of thanksgiving for Comptroller Yahaya and his team and wished them success in their assignments and reaffirming his Command's readiness to work closely with the Nigeria Customs Service for the overall security and economic well-being of the nation.

 

In the same vein, the Director of Operations Marine Division of NAFDAC,  Adepoju Bayo,who  paid a courtesy visit to Comptroller Usman Yahaya at the Ibeto Seaport and Terminals Command, noted that the visit  was both a gesture of goodwill and Strategic collaboration which according to him focused  on strengthening the working relationship between NAFDAC and the Nigeria customs service, particularly in areas of enforcement against illicit importation regulated products.

 

Earlier, the Director commended the Comptroller and his team for their dedication and reiterated NAFDAC'S commitment to joint operations aimed at safeguarding public health and ensuring compliance with national trade standards.

 

Reacting, Comptroller Yahaya appreciated the visit and pledged to sustain strong inter-agency collaboration, describing it as one of the key pillars of the policy trust of the Comptroller General of Customs, Bashir Adewale Adeniyi MFR dsm fnipr psc(+) which according to him emphasized on  collaboration, consolidation and Innovation.

 

The Ibeto Customs boss therefore expressed confidence that with continued partnership among sister agencies, the Ibeto Seaport and Terminals Command would achieve greater efficiency in trade facilitation, enforcement and service delivery

 

By Bon Peters,

Port Harcourt, Rivers State