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Fix Nigeria As You promised – Father Mbaka Tells Tinubu

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Catholic priest and popular preacher, Father Ejike Mbaka, has called on the Nigerian president, Bola Tinubu, to fulfill his campaign promises to address insecurity and economic hardship in the country.

During a recent sermon at his Adoration Ministry in Enugu, Mbaka said that Nigerians were experiencing heartbreak and hopelessness due to the lack of progress on these issues.

He urged the president to take decisive action, including cracking down on the oil industry cabals, improving the conditions for teachers and doctors, and providing better equipment and support for security forces battling Boko Haram and other militant groups. Mbaka also called on the president to tackle hunger, which he said was only getting worse.

Read: President Tinubu Sends Best Wishes To Grammy-Nominated Artists

He encouraged Nigerians to engage in meaningful economic activities, despite the challenges they faced.

Mbaka said: “Mr President, you can do it; to fix Nigeria is not difficult if the leader has the willpower. I know that this one will make national news but let it be. What is happening in the oil sector? How many barrels are being produced and how many dollars are in the Nigerian account?

“A country like Nigeria that exports millions of barrels of oil per month, how much are we saving?

“Why is it difficult up till now to fix other refineries? Who are the cabals? Can’t they be de-canibalized?
Cabals can be de-cannibalized if the president has the willpower; hell will not fall, heaven will not fall.

“These people can go to jail; after all, many of them did not support you; so why are you protecting them? Mr President, wake up, God is watching you to see what you can do.

“Our hearts are broken; go to our schools, see how messy the government schools are; are we taking care of our teachers and our doctors? Look at how they are, when they travel abroad, they begin to make money in pounds and dollars.

“Heartbreak everywhere; look at our police and military, their hearts are also broken; what kind of guns are the policemen using? When the senior squad passes, they will kill the policemen on the watchpost carry their guns and run away. What happens to their families when their husbands die on the duty post?

“No compensation; the next one minute, they chase them out of the barracks; those who are in Borno forest fighting Boko Haram, what is happening to their families at home? Who is taking care of them?

“The hearts of their family members are broken, shattered; they are fighting those with bombs with catapults; those people they are fighting are carrying launchers. How many young men have we buried and still burying; insecurity everywhere.
“We are asking people to go to the farm and produce; but if you enter the farm, herdsmen with AK-47s will enter the farm and kill the farmers, who will go to the farm anymore?

“Hunger, as I told you last two years, has not even started; I won’t tell you lies; everybody should be meaningfully engaged, start something.”

Mbaka has become a well-known figure in Nigeria for his outspoken views on social and political issues. He is known for his no-nonsense approach and for speaking his mind, regardless of the consequences.

NEWS

N1.7trn Loan: Atiku Blames NASS For Worsening Nigeria’s Debt Burden

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Former Vice President, Atiku Abubakar has criticized the federal government’s plan to secure an additional N1.7 trillion loan through Eurobonds to cover a shortfall in the 2024 budget, describing the borrowing as unsustainable and harmful to Nigeria’s economy.

In a statement shared on Thursday via his X (formerly Twitter) handle, Atiku accused the Bola Tinubu-led administration of burdening Nigerians with debt while failing to provide clear answers about the country’s fiscal challenges.

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He also faulted the National Assembly for enabling what he called a “voracious appetite” for loans.

The former Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) presidential candidate expressed alarm over a recent World Bank report ranking Nigeria as the third most indebted country to the International Development Association (IDA), calling the development troubling.

“The recent report released by the World Bank, showing Nigeria as the third most indebted country to the International Development Association (IDA), is very concerning,” Atiku stated.

He raised further concerns about the government’s decision to benchmark the proposed loan at an exchange rate of 1 USD to N800, despite the Central Bank of Nigeria’s official rate being over N1,600.

“What makes this particular loan proposal even more concerning is that it is benchmarked at the exchange rate of 1 USD to N800, whereas the current exchange rate from the Central Bank of Nigeria stands at over N1,600 to 1 USD,” he said.

Atiku questioned the need for additional borrowing, given the government’s earlier claims of record-high revenue collection.

“In July this year, Tinubu boasted that the FIRS and Customs under his watch had collected all-time high revenues to finance the budget. Why are they still borrowing?” he said

He accused the government of a lack of transparency, describing the borrowing spree as detrimental to Nigerians already struggling under economic hardship.

“There is something that they are not telling Nigerians, even as they are being crushed by a combination of their failed trial-and-error policies and loan rackets.”

Atiku also referenced a report by BudgIT, a budget monitoring group, which criticized the 2024 budget for its inefficiencies.

He alleged that corruption, rather than infrastructure or development needs, was driving the government’s borrowing decisions.

“These loans are powered by corruption and not for infrastructure and development needs. This voracious appetite for humongous loans is deeply concerning,” he said.

Reflecting on Nigeria’s financial history, Atiku lamented the return to significant foreign indebtedness just years after former President Olusegun Obasanjo’s administration cleared the country’s debt.

“It is agonizing to see that just a few years after the Obasanjo administration took us out of foreign indebtedness, we are today back at the top spot in the same conundrum,” he stated.

He called for a more cautious approach to borrowing, urging the government to prioritize fiscal responsibility and transparency to avoid worsening Nigeria’s economic challenges.

 

 

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International News

ICC Issues Arrest Warrants For Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu, Others

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The International Criminal Court (ICC) has taken a historic step, issuing arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant.

The charges include crimes against humanity and war crimes allegedly committed during Israel’s recent assault on Gaza.

In a detailed statement, the ICC accused the Israeli leaders of “intentionally and knowingly depriving the civilian population in Gaza of objects indispensable to their survival, including food, water, and medicine and medical supplies, as well as fuel and electricity.”

READ MORE: Osun Govt Decries Attempted Murder Of Park Mgt  Chairman By Police

The ICC’s move marks a significant escalation in international scrutiny of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Netanyahu and Gallant are alleged to have orchestrated policies that caused severe harm to the civilian population in Gaza, leading to widespread condemnation from human rights organizations.

Alongside the charges against Israeli officials, the ICC also issued an arrest warrant for Hamas military commander Mohammed Deif. Deif has long been a central figure in Hamas’s military operations. Israel’s military claims to have killed him in a July airstrike, although this has not been independently verified.

The warrants highlight growing calls for accountability amid the ongoing conflict in the region. The ICC’s actions are likely to provoke heated debate and may complicate diplomatic efforts aimed at resolving the crisis.

With the warrants issued, global attention now turns to how the international community will respond and whether any practical steps will be taken to enforce them.

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NEWS

Edo State Governor Sets Up Committee To Recover Missing Gov’t Vehicles

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Governor Monday Okpebholo of Edo State has inaugurated a 12-member committee tasked with recovering government vehicles reportedly in private hands.

The committee, led by Kelly Okungbowa, has been given a two-week mandate to retrieve the vehicles and ensure their return to the state government.

READ ALSO: Finnish Police Arrest Simon Ekpa Over Terror-Related Allegations

Speaking during the inauguration ceremony in Benin City, Governor Okpebholo emphasized the importance of accountability in the management of public resources.

He urged the committee to carry out its assignment thoroughly and within the bounds of the law.

In his response, Okungbowa expressed gratitude to the governor for entrusting the team with the assignment, vowing to deliver results within the stipulated timeframe.

“A lot of vehicles used by the past administration are missing, as those in custody of the vehicles have refused to return them,” Okungbowa said.

“The governor deemed it fit to inaugurate us today with a mandate to recover all government vehicles in private hands.”

The committee, which includes representatives from Edo’s three senatorial districts, is set to investigate and recover the vehicles based on credible intelligence already at their disposal.

“We already have vital information regarding some persons still holding government vehicles,” Okungbowa stated. “We will do the job according to the law, and both the government and the people will be satisfied with the outcome.”

He also called on members of the public to assist the committee by providing information about any government vehicles that may still be in private possession.

“We want to appeal to members of the public who might be aware of anyone still keeping government vehicles in their houses to please inform us to enable the committee to recover such for the Edo State Government,” Okungbowa said.

The committee’s vice chairman, Rt. Hon. Victor Edoror, a former Speaker of the Edo State House of Assembly, will work alongside other members to ensure the success of the initiative. The public can reach the committee at 08110165121.

 

 

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