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Protests Will Yield No Positive Outcomes, Sudanese Cleric Tells Nigerians

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Ambassador Al-Mustapha Bala Assudany, a prominent Sudanese cleric, has urged Nigerian youths to reconsider their plans for nationwide protests against economic hardship, warning that such actions could lead to negative outcomes.

Recall that amid escalating inflation and economic challenges, a group of Nigerians has scheduled protests from August 1 to August 10.

Despite appeals from the government, religious leaders, and traditional rulers to call off the demonstrations, the organizers remain resolute.

During a pre-huduba sermon at the Sultan Bello Mosque in Kaduna, Assudany cautioned that protests could play into the hands of those seeking to destabilize the nation.

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Drawing on his experiences in Sudan, he recounted how similar protests in his country eventually sparked a civil war.

Assudany suggested that external forces might be inciting Nigerian youths to protest, mirroring the situation in Sudan, which resulted in significant bloodshed and turmoil.

He urged Nigerians to heed the lessons from Sudan’s history to avoid actions that could jeopardize the nation’s peace and stability.

He cited Egypt, Syria, Yemen, Libya, and Sudan as examples of countries that experienced devastation stemming from initially peaceful protests.

Ambassador Assudany noted that currently, 2 out of every 3 Sudanese citizens have abandoned their homes and fled the city centers, with many seeking refuge in other countries due to ongoing conflict.

He said “Before they started talking about the planned protest in Nigeria, it happened in some Muslim countries like Syria, Libya, Tunisia, Yemen, and Sudan. I’m a Sudanese citizen and what happened in Sudan was the same thing that happened in other Muslim countries.

“When I heard about the planned protest in Nigeria, I felt as a Muslim I should share the experience of what I saw in Sudan and what happened in other Muslim countries.

“Economic hardship was responsible for all the protests witnessed in those countries. That was what led people to protest in Sudan, thinking a solution would come through protest.

“Those that started were Sudanese citizens in an attempt to draw the attention of the government to end their hardship. But the opposition groups that were against the government penetrated them because every government has opposition. This was what led to the chaos in the country.

“Some foreign countries also took advantage of the protest and came into the country. They were the ones sponsoring these youths and supporting them. This led to regime change in the country but despite that there was no peace in the country.

“Many people thought after the regime changed there would be peace in the country but it turned out to cause more chaos across the country. As we speak, Khartoum, which is the capital of Sudan, has been completely destroyed and the residents fled.

“The war spread to other parts of the country. There was crisis everywhere, people being killed in villages, women raped, kidnapped, and sold as slaves in foreign lands. This is why I’m calling on Nigerians, especially the youth, not to allow themselves to be used by the enemies of the country to destroy their country. This is because nothing good will come out of the protest but destruction.

“This is because Nigeria has bigger challenges compared to us in Sudan because in Sudan majority of the citizens are Muslims and yet are killing themselves, what about Nigeria with tribal, religious, and ethnic differences? What do you think will happen if after the regime change? Do you think there will be somebody that can caution the youths against future protest?”

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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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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.”

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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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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.

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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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