Democracy Day: Good Governance Situation Room Names Govs Bago, Fubara as Most Outstanding, Best Performing Governors in Nigeria

A coalition of 100 Pro-Democracy Groups in Nigeria under the auspices of Good Governance Situation Room has announced that Governors Mohammed Umar Bago of Niger State and Siminalayi Fubara of Rivers State are to receive a joint award for “Best Performing Governor of the Year”.

This was contained in a statement signed by the National Coordinator of the coalition, Comrade Isaac Ikpa, and issued to journalists on Friday in Abuja.

Ikpa noted that the coalition selected Governors Bago and Fubara for the award after assessing the achievements of all the governors sworn in on May 29, 2023, in their first year in office.

He added that the data for the final awards was collected through various reliable means, including the internet and physical assessments of what is on the ground in all the states.

“After assessing what was achieved by all the governors sworn in on May 29, 2023, in the first year of their stewardship, the Good Governance Situation Room, a coalition of 100 reputable Pro-Democracy Groups based in Nigeria, has named Governors Mohammed Umar Bago of Niger State and Siminalayi Fubara of Rivers State, as the Best Performing Governors in Nigeria,” the statement said.

“We carefully reviewed the performances of the governors in areas such as education, health, agriculture, security, economy, infrastructural development, human capital development and social justice using data collected via the Internet and physical assessment of what is on ground in all the states. After analysing the available data, Governors Bago and Fubara emerged as the most outstanding in terms of development and provision of good governance in the country.

“Governor Mohammed Umar Bago of Niger State has established a reputation for integrity and transparency, and his achievements in his first year in office are commendable. He prioritizes peace as a necessary elixir for the development of society and distributed over 20 operational vehicles to the Niger State Command of Nigeria Police, its sister agencies like the SSS, NSCDC, NDLEA, and some other non-conventional security agencies to curb crime in the state. He also provided a new Divisional Police Headquarters in Chanchaga, replacing the old structure which was built on a water pipeline over 30 years ago, thereby denying hundreds of residents water supply.

“In terms of infrastructural development, Governor Bago rehabilitated a failed section of Minna-Bida road, and signed a contract agreement with BENIJ Nigeria Limited for the construction of 556 km of roads earmarked across the state.

“In agriculture, the Governor procured and distributed thousands of bags of fertilizer and other farm inputs to farmers in the state for the wet season at a subsidized price. He even dropped the ‘His Excellency’ title for ‘Farmer Governor,’ which he said was to reinforce the priority of his administration on agriculture.

“In the health sector, Governor Bago’s administration is currently redesigning the moribund Shiroro Hotel into Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida University Teaching Hospital, which is a display of purposeful, resourceful, and progressive leadership in action.

“In addition to the renovation of schools, award of scholarships to indigene students, sponsorship of huge number of citizens for pilgrimage in Saudi Arabia, provision of solar street lighting systems and motorised boreholes, the governor distributed food items worth N3bn across the 25 local government areas of the state as a palliative to cushion the effect of petroleum subsidy removal on citizens. He also approved the payment of wage award of N20,000 for every civil servants in the state following President Bola Tinubu’s appeal to state governments to implement the payment of the wage award to help cushion the economic challenges faced by the people.

“When Rivers State Governor, Sim Fubara came into office, he had promised a minimum of 16 projects in his 100 days, a promise he has kept considering what had been put on ground already. The Governor has completed over 21 road projects totalling about 68km across several local government areas of the state in less than one year in office. The Port Harcourt Ring Road project, which his administration flagged off on 17 July 2023, is the largest infrastructure project by a State Government in Nigeria. The 50.15 km dual-carriageway ring road, when completed, will connect and enhance economic progress and integration across at least six local government areas and open a vast gateway for new local and foreign investments in real estate, agriculture, hospitality, and industrial ventures within the state.

“In a bid to stimulate economic growth, enhance job creation, and reduce poverty, Governor Fubara has created a four-billion-naira Enterprise Fund in partnership with the Bank of Industry to facilitate the development of micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs) in the State. The Governor also initiated several other projects and programs, including the Rivers State Youth Empowerment Scheme, the Rivers State Strategic Development Plan, and the Rivers State Health Insurance Scheme.

“Governor Fubara also scored high in other sectors like education, health, as seen in the numbers of schools and hospitals renovated and numerous ongoing projects in the state. In addition, the governor provided some buses as palliatives to ease the transportation difficulties facing Rivers residents as a result of the hike in fuel price. The buses ferry commuters from one station to another free of charge. Some ply the local government areas, while others ply the streets of Port Harcourt.

“These and many more are the solid achievements of the two Governors selected to be the joint winner of the ‘Best Performing Governor of the Year’ award. Their achievements in less than one year were considered to be far-reaching and worthy of emulation,” the statement added.

465 Hostages Were Freed And 715 Terrorists Killed In April – DHQ

According to the Nigerian Defence Headquarters, 465 kidnapped hostages were released in April, and troops killed over 715 terrorists in that same month.

During a biweekly media briefing in Abuja, Maj-Gen Edward Buba, the Director of Defence Media Operation, revealed these.

Buba emphasized that eliminating terrorist organizations is a must in order to shield citizens from additional harm.

He added that the military’s coordinated use of air and ground forces allowed them to accomplish the task.

He claimed that operations in April comprised fighting patrols, ambushes, and raids using aircraft assets to locate and attack terrorist commanders and their bases. Eyes Of Lagos reports,

He said, “The synchronised strikes between the ground and air forces during the period under review resulted in over 715 terrorists neutralised.

“During the process, troops arrested 146 persons and rescued 465 kidnapped hostages.

“Furthermore, troops recovered 937 assorted weapons, 23,034 assorted ammunition, and denied the oil theft of an estimated sum over N2 billion (N2,572,397,190),” he said.

He listed some of the engagements of the troops and the successes they recorded in the fourth month of the year.

“On April 13, 2024, during the airstrikes, three senior terrorist commanders (Ali Dawud, Bakura Fallujah, and Mallam Ari) were neutralised at Kolleram Village along Lake Chad.

“Additionally, on April 15, 2024, the enclave of terrorist commander, Babaru, in Kankara LGA of Katsina State was destroyed. On April 19, 2024, the terrorist hideout belonging to a senior terrorist commander, Kamilu Buzaru, in Danmusa LGA of Katsina State was decimated.

“Similarly, on April 20, 2024, a gathering of senior terrorist commanders, Ado Ailero and Kamilu Buzaru in Danmusa LGA of Katsina State was disrupted by airstrikes. Battle Damage Assessment of all these strikes revealed that several terrorist combatants and their commanders were neutralised,” he added.

In the North-East, the military spokesperson reported that Operation Hadin Kai troops conducted missions in the Sambisa Forest, Timbuktu Triangle, and the Tumbus around Lake Chad, resulting in the elimination of 248 terrorists, the arrest of 422 and the rescue of 163 kidnapped hostages.

Additionally, he said 714 Boko Haram and ISWAP terrorists, along with their families, surrendered, with recovered items including 208 AK-47 rifles, 34 fabricated guns, 45 Dane guns, and various caches of ammunition.

In the North-Central area, he said Operation Safe Haven neutralised 32 terrorists, arrested 148, and rescued 35 kidnap victims, seizing weapons and ammunition.

Maj-General Buba said Operation Whirl Stroke targeted criminal strongholds, killed 60 terrorists, arrested 99, and rescued 57 hostages, with arms and ammunition also recovered.

In the North-East, Operation Hadarin Daji, he said, continued efforts against terrorists, killing 297, apprehending 141, and rescuing 143 hostages, with significant weapon and ammunition recoveries.

In the South-South, the Operation Delta Safe operations, according to him, targeted violent extremists, crude oil theft, and illegal refining, resulting in killings, arrests, and significant recoveries as well as successes of Operation UDO KA in the South-East.

FRN V. Ali Bello & 3 Ors: Court adjourns to May 27 for continuation of hearing

Justice Obiora Egwuatu of the Federal High Court in Abuja has adjourned further hearing in the alleged money laundering charges against Ali Bello and three others to May 27, 2024.

The Judge, on Thursday, adjourned the trial following the conclusion of evidence in chief by the second witness of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC,
Olomotane Egoro.

The adjournment was to allow counsel to Ali Bello, Abubakar Aliu, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria SAN, to cross examine the witness in his testimony against the defendants.

At Thursday’s proceedings, in the suit marked: ABJ/CR/573/2022 (FRN Vs. Ali Bello and 3 others), Egoro, a Staff of Access Bank, tendered Bank Statements of Keyless Nature Limited, Fasab Business Enterprise and Ari Consulting and Integrated Limited and testified of cash lodgements into the accounts from 14 Local Government Areas of Kogi State.

The witness, who did not state the purpose for which the monies were transferred into the accounts, also testified as to withdrawals from the said accounts.

The lodgements and withdrawals were said to have been made from between 2017 and 2022.

At the end of the Witness’ testimony, Counsel to the 1st Defendant, Ali Bello (A. M. Aliyu SAN) prayed the Court for an adjournment to enable him cross examine the Witness. By agreement of Counsel, the matter was adjourned.

Rotimi Oyedepo Iseoluwa, SAN, appeared for the Prosecution.

Nureini Jimoh SAN appeared for the 2nd, 3rd and 4th Defendants.

Ali Bello and three others are facing trial on an alleged N3 billion fraud charge brought against them by the EFCC.