SECURITY

Pantami: Buhari’s terrorising minister

Published

4 years ago

April 26, 2021

Sahara Weekly

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Pantami: Buhari’s terrorising minister

Tunde Odesola

Like its ruthless boa cousin, the viper gives birth to its young ones live – no eggs, no hatching. But there’s no love lost between the viper and its brood.

Immediately after birth, each newborn killer-serpent slithers away into solitary brutality, bearing an ancestral DNA that comprises a forked tongue, pronged fangs and a gland of poison; no cares or caress of a lullabying mother. Ropy monsters unleashed.

Nigeria’s President, Major General Muhammadu Buhari (retd.), is a wonderful father with the milk of human kindness. Unlike the viper, Buhari takes extreme care of his children – biological, ethnical and political – and heeds the scriptures piously.

A cardinal belief of the sententious General Buhari, an untalkative herdsman, is contained in the scriptural admonition which says, “Which of you fathers, if your son asks for a fish, will give him a snake instead?”

So, when Yusuf, Buhari’s grand prix son, wished for assorted dangerously fast motorbikes as playthings, Buhari did not give him a snake instead. Yusuf got all the toys he wished for.

As a patriotic admirer of the President, I won’t diminish the worth of Yusuf and say that the costliest motorbike in the world, the Neiman Marcus Limited Edition Fighter, which goes for just $11m, is too costly to be gotten by the begotten son.

That would be an insult to our Yusuf who’s ingrained with plenty of home-taught manners handed down by his incorruptible, stern and frugal father.

When his daughter, Hanan, asked for the presidential jet to ‘go take foto for Bauchi’, Buhari, again, heeded the scriptures, which enjoins parents not to give stone when their children ask for bread.

But the milk of human kindness froze in Buhari in 1984 when he flung the late Vice President, Dr Alex Ekwueme, into jail while the then President, Alhaji Shehu Shagari, a Fulani, was put under posh house arrest after the Buhari junta criminally toppled a democratically elected government and dismantled the country’s democratic institutions.

President Buhari hates jagbajantis when it’s not done by the members of his household, clan or puppets in his inner circle. A case in point of such jagbajantis is the public aiding and abetting of terrorism by the Minister of Communication and Digital Economy, Isa Pantami, a Fulani like Buhari.

Legally speaking, an aider and abettor is as criminally liable as the principal suspect(s).

In a 2015 interview, Buhari said that as military Head-of-State between 1983 and 1985, he took an active part in the promulgation of Decree 4, which invoked the death sentence against people found guilty of dealing in hard drugs.

Bartholomew Azubuike Owoh, a former employee of the Nigeria Airways; Lawal Akanni Ojuolape, a spare parts dealer; and Bernard Ogedengbe, a sailor, were found guilty of dealing in drugs long before the promulgation of Decree 4.

However, the Buhari repressive regime backdated the infamous Decree 4 of 1985 to ensure that the three drug suspects were convicted and shot publicly in Kirikiri, Lagos. This was against a public outcry which saw the death sentence as barbaric and called for long prison terms as deserving punishments for the greedy, criminal trio.

Explaining he had no regret for the public execution, 30 years after, Buhari disagreed with the pleas for the convicts, and defended the action of his fascist regime in these words, “Pleas, pleas; those that they destroyed, did they listen to their pleas for them not to make hard drugs available to destroy their children and community?”

During their incarceration and trial, the three non-Fulani convicts begged for mercy and vowed that they had departed from their old ways, but the Buhari junta didn’t listen; disbelieving that the leopard would ever change its spots.

As a foremost herdsman, President Buhari may not be familiar with the goose and the gander, otherwise, he should’ve known that what’s sauce for the goose is sauce for the gander.

For throwing Ekwueme, an Igbo, into jail, and leaving Shagari, a Fulani, to enjoy life under house arrest, despite being charged with the same offences as Ekwueme, Buhari disdained the goose, the gander, the sauce and pushed justice under the bus.

If Buhari had any sense of justice, Pantami should have been sacked immediately the viral videos of his cold-blooded support for terrorism surfaced online, to erase the global ridicule which casts Nigeria as the country of the clown with a crown.

If Buhari could express no regret for killing the three drug peddlers, 30 years after, he shouldn’t have given a second thought to giving Pantami the heave-ho and making him face prosecution for supporting terrorism. But Pantami is a Fulani.

For the avoidance of doubt, Pantami, who’s now 50, was older than Owoh (26), Ojuolape (30) and Ogedengbe (29) when he committed his crime against humanity 14 years ago, saying he feels happy whenever infidels are killed. Tearfully, he also said that Boko Haram members were Muslim brothers who shouldn’t be killed like infidels.

According to the BBC, Pantami, in various unrefuted viral videos, volunteered to lead a jihad to Shendam, Plateau State, “where there had been a deadly religious conflict, to fight in defence of the Muslims.”

The BBC added, “In a 2006 speech, Mr Pantami publicly offered his condolences after the death of al-Qaeda’s leader in Iraq, Abu Musab al-Zarqawi.

“More than 300 persons died while thousands were displaced in (the) religious violence that engulfed Jos, Plateau State, in 2009,” the BBC said.

But Buhari said Pantami had repented, after his words had incited and sent many to their early graves. And he didn’t accept the repentance of Owoh, Ojuolape and Ogedengbe. He also clamped Ekwueme into jail because he was Igbo and left Shagari out of jail because he was Fulani.

Someone who attended a secondary school and whose certificate is not missing should tell President Buhari the secondary school story of Saul who repented on the way to Damascus.

While Saul turned over a new leaf upon repentance, Pantami never repented until he was unmasked and forced to apologise in fear of a possible backlash from the US and other western powers.

Pantami’s apology wasn’t for his respect for Nigerians because like his political godfather, Buhari, Pantami has no respect for the opinion of Nigerians. If he does, he should’ve tendered his resignation letter immediately his disgraceful acts surfaced online. His public apology was for fear of being put on the No Fly list by the US, nothing more.

Let’s get this clear, incitement to kill is a criminal offence. The great teacher and human rights activist, Tai Solarin, was yanked from his Mayflower School, Ikenne, at night, and ridiculed before the whole world on TV for merely accusing the murderous regime of General Ibrahim Babangida of stashing public funds abroad. Oh, I forgot; Solarin wasn’t Fulani, Pantami is.

If fate didn’t expose the racy Yusuf in an expensive motorbike accident in December 2017, and the media didn’t expose the overindulged Hanan on a presidential jet photo-shoot, Nigerians wouldn’t know the hypocrisy called Buhari. Aso Rock’s media loudspeakers would’ve dismissed the stories of Yusuf and Hanan as seditious, subversive, mutinous and treasonable.

But the President’s media megaphones are shocked beyond silence whenever the great Aisha blows the lid off the Pandora Box in Buhari’s Aso Rock, revealing the cat-and-dog cohabitation involving the members of the first family and their relatives, setting tongues wagging that a man who cannot control his family, can never control a county, let alone a country.

Worried by the growing desolation of the Oba Akran industrial hub in Ikeja, Lagos, a childhood friend of mine, who was passing through the area, called me last week and said, “Tunde, I’m passing through Oba Akran now, it’s a ghost of its old self. Most of the companies have packed up.”

Then, my mind went to Ghana and sadness overcame my heart. In the abundance of water, the fool is thirsty.

Email: [email protected]

Facebook: @tunde odesola

Twitter: @tunde_odesola

Related Topics:BUHARI Featured Lifestyle PANTAMI

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Business

UBA GMD Calls for Public-Private Collaboration, Joins Aviation Minister to Commission New MMIA Departure Section

Published

12 hours ago

December 22, 2024

Sahara Weekly

UBA GMD Calls for Public-Private Collaboration, Joins Aviation Minister to Commission New MMIA Departure Section

The newly renovated departure section of the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos, refurbished by United Bank for Africa (UBA) Plc, was officially commissioned on Friday, December 20th, 2024.

The laudable project, which marks a transformative moment in Nigeria’s aviation sector, underscores UBA’s unwavering commitment to national development and highlights the immense value of strategic public-private partnerships (PPPs).

The ceremony was graced by distinguished stakeholders, including the Honourable Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, SAN; the Managing Director of the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN), Mrs. Olubunmi Kuku; other Directors, and Heads of Agencies operating at the Airport.

Speaking at the event, UBA’s Group Managing Director/CEO, Oliver Alawuba,lauded the collaboration that brought the project to fruition as he emphasised the need for public and private institutions to come together to build and revamp the nation’s assets.

“This renovation is a testament of UBA’s belief in the transformative power of investing in national assets. By modernising our airports, we not only enhance infrastructure but also position Nigeria as a global hub for tourism, trade, and investment,” he stated.

Alawuba took time to highlight the broader economic impact of such initiatives, urging increased private-sector participation in national development. “Public-private partnerships like this demonstrate what can be achieved when we unite for a shared vision of progress and investing in infrastructure catalyses economic growth, improves travel experiences, and creates opportunities across various sectors of the economy,” he added.

Alawuba reflected on the power of unity and collaboration, quoting Helen Keller: “Alone we can do so little; together we can do so much.” The commissioning of the renovated departure section serves as a reminder of what strategic partnerships can achieve in driving national development and elevating Nigeria’s global standing.”

While commissioning the project, Keyamo commended UBA for executing the project, a feat he termed a landmark achievement in Nigeria’s aviation sector. “This renovated departure section exemplifies the bank’s commitment to elevating aviation infrastructure, improving passenger experiences, and fostering international partnerships. It is a proud moment for the ministry and all stakeholders involved, and I thank the management of UBA for pioneering this initiative,” he remarked.

The minister highlighted other key achievements of his ministry, including compliance with the Cape Town Convention, the launch of a consumer protection portal, and advancements in major infrastructure projects such as the second runway at Abuja Airport and solar energy integration in airport operations.

The Managing Director/Chief Executive of FAAN, Mrs. Olubunmi Kuku, commended UBA and other stakeholders for their contributions, adding, “This project reflects FAAN’s dedication to delivering world-class aviation infrastructure. The enhanced departure section not only elevates passenger experiences but also strengthens Nigeria’s competitive position in global aviation,” she said.

She called for more private-sector participation, emphasising that “partnerships like these are essential to transforming the aviation sector into a beacon of excellence.”

The newly renovated departure section boasts cutting-edge facilities designed to enhance efficiency and passenger comfort. This upgrade reaffirms the Murtala Muhammed International Airport’s status as a critical gateway to Nigeria and a major hub for international travel in Africa.

United Bank for Africa is Africa’s Global Bank. Operating across twenty African countries and the United Kingdom, the United States of America, France and the United Arab Emirates, UBA provides retail, commercial and institutional banking services, leading financial inclusion and implementing cutting edge technology. UBA is one of the largest employers in the financial sector on the African continent, with 25,000 employees group wide and serving over 45 million customers globally.

Business

Port Harcourt Refinery Stays Active: NNPC Denounces Sabotage Rumors

Published

2 days ago

December 21, 2024

Sahara Weekly

Port Harcourt Refinery Stays Active: NNPC Denounces Sabotage Rumors

NNPC Debunks Shutdown Rumors, Confirms Port Harcourt Refinery Fully Operational

The Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPC Ltd) has dismissed reports circulating in certain media outlets claiming that the Old Port Harcourt Refinery, which was re-streamed two months ago, has been shut down.

In a statement released by Olufemi O. Soneye, the Chief Corporate Communications Officer of NNPC Ltd, the company clarified that the refinery is fully operational. The statement noted that the facility’s operational status was recently verified by former Group Managing Directors of NNPC during a site inspection.

“Preparation for the day’s loading operation is currently ongoing,” the statement confirmed, emphasizing that allegations of the refinery’s shutdown are baseless and intended to create panic or artificial scarcity in the fuel market.

NNPC Ltd urged members of the public to disregard such misleading reports, labeling them as the work of those seeking to exploit Nigerians.

The Old Port Harcourt Refinery has been in operation since its re-streaming, and the company remains committed to ensuring stability in the supply of petroleum products across the country.

Business

Nigerian Banks Donate Multimillion Naira Relief Materials to Jigawa Flood Victims

Published

3 days ago

December 20, 2024

Sahara Weekly

Nigerian Banks Donate Multimillion Naira Relief Materials to Jigawa Flood Victims

In a show of solidarity, the Committee of Banks in Nigeria has extended a helping hand to victims of the September 2024 floods in Jigawa State. On Thursday, a high-profile delegation led by Dr. Oliver Alawuba, Chairman of the Committee and Group Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer of United Bank for Africa Plc (UBA), visited Dutse, the state capital, to present relief materials to the state government.

The donated items, worth several million Naira, included essential food supplies such as rice and cooking oil, along with mattresses and beverages. Dr. Alawuba highlighted that the gesture aimed to alleviate the hardship faced by flood victims and support critical institutions, especially public hospitals, in their efforts to assist those affected.

“We stand in solidarity with the people and government of Jigawa State during this difficult time. This donation is our way of expressing empathy and supporting those who have lost loved ones, properties, and livelihoods,” Dr. Alawuba stated.

The delegation included notable banking leaders such as Mr. Roosevelt Ogbonna of Access Bank Plc, Dame (Dr.) Adaora Umeoji of Zenith Bank Plc, and Dr. (Mrs.) Nneka Onyeali-Ikpe of Fidelity Bank Plc, among others. Their collective presence underscored the banking sector’s commitment to corporate social responsibility and national development.

Governor Malam Umar A. Namadi expressed profound gratitude for the donation, describing the visit as a rare and commendable act of compassion. He assured the delegation that the relief materials would be judiciously distributed to the intended beneficiaries, emphasizing the importance of partnerships in rebuilding lives and communities.

The Committee of Banks also reiterated their commitment to supporting Nigerians during emergencies, drawing attention to previous interventions, including relief efforts during the 2011 and 2013 floods, the COVID-19 pandemic, and security initiatives like the Lagos State Security Trust Fund.

This humanitarian gesture reflects the collective resolve of Nigeria’s financial institutions to foster social and economic growth, making a meaningful impact in times of need.