Breaking: SWAT Team To Replace SARS

New Tactical Team to Commence Training immediately 

The Inspector General of Police, IGP M.A. Adamu has in accordance with Section 18 (10) of the Police Act 2020, ordered all personnel of the defunct SARS to report at the Force Headquarters, Abuja for debriefing, psychological and medical examination.

The officers are expected to undergo this process as a prelude to further training and reorientation before being redeployed into mainstream policing duties.

According to a statement issued by DCP Frank MBA, Police PRO, the medical examination will be carried out by the newly set-up Police Counselling and Support Unit (PCSU), a Unit, which henceforth shall engage in psychological management, re-orientation and training of officers of the Force deployed for tactical operations and other duties.

The Unit, which is domiciled with the Force Medical Department and coordinated by the Force Medical Officer, has its membership drawn from amongst psychiatrists, psychologists, medics, pastors and imams, Public Relations practitioners, Civil Society and other Human Rights groups with relevant qualifications and expertise.

Meanwhile, the IGP has set up a new Special Weapons And Tactics (SWAT) Team that will fill the gaps arising from the dissolution of the defunct SARS. Prospective members of this new team will also undergo psychological and medical examination to ascertain their fitness and eligibility for the new assignment. They are to commence training at the different Police tactical training institutions nationwide, next week.

Personnel from the Police Commands in the South-East and the South-South will be trained at the Counter-Terrorism College, Nonwa-Tai, Rivers State, those from the Police Commands from the North and the South-West will be trained at the Police Mobile Force Training College, Ende, Nasarawa State and the Police Mobile Force Training College, Ila-Orangun, Osun State, respectively.

While reaffirming his irrevocable commitment towards the successful and holistic implementation of the Police reforms, the IGP enjoins members of the public, particularly protesting citizens to exercise restraint and allow measures being put in place to come to fruition and engender a Police Force that would meet the yearnings and aspirations of the citizenry.  He further assures Nigerians that "The issue of any Police unit going to look into people's phones, which is supposed to be their private property, or looking at the type of vehicle they are using, or profiling them to see whether they are yahoo boys or not—that era is gone and it is not acceptable”.

SWAT are usually trained and experienced policemen who are thought the art of weapons. SWAT is only called upon whenever there is an emergency which is very tough for the police to handle. This means that SWAT teams don't usually stay on roads like the previous SARS, which were recently dissolved, as it also means that stop and search, bribery and extortion will be put to an end. SWAT teams are usually equipped and trained to deploy with hard weapons, in case of robbery threats, hostage-taking, and situations beyond the capabilities of  normal police officers.

What do you think about this new SWAT team which has just been instituted by the Nigerian police force? Who is to oversee the activities of the SWAT and who curtailed their excesses to avoid the repeat of SARS experience? Please let us know your thoughts in the comment section below.

Breaking: President Buhari Grants #EndSARS Demands

As #EndSARS protest engulfs the country despite ban of the high handed SARS. The patriotic #EndSARS protesters are demanding for what will bring peace and balanced reforms of the Nigerian Police. The Federal Government has finally granted #EndSARS protesters'  Demands and agreed to meet demands tabled by the protesters.

The demands are:

* Immediate release of all arrested protesters.

* Justice for all deceased victims of police brutality and appropriate compensation for their families.

*  Setting up an independent body to oversee the investigation and prosecution of all reports of police misconduct (within 10 days).

* In line with the new police act, psychological evaluation and retraining (to be confirmed by an independent body) of all disbanded SARS before they can redeployed.

* Increase police salary so that they are adequately compensated for protecting lives and property of citizens.

A statement by Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, Femi Adesina, said among the terms agreed to: are halting use of force against protesters and unconditional release of arrested citizens.

The Ministry of Police Affairs and Police Service Commission were also present at the meeting affirmed the five-point demand of the protesters and the #ENDSARS movement are genuine concerns and will be addressed by the government.

Now that the #EndSARS demands have been granted through press release, hope those in charge of the implementations will not test the resolves of these Patriotic Nigerians?

#EndSARS Protest Engulfs Nigeria As Presidential Panel Swung Into Action

Nigerians have continued the protest against #Policebrutality across the country. Their demands are simple. They are demanding for police reform, unconditional release of all arrested protesters during the #EndSARS protest, Justice and compensation for the families  of those killed  by the Police during the #EndSARS protest, and few others.

The presidency has swung into action with a committee to look into these demands. More details to follow.....

 

BREAKING: President Buhari Stands with #EndSARS, Promises Justice and ‘Extensive Reform’ Of Nigeria Police

President Muhammadu Buhari has reacted to the outcry on the reform of the Nigeria Police Force (NPF) promising to extensively reform the Force.

The President declared that the disbanding of the Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS) is the first step to extensive police reforms by his administration.

He disclosed this while delivering a speech at the launch of the presidential youth empowerment scheme at the State House in Abuja.

“I will like to use this opportunity to say a word on the recent genuine concerns and agitations by Nigerians about the excessive use of force and in some cases extra-judicial killings and wrongful conduct of the men of the Nigerian Police Force.

“The disbanding of SARS is only the first step in our commitment to extensive police reforms in order to ensure that the primary duty of the police and other law enforcement agencies remains the protection of lives and livelihood of our people,” President Buhari said.

He also promised to ensure that all those who are responsible for the misconduct or wrongful acts are brought to justice.

”We deeply regret the loss of life of the young man in Oyo State during the recent demonstrations. I have directed that the circumstances of his death should be thoroughly investigated.''

”Meanwhile, it is important to recognise that the vast majority of men and women of the police force are hardworking and diligent in performing their duties. The few bad eggs should not be allowed to tarnish the image and reputation of the force.”

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The protests, however, continued across the nation on Monday with the campaigners demanding for the immediate release of all arrested protesters; justice for deceased victims of police brutality and appropriate compensation for their families; setting up an independent body to oversee the investigation and prosecution of all reports of police misconduct among others.

How will Nigerian Police Force be reformed for the best? Is #Policebrutality or excesses the only problem we're trying to fix in Nigeria? 

End To SARS Operations: Victory for Patriotic Nigerians

President Muhammadu Buhari  has instructed the inspector general of police, Mohammed Adamu, to “conclusively address the concerns of Nigerians” about police brutality, in his first public comments days into expanding nationwide protests demanding the scrapping of the police Special Anti-robbery Squad, SARS. “I met again with the IGP tonight. Our determination to reform the police should never be in doubt. I am being briefed regularly on the reform efforts ongoing to end police brutality and unethical conduct, and ensure that the Police are fully accountable to the people,” the president tweeted late Friday night.  Furthermore, "the IG already has my firm instructions to conclusively address the concerns of Nigerians regarding these excesses, & ensure erring personnel are brought to justice. I appeal for patience & calm, even as Nigerians freely exercise their right to peacefully make their views known.”

Consequently,  “The IG in  a Press Briefing today, 11 October, 2020 announced a total ban of FSARS operations forthwith. He attributed his decision to the demands of citizens as protests are taken place in several Nigerian cities, with placard-carrying demonstrators marching through the streets and demanding that highhanded SARS, a police unit accused of extrajudicial killings, extensive abuse, illegal operations/arrests and extortion be abolished.

Now that FSARS is scrapped or banned, then what next will Nigerians rise up against? What happens to the innocent Nigerian(s) like Jimoh Isiaq that was killed in the course of this #EndSARS struggle which is tantamount to #Endpolicebrutality? Won't there be need for reforms or retraining of the banned squad or complete #Policereform? What happens to those arrested too?

INTIMIDATING PROFILES OF DR NGOZI OKONJO IWEALA AND KOREAN YOO MYUNG-HEE

4 min read 

Steduyblog reported on Wednesday that the WTO selected two final candidates to advance to the final round in the race for WTO DGship are Dr Ngozi Okonjo Iweala and Korean Yoo Myung-hee.

Amb. Walker told a Heads of Delegation meeting on 8 October that the two candidates who secured the broadest and deepest support from the membership and who should subsequently advance to the final round are Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala of Nigeria and Yoo Myung-hee of the Republic of Korea.”

The third phase of consultations will commence on 19 October and run until 27 October to afford members sufficient time to prepare their positions.

Steduyblog brings you profiles of the two leading candidates.

Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala – (Nigeria)

Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala is a global finance expert, an economist and an international development professional.

With over 30 years of experience, she has worked in Asia, Africa, Europe, and Latin America.

Mrs Okonjo-Iweala is Chair of the Board of the Global Alliance for Vaccines and Immunisation (GAVI), which, since its creation in 2000, has immunised 680 million children globally and saved ten million lives.

She is also a Senior Adviser at Lazard and sits on the Boards of Standard Chartered PLC and Twitter Inc. Mrs Okonjo-Iweala served twice as Nigeria’s Finance Minister, from 2003-2006, and later between 2011 and 2015. She also served briefly as Foreign Minister in 2006.

She spent a 25-year career at the World Bank as a development economist, rising to the Number 2 position of Managing Director, Operations. She is renowned as the first female and black candidate to contest for the presidency of the World Bank Group in 2012, backed by Africa and major developing countries.



As Managing Director of the World Bank, she had oversight responsibility for the World Bank’s $81 billion operational portfolios in Africa, South Asia, Europe, and Central Asia and spearheaded several World Bank initiatives to assist low-income countries during the 2008-2009 food crisis, later during the financial crisis and many reforms in these listed continents.

In 2010, she was Chair of the World Bank’s successful drive to raise $49.3 billion in grants and low interest credit for the poorest countries in the world.

In 2005, as Minister of Finance in Nigeria, she spearheaded negotiations with the Paris Club of Creditors that led to the wiping out of $30 billion of Nigeria’s debt, including the outright cancellation of $18 billion. 

In her second term as Finance Minister, Dr Okonjo-Iweala was responsible for leading reform that enhanced transparency of government accounts and strengthened institutions against corruption, including the implementation of the Government Integrated Financial Management System (GIFMS), the Integrated Personnel and Payroll Management System (IPPMS), and the Treasury Single Accounts (TSA).

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Mrs Okonjo-Iweala has been listed as one of Transparency International’s 8 Female Anti-Corruption Fighters Who Inspire (2019), one of the 50 Greatest World Leaders (Fortune, 2015), the Top 100 Most Influential People in the World (TIME, 2014), the Top 100 Global Thinkers (Foreign Policy, 2011 and 2012), the Top 100 Most Powerful Women in the World (Forbes, 2011, 2012, 2013 and 2014), the Top 3 Most Powerful Women in Africa (Forbes, 2012), the Top 10 Most Influential Women in Africa (Forbes, 2011), the Top 100 Women in the World (The UK Guardian, 2011), the Top 150 Women in the World (Newsweek, 2011), and the Top 100 most inspiring people in the World Delivering for Girls and Women (Women Deliver, 2011).

She has also been listed among 73 “brilliant” business influencers in the world by Condé Nast International, among other awards.

Mrs Okonjo-Iweala is currently also Chair of the Board of the African Union’s African Risk Capacity (ARC), an innovative weather-based insurance mechanism for African countries; and co-Chair of the Global Commission on the Economy and Climate with Lord Nicholas Stern and Mr Paul Polman. She is also Chair of the Board of the Nelson Mandela Institution, an umbrella body for the African Institutes of Science and Technology, and Chair of the Board of the African University of Science and Technology, Abuja. Dr Okonjo-Iweala is a trustee of the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace.

She is the founder of Nigeria’s first ever indigenous opinion-research organization, NOI-Polls. She also founded the Center for the Study of Economies of Africa (C-SEA), a development research think tank based in Abuja, Nigeria.

Mrs Okonjo-Iweala graduated from magna cum laude with an A.B. in Economics from Harvard University (1976), and earned a Ph.D. in Regional Economics and Development from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT, 1981). She has received honorary degrees from 15 universities worldwide, including some from the most prestigious colleges: Yale University, the University of Pennsylvania, Brown University, Trinity College (University of Dublin), Amherst College, Colby College, Tel Aviv University, and Northern Caribbean University, Jamaica.

She also has honorary doctorate degrees from a host of Nigerian universities including Abia State University, Delta State University, Oduduwa University, Babcock University, among others.

She is the author of numerous articles and several books, including Fighting Corruption is Dangerous: The Story Behind the Headlines (MIT Press, 2018), Reforming the UnReformable: Lessons from Nigeria, (MIT Press, 2012), and Mobilizing Finance for Education in the Commonwealth (Commonwealth Education Report 2019).

She is married to Ikemba Iweala, a neurosurgeon, and they have four children and three grandchildren.

Yoo Myung-Hee (South Korea)

Yoo is the first female Trade Minister for the Republic of Korea. She has been an innovator, negotiator, strategist, and pioneer in her 25-year career in trade, devoting her career to progress in the multilateral trade arena.

In her early days in 1995, she took charge of WTO affairs in the Korean Ministry of Trade Industry and Energy, and later as Korea’s key FTA strategist and, recently, negotiator of the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP), the Korea-China FTA and the critical Korea-U.S. (KORUS) FTA renegotiation, among other trade initiatives.

Minister Yoo’s belief in the importance of the multilateral system and its constant renewal derives from Korea’s position as a major beneficiary of the open trading system represented by the GATT and WTO. Her life in Korea has been defined by Korea’s increasing prosperity and growth in the multilateral trading world. She personally knows that development can happen in this framework and has first-hand experience in how to effectuate mutually beneficial change and development.

She has worked with countries spanning all levels of development, in various WTO and FTA negotiation settings as well as through her work experience in the APEC Secretariat (2010 to 2014) and the Korean Embassy in China (2007 to 2010).

Minister Yoo is a strategist, laying out long-term visions to be followed, and at the same time when faced with unexpected hurdles, able to proactively develop and pursue practical deliverables that are meaningful under the circumstances.

She received her M.A. in Public Policy from Seoul National University in Korea and her Juris Doctorate from Vanderbilt University Law School in the U.S., and was admitted to the New York State Bar in May 2003.

She is married with two children.

Who is your favorite candidate without bias?

#WTO!

 

Onitsha Get Seaport After 42 Years

 

Nigeria is a big country in population and land mass. As big as the country is, Lagos Port is the only port the country rely on. Apart from the logjam and congestion the lone port is creating for Lagos, importers are equally feeling the effects. The cost of moving containers from Lagos to the Eastern and other parts of Nigeria is enormous. Many lost their goods to the bad states of roads and other vices apart from the cost implications of selling those goods. These mentioned problems and many others necessitated the yarning for a port in the Southeastern axis of Nigeria some 42 years ago. A lot had actually happened from one government to the others. 

The outcry from many traders and businessmen who import goods to Nigeria from other countries especially among South Easterners that a seaport be commissioned for them in Onitsha Head bridge so to easing the burden and costs involved in shipping goods to Lagos and moving them back to east again. According to many, it will make the price of goods cheaper here in the south eastern and south southern regions as it is in Lagos and other neighboring states who don't need to start transporting their wares to where they will sell.

These prayers and yearnings got answered with the commissioning by President  Buhari today. Immediately after the port was commissioned,  a ship loaded with containers was seen sailing to Onitsha Head bridge where it offloaded all its containers to signal to everyone that the sea port is now in use for the first time in the past 42 years. It is a victory at last journey for the Ndigbos in particular and Nigeria at large.

There was jubilations and happiness in the air with a project many thought was impossible to undertake. Finally, the port is commissioned and operational. Igbo Youths had described the commissioned port a great developmental strides in the Southeast as another demonstration of love by President Muhammadu Buhari's Government to Ndigbo. Meanwhile, the second Naija bridge is still on and great work is being done there and the president equally approved construction of rail to the port from Port Harcourt. This is a demonstration that we are stronger and better together.

Do we need more ports in Nigeria?