Business
IGP orders immediate withdrawal of police officers attached to VIPs
The IGP has ordered the immediate withdrawal of police officers attached to all VIPs across the country.
The Inspector-General of Police (IGP), Mohammed Adamu, has ordered the immediate withdrawal of Police Officers who are attached to all Very Important Persons (VIPs) across the country. The Police Officers exempted from this directive are those attached to Government Houses; the Senate President; and the Speaker, House of Representatives.
According to media reports, the directive was contained in a police wireless message dated October 21, 2020, that was sent virtually to Zonal Assistant Inspector General of Police and State Commissioners of Police with reference number, CB:4001/DOPS/SPU/FHQ/ABU/VOL./ORDER.
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The statement said, “Any commander who violates this order will bear the consequences.”
This new directive comes barely 10 days after the police authorities disbanded the Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS), following nationwide protests against the squad for high handedness and extrajudicial killings.
The signal, which was signed by the AIG POL, Protect, Force Headquarters, Abuja, partly read, “Any protect personnel found escorting or guarding any VIP with or without a firearm is deemed to be deployed by the Commander and the Commander will be sanctioned.”
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It further directed the affected personnel to report to their respective command Commissioners of Police.
It can be recalled that successive IGPs have issued similar orders in the past, which were barely implemented.
In another development, the IGP has sent emissaries to the Chairman, Police Service Commission (PSC), Musiliu Smith, in a bid to have a smooth working relationship with the retired police boss.
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It was gathered that two former IGs, Mike Okiro, and Suleiman Abba, visited the PSC Chairman at his office in Abuja on Wednesday, following Smith’s refusal to meet with Adamu on several occasions.
A source explained that Okiro and Abba spent over three hours trying to persuade Smith to reconcile with the IG, who has been at loggerheads with the PSC over the recruitment of constables into the Nigeria Police Force.
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What this means
This appears to be part of measures aimed at kick-starting the much talked about reforms in the Nigerian Police Force. The full implementation of this order will make more police officers available to provide security to Nigerians, as a huge number of the force provides security to private individuals and companies in a country that is greatly under policed.
Business
Ellah Lakes partners with Ondo Govt to develop Oil Palm and Cassava Plantation
Ellah Lakes Plc has signed an agreement with the Ondo State Government for the joint development and the cultivation of Oil Palm & Cassava.
A Nigerian agribusiness company, Ellah Lakes Plc has announced that it has executed an agreement with Ondo State Government for the joint development and management of 5000 hectares of land, for the cultivation of Oil Palm & Cassava in the State.
This disclosure was made by the company’s management, in a statement issued and signed by the Company’s Secretary, Mr Kenechi Ezezika.
The agreement between Ellah Lakes and the Ondo State Government is expected to increase the landbank and the production base of the company, especially in its Cassava and Oil Palm segments.
What they are saying
Speaking on the development, the Chief Executive Officer, Chuka Mordi said:
“This is a significant landmark for the Company in the development of our land bank, & we are very excited to be working with the Ondo State Government. I am delighted that we are fulfilling our strategic objective of progressively expanding our land bank & diversifying our portfolio and production base.”
“I am also glad to say that the intercropping programme in Edo State is progressing steadily & we have achieved our first milestone of 100Hectares of Cassava with the participation of personnel of the Agricultural Development Program (ADP), in Edo State.”
Also speaking on the development, the Special Adviser on Development & Investment to the Ondo State Governor/ Chief Executive Officer of Ondo State Development and Investment Promotion Agency (ONDIPA), Mr. Akinboye Oyewumi said, “We are pleased with this collaboration with Ellah Lakes Plc., and we look forward to a mutually beneficial, valuable and fruitful venture.”
Business
FG says Apapa traffic will end by first quarter 2021
The FG has assured Nigerians that the gridlock in Apapa will soon be a thing of the past by the first quarter of 2021.
The Federal Government has revealed that the perennial traffic in Apapa and its environs is expected to end come to an end within the first quarter of 2021.
This disclosure was made by the Executive Secretary of the Nigerian Shippers’ Council (NSC), Hassan Bello, on Friday, November 27, 2020, when he received the National Advisory Committee set up by the presidency on African Continental Free Trade Area at the council’s head office in Lagos.
According to a report from the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), Bello said that the council has put in motion, machinery to put an end to the perennial gridlock that has brought to a halt, business and socio-economic activities in that axis.
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He also said that the sorting out of the gridlock and other issues in the ports and along that corridor would ensure the utilization of the benefits in the AfCFTA to the country.
The NSC boss said, “We have a deficit on infrastructure, issues in rail, road, connectivity between our ports and the hinterland and elsewhere in Africa. I am an optimistic person and that is why I want to say that by March, the first quarter of 2021, the gridlock in Apapa will disappear.’’
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“This is because we are approaching it in a scientific angle, first we have to make the ports digital and contactless, no need to go to the port to make the payment or other transaction, all these will be online,’’ he said.
Bello promised the Nigerian Ports Authority would deploy electronic call-up system to manage traffic, customs on e-customs, provisions of scanners.
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What you should know
Apapa which is a commercial/industrial hub in Lagos and most importantly has the largest seaports in the country, has been under intense gridlock as all entry/exit points leading into and out of the area are under lockdown due to construction work, which is at different levels of completion, around that corridor.
In order to restore sanity on the Apapa axis, following the total collapse of law and order due to indiscriminate parking of heavy articulated vehicles, President Muhammadu Buhari inaugurated a Presidential Taskforce headed by Vice President Yemi Osinbajo and Comrade Kayode Opeifa as Vice Chairman.
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The Presidential Taskforce restored some level of normalcy on the axis with the disappearance of trucks and tankers on the bridges and roads on Ikorodu road, Iganmu road, Eko Bridge and other axis leading to Apapa.
However, there have been serious concerns among stakeholders and residents in the area over the ability of Lagos state government to sustain normalcy following the withdrawal of the presidential task force.
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Abimbola Kumapayi
October 23, 2020 at 1:36 pm
Why should police be used by anyone irrespective,its a sheer waste of resources and energy. How many police officers followed Obama around in his public speeches hes conducting since leaving office in 2016. Lets anyone in needs of security approach a security firm to provide him a cover.