Ministry of Police Affairs has no relevance, Group tells Tinubu

Nigeria’s President, Bola Ahmed Tinubu, has advised to fulfil his pledge to Nigerians by cutting costs of governance including scrapping of Ministries that are not required.

The Muslim Media Watch Group of Nigeria (MMWGN) in statement issued on Monday by its national coordinator, Ibrahim Abdullahi, said, “Ministry of Police Affairs had no relevance.”

MMWGN urged the president to ‘separate corn from the charf’ by refusing to listen to political elites aiming at misleading his administration to follow the right course, stressing that “Mr. President should rate his loyalty to the masses of this nation than to his political associates.”

The group also challenged Nigerian Governors and national assembly members to confront hunger, poverty and high prices of food items facing the country.

Rising from Extra-Ordinary Meeting of the Group held in Ilorin, the Group maintained that State Governors, National and State Assemblies Members are closer to the people than the President; hence they should be able to utilise justifiably the increased Federal Monthly Allocations being obtained by the Governors for the benefit of the masses.

In a Communique jointly signed by the National Coordinator of the Group Alh. Ibrahim Abdullahi and National Secretary Dr. Nasir Balogun, the Group said, “Nigerians are now facing double tragedies of increase in pump price of fuel, food and other essential commodities without corresponding benefits from anywhere; thereby resulting in serious hardship for the people.

“The Media Watch Group regretted that with a higher increase in FAAC monthly allocations to States since June last year, poor masses of Nigeria are in serious hardship that has increased tremendously.

“The Group specifically singled-out the Governor of Borno State – Professor Babagana Umara Zulum and commended him on his welfarist approach to governance and called on all other State Governors to emulate him by putting the interest of the masses in their hearts instead of political propaganda”, pointing-out that “Almighty Allah has promised to punish here and in the hereafter, bad leaders who use the commonwealth of the people to pursue their selfish interests instead of using it to serve masses.”

Speaking further, MMWGN called on National Assembly to suspend its plenaries till next month and direct all members to proceed to their States for crucial master plans with their State Governors on how to reduce cost of food items.

It said that states resources could be used to purchase food items and positioned in all Local Government Headquarters with heavy military souvellance and sold at reduced cost to the people for the time-being, while efforts on high agricultural revolutions could be worked upon in all States of Nigeria.

“On the Federal Government, the Muslim Media Watch Group of Nigeria called on President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to stop further increase of prices of goods that are produced in Nigeria, wondering while cement and other materials are on high sides on daily basis despite the fact that the raw-materials are sourced locally..

“On corruption, the Group said no anti-corruption fight can succeed in Nigeria, as all economic crimes are bailable no matter how humongus; stating further that with Plea Bargaining, looters could steal any amount, but must be ready to refund certain percentage of it – stating further that, ‘Nigeria has left its funds and property in the hands of Thieves’.

The group however reiterated its call for economic crimes to be criminalised and made unvailable with Plea Bargaining removed from our Administration of Criminal Justice (ACJ).

“On astronomical increase of dollars to Nigeria, the Group called for reactivation of moribund Industries realistically, stating that funds meant for this purpose and that of Agriculture are being diverted, hence a Nation without export value cannot rank its currency along with that of productive and exporting Nations”, it added.