Nigerian Border Wahala!

Traveling along the west-African corridors, I cannot help but wonder if the Nigerian government pays keen attention to the activities of some Custom and Immigration officers serving at the borders. Commendable as some of these activities may be, especially towards ensuring that visitors traveling to and from the country, comply with the rules and regulations required on the International frontiers; some activities however are questionable, hence calls for concern, serious investigations and redress.

The satirical dialogue below gives an analysis, with food for thought on these activities, from the point-of-view of the ordinary citizen, whose rights is in most cases violated.

July, 2016: Immigration check point around Badagry-Roundabout axis

The dialogue below gives a satirical analysis, with food for thought on these activities from the view point of an ordinary citizen whose rights is in most cases violated.

Femi: Long time no hear from you....did you travel?

Ajala: Yes I did...returned only last night...

Femi: (shakes hands with Ajala) Nah you dey enjoy, people dey cry say no moni, you dey fly in and out the country.

Ajala: Fly keh...I went for work...by road...

Femi: All the same nah the same destination with those that traveled by air you arrived....nah still enjoyment nah...(paused)..by the way what did you bring for us?

Ajala: I bring you "alafia"...(laughs)..with the way all the security officials full road dey collect all the collectibles....money...noddles...soft drinks...or they find something to hold on you...I no bring anythingooo before them tag am "exhibit".

Another friend, John walks in....shakes hands with Ajala and Femi...

John: That's if you brought the so called "exhibit" and they ceased it...(laughs)

Femi: So the things he mentioned now are "exhibits"?

Ajala: My guy....those people fit search your pause collect biscuits wey you buy for your children...(laughs)...I dey tell you...seriously.

Femi: Don't mind them...as if noddles and soft drinks are the smuggling of fake currencies, weapons and other security concerns they are mandated to go after...on a serious note...some of these guys on the road should be called back for re-orientation.

John: Why?

Ajala: You dey ask why? its like your uncle works with them...the way they go about harassing some of our international students at some of these their check points is uncalled for.....imagine harassing them for laptop possession....is it now an offence for college students travel with their laptops?

John: What if there are sensitive information on the so called laptops...and are these people really students?

Ajala: You talk like you just had your regular doze of drinks this early morning already...Isn't it the duty of these officials to cross check...verify and allow the real students go...not harass them and in some cases request for "settlements" before they can be let off the hook.

Femi: Settlement??? from students???.....young people who still depend on their parents and sponsor's stipends to survive, what seed are these officials trying to sow in the mindset of these young ones whom we are praying that they turn out different??

John: That's a 'no-no' then...you are talking about "sowing seeds"...my concern is that people actually involved in some questionable activities can get off the hook to perpetrate crimes by "settlements"?

Ajala: I wonder...now you get what I'm talking about....that is one of the things their carelessness and corruption can cause the nation.

Femi: Some of them have turned to "principalities" on the road...if you venture get into their traps...woe betide you.

Ajala: Yet criminals go past them every day....

John: Is this how we are expected to promote a hassle free economic development through trade in West Africa?...when they cease even legitimate goods and demand for settlements???

Femi: What about the "Yellow card" issue?

John: What about that....its old gist nah...

Ajala: Its only in Nija that Local governments, state and the Federal government have their own version of vaccination cards.

You walk into a government office to make enquiries of how to get a vaccination card...they ask you questions on what you intend using it for...if your travelling?....and all that...instead of directing you to where you can get the appropriate card...they issue you theirs at a fee 

Femi: ...(cuts in)...about a whooping =N= 2,000

John: Yes...between =N=2000 to 2,500...from the stock they have....some of which might be out dated...

Ajala: ...Only for you to innocently but confidently travel with it and get harassed by the Immigration at the borders, who claim its no longer in use, then they hold you to cough out =N=500 to clear yourself at that point, or another =N=2000 to obtain the "original"  card from them....

Femi: And in all these...the ordinary citizen...bear the brunt of these unnecessary extortion???...For goodness sake...Isn't it time the different levels and organs of government starts working together for the sake of the MASSES?...

John: Hmmm...masses....you make me laugh....who cares about your "masses"..all they care about are schemes and means to extort you the more...to them you are not paying enough... yet they provide nothing to show for all the money extorted....sorry collected.

Femi: But who takes the blame for all these? the public servants on duty, government representatives or what?

John: All of usoooo

Ajala: What do you mean "all of us"...no be we them they exploit?

John: Because you say nothing about it nah...them harass you..in some cases threaten you...you comply...give in...walk free and keep quiet.

Femi: Its like this abroad wey you dey travel go most times don dey blind you from the reality on ground over here...who you wan go report to?

Ajala: Abiii...WHO you wan go report to...the ogaatthetop wey send them message abi nah WHO?

Femi: All the report wey we don dey give siiincceeee.....watin don happin?

NOTHING.

Ajala: Even sef...we dey answer "Giant of Africa...Giant of Africa"...if a first timer enter our country at night from SEME....hmmm...you will almost run back..

John: That does not mean we should give up...the situation is still redeemable.

Ajala: That is our hope...what keeps us going in this country...HOPE for a better future...by the way, have you noticed that its only bush lamps at security posts you will be seeing??...no street lights..the road sef nah die.

John: But there are constructing a rail road nah...maybe that is what is keeping them from up lifting the road.

Femi: We know about the rail road....but what about FUNCTIONAL temporary street lights from the Nigerian end of Seme border all the way into Lagos huh?

John: You dey ask me? ....please direct that question to the appropriate pipo....who knows...maybe dem love darkness.

Ajala: I dey go my house abeg...I tire....

John and Femi: Welcome back all the same...

Femi: Thank God you returned intact...

Ajala: Walks away with hand in pocket....whistles the second stanza of the old national anthem: 

"Oh God of all creation, grant this our one request....Help us to build a NATION...where no man is oppressed...And so with peace and plenty...

NIGERIA May be blessed".

Dialogue copyright: Roving Informant Blog

July 15th Failed Putsch - Turkey Detains 16 Journalists As Gülen Pleads With The US Not To Extradite Him!

No fewer than 16 Journalists are currently in detention for questioning on their involvement in the July 15th, 2016, failed coup attempt in which about 290 people reportedly lost their lives in Turkey.

Turkish preacher, writer, political figure, and spiritual leader of the Hizmet movement, Fetullah Gülen, who is accused by the Turkish government of founding a terrorist group, and masterminding the failed coup, has accused President Erdoğan of “blackmailing” the United States government into extraditing him from the scenic Poconos area in Pennsylvania, where he lives since 1999 in voluntary exile.

According to a recent opinion piece for the New York Times, Gülen said “His (President Erdoğan) goal: to ensure my extradition, despite a lack of credible evidence and virtually no prospect for a fair trial,”...
...“The temptation to give Mr Erdoğan whatever he wants is understandable. But the United States must resist it.”

Gülen denied having anything to do with the failed coup, instead he accused President Erdoğan’s administration of shifting towards “a dictatorship” that was “polarising the population” and “fuelling the fanatics”.

“The United States must not accommodate an autocrat who is turning a failed putsch into a slow-motion coup of his own against constitutional government"...he wrote.

In the on-going clamp down, Turkey authorities issued warrants for the detention of about 47 former executives/ senior journalists of Zaman newspaper; Zaman columnist Şahin Alpay, a former Zaman columnist was reportedly detained at his home early on Wednesday, 27th July, 2016.

Defending their reluctance to extradite Fetullah Gülen, the US government reportedly asked for firm evidence that proves Gülen's involvement in the foiled coup attempt.

Since 15th July, Turkish government embarked in cleansing which saw to the detention of more than 13,000 people in the military, judiciary and other institutions.

Those Responsible Would Pay "Heavy Price" - Erdogan!.

“Turkey has a democratically elected government and president,” ...

"We are in charge and we will continue exercising our powers until the end. We will not abandon our country to these invaders. It will end well.” 

Turkey’s president, Recep Tayyip Erdoğan made the above statement as he addressed cheering crowd at Istanbul Ataturk airport having defied troops who had tried to seal it off, after a foiled coup attempt.

Turkey witnessed a bloody coup attempt on Friday, July 15, 2016, when an army faction identified as “Peace in the Country Council,” attempted to take over power from a civilian government in the country. 

President Erdogan said the attempt was an act of “treason” and those responsible would pay a “heavy price”.

Information made available to the press revealed that no fewer than 60 people were killed across Turkey during the coup attempt, and about 754 members of the armed forces detained across the country.

Hulusi Akar, Turkish Chief of General Staff  who was removed from the Turkish Armed Forces Head Quarters where the plotters used as one of their centers to command their attempt, in a hostage situation, has been rescued and taken to a save place; he is reported to be in good health.

Shortly before President Erdogan returned to Istanbul from a retreat on the coast of the Aegean Sea, Marmaris, Turkish Prime Minister broadcasted NTV  that the situation was "largely under control".  

As at early Saturday, 16th July, 2016, unrest was reported in some parts of the country.

Ataturk Airport in Istanbul reopened on Saturday, and broadcasting has begun. 

Turkish neighbors, Bulgaria and Greece has reinforced its patrols on both borders. 

A statement released by the Bulgarian government warned Bulgarians to restrain from travelling to the south, while Greece Armed Forces was reinforced in a state of "heightened readiness".

The coup attempt on Friday, 15 July, 2016 in Turkey was the fifth time in 60 years. The last coup was reported to be on 28 February, 1997, when the then Prime Minister Necmettin Erbakan was forced to resign in a postmodern coup, after the Military offered a number of recommendations following rising in Welfare Party. 

Disturbing Photo Of A Child Killed During Attack In Nice!

Disturbing photo of a child reported to be among the scores of people killed when a truck  drove into a crowd during Bastille Day celebrations, on Thursday, 15th July, 2016, in Nice, capital of the French Riviera, in France.

About 150 people were injured in the incident that appears like a terrorist attack;eye witnesses said the lorry kept going at different directions  as it knocked down people.

Child Photo credit: Reuters

Photo Speaks: Drainage At Falomo Needs Urgent Attention!

Roving Informant campaign against blocked drainage systems: 

As seen at Falomo, the stagnant drainage in front of Church of The Assumption Catholic Church, Falomo, Ikoyi, Lagos, needs urgent attention. 

Overload Nah Offenseooo!

Photo Speaks: As seen at Ogoja, Cross River state Nigeria, on Saturday, 9th July, 2016.

NDA's Lethal Attack On West Africa's Economic Growth!

The activities of militants in Nigeria's Niger Delta region, south of Nigeria, is not only crippling economic activities in the country but is beginning to negatively impact neighboring countries in West African, which hitherto enjoyed 80% electricity supply security. 

This was further brought to light when Ghanaian President, John Mahama, during his  Eid-el-fitr goodwill speech stated that Ghana recently suffered some generational problems, a setback he attributed to sabotage in Nigeria, as crude oil which the country ordered a month ago, in June, 2016, is yet to arrive Ghana. A recent 'controlled explosive devices' attack on about three Chevron Nigeria Limited manifolds at Diogbolo, close to Dibi, Warri Local Government Area of Delta State, South-South Nigeria, by the Niger Delta Avengers (NDA) militant group was reportedly responsible for this. President Mahama however assured Ghananians that his government is taking steps on a daily basis "to ensure that Ghana has security when it comes to power supply.” 

Over the past few months, Nigeria's economy suffers extensive down-turn as a result of militant activities which has a direct and indirect link to the Naira plummet.  Though these attacks is purportedly aimed at "avenging the ills meted at the Niger Delta region and people", over a long period of negligence of the area that is responsible for Nigeria' wealth, the real casualties of the "avenger's wrath" are without doubt the poor masses who suffer untold hardship due to the adverse effects on SME developments, like: insecurity, poor electricity supply and the Naira plummet against the U.S dollar and British Pound Sterling. 

Despite the catastrophic nature of the NDA's attacks not only on Nigeria's economy, but those of nearby countries that rely on Nigeria for crude oil supplies, the militant group appear not relenting in their attacks. Militants believed to be of NDAs group in the early hours of Friday, July 8th, 2016, again, struck, destroying pipelines belonging to the Nigerian Agip Oil Company(NAOC), the Tebidaba-Brass Agip pipeline at Goulubukori manifold, Nembearea and Lagosgbene pipeline all in Southern Ijaw, near  Ekeremor area of Bayelsa State, southern Nigeria. 

The Niger Delta Avengers, reportedly poised to take the Niger Delta struggle to "never seen before" new heights, with claims to well-equipped human resources to meet their goal, on 12 May 2016, issued President Muhammadu Buharian 11-point condition with an October 2016, deadline, when the group vowed to display its currency, flag, passport, ruling council and territory to the world.

With Boko-haram forces in the north, reported Fulani herdsmen attacks in virtually all the regions across the country, and most recently, NDA's threat and attacks on oil pipelines in the south, the feasibility of fostering economic growth in Nigeria and the West African sub-region at the moment appears bleak. Small and medium scale businesses are left with no option than to shut down or profoundly slow down productions as a result of the aforementioned 'adverse effects' factors. 

Peharps its time the Nigerian government embarks on sincere and effective measures with all stake holders, to redress this ugly situation. 

THE REAL CASUALTIES ARE THE MASSES WHOM THE GOVERNMENT AND THE NDA CLAIM TO FIGHT FOR.