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Two months ago,
Bala Mohammed, minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), gave
all commercial sex workers in Abuja two days to quit or leave the city.
The territory’s Social Development Secretariat which was mandated to
implement the order, has since carried out three raids, but
prostitution remains big business in Abuja.

The FCT
administration has used different tactics to discourage the female sex
workers from plying their trade. It began with persuasion when in June,
the secretary for social development, Blessing Onuh, visited the call
girls at their respective abode to give them the minister’s order. She
told them that the secretariat’s task force would commence arrests and
warned them not to take the matter lightly.

“I’m out to
instruct the girls that the FCT minister has given them 48 hours to
vacate the city and quit the job,” said Mrs. Onuh two months ago. “They
constitute a nuisance in the city and the FCT administration will not
tolerate them.” Afterwards, the secretary donated N50,000 to the girls
after they complained that they had not eaten all day.

Shortly afterwards,
35 offenders were arrested when the task force, made up of officials of
the Abuja Environmental Protection Board (AEPB), the secretariat and
the police, conducted its first raid. The second raid in July nabbed 50
suspected prostitutes. The most recent raid, held last Wednesday,
netted about 60 sex workers, including a man and woman caught in
compromising situation in a car around midnight.

The suspects were
eventually taken to Wuse Police Station before being charged to a
mobile court where they were tried by the magistrate, Aminu Abdullahi.

Guilty as charged

At the court
session in August, the prosecuting counsel, Eze O. Eze, accused the
girls of soliciting men for commercial purposes. The session was held
under a tree and most of the girls, who had no lawyers representing
them, pleaded guilty to the offence.

The court convicted
those who pleaded guilty and sentenced them to two months imprisonment
or N3000 option of fine. Those who pleaded not guilty were told to
reappear at the court on Friday, 20th August, for hearing and they were
given bail on condition that the bond was signed by a resident of the
FCT. At the end of the court session, bank officials were on hand to
collect the fines from the convicts. The payments were made to the
environmental protection board’s account.

However,
investigations revealed that the group arrested in the first raid in
June were never charged to court. In July, the magistrate had suspended
his judgment against the women, because they were “first offenders.”
Sources at the environmental monitoring unit told NEXT that they were
in a hurry to discharge the girls because the “pressure from outside
was too much. After the July arrest, we received several calls from
high-profile personalities in this country, including National Assembly
men, governors, commissioners from the states and high military
officials, asking us to release the girls,” said one source, who
declined to be named. “We had no choice because we do not want to lose
our jobs.” The officials said they were not even able to keep the girls
for more than one night and had to hold the court session on Saturday
instead of Monday.

“The DPO was not willing to keep them again because of several calls coming to him,” said another source.

We have no jobs

Some of the
suspects who pleaded not guilty insisted that they were not women of
easy virtue, while others claimed they were going about their own
affairs when they were caught. Maureen Opah, a native of Liberia, said
she was about to enter a car when she was arrested.

“I sell chicken on the street and, in fact, I had chicken in my hand when I was arrested,” one of them said.

However, Sade
Ayileka, deputy director of social services with the secretariat,
denied that innocent bystanders were rounded up. She said the team
invaded popular red-light districts in Abuja to apprehend the suspects.

“We consider their
dressing, the location they were in at the time, the time they were
there,” she said. “How can a lady be standing by the roadside at the
dead end of the night, half naked?” Some of the sex workers who spoke
to NEXT after their trial said they were lured into the profession
because they could not get gainful employment.

“I lost my husband
a few years ago and I have three children,” said Chidinma Michael. “My
mother was sick and I spent all I had.” She said she approached a
friend for help. Instead of giving her a loan, her friend showed her
how to make ‘free money.’ “So that was how I started coming out to the
street,” said Ms. Michael. “My children are now at home and have not
eaten since yesterday when they arrested me.” She was eventually given
automatic employment at the social development secretariat to assist in
rehabilitating other sex workers.

Mrs Ayileka accused
the women of laziness. She cited a medical doctor who was arrested some
time ago whose colleagues had to beg for her release because she was
supposed be on call the next day.

“Some of them are
graduates. A lot of them are working-class ladies,” she said. “There
are lots they can do with little money instead of degrading
themselves.” She said the FCT administration would rehabilitate those
who are willing to change. At the skills centre in Lugbe, a suburb of
the city, girls could choose from 10 different skills, including
hairdressing, tailoring and computer studies. Upon completion of the
course Mrs Ayileka said the girls would get equipment relevant to their
fields of training.

However, though many of the girls filled out the application forms, the training is has not commenced.

A wider net

In the meantime
the FCT administration promises the raids will continue, and may be
expanded to the men who patronize the girls.

During one raid,
which lasted from 11 pm on a Friday night to 4 am on Saturday, a
retired director of one of the federal ministries was arrested for
allegedly patronizing one of the girls.

When he was caught,
the embattled man claimed that the lady with whom he was caught was his
daughter; but on getting to Wuse Police Station, he changed his story,
saying that she was his fiancée.

At the station, the
man, who introduced himself as Mr Clem, accused the FCT minister of
going beyond his limits. “When I was a Director, I know Bala. He was a
deputy director. How come now he wants to decide how we live our social
life in the FCT?” said the man. “He should concentrate on the Abuja
Master Plan and forget about the sexual life of the residents.” Mr Clem
was arrested on Gimbiya Street, where he was reportedly caught
negotiating with a prostitute. However, he was eventually discharged.

The FCT administration has said that all that will change soon, as men who patronize prostitutes will also be tried in court.

“Because if men do not patronize them, they will not be there,” said
Mrs. Ayileka. “But we will take it a step at a time; let’s start with
the girls first.”

The federal
government and the World Bank have signed an agreement to facilitate
the creation of over 100,000 jobs in six key sectors of the economy
over the next two years. The process will be carried out under the
auspices of the Nigerian Growth and Employment Pact with additional
support from the UK’s Department for International Development (DFID).

The pact, which is
designed to boost growth, investment and job creation, is expected to
cover the construction, entertainment, information & communication
technology (ICT), meat, leather and tourism sectors. World Bank’s
Private Sector Development Specialist, Richard Sandall, noted that
despite Nigeria’s status as a growing economy as a result of her huge
riches from oil, the country’s waged employment, put at less than 10
percent of the total labour force, has been declining in recent times.
“The World Bank, DFID and the federal government are partnering in the
implementation of the Growths and Employment in States (GEMS) project
designed to support select industries in accelerating their growth and
job creation. We are committed to create about 100,000 jobs in the
target sectors in the next couple of years,” he said.

Lead Economist,
World Bank Nigeria, Volker Treichel, said the goal of the bank is to
ensure a world free of poverty, and this cannot happen unless jobs are
created for the people. Noting that growth in Nigeria has been very
strong across all sectors of the economy, even in the wake of very
difficult global circumstances in recent times, Mr. Treichel said this
has hardly translated into jobs development for the people in the
formal sector, except in agriculture.

Minister of
Finance, Segun Aganga, described the new pact as an unprecedented
collaboration between key stakeholders to determine steps necessary to
ensure that the country’s economy continues to grow and create
employment, assuring that government, through its policies, has already
begun the implementation of some of the recommendations identified by
the stakeholders during their group interactions held in Abuja last
week.

Improved infrastructure

Mr. Aganga listed
some of the areas to include the review of the process for the
establishment of a more tourist-friendly visa regime; improvement of
airport facilities through private public participation (PPP) and
review of the tax system to eliminate multiple-taxation. Others include
a comprehensive reform of Land Use Act and unlocking credits for
investment by de-risking the banking system to recommence lending; and
review of the Evidence and Bankruptcy Acts. He said government is on
course to ensure that the recently established Asset Management
Corporation of Nigeria commences operations soon, to make banks begin
injecting money to the formal sector. The minister also said government
is considering establishing special commercial courts to ensure that
those who get collateral for loans are able to take possession of their
property without much hassles. Representatives of the various sectors
that participated in the two-day deliberations identified areas they
want government to intervene to open up the system and create jobs.
Most of the issues centred on the need for improved communication
between government and its agencies as well as with the private sector;
strengthening of the capacities of the various regulatory authorities
through improved legislative processes; improved access to finance;
harmonization of taxes and review of incentives, as well as enhancement
of capacity building for operators. While urging stakeholders to come
up with workable business plans, Mr. Aganga disclosed that government
plans to liaise with the Lagos Business School (LBS) to provide about
26 enterprise centres nationwide to help entrepreneurs develop and
nurture business plans for about one year to help them understand how
to set up and run successful businesses “The resolutions we have
arrived at have been very promising. The next step is for stakeholders
to show commitment to timelines and deadlines for their implementation
to ensure that we build on the momentum when the meeting reconvenes
next November,” the minister said.

The federal
government is desirous to provide a conducive environment for Nigerian
residents in the US, to contribute their positive quota to the growth
of the nation. Nigerian Ambassador to the United States, Adebowale
Ibibapo Adefuye has said.

Mr Adefuye, who
spoke during a visit to Georgia, where he held a maiden Town Hall
meeting with the representatives of the Nigerian Community in Atlanta,
commended Nigerians in Diaspora for being good emissaries of their
country, and encouraged them to maintain their pride, to hold their
heads high and be proud of their national heritage.

Over 70 Nigerians,
including representatives of the Alliance of Nigerian Organisations in
Georgia, members of the Media and the Nigerian intelligentsia attended
the event hosted by the Consul General of Nigerian in Atlanta, Chudi
Okafor.

“We are a country
of a good 150 million people, and the incidence of a few not-too
good-people should not be uncommon. The good Nigerians in Diaspora far
outnumber the few miscreants tarnishing our image,” he said.

“The present
government is determined to stop corruption in its track and make
Nigeria a place to go back to with fondness and fulfilment.”

President of the
Alliance of Nigerian Organisations in Georgia, Titus Olowookere, in his
remark thanked the Ambassador and his entourage for their commitment to
bring government to the ‘grassroots’ and meet with Nigerians in smaller
settings, and relate to their sojourn in America.

Mr Olowookere reminded them that they are all in fact ambassadors of
their country with huge responsibility to create a positive image in
the community, to be above board in all their dealings and to leave a
good legacy of integrity and good conduct for succeeding generations of
Nigerians in Diaspora.

The Adamawa State
government, at the weekend, dispatched a team of medical personnel and
material to communities struck by cholera outbreak in the state, the
Commissioner for Health, Zainab Kwomchi has said.

Although the
commissioner could not give a tally of the number of deaths, reports
put the number of cholera-related deaths in the state at over 20.
“While the numbers of deaths so far were not readily quantified,
nevertheless the state government responded by sending life saving
teams to Madagali and Ganye to help the situation,” said Mrs Kwomchi.
The places severely hit by the outbreak were Sukur village in Madagali
Local Government Area, and in Ganye Local Government Council. The
cholera outbreak, which has become an annual occurrence towards the end
of the rainy season, is widely believed to be caused by fertilizers
washed from farms into wells and streams where most rural communities
get their source of drinking water. The disease, characterized with
symptoms of diarrhoea, vomiting, chest pain, headache and fever, has
resulted in the death of 10 people in Ganye, while six have also been
confirmed dead at Sukur.

There are at
present over 120 people in various hospitals around the epidemic
stricken areas receiving medical care. The Director of Primary Health
Care in Ganye, Yakubu Nekenjumi, blamed the yearly attack on poor
hygiene by the villagers. Mr Yakubu recounted that a similar event had
claimed the lives of 16 people the previous year, stating that the
outbreak occurred about the same period. “Ten deaths have been recorded
while 69 are being hospitalized for visible symptoms of diarrhoea,
vomiting and fever in the villages,” he said. “The 10 deaths recorded
was as a result of the severity of their condition, as they had lost so
much body fluid.”

Inadequate healthcare

Mathias Kurmi, a
senior medical officer at the Ganye General Hospital, said the
attention given to the patients was only tentative because of
insufficient drugs to combat the disease. He blamed lack of basic
health care services at the grassroots for the high mortality. However,
Chairman of Ganye Local Council, Mathias Barde, applauded the efforts
of the medical team. “Even though the epidemic took us unawares, yet
our health officers never derailed from their professional
responsibility, but ensured that the victims had tentative attention
while drugs were being awaited,” he said. He appealed to the federal
government to give the council similar attention it gives to other
disaster prune areas since it has become a yearly attack on the
villagers. An awareness and enlightenment team has been sent round the
council to teach the people on basic hygiene and self-help techniques
to curtail the situation.

Researchers have
released two species of weevils to eat up the water hyacinth in River
Mono, Republic of Benin. The weevils – Neochetina and N. Bruchi – are
special species of weevils that feed on water hyacinths only.

Obinna Ajouno, a
scientist with the International Institute of Tropical (IITA) who is
also a member of the research team, said the two biological agents have
proved to be effective control agents of the water weeds.

Water hyacinth
(Eichhornia crassipes) often grows as floating plants or mats, as
islands of plants floating freely on the water, or mixed with other
vegetation on river banks.

It is expected that
the project, if adopted in Nigeria, will tackle the devastation caused
by the water weed and free waterways for fishing and transport. It will
also drastically reduce the cost of removing water hyacinths from
Nigerian waterways, which is estimated to cost the country up to N1
billion annually.

The released
weevils were mass produced by the Department of Agriculture in
Porto-Novo, using start-up colony supplied by IITA, which also provided
technical assistance.

“Previous efforts
by IITA and partners using bio-control agents against water hyacinth,
yielded success on the Oueme River eight years ago,” Mr Ajouno said.
“However, the use of the weevils is the first of its kind. We are
confident this approach will produce results.”

The project is part
of the ongoing African Development Bank (AfDB), funded ECOWAS
integrated project for the control of aquatic weeds involving physical
removal, utilisation and biological control methods.

Participants in the
project, which was initiated on July 30, 2010, included the Department
of Agriculture, the National Coordination Unit of the Benin ECOWAS
Water Weeds Project, the local communities and IITA.

Godwin Atser, the
West African public communications officer of IITA said the success of
the project will rub off on other ECOWAS water ways including Nigeria.

“In nutrient-rich
waters such as in polluted ponds or lakes, it can grow so quickly that
the surface covered by the mats doubles every four to seven days,” Mr
Ajouno said.

Destructive weeds

The aquatic weed
poses serious socioeconomic and environmental problems to millions of
people in riparian communities and limits development. For instance,
the Nigerian government budgeted N400 million in the 2009 budget to
clear the water hyacinth in Port Harcourt waterways only.

The weed obstructs
electricity generation, irrigation, navigation, and fishing; increases
water loss resulting from evapo-transpiration; and facilitates
proliferation of such diseases as bilharzia.

In Sudan alone, a
partial evaluation of socioeconomic costs of water hyacinth estimates
that annual water loss from evapo-transpiration over 300 km2 of canal
would be enough to irrigate more than 400 ha. Effects on navigation in
the Nile include 50 per cent higher running and maintenance costs and
30 per cent more use of fuel.

The cost of chemical control alone, over 15 years, would have been
in excess of $19 million, according to the International Development
Research Centre (IDRC). Until 2000, the Mono River which borders Togo
was free of water hyacinth. Researchers are of the view that the weed
might have been infested through human activities. But Mr Ajouno says
the impact of these biological agents-(weevils) – in the Mono River
system in the years ahead will be monitored by regular field visits
involving the collaborating institutions.

The vice president, Namadi Sambo will tomorrow attend the 50th independence anniversary celebrations of Burundi.

A total of 17
countries, including Nigeria, gained its independence in 1960 making
2010 a year full of independence celebrations on the African continent.

Goodluck Jonathan
as a mark of solidarity has however, attended some of these
celebrations to keep an open link with the brothers and sisters of the
black race.

Mr. Jonathan
attended the Cameroun 50th anniversary celebration, as well as the
celebrations in the Republic of Benin. He also graced the 50th
anniversary celebration in Gabon just last week.

However, in what seems like a shared responsibility, the vice
president has also graced the celebrations of Cote d’Ivoire and Congo,
representing the president. The celebrations may be an opportunity for
many of the 17 countries to strengthen ties amongst itself.

The Federal Airport
Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) on Sunday allayed fears over possible shut
down of Port Harcourt International Airport due to issues of power
disruption.

This is coming
after last week’s report of threats by the Power Holding Company of
Nigeria (PHCN), Port Harcourt Distribution Zone, to disconnect the
airport’s power supply by Tuesday due to the management’s inability to
pay its electricity bill amounting to N7.4 million since June 2008 till
May 2010.

Richard
Aiseubeogun, managing director of the authority, said his management
has put in place measures to resolve the differences between the
authority and the power holding company, adding that this may involve
the reconciliation of accounts between the two organisations at the
regional level.

The authority’s
boss expressed concern over the huge amount, insisting that it is high
time that airlines, concessionaires and other users of the authority’s
facilities pay up the debts they owe FAAN.

“It is lamentable
that the authority pays an average of N60 million monthly on
electricity bill just for the Lagos airport alone. The authority also
consumes an average of N16 million monthly on diesel for the generators
at the Lagos airport and about N30 million monthly at the Abuja
airport,” he said in a statement.

“What it pays to
sustain constant power supply at the other 19 airports could better be
imagined. So, FAAN demands the money owed is now to maintain excellent
service delivery and meet its overhead costs.”

Reducing debt Akin
Olukunle, General Manager, public relations, for FAAN, said that as
part of measures to curb the growing debt profile, a new credit policy
and procedures manual was unveiled recently and is applicable to all
customers of the authority nationwide.

The authority,
however, assured that it is collaborating with the Federal Ministry of
Aviation to ensure that all ongoing projects designed to transform the
Port Harcourt International airport is completed before the end of the
year, especially the perimeter fence and the roads.

“Only recently, two fire trucks were sent to the airport, a
development which enhanced the capacity of fire cover at the airport,”
said Mr Olukunle.

The head of Benin’s
parliament has rejected a request by lawmakers to impeach President
Boni Yayi, saying they failed to follow procedures.

Mathurin Coffi
Nago, president of the national assembly, said on Friday that the
lawmakers had not followed the correct procedures, so their request had
been rejected. It was not clear if they would re-launch their request.

Lawmakers had been
trying to impeach Yayi over his alleged involvement in a scheme, which
swindled thousands of Beninois of their savings and has already led to
the sacking of a minister and large-scale street protests.

Yayi’s spokesman had previously denied the president’s involvement in the case.

So far, lawmakers,
who have about 50 signatures from the 83-seat parliament, have fallen
short of a two-thirds majority needed to summon the president for trial
for treason and perjury.

The members of
parliament accuse Yayi of hosting officials from ICC Services. The firm
is accused of stealing some 100 billion CFA francs in deposits after
promising returns of 20-50 percent.

Search for money

Last month, more than 100,00 people took to the streets demanding that the government help them get their money back.

ICC Services
officials have been put under house arrest and Mr Yayi sacked his
interior minister in July, accusing him of being directly involved in
the scam.

IHS Global Insight
senior Africa analyst, Kissy Agyemen-Togobo, said Benin, a stable
sliver of land between Nigeria and Togo, risked political turbulence
over the scandal. He warned that the current spat was on a much larger
scale than standoffs over wages seen recently in Benin.

“With elections
looming in 2011, domestic pressure on Boni (Yayi) is expected to rise
to unprecedented levels,” Agyemen-Togobo added.

Yayi was elected in 2006 and has taken steps to liberalise the
economy. He has also been popular with members of the international
community.

Domestic air
travellers in the country on Sunday expressed varied concerns following
the mishap involving Aero contractors aircraft which crash landed in
Jos airport last Saturday.

The incident which
saw the Boeing 737-500 aircraft having its two nose tyres punctured on
landing on the runway of the airport due to hazardous weather, has
instilled fear in some passengers, while most travellers see the
development as normal.

“That occurrence is
regular when it comes to flying it will not stop me from flying. But it
is quite impressive to know that we have experienced pilots that can
land aircraft with flat tyres,” said Ebube Geoffrey, a passenger at the
Murtala Mohammed Airport 2 (MMA2).

Mr. Geoffrey,
however, called on the relevant authorities to fix the aircraft should
there be equipment failure resulting from the incident.

“The airline in
question has not had any crash, if I’m correct, so I don’t think this
should be big deal; but that does not mean they should use a faulty
plane to carry loyal customers like us,” he said.

Another traveller,
who gave her name as Sandra, said it is frightening to hear of
incidents involving aircraft, adding that though there was no casualty
in the recent happening, airline operators should endeavour to use
standard parts on their aeroplanes.

“Though I
air-travel often, flying to Abuja this evening seems a bit scary to me,
after hearing about the effect of bad weather in Jos yesterday,” she
said. “I hope airlines use new equipment on these aircraft, and the
regulatory agencies mandate them to do so for safety reasons.”

Unshaken Aero

The airline, in a
statement after the incident, promised that the aircraft will commence
flight after thorough checks by its engineers.

“All the passengers
on board were safely disembarked from the aircraft. Aero has promptly
dispatched engineers to the airport to fix the tyres while it awaits
officials of the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority, NCAA to inspect the
aircraft before returning it to flight,” it said, adding “the Boeing
737-500 aircraft recently returned from a C-Check abroad.” Meanwhile,
the Jos airport has been shut down to flight operations, as no airline
went to the Plateau State capital yesterday.

A source at Aero
Contractors, who pleaded anonymity disclosed that the aircraft is yet
to be cleared from the runway due to the ongoing investigation into the
incident.

“We did not and will not fly to Jos today (Sunday) for the airstrip is currently closed,” the sources said.

Akin Olukunle,
general manager, public affairs for the Federal Airports Authority of
Nigeria (FAAN) confirmed that the airport is currently closed to flight
operations, and to be reopened after the investigation is concluded.

“The shut down was due to the incident of Saturday. Normal
operations will start when complete research is carried out,” he said.

Yetunde Adekoje’s mother last
Thursday called her with a warning that she should return home when the
election starts. The woman told her daughter, a member of the National
Youth Service Corps serving in Borno State, that she just heard on the
radio that INEC would rely on the corps for the conduct of the election.

Mrs Adekoje, a divorcee selling
kerosene at Sango market, Ibadan, said no parent who witnessed what
happened during the 2007 elections in Ibadan would allow their child to
be exposed to such.

“How much money would they give
them that will be equal to their lives? Since her father abandoned me,
I sponsored her through schools with my little proceeds from the
kerosene business,” she said in Yoruba. “I know how I slept on empty
stomach to make sure I paid her school fees. So, they should please
help me, let me eat the fruits of my labour.” Attahiru Jega, the
Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), last
week met with the Director-General of the NYSC, Maharazu Tsiga during
which he announced a partnership with NYSC in conduct of compiling a
new voters register and conduct of next year’s election.

He said Nigerians desired free,
fair and credible elections. “But you know that for us to succeed, we
need credible partners and there is no doubt that the NYSC has been a
credible partner to INEC,” he said. “I, therefore, use this opportunity
to inform you of our desire to recruit all our ad-hoc staff for the
purpose of the voters’ registration exercise as well as the 2011
elections from the NYSC.” Mr Tsiga appealled to INEC to provide
security operatives for corps members engaged in electoral activities.
He also identified non-payment of corps members’ honorarium and
conveying corps members to their duty posts, as part of challenges over
the years.

Security of corps members

“Among all the experiences we have
had, the one that comes up most and is so important to us and parents,
is the security of corps members,” Mr Tsiga said. “It is our wish that
we will broaden frontiers of co-operation by exploring possibilities,
including training of corps members on election duties during our
orientation course.” Some groups also warned the Independent National
Electoral Commission not to base its plan on total reliance on members
of the National Youth Service Corps, alleging that some of them already
have political inclinations from their days in the universities.

Femi Oluokun, the coordinator of
Elect Force Mission, a religious group that has mobilized Nigerian
youths for humanitarian and Christian religious services since 2007,
said: “thinking that they are the last hope amounts to digging a
dangerous pit. Some of them can do anything for money.” He however said
the NYSC authority can also help to coordinate the corps members better
rather than handing them completely to the community where they could
be exposed to manipulation.

“We have heard of corpers being
killed in many parts of the country, especially when they are opened to
ethnic or religious differences of their environment, so it will take a
serious work by the police to guarantee their safety. Also, some of
them do not understand the languages of the people they are working
with. I am afraid, using them as ad-hoc staff will open them to
intimidation,” he said.

During last year’s Ekiti State
re-run election, one of our correspondents observed a female corps
member burst into tears when sporadic gunshots rent the air during the
voting process. Reports from other polling stations during the same
election had it that two male corps members were manhandled by
suspected thugs. Till date, the police has not brought anybody to
justice for the attack.

Politicised students

The Human Rights Watch Report of
the 2007 election, “Nigeria-Criminal Politics-Violence, “Godfathers”
and Corruption in Nigeria,’ also stated how politicians use students,
mostly members of student gangs, to perpetrates evil acts during
elections and campaigns.

The group says it interviewed more
than 20 current and former members of such gangs and ordinary criminal
gangs not associated with cult organizations that had been recruited by
politicians, either during the 2003 elections or in the run-up to the
2007 polls in Oyo, Anambra and Rivers States.

“Many spoke candidly about being
paid to target the political opponents of their sponsors or to attack
and intimidate ordinary voters,” the report states.

Buhari Abiodun, a lecturer at the
Federal Polytechnic, Ede, Osun State, said the impact of politics on
the campuses is even more tense than what happens outside the campuses.

“In the school here, we have
witnessed students raping colleagues in the name of taking vengeance
after losing an election,” he said.

“We have heard of students burning
the properties of political aspirants because of their opposition to
his style of campaign. So, how do I now blame parents that are saying
their children should not be part of the INEC job. Life is more sacred
than sacrificing it for an election that might end up not making any
meaning to them.” Recently, the leadership of the National Association
of Nigerian Students (NANS) said it would use its huge population to
return Goodluck Jonathan to power in 2011. Jude Imagwe, president of
the association, recently led the inauguration of campus clubs in
support of Jonathan’s candidacy for the election.

“We have already spotted our
candidate; efforts are on to convince him to step out in a grand style
and grab our collective mandate. We must choose a man that is a youth
in heart, by action and who is prepared to offer 26 per cent budget
allocation to the education sector,” he said.