Some power experts have expressed their dissatisfaction with the 300 per cent increase in electricity tariffs approved by the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC).
A power grid
In separate interviews on Wednesday, April 3, 2024, in Lagos, the experts lamented that such an increase would further burden electricity consumers across the nation.
The announcement of the tariff hike was made by Mr Musiliu Oseni, the Vice Chairman of NERC, in Abuja on Monday.
Oseni clarified that the 300 per cent increase would specifically impact Band A consumers, constituting only 15 per cent of the total electricity customers nationwide.
As a result, power distribution companies (DisCos) will be permitted to raise electricity prices to N225 ($0.15) per kilowatt-hour, up from the previous rate of N68 for urban consumers, effective April 1.
Reacting to the development, Mr Adeola Ilori, the National Coordinator of All Electricity Consumers Protection Forum, condemned the sudden tariff hike, asserting that it was implemented without due process.
Ilori emphasised that the increase should have followed the prescribed procedures outlined in NERC’s regulatory directives, as mandated by law.
He said that the magnitude of the increase, purportedly a minor review, was like a major review, necessitating thorough scrutiny and consultation with all stakeholders.
Ilori hinted at potential legal action by the group to challenge the tariff hike, citing violations of the Electricity Act 2023 and consumer protection regulations.
Meanwhile, Mr Lanre Elatuyi, an electricity market analyst, acknowledged the inevitability of the tariff increase, attributing it to fluctuations in the dollar and gas prices.
Elatuyi explained that, with the government unable to subsidise electricity for all consumers, the burden falls on those capable of bearing the actual cost of electricity, particularly Band A customers.
He stressed the importance of ensuring that Band A customers receive the promised hours of supply, urging strict adherence to service standards.
However, Mr Chinedu Amah, founder of Spark Nigeria Ltd., raised concerns about the clarity and monitoring of Band A classification, warning of potential exploitation if not properly defined and regulated.
The night rains come as soothing relief to many homes and families in Ghana.
Above-danger heat stress: A man cools off amid searing heat wave
But soon, the land is heated up, consuming the little moisture in the atmosphere to expose the real element of an unexpected changing weather.
The discomfort of the night’s heat is telling in many homes: children, couples, and everyone’s comforting sleep is tormented.
And when there is no electricity to offer some succour in fanning the hot air, anger is provoked in the land.
This is the reality of today’s hassling weather.
Ama runs a beauty salon in the densely populated Ayigya suburb of Kumasi. When there is an erratic power supply in what has become known as “dumsor”, the operation of her small salon comes to a halt. Earning enough to pay her four other hands becomes a challenge.
Ama is already thinking of investing in small solar systems as an alternative source of electricity to power her hairdryers. She is hoping to access support for the alternative renewable energy source.
For many small and large-scale businesses, the recent unannounced power outages have been frustrating to their income generation and limiting productivity at the workplace.
But when they return from a day’s unproductive work to a dark hot home at night, their anger peaks.
“I will sleep tired and wake up tired because of this heat. It’s suffocating when there is no light to turn on the fan,” said Ama.
“Can you believe I’ve not been in the mood for sex for almost three weeks? My husband does not even come close to me,” the mother of two sounded seriously jovial.
She explained how she had to soak towels in water to cool her sweaty children after hand fanning them for several minutes.
The common scenes
Heavy rains and heat waves are among hazards faced by the ever-growing global population.
Parts of Ghana, for instance, have experienced the rains in March, yet heat waves – that cut deep into the skin – abound.
With urbanisation and the spread of megacities, communities are exposed and vulnerable. And people get worried about the unbearable heat during the daytime and at night.
In the past couple of months, especially in February, the heat intensity has pushed an increase in the use of umbrellas in the afternoon.
The marketing and purchasing of air-conditioners are rising for homes and offices, as more motorists are getting their ACs on.
The voluntary use of nose masks in densely populated environments is on the ascendancy, as dust particles increase in the atmosphere.
And there is also an increase in the consumption of water to overcome dehydration and exhaustion.
The heat-induced anger
Electricity supply in most parts of Ghana has been erratic in recent days. This has got consumers angry, especially when the power outages come without notification of a planned schedule for load shedding.
Interestingly, street talk on the impact of the current erratic power supply is more profound at the household level than the commercial impact.
Obviously, the recent public anger towards “dumsor” is induced by the unfairness of the heat to the skin and inner being, especially at night.
Amid the power outages, a couple of mothers have attributed the death of their children on admission at the hospital to heat exhaustion.
Indeed, the extremes of the weather are here.
At the recently held inter-schools’ athletics competition in the Ashanti region, fire officers had to intervene in rescuing students from heat exhaustion at Baba Yara Stadium as they deployed fire tenders to spray water into the crowd. Temperatures rose 36°C, high above bearable limits, and the students suffered discomfort under the unbearable heat of the scorching sun.
The intimacy between some couples have been strained by the heat waves as their romantic intimacy of cuddling suffers in the hands of a discomforting night sweat under the hot still breeze.
The rising temperatures in parts of the world have been a threat to religious activities, especially in the period of fasting. Some fasting Muslims, for instance, have been advised to increase their intake of water at pre-dawn meals for energy to prevent dehydration.
Already, authorities at the Kintampo Health Research Centre are embarking on a study to measure the impact of climate change, particularly heat waves on the health of the local populace.
The move is to assess the risk of illnesses caused because of increasing temperatures fuelled by climate change.
Humid heatwaves driven by climate change
February this year was the hottest February on record globally and the ninth consecutive month in a row that a hottest month record was broken.
Climate change has an influence on extreme weather events such as heatwaves and excessive rains.
Climate change, caused by burning fossil fuels like oil, gas and coal, and deforestation, has made heatwaves more frequent, longer and hotter around the world.
According to a study by leading climate scientists from the WorldWeatherAttribution group, human-caused climate change made the humid heatwave in southern West Africa during February ten times more likely.
Ghana is among countries in West Africa hit by an unusually intense humid heatwave and has broken temperature records above 40°C in February 2024.
The researchers say developing heat action plans will help protect vulnerable people from dangerous heatwaves in West Africa.
The study also found that if humans do not rapidly move away from fossil fuels, causing global warming to rise to 2°C above pre-industrial levels, West Africa will experience similar heatwaves about once every two years.
This “global boiling” as termed by UN Secretary General, Antonio Guterres, became profound during the recent African Cup of Nations (AFCON) football tournament as a “cooling break” was introduced to allow players to dehydrate from the humid conditions.
Long-term climate change is increasing the intensity and frequency of the humid environment. Urban areas experience higher temperatures than surrounding rural areas due to reduced vegetation and increased heat-absorbing surfaces.
The sixth report of the UN Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) underscores the urgency of climate action.
The energy in the heat
The high temperatures come with heat-related illness, especially respiratory and other chronic diseases.
Because they may be extremely fatal for the elderly and other persons with underlying health concerns, heatwaves are often referred to as “silent killers.”
Preterm contractions, general discomfort, and spontaneous abortion in the early stages of pregnancy might possibly result from the heat wave.
If left ignored, dehydration can result in more severe issues including heat exhaustion, heat stroke, skin infections, mental health issues, and even death.
Experts advise the intake of adequate intake of water to remain hydrated and stay safe from headaches, fatigue, muscle cramps, and dizziness.
And when people are unable to sleep well at night, workplace productivity and academic performances are adversely impacted.
But there could be opportunities.
The most reliable source of clean energy in most African nations is solar power. According to Global Energy Monitor statistics, by the end of 2023, solar is estimated to account for 67 per cent of the growth in renewable energy capacity globally, with Africa accounting for a 1.7 percent.
Clean energy advocates believe it is time to turn to solar power by taking advantage of the abundant sunshine.
Perhaps, the anger in the voice of Ghanaians will be better managed if the country takes the lead in adopting or increasing new energy sources that are clean and sustainable.
Small business managers like Ama, the beautician, will be glad to adopt such energy sources.
But this will require major investments in Africa to build resilience to dangerous heat. TheUNhas estimated that the cost of adaptation for developing countries is between US$215-387 billion per year this decade.
However, rich countries haven’t yet met the financial promises they have made to help developing countries become more resilient to the growing risks of climate change.
In addition, these commitments fall drastically short of the finance required – in 2021, the global community delivered just US$21 billion to help developing countries adapt to climate change.
Executive Secretary, UN Climate Change, Simon Stiell, in acknowledging the latest temperature increases that have been off the charts, spoke about a world where clean energy is abundant and affordable.
He emphasised the need to make climate finance bigger and better to undo the deadlock between developed and developing countries for “a world where every nation is safe, opportunities are shared, and 10 billion people are protected from climate impacts”.
Kofi Adu Domfeh is a Journalist, Climate Reality Leader and Green Advocate. Email: adomfeh@gmail.com
President Emmerson Mnangagwa on Wednesday, April 3, 2024, declared Zimbabwe’s drought a national disaster and said the country needed more than $2 billion in aid to feed millions facing hunger.
Drought in Southern Africa
Mnangagwa’s statement follows similar announcements by Zambia in late February and Malawi in March, as drought, induced by the El Nino global weather pattern, triggers a humanitarian crisis in southern Africa.
More than 2.7 million people in Zimbabwe will go hungry this year, Mnangagwa told journalists at the state house in Harare, adding that 80 per cent of the country had received poor rains.
“Preliminary assessments show that Zimbabwe requires more than two billion dollars towards various interventions we envisage in our national response,” Mnangagwa said.
He said the government would prioritise winter cropping to boost reserves and work with the private sector to import grains.
El Nino is a naturally occurring weather phenomenon associated with a disruption of wind patterns that means warmer ocean surface temperatures in the eastern and central Pacific.
Most provinces in Zimbabwe have experienced crop failure since November, with hotter areas declaring grains such as maize a write-off.
Humanitarian agencies including the World Food Programme, which fed 270,000 people between January and March in four districts, have described the hunger situation as “dire”, calling on donors to provide more aid.
The drought in southern Africa has reached crisis levels with Botswana and Angola to the west, and Mozambique and Madagascar to the east also facing hunger.
The Deputy Ambassador of the European Union Delegation to Nigeria and ECOWAS, Mr Zissimos Vergos, has urged all stakeholders to collaborate in efforts aimed at eliminating waste and environmental pollution.
Minister of Environment, Malam Balarabe Lawal, with some EU Nigeria officials at the event in Abuja
Vergos made the call at an event in commemoration of the 2024 International Zero Waste Day, on Wednesday, April 3, in Abuja.
The theme of the event is “Beat Waste”.
He stressed the urgency of the situation, shedding light on the alarming statistics of global waste production and its grave implications for the future of humanity.
Emphasising the importance of strengthening waste management worldwide, he highlighted the need to promote sustainable consumption and production patterns.
“Each year, humanity generates between 2.1 billion and 2.3 billion tonnes of municipal solid waste, yet global waste management services struggle to cope, leaving 2.7 billion people without access to proper waste collection.
“Only about 60 per cent of municipal solid waste is managed in controlled facilities, exacerbating the threat of waste pollution to human well-being and economic prosperity.
“This issue is intertwined with the triple planetary crisis of climate change, nature and biodiversity loss, and pollution.
“Without immediate action, annual municipal solid waste generation is projected to soar to 3.8 billion tonnes by 2050, further exacerbating the environmental challenges we face”.
According to him, the EU’s relentless dedication to waste reduction is evident in efforts to implement the waste hierarchy and setting ambitious targets for waste prevention and management.
He said the proposal to revise the Waste Framework Directive is ongoing, aiming to significantly curb waste generation by 2030.
Vergos shed light on collaborative initiatives like the Global Alliance on Circular Economy and Resource Efficiency (GACERE), uniting nations in the fight against plastic pollution and championing sustainable practices.
He announced the EU’s partnership with Nigeria through the Circular Economy Working Group, a testament to joint efforts in fostering green growth and inclusivity.
He commended the Federal Ministry of Environment for their unwavering dedication, acknowledging their pivotal role in shaping policies and regulations to combat waste.
The deputy ambassador underscored the importance of collective action in embracing the zero-waste culture and urged everyone to “Beat Waste” together.
Ms. Val Ahmadu, Policy Advisor at the Netherlands Embassy, emphasised the International Day of Zero Waste’s significance in promoting global waste management and sustainable consumption patterns, highlighting collaborative solutions over blame.
She hailed Nigeria’s circular roadmap launch as a significant stride toward sustainable development and lauded recent partnerships with Dutch firms for waste management initiatives.
Ahmadu stressed that these efforts not only address waste but also fostered economic growth and job creation.
She said that Nigeria’s transition to a circular economy was an opportunity to combat climate change and waste issues.
Ahmadu reaffirmed the Netherlands’ commitment to global collaboration, expressing pleasure in working with the EU.
Nigeria’s Minister of Environment, Malam Balarabe Lawal, highlighted innovative strategies to address the global waste crisis, advocating for reduced single-use plastics, increased recycling, and composting.
He said Nigeria is one of the fastest-growing countries in the world with a population of over 200 million, generating about 32 million tonnes of solid waste per year.
According to him, the large volume of waste being generated in the country presents circular economy business opportunities across the waste management value chain.
He urged a recommitment to zero waste living, emphasising the importance of sustainable practices and policy changes to drive progress towards a circular economy.
Lawal stressed the power of community and collaboration in minimising waste and preserving resources for a healthier environment.
He explained that the alarming statistics underscored the urgency of action to mitigate waste pollution’s impacts on human well-being and the planet’s health.
Lawal also emphasised the need for immediate intervention to prevent further escalation of the crisis.
The highlight of the event was the unveiling of the Nigeria Circular Economy Roadmap, aimed at guiding the country’s transition while defining the government’s role in enabling the private sector to drive implementation through policy.
The National Environmental Standards and Regulations Enforcement Agency (NESREA) on Wednesday, April 3, 2024, received wildlife monitoring and enforcement equipment from the UN Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC).
Director-General of NESREA, Prof. Aliyu Jauro
The Director-General of NESREA, Prof. Aliyu Jauro, said while receiving the equipment in Abuja that the equipment would be used to combat wildlife crime in the country.
Jauro expressed appreciation to the development partner for the donation of the gadgets.
“Traffickers have adopted sophisticated methods of trafficking wildlife.
“However, the provision of real time equipment will greatly enhance wildlife monitoring, investigation, intelligence gathering, enforcement, evidence collection, data generation, data management and transmission,” he said.
The NESREA boss said that Nigeria was taking all the necessary steps to rid the country of wildlife crimes.
He said the recent destruction of seized wildlife stockpiles was intended to discourage perpetrators of the crime.
He said it was also meant to send out the signal that the country would not tolerate any form of wildlife crime on its soil.
Jauro said that the necessary checks had been put in place at the Nigerian border posts to frustrate the activities of those who sought to use the country as a transit hub for illegal shipment of controlled wildlife and their products.
“The gadgets will be deployed to the agency’s zonal and state field offices, particularly, those that have been identified as hotspots for traffickers.
Responding, the UNODC Country Representative, Dr Oliver Stolpe, commended the efforts of the Nigerian Government in reducing the rate of wildlife crime in Nigeria.
He said that NESREA as the enforcement authority would continue to receive the support it needed to achieve its mandate.
Stolpe reiterated UNODC’s commitment to continue to support Nigeria to combat all forms of wildlife crimes against the environment.
“We pledged to continue to support Nigeria to combat all forms of wildlife crimes as well as deepen our collaboration to rid Nigeria of wildlife crime,” he said.
Stolpe was represented by Folusho Adelekan, National Programme Officer and Lead, Wildlife and Forest Crime.
The equipment donated to NESREA include GPS trackers, digital binoculars, digital video camera, laptops, desktops, weighing scales and walkie –talkies.
Others are foot wears, magnifying lens, digital camera binoculars, calipers, among others.
An Information Communication Technology (ICT) expert, Oluwafemi Osho, says the adoption of Artificial Intelligence (AI) can aid the achievement of Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) agenda of 2030 in Nigeria.
Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)
Osho, in an interview on Tuesday, April 2, 2024, in Abuja, said that AI was dated back to 1950, with the Turing Test or imitation game by Alan Turing.
He explained that AI are computer systems, capable of performing complex tasks that historically only a human could do, like thinking, decision making or problem solving.
The expert said that machines’ ability to exhibit intelligent behaviour comparable to that of humans, had evolved over the years and had proven to ease work systems.
According to him, AI has evolved in complexity, capacity, applications, compared to the time of using systems that were symbolic and had rule-based reasoning.
“The proliferation of the Internet, availability of large volumes of data, innovations in computing hardware, development of more advanced algorithmic techniques have further revolutionised AI across various domains.
“AI offers significant opportunities and benefits for Nigeria if adequately harnessed. AI can drive economic growth through industrial innovations, leading to job creation.
“AI technologies can be applied to enhance our healthcare services, improve agricultural productivity and food security, revolutionise our educational sector, and drive financial inclusion.
“In summary, there is so much AI can contribute to Nigeria achieving SDGs which we barely have seven years to the targeted time,’’ Osho said.
He blamed poor AI education, low internet penetration and the lack of a comprehensive AI policy as the bane to AI growth.
According to him, most people today often equate AI with Chat Generative Pre-Trained Transformer (ChatGPT), AI chatbot that uses natural language processing to create humanlike conversational dialogue.
Osho said the potential of AI is beyond ChatGPT, adding that embracing AI required education on its potentials and risks.
“To embrace and adopt AI, Nigerians must be educated on its potentials and risks. AI should be integrated into school curriculums.
“There is also low Internet penetration that is limiting the capabilities of AI, because the internet essentially serves as a core infrastructure for AI in today’s world.
“Low Internet penetration will lead to low awareness of AI, low awareness will stifle AI development in the country. So, the government must invest more in expanding access to the internet.
“Nigeria also needs a comprehensive AI policy. One of the first responsibilities of the Nigerian government in developing AI is to formulate an AI policy,’’ he said.
Osho added that a good AI policy would attract significant investments to the country.
The National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA) has a subsidiary, the National Centre for Artificial Intelligence and Robotics (NCAIR).
NCAIR has the mandate to promote research, development and adoption of AI, robotics and the Fourth Industrial Revolution technologies for economic growth, improve quality of life and promote global competitiveness.
Australia will soon face megadrought that will last for decades, a new study shows.
Drought
In the study, researchers from the Australian National University (ANU) used multiple climate models to simulate droughts that occurred in Australia between the years 850 and 2000.
They found that droughts in south-western and eastern Australia in the 20th century were longer on average than those in pre-industrial times.
They warned that Australia could soon face megadrought that last up to 20 years, with expected exacerbated effects due to climate change.
Georgy Falster, Co-Lead Author of the research from the ANU Research School of Earth Sciences, said: “One of the confronting findings of our work is that it is possible for droughts in Australia to be much longer than any of the droughts that we’ve experienced in recent times.
“Droughts that would continue for 20 years or more are something that we should expect to happen.
“Megadroughts are part of the natural variations in Australia’s climate.
“But worryingly, we are now also adding human-caused climate change into the mix, and that is probably increasing the chances of the next megadrought here.’’
According to the study, a mega drought is an exceptionally severe, long-lasting and widespread drought.
The researchers focused their efforts on the Murray-Darling basin, Australia’s largest agricultural area including parts of South Australia (SA), New South Wales, Victoria, Queensland and the Australian Capital Territory (ACT).
They found that human-caused climate change was already contributing to longer droughts in the basin as well as southwestern Australia and that those regions could expect future declines in rainfall.
This will be due to climate change and increasing the risk of droughts.
In order to reduce the impact of future droughts, the researchers said Australians should be prepared with water storage and management plans and community support networks.
The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation (BMGF) is supporting Kano State with pest-resistant Cowpea seeds to boost production of the crop and its seeds in the state.
Cowpea
Lawrence Kent, the Senior Programme Officer of the foundation, headquartered in Seattle, United States, said this while addressing newsmen at a project review workshop on Tuesday, April 2, 2024, in Kano.
The event was organised by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation (BMGF) and the African Agricultural Technology Foundation (AATF).
Kent said that the foundation was in Kano to support the pest-resistant cowpea project, which was an effort led by the Nigerian government working with the AATF.
“This is to bring the new improved insect-resistant cowpea to Nigeria in collaboration with the institute of agricultural research and other projects.
“This project will ensure the development of improved cowpea variety that is resistant to pests.
“As a result, farmers who plant this cowpea will be able to achieve high yield with less dependence on pesticides because the product itself is insect resistant.
“So, we at BMGF are proud to provide some financial support to our partners here in Nigeria who are now working to reproduce the seeds.
“The foundation seed and the breeder seed and most importantly, the certified seed is being produced by eleven different Nigerian seed companies.
“We are supporting them to produce the quality seeds and make it available to Nigerian farmers, so they can improve their yields, reduce dependence on pesticides and improve their livelihoods,” the BMGF official said.
The Kano State Commissioner for Agriculture, Danjuma Mahmud, said the state was ready to embrace decisions reached at the end of the workshop that would boost production and enhance cowpea seeds.
Mahmud, who was represented by the ministry’s Permanent Secretary, Sadi Ibrahim, said: “I am here for the workshop holding here in Kano on pest-resistant cowpea seeds.
“It is a welcome development that this workshop is taking place here because it is an agrarian state. So, we are part of anything that has to do with agriculture.
“Whatever the outcome of this meeting, we are going to take it and work with it.
“We will sensitise our farmers on the new technology developed through this variety, so that they can adopt the cultivation of that variety for increased food production and ultimately food security in the state,” he said.
According to the commissioner, the state government is doing a lot to ensure availability of high-quality seeds for its farmers.
“One of the ways we are trying to achieve this, is through what we call seed multiplication in our ministry of agriculture and Kano State Agricultural Development Authority.
“The Kano State Agricultural Development Authority is where we procure some seeds from the national institutes that are responsible for these productions.
“We produce these certified seeds, which we ultimately distribute to our farmers at subsidised rates.
“Currently, there is an effort by this administration to sanitise the seed industries that are operating in the state.
“Towards this, we are making serious efforts in collaboration with the National Agricultural Council and the State Consumer Production Council to ensure our farmers and the general public are sensitised on high quality seeds,” Mahmud said.
Also, Dr Emmanuel Okogbenin, the Director, Programme Development and Commercialization, AATF, described Nigeria as the largest producer of cowpea in the world, followed by its neighbour, Niger Republic.
Okogbenin said that, however, the country still needed to make up its demand by importing the product from Niger Republic, meaning that there was underproduction.
He said that cowpea could be planted all over Nigeria, adding that challenges varied from state to state.
He said that with the enhancement of the cowpea seeds, more tons could be produced per hectare as against 0.2 per hectare that was currently obtainable.
“This has so far been increased to 0.6 per hectare and 0.8 per hectare, which is still not enough to satisfy the national demand with a population of 200 million Nigerians,” he said.
The National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) says its partnership with the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affair (UN-OCHA) will reduce the sufferings of Nigerians affected by disasters.
Zubaida Umar, Director General, National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA)
Director-General (DG) of NEMA, Mrs Zubaida Umar, disclosed on Tuesday. April 2, 2024, in Abuja when the Head of UN-OCHA in Nigeria, Mr Trond Jensen, paid her a visit.
Umar commended the collaboration between NEMA and (UN-OCHA) in enhancing disaster response capabilities.
She used the opportunity of the visit to reel out mechanisms toward mitigating the impact of flooding on humans and environment as the rainy season sets in.
According to her, the mechanism included developing early warning alerts based on the Seasonal Climate Prediction (SCP), released by the Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NiMet), and public sensitisation to precautionary measures to avert flood impacts.
The NEMA DG also announced an expert meeting to analyse the SCP and develop strategies for saving lives and safeguarding livelihoods.
“Other flood disaster mitigating activities will be rolled out during NEMA’s upcoming Emergency Coordination Forum (ECF) meeting,” she said.
On his part, Jensen praised the D-G’s experience in the on-shore sector, noting that it would be useful in finding solutions and improving efficiency and effectiveness.
He expressed excitement about the growing relationship between UN-OCHA and NEMA, saying “such foresees great things in the future”.
Jensen emphasised the importance of collaboration and innovation in addressing climate change and humanitarian challenges.
He then stressed the need for joint efforts to tackle increasing temperatures and irregular weather patterns, such as floods.
Has Nigeria learnt any lessons from the Okuama massacre? Will the incident repeat itself or offer profound lessons against future experience? In the journey of life, no individual or nation or country is immune from occurrences thrown up by circumstance, which, may be pleasant or painful. Lessons learnt from such experiences are deployed to prevent possible future reoccurrence, failing which, same catastrophe repeats itself.
Okuama killings: Slain soldiers laid to rest
In context, the gruesome murder of army officers at Okuama in Ughelli South Local Government Area, Delta State, which transcends ethnic emotions and accompanied by wide condemnations, is a confirmation that Nigeria has not, and does not learn from lessons, otherwise, the calamity would have been avoided.
The incident was not the first. It happened previously at Odi, Bayelsa State, Zaki Biam, Benue State, and Gbaramatu, Delta State, yet it appeared neither the federal government nor the Nigerian Army learnt any lessons therefrom. This is evident from the Okuama saga, a proof of the country’s insensitivity to bloodshed and exposition of poverty in the policy making process.
This notwithstanding, the Okuama calamity has again thrown up another opportunity for lessons to be learned. If Nigeria failed again this time around to learn from these happenings, then the country risks further carnage, which may possibly take a more complex form with unmanageable and unpredictable consequences. It may be too costly for the country’s fledgling socio-economic balance and stability.
Therefore, the lessons are crucial, and should be identified by government and harness as feedback for proactive purposes to forestall future recurrence. It is a tragedy for any country with a relapsing experience not to have a codified strategy encapsulated in a template to resolve related matters. In specific terms, what then are the lessons and takeaways from the Okuama disaster?
Lesson One: To have allowed a land dispute over-fishing rights between Okuama and neighbouring Okoloba community in Bomadi Local Government Area, Delta State, to escalate means there were no proactive measures and concerted prompt intervention by the Nigeria Police Force and Delta State Government in response to petitions written by Okuama community.
The community, through its lawyers, I. Ejedegba and Co., had written a petition to the Commissioner of Police in Asaba, Delta State, which was acknowledged on January 31, 2O24, while the petition written by Okuama community leaders and addressed to the Delta State Governor was received on February 2, 2O24. This was over one month before the gruesome murder of the military officers on March 14, 2O24.
Since the Police is the first line of defence and statutorily responsible for civil matters, they should have wadded in upon receipt of the petitions to nip the crisis in the bud, aside previous joint meetings among the communities, the Police and the Delta State Government that yielded no solution. Under this development, the Delta State Governor should have been advised to wield the big stick by acquiring the land in contention for public interest to end the crisis.
Lesson Two: Inviting the Army for a mediatory and peace mission to Okuama for resolution of land dispute between two communities that were not at war, was an error in judgement. The dispute was civil in nature, and it was only when efforts by the Police and the Delta State Governor had failed, and there was evidence of likely escalation into a dangerous dimension beyond the capacity of the Police, that would have warranted intervention by the Nigerian Army. It is not the responsibility of the Army to broker peace in a civil matter.
Lesson Three: Central to the killing of the military personnel in Okuama, is presumably oil. Oil appeared to be the underpinning motive behind the horrendous and senseless killings. Mere land dispute between two communities could not have led to such a mindless massacre. Soldiers are deployed to the Niger Delta region to protect oil facilities, and in the course of this duty, they might have been marked as “enemy” by those profiteering from illegal oil deals.
Those involved in crude oil theft and other illegal activities, including processing of locally refined products might see the Army as obstacle to their business interests. The military high command should have known this and prepare the soldiers for possible eventuality and collision with entrenched oil thieves. The circumstances of their death showed that the military men were taken unawares. It was likely that crude oil thieves and other vested interests might have planned and taken advantage of the soldiers’ peaceful disposition to unleash mayhem in such a horrific and despicable manner.
Lesson Four: The mass destruction of Okuama by the Army in response to the death of the soldiers without singling out the culprits, was unhelpful, as innocent children, mothers, elderly, the sick and even pregnant women, were either killed, rendered homeless or died while trying to escape. To bring pains on an entire community over the action of a few criminals, is indefensible. Reprisal attack and collective punishment are incompatible with international laws.
Recalled that after destruction of Odi by the Army, the community resorted to litigation and got a favourable judgement, leading to payment of N15 billion out of court settlement, as compensation. Justice Lambi Akanbi of the Federal High Court had condemned the government for a “brazen violation of the fundamental human rights of the victims to movement, life and to own property and live peacefully in their ancestral home.” Since the Okuama experience is reminiscent of the destruction at Odi, it is likely Okuama may seek redress in the law court for compensation over reprisal destruction of lives and properties.
Lesson Five: As the President and Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Nigeria, Bola Tinubu’s order to the Army was too hasty and reactionary without taking into consideration, innocent lives in Okuama that were caught up in the web. Granting “full authority” to the military to bring anybody found to have been responsible for the attack to justice, was an obvious blanket licence for the military to invade Okuama.
Instead, the President should have ordered the security agencies and the Police to specifically intervene, identify and arrest the criminal elements in the community, while instituting an independent high-powered panel of enquiry to unravel the causes of the mayhem. A future restraint on the part of the President is imperative to douse tension and minimize further collateral damage.
Lesson Six: The Army’s decision to lock down and lay siege to Okuama without granting access to the Delta State Governor, the Police, humanitarian agencies, and even the press to assess the situation on ground, has given rise to speculations about the plight of the members of the community, particularly the innocent, helpless and indigent persons. This is unhelpful to the image of the Army.
By not allowing access, the Army has unwittingly, open its operations to speculations. For example, it was alleged that the Army killed over 5O persons in Okuama, with other survivors hiding in the bush, including old women, children, the elderly ones and even the sick, with no food to eat and water to drink. This is a gross violation of their fundamental human rights.
To avoid being put on the spotlight, it is imperative for the military to grant access into the community to enable humanitarian agencies and volunteer groups to extend help and assistance to the innocent ones to prevent further fatalities. This will also serve the interest of the Army’s reputation.
Lesson Seven: After the destruction of Odi, initial public sympathy for the military waned. Same is replicating itself at Okuama over the conduct of the Army. The Army, like other federal government agencies, is not a supreme institution that is above the Constitution and the Nigerian State, neither is civilian population subject to military laws. Indeed, the Army is subject to civil authority under Democracy. Therefore, it must change its current tactics at Okuama where it has refused access to the community, assumed sole information provider on goings-on, and subjected civilians to investigation, arrest and detention.
It is hoped that these lessons will serve as reference and guide for the state governments, the Police, the Army and the federal government in handling of related crises to avert future disaster.
Dr. Mike Owhoko is a Lagos-based public policy analyst, author, and journalist. He can be reached at www.mikeowhoko.com, and followed on X (formerly Twitter) @michaelowhoko
